Random Out-Of-The-Blue Gimmicks

[Fantastic]

You know, things that actually got fairly over, and even necessitated an actual push, despite been given (mostly) to guys creative had nothing for with no intention of them going anywhere?

 

I've included a poll of stuff from the top of my head, feel free to list and discuss others.

[El-P]

Positively Kanyon. BANG.

 

It's so sad what happened to that guy.

[cheapshot]

I voted for Mizdow, as it's provided me with a few laugh out loud moments, which means I must of been entertained.

[Sidebottom]

This should include JBL, and frankly he should walk it. The most successful over night repackaging of a long term mid carder I can think of.

[(BP)]

I voted The Godfather because I loved how it was subtly woven into his Nation character with the outfits and cigar, and then he was suddenly coming to the ring with a dozen strippers.

[Dooley]

I loved Bob Holly's "Big Shot" phase. The "super heavyweight" portion with him bringing the scale out was the icing on the cake.

[ButchReedMark]

I know I probably shouldn't, but I'm fucked if 15 year old Butch didn't love the M.I.A. Probably more than anything else in WCW not called Mike Awesome, Scott Steiner, or the massive silicone enriched tits all over the shows at the time.

[anarchistxx]

This should include JBL, and frankly he should walk it. The most successful over night repackaging of a long term mid carder I can think of.

 

Really? His run on top was a critical and commercial disaster. If it wasn't for Eddie Guerrero it would be remembered as the worst title reign in company history.

[Fantastic]

This should include JBL, and frankly he should walk it. The most successful over night repackaging of a long term mid carder I can think of.

 

The reason I didn't include the likes of JBL was because they were given a push from the onset. JBL basically entered into a WWE title program with Eddie Guerrero and became the top heel overnight. That was planned.

 

No, really the idea here is random ass gimmicks they give to guys they have nothing for, not expecting them to get that over, only for them to have something of a breakout with the gimmick and force a push.

[conker8]

Well, Truth is pushed to a match with Cena after his turn/gimmick change.

[Fantastic]

Well, Truth is pushed to a match with Cena after his turn/gimmick change.

 

That's true (pun not intended), but you could argue that the Little Jimmy thing didn't start to get over until his team with Miz. But yeah, I screwed that one up!

[Sidebottom]

 

This should include JBL, and frankly he should walk it. The most successful over night repackaging of a long term mid carder I can think of.

 

Really? His run on top was a critical and commercial disaster. If it wasn't for Eddie Guerrero it would be remembered as the worst title reign in company history.

 

 

And who says everything in wrestling needs to be judged by subjective reviews and box office? Some of my favourite CD's are probably from artists you've never heard of playing in coffee shops. Doesn't mean they're not super talented. Besides, this was a topic titled "Random out of the blue gimmicks". John going from an on its arse APA to JBL was certainly out of the blue and he himself (or because of the company, whatever way you want to look at it) achieved the most objective success out of the aforementioned gentlemen.

[Parties]

I picked The Godfather only because it was the most successful rags-to-riches story. He was a truly shitty worker who had been an outright flop twice with Shango and Kama. The Nation was great, but he was playing fourth banana to much better guys. The Godfather took a dude who was really among the worst main roster guys they've ever had and made him into a credible singles champion with a gimmick that was ridiculously over and ideal for its time. The reactions he (or at least the women accompanying him) got are astounding when you watch Attitude RAWs.

 

He's one of those guys who lapsed fans from that era remember vividly and still ask me about often. People who don't remember who Owen Hart, PG-13, D'Lo or Simmons were remember the Godfather. And in terms of an evergreen character with potential longevity, "pimp" is better than the rest of these. It's the world's second oldest profession.

 

I nearly voted for Too Cool as they were probably the most over of anyone listed, and the gimmick was what made them stars. But Godfather emerged from lower depths up to relative heights.

[sek69]

Not saying it was the best, but months of video packages showing an ass kicking monster leading to the debut of the Funkasaurus was a legit LOL moment for me. He actually made it work a lot longer than I thought possible too.

[cm funk]

I loved Bob Holly's "Big Shot" phase. The "super heavyweight" portion with him bringing the scale out was the icing on the cake.

 

Same here and I voted for that

 

Also have loved Mizdow for the most part and loved R-Truth and Little Jimmy. Truth was so entertaining during the first few months of his heel run

[anarchistxx]

 

 

This should include JBL, and frankly he should walk it. The most successful over night repackaging of a long term mid carder I can think of.

 

Really? His run on top was a critical and commercial disaster. If it wasn't for Eddie Guerrero it would be remembered as the worst title reign in company history.

 

 

And who says everything in wrestling needs to be judged by subjective reviews and box office? Some of my favourite CD's are probably from artists you've never heard of playing in coffee shops.

 

 

What a strange analogy. JBL wasn't an unheard of authentic troubadour playing a coffee shop and suddenly getting his big break. He was someone who had continuously failed to get over as a singles worker and was being pushed to the moon by no popular demand, with a gimmick that got over by being tasteless and riding off the heat of Guerrero and subjected us to endless, tedious feuds with Undertaker, Booker-T and Big Show that led to some of the most unmemorable title matches in company history.

 

He got slightly more respect from fans later on but still doesn't fit this thread at all - he wasn't a random novelty gimmick that suddenly got over, he was shoved down the fans throats.

 

 

 

and he himself (or because of the company, whatever way you want to look at it) achieved the most objective success out of the aforementioned gentlemen.

 

Don't buy this at all - objective success is making something out of nothing, whereas JBL was pushed to the main event straight away regardless of performance and getting over. He didn't take what was supposed to be a lower card comedy gimmick and get the crowd behind him enough that they were forced to run with it.

 

To carry on the music analogy, he was a pop star hand picked by the record label and given the best Max Martin songs to work with to guarantee chart success. Not Bauer making a random novelty trap song and suddenly finding it at #1 and a cult classic without any promotion or aim to hit the charts. Now I'd rather listen to Arianda Grande singing Mike Will tunes than have to hear 'Harlem Shake' again, just like I'd rather watch JBL than Gillberg....still doesn't fit the thread.

[Steenalized]

JBL had very good to great matches with Cena, Rey, and Eddie when he was up top in the mid-00s. That's not too hard to do given those three opponents, but he wasn't a stiff either even if people moaned incessantly about him. Yes, his gimmick was low-hanging fruit, but it turned a guy who no one cared about into someone that people hated. And prior to becoming JBL he was pretty much the opposite of that character: a blue collar, beer drinking fighter.

[El McKell]

Truth was so entertaining during the first few months of his heel run

Couldn't agree more with this. I loved everything he did during this time. From trashing merch stands because of the John Cena merch, to showing up in a confederate uniform to secede from the WWE Universe or my personal favourite: "let's watch the trailer for the new John Cena movie" *looks directly at the camera* "I want my son back!" and Cena just looks like he doesn't even get it. Amazing.

[El-P]

I picked The Godfather only because it was the most successful rags-to-riches story. He was a truly shitty worker who had been an outright flop twice with Shango and Kama. The Nation was great, but he was playing fourth banana to much better guys. The Godfather took a dude who was really among the worst main roster guys they've ever had and made him into a credible singles champion with a gimmick that was ridiculously over and ideal for its time.

 

To me the Godfather is everything that was wrong about the Attitude era. A babyface pimp ? Wait, what ? His matches were awful, and the only reason he got any reaction to begin with is because he got a bunch of strippers walking him down the ring. He never was anything more than an intro with tons of tits and ass, and a stupid and actually offensive catchphrase for a babyface. Once the strippers got dropped, no one cared one bit about this guy.

 

What a strange analogy. JBL wasn't an unheard of authentic troubadour playing a coffee shop and suddenly getting his big break. He was someone who had continuously failed to get over as a singles worker and was being pushed to the moon by no popular demand, with a gimmick that got over by being tasteless and riding off the heat of Guerrero and subjected us to endless, tedious feuds with Undertaker, Booker-T and Big Show that led to some of the most unmemorable title matches in company history.

 

He got slightly more respect from fans later on but still doesn't fit this thread at all - he wasn't a random novelty gimmick that suddenly got over, he was shoved down the fans throats.

 

Pretty much. And why ? Because from all acounts, he was an office stooge and a kiss-ass. Add to this the fact he was a locker room bully (who once got knocked out by Joey Styles of all people), and you get quite a nice picture about "talent rising to the top".

[Sidebottom]

AnarchistXX you have completely read my post wrong.

 

 

 

What a strange analogy.

 

There wasn't an analogy for a start.

 

And if you don't "buy" me saying:

 

 

 

and he himself (or because of the company, whatever way you want to look at it) achieved the most objective success out of the aforementioned gentlemen.

 

Tell me categorically who of the above (from seemingly your own criteria of money made / positioning) made more money and was featured in more high profile matches - reasoning as to how he got there being irrelevant.

[anarchistxx]

Pretty sure he made plenty of money - he sure as hell didn't draw a dime for the company. His run on top was a commercial flop. This isn't a thread about mediocre workers making a lot of cash because the company force fed them into the main event, this is a thread about strange, random gimmicks that somehow got over and took on a life of their own.

 

The JBL gimmick itself was just a Million Dollar Man rehash.

[Jesse Ewiak]

JBL's closer to a middling artist who makes a sudden change in genre to try to kickstart their career, and is successful as long as they're paired with the right kind of partner - so, maybe, I don't know, Rob Thomas being in a middling pop rock bank like Matchbox 20 that had a couple of big hits (the APA's early success), then was in popularity purgatory before hooking up w/ Santana for Smooth?

[Fantastic]

this is a thread about strange, random gimmicks that somehow got over and took on a life of their own.

 

This man gets it.

 

I was racking my brains earlier trying to think of any examples in Puro.

[Loss]

I've said this before, but The Godfather is almost the perfect opening match guy. He's over and he's not going to have a match that can't be followed.

[anarchistxx]

 

this is a thread about strange, random gimmicks that somehow got over and took on a life of their own.

 

This man gets it.

 

I was racking my brains earlier trying to think of any examples in Puro.

 

 

Ebessan?