Conrad Thompson set to expand his podcast schedule with new shows

[The Thread Killer]

So the announcement is official.  Conrad's new podcast is with Kurt Angle.  "The Kurt Angle Show" debuts on February 7, 2021.

[Matt D]

1 hour ago, The Thread Killer said:

So the announcement is official.  Conrad's new podcast is with Kurt Angle.  "The Kurt Angle Show" debuts on February 7, 2021.

There’s a “2x speed” joke here somewhere.

[The Thread Killer]

When you subscribe to Ad Free Shows they usually release the shows a week early, without ads. They also have a video version of the show for subscribers that is not available on Westwood One. The new Chris Hero podcast has been released in video form, and tonight they also released the first episode of the Kurt Angle podcast a week early.

I really like everybody here at PWO, but you should absolutely not send me a PM and ask for a link to the early video release of these two podcasts, because I would never send it to you, and I'm a little insulted that any of you think I would do that.  So do not send me a PM to ask to see the early release versions of Chris Hero or Kurt Angle's podcasts, because I would never ever share those links with you.  I'm sorry if any of you wanted to see either of those new podcasts, but there is no point in sending me a PM and telling me that.

[Petey]

11 hours ago, The Thread Killer said:

Yeah I was just going to post that it sounds like today is the day he's making the announcement, finally.  Like I said earlier, all signs are pointing to either Sting or Kurt Angle, either of which earns a big "who cares" from me.  I am still keeping my fingers crossed that is either Foley or Heyman.

In the most recent episode of "Ask Conrad" he actually admitted that Arn's podcast isn't doing great numbers and says that neither he or Arn are really happy with how the show is going.  It didn't sound like Conrad was thinking about dropping the show, but he did say that he thinks they need to reassess the topics they discuss.  He specifically said they probably need to focus more on Arn's time with Crockett and WCW, and less on his time in WWE.  That seems like it would be obvious, but I guess he really thought there was an audience that wanted to hear Arn discussing his time as an agent during modern WWE.  That idea never made sense to me because the modern WWE product sucks so nobody in their right mind should want to hear about it, not to mention Arn never really says anything of interest about it anyhow.

I think the issue is that WCW (pre-nWo) and especially Crockett is not really Conrad's wheelhouse. When covering those topics on JR and Bischoff, I feel like Conrad can kinda coast through a bit but I could see him getting exposed covering those topics with Arn.

[SomethingSavage]

Yeah. Of course I'll give it a shot, but I'm not exactly excited about a podcast with Angle. I just know Conrad can't wait to remind him about AJ Styles' age and then promptly cover Unforgiven 99 for the tenth time for some reason.

Actually, if they go the Bischoff route and explore some TNA shows, then I'll be all over that. Absolutely.

I was also hoping for something with Heyman or Foley, but I knew that'd be a long shot.

The issue with Arn's show just seems to be that he's too casual and too kind. He doesn't have a whole lot of interesting stuff to talk about, and Conrad doesn't seem willing enough to lead him there. Every now and then, Arn will step up and serve up something juicy. But it's rare.

Guess you could put me in the mi ority though, because I find the more interesting stuff on Arn's show to be about his role as Cena's agent. He's given a few good stories about Harper, Dolph, Cena, Alberto, etc.

I get that folks probably prefer hearing about his heyday, but I don't know. I guess I lose interest quickly because it's all nostalgic waxing that we've heard before. Plus it quickly devolves into Conrad bragging about whose underwear he's bought at an auction or whatever, with Arn usually recounting tales about this one killer steak he ordered at a restaurant with good service back in 1987.

So yeah. Given the two options, I guess I'd rather hear him talk about match layouts or how Dolph got chewed out for using a superkick too soon after Shawn's retirement instead.

[The Thread Killer]

3 hours ago, SomethingSavage said:

Yeah. Of course I'll give it a shot, but I'm not exactly excited about a podcast with Angle. I just know Conrad can't wait to remind him about AJ Styles' age and then promptly cover Unforgiven 99 for the tenth time for some reason.

Actually, if they go the Bischoff route and explore some TNA shows, then I'll be all over that. Absolutely.

I'm about halfway into the first episode of the Kurt Angle podcast, and I am not digging it at all so far.  It's turned out to be pretty much everything I was hoping it would not be. The only positive is that Conrad is claiming they are going to be covering a lot of TNA topics.  But if this first episode is any indicator, I'm not sure how great Angle will be at telling any compelling stories.  The topic of the first show is Wrestlemania 19, and it's been pretty damn boring so far.  Angle really hasn't said one damn thing that I've found interesting yet. Stuff like this makes me appreciate Bischoff's podcast even more.  Even when Bischoff is full of shit, at least he's moderately entertaining about it.  This Angle show so far is just dull.

[SomethingSavage]

5 hours ago, The Thread Killer said:

I'm about halfway into the first episode of the Kurt Angle podcast, and I am not digging it at all so far.  It's turned out to be pretty much everything I was hoping it would not be. The only positive is that Conrad is claiming they are going to be covering a lot of TNA topics.  But if this first episode is any indicator, I'm not sure how great Angle will be at telling any compelling stories.  The topic of the first show is Wrestlemania 19, and it's been pretty damn boring so far.  Angle really hasn't said one damn thing that I've found interesting yet. Stuff like this makes me appreciate Bischoff's podcast even more.  Even when Bischoff is full of shit, at least he's moderately entertaining about it.  This Angle show so far is just dull.

That's really unfortunate, but it's not all too surprising.

I know it was the new hot shit back in 2016/17, but I think Conrad's whole formula has just grown tired and exhausted. It still works with the right personality and storyteller, but it's tiresome to just hear the same topics talked about in the same format over and over.

Left to his own devices, every Conrad show is basically just Conrad reading long pieces from the Observer or the Torch, word for word. His host will chime in with a one or two sentence commentary, and then they move on to the next long paragraph. Throw in an ill-timed LOUD fake laugh, and you've got a Conrad podcast in 2021.

Bischoff can maneuver around things because he is a verbose mf who loves to ramble and talk, which allows the conversation to actually morph and weave into other avenues Conrad wouldn't explore on his own. Bruce occasionally does this, but it's become increasingly rare since his return.

Kurt, like Arn, is probably the type to just fall into the trap of playing along with Conrad's reindeer games and simply responding and then marching along to the next Observer results reading.

[Dav'oh]

Sorry. Double post. Quoted the wrong person the first time.

[Dav'oh]

On 1/29/2021 at 12:25 AM, The Thread Killer said:

Arn's podcast isn't doing great numbers

I found him to be as dry as dead dingo's donger, as they say around these parts. There was no emotion, no excitement, no....life...in the segments I heard. I think he's a terrible choice for the medium.

[The Thread Killer]

2 hours ago, SomethingSavage said:

Left to his own devices, every Conrad show is basically just Conrad reading long pieces from the Observer or the Torch, word for word. His host will chime in with a one or two sentence commentary, and then they move on to the next long paragraph. Throw in an ill-timed LOUD fake laugh, and you've got a Conrad podcast in 2021.

I think Conrad understands that his formula isn't going to work forever.  He has even made a few comments lately about knowing his shows have to evolve.  There have been some minor changes lately that make me a bit hopeful that he's going to try and adjust his style. 

For example, he held a poll asking what people wanted to hear him and Tony Schiavone cover on their podcast, and apparently 1986 in JCP was the overwhelming winner of the poll. So starting at the beginning of January, they have been going through Crockett's weekly TV show, week by week and they are going to go through all of 1986, chronologically.  I watched one episode and I actually liked it...Tony does more than just dick jokes when he is actually engaged in the topic. Conrad admitted that the glory years of JCP are not something he knows a lot about, but just like Tony, Conrad seems to really be loving this series and the fan reaction has been really positive.

I know he has actually hired researchers as well, so I am hoping that means that he isn't just going to be quoting Meltzer over and over in his other shows, because you are absolutely right, that formula is beyond played out.

Finally, he produced that show "Title Chase" which I really enjoyed, and he has been doing stuff like the Jim Herd and Jim Crockett interviews, which are miles above his weekly podcasts.

That's why I was so disappointed when he announced his new show was going to be with Kurt Angle.  It feels like a major step backward.

[The Thread Killer]

47 minutes ago, Dav'oh said:

I found him to be as dry as dead dingo's donger, as they say around these parts.

Yeah...that old saying.

47 minutes ago, Dav'oh said:

There was no emotion, no excitement, no....life...in the segments I heard. I think he's a terrible choice for the medium.

Yeah, as I've said elsewhere, I really respect Arn Anderson but I am not sure a podcast (at least in the format it is being presented in right now) is the right platform for him.  I was really surprised when Conrad admitted that on the last episode of Ask Conrad.  I am hoping they are able to come up with a way to make it more appealing, but a lot of that is on Arn. It's like @SomethingSavage said, Arn has to be willing to say something at least a little controversial at least once in a while, and that doesn't seem to be something he is willing to do.  I really enjoyed the recent episode Conrad and Arn did recently with Tully Blanchard as a guest.  They need to do more stuff like that, maybe have other guests from the years Arn was in JCP.

[Johnny Sorrow]

The 86 shows on Tony's podcast have been so much fun. They're watch alongs that you don't have to watch along with, and they're full of joy. It doesn't hurt that it's the era of JCP that was the height of my teenage fandom. 

[The Thread Killer]

54 minutes ago, Johnny Sorrow said:

The 86 shows on Tony's podcast have been so much fun. They're watch alongs that you don't have to watch along with, and they're full of joy. It doesn't hurt that it's the era of JCP that was the height of my teenage fandom. 

That is one of my all time favorite eras in Pro Wrestling as well.  I think doing these shows with Tony was definitely a very smart decision.  I am hoping they're going to do something similar with Arn.

[SomethingSavage]

I was digging Tony's ECW watch-alongs for a minute a few years back, but that's all I've ever cared for from his show. I might give some of the 86 stuff a shot, but I'm wary.

How much Casio Kid is there? Because if the answer is any at all, I'm out. I feel like he brings even Conrad's worst tendencies to a new low with all the dick jokes and talk about his wife taking epic shits.

 

[The Thread Killer]

2 hours ago, SomethingSavage said:

How much Casio Kid is there? Because if the answer is any at all, I'm out. I feel like he brings even Conrad's worst tendencies to a new low with all the dick jokes and talk about his wife taking epic shits.

So far, I haven't heard anything from The Casio Kid, but then again I have only seen the one episode of the 1986 JCP stuff.

But I agree with you, 100%.  That guy is an absolute deal breaker for me, then minute he shows up anywhere on one of Conrad's shows...I'm out.  I don't give a crap if he is one of Conrad's best friends.  I'd rather stick a whole Q-Tip into each of my ears as far as they can go than listen to one second of that guy.  He's the absolute shits.

[WrestlingPower]

I really enjoyed the first show although it seemed a bit long.  I guess I'm just losing interest in long shows in general.  Unless WWE really doesn't want (proprietary?) details out there about the inner workings, which is extremely possible, I don't recall him saying anything controversial or anything that would make them upset on the surface.

[Gertner]

Listened to the first episode of Kurt Angle's podcast. I'll have to listen to the next couple before deciding, but I don't see it making my rotation.

[Loss]

I should be past this, but I stopped listening to Grilling JR when he started criticizing some stuff he seemed to genuinely like at the time he was calling it. I realize that being an announcer is a job, and that wrestling is a work, but when I hear him talk about how he didn't think doing a match was that good of an idea after saying on commentary that he was so excited to see it, it's a little bit too much peeling back the curtain. It's weird how I've never had that feeling otherwise. I always want to know more. But JR is different because an announcer has a certain credibility with the viewer, especially when it's someone who has called so many matches that I have enjoyed. So when I hear that he really didn't like something all that much that he sure seemed to love when he was calling it is far more business exposing in a negative way than just about anything I can think of. Shoot interviews don't make me feel dumb for caring, but that sure does.

[The Thread Killer]

8 minutes ago, Loss said:

I should be past this, but I stopped listening to Grilling JR when he started criticizing some stuff he seemed to genuinely like at the time he was calling it. I realize that being an announcer is a job, and that wrestling is a work, but when I hear him talk about how he didn't think doing a match was that good of an idea after saying on commentary that he was so excited to see it, it's a little bit too much peeling back the curtain.

I know exactly what you mean.  I get the distinct impression that JR would probably have views very similar to those of Jim Cornette (although I have no doubt he wouldn't be quite as vitriolic when expressing them) if it were not for the fact that he is being paid by AEW, he likes Tony Khan as a person and boss (especially after working for Vince) and the fact that some of the AEW locker room apparently treat him like an elder statesman.   I think JR is willing to look the other way or bite his tongue to a degree, because he loves still being able to call Pro Wrestling, even if it is a kind he might not otherwise enjoy or appreciate it.

[sek69]

So there's a trailer going around for Conrad's interview with David Crockett where he confirms the plan for Starrcade 86 was to have Magnum win the title from Flair before the accident changed things. 

[Loss]

That's not even true, though, at least not according to what has always been out there. It's a romantic story that has taken a life of its own, but people in JCP in the past have said the plan was for him to regain the U.S. title from Nikita Koloff at Starrcade. Flair was going to do a title vs career match with Ron Garvin in the main event, and 1987 would be Garvin basically doing a longer, serious version of the midcard fodder storyline he did as a WWF referee to build to his return.

[Loss]

To be clear, I'm not saying he's wrong, just saying that someone is. The people who were dialed into JCP at the time always said that wasn't the plan.

[sek69]

I never know what to believe with that story to be honest. I always got a sense that people never wanted to confirm those plans to avoid telling a guy who's career was cut short he was about to get the biggest win of his career, but it did seem on TV the program with NIkita wasn't ending any time soon.  

Then again, if the plan was Flair/Garvin why did that get changed to what ended up happening?  It sure looked like Nikita was being put into booking plans they already had set up with Magnum by making that the Starrcade match instead. Especially since he was literally put in the spot Magnum was teaming with Dusty.  It seems like it would have been better to do Nikita vs Ivan (or someone Ivan brought in) for betraying the Russians and still do Flair/Garvin.

Plus it seems that David Crockett would have knowledge of the plans, right? I know he wasn't directly involved in booking but surely he would know what was being discussed?

 

[The Thread Killer]

I'm pretty sure the Conrad interview is with Jim Crockett, not David.  I have it on my AFS feed, I just haven't watched it yet.  I'm planning on watching it and recapping here some time fairly soon.

[SomethingSavage]

I haven't enjoyed much of anything Conrad has done in awhile, but I've got to say - I don't mind the Kurt Angle pod one bit. It ain't half as bad as I heard some people make it out to be.

Kurt's not saying a lot of controversial shit or taking cheap shots, for sure. But hell. Compared to Bruce, he's spitting straight fire when he talks about how most of the modern product is devoid of characters or storylines. Doesn't hurt that it's true, too. (It's true.)

What I particularly enjoy about the first four episodes with Kurt is that Conrad is willing to slosh and shuffle his formula around a bit. It isn't just analyzing a month worth of shows and reading a bunch of paragraphs straight from the Torch or the Observer for hours on end.

It's actually closer to the original shows with Bruce, in that it's more conversational than "Conrad reads Meltzer, then host replies with brief statement, and repeat."

It's not a total subversion of the formula, but it is focusing on isolated periods and particular programs. I kind of dig it.

Plus Kurt's ad read for Chicken Snax is a more engaging promo than anything I've heard Seth Rollins say since 2014. Annnddd that's all I've got to say about that.