WAWLI REDUX No. 71...

LORD OF THE RING, AND BEYOND

(New York Times, Saturday, Feb. 3, 2001)

By Jeff Leeds

The WWF's Vince McMahon became a billionaire by bucking the system. His XFL hits the air today. 'We have what America wants,' he says.

Emerging from a black stretch limousine in Mobile, Ala., Vince McMahon slips into his trademark character, the power-crazed wrestling promoter.

It's not a hard fit. McMahon, chairman of the World Wrestling Federation, is the nation's most powerful wrestling promoter. But now it's show time.

As the cameras catch him outside the city's sold-out Civic Center, he flies into a screaming rage at his driver and fires him for delivering him late. He strides inside to the roar of nearly 10,000 fans who have come to revel in the WWF's body-bruising circus.

They shout obscenities at McMahon, who is as much a character in this soap opera as any of his masked and tattooed stars.

"I don't appreciate the way you're disrespecting a man of my distinction," he sneers, stoking the crowd.

Respect is beside the point for McMahon. Operating outside television's establishment, doubted by Wall Street, dismissed as a purveyor of sleaze, McMahon has made himself a billionaire by transforming backwater wrestling matches into a national spectacle that draws millions of viewers each week.

On this night, McMahon gets walloped in the head with a metal tray and knocked to the floor by his "son-in-law," a towering 246-pound wrestler known as Triple H. But everyone in the place knows McMahon will rise again. Indeed, he is on the verge of taking his act much farther than anyone ever imagined.

NBC-TV debuts McMahon's XFL football league in prime time tonight, betting an estimated $55 million that wrestling fans will follow the promoter to the gridiron.

McMahon has pledged to microphone dozens of players to capture their taunts. Locker room cameras will broadcast coaches' halftime shrieking. He's loosened the rules for more teeth-rattling collisions. And he's offering heavy air time for scantily clad cheerleaders. In other words, signature McMahon.

"I don't think anybody will ever come close to touching him," said Dean Valentine, president of the UPN television network, which is also carrying weekly XFL games. "I wouldn't want to be the guy betting against him."

The rest of the entertainment industry may be seeking cover from politicians and moral crusaders appalled at the level of sex and violence on television and movie screens. Not McMahon. When Hollywood studios pledged to curtail marketing of R-rated films to children last fall, he asked, "Where's your chutzpah?"

Unlike the studios, McMahon's company wasn't targeted by the Senate Commerce Committee last year when it met to study the marketing of violent entertainment to kids. The committee is chaired by GOP Sen. John McCain of Arizona.

"I was waiting for the phone to ring, for McCain to say, 'Vince, come on down and testify.' I would've loved that," McMahon told the Hollywood Radio & Television Society last fall.

He said he has toned down the explicit violence of "WWF Smackdown!" the WWF's weekly two-hour program on UPN. Politicians and parents' groups who criticize his company for allegedly marketing violence to children "don't have a leg to stand on," he said. WWF officials note that 60% of his wrestling audience is 18 or older. "We have always appealed to a mass audience. . . . I consider it a family show, no question."

But plenty of children are watching, says Dave Meltzer, editor of the Wrestling Observer newsletter, which analyzes the WWF's ratings. Sales of branded merchandise--the action figures, video games and fan magazines primarily aimed at teens and younger children--have increased faster than television advertising and pay-per-view revenues over the last two years.

"Should there be a conscience? Yeah," Meltzer said. "If you're looking for one from a wrestling promoter, you're looking in the wrong place."

Trying to stay ahead of the lawmakers and parents' groups, McMahon has been greasing the political machinery. Wrestling star The Rock took the stage at the GOP convention in Philadelphia last summer. The guest list at last month's nonpartisan "Smackdown Your Vote" inaugural celebration was stocked with Republican and Democratic lawmakers alike.

McMahon also has been not-so-subtly illustrating his willingness to command voters as well as viewers. His registration drive, conducted at WWF events and at the WWF Times Square restaurant in New York, signed up an estimated 135,000 new voters. In September, his wife and company CEO Linda McMahon also made a $5,000 contribution to the Connecticut Republican Campaign Committee, her largest on record, which she said was unrelated to the company's effort.

"You want to fight to keep what you built. That's all we're doing," McMahon said in a recent interview. "You'll fight when you should, instead of rolling over and playing dead."

When McMahon cranked up the mayhem in the ring a few years ago and spiced the story lines with pimps and porn stars, he drew the ire of L. Brent Bozell, a conservative commentator and president of the watchdog group Parents Television Council.

"When you have the kind of ultra-violence that he's depicted and the kind of raw sexual perversion that his wrestlers have performed . . . and then to put it on at the start of a family hour on broadcast television is an absolute outrage," Bozell said.

He pressured advertisers to pull out of McMahon's "Smackdown!" show on UPN. Some, including Coca-Cola and MCI WorldCom, did. McMahon responded in November by suing the Parents Television Council, seeking to recover lost advertising revenue.

When a 13-year-old Florida boy was charged with murdering a 6-year-old neighbor by, among other things, flinging her against a wall, the defense attorney blamed televised wrestling for influencing the youth. A jury last week rejected that argument and convicted the boy of first-degree murder. As part of the lawsuit against the PTC, McMahon claimed he had been defamed by the boy's attorney.

"If you see more reports on the links between WWF programming and injuries and fatalities to children, the pressure on them is going to mount," said Dan Gerstein, spokesman for Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (D-Conn.). Lieberman met with WWF representatives last fall and "did not leave that conversation feeling as though his concerns had been addressed," Gerstein said.

McMahon is not intimidated. "We're very much looking forward to having the highest of profiles," he said. "I'm truculent by nature, I admit to that. But I don't try and start this stuff. Once somebody does, we're going to finish it."

Behind the bravado is a shrewd entrepreneur who has a fortune on the line.
With the XFL, McMahon, 55, has limited his financial risk and greatly increased his chances of success by splitting ownership of the league and start-up costs with broadcasting partner NBC, whose promotional support is critical to the venture.

McMahon has set relatively low ratings guarantees, decreasing the chance of disappointing advertisers. Only 70% of the advertising inventory has been sold, according to NBC, but the league has sold a startling 80,000 season tickets.
Television history, McMahon acknowledges, is littered with failed attempts to launch sports leagues. McMahon himself flopped financially when he tried to start a televised bodybuilding competition a decade ago. And for the WWF, the league represents a different sort of business: Instead of a traveling road show, McMahon must establish an infrastructure with continuing operations in a variety of markets.

Wall Street analysts project the league will realize $80 million in revenues its first season. At that rate, it could become profitable in its third year, they say, based on estimated start-up costs of $110 million.

Investors slammed WWF's stock last February on the day McMahon announced the XFL, slashing 25% off the company's market value. The stock gradually has recovered, and over the last month--amid a multimillion-dollar marketing campaign for the XFL--it has climbed back to $19.20, about $2 over its October 1999 IPO price.

NBC, which also bought $30 million in WWF stock as part of the XFL deal, isn't the only major media player to gamble on McMahon.

Aside from its regular wrestling programs on UPN and cable channel The Nashville Network, the WWF is producing a new wrestling show for MTV, an action-adventure series for UPN and has other wrestling specials in the works.

All of that comes as the company aims to increase wrestling's TV audience internationally and diversify its empire in the U.S. with everything from cookbooks by wrestlers to an in-house record label--prompting some analysts to suggest the company is moving too hastily.

Hairline cracks may be appearing. Ratings for "Raw Is War," McMahon's flagship weekly show on TNN, have declined 13% this season--though it remains the highest-rated program on cable. Unsold merchandise has started to pile up.

Analysts also say some of the WWF's key sources of growth, such as pay-per-view, are maturing. Company documents show that 73% of the increase in live event revenue last year came from higher ticket prices, not attendance.
"The tendency is to stretch yourself thin. That's the danger for Vince," the UPN's Valentine said.

WWF officials scoff. "I bet nobody ever asks [Time Warner Chairman] Gerald Levin, does he think they're spread too thin," Linda McMahon said. "We will grow."

Born in rural North Carolina, Vincent Kennedy McMahon was raised by his mother and a sequence of stepfathers. He met his father, wrestling promoter Vincent James McMahon, when he was 12.

The elder McMahon owned a regional wrestling company that promoted its events from Baltimore to Bangor, Maine. On visits from Fishburne Military School, teenage Vincent watched his father run wrestling matches at New York's Madison Square Garden and fell in love with the family business.

"This business has always been about fun, and when you're around these larger-than-life guys, it's a riot. I naturally gravitated to it," McMahon said.
Back then, promoters divided the nation into "territories," each agreeing not to tread on another's turf.

But the younger McMahon had national ambitions. He convinced his father to sell the business to him and his wife in 1982 for $1 million.

The young couple--former high school sweethearts--made the four quarterly payments of about $250,000 in part by expanding in ways the elder McMahon opposed, such as syndicating matches to TV in other promoters' regions.

By the mid-1980s, McMahon had swept away nearly every competitor, adding pay-per-view events to his lineup and creating a kid-friendly roster of cartoon-like wrestling characters, such as the Ultimate Warrior and Hulk Hogan, who pitched children's breakfast cereal and WWF action figures.

In the early 1990s, however, McMahon stumbled badly. A Pennsylvania urologist was tried and convicted of selling steroids for nonmedical purposes to WWF wrestlers. Among the people he admitted selling steroids to was McMahon, who was charged with conspiracy to distribute the drugs. McMahon said it was "a trumped-up charge" and was acquitted in 1994.

Substance abuse continues to haunt the industry, however. Indiana's state medical board in 1999 suspended the license of physician Joel Hackett after he was accused of illegally prescribing painkillers or steroids to at least 11 professional wrestlers, including some WWF employees. WWF officials said Hackett had been banned from their dressing rooms since 1995. He was charged last week by an Indianapolis prosecutor with 48 counts, including falsifying prescriptions.

But despite the scandals, McMahon said he doesn't require drug tests for his wrestlers. "This is not some sort of Olympic sport. This is entertainment," he said.

The WWF's sole competitor, Ted Turner-created World Championship Wrestling, subjects all wrestlers to random drug tests.

In 1996, the WWF fell behind its rival in the ratings. WCW had begun experimenting with more elaborate story lines, including a behind-the-scenes soap opera that took place between wrestling matches. The rival company, which also hired onetime WWF stars such as Hogan, kept the lead in the ratings for more than 80 weeks. McMahon's company lost $6.5 million for the year in 1997.

McMahon fought back by developing raunchier stories and piling on the attitude. And he put his family in the ring: Daughter Stephanie plays the role of a spoiled daddy's girl; son Shane has been cast as being on a quest to overthrow his father and take over the company.

McMahon also developed a reputation as a fierce enforcer of intellectual property, claiming copyrights to his wrestlers' stage names, appearances and even signature gestures to prevent defectors from aiding Turner.

McMahon's newfound dominance of the WCW--which lost an estimated $80 million last year--played a role in prompting its parent, AOL Time Warner, to sell the business last month to private investors.

Today, McMahon is worth an estimated $1.1 billion. His wrestlers' autobiographies have topped the New York Times' bestseller list. WWF's wrestling-anthem records have pierced Billboard magazine's Top 10 and its action figures outsold the Power Rangers last Christmas.

"We have what America wants," McMahon said.

* * *
Cable Champ

WWF's flagship weekly program, "Raw Is War," has exploded in the last five years. Ratings have dipped slightly since it moved in September from USA Networks to TNN, but it remains the highest-rated regular cable TV program.

2000-2001 season to date: 3.9 rating points

Note: Each rating point equals 1% of 102.2 million U.S. television households

Source: Nielsen data

Stock Comeback

World Wrestling Federation Entertainment went public at $17 per share in October 1999. Investors initially trashed the stock when the XFL football league was announced, but the share price has recovered. Friday: $19.20, down $1.14.

WAWLI REDUX No. 72...

XFL: ROYAL RUMBLE OR A VINCE STUMBLE?

(Boston Herald, Saturday, February 3, 2001)

"Nobody ever went broke underestimating the taste of the American public.'' -- H.L. Mencken.

"If there hadn't been misconceptions about the XFL I'd have had to invent some.'' -- Vince McMahon.

By Michael Gee

The General Electric corporation. The Governor of Minnesota. Cheerleaders with tattoos and a raging desire to make it in show biz. Dozens of football front office and coaching lifers with an addiction to what they do. Several hundred football players getting short money and limited medical benefits, each convinced stardom is one nationally televised play away.

All these people and institutions are making the same bet. They're risking millions of dollars, their reputations, their health, on one man and his track record of twisted genius.

If it hadn't been Vince McMahon's idea, the XFL wouldn't exist. Who needs more football on this earth?

But the XFL is McMahon's baby. Thus, the league's already a $100 million investment (split equally between his WWF and NBC) that kicks off tonight at 8. Eight teams are in place from GMs down to assistant trainers. Three separate national TV contracts (NBC, UPN, and TNN) are in place.

Everyone associated with the XFL, especially McMahon himself, is convinced the guy has a God-given gift for grabbing America's lowest common denominator. McMahon turned grungy pro wrestling into our nation's most beloved over-the-top cultural institution, that icon for the teenage boy in all of us, the WWF. Surely he can do even better with football.

Only an idiot would bet against McMahon. To a certain extent, he's already succeeded. The XFL begins with an unprecedented buzz for a new league in any sport. Its souvenir caps and shirts are jumping off the shelves. Professional moralists are already wailing that the XFL will mean the end of sports and/or civilization, assuming the league will be a monster hit.

That assumption may be premature. McMahon's built his tent. He has lured the crowd into the tent as only he can. But can he keep them there?

The question that could wreck the XFL was posed by a 12-year old girl who watches football and wrestling with equal disinterest.

"Will the XFL have stories like wrestling?'' she asked last week.

Stories. That's what sells the WWF. The fake sex and violence help, but the real secrets to McMahon's success are the gothic plot lines and beyond bizarre characters he's created to make grappling a dark comic book vision for our time.

McMahon's a master fantasist. Now he's selling reality. McMahon's proudest boast, that the XFL is legit, is both true and the league's biggest problem.

XFL contests won't be scripted. The coaches and players (all of whom know a fixed game would end their NFL dreams) wouldn't stand for it, and wouldn't be any good at performing anyway. It's difficult to envision Orlando Rage coach Galen Hall, 61, kidnapping Stephanie McMahon in the middle of the third quarter, or some ex-CFL running back becoming a new Stone Cold.

As reality shows go, expansion minor league football isn't exactly up there with "Temptation Island.'' XFL coaches have big league resumes, but 99 percent of the players don't. Quarterbacks are in especially short supply. Most weren't that good in college.

If he can't write their lines for them, how is McMahon going to create lasting interest in a bunch of wholly anonymous, barely adequate ballplayers? When in doubt, go back to basics. The XFL will sell fake sex and real violence.

The league's highly touted cheerleaders will flash skin in routines that will be slightly more risque than those used by cheerleaders in established pro sports. Many announcers will make remarks loaded with innuendo. It won't be anything Fox hasn't already done in prime time.

But the violence will be different. You couldn't prove it by Kerry Collins, but the XFL operates on the premise that the NFL has legislated the mayhem out of the game.

Fair catches won't be allowed. The opening kickoff will be a free-for-all scrum at the 50. If a defensive lineman wants to drive the quarterback into the ground like a tent peg, that's his privilege. Bump and run a receiver until he drops, if you wish.

Forget the morality of making a sport more dangerous by rule. Football's always been violent and always will be. The NFL's safety rules weren't instituted on humanitarian grounds. Protecting the men who throw, catch, and carry the ball is to make scoring easier, because most fans prefer touchdowns to punts.

If all the fast guys get hurt running back kicks, XFL games will be slow. If the league is forced to play its backup quarterbacks, 10-6 games could be commonplace. If quarterbacks are fair game, coaches will teach the line to hold on every play.

In other words, in its attempt to make football more exciting, the XFL could actually make it more boring. The league is inviting low-scoring games that are cheating contests between the two sets of fat guys on the offensive and defensive lines. It'll look like wrestling did before McMahon came along.

Bad football with large American breasts and shaking booties on the sidelines could be the smash success NBC expects and the moralists dread, attracting both football fans and the wrestling faithful. H.L. Mencken would bet on it.

But what if McMahon middles himself? What if the XFL sideshow is too weird for the football crowd, and the reality of XFL games aren't nearly weird enough for the millions who dote on the inspired insanity of the WWF's story lines?

That could happen, too. McMahon doesn't have a sex and violence monopoly. There's plenty of it on all the other channels on your cable system, especially on Saturday night, and it can be seen without all that boring football in the way.

Once in awhile, people do go broke underestimating American taste. That's why so many TV shows get canceled.

GRAPPLE WITH THE TRUTH

(Toronto Sun, Tuesday, June 13, 2000)

By Jim Slotek

It's the world's worst kept secret, that wrestling is fixed -- so much so that confirmation is virtually a throwaway line in Barry Blaustein's acclaimed documentary, Beyond The Mat.

"Mick Foley phoned me at Christmas during filming to tell me, 'Mankind's gonna lose this one match,' " Blaustein told The Sun.

Blaustein -- Eddie Murphy's movie co-writer of choice (for The Nutty Professor 1 and 2, Coming To America, Boomerang) -- had unbelievable access to the wrestling community and became close friends with the over-sized, punishment-glutton Mick "Mankind" Foley.

"He said, 'Hey, Barry, guess what? They're finally gonna give me the title!' I said, 'Get outta here!' And he says, 'Y'know, they figured (Stone Cold Steve) Austin was hurt and I've gotta win it once to get some credibility. But I'm gonna lose it really bad in the Royal Rumble.' And then he said, 'That'll be my biggest match. I'm gonna bring my wife and kids.' "

"I said, 'Are you sure you want to do that?' And he said, 'Ah, they're used to it.' And sure, they knew it was fake, but I just felt like a train wreck was about to happen."

Bad move, as it turned out.

With Blaustein's cameras rolling, Foley's wife and kids are ringside as Mankind has chairs broken over his head and gets the stuffing beat out of him by current WWF poster-boy, The Rock. The kids' sobbing as their dad is covered in blood is profoundly disturbing. Finally, his wife hustles the kids away.

It's unblinkingly human stuff, and you don't have to be a wrestling fan to get it. Which is what Blaustein was after.

"I made it specifically for people who couldn't care less about wrestling. It's about family as much as it is about wrestling, families trying to stay together."

Or not, in the case of Jake The Snake Roberts. The debauched ex-WWF superstar is followed from city to city as he wrestles in places such as Kansas and Nebraska, scoring crack cocaine as he goes, and avoiding his daughter who hasn't seen him in four years (Blaustein sets up an on-camera reunion that's far from heartwarming).

Other figures passing by include Terry Funk, an old crippled lion finishing his days in the upstart ECW: (Extreme Championship Wrestling league); the female wrestler/body-builder Chyna; a seedy-looking L.A indie promoter who lines up wrestlers for audiences of less than 100; and the AntiChrist himself, WWF boss Vince McMahon, whose league was in the dumper when he acquiesced to Blaustein's project (in 1997), and who even resorted to making himself a wrestler.

The WWF since has gone great guns, even going public on the stock exchange, and McMahon has subsequently denounced Beyond The Mat (after trying to buy the rights to it). The Ted Turner-owned WCW refused to take part.

So, having let the cat out of the bag about fixed matches, is Blaustein telling wrestling fans there's no Santa Claus?

"No, the biggest misconception of non-fans is that fans don't know it's fake. But it's more real than you imagine. I mean, you get hit over the head with a chair, it's a real chair and real blood.

"One of the things I love about wrestling is, it's a weird hybrid of sports and entertainment. It's a low form of sports and a low form of entertainment. I enjoy the athleticism, but I enjoy the showbiz element even more."

So did some on the Academy Awards documentary committee, which included Beyond The Mat among 12 finalists in its selection process for this year's Oscars.

"It didn't make the final five, because I think certain people, no matter how good it is, would just snort and go, 'It's wrestling.' "

SLAM! WRESTLING CHAT WITH BARRY BLAUSTEIN

(http://www.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingChats/jun6_blau.html)

Moderator: Welcome to our special chat with Beyond The Mat director - Barry Blaustein. The chat will begin in a few minutes. Please feel free to submit your questions. Barry will do his best to answer them in the time that we have. A reminder that the film will be released in Vancouver and Toronto on June 16th.

Argo: After producing Beyond The Mat, do you have more or less respect for the wrestling business?

Barry Blaustein: I have more respect for the wrestlers and less respect for other people in the the wrestling business.

Iman: Why did the WWF allow you to film material backstage and then come out against the film later? The same thing happened with the Bret Hart documentary a while ago.

Barry Blaustein: Many times during the filmmaking process, the WWF tried to invest and then buy my film. I refused to sell it to them, despite the fact that I would have made a nice profit. Vince is not use to hearing the word "no". If Vince can't own it, he'll try his hardest to make sure fans don't know about the film. In addition, Vince was VERY uncomfortable with the scenes of Mick Foley's children watching him wrestle. It was a little too real for him.

Mr. Maestro: Will there be any extra footage or commentary when Beyond The Mat is released on video and is there plans to make it available on DVD?

Barry Blaustein: There will be some additional footage for the video and DVD, along with commentary by myself and many of the wrestlers in the film. However, I think the best way to see the film is in the theaters.

MachoMan: What footage was cut from the documentary that you would've liked to have kept in?

Barry Blaustein: Sometimes footage is cut because of time restraints. I had lots of good footage with Chyna and also really good stuff in the indie world where a woman wrestler didn't show up, and Chris Adams had to go around this small town in Nebraska to find a local woman to participate in a "cat fight".

Bill Bramley: Why weren't there any WCW superstars featured in Beyond The Mat?

Barry Blaustein: WCW wouldn't sign my release. They wanted editiorial control over the film and I wouldn't give them that. After the film opened, they called me and said they wished they had signed the release.

Erin King: Is New Jack really a convicted murderer...or is that part of his gimmick? What did you think about him?

Barry Blaustein: He really has four justgifiable homicides and has done jail time for extortion and stabbing someone unrealeated to his bounty hunting work. I like New Jack and even if I didn't I'm smart enough not to say anything else. He's alot like his character.

Sheldon Harvey: Were there any wrestlers you wanted to interview or feature in the film who turned you down?

Barry Blaustein: Not really. Some turned me down, but most weren't all that interesting.

Ernest Westa: Being a fan, how did you stay objective as you filmed Beyond The Mat?

Barry Blaustein: I approached the film as a filmmaker and not as a fan. I was interested in the wrestlers that I felt had the most compelling stories. As someone who has worked in LA for years, I long ago learned there is a big difference between a performers persona and their real personality.

Wes Wetanko: Are you interested at all in doing a film based on the book written by Mick Foley? I believe the life of Mick Foley is a great movie just waiting to be made.

Barry Blaustein: You never know. I think a good movie could be made from his book ala Private Parts.

Mr. Roboto: What did your family think of you taking three years to shoot a film about wrestling? Were they supportive and are they fans as well?

Barry Blaustein: They were supportive, but are starting to say enough is enough. My two children don't like wrestling at all and wonder what has gotten into their father. My wife hates wrestling too. Though they've met a number of the wrestlers in the film and like them as individuals. They're proud of the film. My son is the kid doing the yo yo tricks for Jesse Ventura. Neopotism lives!

Sandman: What exactly happened between you and the WWF over the making of the film?

Barry Blaustein: At the beginning of the film, the WWF was supportive. As they grew in popularity, their support waned. Thank God for strong contracts!

Turnbuckle Head: I've heard that the WWF is starting a policy wherein they won't provide any of their talent to Internet sites for interviews...etc. Does this move surprise you? Why or why not?

Barry Blaustein: Nothing Vince does surprises me anymore

Sheldon Harvey: Have you spoken with Jake the Snake Roberts after the movie was released and, if so, what was his reaction to the segments about himself.

Barry Blaustein: I spoke to Jake about a week before the movie had it's Academy run in October. He hadn't seen the film, but heard that Terry and Mick came off better than him. I told him they actually spend time with their children, so I guess they do. I do not know if Jake has seen the film. His daughter has and found it very cathartic.

DTC: Any plans to make another wrestling movie? How about a sequel to Beyond The Mat?

Barry Blaustein: I have enough footage probably for another film. But my family would leave me.

Chris: What is your personal opinion of Vince McMahon? Is he a genius promoter, or a hearless slave-driver?

Barry Blaustein: Both. I think Vince is an incredible promoter, a genuis in marketing, but unfortunately like many in wrestling, he's played a role on TV so long that he feels he has to be that way all the time in real life.There's a good side to Vince, however that side becomes smaller every day.

Angel: What was it like to film backstage at WWF events? I hear they are very protective of their image and product? How did you get clearence to film what you did?

Barry Blaustein: It took a number of years to get their cooperation. And once I did I spent about 18 month on and off with them on the road. So when I finally brought in cameras, they were used to seeing me hanging around.

Mat Man: What other projects are you working on at present?

Barry Blaustein: I wrote with my writing partner, David Sheffield, Nutty Professor 2: The Klumps which comes out July 26th. See it after seeing BEYOND THE MAT.

Cuga: Do you still watch pro-wrestling and what do you think of the current happenings? Is there anything that's going on currently that interests you more than the rest?

Barry Blaustein: Sadly, I still watch way too much wrestling for a grown man. Right now, it seems to be in a little creative rut.

Sheldon Harvey: Do you think professional wrestlers should have some sort of benefits package, or even a union?

Barry Blaustein: Definetly. Though there is so much paranoia among the guys, a union would be hard to form. But it is needed.

Shelly Ramma: Who was the easiest federation to working with during the production?

Barry Blaustein: All had their difficulties. WWF is hard because of the bureaucracy. ECW is great once you can get Paul Heyman to sit down, but that is incredibly difficult. I was going to call the movie "Waiting for Paul E."

Wes Wetanko: Do you personally have a website or an e-mail address that fans can write to?

Barry Blaustein: There is a website for the movie, www.beyondthemat.net. Unfortnately beyondthemat.com is owned by a carpet cleaning company.

Danny Middaugh: What was it like working with the guys in the film(Funk, Foley, Jake)?

Barry Blaustein: All were different. Mick and Terry were very reliable. I used to kid them that they were in the film because they were the only wrestlers to actually return phone calls. Jake is a little less reliable, though the week I spent with him on the road was one of the great weeks of my life.

Greg Kinnean: Looking back who are your favorite wrestlers in the sport?

Barry Blaustein: Growing up, I liked Bruno Samartino and Bobo Brazil. Currently, I like anyone who is good on the mic.

Ken Yost: What was the most disturbing part of the movie for you to deal with on a personal level?

Barry Blaustein: The most disturbing parts for me were Jake visiting his daughter and Mick's children watching him being beaten up.

Dave Sims: What is your most favorite match of all time?

Barry Blaustein: My favorite match of all time is the ladder match between Shawn and Razor at Wrestlemania X. I was there and I became totally involved in the match.

Mick Rude: Why did it take so long for Beyond The Mat to be released in Canada? Usually motion pictures are released in the U.S. and Canada at the same time.

Barry Blaustein: I really don't know. I'm just greatful that it is opening in Canada on June 16th. PS: My wife is Canadian and from Toronto

Wes Wetanko: Who have been your biggest influences as a director?

Barry Blaustein: There is no one big influence. There are so many I admire. Scorcese for one.

Mat Man: How did you get into film-making?

Barry Blaustein: I used to write on the side. Submitted sketches to Saturday Night Live. Got hired. Met my partner and then Eddie Murphy. And from there, I started writing movies.

Wes Wetanko: Is there still any interest on your part in making a film about the younger athlete's trying to break into wrestling (ala Hoop Dreams)? I heard you mention before how this was your original idea for BTM.

Barry Blaustein: I've made my wrestling film. Though I think a film concentrating on the young guys could work, if you found the right guys.

Daniel Bradshaw from Toronto, Ontario: What do you think about the recent going-on's behind the scenes of the big 3 federations regarding the networks role in each fed? Ie) WWF wanting to leave USA, ECW fighting with TNN...WCW's big surprise?

Barry Blaustein: As a fan, I'm interested to see how it will all come down. Wrestling is at an all time high, and I question these networks who are ready to make such a huge investment in a business that has always been cyclical.

Rascal: Do you still keep in contact with the people you met during the filming?

Barry Blaustein: Some I do. I still speak with Mick and Terry on a regular basis and talk to New Jack every once in awhile.

Danny from VA: What was the most touching moment you experienced during the filming of Beyond The Mat?

Barry Blaustein: The most touching moment for me and the essence of the film is Mick hugging his daughter right before the Royal Rumble.

Rad: I know what we saw on camera...but what did Mick say to you about seeing the video of his kids reaction to what happened to him on pay-per-view.

Barry Blaustein: That was pretty much unedited. Mick was devestated by the footage.

Wes Wetanko: Are you a fan at all of japanese or mexican wrestling? It would have been interesting to see how many North American wrestlers must adapt to the lifestyles of these countries where wrestling is so popular because they have difficulty "making it" here.

Barry Blaustein: I would have liked to cover that, but my budget did not permit it. There are things I like about all the style of wrestling.

Mega Cage: Though Beyond The Mat depicts him in a bad light, what are your personal feelings towards Jake Roberts?

Barry Blaustein: I have mixed feelings about Jake. He is ultimately a very tragic figure, someone undone by his demons. Jake knows how messed up he is, yet can't stop it. I hope he can get his life together.

Sheldon Harvey: Are the current ratings problems in the WCW an indication that pro wrestling may have finally peaked?

Barry Blaustein: I think wrestling has probably peaked. But I said that a year ago, so who knows?

DTC: Did you see Hitman Hart-Wrestling With Shadows and Ready To Rumble? If so, did you like them and how would you compare them to Beyond The Mat?

Barry Blaustein: I liked "Wrestling with Shadows." I did not see Ready to Rumble.

Chris Schramm aka The Living Legend: When will it be out on video? Also, was there any wrestlers that have shown anger over how they were shown in the video? How bad was their reaction? Also, any good reactions?

Barry Blaustein: The movie will be out on video towards the end of August. The response from wrestlers both in the film and in the industry have been extremely positive. The only negative reaction I have gotten is from the McMahons.

Michael Freudberg: My girlfriend is intersted in becoming a wrestler, with all your experience with making the movie, can you tell me if you think its worth it going into the wrestling business?

Barry Blaustein: NO. It's an extremely hard business to succeed in, especially for a woman.

Sheldon Harvey: Are wrestlers today pushing the envelope too hard resulting in an increase in injuries. Is it the wrestlers who are pushing it, or are they being pushed by management?

Barry Blaustein: I think it's a combination. Wrestlers push themselves further and further to get over and the promoter do little or nothing to stop them.

Daniel Bradshaw from Toronto, Ontario: Would you ever work with Vince McMahon again, after the difficult time he put forth in making and releasing Beyond the Mat? A&E and High Road Productions already made an Owen Hart Documentary...would you ever consider doing one on the entire Hart Family?

Barry Blaustein: As far as Vince, never say never. As far as the Harts, I feel Wrestling with Shadows covered that.

Barry Blaustein: As far as Vince, never say never. As far as the Harts, I feel Wrestling with Shadows covered that.

DTC: What is your opinion of Vince McMahon, Eric Bischoff, Vince Russo and Paul Heyman? Likes and dislikes about these 4 men?

Barry Blaustein: I think Paul Heyman has an incredible mind and could probably rule small countries. Vince Russo was always pleasant to be around and you have to admire what Vince McMahon has accomplished.

Wes Wetanko: Being a wrestling fan yourself, did your perception of the business and your perception of say, some of your favorite wrestlers, change during filming?

Barry Blaustein: Not really. I realize sometimes there can be a great difference between a wrestler's persona and their real personality.

Barry Blaustein: I would like to thank all the internet fans for supporting the film. Without your help it would have never gotten a theatrical release. I hope the fans in Canada go to see it in the theaters on June 16th. Other fans can tell you, seeing it in a theater with other fans is a special movie experience.

WAWLI REDUX No. 73...

TRIPLEMANIA: MEXICO'S ANSWER TO WRESTLEMANIA

(SLAM! Wrestling, Wednesday, July 5, 2000)

By John F. Molinaro

As the warm, tepid breezes of June turn into the hot and muggy haze that is July, the attention of wrestling fans are turned towards a slew of summer pay-per-views. Bash at the Beach, Summer Slam, ECW's Heat Wave 2000... these are the events that mark the passage of time for wrestling fans in Canada and the U.S during the summer months.

Simultaneously, in another part of the wrestling world that is all too often forgotten, an annual event of a different sort is about to take place. Fans and followers of international wrestling are preparing for what is the most highly anticipated event on the Mexican wrestling calendar, as the Asistencia Asesoria y Administracion promotion (AAA) is gearing up for its annual TripleMania summer series.

TripleMania is to AAA what WrestleMania is to the WWF; what Starrcade is to WCW; what November to Remember is to ECW. TripleMania will make history today, kicking off a five-day tour starting in Tokyo, the very first time this event will take place in Japan.

For eight years, TripleMania has been the marquee wrestling event in Mexico. Providing the ultimate showcase for the Lucha Libre style, TripleMania has progressed from a single show to a series of three events spread out over the summer. It has set major attendance records in Mexico while at the same time providing some of the best wrestling action on this continent.

The legacy of TripleMania can be directly traced back to one man: AAA President and promoter Antonio Pena.

For many years, Pena was the booker of Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre (EMLL), the world's oldest wrestling promotion. Formed in 1933, EMLL stressed traditional Lucha Libre in its purest form, free of the glitz and glamour that predicates American wrestling. EMLL was based on a stringent hierarchy of the veteran wrestlers on top and the youngsters on the bottom. Because of this infrastructure, a young wrestler had to compete for many years before moving up the roster and higher on the card.

Pena wanted to change all that. He had a vision of a more modern form of Lucha Libre. He wanted to change the rules, bringing some of the soap opera aspect of American wrestling to his product and push young wrestlers immediately instead of having them wither away in the opening matches.

His idea was met with gross resistance. EMLL owner Paco Alonso, the nephew of Salvador Lutteroth, the man responsible for bringing wrestling to Mexico in the 1920s and '30s, would have none of it. He tied Pena's hands at every turn, making it impossible for him to bring his dream of a new form of Lucha to fruition.

Destiny was on Pena's side, however, and he would not be denied. In May of 1992, Pena left EMLL, taking the majority of its top stars with him to form a new company, AAA. The move was not unlike the recent actions of Mitsuharu Misawa leaving All Japan and taking its best workers with him.

Backed by Mexican network TV giants Televisa, Pena formed AAA and a wrestling war in Mexico was born.

"Pena was a part of the EMLL brain trust and he was able to lure a lot of the top draws from around Mexican wrestling," recalled WCW commentator Mike Tenay,  a noted expert on Mexican wrestling. "(He took) guys like Konnan, Blue Panther, Perro Aguayo, El Hijo del Santo, Cien Caras and he decided to combine that talent roster with all these great, young workers that he had seen were not being pushed in Mexican wrestling: Rey Misterio Jr, Psicosis, La Parka, Heavy Metal and that whole group."

AAA went ahead, presenting a more modern style of Mexican wrestling with cage matches, long, elaborate ring introductions with fire works, ring girls, and a more pronounced emphasis on angles and storylines than ever before. Mexico became the battleground for one of the most bitter promotional wars in wrestling history as AAA took on EMLL for bragging rights as the top company. It was a battle with two clearly, contrasting and defined sides: the old guard of purists at EMLL vs Pena's upstart AAA office that sought to change the landscape of Mexican wrestling.

Pena's style clearly won out as AAA became the hottest promotion not only in Mexico, but in North America, doing far greater business than both the WWF and WCW. And the reason why Pena was so successful was the array and diversity of talent he had available to him.

"From that standpoint Pena had a talent roster that was unprecedented for Lucha Libre," said Tenay. "Realistically when you look at the depth of talent he had there from '93 to '95, you can make an argument about for that being the greatest array of talent for any non-Japanese promotion."

Riding high with confidence, Pena wanted to take AAA's success to the next level. Having seen the mainstream media attention that the WWF's WrestleMania show garnered each year, Pena started to build toward his own annual spectacular. He had a vision for a similar show in Mexico that would act as the blow off for all the company's major feuds that had been raging all year long. And with that idea, TripleMania was born.

In an ambitious move, Pena reserved the Plaza Del Toros, an outdoor bullring in Mexico City with a capacity of 50,000 people, to stage the inaugural TripleMania show. It was a huge gamble and Pena knew everything he had worked for was riding on this show.

Fortunately for Pena, he had the top technico (babyface) in Konnan and rudo (heel) in Cien Caras on his roster. The two had a long-standing feud stemming from their EMLL days, so Pena pitted them in the main event in a loser-must-retire match. Questions quickly arose: Could Pena put on a compelling show with the eyes of the wrestling media on him? Could AAA make a statement with this event and distance itself from EMLL in the war? And could AAA fill the bullring and prove all the doubters wrong?

The answer on all three counts was a resounding YES. On April 30th, 1993, 48,000 fans jammed into the bullring, setting the all-time attendance record in Mexico. AAA made a statement: They had arrived and they weren't going anywhere.

"The most amazing thing about (it) was that they were able to draw that 48,000 people for a promotion that was less then one year old," stated Tenay. "To be able to take the lion's share of the market like that so immediately sort of put AAA as a promotion on the map. Pena's own marketing plan for Mexican wrestling was so revolutionary he was on top for that era. With a promotion that was less than a year old he did a tremendous job of creating stars."

At the time, TripleMania set the standard for match quality on big shows in North America. From top to bottom, it was a stellar card with one great match after another. It provided the first major stage for Rey Misterio Jr to compete on as he teamed with Volador, Misterioso, to defeat Tony Arce, Vulcano, & Rocco Valente. Lizmark retained his Mexican Heavyweight title defeating La Parka in a memorable match. The best match on the show saw Mexican legend Perro Aguayo beat Mascara ANO 2000 in a hair vs mask match. The epic battle saw the two veterans engage in a bloodbath of a match with perfect psychology that saw Aguayo unmask the hated rudo.

And then there was the main event -- the retirement match between Cien Caras and Konnan. With Jake "The Snake" Roberts sitting in the front row, Konnan and Caras did battle as the Plaza del Toros crowd hung on their every move. After splitting the first two falls, the action spilled to the floor where Jake interfered causing Konnan to lose the third and decisive fall by countout, forcing him to retire. The audience was in shock and openly wept as their hero had been cheated. Little did they know the retirement would not last and that the angle with Roberts was merely a precursor for the following year's TripleMania.

When all was said and done, TripleMania was both a financial and critical success. AAA had shown that they were a major force in wrestling and had established themselves as industry leaders. While the WWF and WCW were struggling at the box office in the U.S. and Canada, AAA, after only one year, had become the hottest and most profitable wrestling promotion in North America.

Despite their success, and despite the fact that they could have looked at AAA's model of success for an answer to turn their own business around, TripleMania went largely unnoticed by the WWF and WCW. They failed to follow AAA's example and learn from them.

Later that year, AAA invaded U.S. markets such as Los Angeles Chicago and New York, outdrawing both the WWF and WCW. In August of 1993, AAA drew 18,000 fans to the L.A. Sports Arena, turning away another 8,000 fans at the door and taking in a live gate of $250,000, the most profitable show in the history of L.A. AAA was not only the hottest promotion in Mexico, but also now the U.S.

"The people in the business (here in the U.S.) had no clue," stated Tenay, who attended every AAA house show in Los Angeles between 1993-95. "TripleMania, realistically, lead to all the shows in Los Angeles. Everything started with that TripleMania. The first show they did in L.A. where they had 18,000 and turned away 8,000 fans at the door... the heat they had that night was incredible."

"I was just telling the story the other day, as a matter of fact, last week to the announcing crew here (at WCW)," continued Tenay. "Now that we've had some stuff thrown into the ring by fans ... (but) I've never seen as many odd things thrown into the ring at Jake Roberts and Art Barr (like at that first show in L.A.) ... beer, recycled beer, the nachos, and the one that really got everyone was they threw the loaded diaper."

It is a longstanding tradition in Mexico for fans to throw soiled diapers at the rudos. It's an act saved for special occasions and reserved for the heels that really aggravate the crowd. Even though it sounds disgusting, it is the ultimate sign of respect, and wrestlers know they have arrived as a top heel when a mother peels of the dirty diaper of their infant and flings it at them.

"I remember sitting second row for that L.A. show and thinking 'Holy s***, we got a riot on out hands here'," admitted Tenay. "That was on the verge of being a real riot. That was the start of AAA's run in L.A."

The following year, AAA was so hot that Pena knew that one TripleMania show would not be enough. Instead, he came up with the idea of a TripleMania series; three major cards spread out over the summer where he could build on angles and storylines developed in the first two shows that would lead to the blow off on the final one.

TripleMania II-A was held on April 26, 1994 at an outdoor baseball Stadium in Aguscalientes, Mexico drawing 9,500 fans. On the undercard, Rey Misterio Jr teamed with his uncle Rey Misterio and Winners to defeat Tony Arce, Vulcano and Rocco Valente. Juventud Guerrera teamed with his father Fuerza Guerrera and Misterioso to beat Latin Lover, Volador and El Mexicano. Los Payasos beat Cien Caras, Mascara Ano 2000 and Universo 2000 to win the Mexican Trios Titles. El Hijo del Santo, Octagon and Perro Aguayo beat 'Love Machine' Art Barr, Eddie Guerrero and Black Cat via DQ in he semi-main event. In a memorable main event, Heavy Metal beat Jerry Estrada in a "hair vs. hair" match that was considered the best match on the show.

Fans and critics were blown away by the show, thinking that there was no way the remaining two shows could possibly match its quality.

They were wrong. TripleMania II-B on May 15, 1994 in Zapopan, Mexico stands as possibly the best TripleMania show ever. Pena brought in Koji Kanemoto and Jushin "Thunder" Liger in from New Japan Pro Wrestling to round out his roster of Lucha stars in putting on what was from top to bottom a sensational show.

Jushin Liger teamed with Kanemoto, competing under a mask as Tiger Mask, El Hijo del Santo and Octagon to beat La Parka, Psicosis, Blue Panther and Eddie Guerrero in the best match of the night. Mascara Sagrada beat Black Cat in a phenomenal mask vs mask match and in the main event, Konnan, Perro Aguayo and Cien Caras beat Jake Roberts, Art Barr and Miguel Perez Jr.

"That show was awesome. It was among the greatest shows I probably ever saw," said Dave Meltzer, editor of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter who was in attendance that evening in Zapopan. "(That day) was so hot, it must have been way over 100 degrees and to get tickets, because nobody in Mexico ever buys tickets in advance, people were standing in line for hours upon hours to get in by the 6 p.m. start time."

"The crowd was just going crazy," recalled Meltzer. "Rey Misterio Jr. teamed with his uncle in a six-man and I remember that it was that match where I really noticed Rey Jr. for the first time. That six-man tag match was so unbelievably good that the crowd just rocked and it was a super show."

The stage was now set for the final show, TripleMania II-C from the El Toreo in Tijuana. Over 18,000 fans packed the outdoor bullring that evening. The crowd was electric as they sat through the opening matches and the mid-card. The crowd was so wired that following a Volador, Tinieblas Jr. and Lizmark Jr. vs Love Machine, Miguel Perez Jr. and Misterioso, they started doing the wave. Perro Aguayo, Lizmark, El Hijo del Santo and Mascara Sagrada beat La Parka, Psicosis, Black Cat and El Satanico and Cien Caras, Mascara Ano 2000 and Universo 2000 beat Los Payasos in a wild "steel cage" match.

All of this merely set the table for the main event, Jake Roberts vs Konnan in a hair vs hair match. A year after Jake cost him the main event win at the first TripleMania, Konnan would have his shot at revenge. They had battled each other in a series of six-man tag matches, and Pena had brilliantly built the feud to this crescendo where Konnan would avenge his loss and beat Jake in two straight falls.

"I remember the show in Tijuana in 1994 and the one thing that I remember was the great heat for that main event match," recalled Tenay who sat in attendance that evening. "It was that big show atmosphere and you had the great work underneath. You had this tremendous heat for an angle that had been built up for a year and they gave the people what they wanted. It was a double blood bath match with Jake getting shaved bald."

TripleMania '94 was a booking masterpiece by Pena. He had built on a hot angle from the previous year's show, spiked the Konnan vs Jake program with hot angles through out the year while never having them go at it one on one, and had Konnan go over in the main event in a match that had incredible heat.

The success of the series had put AAA on centre stage for the entire wrestling world to see, and it established Antonio Pena as the best booker in the business. His booking style had more twist and turns and told compelling stories with more chapters than anybody else. Pena had the unique ability to intertwine several storylines in one match and come out with something fresh and new.

"When his head was clear, he was amazing booker," stated Meltzer. "He was good at coming up with characters. He was the best booker in the business in those early years, his stuff was just dynamite. Looking back his stuff blew away anything going on in the States."

"Pena was really good when he was focused on building to a big show. He would have a lot of angles. He would do something with everyone on the card and everybody would have their own angle. It all had meaning top to bottom."

As AAA continued its reign as the hottest promotion in the world, two events occurred that hurt the promotion badly. 'Love Machine' Art Barr died on November 23rd, 1994 at the age of 28. Art's death was devastating to AAA, as he had established himself as the best drawing heel in the world.

At around the same time, the bottom fell out of the Mexican economy, as the Mexican peso became devalued against the American dollar. This more than anything, hurt the wrestling business in Mexico. It's a problem that still plagues Mexican wrestling six years later.

"The whole company went down because the peso became devalued," stated Meltzer. "That was it. Because the economy was down in the country, the whole business went down."

AAA now faced the cruellest of realities: They had to operate in a harsh economy minus the services of Art Barr, their top gate attraction. AAA had talked about having Art Barr and Eddie Guerrero work a program against their tag partner Konnan in late '94. They had made plans to have Art and Eddie turn on Konnan, building to a TripleMania main event of Barr vs Konnan in 1995. AAA wanted to run Mexico City's Azteca Stadium, a building that holds 130,000 fans, to try and break the attendance record for North America set by the WWF at WrestleMania III. With Art gone, they had to make a new game plan.

Could a Konnan vs Art Barr main event at TripleMania in 1995 have possibly sold out the gargantuan Azteca Stadium?

"Art died at the same time that the peso went down so I think it would have fallen apart before it ever got there," believes Meltzer. "If the peso never went down and they had done it ... that's awfully ambitious. As far as Eddie and Art turning on Konnan, that would have been a hot program, but hot enough to (fill Azteca Stadium)? That's really hard to say. You just don't know. It would have done well. But I think Art would have left Mexico when the peso became devalued because they wouldn't have been able to pay him. He would have gone to ECW with Eddie."

Despite the Mexican economy, AAA forged ahead in 1995 and presented an outstanding TripleMania series. The series received a shot in the arm on April 30th at the "Guadalajara Espectacular". Over 18,000 fans jammed into the Rio Nilo Coliseum for an event that was originally billed as the second event in the TripleMania series. Because the cancellation of what was scheduled to be the first show in the series earlier that day in Mexico City, AAA changed game plans and used this event as a warm up instead. Even when the promoters decided to change plans, posters and banners on the walls inside the arena proclaimed it a TripleMania event. Fans felt cheated and robbed.

Their disgust quickly subsided as AAA put on one their best shows in company history. Fuerza Guerrera teamed with son Juventud and Psicosis to defeat El Hijo del Santo, Octagon and Rey Misterio Jr. in a 33-minute, five-star classic encounter. In the main event, Cien Cara won the Rio Nilo Cup defeating Perro Aguayo and Konnan in a triangular match. The match was a blood bath and was noteworthy for one of the most historic and memorable angles in Mexican wrestling history.

Midway through the match, Mascara Ano 2000 came down to ringside to interfere on behalf of his brother Cien Caras. Seeking revenge for losing his mask at the first TripleMania two years earlier, he broke a beer bottle over Aguayo's head, causing the veteran to bleed profusely and be carried out a stretcher. The angle nearly caused a riot and was the catalyst for an explosion in business for AAA.

"That angle was huge," recalled Meltzer who was in attendance that evening. "It totally turned business around for a short period of time. The crowds just took off for the Mascara Ano 2000-Perro feud. That got great heat. They sold it really well. Every match on that show was great."

"They decided to use that as the angle to springboard TripleMania that year," stated Tenay.

With momentum on their side, AAA staged TripleMania III-A on June 10, 1995 in Orizaba, Mexico before 14,000 fans. Super Calo beat Angel Mortal in a mask vs mask match and Konnan teamed with Perro Aguayo, La Parka and Octagon to defeat Cien Caras, Mascara Ano 2000, Pentagon and Jerry Estrada.

Making up for the mix-up in April in Guadalajara, AAA staged TripleMania III-B at the Rio Nilo Coliseum on June 18, this time drawing an even bigger crowd of 19,500 fans. El Hijo del Santo, Octagon, Rey Misterio Jr. and La Parka beat Pentagon, Blue Panther, Psicosis and Fuerza Guerrera in an amazing three-fall affair. Cien Caras and Mascara Ano 2000 beat Perro Aguayo & Konnan in a wild brawl and in the main event, Winners beat Marabunta in a mask vs mask match.

TripleMania III-C followed on June 30 in Madero, drawing over 16,000 fans to the outdoor stadium. AAA managed to put on another spectacular show with a fantastic undercard, topping it off with a great main event as Super Calo pinned tag team partner Winners in a mask vs mask match.

As AAA entered 1996, they wanted to strengthen their presence in the U.S. For the first time, the event ventured outside of Mexico as TripleMania IIII-A took place in Chicago on May 11. A strong showing in such a big market would have solidified AAA's presence in the U.S. and the pressure was on to deliver a solid show.

What AAA delivered was the worst show in TripleMania history. The company did little advertising of the show and as a result, only 2,600 fans showed up to the International Amphitheatre, the smallest crowd ever for a TripleMania. The event was plagued by several key no shows as Rey Misterio Jr. was married that day and Psicosis was his best man. Eddie Guerrero, billed as coming in for the event, was never formally asked to work the show and was in Japan at the time. AAA had to revamp the line up, forcing them to book the show on the fly. As it turned out, the show was a disaster.

"Chicago was a joke, a real disaster," said Tenay. "The promoters barely advertised the show, combined with the lack of talent they had on that show. There were a million no shows."

The company never seemed to recover from the debacle in Chicago as the two remaining TripleMania shows that year failed to live up to the standard of previous shows drawing disappointing crowds.

"(By this) point Pena's poor promotional background and track record finally haunted him," stated Tenay. "In the past because they had such great storylines and great stars even if his promotion of some event wasn't up to speed, somehow the word got around and people would still find a way to know about the events."

The booking of TripleMania that year was uninspired and repetitive. Pena recycled old angles that no longer registered with his audience. The man who was once the best booker in the business seemed to have lost his touch.

"When Pena was focused I thought he was about as good a booker I've ever seen," said Tenay. "The times that he really lost his concentration he would do some stuff that was really atrocious. He fell into some lazy patterns of bad finishes where you just shook your head and said to yourself, 'was this the same guy who came up with that great stuff for TripleMania?'"

Tenay also feels that making TripleMania a three show series was a big mistake.

"I think the other thing that hurt TripleMania was with the multiple shows. I think Pena diluted things by going to the two and three shows a year and not having that one big show, with that one big blow off that you could hang your hat on every year and make TripleMania a tradition."

"(By '96) it became just a name for a bigger than average house show rather than the first year where it was like a WrestleMania," stated Meltzer. "Doing the three shows was good the second and third year because the company was hot. They were all selling out. They were all good shows."

In late 1996, AAA was devastated again as Konnan split with Pena and left AAA to form his own promotion, Promo Azteca, taking the bulk of AAA's young roster with him. Konnan, who was Pena's right hand man and helped out with the booking, wanted to take AAA toward a more ECW-influenced style. Pena didn't agree with that approach. Wanting to run things his own way, Konnan left AAA, realizing that Pena would handicap, his every move had he stayed.

How ironic that four years after leaving EMLL over a dispute on the direction of the company with owner Paco Alonso, Pena now found himself in a similar position with Konnan.

With his roster depleted, Pena's TripleMania series of 1997 was an embarrassment, drawing record low crowds. Pena was reduced to bringing back an out of shape Jake Roberts for one more heel run. The following year, TripleMania went back to a single night format, as Kickboxer beat Heavy Metal on June 7 in Chihuahua. Last year, 13,000 fans attended the show in Madero to watch Perro Aguayo, Octagon and Cobarde beat El Texano, Perro Aguayo Jr. and Sangre Chicana in the main event.

This year TripleMania makes history once again as Pena brings TripleMania to Japan for a five show series. With New Japan's Jushin "Thunder" Liger, Michinoku Pro Wrestling's The Great Sasuke and Tiger Mask IV, Toryumon's Shiima Nobunaga and Sumo Fuji, this year's TripleMania has the potential to be the best one in years, capable of recapturing the old glory it was once known for. Can AAA start the new millennium by re-establishing the TripleMania name?

Knowing Pena's ability to rebound when faced with adversity, I wouldn't bet against him.

MOST APPEARANCES: Octagon (14) 

MOST APPEARANCES BY A FOREIGN WRESTLER: 'Love Machine' Art Barr  & Jake 'The Snake' Roberts (4) 

MOST APPEARANCES IN MAIN EVENT: Perro Aguayo (5) 

LARGEST CROWD: 48,000 (TripleMania 1, 1993) 

# OF UNMASKINGS: 7 (Mascara ANO 2000, Payasito Rojo, Marabunta, Black Cat, Winners, Halcon Dorado Jr and La Calaca) 

# OF HEAD SHAVINGS: 4 (Jerry Estrada, Jake 'The Snake' Roberts, My Flowers, Tirantes) 

# OF RETIREMENT MATCHES: 1 (Cien Caras beat Konnan at TripleMania 1; the retirement didn't last) 

COUNTRIES THAT HAVE HELD A TRIPLEMANIA: 2 (Mexico and the U.S.) 

CITY THAT HAS HELD THE MOST TRIPLEMANIAS: Madero (3 - TripleMania III - C in '95, TripleMania IV - C in '96 and TripleMania VII in '99) 

NOTABLE FOREIGN COMPETITORS: 'Love Machine' Art Barr, Koji Kanemoto, Black Cat, Eddie Guerrero, Ultimo Dragon,  Gran Hamada, Jushin 'Thunder' Liger, Miguel Perez Jr., Gorgeous George III, Jake 'The Snake' Roberts

TripleMania: Cien Casas beat Konnan in a "retirement" match. TripleMania II - A: Heavy Metal beat Jerry Estrada in a "hair vs. hair" match. TripleMania II - B: Konnan, Perro Aguayo, & Cien Caras beat Jake Roberts, Love Machine, & Miguel Perez Jr. TripleMania II - C: Konnan beat Jake Roberts in a "hair vs. hair" match. TripleMania III - A: A 13-mini "loser unmasks, steel cage battle royal". TripleMania III - B: Winners beat Marabunta in a "mask vs. mask" match. TripleMania III - C: Super Calo pinned Winners in a "mask vs. mask" match. TripleMania IV - A: Konnan & Perro Aguayo beat Pierroth Jr. & Cien Caras in a "lumberjack" match. TripleMania IV - B: La Parka, Octagon, & Mascara Sagrada beat Killer, Cien Caras, & Heavy Metal in a "lumberjack" match. TripleMania IV - C: Los Payasos & Karis la Momia beat Mascara Sagrada Jr., Blue Demon Jr., Tinieblas Jr., & Halcon Dorado Jr. in a "loser unmasks steel cage" match. TripleMania V-A: Perro Aguayo, Tinieblas Jr., & El Canek beat Jake Roberts, Killer, & Gorgeous George III TripleMania V-B: Perro Aguayo, Octagon, Cibernetico, & El Canek beat Jake Roberts, Gorgeous George III, Cobarde Jr., & Fuerza Guerrera. TripleMania VI-A: Kickboxer beat Heavy Metal. TripleMania VII: Perro Aguayo, Octagon, & Cobarde beat El Texano, Perro Aguayo Jr., & Sangre Chicana.

July 5th at Korakuen Hall, Tokyo: Octagon, Jushin Liger, Latin Lover, Albrije vs. Cibernetico, Shiima Nobunaga, Abismo Negro, & Electro Shock, Heavy Metal & Tiger Mask IV vs. Kickboxer & Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Psicosis II, Maniaco, & Histeria vs. Perro Aguayo Jr., Hector Garza, & Pathfinder vs. Picudo, Charly Manson, & Espitru vs. Masamichi Marufuji, Minoru Fujita, & Genki Horiguchi, Oriental & Esther Moreno vs. Pentagon & Xochitl Hamada, Apache vs. Oscar Sevilla, Octagoncito vs. Mini Abismo Negro July 6th at Yokohama Arena-Centennial Hall, Kanagawa: Octagon & The Great Sasuke vs. Pentagon & Sasuke the Great, Latin Lover vs. Cibernetico, Oriental & Tiger Mask IV vs. Kickboxer & Sumo D. Fuji 2000 July 7th at Diamond Hall, Nagoya Aiichi: Latin Lover, Hector Garza, & Heavy Metal vs. Cibernetico, Abismo Negro, & Electro Shock, Octagon, Tiger Mask IV, & Dragon Kid vs. Kickboxer, Sumo D. Fuji 2000, & Judo Suwa, Octagoncito vs. Mini Abismo Negro (AAA Midget Title) July 8th at Kobe Sambo Hall, Hyogo: Dragon Kid, Tiger Mask IV, Perro Aguayo Jr., & Latin Lover vs. Cibernetico, Electro Shock, Judo Suwa, & Yoshikazu Taru, Octagon & Octagoncito vs. Abismo Negro & Mini Abismo Negro, Esther Moreno vs. Xochitl Hamada (AAA Women's title) July 9th at IMP Hall, Osaka: Octagon, Latin Lover, Albrije & Tiger Mask IV vs. Cibernetico, Psisocis II, Histeria, & Maniaco, Shiima Nobunaga, Judo Suwa, & Sumo D. Fuji 2000 vs. Picudo, Charly Manson, Espitru, Abismo Negro & Electro Shock vs. Perry Aguayo Jr. & Hector Garza (AAA Tag Title Match)

(http://www.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingInternational/triplemania.html)

WAWLI REDUX No. 74...

MAJOR TOM THUMB REMEMBERED

(SLAM! WRESTLING)

By Greg Oliver

"The Hercules of the Midget Wrestlers", Major Tom Thumb, was born in England, and emigrated to Canada with his family when he was 12 years old.

The family settled in Brantford, Ontario, and Tom did a number of jobs before becoming a wrestler. He was a truck driver, a pro swimmer, a weightlifter, and a comedian on skates with a carnival.

As the story goes, during the Second World War, he tried to enlist but was rejected because of his size. Eventually, he became a Merchant Seaman, and travelled back and forth from Britain and North America carrying supplies.

He joined the wrestling ranks in the early fifties and was a major player for a number of years. His 20-year took him across North America, Europe, Japan, South American and Australia.

Thumb retired from the ring in 1962 and moved back to Brantford. He died at 65 in October 1981.

COLLECTING TITLE HISTORIES A STRUGGLE OF WILL

(SLAM! Wrestling, Wednesday, May 31, 2000)

By John F. Molinaro

Pro Wrestling history is a murky subject. Always has been. The shifty nature of the business has made it virtually impossible to properly chronicle its history.

Which is why Gary Will and Royal Duncan are being lauded as two of the most important wrestling historians on the planet. Their book, "Wrestling Title Histories, Fourth Edition", a comprehensive listing and archive of every wrestling title ever, acts as a key to the locked door that is pro wrestling history.

Referred to by many as the most important, historical document in the history of pro wrestling, the book is a labour of love for Will and Duncan.

"It started off ten years ago. Royal Duncan and I started off independently," Will told SLAM! Wrestling recently over the phone from his home in Waterloo. "I was involved in an Internet wrestling discussion group at rec.sport.prowrestling. I started to put together a list of NWA World title holders which in those days, before the web, was around was hard. It wasn't something you could just go and get any time like today."

"I started with that title and sort of built it from there from the magazines I had," continued Will. "At the same time Royal Duncan in Illinois had one of the largest wrestling autograph collections around. He wanted to be able to say who all these guys were whose autographs he had. So he started putting together a list of titles and started calling around people that were involved in wrestling, and got wrestling historians to contribute. In 1991 we got together. I found out about him and he found about me almost simultaneously and we've been working together ever since."

Both had to work the research in around their regular jobs. Will is a technology marketing consultant and writer. Duncan is the president of Royal Publishing Company, which produces sports program book in the U.S.

Compiling a list of every imaginable wrestling title required outside help. Will and Duncan supplemented the information they had with the lists they solicited from others. Developing a network of contributors was essential.

"(There isn't) one individual who has all of the information you need to put together a book like this," confirmed Will. "In fact, no individual has a third or the tenth of the information you need. So you need the help of lots of people. That was really Royal's part of the job was contacting most of the contributors. The majority of people who provided us with information came through Royal calling them up and asking if they'd help out."

Will also said it was hard at first to get people to contribute because people thought they were crazy to take on such an undertaking. But once people saw they were serious, the work became a lot easier.

"After the first edition (in 1992) came out people could see this was a real project and it was easier to get people to contribute after that. We got a lot of contributions just after the first edition."

"Once historians saw this was a real project that was going forward it was very easy to get people to contribute," continued Will. "That's one of the key things about the book; how many people over the last ten years agreed to contribute whatever they could."

People have sent Will and Duncan old wrestling magazines, newsletters and newspaper clippings to read through so that they could add additional listings to each subsequent edition.

"People have sent us a lot of raw information as well," said Will. "Someone sent Royal just about every issue of The Ring magazine from the '30s and '40s and early '50s. Royal photocopied them, sent them to me so I could read through them and pour out all the information. We've done that with a lot of old newsletters and magazines. That's a common approach we've taken over the past ten years."

"The issues of The Ring from the '30s and '20s were very helpful. The Ring gave very thorough coverage to wrestling back then. They covered wrestling in pretty good detail through the '30s up until World War Two. "

Another invaluable source for Will was Dave Meltzer's Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

"The Observer newsletter is always my first pick for information. I've got every issue of that pretty much from when it started in 1980. That was very helpful. There were other newsletters that people sent us as well. Stuff from the '70s, fan bulletins; we got several copies of those over the years."

Carrying out such a daunting task can be frustrating at times. There are many hurdles to overcome.

"Finding the time to do it.. Royal and I don't do this for a living. That's always the hardest thing," admitted Will. "Essentially we both take two or three months each to do this. We both run our own businesses so we can do that but that's always the biggest challenge."

Another challenge is staying motivated.

"You have to keep yourself motivated to want to go through it because the book covers the entire history of wrestling," explains Will. From the 19th century to the present and you have to keep that interest up whether the guy was a Greco Roman title in 1880 or wrestled as champion for some indy promotion you never heard of. You have to keep your interest up and slog through it no matter what your own personal interests lie."

"The time when you get disheartened is when I have two foot piles of file folders of indy promotions I never heard of and wrestlers I never heard of. I still have to go through them and decide if they should be included in the book."

As part of their work, Will and Duncan have raised the shroud over a handful of myths that have circulated as fact the past several decades.

"When we started we couldn't even get an accurate list of the NWA champions. This book was actually the first to have an accurate list of the NWA World champions which did not exist up until we had."

"The list you would always get of NWA champions were inaccurate," continued Will. "They had title changes that never happened. Orville Brown was the first NWA champion but he was never mentioned in any of the lists. It was amazing that you could not get any accurate information about the most historically significant world title in the business."

The book also provided the first accurate listing of WWF World Heavyweight Champions, including Antonio Inoki's title reign in 1979 that was ignored by U.S. promoters and wrestling publications.

"A few years ago Vince Russo who edited the WWF and RAW magazine called me up and said he wanted to use our lists in RAW. I think that was the first time the WWF ever recognized Inoki as WWF world champion."

It wasn't so long ago that the World title would change hands a handful of times each decade. Now, it changes three or four times each month, something that isn't lost on a longtime fan like Will.

"The business has changed now where everything comes down to your rating on Monday, your next pay-per-view buyrate and there's not going to be any patience to leave the belt on anybody for three or five years. That's just never going to happen ever again. I think its hard to imagine a time again where you'll see guys hold the title for three years."

While the book is the best source for the history of wrestling titles, it is by no means complete.

"Even with all of (our work) there are still gaps and there's lots more information out there but it's as complete as we could make it with the help of everybody."

In the book's forward, Gary Will leaves the impression that this will be the final edition of the book in print form. However, he does feel the book will carry on in another medium.

"I'm sure it will continue somehow because I'm not going to delete the file or anything," joked Will. "I'm sure this is the last book that will look like this. Royal and I don't have the time to contribute to it like we did before. Maybe along the lins of a website or a CD. I'm sure somebody along the line somewhere will approach us to make it happen."

(http://www.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingReviews/garywill.html)

WRESTLING TITLE HISTORIES AN ESSENTIAL RESOURCE

(SLAM! Wrestling, Thursday, May 4, 2000)

Wrestling Title Histories, Fourth Edition
By Gary Will and Royal Duncan
$78 CDN, $57 US

By John F. Molinaro

Lou Thesz. Bruno Sammartino. Dory Funk Jr. Jack Brisco. Verne Gagne. Harley Race. Ric Flair. All the best in the business at their respective times. All legends. All world champions.

David Arquette, husband to "Friends" star Courtney Cox, pitchman for 1-800 Collect... And WCW World Champion.

What's wrong with this picture?

Wrestling may be experiencing a boom business period and it may be the subject of unparalleled coverage in the mainstream media and it may be enjoying unmatched levels of popularity. But....

Never before has the world titles meant so little. Today, the world title is little more than a shoe box of old newspaper clippings and faded memories of better days gone by.

A point that is driven home in spades by Gary Will and Royal Duncan, co-authors of "Wrestling Title Histories, Fourth Edition" ($78 CDN, $57 US).

"Wrestling Title Histories" is the authoritative book on the history of wrestling titles. It's an unbelievable work, documenting and listing the history behind virtually every wrestling title in the world from the late 1800s to today.

But it's much more than a just a book of lists. It's a refreshing commentary on the history of pro wrestling.

Will demonstrates just how little the world title means these days, writing in the introduction that the "WWF (World) title changed hands more times in 1999 than it did in the 1960s and '70s combined. The WCW title changed hands almost as many times in 1999 as the NWA title did in the 20 years from 1960-80."

A staggering and sobering statistic to say the least.

Which makes the sheer magnitude of what Will and Duncan have accomplished with this book all the more amazing. They've gone to painstaking lengths to provide an accurate record and chronological history behind virtually every title in pro wrestling history.

From the national promotions, to every old territory in the U.S and Canada; from the Tunney's Toronto office to Jim Crockett's Mid-Atlantic promotion, every single major territory is accounted for.

And if that's not enough, Will and Duncan took on the Herculean task of listing the champions from promotions outside of North America. From such exotic locales as Argentina, New Zealand and Africa, Will and Duncan leave no stone unturned. For an international wrestling junkie like myself, I found the listings of title holders in Japan and Mexico to be a God-send.

The difficulty of their task can not be understated.

Will addresses the hurdles they had to sidestep in the introduction when he writes "Pro wrestling has several strikes against it that make it impossible to make this book error free -- concocted stories in various media, performers and promoters wager to invent self-serving histories, the different ways to interpret results as simple as 'Smith beat Jones to win the title' not to mention reversed decisions and all the other tools in a promoter's toolbox to have their champion lose but hold on to the belt."

This book, to a large degree, helps alleviate that problem. While it's not a record on the history of the sport per se, it does provide an accurate account of its title holders, giving us one substantial piece of the giant jigsaw puzzle that is pro wrestling history.

Will and Duncan were diligent in their research. They combed through thousands of newspaper clippings, newsletters, old magazines, talked to promoters, ex-wrestlers and historians. Sources were cross referenced to the point of making this just about the most accurate listing of champions you could have.

This book is a miracle. It's significance should not be understated in light of what has been offered by promoters and mainstream media as wrestling history.

Wrestling history has always been a murky subject. For the longest time, it was the wrestling promoters who wrote the history, duping unsuspecting media types into believing their version of the truth. Because of this, there's never been an accurate record of wrestling's true history.

Will proves himself a student of wrestling, and not easily fooled. He openly refutes the revisionist version of pro wrestling history put forth by Vince McMahon and the WWF hype machine. He astutely points out the eronious history that wrestling was a "small-time entertainment playing some-filled legion halls... until the 1980s when Vince McMahon decided that wrestling would be openly presented as entertainment."

Also debunked is the popular notion that "Ted Turner, seeing that the popularity of the WWF product, started his own promotion and used his big bucks to lure the top names away from the WWF."

Amen, brother.

Talking about the poor historical record of pro wrestling, Will writes, "The poor historical record has a self-perpetuating effect because the lack of documentation makes it easier for wrestlers and promoters to give distorted accounts of the history that get passed along by reports and writers who don't know any better."

There's a cynical edge to this book that I clearly identify with. Will continues, "We've been left with a cardboard history of pro wrestling, much of which is widely believed and repeated frequently by media outlets which don't seem to be concerned about accuracy when the subject is something they see as being as frivolous as pro wrestling."

Will clearly has an understanding of the wrestling business and how it works. He accounts for the systematic and deliberate devaluing of the world title by writing "with the injury rates as high as it is now, it would be foolhardy to make an entire promotion center around a single performer to the degree that was possible during Hulk Hogan's five-year reign in the mid-1980s."

"Wrestling Title Histories, Fourth Edition" is the first new edition in five years with 60% more listings than the third edition. This newest edition comes at the perfect time, as my copy of the old book is falling part. I use it so much that the pages have been dog-eared and flipped through to death. It is an invaluable resource material for this reporter and should be a required text for any self-respecting journalist covering pro wrestling.

That's why you shouldn't be scared off by the $78 Cdn. tag price. It's a landmark book that is well worth the price.

Simply put, the 441-page opus is, without a doubt, the single greatest wrestling resource in the entire world. Period. Exclamation point!

WRESTLEVIEW INTERVIEWS TOM PRICHARD

(www.wrestleview.com, January 3, 2001)

By Paul Nemer

Paul Nemer: Last time we saw you on TV was September 27, 1999 when you teamed up with Jeff Jarrett on an Episode of Monday Night Raw when you guys took on Chyna and Debra. Will we see Tom Prichard wrestling once again?

Tom Prichard: Not likely. I would rather leave it up to the young guys who can do what they do like nobody else.

Paul Nemer: What are the similarities and differences between the first Heavenly Bodies (Yourself & Stan Lane) and the second Heavenly Bodies(Yourself and Jimmy Del Ray)?

Tom Prichard: Stan was a easy going funny guy who I got along great with. He wanted to do just enough in the ring and that was cool with me. I knew Stan from my early days as well and when the opportunity came up to work with him and Cornette I thought it was the right place and time. Jimmy Del Ray could do some great stuff in the ring. We got along and thought we had some great matches. We pretty much did our thing in the ring and went our separate ways.

Paul Nemer: By the way, what happened to Jimmy Del Ray, did he retire?

Tom Prichard: He's in Tampa and does some stuff with a independent promotion down there. I saw him our last trip there. His knees were bad when we were working together and I don't think he wrestles much anymore. I understand he's managing a team called the new Heavenly Bodies.

Paul Nemer: How did the Body Donnas Zip gimmick came about?

Tom Prichard: It was one of those things where Jimmy and I had run our course as the Bodies and Smoky Mountain had gone out of business. We had worked some shots in ECW but I wanted something full time and I was ready to agree to ANYTHING to get back in the WWF. The idea was presented to me and I balked at first. I knew Chris and Tammy from Smoky Mountain and after thinking about it I said yes.

Paul Nemer: What is your favorite match that you competed in?

Tom Prichard: I can't pick just one. Every match with Brad Armstrong early on was great. Always enjoyed working with Rock and Roll Express. I think one that stands out was Summer Slam '93 Heavenly Bodies vs. Steiners. We were pumped for that because we thought this would be a place to show we could work with anybody.

Paul Nemer: Which wrestler you would've liked going up against but never faced him?

Tom Prichard: Terry Funk. I was trying to think who of today and yesterday. I worked with most of the guys I wanted to when I broke in and can only really think of one guy I haven't "wrestled" and that would be Terry.

Paul Nemer: Who are some fresh faced newcomers that we should be hearing about in the year 2001?

Tom Prichard: K Kwik is going to make a huge impact. We have some guys in Louisville who hopefully will be ready this year as well. Randy Orton, Russ McCollough and Levithan......Off the top of my head.

Paul Nemer: Will the WWF sign a deal with another NWA promotion in the near future? (They signed with NWA-OVW, NWA-IWA in Puerto Rico)

Tom Prichard: I don't know what NWA promotions are out there that would benifit from signing with the WWF. Those offices you mentioned are where we send/get a lot of the younger talent....

Paul Nemer: Who, in your honest opinion, is the best independent wrestler in the U.S.?

Tom Prichard: I really haven't seen any independent workers or tapes recently.

Paul Nemer: What is your favorite wrestling match of all time?

Tom Prichard: Of all time....The one freshest in my mind is Steve Regal vs. Chris Benoit at last years Pillman Memorial. That was a match where everything was on the money. Perfect timing and storytelling. Triple H's matches always impress me as well.

Paul Nemer: Knowing that Vince McMahon is your boss and all that, give me your honest answer. What are your thoughts on the 1997 Survivor Series Screwjob?

Tom Prichard: I think because Vince is the boss and it is his company he has the right to tell/ask you to do what he wants. Just because you are the "champion" and you hold the "belt" it doesn't mean you can write your own story. Vince did what he did in my opinion to protect himself and the WWF. Bret was going south so how could Vince be absolutly sure he wouldn't take the WWF belt with him? It sucks that it had to turn out the way it did. I can understand the personal animosity between Bret and Shawn. VINCE'S belt. Not Bret's! Vince had every right to ask Bret to drop it and Bret wouldn't.

Name Association

Paul Nemer: Terry Taylor

Tom Prichard: Good guy. Confident. Means well but could be "misinterpeted" at times.

Paul Nemer: Hulk Hogan

Tom Prichard: Most recognized name in the business.

Paul Nemer: Jeff Jarrett

Tom Prichard: Talented. Always works hard and a good friend.

Paul Nemer: Christopher Daniels

Tom Prichard: Very impressive. I hope to see him in the WWF sooner than later.

Paul Nemer: Bret Hart

Tom Prichard: Talented worker. Not nescessarily the best there was, is or ever will be.

Sorry to see him so bitter over everything that has happened.

Paul Nemer: And, finally, Tom Prichard.

Tom Prichard: Happy and lucky to be where I'm at.

WRESTLEVIEW.COM TALKS TO SINISTER MINISTER

(ED. NOTE – Shannon Rose talked with Jim Mitchell, touching a variety of subjects, from Mitchell’s days in SMW to WCW to ECW.)

Shannon Rose: Thank you sir for agreeing to do this interview.

Sinister Minister: It's my pleasure.

Shannon: Why did you decide to get involved in pro wrestling?

Minister: I was a big fan as a kid and I did the whole backyard, neighborhood wrestling alliance thing in grade school. When I got older and became an aspiring singer for several years I incorporated alot of the pro wrestling sensibility into my act. It was just a natural progression. I realized that I enjoyed running my big mouth more than warbling in front of a bunch of drunks in some gin mill, so I just went out and tried to make my goal a reality, which wasn't easy because I had no connections and the business was much more closed and insular than it is today. I was also attracted to the then sleazy, shadowy elements of the business. It seemed as if I was trying to break into the mafia back then. I guess I first started trying to get in around 1986 and it took me two and a half, maybe three years to get on my first show. I didn't even know independent wrestling existed.

Shannon: Who are some of the people responsible for breaking you in?

Minister: On one level, the late Gene Anderson, who eventually got one of my basement promo tapes, thought I had the gift of gab, and pointed me in the right direction. On another I would say the first guys I managed as a team, Rikki Regal and Mikki Free, a couple of good friends of mine to this day, who still work on and off in the carolinas. We went up and down the highway for a long time together and they had the patience to teach me how to bump and smarten me up. My wrestling education, like many guys in the business, was learned by trial and error on the road, as opposed to in a school. Over a period of time I learned my craft and slowly moved up.

Shannon: You worked in Smoky Mountain at one time. What did you do in that promotion?

Minister: I worked as Daryl Van Horn, the name I had been using for about four years at that time, and did a variation of the old Abdullah Farouk gimmick, at least visually. I was managing Prince Kharis the mummy, an abortion of a gimmick for that, and probably any other, promotion. My big stain on the wrestling map during that period was that I broke alot of new ground in terms of pushing the envelope in my promos, content-wise. I went so far over the edge that some of it would still be considered too controversial even by today's standards.

Shannon: How much creative control did you have in your SMW career?

Minister: I didn't book finishes, come up with angles, or anything like that. I was, however, pretty much given carte blanche to say anything I wanted beyond the simple outline of what Cornette needed put across. Essentially he would say, "OK, Prince Kharis is going after the Dirty White Boy's belt in Knoxvillle on such and such a date, then just fill it with whatever sick s**t you want to. Do your thing and pay no attention to them when they try to count you down".

Shannon: What type of person was Jim Cornette to work for?

Minister: He was a bit of a hot-head to some people, but I always got along with him very well for the most part. I've never really been close personal friends with any of the promoters I've worked for, so I didn't know him on that level.

Shannon: In your opinion, what caused the demise of SMW?

Minister: I think, if memory serves me, that his money backer left, for one thing. Another was that he got the wrong kind of heat with the Gangstas tag-team, which I mistakenly predicted would turn his fortunes around.

Shannon: Moving on in your career, let's look at WCW. How did you get hooked up with WCW?

Minister: Thru Kanyon. I helped Kanyon early on in his career and he returned the favor and got me a try out. Dallas Page looked at my tape, showed it to Bischoff, and Bischoff walked over and hired me on the spot.

Shannon: What type of promises were made to you upon your arrival in WCW?

Minister: No promises beyond being paid, as far as Bischoff goes. Depending on who was booking and in the production end of things, the promises varied, but they were all bulls***.

Shannon: When you signed with WCW, did you feel that you would be able to accomplish the goals you had set for yourself in wrestling?

Minister: Well, I pretty much achieved the big goal which was to get on national television and make some real money. I was then, and to this day still am, one of the very few people lucky enough to make a comfortable living as a wrestling manager. That was a quantum leap from where I had been. As far as the other goals, career-wise, WCW wasn't exactly a nurturing environment. I do think, however, that I was able to really polish up my ringside work during my stint with Mortis. My timing and spots were really good back then because I worked so often and always had Kanyon coming up with neat ways to incorporate me into matches. I used to actually trans myself in and come to house shows I wasn't booked on to work ringside with Kanyon. How's that for dedication?

Shannon: Initially did you have any regrets when you were placed in a program with Mortis (Kanyon) and Wrath (Bryan Clark)?

Minister: I knew it was hokey as hell because it was conceived from the start as something to specifically market to kids and make merchandise, which never came, incidentally. I wouldn't say I had regrets back then, per se, I just would have booked it very differently if I had the magic wand.

Shannon: Did you get along with those two?

Minister: At the time I got along with Kanyon very well professionally but we were not seeing eye to eye personally. It was on and off, but we are best friends again that we don't have to work together everyday. I think he was pissed off back then that I was too busy chasing trim and partying to be despondent about our position. Wrath and I didn't get along professionally because he never liked having a manager really, but we got along very well outside the ring and had alot of fun and adventures.

Shannon: Were there any times in which you felt they (Mortis and Wrath) were holding you back or vice versa?

Minister: They didn't hold me back. The gimmick we were all saddled with the bookers' refusal to push it held us back.

Shannon: As time passed, what type of reasons, if any, were given to you concerning your lack of a push?

Minister: You name it. Guys with masks don't draw. Tag Teams are passe`. Managers don't draw money, so they shouldn't get interview time. The gimmick we created for you guys at the expense of hundreds of thousands of dollars is too silly, so we will only book you as jobbers.

Shannon: Did you have any heat with anyone in particular that caused your lack of push in WCW?

Minister: I am reasonably certain that Sullivan didn't like us, at the time at least, but he had a directive to keep us on television. I generally never have heat with anyone anywhere that I work. I'm too busy having fun to cause trouble. In fact, as sh***y as things were for us in WCW, I still was happy go lucky untill they benched me for two years. That's when I got bitter. As long as I'm being paid well to do the job I enjoy, I don't complain. It was when I didn't have an outlet to be creative and wasn't allowed to work that I got thoroughly disenchanted.

Shannon: What type of relationship did you have with Eric Bischoff?

Minister: Strictly professional with only brief exchanges.

Shannon: Did you leave WCW on your own free will or were you released?

Minister: I was released almost a year ago.

Shannon: Moving on to ECW, what reasons made you want to join ECW?

Minister: I wanted to be in ECW way back in '93. Probably the biggest reason I wasn't there before now was that I was waiting for the mountain to come to me. I wouldn't get off my a** and make a pilgrimage to Philly. I waited on the phone to ring. Trust me, that's not how you get in ECW. From what I can tell, they want to see how serious you are before investing valuable television time in you, which is smart. It's part of the reason they won't be losing 80 million bucks this year. To answer your question, I've always felt that Paul was a brilliant booker and a promo wizard and that he would be able to best nurture my talent.

Shannon: Did Paul Heyman make any promises to you upon your ECW arrival?

Minister: He promised only to pay me and give me an opportunity to go as far as my talent would take me, which is all I've ever wanted.

Shannon: If he made promises, has he lived up them thus far?

Minister: Absolutely. Working for ECW is the best thing that ever happened to my career. When I was in WCW we were doing 4s and 5s in the ratings and I almost never got recognized on the street. ECW does nowhere near those numbers and I get recognized daily. I was at Universal Studios yesterday, as out of gimmick as I could possibly be, with a baseball hat, shorts, and sunglasses and people still came up to me. Point being, perception is reality. In Atlanta I was a background player, a mere afterthought. In ECW I'm given the opportunity to shine and fans see me differently now. Sometimes I shine, sometimes I don't. I've never claimed to hit a home run every time at bat, but at least let me step up to the plate and try. A big fish in a little pond? Perhaps, but at least I'm in a nice clean pond as opposed to the shark tank full of toxic waste from whence I came.

Shannon: You turned down offers to return to WCW. Why did you do so?

Minister: A casual glance at any given week's edition of Nitro should answer that question for you better than words can express.

Shannon: Are you happy with your current Sinister Minister gimmick and your pairing with Mikey Whipwreck and Yoshihiro Tajiri?

Minister: I love my current character. You've only seen one facet so far of many that we can show with the character. People who think that it's a one trick pony with a funny punch-line aren't reading between the lines well enough. I think the character is going to have legs. Besides, I've always personally identified with the devil archetype, so I have a soft spot in my heart for it. I think if you would have asked me a year ago if I thought managing Mikey Whipwreck would be good for my career and and asked him the same about being managed by me, we would have asked you if you were out of your f***ing mind. I suppose Paul saw two twisted minds and joined them. We have been mutually bebeficial for each other's careers. Mikey is great and a damn good performer in the ring. He's funny as hell and has tremendous comic timing. I also think part of his appeal is that he looks like the average Joe, with the exception of the red hair. Fans can identify with him moreso than a muscled-up monster. It's like watching Ron Jeremy bang some hot broad-"There's hope for me yet!" As far as Tajiri goes, I always wanted to manage him from the day I first saw him. He's a phenomenal talent. I was astounded at the chemistry those guys had during the tag tournament. I honestly expected it to just be a make-shift team for the tournament, but they looked as if they had been together for years. The reaction Mikey and Tajiri got the night they won was incredible.

Shannon: What differences can you see between the backstages of WCW and ECW?

Minister: Night and day. ECW is a happy dysfunctional family, as Tommy Dreamer always says. WCW is a cluster****. Speaking of Dreamer, and not to sound like a corporate suck up, but he is a genuinely good guy and really cares about our product, not just his own stuff. He keeps the troops in line and critiques everybody's matches. He works particularly close with the younger guys. He's the voice of reason. If WCW had one selfless guy in their locker room like Dreamer their morale would be much higher.

Shannon: Would you ever consider going to the WWF?

Minister: If the time were right, perhaps. Who wouldn't at least think about it? I think that I have many years left ahead of me in ECW. As I've said many times before, I'm re-learning my craft and falling in love with wrestling all over again. I want ECW to be a major chapter of my career, if not the pinnacle, and not just a stop along the way to something else.

Shannon: What type of reaction did people backstage in ECW have when Mike Awesome jumped to WCW?

Minister: I can't speak for everyone, but I think most felt as if the quarterback walked off the field during the fourth quarter of the big game. I liked Mike and was disappointed to see him go, especially in the manner he did.

Shannon: How have most people in ECW reacted to TNN's lack of support {Editor's Note: This interview took place many months back}?

Minister: The way you would imagine.

Shannon: How do you feel about TNN?

Minister: Given the current legal situation, I should probably refrain from comment.

Shannon: What network would you like to see ECW wind up on?

Minister: NBC! Barring that, USA would be the network of choice. They have a long history of wrestling programming and would do it right.

Shannon: Do you think ECW could survive without a national TV deal?

Minister: They did it before. If nothing else, this is a company of survivors.

Shannon: What are your feelings on the XPW incident from Heat Wave 2000?

Minister: It was unprofessional, bush league bull**** on the part of the XPW crowd. It reminded me of my rock and roll days when rival bands would come crash our gigs and start sh** just to get noticed. They would bring their own big haired groupies who would start s*** with ours. All of their fans wore the home made t shirts. Ultimately fights broke out because somebody threw something or shoved somebody. They would get their a**es kicked and we would go back to playing. The Heat Wave incident brings to mind one of my favorite quotes from Anton LaVey. "If a guest in your lair annoys you, treat him cruelly and without mercy".

Shannon: Do you believe that the XPW wrestlers in the incident killed their chances of making it to the big 3 with their actions at Heat Wave?

Minister: They had no chances beforehand, and certainly not now. Black may be a fine pornographer, I don't know. I've not had the opportunity to sample any of his stroke tapes, but his wrestling product is garbage. It looks like every bush league indy operation with a bunch of fat guys running around cutting bad promos. The only difference is they have porn chicks all over the place and are on television. Otherwise they would be indistinguishable from every flea market promotion in rural america. Actually, I've already wasted entirely too much time dignifying their existence by discussing them at all, so consider these to be my first and final words on the subject.

Shannon: How would you compare Paul Heyman to Eric Bischoff?

Minister: Like Vince McMahon to Lucille Ball. Paul is a guy with wrestling in his blood. It's what he loves. It's what he does. It's what he is. Eric reminds me of Lucy on the old TV show, always trying to weasle her way into show business.

Shannon: Finally, where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Minister: Hopefully sandwiched between a couple of overweight, voluptuous blondes! (laughs)

Shannon: Once again thank you for your time. Best of luck in ECW and in your future!

Minister: You're welcome, Shannon.

WAWLI REDUX No. 75...

STASIAK EXPLAINS TAPING CONVERSATIONS

(SLAM! Wrestling, Friday, May 19, 2000)

By Greg Oliver

Shawn Stasiak wants his side of the story told. Yes, he was caught taping a conversation in the WWF and was fired shortly thereafter. But there's much more to the story than just that.

The entire situation turned out to be a huge learning experience for Stasiak, a reminder of how the world of business differs from the fun hijinks of college life.

"It was my own mistake, though. I'm not blaming anybody. I'm not blaming the WWF. I'm a little bit upset and bitter ..." he said trailing off in thought before continuing. "Man, what a harsh business for them just to throw you out and say you're done."

So what exactly happened? To understand the whole story, one has to go back before the 'incident' that got Stasiak fired.

As a graduate of Boise State University in Communications, specializing in audio and video productions, Stasiak had always fooled around with tape recorders and video cameras. He has one in his apartment