The Gentleman Villain with Willian Regal

[The Thread Killer]

I don’t mind this show, but I am pretty sure it is going to go into the category of a podcast that I will only check out if I have an interest in the topic that week. There have been some shows that I will listen to regardless of the topic because I really like the host. I don’t think this is going to be one of those shows. I really like and respect Regal but he seems to have a standard set of responses for pretty much any question and it’s going to get really old, really quickly if I am not selective in which episodes I choose to listen to. If they start to cover his years in WCW or his European career I will definitely check it out, but I can’t see myself sitting through a two hour episode about NXT or the Attitude Era.

[Matt D]

The really great stuff is really great. I was shooting some messages to Loss earlier:

“The move’s one thing. It’s the detail of building up to the move that makes the move special.”  - About why people go up for Sami’s Blue Thunder Bomb when he never wins with it. 
“It’s little tiny things that make it all mean something so you actually care.”

He also talks about how selling is basic and reacting is more advanced. Then he said Taker was the best ever at it and went on to how no one will write wrestling reviews about the close up, in between stuff.

And of course he spent 10 minutes talking about how you need to have good pins.

So there's a lot of really great stuff in there but you have to wade through a lot of repetition to get to it and then the stuff that is really rough, mainly him downplaying himself. He had this neverending spiel about how he likely never positively impacted anyone's career by giving them advice on character work, except for a few cases that he did, and those people know who they are, and that's not his story to tell, but mostly he didn't, except for those times that he did, and he'd help anyone, of course, but he never actually helped anyone on this count, except for when he did, which wasn't all that often, and they know who they are, and really, it was just little things, when it was anything at all, but sometimes it was quite a bit really, but often times it wasn't, but he would always talk to people about it, but most people figured it out, but some people he helped, and some people never figured it out, but he helped some of those who did, but he really didn't do all that much, not really, except for when he did.

[The Thread Killer]

I think they might be going to the every other week “Ask Me Anything” format like they used to do with Arn. They already have a second one scheduled and he’s only what, five weeks into this podcast? That seems like lazy producing to me, but what do I know.

[Matt D]

10 minutes ago, The Thread Killer said:

I think they might be going to the every other week “Ask Me Anything” format like they used to do with Arn. They already have a second one scheduled and he’s only what, five weeks into this podcast? That seems like lazy producing to me, but what do I know.

He’s just going to talk about whatever anyway! 

[The Thread Killer]

Point well taken.  They may have just pivoted with the format of the show, much like they did with Tony Schaivone in the early days of his podcast.  Once they realized Regal was going to be incapable to sticking to a topic, maybe they just decided to get rid of the topics.  Which is all good and well, so long as it doesn't end up degrading to the point where we end up hearing who is on Regal's "Mount Rushmore" or where his favorite places to eat are.  He's already fielding questions about his favorite comedians.  It's a short trip from that, to ranking his favorite fast food places or lengthy diatribes about how he likes his steak cooked or whether he puts cheese on his burgers. That's what happened with Arn...I don't want to see it happen to Regal.  Hell, stupid Q&A questions (or more accurately the deliberate selection of stupid questions) is what killed Jim Cornette's Drive Thru and basically turned it into The Jim Cornette Experience Part Deux.

[SomethingSavage]

I mean, it's bound to happen with almost any host or co-host. Eventually these guys run out of stories they want to tell. Yes, it's easy to point at an event or a show and say these guys were physically present, therefore they should produce entertaining stories. But having them actually and openly recall interesting, specific details is another thing entirely.

Regal is enjoyable in back & forth conversations on other people's podcasts. He's a little different in this long form setting.

Regal's slow, deliberate, molasses method of drip feeding out a story CAN be especially engaging. But it can also drag, and I find it best in small doses. I can probably listen to one of these every two weeks or so.

I enjoyed his breakdown on comedy wrestlers and comedic spots in wrestling. I thought he tackled the topic from every facet and thougroughly explained good comedy versus bad, how integral it is to be over when attempting comedy, and the effectiveness of making your opponents look foolish for the sake of comedy versus making yourself look like the fool. Very cool stuff.

[Al]

I think ideally you don't do shows on events. Especially the Takeovers. It's well considered but for workers and people backstage those things become a blur. Shows about people he worked with, Sting, Bobby Eaton, Dave Taylor, Christian Cage, etc. FWIW a show with Regal just talking about World of Sport would probably be worthwhile.

[Matt D]

I know I was harsh but when you get those bits of wisdom which are either validating or reaffirming or eye-opening, they're great. Yes! I want him to talk about pins for fifteen minutes. I want him to talk about how the set up and context to a move is more important to a move! That's the kind of stuff that I breathe when it comes to watching wrestling. I don't mind him going around for a landing for a while. I think where it's mostly frustrating is when he downplays himself again and again still, because that's just not compelling listening. Hopefully, 5-6 episodes in, he can go, "As you know, I was always there to everyone who asked but many people found their own way. In the case of X wrestler for Y character that doesn't exist anymore, I did show her a thing or two, specifically old british comedian Z..." or whatever.

[The Thread Killer]

This week’s episode focuses on Fit Finlay. It’s a bit dry at points but it’s quite good overall.

[El-P]

5 hours ago, The Thread Killer said:

This week’s episode focuses on Fit Finlay. It’s a bit dry at points but it’s quite good overall.

Oh, the irony.

[Dale Wolfe]

Listened to the Fit Finlay/British wrestling one yesterday, probably the best one so far i think- some really good stories on an era you don't get enough about really 

Regal has the best blue chew adverts by miles as well

[BigBadMick]

If you're listening to the Q&A episode this week, switch it off when he starts talking about him, Foley and Austin on a beach.

 

I have absolutely no idea what point he was trying to make with retelling that story.

[The Thread Killer]

2 hours ago, BigBadMick said:

If you're listening to the Q&A episode this week, switch it off when he starts talking about him, Foley and Austin on a beach.

 

I have absolutely no idea what point he was trying to make with retelling that story.

That story was in Foley’s book, plus Foley and Austin rehashed it when Foley was on the Broken Skull Sessions as well. It’s one of Foley’s favourite stories. Foley even admitted during the Austin interview that the story doesn’t hold up particularly well in the current climate. It can come across as homophobic even though I don’t think it’s intended that way.

[BigBadMick]

so, is anyone else still listening? 

I enjoy the show. Regal's convoluted way of explaining things with about 15 caveats has a certain charm, after a while. Recently, he did a watch-along on an October 1993 WCW Saturday night which I found insightful.

[flyonthewall2983]

 

[flyonthewall2983]

^ fabulous

[Dale Wolfe]

Did anyone ever establish who the agent was for the Regal-Goldberg match? They've gone on about it again on the latest TV title one

Every episode of this is basically the same as the last one but still pretty good

[Matt D]

50 minutes ago, Dale Wolfe said:

Did anyone ever establish who the agent was for the Regal-Goldberg match? They've gone on about it again on the latest TV title one

Every episode of this is basically the same as the last one but still pretty good

This should be something we can figure out from the clues. There's another episode where he brings up a different match and then connects it back to this as it was the same agent on both (which was a new piece of info) but I can't remember what that was. I always kind of listen in a bit closer when he talks about the potential suspects from the time (which would be who? Arn? Greg Gagne? Mike Graham? Terry Taylor? Ted Dibiase?)

[Dale Wolfe]

I haven't listened to it yet (and probably won't), but I'm guessing the new episode without Regal marks the end of this? 

The fact that he's not on his own podcast but is on the Brisco & Bradshaw one that come out on the same day does seem a bit ominous

A shame really

[Al]

4 hours ago, Dale Wolfe said:

I haven't listened to it yet (and probably won't), but I'm guessing the new episode without Regal marks the end of this? 

The fact that he's not on his own podcast but is on the Brisco & Bradshaw one that come out on the same day does seem a bit ominous

A shame really

Yes. There are two more Regal-less episodes coming and then a new podcast on the feed with Matt Koon and a host to be named.

[Big Pete]

Maybe I'm just being cynical, but it seemed like a passive aggressive send off.

"Mr. Regal's gone - thank god. Look, love the guy, could listen to him talk about wristlocks all day but I'm trying to run an entertaining podcast. I never had a relationship with Mr. Regal outside of the podcast, it wasn't like me and Russo at all. Now tune in on December 29th because we've got an even better host and I can't wait to finally have a proper podcast! Y'see, Mr. Regal never understood the concept of 'yes and' so it was a struggle. Again love the guy, but thank god and tune in December 29th!'

Again maybe I'm being cynical but I sensed some bitterness.

[BigBadMick]

I'll give it a listen but that does sound unpleasant.

 

It's a shame - I had grown accustomed to his roundabout way of explaining things. He's like a lot of people that find it difficult to give concise, on-point answers, but a lot of his digressions were entertaining.

[Dale Wolfe]

I'm a bit gutted by that to be honest. This and the Brisco/Bradshaw one were by far the best of the current bunch, and even if they do meander and go all over the place, there's a lot more depth to them than the rest of the Conrad roster, even just talking about the fundamentals

Hopefully HHH was a fan of it and wants to give him a show on the network

[Al]

6 hours ago, Big Pete said:

Maybe I'm just being cynical, but it seemed like a passive aggressive send off.

"Mr. Regal's gone - thank god. Look, love the guy, could listen to him talk about wristlocks all day but I'm trying to run an entertaining podcast. I never had a relationship with Mr. Regal outside of the podcast, it wasn't like me and Russo at all. Now tune in on December 29th because we've got an even better host and I can't wait to finally have a proper podcast! Y'see, Mr. Regal never understood the concept of 'yes and' so it was a struggle. Again love the guy, but thank god and tune in December 29th!'

Again maybe I'm being cynical but I sensed some bitterness.

I enjoyed the comment about Regal junking the research when it's obvious the "research" is Dave Meltzer's Observer.

[Migs]

On 12/9/2022 at 11:05 AM, Al said:

I enjoyed the comment about Regal junking the research when it's obvious the "research" is Dave Meltzer's Observer.

Conrad and his ilk are so weird with that. It's like doing research and looking only at newspapers at the time and not, ya know, any research or firsthand accounts published after. Heck, sometimes they'll quote stuff that Meltzer himself corrected!