[1995-08-15-ECW-TV] Interview: Cactus Jack

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Loss]

"I was two hours late to a building I've been in dozens of times before because I couldn't remember the way." This appears to be his first post-heel turn promo before he changed his style. Yet another person doing all the work to get Raven over.

[El-P]

Your anti-Raven bias is so ridiculous.

[Loss]

My bias stems from:

 

(a) Him not having good matches without liberal use of props and outside interference

( Him not giving good promos

© Him being surrounded by people who had a connection with the crowd who were much better in the ring and on interviews, and siphoning all of his heat off of them to get over while LITERALLY just sitting there (Richards, Cactus, etc)

(d) The promotional machine in ECW being behind him instead of Stevie Richards, who was more talented and a better prospect in every way

(e) Him rarely getting his comeuppance

(f) His gimmick being too time-specific and not really translating outside of that

(g) Him having a positive reputation in many circles, despite A through F

(h) Frustration that A through G isn't more obvious to some people

[El-P]

In other words, you don't like him very much.

I always enjoyed Raven, especially in WCW, and when I went through my ECW watch, the first few times he appeared, it didn't click immediately with me, but after a few weeks, he was quickly one of my favourites.

(A) I enjoyed most of his matches which have, to me, aged really well actually, and I dig his "dog and pony show" which delivers some actual great near-finishes and fun stuff. I rather watch most of Raven's matches than the Dean Malenko wankery known as ***** classics.

( I think his promos really are excellent as far as building a unique character

© Him being surrounded by other people was the entire point of the gimmick and the character, and him being a depressed, passive agressive cunt surrounding himself with more talented people to do the deeds works like a charm. If you listen to his interviews, he totally put over guys like Foley as being awesome.

(D) Again, Raven always puts over Richard as being ridiculously talented and I would beg to differ, Richards was a rookie and wasn't ready to be a top dog for the promotion, but the entire stint alongside Raven put him over strong and made him a good prospect. Richards really beneficiated from being with Raven (and it worked both ways, as Raven beneficiated to be with Stevie). Would Stevie ever have become anyone if not for Raven, really ? Hard to tell. And what did he do that was really memorable after his initial ECW stint ? Not his fault, but still, anyone wants to argue RTC was really fun ?

(E) He got his ass kicked like crazy all the time. The fact that he never got pinned by Dreamer was a really good booking idea. Raven was all about getting his ass kicked, in ECW like in WCW.

(G) He deserves his reputation.

(F) You're simply a hater.

[Tim Evans]

I didn't know Raven had a positve reputation. His last couple years of suck should have ended that.

 

Seemed like a good Cactus promo ruined by ECW's shitty sound.

[PeteF3]

Cactus' opening line is even more ominous in the wake of more recent knowledge about concussions. I hope for his sake he was only working. Good explanation and good table-setter for the Cactus-Raven alliance.

[Superstar Sleeze]

On 12/26/2011 at 2:42 PM, Loss said:

My bias stems from:

 

(a) Him not having good matches without liberal use of props and outside interference

( Him not giving good promos

© Him being surrounded by people who had a connection with the crowd who were much better in the ring and on interviews, and siphoning all of his heat off of them to get over while LITERALLY just sitting there (Richards, Cactus, etc)

(d) The promotional machine in ECW being behind him instead of Stevie Richards, who was more talented and a better prospect in every way

(e) Him rarely getting his comeuppance

(f) His gimmick being too time-specific and not really translating outside of that

(g) Him having a positive reputation in many circles, despite A through F

(h) Frustration that A through G isn't more obvious to some people

a) Matter of style & taste. I love all forms of wrestling. Heat is heat. I dont really care how one gets it as long as they get it. I enjoy interference and foreign objects and bells & whistles. Give me the powder and the fireballs. I love that Raven works a loaded boot or an ether rag gimmick. I like the zillion of run-ins for the most part. This shit can easily go sideways but him because he does put thought into it, it usually a hit rather than a miss. Guys like RVD that has not heat because nothing has any consequence OR it is stilted & contrived. Raven's dog & pony show does have consequences in Raven's world and it feels natural tome. 

b) I like his promos for the most part. He does have duds here and there, but the whole demented, twisted evil empath that feeds on pain and exploits those most vulnerable like Stevie Richards who didnt know who he was or Cactus who felt abandoned by his peers, fans and the system is a great gimmick. The whole point is that he is delusional and is not self-aware that his poetry is mumbo-jumbo. The duds are when he actually does make sense or he is not very threatening. The abusive relationship with Stevie is gold. 

c) As EL-P point that kind of is the gimmick. I like I said above he feasts on the pain, anger and anguish of others. Likewise he feeds off their heat. Dont tell me you think that wooden hack Tommy Dreamer is a better promo. Tommy Dreamer is fucking wretched promo. His John McClane wannabe act is so poorly executed by him. He is lucky that Raven got his ass over. 

d) Raven didnt get hot immediately. He had Douglas, Sandman, Public Enemy all ahead of him but he worked a great angle and got himself as over as the others and they couldnt deny him. I like Stevie I do, but he wasnt ready yet. He was still finding himself which made him perfect as the innocent wayward soul that got in over his head with Raven. Stevie could ramble with the best of them he was not perfect on the mic either. As El-P pointed out it was a symbiotic relationship both men got over. 

e) The Dreamer piledriver on Beluah and leaving Raven laying in May of 1995, breaking Raven's fingers in retribution Hardcore Heaven 95, Chair Shot Heard Round The World, Gangsta's Paradise with the epic Pitbulls win. Funk's pinfall at November 2 Remember. I dont know enough about his 96 run but he definitely let Dreamer gets his licks in. 

f) The aesthetic is 90s grunge but the evil cult leader that preys on the hurt and abandoned is not. Tiger King demonstrated a Tiger Sex Cult where that evil fucker clearly preys on lost women. General Hospital ran a great storyline called Dawn of Day which was basically the Raven's flock but again a sex cult where the evil leader Shiloh isolated women and made them believe the only man that could understand them and their pain was Shiloh. I am blanking on the real-life inspiration for Dawn of Day but I know there is one and it involved some semi-famous people. Raven character is timeless.   

g) I only come on PWO and everyone besides EL-P and me seem to hate him so I don't know. 

h) It is ok, Charles, I feel your pain. My childhood was filled with anguish & torture and so I understand your pain, Charles.The more frustrated you become the stronger the Raven grows! Quote the Raven, Nevermore!