Well, we certainly have established, let's say, a fact pattern for hul
Coogan's return to the TNA ring. Boss. Yeah, I'll say total NonStop.
Hogan is back on the rails after a series of you know, WrestleMania
related hijinks that your co chairs found themselves in. This really is the first
formal sort of TLF episode since the Comedy Chateau event after WrestleMania. Boss.
Indeed, indeed, I know that's it's kind of a kind of a weird,
a weird thing, you know, that is kind of crazy. It's
um, it's almost like we're hul Cogan disappearing from mysterious back surgeries for six
months at a time, four months at a time, three weeks at a
time. What dude, brother, what why? And were proud to bring
you an entire reading of hul Coogan's deposition last time we were with you here
on TNAH against Laser Spine Institute, which was the surgical center that performed what
six back operations on the Hulkster during his TNA run. Yeah, towards the
end of two thou ten, and as we were going through the chronology of
TNA and Hulk Cogan's involvement. We did notice, like you know, a
pretty smoking gulf of Hulk Coogan appearances as the fall of twenty and ten arrived,
he supposed to be involved, perhaps even wrestling Sting at Bound for Glory
Abyss. At first it was the Abyss Yah yeah, and then s yeah,
and then they started choosing Sting. Then they started teasing a six man
tag involving Kevin Nash and stuff, remember that. And and they were calling
out Hogan on television and even showing footage from him being inside what we came
to find out later was the Laser Spine Institute or no, it was the
It was that visit he made to the hospital, remember that during the demosition.
Yeah, that UM hospital visit where he did a Twitter video probably high
on fetnel, come to find out, because Hogan was using fentanyl during that
time period of extreme pain, which is you know, certainly lends credence to
what everybody was saying, including himself, about how strung out he was in
the years during and right before he came into TNA, sure with the back
pain and and so yeah, we couldn't hope for more in terms of a
full bodied picture in our minds and what a wild ride it was going through.
I mean that was just literally one of the funniest just true to life
obviously, you know, just the validation that's there. I think that's what
it is, right, it's you know that that's kind of it, like
just the weird shit that he's sang, and it's just completely validates so much
stuff that we have suggested. It's it's proof of concept for lapsed caricatures.
Yes, right. Indeed, we've always said that we we we don't imitate
wrestlers. We do their inner monologue. Yes, you know that that's more
what we do than anything else. And I think, you know, Helkegan
on the stand talking about you know, and trying to successfully sue this surgical
center for the condition of his back during the first year here of TNA and
the time period in twenty on nine when he was signing with them and trying
to wrestle in Australia. Just the turns of phrase that he uses, the
the questions that get him tripped up, the questions that don't get him tripped
up, the categorical statements he makes, the I don't understand what what are
you saying? Dude? Yeah, that's that is the question, isn't it?
Yeah? And uh yeah. We were able to huddle a bit about
it when we recorded the latest Under the Cinemat, which of course is available
for the twenty dollars and above tier and Patreon the biggest swinging dicks in the
Solar System as we bring the Marine Marine as part of the first series of
all the marine movies from ww coverage there, and we did get to talk
a little bit about the experience of running the whole Coaken depositions on that show,
and we filled a little bit. We said, the only poetic license
we took with the actual physical transcript was when you added a brother here or
the noise. Let's not forget also that you renamed doctor Brereski. I know,
I couldn't. I couldn't help it, I said, you know,
I've said his name enough times, but he's got to say Berserker and the
you know the other one though you know it actually could you know it could
be pronounced that way a doctor Riva riva, right, it could be you
know, you don't. We don't know. As members of the Solar System
had been hitting us up on Twitter with some of their favorite quotes from that
last episode, of teenh I realized, oh yeah, the Berserker thing.
We might want to make it clear that the deposition does not say this guy's
name was Berserker or Basuka Joe or five hundred other variations you know, gave
people on that. But but it's great because not only do we have details
about all you know, whole Coogan's physical maladies and how he got enough back
in shape to whereas we turned the page to twenty eleven, here on Total
NonStop Hogan, we can get a better understanding of how it was that suddenly
he was physically able to move around a lot better. I mean, you've
taken a look at a lot of the stuff he did, and the lead
up to the match with sting at Bounce with Glory, which will be sort
of the next episode of TNAH to this one being um, you know,
the dawning of the second year of the Hogan Bishop regime and all the run
up two Hulk Hogan's next matchup in the TNA ring and I don't know,
Boss, he's moving around. I mean, we're grading on a curve here
is curved as his spine is. But we're up pretty well. I think
he does yeah, all things considered. I mean, you know, he
gets he gets to the ground a few times, you know, like he
he more or less bumps. I can't. Yeah, you know that's that's
I think the pain may be gone. A fusion man, Yeah, the
fusion brother. Yeah, we gotta get that fusion. That was the whole
basis of the lawsuit, which by the way, was settled, and I'm
sure Hogan got a payment for it. The court records don't indicate what came
of it, if you're wondering, But um, that was the whole idea
was that, you know, a series of doctors at Laser Spine Institute,
according to Hogan's allegations, convinced him that he didn't need to undergo that very
invasive spinal fusion surgery and could just undergo these um these almost these more you
know, less invasive let's just say, procedures and avoid that much time on
the shelf. And he's coming back and saying, you know, if you
didn't like give me a false hope that this would be the path that would
save me time and allow me to earn more, I would have made a
whole hell of a lot more money if I just went ahead and had the
fucking crazy surgery in the front end, all kinds of wild details about how
he was negotiating with Vince McMahon a wrestle John at WrestleMania. I mean,
who even thought about that? You imagine? I know, seriously, no
one ever was thinking about that. The greatest of all time versus the greatest
of all time is what Vince was going to frame it as. Of course,
he just went on to start calling John Cena the greatest of all time.
Anyway, Let's not forget. Let's not forget they've changed Hulk Cogan's painting
in Madison Square Garden two John Cena unbelievable, all right, John Cena replaced
hul Cogan in that that that employee's hallway where there are paintings of all the
most legendary people. Yeah. One of my takeaways from the deposition was that
Vince actually had a plan to have Hogan lay down for Sina before, you
know, making that declaration about him and marketing the match is greatest of all
time, but greatest of all time. So just a ton of stuff that
I don't think people even necessarily know about Hulkgan's history. That also came up
because it was relevant to the court case because it's all about how much was
Hulkogan making and how much could he have made right if, yeah, if
he underwent a surgery that would have put him back in play earlier than this
long series of failed experimental I think we can call them treatments to Hogan's back.
So absolutely, totally wild, totally fun, and we got a lot
of detail as well that we've been thirsting forth throughout the course of the TNH
journeys to the financial arrangements that brought Hulkogan into tnam Amy. Old brother,
dude, you know what do I mean? One thing that that I didn't
really get brought up, brother, but I was actually going to be you
know, I was cast to be the leading slumdog millionaire. Bro. Yeah,
you don't talk much about that. I was going to be in there,
brother, you know. I mean, you know Danny Boyle, director,
Danny Boyle and I. You know, we were going back and forth.
Brother. I was going to be in some dog millionaire dude, and
I would have won an oscar. Brother. Have you seen those seven eleven
straws? More like slurp Dog Millionaire. Brother. I would have been part
of the best picture of two thousand and nine. Dude, Yeah, I
think if the surgery brother, I think he would have made a terrific Bollywood
Bollywood Hulk Hogan, right. I mean that was the idea, Dud,
We're gonna kind of transition and then bring Bollywood Hulk Hogan to the w w
E and Bollywood versus John Cena brother. Right that the spot ended up going
to gender Mahal of course, of course, but Hulk was to be the
original modern day Mahaasha, but it just didn't come out that way. He
did, however, enjoy a massala. He'll murder a massala. Let's be
clear about the Okay, oh my god, absolutely, um, but no,
you know it's relevant. We've got to ask Hogan on the stand here
in this lawsuit where he's you know, damages for lost wages or however you
want to phrase it, how TNA was compensating him, and man does he
dish. Here's what we know, A'll Coogan signed a contract to be paid
a minimum of a million dollars a year with TNA, this company that you
know can't scrape together enough pennies to leave the impact zone despite being paid millions
and rights fees from Spike TV million dollars minimum with a five hundred thousand dollar
minimum talent appearances another call a bonus, but payment for thirty three appearances.
So basically he has to make these um if I'm if we're interpreting what's said
on the stand, right, we don't have the full text of the contract,
but if we're interpreting right, he has to make thirty three appearances on
TNA television to claim another five hundred thousand dollars, so you can kind of
call it a one point five million dollar contract. And he would also if
he were to make additional appearances above the thirty three, make an additional fifteen
thousand dollars according to his test money for each appearance in TNA above that.
And he also just he said everything because remember this lawsuit happens after he's done
with DNA and he's looking back on it. He's already come back to WWE,
He's signed the Legend contract for five hundred grand a year, and he's
um he's now back in back in the auspices of m WW. He's made
the appearance at WrestleMania thirty, that famous scene with Steve Austin and the Rock
where he says, and he does so he's he's now, you know,
not trying to spare feelings when it comes to, you know, assessing what
TENA was. And one of the more telling things he says is TENA is
a very small company and the whole Cogan brand name and Brandon name TNA would
never be as big as the whole Cogan brand name. So for them to
land Hull Cogan and spend one million or one point five million or one point
two five or whatever that number is, there's a huge upside for them if
they knew the wrestling business and they handled me properly, such as the way
Vince McMahon handles you. So, and he also sort of diminishes TNA as
something insignificant. And as we've talked about, the big problem, one of
the big problems with Hull, because he's getting mainstream exposure during this point in
time two ten eleven not all good. I mean a lot of it's due
to the falling apart of his marriage and the acrimonious divorce in Linda Bala doing
a book, and of course what happened with his son in the car accident.
But he is he's getting a ton of opportunities to get national mainstream attention,
and some of these interviews are kind of soft touch. Some of them
are even about the other ventures he's got going on, like the micro Championship
Wrestling show he put together with Eric Bischoff and Hervey for a True TV which
hits the airwaves in twenty eleven as well coincident with his TNA run. And
even when doing interviews promoting you know, a wrestling show if you want to
call micro Championship wrestling that he doesn't mention TNA, or at least he does,
he doesn't do it in a forceful and enough way that it makes it
the final cut. Well, brother, you know the thing is, you
see, I'm you know, if I have mentioned TNA, brother, then
I have to get another you know, five hundred thousand dollars. Well,
if I read one part of his testimony, right, we are coming up
to a point where suddenly he says, no, actually, you have to
pay me more to do that. So look for you want to wrestle,
dude, you gotta pay me at least two million dollars for appearance. Brother,
But excited to get this thing back on track and really accelerate because we're
going to take a big bite out of twenty eleven here in the next couple
of weeks here on TNH and really push through, um the remainder. You
know, twenty ten is so important, I think, to cover from a
more granular, incremental, step by step kind of treatment. But now we
can paint with a bit of a broader brush because we know the beats,
right, we know, yes, the problems that recur at TNA, we
know, oh man television show. I mean you any more optimistic? Haven't
taken in to be covering here in twenty nine No, I mean, you
know, I'd seen little bits and pieces about this this one development, and
I wasn't sure. To me, it sounded like a really, really stupid
idea. But I gotta tell you, I'm I'm kind of enjoying Joker sting.
Yeah, I really was not expecting that. I was rather excited when
I conceived of the teenage journey to get to the point that you could take
the measure of sting and when you started saying, you know, the mic
work he's doing isn't bad and this is yeah, of course before the Joker
transformation. Yeah, but I mean it's it's good. It's good stuff.
It really is. You know, it's it's actually nice to see him doing
something so out of character that we know from staying and he's just like,
it's actually pretty I may at times he's you know, at times he's kind
of reminding me of Seth Rollins. Well, Seth Rollins reminds you of him,
because right he just basically decides to also do Heath Ledger at a certain
point, No, I think, yeah, well, I think also his
you know, the the one um that that Seth Rollins is doing. It's
more of the the Joaquin Phoenix one. But yeah, but still there's still
yeah, but there's still part of that and like there's some some movements.
But it's kind of it kind of bumps me out because it's like, I'm
I forced myself to have to think of him because I've seen seth Rollins do
it first, and I'd rather be able to say, oh, look at
Seth Rollins. He can't even come up with an original idea because this was
just ripping off sting. Oh yeah, yeah, I mean I know he
is and I know that that, but still, because I saw Seth Rollins
do it first, it it bothers me like that totally, you know,
but um I I really I was getting to kick out of it. I
was like, not, I was not expecting that. I'd heard rumors about
what it was, and I'm like, I don't understand how the fuck we're
gonna get there. I don't know how this gets there. But then the
way it kind of played out, I was like, Wow, it's actually
it's it's it's kind of entertaining and honest to god, by the time,
by the time October October rolls around, the makeup even looks fantastic. Yeah,
I think it's it's just great. It's really well done. And of
course that's hyperrelevant to a T and H journey because that whole character is developed
to feud with Hulk Coogan and get Hulkogan coaxed back into the Squared Circle for
fight in October of twenty eleven. And it's this campaign really that makes it
such a joke when Sting went to WWE that you know, he didn't have
the chops to cut promos or carry a tune on the microphone, and it's
like, dude, like pretending that he didn't do the all of this work
in TNA, where he was the best plow in the company. Yes,
what are you talking about? And so it's it's it's kind of cool to
see Sting be able to spread his wings on the back of Hulk Hogan's return,
because you know, if Hogan's involved, it's going to get a ton
of airtime, and he's going to get a ton of opportunities to really flesh
out the character and not get you know, knees cut off because it's building
to a Hogan match. So all the credit to to Sting and as we'll
talk about, he gets a kind of a promising but what turns out to
be dodgy and kind of strange start to twenty eleven is um he's supposed to
come back with Nash and kind of pick up where that whole Bound for Glory
in Troy left off, with them knowing that Hogan and bishof aren't doing it
for the right reasons and you know that's it. Yeah, okay and fortune
and all that. But that doesn't happen because Nash doesn't resign, and and
Nash goes to the Royal Rumble, as does book or t who is supposed
to be part of, yeah, a group of veterans that come back.
Oh my god, I forgot that was that ally shit. Yep. So
once again, UM, wrestlers have other companies to thank for Vince suddenly being
interested in scooping them up. We saw it with the exodus of the Nakamura
aj styles are Anderson Gallows exodus. That was like, let's fuck New Japan.
Uh, Cody, you know, let's fuck a w couldn't Vince could
have been less interested in Cody when he left. Um, and it just
it just it just goes on and on, like you know Jericho and ninety
nine. It's like he he really, he's gonna sign you if he can
fuck somebody, That's what he's that's the one two punch. He's really looking
forward trying to be cut roh with all those signings and the original triple HNXT.
So that's that's not news. But here, um it's it's the benefit
to the benefit of Kevin Nash and book or t and so Sting finds himself
without a place in that prepared storyline and suddenly makes a return in March Unimpact
and is soon champion and soon in the ring with a Jeff Hardy. That's
let's say boss in no conditions oh, oh my god. I mean that's
all to come here on our next episode, if is this thing? So
so I'm i'm, I'm, I'm very curious about one thing. So maybe
this is just a coincidence, maybe whatever, you know. So Number one,
when I went to go watch that match, where did you watch that
match on a laptop? No? I mean, but where did you watch
it? Like? What what website? Did you watch it? The Impact
plus Okay streaming service? All right? Because you know when I tried to
watch that show, it kept skipping to lockdown. It wouldn't let me watch
it. Oh well I couldn't. I wouldn't watch it. And you know
what, it's like the only fucking TNA pay per view that's not on YouTube,
Yes, And like it was the hardest fucking thing to find until I
found someone's fucking really shitty copy on YouTube that I could watch the match?
Are It's right? And so I was wondering, I was like, well,
what the fuck's going on with its? Like best episode we talked about
last week? Right? I was wondering if there was some kind of issue
with it, Like, but if you were able to watch it? Yes,
I was on, Yeah, yeah, I don't know why you just
like I'd press play and it would go to lockdown. Crazy. I'm like,
what the fuck is We've seen instances. I mean remember that backstage Champagne
celebration that the Beautiful People had that was edited off that early twenty ten impact
for no reason there was Um, I'm pretty sure that they edited out Dixie
lecturing the troops in November nine, before you know, on the close set
for Hogan and Bischoff come in telling them to get in line and shut the
fuck up and don't dissent and when you criticize me, you should be shot
in the head. So, I mean, that's always I've seen that on
YouTube. Is something that Tina has deleted. I don't know if they mean
they've deleted it off of their streaming service or if they deleted it from their
YouTube page, but yeah, they're not above that ship. Matt Hardy deleted
with a swipe of the hand. But so much to chew on, so
much to get into, and we do need to remind you it has just
simply been too long out there in the Solar system. Lamb. That total
NonStop Hogan has brought to you, in no small part by our friends at
tight nutrition. I'm willing to bet that when Sting stuffs all of those tablet
pills in the hull Cogan's mouth to build up bound for glory, that he's
giving a nod to tight nutrition. And I think so, brother, dude.
I'm sitting there, brother, I'm like, well, what do you
what do you give me? Dude? What do you what do you what
are you throwing down my gullet? Brother, you are sitting there. That's
accurate. But told me Titan dude. I'm all right, brother, that's
cool, dude, I can deal with Titan. Brother. Is there something
I'm missing about this Hulk Hogan incarnation where his big angles are getting things stuffed
down his throat, be a Hall of famering or tight nutrition tablets. He
wants to like choke on things to build matches. It's like for some reason
that, yeah, like to have shit shoved down his throat seems to buy
seems to sell tickets. Well, he also say that about his career.
Be shoving TNH down that fucking throat once again here this week, and it's
with the help of our friends at tight Nutrition. All right, if you
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know that the co chairman sent you, and do make sure as well to
follow up at the lapsed fan at gmail dot com. Email us proof of
purchase and yes, we'll be more than happy to give you a shout out.
Here on the podcast for supporting brands that support us. It's a very
simple proposition, and we hope to be able to bring you many more brands
that might fit that description in the weeks to come, because folks are taking
notice. Boss T and H is not a joke, that's right, and
it's also being reflected on the most powerful Patreon and all of podcasting, I
agree, the one that set the bar to inspire everybody else to try to
chase fame and riches on the platform. It's Patreon dot com, slash the
lapsed fan. You already know what it is, the one you handle it.
That is a great question, and I'm sure for a lot of folks
the answer is no, yeah, and that's fine. But you know,
accept where that puts you in the pecking order, that's all. That's all
we're saying. Accept the fact that you know you maybe you don't deserve it,
yep, yep, or at least except that you know, just because
you're not up to snuff in that regard, it doesn't mean we can be
blamed for worshiping at the altar of those who are up to snuff. And
it's it's simply been too damn long here at the lapsed fan since we've tipped
our cap. The core of support that makes all the effort, all the
hours, all the research, all the document retrieval, all the book and
file retrieval, both here under the cinemat across the complex worthwhile. And it's
because we know we've got this core of Patreon supporters that, dollar for dollar,
are the best podcast audience in the entire genre. Buck Yeah, buy
a mile and we get more and more emboldened to say that when we do
things like the Live of Then in La where we meet so many members of
the Solar System, so many paying members of the Solar System, so many
patrons, and just the degree to which they go above and beyond to let
us know that what we do has real impact, you know. And and
they tell us because they can't tell their families because then they'll be laughed out
of the room. Yes, but they tell us. And I'm looking into
these folks eyes, boss, and they and they they mean this, this
is this is a lifeline to too many. I gotta tell you, like,
you know, it's funny. I was there were some of the friends
and stuff that I saw after that, when when I stayed in la Uh.
You know they were you know, they were like, well, you
know who who? You know? Did all these people that all all these
people came to your show? Did they did they all go to WrestleMania?
And I said no, no, And that was that was to me,
was the one that it was. I was really proud to say that that
there were there was a good solid number of people who came out to LA
Yeah, several who flew just for the show, for our for our live
show. And you know, I don't give a fuck. I'll take three
listeners like that over ten thousand listeners who won't lift a finger for us or
put a penny into our into our efforts. That's that's the future. And
we've been we've been proving that and paving that way for ten years now almost
so it only continues, and the day will come soon where we can do
a formal thanks, a roll call, if you will, of all the
folks that have that have joined us on Patreon since the last sort of gut
check we did. But it is time and the next message we're going to
convey here on the podcast only reminded me that it's pastime to tip our cap
to what we like to call around here the one K Club And for those
who might be new to the podcast, might be drawn in by TNH,
the one K Club are the true elite of the elite of the lapsed fan
solar system. These are people who not only pledge, but over the course
of their lifetimes, have pledged over four figures to the podcast and really are
the people you should think if you enjoy this show. Yeah, you know,
yeah, we all pay taxes, but these folks pay so much more
that you have to you have to acknowledge that. And of course leaving the
league, I think he's going to be undefeated to the days in the ground
and probably beyond. And who was incredibly helpful and generous with his time and
treasure on the ground. Absolutely Tom Etanacio, great guy leading the league,
quality human being times ten. And yeah, the support that he's shown the
show like it's it's basically impossible to put into words, so I'm not going
to try, but just suffice to say that this serves as not just a
proofpoint that he has you know that he's very generous in a pecuniary sense,
but I'm proud to confirm that he's the kind of guy you'd want to know
even if he didn't have a dollar to his name. Ye. So Tom
leading the league all time biggest pleasure, and I think it's going to take
a lot of effort to knock him off his perch. But we do have
to say that Mike Hornecker has always been solidly in contention, nipping at the
heels, and we do want to tip our captain Mike. We also need
to tip our cap to Pedro Rios. Those three are really like the triad
at the top. They're like because the distance between them and number four is
significant, so they're the holy Trinity. Thomas Nascio, Mike Hornecker, Pedro
Rios. As we stand, Paul Ford, we want to thank you as
well for all of your great support over the years. Brian Blake, Danny
an Koivu, Jim Rocco, Robert Holtzhammer, Dominic Herrera, Mark daper Brandon
from New Jersey, Joshua Marberry, who we saw out in La Tremendous,
tremendous, but I think he bought a round for the room. Paul Kogan,
Brian Hinz, Harry Cooke, Ronas, will Winthrop, Real, Gus
Polinsky, Mark Wilson, Lewis Perez, Robert Doherty, Alastair the King of
Home Style, Joe Ward, Tom Bauer, Pete Cosey, Gerard Martin Laurn,
Mason Evil Robot, Zach David Nichol, Christian Bauer, Socks, Ryan
Ball, Ronald Lester McCoy, Marcus Clayson, Joshua Gibson, Jeff Jewett,
Peter Panico, James Riley, Sam Fairbanks, Curtis Anderson, Chris Mains,
James Irwin, RP and Polo Dog, Andy Yellinich, Kevin Mills, Paul
the Saints fan, Mike Chippell I apologized, Mike Fhonwi getting that right,
Tom Dustin Buchanan, Stephen Cole, Jonas Olson, We continue, Dennis Owens,
Blake downing, Richard Max Vstovski, who was also incredibly gracious with his
time and treasure in la He was really the reason we're out there in the
first place. He reached out to us at random and said, hey,
you know, I love going to the Chargers games. I got tickets so
far where how about the coach hairs join? And he couldn't have been more
more critical to pulling the whole thing off as well, getting us to the
chateau like we were running out of their boss, like we had just robbed
a banker, and he knew exactly where to go on how to get there,
and his guiding hand was critical and so proud to say that. He's
also a one K club member, Sammy Conduit, Zach Medress, who is
great to see as well. Recently, I believe in Boston, he joined
us for our Moat Only Survivor series party. Brett Contour, Carl from Saint
Louis, Matt McIntyre, Cody Faig, Daniel Brian bill Ugh, Christopher Anastasia,
Mark Chalmers, Sean McGerr, Dominic Brad, Max Warrell, Lucky Lagucci,
Robert Hodge, Jared Murray, Brendan Moe, Dan Noble, Rob Wilson,
hard Way, Butt Juice, That's corrects right, Andrew, Steve Gotchkov,
Christopher Kreva, great guy. Saw him in Boston as well. Jonathan
Austin, the Cutman, David camin Ester, abe Letier, Scott, Michael
Ferry, Intern, Matt Eric Prater, Simon Andrew molt, Monte Davis Junior,
Mac Nick Williams also a veteran of the Boston Journey. Justin Chambers,
Jordan Grindley, Alan McGuire, Joe Frank from Ascogee is almost there. Oh,
I've never made that mistake before, Wow pennies away from qualifying WOW or
the one K clubs. So the next time we do the the honor roll
here, Frank, I'm sorry, I'll be able to tip the cap.
And these are folks, I mean, there are other folks out there,
including our good friend zach Um, who have given over a grand and more
over time that we always fret at the fact that this, this list we
have, which is basically you know, patreon generated list of active all time
contributions, gives us. It's just the easiest way to do it. But
there are folks that, if you slice and dice the many ways that you
can support the show, certainly belong in the one K club as well.
And it's sort of like the um the POWs you know, yes that we
don't know their names, the fallen Unknowns. We tip our cap to them
as well. And if Patreon isn't your thing and you just want to support
the show and hip fashion, you can always send us a little bit of
juice the lapsed fan at PayPal. Just type our email address in the Lapsed
Fan at gmail dot com and drop a digital tip in the digital tip jar
as well. Let us know, damn right, do you like what we're
doing? We deeply appreciate the support. There's also another way can support the
show, boss. There's a way you can wear the show on your sleeve.
And some of it's tena at tenah adjason. You're on the ground in
LA and your lapsed Army T shirt fully inspired. That is Army T shirts.
I mean that is correct. Let's fucking get it. Tell them about
Pro Wrestling Teas Slash. You can go to Pro Wrestling Teas dot com slash
the lapse Fan you can get all of your I mean really, there's more
laps swag than you can shake a stick at over there we've got I mean,
I think at this point it's hundreds of shirts, like literally, yeah,
hundreds of shirts. Um, obviously there's your lapsed Army I was also
gladly, gladly uh wearing my XLF shirt. Now that will keep the average
American confused for about how absolutely there's a guy think you know, the guy
who didn't read it properly, who definitely thought it was an XFL shirt.
At the Wrestle Con. Yeah. I love the shirt. Hey do you
have a team, Like where are you from? Like, oh dude,
I stopped. It's like read it actually read it. H There's also the
the dial this thing in shirt where the Paul Cogan saying we get a dial.
The exact quote is to get this thing back on track, we need
to dial it in brother. Yes. Um, and of course any of
your favorite moments that have happened. I mean certainly are our Christmas lineup from
last year well section eleven e from the Bash at the Beach two thousand shows.
Yes, yes, I mean that's that's the spirit of that is of
course, ta so so much, so much good shit. Yep, no
question. So a way to wear it proud. Great season t shirts out
in LA as well. Um, Max wore the one that said hard to
get excited when it's all fake to WrestleMania. Yes I did. Oh what
a fucking beast, Baldsley moved to say the least. So yeah, we
look forward to not only seeing you, but seeing you elapsed schwag as the
months unfold here and that's where to find it. Of course. Our Patreon
also offers under the cinemat which is a shifting of the host chairs as Boss
Man takes the seat and jumps into his passion for the silver screen as we
review movies involving pro wrestling involving pro wrestlers, and has mentioned we've just embarked
after concluding The Ten Commandments featuring what he Strode he Strode who moonlighted as a
pro wrestler for a certain period of time. Um, we're going to go
through all of the marine movies from WW films in succession. We just did
the first one with John Cena. We did indeed, and you know what
this is. This is all this is for TNH. That's what that is.
You can suffer the Marines. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, there's
definitely punch CounterPunch going on here. Is I force you to accept that Hulkoken
had this chapter of his life? Oh yeah, the Marine The next one
though, Are you ready for The Marine two featuring ted d Bias Junior.
Oh my god, there's a lot to say about that, gentleman. This
week, have you seen no basically charged with oh really illegal use of federal
funds? Oh boy, kfebe Mississippi Charity's baby. It was a million dollar
man's son, the million dollars son, I suppose, and a proud man.
Right, let's forget it. Indeed, let's get taught another lesson.
I thought we could passed the point where the business was populated. I thought
tedd Bias Junior was the generation way past the business being fully populated by carnies
and and shysters. And come on, come on, you know damn well,
come on now, it's just another work friends, That's right, that's
right, in a fucking movie, what a joke. Of course, for
your Patreon dollar, you also qualify for our monthly live calls of ww P
perview events as we watch Modern ww so you don't have to coming up his
backlash from Puerto Rico. On May sixth, Boss, circle your calendar for
I forget to remind you, that's Saturday night Cody versus Brock. Okay,
welleah ready, I hope, I hope everyone is ready for his fall from
grace. So we'll be covering it blow by blow and live call fashion and
it's gonna lose. He's gonna lose. I have no I have no belief
that Cody Rhodes is ever gonna get closer than he did to the World Championship.
Hey man, if you listen to those live calls, boss Man,
even though he doesn't watch the product, which is the magic of it,
tends to nail it on stuff like that. So let's see if that prophecy
comes true as well. Of course, the most elite group of all Solar
System members, beyond the uh the one K club, are the members of
the Moat tier. And we know it's a lot of money, and we
know it's a huge signal of support. But because these are guys, these
are guys who understand. I don't mean guys necessarily just men, but these
are people. These are people who understand. But to truly, to truly
accept laps him in your life is to present, be penetrated. Yes,
and wait till we finish Its correct, That's correct. And those folks are
just you know, they're at the front of the line for everything it.
We're always brainstorming ways to make that more of a value add for folks.
But really what it is is just a statement that you mean business more than
just about any other supporter of the podcast. Yes and m What you get
in exchange is wrestle Mammia, and that is no small thing Wrestle Mammia featuring
JP's mom watching matches with him and just saying all the things, all the
voices that ring in the back of your head as a wrestling fan that's ashamed
to be a wrestling fan. Yes and uh. When this drops, people
on the Moat Tier will have just listened to Dustin Rhodes versus the Blacktop Bully
from WCW uncensored. It is such a motley assortment of matches that the boss
Man has chose to surface for mama sorrow. But you know, oh yeah,
go back to the living room floor, you know, go back to
the living room carpet of your grandparents house and listen to the snark, listen
to the the combination of I know it's phony, but I'm still I still
can't help but react as if these people are actually fighting each other. That's
gone from Wrestling Fan, but it's still alive at the at Wresselmammy on the
Moat tier, So we'll see you there. And of course Moate members qualify
for every single thing we put on Patreon as well, including under the Cinemat.
So it's been a while since we've done that download for folks and We
know a lot of new listeners have come to the table for TNH and the
buzz it's created, so I do know that that is where to be taken.
Seriously, Patreon dot com slashed the Lapsed Fan because podcasting isn't a joke
anymore. It's not a fucking little game. It's something that you know,
if you're gonna do it, you need to have people that are opening their
wallets and saying this is how much it's worth. It's otherwise to do it
right takes way too much effort, agreed, and you just don't even bother.
And I think we prove that. So we'll see you at Patreon and
you're also part of wonderfully hilarious conversations. One of my favorite things are the
comments underneath the audio files we post, including us our interview with Brian Knobs
at Russell Khan. Okay, this guy. I just love how shocked he
was when we asked him what Whole Coogan likes for breakfast and if he's ever
made Whole Coogan an omelet. Only the Lapsed Fan is out here doing this.
Yeah. The reason we're bolden to do with this because we know we'll
put our Patreon and we're just gonna have a fucking blast the comments exactly.
So we're out there doing this for you, and so you need to do
it for us as well. And look, not everybody has the financial wherewithal
to qualify for this level of eliteness, we understand, but there are so
many ways you can help TLF and there are so many heroes out there who
do so many things. I think of Matt, who's just an absolute fucking
maven at hooking us up with video that we need, oh yes, to
really bring a more textured perspective to our coverage of the wrestling of Lore here
on the show. You think of folks like Brian and James who help with
with with legal insights and movie insights right and research, and folks these folks
over the years that have done so many things. They have Chromis Lamb and
his incredible autist accounts. And there's somebody else out there who is incubating a
fascinating concept. And if you've been on our Twitter in recent days, you
know what I'm talking about. Haystacks Calhoun, who we have shouted out many
times. Cawloon, cawloon. That's what did I say, Calhoun said,
Jerry Calhoun, Yeah, you said the real name the Gloon as in the
destination Asian restaurant that all the wrestlers go to in Boston after shows at the
Garden. Is responding to people who are like, you know, there was
that time on a lapsed fan where JP said this or Jack said this or
they covered this, and god damn it, I've always wanted to go back
to listen to that, but I'm never going to be able to wade through
the sheer girth of the teal f archive to find it. And he has
divined a way, has Haystacks, and he needs your help to be able
to pinpoint exactly when and where in the archives you can go to seek that
memory out. We say hashtag shelf life and this is taking it to the
next level. The following missus to the solar system from Haystacks a question for
the Lapsed Entertainment Group's Ethics panel. All the tea Left discussion about labor,
technology, social media, etc. Has always interested me, but the recent
discussions about seasons and writing being doomed to choose between egg and watercrest sandwiches and
nothingness. How the open market agrees on assigning value to property in stocks,
US firearm policy, and most recently, weather being able to physically attend the
live show in Los Angeles somehow defines the depth and breadth of a solar system.
Members fandom has opened the philosophical door for a question I've pondered for a
very long time. Who is the greatest lapsed fan of all time? The
co chairman have clearly stated and repeated the metric that the person who has given
them the most money over the duration of the cast existence is that fan.
Yes, well that is true, But at the same time, it's we're
fortunate that that person also happens to be the greatest labsman of all time.
Yeah, like I said, without a dollar and just lint in his pocket.
Fair enough. Yes, this is America after all, he continues.
But here's the ethical question. If Vince were to plunk down a one hundred
thousand dollars PayPal emphasis on the bow gift on a whim tomorrow, would Vince
McMahon boss suddenly become the undisputed grettist lapsed fan of all time? Is that?
How it? W wow? What say you? Um? Uh?
You know? No, No, I think I think there is. I
think there is more to that. I think there is more than just the
uh, the financial offerings, because also I don't consider Vince mcman to be
lapsed. There's that too, you know. I think that that's that's part
of the that's part of the case. A Stex asked, would the coachairman
ben to his desires? Would he have an open line twenty four seven?
Would they read his emails on the show and shout him out at every opportunity?
Yes, yes, yes, for sure. I mean, are you
kidding me? If I got emails from Vince scman, I would read them
on the show all the time, immediately. I mean, right, a
live report, No question about that, He writes, What do you have
a direct line? Yes, because I mean think about it like this,
then there'd be that much more fodder. Yes, yes, do you want
to enter the fun house? Be my guest and bring you bring your checkbook?
Assigning value, he writes, based exclusively on financial metrics, is a
very tricky business, even in a capitalist society. So my question is,
is the truly greatest lapsed fan that fan who pays the most of the co
chairman cares the most about listening to the cast, or does the most aside
from the venerable co chairman, of course, for the benefit of the Solar
System. Or could there be room for a complex mixture of all three if
say, a small group of volunteers who didn't necessarily have you know, one
hundred plus dollars at their disposal to pledge every month, but who instead spend
hundreds of combined hours researching, developing, testing, standardizing, and finally employing
a method to transcribe into timestamp the entirety of the lapsed archives in order to
make them searchable for the Solar System at large. Where would their fandom rank
fellow members of the Solar System. The Lapsed scribes have accomplished their multi month
covert mission, and the Lapsed Archive Transcript Service aka LAPS is now complete operational
and awaiting approval, which is hereby granted from Lapsed HQ before opening in some
form or fashion to the Solar System. So here's what you need to do.
If you're interested in helping Haystacks in this mission to create a searchable digest
of the cast, ye terms and conditions apply. This is a kind of
thing where you're doing it because you want to help contribute to the effort,
not just leach off of it. And Haystacks has been wonderful on Twitter.
He created a Twitter account essentially just to be able to share this work with
the solar system. YEA, hit him up on Twitter and he will find
what you're looking for. So it's not we're not necessarily I don't discourage anybody
from getting involved if they want to, but we're not necessarily looking for people
that just want to look things up. We're looking for people who want to
help contribute because it's a multi step process to be able to set this up
in a way where you can reliably search for what you're looking for and find
it. But you know, we've gone through several literations of this over the
years. We've said, you know what, send us a screen grab from
your phone of your podcast player that's on the exact time stamp of a moment
that you consider, you know, lapsed fan Hall of Fame worthy. But
that's what we're doing here, is we're establishing what are the Hall of Fame
moments in that catalog. Because when we get new people to the table,
like TNH has has done Boss, it can be intimidating. I mean,
I'm sure absolutely. You've talked to people at the podcast and they take a
look at it and they're like, where do I start? Right? Oh?
Yeah, absolutely, yeah, no question, Like they don't even even
know where to start. And when we first began the show, so certainly
it was a media catalog, but you know there are one or two journeys
in there we could point to. Yeah, you know, we've got eight
episodes and these are the five that people seem to to cite the most,
right, But I don't know now that we're at you know, three hundred,
and that's just the numbered episodes. I mean, the amount of files
in the archive is way way beyond that. Oh god, counting cinemat right,
not accounting cinemat not counting uh, you know anything else. We five
calls and Haystacks and company, the lapsed scribes are working on all of it.
So if you want to help him, if you want to contribute,
I mean, this is you know, this is what happens when you grind
as hard and as long and deliver value for hard as long as we have
as folks step up and they say, you know, this stuff needs to
be fucking preserved. This needs to be taken seriously. This is this is
reaching the point that it's historical artifact in some ways. I mean, some
of the stuff we've done and unearthed materials that's never been talked about before,
this is becoming pretty vital history. In addition, together in cite and hilarity
and all the rest. So here's the email. Lapsed dot scribes at gmail
dot com, Lapsed dot s c r I b ees laps dot scribes at
gmail dot com, Get in touch with Haystacks, get involved in the effort,
get involved in lats and that's what's up this week on that fucking cast.
Boss. How about we read something else, it's not a transcript.
How about we read a contract. I think, I think, I think
that's what the fucking mood calls for. I think that's the prevailable I love.
Give me some contracts, um you have in your inbox among the many
things I sent you Eric Bischoff's TNA contract. Now, we have cited this
before, and we have talked about this before. This this was filed in
court because eventually Eric Bischoff goes on to sue TNA Wrestling for wages owed to
him that he never received. Many many people ended up meeting that fate as
TNAH basically collapsed and could not make payroll anymore reliably. And you know,
attached as a as an exhibit in that lawsuit is a full copy of what
is not his original ten a contract that would have been reached along with Hulkstern
in two thousand and nine, but is I think perhaps an even more important
document. This was ratified on February first, twenty eleven, or at least
that's the effective date of the contract. So we're looking at a contract here
where Eric Bischoff is graduating from you know, Hulk Hogan's sort of keeper.
Remember how is pop quiz time? How is Eric Bischoff always characterized his role
visa v creative at this point in time, it was just to manage Hogan
and his stories or something right, that's right, with a professed disinterest in
doing really anything beyond that, not getting his hands dirty, not wanting to
deal with contracts or or business things, or as he always qualifies at getting
involved in creative unless asked. Okay, so if you ever did something non
Hogan on the creative side, he's always got some sort of someone asked me
to do it, to do it, or I didn't step forward to do
it, but you're in dangers. Yeah, perhaps, But as the months
go, it's becoming pretty clear that Bischoff is more and more involved in the
creative process at TNA was inevitable. He is essentially Hulk, Hogan's lieutenant.
Hulk is calling all the shots. If Hulk doesn't want something done in TENA,
it doesn't get done. If he wants it to get done, it
does. And that, with the exception of Dixie Carter, doesn't go for
anybody else. So you tell me who the boss is, and when it
comes to sort of seeing through Hogan's mission, so he doesn't have to be
you know, the person in the room, Eric Bischoff is the one carrying
out his hopes and desires and masking those things as his own initiatives when that's
what the moment calls for. So this contract, I think at this particular
juncture in our TNAH journey, is important to read through because it's going to
set the terms under which Bischoff and Hogan sort of fully consolidate power. Remember,
Vince Rousseau was the head writer of TNA when they came in, and
he's still there at this point in our chronology, Bruce Pritchard has come on
board, as we talked about at Bound for Glory twenty ten ten ten,
So I know you're really thrilled to hear that Bruce was on board Boss Life
Jesus Christ and they're just making great moves and and so now it's really becoming
a question Terry Taylor's in there. Um, they've got other writers at Ferrara,
Matt Conway. Who's really how are we to make sense of this sort
of a strange brew, the strange stew of different players that are supposed that
all sort of you can say, are responsible for putting the product on screen
that we're we're looking at and reviewing here in TNH. And it's going to
finally suss out in twenty eleven. There's going to be a fumigation, if
you will, and Russo will be going out by the end of the year,
and Pritchard and Bischoff will will settle into roles that are much more sort
of defined and I think you can interpret as out of a takeover. Really
yeah, yeah, Jarrett is pretty much totally excised Jeff Jarrett from the creative
process and just running the live events business Now Terry Taylor, who was the
head of talent relations for years at TNA before Bischof and Hogan arrived, is
gone. Of course, Eric Bischof has absolutely no, no love loss for
Terry Taylor, and so pretty much I think we can view this contract is
just one definitive shot across the bow of like, no, TNA is going
to sink or swim with Eric Bischoff, Okay, and that means Paul Cogan
and we kind of knew that, but now it's like really being formalized,
because this contract lays out terms where really an iron grip is established and boss,
if you've got the medal. I've got a lot of pages here.
I don't think we'll necessarily have to read through them all, but what we
will do is kind of a you know, the format we typically do when
we handle documents like this, where sure, you present the reading, and
I will interrupt you if I feel like there's a yeah, significant point to
be made, and feel free to pause yourself. But so we're at the
beginning of twenty eleven, and you know how twenty ten ended, you know,
the sort of chess pieces in terms of the storylines that were presented in
what's going on behind the scenes, and just as things are getting back in
track here in twenty eleven, brother, it's time for Eric Bischoff to sit
down with T and A Entertainment LLC of Nashville and cut the following fucking day.
That's where it goes where you only to start here, gentlemen. All
right, gentlemen, The following shall confirm the material terms of the agreement reached
between TENA Entertainment LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and Bishoff Hervey Entertainment
Television LLC, a California limited liability together with all of its owners, members,
officers, employees, and affiliates collectively lender for the services of Eric Bischoff
EB, Jason Hervey JH, and Garrett Bischoff GB EB and j H jointly
and severally severally. Yeah, just skip over it, in connection with artists,
executive producers services for the television series TNA Impact, together with any related
programming and events intended for initial broadcast on Spike TV. The parties have heretofore
entered into a short form agreement dated October twelve, two thousand and nine.
Right, So there's the original contract, ye calling for lender and artists lender.
I don't know why they use this term. I guess if they're lending
their services, I guess. But the artist, okay, is m Bischoff
and Hervey. They're referred to as the artist, and there's also references to
lender artist. But I don't understand, like, why is the lender?
Like to me, that's two different parties, But it's not. Lender and
artists are the same thing. They are. They're saying the lender is Bishop
every Entertainment, the corporation. Yeah, and they're seeing the artists are Eric
Bischoff and Jason Hervey individually, and apparently this contract necessitates that the two be
distinguished from each other. I guess. Yeah. And Garrett is tucked in
there as well, Eric Bischof's son, who had been training for the ring
for a couple of years I think before he eventually surfaces. And I don't
know, do you know yet? Who who? Garrett is? No?
Excellent? Let's keep going, Um have you seen him? Let's keep going?
Oh? All right? When both when signed by both parties as agreement,
shall supersede and replace the consulting Agreement on prospective on them hold on nice.
Terry Bala's name, I'm gonna read this name, so all right,
so consoling riemand solely to the extent of lenders and art obligations they're under,
and two producers obligations to compensate lender and artistic they're under, but not too
Terry Balaya's obligations, they're un right. So what they're saying is this new
agreement does not affect whatever this October twelve, twenty nine preceding contract said as
it regards Terry Bala. This is an agreement only with Bishof, where it
seems like Bishof and Hogan's deals were put together in twenty oh nine on a
perspective basis for all purposes. So do we realize probably not that basically Bishop
Hervey Entertainment, which we were sort of like rolling our eyes about, right,
because they're they're involved in everything, and they're they're doing a million television
shows and this is just they do two three, they do the documentary on
Hogan, they do the micro Championship wrestling. I think they get in everything
they do. Reaction, they're just finding ways to get paid, right and
annoy me any annoy as Yes, And it turns out they actually end up
being the executive producers of the TENA Impact Wrestling show itself. As of this
agreement, they now produce Impact every week. That's crazy. Why is that
necessary at? I don't know, but I mean, hell of a deal
for somebody who just doesn't want to get too involved in the weeds over at
t and A. Huh. I know, I'll produce the whole fucking show.
The production company I bring to the table will produce the whole show.
But you know, I just want to I just want to mind whole Coogan's
business. It's crazy. One term. The party's agreed that the term of
the consulting Agreement as between Producer and Lender is here by deemed to have expired
as of date immediately proceeding the effective date. The term of this agreement shall
commence on the effective data, and shall continue to and including September thirty,
twenty twelve. U must otherwise terminated pursue into the terms they're hereof, notwithstanding
anything like that word as a good word. Notwithstanding, how do you notwithstand
It's a great question. I withstand everything, what notwithstanding anything to the contrary
contained here in the grant of rights in and to the programs and the representations,
warranties, indemnities and confidentiality provisions contained here, and we'll survive the expiration
or earlier termination of this agreement. So the contract runs until September thirty,
twenty twelve, all right, which is kind of weird because around October there's
reports in the newsletters that Hogan and Bischoff reached new contracts. Now there's a
big lag in terms of like people picking up on the fact that this deal
is done. I don't really see anything in the newsletters that indicates, you
know, that they know about it until like the springtime. Yeah, this
was signed in February. But it's kind of fun to go back and watch
the impacts back then and just try to detect, like, okay, like
all right, now Bischoff really has his hand on the wheel. What changes
am I noticing? What differences am I noticed? Right? But vincerus so
still involves. He's still the head writer. When Terry Taylor gets fired in
May, Bruce Pritchard becomes head of talent Relations, which is basically, you
know, the Jim Ross job, but not really creative in nature. And
he was brought in initially to help produce backstage interviews and vignettes and skits.
He was involved in a lot of the Jeff Jarrett Karen angles stuff, all
the wedding skits and the skits they did about it. Was he involved in
their sexual relations He's never said as much, um, but that's all I
can say there. All right, all right? Section two engagement producer hereby
engages lender and artist during the term to provide wrestling consultant services. How do
I get into that programs? Seriously? What do you so? What are
you guys to do? Oh? Well, I work for this company and
I provide wrestling consultant services. Excuse me, That's what TNA was missing all
these years. Bet in business in twenty two, got the Spike contract doing
you know pretty well on pay per view, did some record numbers in twenty
eight nine, and yeah, we just needed wrestling consultant services. Of his
views, I need to I need to shake the hand of the lawyer who
came up with that fucking term for the programs as set forth in the Lender
Artist agreement and so called executive producer services under the title of executive producer impact
for the programs on a pay or play basis subject to producer's rights in the
event of default, incapacity, or force measure, Producer acknowledges that, prior
to the effective date, artist has provided services for one or more episodes of
impact the pre effective date services for which lender has been paid fully compensated.
Lender an artist here by assign all of their right title and interest in and
to the results and proceeds of the pre effective date services for no additional compensation,
basically saying, anything you've worked on prior to this is ours, and
we've paid for it, and you agree to that. Section three Services three
point one a brother as what as used in this agreement. Services shall collectively
mean executive producer services, which shall include those duties set forth on Exhibit B,
together with any talent services as defined below, and any other services actually
provided by lender or artist in connection with the programs, including any so called
creative and or writing services they're providing creative and writing services and or writing services
to t NA productions of entertainment. In addition, lender an artist hereby agree
to provide the services which are customarily provided by executive producers in the television industry,
and which are reasonably necessary to fully develop and produce the programs, and
to supervise and provide executive producer services in connection with development, pre production,
production, and post production of the programs in accordance with the production schedule.
Eric finally did it? He got that executive producer title back? Yeah right.
Let's hear one, two, three, four times in that last sentence
is the word production used? Yes? Not not even including producers right Section
B. In addition to the foregoing during the terms, during the term services
here under shall also include EBS and GB's performance wrestling, acting services and related
rights e g. Merchandise rights, home video DVD rights, trademark rights,
name and likeness rights, talent services which will be provided to producer in accordance
with the respective terms and conditions of the talent agreements, including the scope of
the respective exclusivity provisions. They're under attached here to on Exhibit C with respect
to EB the EB Talent Agreement and Exhibit D with respect to GBBGB Talent Agreement,
both of which are made part here of and incorporated herein by reference.
The EB Talent Agreement and GB Talent Agreement being sometimes collectively referred to as the
talent agreements. Yeah, I'm gonna spare you. So that's kind of how
dense it is. Ev of course, gb Garrett Bishop Garrett. So Section
C covers wrestling and television related consultants, oh my god services and when losing
the requested the services shall include the duty to advise the producer that is Spike
in connection with the wrestling industry and on related television industry matters. We want
to consult with you in connection with the wrestling industry. I mean, we
just don't know what the fuck's going on that may that's pretty much an acknowledgement
that I mean to be to be quite honest, you know, Eric,
we we don't you know, even even when when Vince was here, we
didn't fucking watch that ship. We have no idea what's going on in the
wrestling industry. We we now want to be connected and we want to have
a council and is going to be provided here than wrestling and wrestling matters in
regards to the television industry development skills is that is that wrestling matters with the
capital W and capital M as far as that goes. So Yes. In
addition, during the term lender and artists shall make reasonable good faith efforts to
make introductions and connections within the entertainment industry. For producer, we want to
kind of you take things to the next level. You know what, how
can we move forward? Bous money. You let them know in sets and
d here the kind of services, the kind of quality of service, the
level of service that SPIKE is expecting or TNA is expecting. Lender shall provide
artists services consistent with first class, first rate television programming in the United States,
and or as reasonably necessary, desirable, or appropriate in producers reasonable discretion
for the production of the programs. Except as set forth in the Talent Agreements,
all of lenders artist services and activities here under shall be subject to the
reasonable supervision, direction, and control of Producer, including the obligation to report
to designated staff of Producer in providing such services. Lender Artists shall at all
times provide the services of artists who shall exercise their professional skill and judgment in
accordance with the highest professional standard professional standards, folks, and shall perform such
services in a good and workman like manner. Well, it depends what you
mean by work Yeah, right, I'll tell you they I mean, there's
no definition of what workman is there. While performing these services. Lender artists
shall use all appropriate protocols and courtesies reasonably required by producer to be afforded to
producer employees, talent and affiliates, and shall be subject to compliance with the
producers policies regarding conduct and other matters. These policies include, without limitation,
compliance with all laws, rules, and regulations relating to lender artists conduct,
conduct of affairs in performing the services, including but not limited to, conflicts
of interests. You have a contract that says you can't break the law of
very interests, right right? Um? Okay, there's that. You have
results, number of regular reports and analysis. Oh god, can you imagine
the charts and the graphs. Give me a fucking break. Payments made to
any person shall not be used for any improper on unlawful purposes, including any
form of commercial bribe, kickpack or influenced payment. Bill Bishop's all about kickbacks,
isn't the impairments? Right? Matches? I know front leg kickbacks?
Right? You can hang a sign checks cash as well, from what I
understand, right, um? Oh jesus here ye, yes, yes,
yes, except to reject any interpretation. Okay, production scheduling, Um,
okay, got that, where's the story Bible in here? Yes, artists
and lenders shall provide a first, first class biblical story, uh folder biblical
scale story. Bischoff on a recent podcast was saying like he kind of admitted
that the he planted the whole idea of a story Bible in Spike's head.
Uh. He was sort of like, I mean, come on, man,
it's so fucking dumb. Like he told them, like, you know,
we used to do story Bibles and that maybe that's what we need here.
Because it basically sounds like I have to say it, basically sounds like
Bischoff was going into business for him for himself in terms of how often he
was interfacing with Spike. You know, he's like like a fly to the
to the flame. You know, he's like a like a moth to the
flame when it comes to like people who actually have real jobs in TV.
And so he's like always talking about Scott Fishman and knatin K and name dropping
them to he's such a fucking moron. And he's involved in the focus groups
in the Two Way Mirror and all that shit, and New York New York
La la blah blah blah. And and one of the things he uh he
said on a podcast was that he um mentioned that you know it is prior
days or it is you know, his television career with Jason Hervey, that
they would do story bibles. Sure, and uh, I don't know if
you know the industry term boss story bible essentially meaning yeah, uh, it's
it's basically, it's it's your story, your your your bible. Uh,
if you're doing a TV show, is basically where you're going with it,
what's the end game? Where are you going? You're going from here to
hear to hear, to hear to hear. It's just it's just basically it's
not uh it's not full scripts per se, but it's knowing where your story
is beginning, where your story is going to right. It's it's it does
not make sense for wrestling in in in because in at least from from what
I know, it usually involves an end game. Yeah, you know,
kind of like where this series is going to end. And you don't have
that really in wrestling, because there's no there's no season ending. You know,
it's a year, it's a it's it happens just continuously, yeah,
all the time. Where you know, if you're writing a Bible, essentially
you're outlining um each season saying, Hey, we're gonna start here, and
we're gonna do tell this story. And what's going to happen at the very
end is this. At a time, did Spike and after dropping that little
Jesus, that little brainworm, wouldn't you know, a couple of weeks later
or several weeks later, Tna Dixie if I remember in correctly comes up to
him and say Spike wants a story Bible. It's like, oh, that's
a great idea. Yeah, oh god, that's kind of big game it's
being played. Yeah, I mean, I don't, I don't. I
just don't see. I mean, I understand the idea. I get.
I mean, I guess in a weird way. I guess it's kind of
the way like we like on Cinemat. We talked when we were looking up
Freddie Prince and yeah, he was talking about how they they started WrestleMania and
worked their way backwards. But it kind of but from what I know,
when you have your story Bible or your Bible there, you know what you're
starting too, like you kind of you know exactly every you know, all
the beats, Whereas from what it sounds like with with Freddie Prince when he
was writing for WWE, they don't even know where they're going. They just
know where they're gonna end up, right, They don't know how they're going
to get there. But a story bible kind of is like it has all
the points to it, like, you know, we want to have this
episode about this, but it's not a full script and very interesting. Yeah,
So here is a clause where TENA agrees that they will be the party
that has to furnish all rights personnel and solely responsible for administering all of employee
payroll. This is, you know, again hands off with the business side
of things, entering into an administering all required licenses, releases and contracts,
furnishing all below the line and above the line personnel, and prepare budgets.
Producer that is TNA will be solely and entirely responsible for complying with the identification,
verification and record keeping requirements. It's to hunkake great good to know artist
services shall be rendered on a non exclusive mm active substantive basis um. It
has understood. If artist's presence is reasonably required at any location other than a
schedule and impact taping, other than as required pursuant either of the talent agreements,
then producer and artist shall reasonably cooperate to accommodate artists other professional I really
I hate contract. So there's a carve out for whenever they you know,
Bischoff wants to fly for a television business that's not wrestling related, there's a
reasonable expectation that he'll be allowed to do that. That's how I read that.
So this is, yeah, this is obviously pretty dense stuff, but
this is just like why don't you know? And I mean I know I've
asked this every time we were at a contract, Like, why can't be
fucking write it in normal people language? Yeah, it's I don't know,
right. Contracts are not written to be read easily. They're written to include
as many possibilities as possible, to cover as many potential things that could happen
as possible. So that I mean, you feel wrong, you can go
back and look through it and find something that technically applies to your situation.
Except couldn't you say? Look, there is not a single issue in the
entire planet that has ever happened or will happen that can that you're allowed to
do according to this contract. I could say that I'm sure, But the
shorter the contract, the less lawyers have to pick out and make hay out
of. You know, when the time comes, they need nice, long,
thick paragraphs to find their way in. Okay, In addition to the
exclusive rights set forth and talent agreement, bishops will not perform any services,
including promoting, producing, executive producing, or otherwise acquiring or granting any rights
or interests directly or indirectly, any wrestling related program unless and until it is
fully complied with the provision set forth in this paragraph. Okayse, this is
basically a big rundown of what he has to do um if he wants to
take any other wrestling related UM opportunities. So there's this, there's this,
let's get to let's get to the side letters, because that that really is
what what what tells the tale? Okay, Um, the parties acknowledge that
producer show require services in Nashville Orlando, party show work together in goodaith to
accommodate schedules and travel requirements and the need I'm looking for that first class accommodation.
It has understood that Bischoff shall be provided on location services for each impact
and pay per view taping, and that yes, yes, Jason Hervey shall
be providing a reasonable number on location services. Of course, wonder what they
mean by on location services. Worse, because you know as always that U
Bischoff would stay in the nicest hotel and he'd stay in the shitty dumpy motel
to piss him off. And the event producer requires artists to travel to a
location more than seventy five miles from the artists permanent residence in connection with the
performance of services here under, producers shall provide and or pay for round trip
airfare, ground transportation to and from the venue, rental car sort of.
The wrestlers would like to have that too, by the way, Yeah,
right, as required and reasonab accommodations, room and tax only, provided that
airfare, lodging in per diem for Jason Hervey and Eric Bishof shall be governed
by the terms of the bishof Talent Agreement subject booking limitations. I mean,
if you didn't put that in in your fucking contract, Russo that's your fucking
problem, man. You should you're an idiot, Absolutely, dude, negotiate
that shit. Yeah. Here, it is black and white. They're willing
to do it. Shall be booked at coach terms of the talent agreement.
Okay, yeah, they make they make provision for coach, so I think
maybe later they speak to first class, delimitate availability, business class, require
booking, connecting flights. All travel arrangements must be made through producers, location
or travel department. Okay. Reimbursement for preapproved business expe invoice invoices, public
siting, confidentiality. We know that's about work product. Okay, And then
we have here. Let's go to page which page representation, warranty's independent contractor,
status and demnification, Insurance, in junctive relief, severability assignment, additional
documents, notices, asscellaneous signature page. Okay, so let's go to Exhibit
A. This is the personal inducement attached to and made a part of that
certain agreement. Oh yeah, ye, between T and A and Bishoff,
her of Entertainment Television to mister Bischoff, Jason Irving, Garrett Bischoff. All
right, there you go, personal inducement. Personal inducement reference is hereby made
to the certain agreement dated as of by and between t and A Entertainment LLC
and Bischoff Hervey Entertainment Television LLC. For inter Alia, my services in connection
with what does that mean? With inter forget my services in connection with certain
programming is defined in the agreement produced by producer the quote project section. Hey,
I am familiar with all the terms, covenants and conditions. I love
that fucking Oh yeah. They have a covenant of the agreement, and I
hereby consent to the execution thereof. I will perform and comply with all of
the material terms, covenants, conditions, and obligations of the agreement. Actually,
even if I'm anna apologize, Let's go to Exhibit B. I thought
this was I thought that was Exhibit B. This is description of services.
This is basically here we go, Oh, here we go, document that
describes what the hell it is. Bischoff is being hired to do description of
services. Job summary to act as executive producer of Impact Production and serve as
primary point person for network executive in charge as it relates to all issues of
the show. Position reports to President and Chief Financial Officer of TNA Entertainment LLLC.
Would be of course, uh, Dixie, and I think Dean's broadhead
and say, you know, it's like you know, the network picks up
the phone. Eric, right, how are you accord to this contract?
You have to be my primary point person? Eric? Kay, buddy,
how's it going down there? Scott? How are you? Oh? God,
I just let out this weather and Cody yeah, well, you know,
I listen. I appreciate that. But um, I got some questions
here regarding some of the uh the the Impact television programs. It's having a
bit of an impact on our bottom line. I'm gonna saying it's having kind
of an impact on my books right now? Happy, So right now,
I'll tell you we get some total NonStop accounting going on here. That's why
they changed it to Impact Wrestling, all right. So he's gonna serve as
the primary point of contact. That's great. Is going to do essential functions
Number one serve as primary point of contact for network executive in charge as executive
producer Impact on all issues relating to Impact and other ancillary TNA programming to be
delivered to network in including pay per views which relate to Impact storylines, eg.
Overall production planning and process final cuts, Network show notes, continuity issues,
scheduling, standards and practices, publicity and promotional campaigns, etc. Number
two Supervision of all production and post production personnel. Three Serve as a member
of the creative team and work with Head of Producers Creative Department to present network
concept slash story arcs of show in thirteen week cycles or in such other cycles
or time periods as the network may otherwise require. Wanted it in thirteen week
cycles, that's the story bible, basically, Yeah, essentially, yeah,
right. Number four Communicate frequently with TNA executives and alert them to concerns and
issues from network, and closely coordinate with TNA senior executives. Prior to communication
with senior network executives, I EM, that's a confusing one, Okay,
yeah, I executives higher in rank than the network executive in charge. This
is all where they get the network from. If from this on, a
lot of the programming we're going to cover this time, I can't fucking handle
that network. It suddenly cannot handle that position to Bishop once again, once
again, it becomes fucking business. It's like, you know, it's all
about like behind the scenes TV shenanigans, Like it's all about what we're reading
right now. I know it's like, who care, Like, stop making
that you're on screen fodder, Like just just get two guys who hate each
other and have them fight. No one care. Here's about the fucking network
and the EPs and the fucking uh grow you know all that shit, Like
shut up, you motherfuckers. I feel like it all comes from a place
of a bunch of carnies who are like, you know, if we make
the people who actually sign the checks feel like they're part of the storylines on
the show, be it Dixie Carter, be it the network, be it
whatever, m Hogan and Bischoff and in others, um celebrities, if we
make them feel like they're part of the show, it'll actually add to our
job security somehow, Like I mean, even if it's total shit in terms
of fan interest, it's like, but isn't that. Isn't that the job
security getting fan interest and ratings? Like, but if you don't, in
your heart of heart, believe that there's really any chance to move needles,
maybe your next best shot as well. Let's let's at least keep this gravetraining
going as long as we can by making people feel like television stars. They
talked about me so many times on the Damn Show I Can't win in I
think that's great that it just shows loyalty. That's a big one. People
have talked about that, Bruce Pritchard and others about how one thing people always
want a wide pad to energy finance TNA, Well what do they see in
the business, because there are people across that company which built power plants that
really, just like Turner Time Warner, really didn't want to see it in
the books. I just don't understand why the hell will get what were we
financing this ship for? And Pritchard is said, like Bob Carter would love
to go to his country clubs and say that, you know, somebody like
a Hulk, Hogan or Sting worked for him, and that's really what got
him off. It's being able to say that, Bob, Bob, Pal,
we I understand that you liked that, the attention from the the wrestlers
and the quote unquote celet this is the country club director that calls him into
the office. But I gotta tell you, Pal, you know it's disturbing
our other you know, our other members. I don't really know if you
understand sort of the connotations. You know, you're brag about having wrestlers on
you, you know, because because we consider ourselves to be a you know,
a high class establishment, and we like to promote high class ideals.
And uh, you know when you talk about this guy runs a golf cult,
of course, and he says, we'd like to promote high class ideals.
I just want to look at let the record reflect. He said that.
I could hear him say it. I really could. And you know,
when you talk about you know, uh, you know, a gentleman
like a Hulk Hogan or a Rick Flair who work in a certain profession,
it, uh, you know, it sort of degrades exactly what it is
we're trying to uphold here, and I simply can't have that. So we're
gonna ask you to turn in your membership card and uh, well we're gonna
part way get out. Bob's going to the other club across town and he's
gonna make a huge fucking donation. They're gonna get a new patio, they're
gonna get a new panini press for the for the club sandwich stand. And
then they'll see he'll buy a fucking espresso for that. They'll be high end
over that side of time. I understand that the whole thing. But I'm
gonna tell you, you know what, no amount of money could raise the
fact that he is just quite simply a lowbrow and such that he has such
a lack of you know, seriousness. If you brag about being involved in
wrestling, you know, if he if he finds it to be a you
know, a bragging point to to associate with the degenerates of that nature,
pay them upwards of two million dollars from what I understand, and actually even
employ them to the you know, I just I simply, you know,
to me that that's that's just a form of abuse. Love this, you
know, I've you know, I understand like a cowboy Bob kill about cowboy
invitation, but we end up imitating the manager at the golf club that he's
bragging at. That's d NH is floor in a bullet point three was it
or four? We were in uh five? We're at five um supervised prepar
preparation and execution of Impact production schedule and provide to network and all pertinent production
personnel number six approval of the final cut of Impact and other related TNA programming
assigned to deliver to the network final cut. Number seven work with CFO on
budget aspects as it relates to impact. You didn't want to do that,
Eric, There is Number eight serve as main liaisons for the four and with
Chief Marketing Officer to provide direction and creative concept of marketing materials. All right,
let's get this meeting over with. Let me kick my feet up on
the desk. What do you got? Well we want to go with all
all right, what do you what are you got? I'm gonna have a
beer. I figured something else out to the bishof invitation. Yeah, it's
visual though, it's it's not a voice. Yeah. Well, one thing
he does is when he's talking, he'll be talking looking straight ahead and then
his eye will dart up into the right, like so yeah, yeah.
So if you're if you're sitting there at home or wherever you're listening to this,
I want you to just like look straight ahead and then dart your eyes
up into the right while tilting your head in that direction as well. In
the middle of making a point. You know, did I know that w
W going out of business? Yes? Did I care? No? And
every every care did Just look up to the right, did I care?
No, I'm what are you suppose? You know? But what why?
That's what I'm asking myself. Oh man, they didn't end wo documentary in
A and E and he is they got the fucking the house there in Montana
and he's walking the dog and it's like six thirty in the morning, and
he's got a mug a coffee, and it's like, oh Jesus Christ,
this guy he's exactly who we say he is. I mean, I went
out this morning and I shot a deer with my bow and arrow. I'm
bringing up I'm venison for dinner. He's talking on his podcast how he gets
him at four thirty in the morning to watch the show he's gonna review and
gets caffeinated, and oh, I imagine like his whole day revolves around,
you know, and like he you know, like around noon, he gets
he goes on his on his motorcycling, goes to like the center of town
to like, yeah, you know he's gonna yeah, he's gonna write yeah
every day, right exactly, says High. You know, maybe maybe he
grabs a drink at the bar, you know about right, you know,
I'm gonna run from mayor next year, you know, before you know,
but he's in he's back up back up home by two, back up home
by two, so he can go into his uh you know, he's gonna
start prepping dinner, you know. So he goes into his fucking like,
uh, his meat locker that he has on premises. You it's exactly what
he does, you know. When he like goes through, like I imagine,
he's just like, you know, these fucking hanging pieces of meat,
you know, they're like chilling and stuff, and he's like he's got taxidermy
everywhere, right, but you know he's in this in this fucking uhh this
you know, this giant walk in refrigerator, you know, where he's gonna
all these hanging pieces of meat, and he's just like pushing them aside,
like almost like suits in the closet. You know, what's for dinner for
dinner, All meats, you know. And that's the thing. You know,
Oh, I I killed all these animals myself. These are not these
are not store bought. Get high and watch the antelope. Yeah, and
then you know he'll go down, He'll go down to the uh this is
you know, okay, so picture this all right, So after that.
So after he picks the meat and he brings it up because it's gonna be
before he cooks it, it needs to be room temps. So it's gonna
put it. He's gonna bring it upstairs, you know. He cuts off
the cut whatever it is, and he bring brings it upstairs in the kitchen
to put it on the the uh, the counter, so it gets to
be room temp And then he goes down to the garden. All right,
He goes onto his garden and he and he's gonna pick some vegetables. But
you know, he crouches down on his like you know, so like he's
just kind of leaning on his knees, but crouching down on his feet,
you know, like just looking in and eyeing all the vegetables and like touching
them. Which one, and then he looks up, takes a nice a
knife nice deep breath of that fresh, wyoming air, oh right, you
know, and then he goes back in. And then and then at this
point, you know, he's you know, he's starting to when he when
he starts uh chopping the vegetables, he's got his uh, he's got his
like uh re reading glasses on like kind of down to his nose. All
right, all right, he's got he's got fucking like he's he's he's gotta
he's got like a half filled glass of wine next to him, all right,
And and he's got like a radio channel with with uh playing not it's
like unknown classical artists. All right. Oh, the funniest thing you've said.
And it's been there's been a lot, but you know what it was.
And he gets home at two. It's just so perfect for some reason.
Oh, it's a he's still living in a time where like you had
to do everything in daylight and when it's nighttime you had to go to sleep.
Because you can see it right right right, he doesn't want to be
out, you know. Well they're bears, you know, let me out
when the bears come out. All the bowls are here too. So let's
see service liaison with the chief marketing officer. And then it goes that tangent
number nine please work with the network executive in charge its executive to create,
supervise, and execute any of network's feature integrated marketing opportunities. To me,
that's good, that's a great one. Um. Well, Eric, you
know what we're thinking is, you know when it comes down to it,
There're gonna be times when you know, Spike wants to uh integrate you know,
other marketing opportunities with TNA and Impact, and so I think what we're
and we want to have that opportunity to you know, maybe collaborate on that.
You know, you you create, you supervise, and you execute any
of these ideas. But I just think that that's an opportunity, Excuse me,
that's an opportunity to really push forward both brands, that the Spike brand
and the ten A brand. That's got to be like the direct Auto sponsorship
they got where they had the direct Auto logo and the turnbuckle pads and they
had a stack or two sponsorship at one point. It's stack with two logos
on the canvas and also thinking two of like any yeah that and yeah in
house adds to this sounds like, you know, like the crawlers for Spike
shows at the bottom of the screen right. Number ten. On site at
all tapings to oversee creative and production issues. Number eleven. Make recommendations to
produce your executives on talent acquisitions, talent development, and talent releases. Number
twelve. Oversea key producing all things that he said he wanted nothing to do
with any stayed out of recommendations on talent, talent releases, unbelievable. It's
right here in Black Woman. I don't want them, except I'll agree to
win a contract. Yeah, right, exactly number twelve oversea key production issues
with Universal Studios and shows on the road. Thirteen be reasonably available for meeting
with producer management in Nashville. Funny that one to come back to bite him
because, as we'll get to there was an episode where he was basically like
sitting out of television taping and protest over disagreement with with Vince Russo, and
he kind of set us a podcast like kind of would have been a breach
of contract. So I had to come to the wow kind of Yeah.
I mean, I'm putting words in his mouth there, but that's yeah,
that's how we phrased it. Exhibit C. It's attached to exhibit Exhibit attached
to and made a part of that certain agreement dated as of February first,
twenty eleven, executed by and between TENA Entertainment LLC and bishof Hervey Entertainment Television
LLC. Um Fso, mister Eric Bishoff, mister Jason Hervey and mister Garrett
Bishoff guaranteed compensation and base fee on a pay or play basis, subject to
the terms of the agreement, at an annual rate of four hundred twenty six
thousand, eight hundred dollars per year. Yeah right, seriously, what's um
okay? If you're how how do they get the eight hundred dollars? I
have no earthly idea. That's such a weird thing, you know, like
why not get go to four twenty seven, you know, or four twenty
six, go get your bag. But do we really need to pay Eric
Bischoff almost a half million dollars to produce impact? Um? Yeah, you
know those are thirteen very very big responsibilities. It's true. Yeah, that's
true. You know it's true. Um per year payable in monthly installments commencing
with the first of the month of term here under. So that would be
twelve payments of let's see four twenty six eight hundred divided by twelve thirty five
thousand, five hundred and sixty six dollars and sixty six six six six six
six six six cents before taxes. Got it? Presumable? Delicious? So
UM, look forward to that first of the month. I'll say that UM
for the subject to producers payroll practices, base pay, additional talent fees to
be paid to lender obo obo the what is that obio? The applicable individual?
Eric Bischoff none, Jason Hervey none, Garrett Bischoff two hundred dollars for
each performance in Impact pay per views and or a house shows and or a
house shows. Okay, got it? As such terms are defined in the
GB Talent Agreement. Provided such amount shall be two hundred and fifty dollars for
house shows outside of the Tampa and or Orlando areas which require an overnight stay
for GB approved wrestling school costs. The parties acknowledged that producer has here to
four incurred three thousand, five hundred dollars in connection with tuition for GB to
attend and approve wrestling school I set fourth in Section three D of the GB
Talent Agreement. Wow, there you go. So they're paying for his wrestling
school. Yeah, that's uh, that's interesting. I don't know why they
would do that, but they did. So that that's pretty much the extent
of what we need to convey that that that's the terms of employment there that
Bischoff is working within February of two thousand and eleven, and a lot of
these other materials are related to well, let's just say the first month where
bishof Hervey Entertainment didn't get that monthly slug was October twenty fourteen, So that's
way down the road. But that's when they start noticing science. It's kind
of crazy that that his son is an EP. Yeah. Yeah, he's
he's bundled right in with the Bishop Hervey agreement. Yeah, and it's a
Jason's brother, Scott Hervey, who represents Bischoff ensuing TENA to get the money.
And as we learned in the Laser Spine depositions from hul Coogan, he
ended up being no big fan of Scott Hervey. I was not a fan
of how Scott Hervey negotiated on his behalf with W. W. Felicky costume
opportunities and was a fly in the ointment where he didn't need to be.
So I very much enjoy the fact that as much as you know, Bischoff
genuflects to the Hervey's, Hogan isn't really impressed by Scott Hervey. That makes
me happy. So there you go that, uh, let's just say Spike
thinks that making Eric Bischoff an EP was a Dixie Cart decision and not a
decision that they made. They got along with Bischoff like they got along with
like they say, they got along with everybody that ran Tana Creative. There
was friction with Russo. Of course, no one in the Spike side has
ever really copped to it being so serious that the relationship fell apart due to
still using Vince russof this line in the sand that Bischoff and and Pritchard and
others have talked about that they drew at a certain point to not use him,
and so when Dixie Carter continues to surreptitiously use Vince russot or right television
past, Spikes demands that he not be involved. That led to the ultimate
dissolution of the relationship. And they were fine with Bruce Pritchard as well.
Bischoff round this time. In addition to signing this lucrative contract, also starts
Eric Bischoff family brewing Buffalo Cody Beer Spirit of the wild West, and he
is n'm getting sued over the rights to the name Buffalo Bill Cody beer.
So. Yeah, another thorny legal quagmire that Eric Bischoff finds himself in.
Apparently, the owner of the Buffalo Bills Emma Hotel that was built by the
real Buffalo Bill Cody sued Eric Bischoff over use of the name. They went
back and forth. I'm not sure exactly how it resolved, but Bischeff was
in the news for that as well. Bischeff and Hervey also sold a show
to vh one called Beverly Hills Fabulous about a beauty salon and Beverly Hills,
So they're still plugging away on that front. We mentioned Hulk Cogan's contract and
how it kind of mirrors it. I mean, you have at the five
hundred thousand dollars they're paying Hogan to make appearances on top a million base.
Here's bishof at about a half million as well. Yea, So we can
think of the bishof Hogan packages as a two million dollar package. So what
does all this mean? One thing I think it means is that Vince Russo's
days are definitely numbered at TNA as A. That list of job descriptions is
pretty much what Russo does, and and a lot more and and he's starting
to feel the walls close in, and Russo always is you can always count
on Russo for great yarns. When the walls are closing in around him,
he starts setting up these circumstances where it's like, oh, I quit before
they fired me, or they I actually quit, they didn't fire me kind
of thing. I was about to quit. I was, you know,
I had it up to hear I was praying for a way out or whatever
he says. So a series of samplings here from podcasts that Russo has done
on his his Russo brand platform, which is chok full of all kinds of
insights from his WWF career, ww career and TENA run as well. And
when Bischoff on his own podcast start talking about working with Russo and TNA which
up until this point Boss which everyone tries to memory whole, they were very
complimentary towards each each other in public remarks. Sure, you know, Hogan
would throw some shade at Russo a little bit, but you know, they
were so full of shit, pretended that they were best friends. Again,
they skipped that part and act like the The animosity from WCW truly carried over.
And here is Russo in clip one if you can ready that for us
kind of talking about because now that it's clear that he's going to be odd
man out when it comes to who's really running TNA or who has the book,
if you will, as we think about it at TNA. Yeah,
now he's prepared to start going a little bit of scorched earth in terms of
how he casts and contextualizes Hogan and Bischoff's arrival in TNA. We've played clips
before him talking about it, and he was pretty politic, but these clips
are from much more recently where Bischoff is going in on him and you know,
shitting on him, and so the gloves are off about the TNA years
as well. Now for old Vinney rou it's time for one last stand for
Russo here in our teenage journey, Russo, I'll never forget prior to Hulk
and Eric signing with TNA, Hulk Hogan came down for a TNA show and
he was awaiting in the green room and Dixie was going to meet Hulk for
the first time. Bro I was there, and I'll never forget this as
long as I live. She was literally shaking, That's how literally she was
to meet Hulk Hogan literally literally shaking, and I couldn't believe it, Bro,
I you know, I mean, I was witnessed to it, and
it was such a mark out moment. And the only thing I could think
of is when Hope sees the magnitude of a mark that Dixie is, Bro,
he is going to go to town and he is going to take complete
advantage of the situation. And eventually that's what he did. Because what happened,
Bro, was got Dixie wanted Hulk Hogan to come into TNA, and
there was a possibility of getting him. Now, you know, guys,
part of the business is we get our buddies in that. That's part of
the wrestling business, Bro, It's always been part of the wrestling business.
So basically, when Dixie started talking to Hulk, Hulk brought Bischof in on
his coattails, and Hulk sold Eric Bischoff to Dixie Carter, who really had
no intention of signing Eric whatsoever. She wanted to sign the Hulk star.
So finally Dixie tells me one day Hulk and Eric have been hired and made
it clear to me, Bro, the only creative Eric was going to have
was on Hogan's character was the Eric was gonna have He was gonna have no
input whatsoever on the rest of creative whatever. Bro, it's it's your company.
Uh, this did not work out with me and Eric before. This
is not going to work out with Eric and I now. Man, I
remember Bro, you know, after she hired him, I had a fly
to New York because there was a meeting with the USA Network Network, not
USA Spike Network executives and Bro. I had a fly to New York.
I had to stay in this little tiny hotel room that cost you know,
probably five hundred dollars a night. I was so pissed off, Bro.
I didn't want to be there. I knew this was gonna be a disaster
from the get go. That morning, Dixie May made, you know,
me have breakfast with Horror and Eric and Bro, like you could just sell
me and Eric where we're oil and water. Bro, We're just two different
people, and this is the second time that we are going to be forced
to work together. Then, Bro, I'll never forget. We had the
meeting with Spike executives and Hulk was not there. Hulk didn't even go to
this meeting. It was all Eric and the presentation Eric gave on Hulk,
Bro, you would think this guy could walk on water. And you had
to see these Spike executives. Bro, they really believed that Hulk Hogan coming
into TNA. TNA was going to challenge the WWE. Bro, they really
believe that they bought this hook line and sinker. But listen, I don't
blame Hulk and I don't blame Eric. Bro that they're working these network executives.
They're working Dixie Carter who just doesn't know better. I don't blame them
for that. Get as much money, Bro as you possibly can. Okay,
well it sounds like you're blaming them for that. But that's good.
And what's the problem. That was exhausting? Um So how seriously drinking game
for bros? He said, yeah? Is there any other kind? He
says. You know that Dixie did not want to sign Eric. She just
wanted Hulk, which makes this contract very confusing that we just read she's very
much signed Eric. It turned over the tire production of the whole show to
him and a lot of Hulk Hulk Hulk, but it is it is kind
of funny, like they're all in New York and Bischoff's doing like a power
point, and Russo's sitting there like oh man, saying nothing under his breath.
So that's so. Now now he's going all in on, you know,
Bischoff and Hogan basically working their way into Dixie's good graces, and of
course sure gets to the point where he's just maddened again by um Bischoff being
hands off when it comes to actually doing the hard work of building the script
and just redlining the shit out of Russo and Matt Conway's drafts and sending it
back for revision. Here in Russo too, he talks about just deja vu
of the WCW days and how the power dynamic shook out, and Bro,
the thing that rubbed me the wrong way was again Eric's habits. It was
the same thing he was doing it WCW. Once Ed left, it was
me and Conway writing the shows. We would write the shows and then we
had to send them to Eric. And again keep in mind what Dixie told
me, Bro, Eric's just going to be involved creatively with Hogan stuff.
Well, no, Bro, Now it was more whether Eric convinced Dixie that
it needed to be more and he needed to be a part of creative I
don't know, and I don't care. But Dick Sagarda lied to me because
now Eric is a full part of creators And now you know, Matt and
I are doing all the grunt work. We're writing the shows, and now
we have to send the shows to Eric, and now we're sitting there with
our thumbs up, our asses, waiting for Eric to get back on back
to us. I don't work that way, bro, barely you do.
I don't know, pal, I mean, you tell me there, mister
russo rific? Can you picture of him just flying off the handle because like,
get something back that's all like crossed out and like absolutely you've known people
like that in the business. Yes, you know, yes, it's yes,
that's that was I delivered a perfect draft to you. But you know,
I have to say, given the choice between the two, I would
I would pick the guy who actually wrote it and gets pissed at the red
lines and being the red line. Yeah. Yeah, and that's obnoxious,
you know, sitting there like n't like this. M It's funny, is
Bishop is Basically he's just interpreting what Hogan wants onto the page, like he
has no right because there's gonna be a moment here if Russo's telling the truth,
which I know is tough to necessarily accept, but that you know,
Bischoff says, yeah, I love the idea, and then all of a
sudden cools to the idea, and it's clear that all he really did was
ask Hulk what he thought, you know what I mean, That's what Bischof's
doing here, That's what he always did. I mean, I'm not saying
the guy didn't have any talents, and I'm not saying he didn't do a
good job at WCW for maybe twelve months to fifteen months, But really what
it came down to was his his his real stock in trade was making sure
that what hul Coogan wanted was realized. And then and then anything else that
happened was what he could afford to do with the rest of the time that
was left over after making sure Cogan's will be done. So let's not forget
we're just talking about Vince Russo or a bishop here of course, at TNA
in twenty eleven, Let's not forget who else comes into the picture around this
point in time and starts to assert himself And and here's the Vince Russo's story
of how that person came to the table Russo three. In the meantime,
one of my mentors, mentors in the wrestling business. Oh God, it's
kind of down on his luck a little bit. I'm talking about Bruce Pritchett.
And I know Bruce has two young kids. I know his wife,
Stephanie, who's a great person. I love Stephanie. Me and my wife
hung around Bruce and Stephanie a lot. Stephanie's dealing with cancer. Bruce was
let go of the WWE, bro, and once you're out of the wrestling
business, it's very hard to get back. It's hard to get so against
my better judgment because I knew Bruce Bro. I knew Bruce was a political
animal. I knew what Bruce was going to do. I knew it.
I knew it, I knew it. But I wanted to help Bruce.
Why did I want to help Bruce Bro Because Bro, oh Man, I
sincerely liked Bruce. I sincerely liked Bruce Buck. Bruce was a what parts
of the wrestling business and the wrestling bubble, and I knew it was gonna
happen. Bro. I knew if I got his foot in the door.
He was gonna start work in Dixie Carter like, god knows what. I
knew it. I knew it. I knew it. I knew it.
And even my wife said, Bro, you know what's gonna happen. Why
A you're doing this? And I said, I'm doing it to help him.
He needs a job. I'm doing it to help them. Talk to
Dixie Carter. Dixie hires Bruce the very first TV. Bruce is working with
me, helping me out. Bro, I swear remember w c W with
JJ Dillon and Kevin Sullivan. Every time I turned around, Bruce was having
a sidebar with Dixie Carter. I watched it. I saw it. I
saw it, and I knew there he goes. Man, he can't help
himself. It is the nature of the beast. He's jockeying for position.
He's working Dixie with that Southern Texas charts. Remember Dixie's from Texas. I'm
from New York. I get it. I get it, Sure, I
get it. I get it. Do you get it? I don't know
if he gets it? Wow? But you know, like we talked about
Hogan, like with brother, like, what are you talking to over there?
What brother. What Vince rust So too, he who when people start
talking like his thing was like J. J. Dillon and Kevin Sullivan and
Garrett Jester WCW. They'd be having like little discussions and when Russo would walk
up to them, they'd break, you know what I mean, like stop
talking about what they were talking about. Of course, of course, like
Russo, like Russo is very worried that you're talking about him, of course,
like because you probably are. And uh and they probably are. And
that's Pritchard's like, yeah, you know, tell stories. You know,
well, you know, if you want to ask. You got a lot
of problems here. When I'm back into when we were, when I was
in New York, when I was at Stanford working at the office. Fine
lampline, Oh I'm stop it, stop it right. So what let's Bruce's
take on the state of the ten A creative quagmire. Let's hear Bruce,
I'm booking from something to wrestle. I think Vince Grusso was really interested in
giving the air that he was working well with Hulk and Eric and was trying
to do things to appease them. At the same time, I think Rusa
was very concerned with Dixie Carter thought, and that he was pleasing her at
the same time, he was also looking at the folks with the network was
Spike TV, and trying to please them. And I will assure you that
those three entities were not on the same page and did not all have the
same goals in mind. The surface, it may sound like they do well.
Of course, man, you want to create the best television show,
have ratings, produce a good TV show, and be able to go on
and have live events and have pay per view events that draw money and a
whole nine yards. Now everybody saw it that way. Yeah, there's a
lot going on there. But basically, like there came a point where Janice
Carter and we've alluded to it, just basically said like we're not putting more
money in the organization. Like whatever whatever TNA can produce, you can spend,
but we're not going to spend on top of that. And that totally
threw a monkey wrench into the schemes of Bischoff and Hogan to like basically get
in there and just you know, get them to spend like TNT spent and
just go hard wild and just like go on the road and do live weekly
shows and all of the the exorbiting costs to come with that, you know,
which they had reason to believe in their minds was the catalyst for WCW
to begin turning a massive profit. So when that, when that became the
mentality, when it became sort of like a scarcity mentality as it regards expenditures
at TNA, then everything the whole flip script because everyone got everyone started sniffing
around because there were Spike money now, and everyone knew that Panned Energy had
billions of dollars and they had this this money marked daughter, you know that
that just wanted to be perceived as a success in this business. So it
sounded like another money train, and they was what that January four, two
tenth storyline was all about with Scott Hall and stuff talking about this isn't gonna
be that way, brother, yea um, but now it's not that way.
It really isn't. And so it's not clear that what's good for TNA
is going to be good for Spike is going to be good for all parties
involved. So so he's perceiving Vince Russo that's so um frazzled. Trying to
figure out who it is he needs to please to keep his job, because
Russo's talked a lot about how at this point in time he felt definitely that
he needed the job. He had walked away from a return to ww in
two thousand and two, or really he didn't walk away, but he kind
of he lasted like a week they were going to bring it. Yeah,
I remember, there's a big deal made out of it. And then when
he realized that they had staffed up with like thirty writers and it was totally
different creative environment than he worked in at WWF, it's like, oh shit,
like he's not going to be able to work with that many people,
right, And so yeah, he stick around at TNA, and he kind
of my all intents and purposes, you know, leverage the Jeff Jarrett friendship,
and convinced Dixie Carter that, you know, I am the person that
can write your wrestling television show and take care of that for you. I
can do that, I can do the nuts and bolts, and I can
generate the creative ideas. And I think we overlooked that sometimes when we think
about wrestling bookers, like we think they have to be people that are constantly
creating genius ideas, but there's a lot of grunt work involved, right that
nobody wants to do, of course, and if the person who's generating the
idea is also is willing to do that grunt work of setting down the format
of typing out the scripts, of figuring out where the brakes go, where
the inserts go, how to schedule pre tapes all day, how to get
pretapes shot all day, how to arrange vignettes on the show, and things
like that. Yeah, that person, even if everyone's telling you they're they're
putting creative out there that's really destroying your company. It's not like you just
turn around to find somebody that's willing to do as much grunt work as Vince
Russo did. And that's, I feel like, more than anything, why
he ends up in the position for so long, even though everyone's pointing to
his notion of what makes interesting wrestling television as being so clearly outmoded and so
clearly something the fan base has moved on from, with no support in the
ratings that it's what they what they're looking for. But it's like, yeah,
but but he you know, for Dick, it was like a Dixie
Carter, Dixie Carter comfort Zone thing. A lot of what happened at TNA.
They wanted to kind of run the show the way they had run it
with the personnel they had in place. Yeah, yeah, you know what
I mean. And yeah, whatever they did something that was like a risk,
they just layered it on top of the existing way of doing things.
They didn't rip and replace the systems that they that they had, And so
it leads to this kind of strange combination of Bischoff and Bruce Pritchard and Vince
Russo, all with history with each other, kind of jocking around and trying
to figure out who's going to be the one to get pushed off the table,
and of course it ended up being a Vince Russo. Pritchard, for
his part, says that he knew as early as the spring of twenty eleven
that he was eventually going to take over Vince Russo's job. Wow, here
you have Bischoff signing a contract to the executive producer of Impact, but the
head writer slash talent relations job. Those are things that Bruce Pritchard's about to
combine and put together. He did a similar thing at WW years later.
News came in The Observer on May twentieth that Terry Taylor was fired as head
of talent Relations at TNA. Apparently there was lawsuit filed by former talent not
the Daphne one, but another one that called some of his decision making into
question. And really, yeah, I don't really know the details of it.
It's cited as a factor. But you know, wrestling is always about
waiting for something that they can you know, they want to get rid of
somebody and they're just waiting for a reason to do it right. You know.
They stuck by plenty of people, including Jeff Hardy, who was fucking
under indictment for drug trafficking, but the belt on him. It's not like
getting sued his grounds for termination and TNA quite the opposite, in a strange
one. But there they have the prima facial reason they need to get rid
of Terry Taylor. He's gone. Bruce Pritchard takes over the duties heading talent
relations in come October. Word is out that he has been appointed head of
Creative as well. UM has Bruce Pritchard and so Russo. Um Russo goes
in on Bruce even more than a Then we talked about there. Then we
played Let's hit Russo four for a little bit more of a flavor of great
his his sense of things as they play out, bro Bro. That week
I am called up into Dixie Carter's office. Okay, Bruce is there,
Okay his face. Dixon now explains to me that Bruce is now my boss.
Literally broke within weeks, and how this was gonna work was now Bruce
was the one that was gonna make the call between Vince and Eric. Do
you see how many layers now have been added to this when you've got a
week to write the fucking show. You got one week to write the fucking
show. So now me and me and Conway are waiting for Eric to look
at the show, for Bruce to look at the show, and we're literally
sitting there with our thumbs up, our asses, waiting for the show to
come back to us. Keep in mind, bro by two guys that I
replaced at the w E and wc W. But they worked Dixie, bro
They worked her, oh like a like a twelve string fender Bro. They
wore, my god, a double neck. They worked her, They worked
her, they worked the money. More so, Mad Jesus Christ, what
do you mean, they worked, they worked, they worked, you is
what they did? Oh man, Like he's crazy. He acts like like
she had no right to get rid of him, you know, Jesus.
But yeah, it's funny, like if it's true that you know Russo the
victimization thing, you know, A key part of that is he has to
be the person that brought Bruce in, So has to be a betrayal,
not a corporate decision of where we should go or a decision that you know,
Vince Russo wasn't working out anymore needs to be replaced his head Riot or
it has to be a betrayal thing, right, And Bischoff is always very
quick to point out that he was actually the one that reached out to Bruce
Pritchard to bring him into TNA. And if we read that contract and the
duties assigned as a February six, twenty eleven, I can agree that that
would definitely be Eric Bischof's wheelhouse to do. That's twenty eleven. So you
know, Pritchard came in October of two thousand and ten, when Bischoff was
more at least contractually, we're led to believe tangentially involved in the creative side
of things and that kind of shot calling and decision making and hiring. But
but it's weird. It's weird that Bishoff would would claim to have no role
in that in twenty ten, yet somehow claimed credit for bringing hiring Bruce Pritchard.
But it's it's important to both Bishoff and Russo stories that they be the
one that brought Bruce Pritchard. And it's worth because it was Bishoff, but
Brusso has this, um, this high conviction story that he was indeed the
one. And it is pretty funny to like bring the guy in who were
places? You know, that's pretty funny. Yeah, I mean that's all.
Yeah, it happens immediately. It's that's hilarious. I mean that's you
know, you earned that one. Russo with his face looking around the corner
and seeing like I will see it as a scene on impact Pritchard talking Dixie
in the distance, you know. Yeah, yeah, totally lost scene.
Oh exactly, so good. So um so there you go. Um yeah,
Bruce has made the move. And there's a story that Bischoff has said
a few times where he's seen Vince Russo when confronted with like, you know,
a contradiction or confronted with evidence that he wasn't being truthful breakdown and cry
in media, and Russo part of what fired him up to do these these
these podcasts were sampling. Here was those stories being told on on on those
podcasts really, And he wants to counter the idea because, according to Russo,
Bischoff is conflating a time where he did get choked up on a count
to the fact that he felt like Bruce Pritchard fucked him with another meeting,
a totally separate meeting that involved kind of a come to Jesus confrontation over whether
Vince Russo was talking about of both sides of his mouth to Dixie Carter.
And so we'll establish this and then we'll move on in terms of explaining why
Vince Russo exits the stage here on TNH. First we'll go to Russo here
on Russo five, talking about what he says is the real story that involves
him shedding tears that next TV after a production, meaning I got Bruce aside
and bro listen to me carefully, Okay, I broke down. Wow,
And you know I wasn't sobbing and weeping, but I broke down and I
was fighting back tears, and I just said, Bruce, how could you
do this to me? Man? You needed a job. I got you
a job. How could you do this to me? I was so hurt
by this because I really was helping Bruce out, but being a part of
the wrestling business, he couldn't help himself. Man. And I was breaking
down, literally, how could you do this to me? I have no
trouble telling you I was breaking down now, I gotta be honest with you.
I don't know if Bruce went back to Eric and said, yeah,
Vince had a conversation with me. He was breaking down because this is gonna
come into play in a little while. But I got no problem on what
too. What I was saying. I was breaking down because even though I
knew it was gonna happen, it really hurt me that Bruce did this to
me because my intentions were good. Okay, so good. There's the tears
story. Here's what Eric Bischoff says that Vince Russo was up to this whole
time in terms of why he would have suddenly been in a position to be
demoted and then eventually leave TNA twenty eleven. Let's start with Eric Russo one.
There was some real duplicity going on. Yeah, what he wants to
be the sympathetic baby face. It's like, oh man, he comes,
Oh Eric, Oh, she's driving me. I can't even do a Vince
Ruso impersonation. I just won't won't bro. It wasn't even bros like he
was defeated. He was almost on the verge of tears. It's like,
I'm trying so hard. I just she's wanted to put herself on television.
I just don't want to do it. I just wow, I don't want
to do. Oh my god, You've got to help me. So I
leading with much. I'd go in and do my best to shoot on that,
not shot on that. I would go and do my best to dissuade
her to a certain degree. Right, But what he was really doing was
encouraging her. So I'm the bad guy, vinces down. Oh you beat
You're the best. Oh man. I don't know why he doesn't watch.
I don't know what he said. I was obviously in the room. If
I would have been in a room, I but I have knocked him the
fuck out for lying. But you know, nonetheless, he was he was
working both ends against the middle because I made him uncomfortable. He didn't like
the fact that there was somebody that actually knew what they were doing in the
room with him. He liked to surround himself by Pete. That's why he
was very comfortable in teenage when he first got there, because Vince Russu did
actually know more than anybody else there. It's because everybody else there knew absolutely
nothing, So it was an easy room for a guy like Vince Russo to
con so. Wow, So his thing is in the context is important there.
He says that, you know, in the beginning, its supposed to
be a situation where he's working in concert with Russo, and it's you know,
they're they're being cooperative. Sure, and he was making it a point
to try to, you know, show that he would support what Vince Russo
was looking to achieve by you know, giving voice to Dixie for things that
would be supportive of Vince Russo's creative and again bactor Pritchard's comment, it's like
despite the bash of the beach history, Yeah, it's not right to think
that Vince Russo was trying to send negative creative towards Hulkogan in Tiana he's doing
quite the opposite. He's trying to win back his trust and he's trying to
basically not be an impediment to whatever it is Hulk Coogan wants to do in
the Ring. He's talked about that, like he just just because Bischof is
hands on with Hogan's creative doesn't mean Russo had no role. And Russo was
actually trying to please Hogan with what he was doing at the time, and
to reciprocate that, Bischoff was trying to take things that Russo wanted to advocate
for and add his voice to it. Right well, so he is hearing
Russo complain that Dixie is you know, hungry for the spotlight and forcing herself
onto television and forcing him to write her into television, and so, according
to Bischoff, he feels like his role at that point is to, you
know, subtly try to dissuade Dixie from being as involved as a television character
she was, to try to relieve the pressure that Russo is telling him he
feels to get her into the show. And then Bischoff is saying that Russo
is such a three D chess player that he's then turning around, knowing that
he's now set the hook for Bishoff to make Dixie think that Bischoff doesn't think
she's a good television character to come back around, and then buying Bischoff's back
praise Dixie's involvement on television, says, you should be doing more that she's
doing wonderfully. I mean, that's some mighty politicking there, and it's the
exact kind of thing Vince Russo says he doesn't involve himself in and squash.
Come on, I know, I know, I just I don't know.
That's given Russo a lot of credit to be able to do both like that.
No, it's it's it sounds like Bischoff got caught criticizing Dixie for being
too involved on television and then retrofitted a scenario in which it's actually him Vince
Russo's words coming out of his mouth and not his words coming out of his
mouth. But basically this comes to a head and it's becoming a real issue.
Um and the clip will we'll play here. During this time period,
there's serious distance between Dixie Carter and Eric Bischoff, and he's got this deal
and they're they're not working in sympatico at all. And this issue of whether
you know Dixie is deemed to be a worthy television character apparently is a real
wedge issue and it's causing big problems and they have to get together and figure
it out. Bischoff and Russo in the same room. Who said what about
Dixie? Who's lying about what they said about Dixie? And who can be
an arbiter of this truth? That's hit Eric Russo too for the rundown Eric
Russo too. But I caught Russo working both ends against the middle and it
got so bad. I mean, Dixie and I we'd be on the phone
and it what started out as a discussion escalated to the point where she's in
tears. I'm yelling, you know, because I'm I'm going to stick to
my guns. If it's what I really believe, I'm not going to throw
into doll and quit. And it just escalated and escalated, partly because I
thought I'm doing and what Russo wanted me to do. You know, I'm
trying to help here in dissuading her. Until we figured out what was going
on, everybody realized that we gotta fix this. This is not this is
not Dixie and I are barely talking to each other. She's so angry with
me, and she's breaking down into tears over the phone. I'm so angry,
I'm not even willing to get on a plane to come to TV.
It was just really getting ugly. So Guy Blake said, all right,
let's let's all get together. We gotta hash this out. We're gonna sit
down in a room like man and like professionals, and we're gonna all lay
our cards out on the table and we're gonna work it out. I said,
okay, that's the right thing to do, so we did. It.
Was myself. I gotta be a little careful here because this is probably
falls into a category of ship that I shouldn't talk too much about. I'll
be general, but you'll get the picture. The principles in the debate were
all together, and the meeting was chaired, if you will, by Guy
Blake. Tena's attorney, Dean Broadhead was there. Obviously Russeau was there.
It was but it was a small room and we all laid our cards on
the table and Vince was doing his best. Now here's the thing with Vince
Russeau. I don't think he sits down and plans out all of his lives
and bullshit. I think he believes what he says. I think he talks
like you know how he talks. He just tries so hot, bro.
You know, he pitches and pitches and pitches to the point where the people
around him aren't necessarily buying his bullshit. They're just getting tired. They're getting
tired of as a fucking I'm throwing the towel. I'll him do whatever he
wants to do. You literally beat you to death with his mouth in his
voice. But we got into this meeting and all of a sudden it became
real apparent what Russeau was doing. He was working both ends against the middle,
and it was kind of a he said, she said, you said
thing, and I said, you know what. And I'm not going to
mention this cat's name because he's a super good guy and I don't want to
put him in the middle of any or have him read and to see his
name in a dirt sheet, because he's too cool of a guy for that.
But there was an individual that was a part of the creative team that
was privy to all of this, and he was the most He was straight
up, honest, hard working. He'd keep his mouth shut, but if
you put him on the spot, he would tell the truth. So I
said, go get him, Go get this guy. He's hurt it all.
Let him come into the room. Let him tell you what he's seen
and heard. Because we were trying to figure out who was you know,
what was going on here? We didn't realize I did, but nobody else
would believe that Russo was playing both ends against the middle to try to make
himself feel more secure until this individual came in and Guy Blake, the attorney,
looked at him and said, okay, Eric has this opinion. Then
says this opinion, Where do you stand? Eric? Right? That was
it end of meeting Russo's on a plane on his way home, and we
got demoted as a result of it. I mean, isn't Dixie glad you
brought it? Eric Bischoff? I mean I would be. I think she
must think this was the greatest fucking choice I could have possibly made. Not
to say, things would be much better if, you know, within terms,
if he had to come in. But I mean, this is like,
this is like I feel like I'm in a hair salon, you know
what. I mean, yeah, yeah, right right, just like the
gossipy nature of it and the oh my god, just the and it's great
that we have access to this stuff because it's like it helps you understand why
watching television was such a fucking chore, you know, yeah, right,
going through all this rigamarole and also pretending that they're putting their best foot forward
in terms of producing a good wrestling show. Give me a break. This
is this is occupying eighty percent of their emotional energy, yeah right, not
putting the show together. And so here's Russo's post mortem on the whole thing.
Now, watch how Russo differently casts that moment of truth and sort of
the preamble to why they were in that meeting in the first place. To
Russo, they weren't having this come to Jesus meeting to figure out whether Russo
or Bishoff is more trustworthy visa vie what they said about Dixie Carter. They're
in this room for totally different reason, a clash of wills over a creative
idea, someone that Vince Russo wanted to bring into Tenna, who ultimately never
came and who who's bidding. I'll give you one guess. Bishoff may have
been doing and opposing the idea, and then that spilling into the conversation oh
Man. And Eric Bischoff just recounted on his podcast, where there was this
arbiter that enters the room and and a makes a determination and decision. It's
fascinating to hear Bischoff describe that meeting and the reasons for it, and the
blow by blow of what happened and why, and then Russo take those circumstances
and totally interpret them differently. Of course, it's it's this is pro wrestling,
this is TNA, this is tnah Russo six, Russo six. I
had an idea to bring Brett Hart into TNA as an authority figure. This
is before Brett had done anything with the WWA, So I had an idea
to bring him in as an authority figure. I went to Eric, I
pitched to Eric. Eric loved the idea, Sure, no problem. JB.
Jeremy Boreque. Somehow Someway had a great relationship with Brett. JB got
me on the phone with Brett. I pitched Brett. Brett loved it.
We disgusted. Eric's on board, Dixie's on board, everybody's on board.
All of a sudden, Eric has a conversation with Dixie, and now Eric
starts going the other way. Well, I don't know about Brett when I
work with him. You know, with wc W he had a bad attitude.
I'm not sure if he's right for this company. YadA, YadA,
YadA. Now he was trying to talk Dixie out of it. I knew
Dixie was very excited about it, and I knew Dixie wanted Brett there.
But now Eric is starting to bury Brett. Now I'm getting upset because again
I know the players, and I know the game, and I know this
is Hulk not wanting Brett to come in qt an. I know it's Hulk
playing the creative control card. And Eric, as Hulk's friend, is not
gonna say that on Dixie because Eric knows Dixie wants Brett, and Eric doesn't
want to punch any heat on Hogan by saying Hulk's playing his creative control card
he doesn't want Bret here, because that would have pissed Dixie off. So
now Eric is burying Brett, having set second thoughts because Hogan is playing his
control card. What I call Eric on this, and I say, this
is absolute bullshit, Bro, Why it's bullshit. Hogan is playing his creative
control card. He doesn't want Brett here. You're telling right, you're telling
Dixie, you're having your second thoughts because you don't want to bury Hogan because
you know Dixie wants Brett. Eric, just say it's freaking Hulk. Just
say it is Hulk, and he's playing the control card. Just say it.
Don't bullshit, just say it. I don't think Eric liked that too
much because I was putting him in a very tough position because if he would
have said, yeah, Dixie, it's Hulk, well, now Dixie would
have had a little issue with Hope. So now I kind of middled Hulk
saying, I mean Eric saying, stop with the bullshit. I know it's
Hulk. Just say it's Hulk. Don't bury Brett. Brother, what's Russo?
Brother wants Russo doing? Dude? Why? Brother? Why Russo?
Dude? What? It's truly amazing. It's a I mean, what is
going on? Like, what are they seeking to achieve here? Amazingness?
It really is. It's like and that's the thing. It's all Hogan,
right, He's like the invisible force in the room. Brother Rod I'm not
even the room, dude, Why I don't who. So there's one more
loose end to tie up. And that is what was that meeting about.
We heard Bishop's explanation. Let's hear Russo's next thing. I know, Bro,
what at the next TV there's a big pow wow. I'm there.
Oh my god, Dixie's there. Eric is there, the TNA attorney is
there, and Bro. I believe the TNA attorney also represents Eric. Huh.
So, now, Bro, we're gonna get all of this out in
the open. I think Conway was there, Bro, I can't say on
this. I don't think Holk was there, but I know it was me,
Dixie, Eric, the TNA attorney, and Bro. The TNA attorney
was like in Eric's camp. So now we're gonna get all this out on
the table. No problem, we'll get it out on the table. So
now I said the same thing that I've been saying. Bro, just say
it's Holk. Okay, Brett's not coming in. Don't bury Brett. Don't
say you had to change your heart when you were on board A thousand percent.
Just say it was Holkwood to creative Control card. Bro. The next
thing I know I saw an absolute master at work. While I'm getting all
this out, and I'm saying, Bro, just say it was Hulk.
Okay, Brett's not coming in. Hulk's using his creative control card. Say
it, because I'm gonna get pissed off, BRO if you keep trying to
bury Brett, because I think very highly of Brett. So now you are
putting me in a position to defend Brett. Stop. Just say it's Hulk
with the creative control. Bro. I'll never forget this for as long as
I live. Eric now turns to me, and now he starts telling Dixie
all the things that I had said to him about her in all private conversations.
And like I said, Bro, none of it was personal. She
talks to dirt sheets. She can't make any decisions whatsoever. A pandem might
not have the money that you think. What what personally was I gonna say
about Dixie? It was all business. So now he starts telling Dixie the
conversations I had with him about her to completely derail the conversation and get it
off of Hulk. Bro. It worked like a charm. Dixie literally turned
her seat completely around to me and said, did you say this stuff thence
and I said, yeah, Dixie, I did say that stuff. And
I also said that stuff to you. You can't make a decision. You
do get influenced by the dirt sheets. Yes, Dixie, you and I
have had these conversations. Bro. In the corner of my eye, I
see Eric gloating like a cheshire cat. He worked this like a charm.
So now here's the part, Bro. Eric likes to tell a story that
I, once this broke down, I started crying in that meeting, which
is a flat out lie. And if you look at it logically, what
am I crying about? I want the hell out of this company, Bro,
I'm praying about it. I want out. And Eric is saying I
lied in the meeting because he caught me in a lie. What lie,
Bro? There was no lie, bro famous last words, there was no
lie here lies Vince Russo as it regards TNA and TNH. But what a
deal. Uh wow. I mean that's how it gets done, right.
Have conversations with people in private, um thinking that you know you're going to
achieve an end, and then they bring it up to the person's face when
you're sitting there in the meeting. I mean That's that's real life right there.
All right, nothing nothing sacred, nobody is safe. You're all a
target. Just a question, Vince, you wanted to bring Brett Hard into
TNA as an authority figure before he returned to WWE, that Hull Coogan put
the kibosh on it, bra Just think here. Brett came back on January
fourth of twenty ten, the same night hul Cogan came into TNA. Yeah
right, How did Hulk Cogan have any say over whether you're brought in or
Eric Bischoff have anything to do with whether you brought him in? I mean,
I guess, brother, I guess. As we just read, there
was a preceding agreement as of October of two thousand and nine with Bishoff,
But as Bischoff said, he had no involvement in anything non Hulkogan creative at
that point in time, and bringing in Bret Hart as a general manager is
hardly Hulkogan related. So what's the deal here? Why would say over whether
you brought in Bret Hard if, as you say, your idea came before
he went back to WWE, which was in fact the first night of the
Hogan Bishof regime. Wow, I don't know. I remember if Matt Conway
was there that conveniently carves out the part of the story Bischoff is keen to
focus on where Matt Conway says, Bishoff is being more truthful than Russo.
And here what lie bro There was something something that Matt Conway said that it
seemed like Vince Russo wasn't telling truth to Dixie car Oh, because we know
who comes out of that meeting as a going concern and TNA and who doesn't.
And his name is Eric Bischoff. So but that's you know, total
NonStop Hogan name, Like that's the atmosphere that this guy, I mean,
that's what you know. I mean, yeah, you know, Vince just
wasn't there had no issue with Vince Russell, television producer. I'm gonna television.
You know. I was brought into, you know, to create television,
all right, me and Jason Hervey. You know, I had I
had a responsibility to Dixie Carter. And let's not lose sight of the fact
that we were talking about Dixie Carter, you know what I mean, Like
every other word out of these guys sing king, king, king, King,
King, King, King, King, King, King, King,
King, King King ing there she is. Just picture her and somehow she's
the absolute like thing everybody in this business revolves around in this company, just
amazing and um, if you're wondering, this is like part of a larger
design, Melser said the newsletter for what It's worth. At the E three
convention, when people just regular fans and such saw Hull, Hogan and broad
impact was he blamed every problem on Vince Russo. Well, you know,
brother, dude, I totally understand, dude, I totally understand that.
Brother. You know, we had guy I'm god named Vince Russo, you
know, and he just kind of as you know, he was the head
writer of the company. Brother in the middle. You know, Eric's in
the middle, dude. You know, I'm on one side, brother,
and we got Vince Russo on the other, dude, and UK we're kind
of like button heads with Eric and the middle. Dude. Now, I'm
like, you know, we gotta get this thing back and trying exactly you
know, and we gotta kind of, you know, we gotta dieal this
in brother. But Vince Russo is kind of the doing his own thing and
and and and kind of running stuff past us before we can kind of get
on top of it. Brother. So it's really russo brother, and uh
it's uh, it's good to hear from you. Bro. I can't believe.
And here's something I'll never forget. And I kind of be honest with
you, Bro. I've wanted you back since w c W Bro, and
in the opportunity here at t NA, I think is just perfect. We
want to bring you in as a general manager. Broho Uh, I think
that sounds good. And uh, as long as we can figure out the
numbers, I think we've got a deal. Bro. Let me go back
to the table, Let me talk to Eric, let me talk to Dixie
and figure out what we can do. All right, and click Hello brother
brother? Uh, dude, what's going on? Brother? Terry? What?
Who who's calling me? Brother? You called me? I called?
Who? Spread hard? What why you called? Brother? What are you
doing dude thinking about coming into TNA. I'm glad you called. I'd like
to get a little brother of a check from you as to whether it's worth
going well yean, dude, I mean brother, I'm down to talk turkey
with you. Dude. You know we're kind of in a weird uh holding
pattern right now. Brother. You know, we kind of things kind of
you know, we got we gotta you know, get a lot of great
ideas on the table. Dude. We're working on you know, we're making
it. We're bringing it back to what like what what you and I were
doing, bro, Brother, No, dude, we're not. We're dining
the back end, dude. We're dialing it in. Brother. You know,
we're we're kind of getting this company back on track. You know,
we're working on a different kind of creative right now, dude. You know
we're having you know, we're bringing the wrestlers once again have the power.
Brother. But you know, and I I'm all about Listen, dude,
I want to bring you in as soon as we can. Brother, I'm
all about that. But you know, right now, we're kind of in
a in a little bit of a holding pattern in regards to talent right now,
dude, So I don't know exactly where you're gonna fit in. Brother.
You give me no indication, Oh, brother, that's I think.
Well, well, I'll tell you talking about the tight purse spring brother,
it's really what what we're talking about dude is, you know, we're we're
on a different level, dude, now, we're trying to kind of take
things up to the next level while dialing it in, dude, so we
can we can we can get TNA to kind of be where it should be,
which is kind of right on top and to do these kinds of things.
Brother, you know, we got to kind of focus on the talent
that we have right now on roster brother, under contract, you know,
kind of create the TNA brand that people will you know, people will will
see from a different place than the row because Vince just called me and couldn't
have been more than husiastic about bringing me. Brother, that's the problem,
dude. See you know what you know, Eric and I, we have
our eggs in a row. Brother, we don't have our one basket.
Dude, I understand, brother, But you know what, here's the thing
about Vince Russo. Vince Russo is is you know he Brother, what we're
trying to do is we're trying to give wrestling back to the talent, brother
Brack to the boys. He totally leaves it sitting there on addressed. Let
me ask you a question, brother, um, well do you expect to
hear back from Vince Russo on numbers? Well, what do you what do
you what do you I mean terms conversation? Just wonder what what do you?
What do you think in brother? You know our terms of Vince Russo?
Dude? You know how are you you know? What do that?
How did you take that conversation? Brother? Are you you know what?
Where are you at? Well? I think I'm gonna take the deal,
Terry sounds like a really exciting opportunity. Well, brother, I do I'm
listening to I want to tell you right now, a deal like that is
one in a million, no questions asked, brother, But we're talking about
bringing back the wrestling to the wrestlers, dude, and kind of moving things
in a direction that kind of goes beyond where you and I were at.
Dude, if you know what I'm saying. But here's a big question,
brother, And I'm wondering if you're you know how you feel about this?
Dude? I know what Vince Russo? You know you gotta you know you're
talking to Russo. Brother, Russo made some promises, dude, But what
did he talk about in terms of you laying down for me? Brother?
Talking about full circle? He's like in real time, like shifting to well,
actually, if he comes in I might be able to pick him.
So that's let's actually see we kind of finally have that Summer Son ninety three
thing. Brother. Some more color on the whole state of the time locker
room at the time from the observer. Some of the wrestlers who came in
at the last tapings who weren't regulars, noted they couldn't believe how bad morale
was. They said the consensus was that guys were just there to collect paychecks
and that a crossboard people were complaining about Eric Bischoff, Hulkcogan, and Vince
Russo. The wrestlers have all lost confidence in Russo, at least among the
ones who had confidence in him to begin with. With Hogan and Bishoff,
the reaction was that they complained about what Russo has them do as much as
anyone, but the resentment is they have power, but they haven't seemed to
have come up with any good ideas of their own, and most openly will
say they wished the company hired Paul Hayman last summer and he cleaned house of
the guys who aren't contributing. There continue to be the feelings of just cashing
the checks and people not having faith in management and booking. Eric Bischoff and
Hulcogan have privately among the wrestlers, but they heat on Vince Russo and said
how much better things could be if he was out of the position. But
the wrestlers have no faith in Bischoff and Hogan because of the feeling they've been
around for eighteen months and not contributed much. Bischoff has made some minor changes
you wouldn't notice, and some you would that are for the better, but
none that are important enough to make a business difference. Plus, there are
a lot of people who hate the way he treats everyone who isn't a big
star, so he's generally not well liked. The reality is Hogan is so
much more effective as a character who isn't around much, but it's a big
deal when he shows up the role he did by his own design in WWE.
The thing is, nobody got that better than Hogan, and yet he's
not doing that now and instead making himself the center of everything all the time.
Yeah, I think that might be because of what we just read from
the deposition. Thirty three appearances for five hundred grand. Oh man, he's
not getting that money unless he makes thirty three environances right, and you don't
think there's a calendar in his fucking house and on his fucking black dorry keeping
track of that total that tally. Oh there's another piece of color. There
was a stage. I gotta make, dude. I gotta make a knobs
Can you fuck? Brother? Dude? Can you can you? Can you
hook me up with a ride? Dude? I gotta can you take me
to to to to Universal, brother, because I gotta do TV and I
gotta do t vissiln a town. I gotta make it town. I gotta
make Orlando, Dude, can you make Can you bring me to Orliz Brother?
So honestly, come on, dude, well uh, come on,
brother, you gotta get on the ball, Dude, you gotta get on
the fucking ball. Brother Russo had an Angle verse Sting match on a pay
per view set up and apparently the last pay per view Belts of reports.
When Hogan found out what the finish was for Sting Verse Angle, he blew
his stack and cut a promo one Russo saying he didn't know anything about wrestling
because he was never a wrestler. A brother so he's getting involved and finishes
and stuff that everything to do with him must be the match where he smacks
Sting in the back to uh set up the bound for glory match at Sacrifice.
I think it was, but uh, that was pretty much it.
Russo was gone by October or he was demoted in October, and by January
of twenty and twelve, he's officially gone, according to him, after getting
his attorney involved and finding a way out of his TNA contract as opposed to
having been shown the door it being pressured to want to quit and being fired.
I don't see much of a difference. Yeah, so let's reset where
we are to some degree, it's January. Jeff Hardy of course, as
we talked about in closing out twenty ten, and TNA is the world champion.
Yeah, leader of fortune. They're building the whole company around him and
his heel persona, and uh, well that's just not gonna last very long.
It's Jeff Hardy. It's Jeff Hardy two thousand and ten. No less
so all this you know, custom Bell new character doing traditional heel style pay
per view main events, something right that you were digging boss? Yeah,
No, I was a fan of that. I was a fan of that,
and then you know, well I saw what was going on. I'm
January um Ken Anderson beats Jeff Hardy to win the Diva's title. So it's
it's true. It's true comedy to see someone other than Jeff Hardy hold that
purple championship belt. Just oh, it really is. It's that. That's
that's kind of the thing into it's a real embarrassment if it's not going to
be him. Absolutely, I drop that fucking bell and put it on,
you know, like get rid of it. Seriously. It's such a hullaballoo
about the power of Immortal and Fortune joining forces Ric Flair Stable and Hulk Coogan
Stable as this like ultra power force. That's like the prevailing theme of the
Impacts at the end of two thousand and ten, as we've talked about,
and within months and weeks rather in twenty eleven, Ric Flair turns on Fortune,
leaves the group, and Fortune, which is basically aj Styles and Kazarian
and Rude and Storm become baby faces just like that, and uh Steiner Scott
Steiner debuts with TNA and gets in all of this rigamarole. This is I
believe the run where he cuts that famous Math promo. Maybe maybe that was
his prior T and A run he had, He had been in TNA before,
but what a fucking riot it is to have him in the company.
He ends up suing TNA as well. That's fine, Well, get to
that someday. But here's the here's the big fiery promo that Aj Styles cut
when Fortune was abandoned by Rick Flair and turned baby face. And now they're
trying to shift the narrative back to these are the young, hungry upstarts,
because you know, there's always that's always the storyline when Bischoff and Russo around,
right, like all the young guys get together and all the old guys
can geal together and fight each other. It's like nWo plus New Blood Millionaires
Club put together, and they go for the jugular a bit here, as
Aj is allowed to go into Bischoff's arguably shoddy history with managing wrestling companies here
and this promo cut on an episode of Impact in early twenty eleven. Let's
hit AJ promo on Eric. I told you Bishoff that Aj styles Fortune.
We're not taking a backseat to anyone, all right. You brought this all
on yourself. Who did you think I was talking about? Bischoff? Who
did you think I was talking about? Did you think we were talking about
some other guys? Vilma VI? Is us you ungrateful son of a bish?
You eat a brand hill billy podcast. Nothing happening? You four people,
you four punks happening? You've happen nothing before Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff
got here. Nothing. You were what the crappy would take to fertilize your
grave. What that you would made you something? This is how do you
repay us? This is how do you repay them? Hold on? What
are you so pissed off about? Are you so pissed off that we saw
through your smoking mirrors? Your life is stupid bustard smoking mirrors, smoking mirrors?
More success have you've ever been associated with? You a billion dollars company
out of business, and I'm gonna run you out of business. And you
came here to Tena to try to do the same and it's not gonna happen.
And it all started when you and Holgan stepped into Tena. You started
spending money, you started changing things, and you were hiring guys that didn't
deserve to be in wrestling in the first place. You're digging your own gram
AJ, you and fortune and the crap. You're in the ring with the
only reason you're there, it's because of the hard work that these guys did
putting you there. Oh jeesus, you want six sides, you know,
folks, Folks, you don't want six sides? All right, you don't
want I know you think you do. I know that in your mind you
think it's a cool thing. It's not, and you're not. All right,
stop embarrassing yourself at AJ six sides, please, Oh god. I
was trying to be open minded, and you know, the six sided ring
was something that was difficult to lose because I felt like it had become our
identity and who we were. But it made us different. And the reasons
we did it, you know, we just it made us stand out on
some level. We had to realign the sun, the moon and the stars
to get to where we are today. And as we changed, as I
took over, the sum of all the parts was the six seven, eight
sided ring, whatever the heck it was. I mean, wrestling was made
to happen in a squared circle. You know, the squared circles all you
ever hear about. It's not a playpen, a pigpen, an MMA ring,
an eight side and six sides side whatever. I mean, that wasn't
a wrestling ring. That was somewhere where a bunch of kids could go,
bounce around and act like wrestlers. Now we have the squared circle and this
is where wrestling happens in this were wrestling r there we go. Going from
six to four was stupid. We are different and when you take six sides
away from us, so we're just like everyone else. I mean, it
takes a different kind of wrestling to get into a six sided break and adapt
to it. So you've got the very best that's excited bringing then you throw
them into a four rek why so you can be comfortable Hogan? Yes?
Or who else you bring in that can't hold a candle to not one of
the TENA originals. Mistake after mistake after mistake. So the storyline is about
Bischoff and Hogan's management decisions and who they're higher of course don't that's that's very
intriguing. M that's from the Really, that's what I want from my wrestling,
because I want to know about backstage politicking. The tena immortal DVD that
we sampled extensively in our last two twenty tenty and age episodes. It also
kind of includes the period where fortune turns back baby Face that we just talked
about a bit of twenty eleven two when they're and it ends or about this
springtime of twenty eleven. So that's the you know, what's my motivation,
they say in acting, and that's AJ's motivation. Six sided ring and all
that. Representative still not dead. This is about the end of it,
though we won't hear much more about it after this. Better or not.
Jesus Christ, what a shit show. Trying to come up with other ideas
to catalyze some more excitement in TNA. Now that he's officially executive producer,
Bischoff and company put their heads together and the decision is made that finally we're
going to take Impact tapings out of Universal Studios in Orlando for an experimental run
on the road, and they're going to do a television taping in late February
in Fayetteville, North Carolina, the first Impact on the Road, and it's
it's a moderate success. It's February twenty fourth, and the key here is
that TNA pays for these tapings. Spike does not pay for these like wow,
like they paid for you know, as Bischoffs want to remind us Hogan
and Bishoff salaries clearly, I mean, we just write the contract. I
mean, it's not with Spike. So if Spike is paying for it,
it's kind of weird because they don't have to. The contract clearly obliges TENA
Entertainment LLC to pay for it. But perhaps Spike is just putting the money
into Tena's budget to do that, or increasing the amount they're paying in rights
fees for the television broadcast to include some talent fees. It's not really disputed.
I mean, Spike confirmed that they did pay for Hogan, Sting and
Bishoff and some others in a press statement, but this was not among those
expenses. So this is TNA having to figure out where in their budget they
can afford. You know, these aren't live tapings. These are of these
are being put in the can to be aired on tape delay, so they're
not necessarily incurring what I understand to be one of the biggest costs of running
live, which is satellite uplink charges incredibly expensive to broadcast something live back then,
and I suppose even today at the highest quality. But they do incurr
expense, and they they tape a show that airs up March third on Spike
TV, and then another show that airs the week after, So they were
taping like two or three weeks at a time when they go to these remote
venues. And we included that this is the one boss that has the staying
Jeff Hardy match on it and his stings return right when he comes back.
Yeah, and I gotta say it absolutely makes a difference to have these people
responding and reacting to wrestlers that, yeah, you know, they haven't seen
before coming to a town near them, and it definitely invigorates the product.
And I think that's when Bischoff laments Panda Energy, he doesn't say it in
as many words, Panda Energy is disinterested investing in TNA. I think that's
what he's talking about, is he can't bring impact on the road every week
so that the show appears to be something people give a shot, right,
And you know, in twenty eleven, they they do see improvements in ratings,
They do see moderate improvements in pay per view by rates, though there
are some aberrations that indicate they haven't really truly struck a chord in terms of
compelling people to buy pay per views in twenty eleven more so than they did
in twenty ten. But there is some movement, but it's so minor and
and everything they do is a half step. You know. It's like,
we're not going to Monday nights. We're trying Monday nights. We're not going
on the road with impact, We're trying it. Yeah, they can't just
do that, Come on, now, they can't. I mean, they
can't just make a decision. They have to They have to try. They're
looking at ones and zeros on paper, and there's just nowhere to find the
money to do it. But everybody agrees that that's what has to be done.
So it's a very it's a very very strange situation they find themselves in
that they tape further. They make further announcements in the summer that Tina will
be taping outside of Orlando and Huntsville, Alabama, and the Knoxville Coliseum in
Knoxville, Tennessee, as well as a plan to run tapings in the late
October and making Georgia with tickets as low as fifteen dollars to be in attendance,
and the Huntsville tapings draw three thousand, three hundred fans. They it's
not as hot as the Fayetteville crowd that first taping on the road. It's
pretty good. Forty five hundred fans in Knoxville. I think they had around
three thousand in Fayetteville as well. There's a lot of paper for there for
that because their house shows were drawing like five hundred thousand people, but those
are much less well promoted. There really wasn't much in the way of like
a street team trying to raise awareness that Tena's come into your city and come
to the house show. But they were able to promote the tapings on television
pretty aggressively. So yeah, the idea too from Spike side is maybe we
can throw some Gate money, any equation and afford some more investment right in
TNA. If if you're actually selling tickets to the fucking tapings instead of letting
people free at the Impact Zone, which is what they would do, because
if they charge people to come to the Impact Zone, pretty soon there'll be
nobody there. The whole idea was to come for free and I'm sure these
tapings on the road had more than turkey legs to offer boss if you got
hungry, it confirmed that. But those are important, so they're doing that.
It's said to be a difference, an experiment to see if it makes
much of a difference in the ratings. It really it really didn't. But
it didn't hurt the ratings either. That's you know, I don't think you'd
expect it to, but they, yeah, they it's it's considered a negative
sign after trying three attempts at on the road tapings that they don't go on
the road like Thanksgiving weekend, you know, and some of the weekends around
the holidays in twenty eleven that you think would be pretty easy to draw a
live crowd at. So they're pretty much done with this by twenty eleven.
As well. Another you know box that Bischoff desperately wants to check that just
will not be checked. And as they're going on the road taping they're trying
to crack down on because you know, you've got to find something to blame
when the ratings don't move, and inevitably every wrestling promotion lands on well,
if there weren't goddamn spoilers all over the internet and people had to actually watch
the show to find out what happened. Our ratings would improve never happens,
but they made a comical effort at the midpoint of twenty eleven to do something
about it. This from The Observer. The company has decided to try and
eliminate results of tapings getting on the internet. At the May thirtieth tapings,
John Benoydudas reports from the tapings for the Pro Wrestling Insider website was kicked out
of the tapings, escorted off Universal Studios by security. The story of parking
few days earlier than anyone with a mobile phone that they believed to be sending
results of the shows would be kicked out at the tapings. It's almost mind
boggling how TNA Meltzer Rights goes to such lengths to at times cater to their
fans while at the same time loathing them. Goes back to the lecture at
the first Hogan Bishoff pay per view about how your cast members remember that,
yes, yes, I would want to get on the road as fast as
possible as well if every time I came out they shot on me and chanted
six sides and turned their back to me. But that's neither here nor there.
The DVR numbers were a strength of TNA, but they started to get
disappointing in twenty eleven. And the conclusion is, as Meltzer reported today,
what we found out is there is a very small TENA audience. About half
or more of the TNA audience consists of ww fans who will watch wrestling on
Thursday and see TNA, but will not watch if WWF is on. So
the Impact rating in twenty seven was one point six, in twenty ten,
it's one point six. What are we doing here? And in two thousand
and nine its one point one four, and it's it's really The last Impact
of twenty ten was a one point one zero rating with one point four zero
million viewers, and the show is averaging one point four six in the last
quarter of twenty oh nine. So the year over year comparisons, you can
find bright spots, but they're just as nothing to point too. That says
the investor, and Hulk Coogan and Eric Bischoff built business up past where it
was before. I mean, can you at least no, I'm telling you
we took it to the next level. We took it waiting for that go.
Brother. You know we're just kind of working one step at a time,
Dude. You know we work one step at a time. Brother,
But I'm telling you, we know we're taking ourselves to the top of the
wrestling world. Okay, it should be much more of a tiny increase,
brother, adding Hulk Coogan, Eric Bischoff, Ric Flair, Sting, Rob
Van Dam, Jeff Hardy. These are big ticket players and you basically are
doing the same numbers she did before they came in. And if they're up,
they're up so modestly that it's it's not modestly to the top either,
uh they Hogan um Listmanah doing an interview around this time, and this is
one of the spins he came up with as to why things weren't going so
well. Quote. People keep making statements about how TENA is not doing well.
Pardon me, this is Eric Bischoff. People keep making statements about how
TNA is not doing well or TNA sucks, or whatever juvenile trite that comes
out of their heads. It occurred to me that no one is talking about
how TENA is doing as a company. Coincidentally, I got an email from
Spike TV talking about last Thursday's rating. This is in June, by the
way. In the email it said that Impact Wrestling was the number one rated
show and it's a demo and its time period. Despite that we were up
against the NBA Finals. Impact Wrestling is the number one program on all of
Spike Television. We outperform the UFC. To be able to be the number
one show on that network in primetime is a very significant achievement. I just
wanted to point that out because not enough people are talking about the good things
going on in TNA. Okay, yeah, okay, they were against the
NBA Finals, Yes they were, but you were not the number one rated
show and the demo in the time period because the NBA FO mails definitely beat
them there. There is the thing. The reason they were number one,
Meltzer says, on cable and a specific demo mails thirty five to forty nine
in their time slot and cables. NBA Finals weren't on cable, they were
on ABC. Um. But it's like they were beating the NBA and their
demo. But it's like, dude, like the cable is separate, like
the ratings, brother, what are you? What are you? Saying,
dude, you're not being compared to what's on network television. I begged to
differ, bro. I guess I must have this wrong. And it's true
that Tough was going down the Ultimate Fighter by twenty eleven, it was kind
of a tired concept. So that's true they were doing better ratings or commensate
ratings with Tough. What's going on, dude, it's a great question.
I'm still trying to figure it out. The reason they were number one on
cable in a specific demo males or de Fight to forty nine in their time
slot is because the NBA Finals weren't on cable, Right, Okay, so
you're touting that we're number one in this demographic um and then touting that we
did that against the NBA Finals. But if the NBA Finals run cable,
you would not be number one? Would you that? That's the top point
there? Who number one? Brother? Something else that happens just a week
after Eric Bischoff signs the contract to become executive producer of Impact is some TNA
attorneys make their way down to the patent office, or at least navigate to
the website. It's time to capture the word mark boss the trademark on February
seventeenth, twenty eleven, according to records for Impact Wrestling. Oh boy.
This pattern, of course covers prerecorded videotapes, compact discs, and DVDs featuring
wrestling and sports entertainment. And yes, they are seeking to change the name
and identity of TNA after all these years being associated with those three letters.
Another move made in twenty eleven, in addition to you know, making bishoff
executive producer, taking some tampings on the road, is to rename the company
Packed Wrestling instead of TNA. Now, it's so weird because what they actually
do is rename the Thursday night wrestling television program Impact Wrestling. But they remove
all mentions of TNA from the screen, right, but they still refer to
TNA as the name of the company because the technical legal name of the company's
t TNA Entertainment, LLC. So it gets it gets really confusing when people
say that the company was renamed Impact Wrestling. It was really just a TV
show was renamed it and they stopped saying TNA and they went blue. They
went from red ropes to blue ropes and blue everywhere, and blue flames shooting
up and they shot a whole new intro pack from Rada SmackDown. Yeah,
what do you think of the blue Look? You know, it's fine,
it's fine. It's a little like you know, I can remember what I
think of Actually is I remember stumbling on I can remember in like I'm gonna
guess it must have been twenty thirteen, um and living in our apartment in
Queens and stumbling on it and like watching maybe about a half hour of a
of an Impact broadcast. Yes, yeah, that's about all I remember,
and I remember, you know it just I mean, it looks better in
many ways for sure, but it also looks a lot more artificial, interesting
artificial. Yeah, you know, there there's a I mean it just or
yeah, it's a little more artificial, and it's a little more like up
here, we're gonna take that next step to be the WWE, or to
look like the w recomparable in some fashion to the WWE. Yeah, yeah,
it's really interesting. There was a weird, like a unique intimacy to
the way the show was done, you know. Before that I'm not saying
it was it was like the greatest thing in the world, but there was
like A in a weird way. It felt more unique, It felt more
different than than than than the blue. The blue scheme. Yeah, it's
so weird. Like whenever you first hear TNA, what the fun does that
stand for? It sounds like tsannas et cetera. Right, Well, you
have to say, over time it became an unmistakable identifier. It was like,
absolutely, you know TNA was something it was or is Impact wrestling such
as it's presented, could easily be confused with WWE. Yes, and you
would never look at a show that has TNA on the ring skirt and TNA
up on them, you know, the rafter uh thing, and say that
it's WWE. It's kind of weird. But from Spike's perspective, the rebrand
was an attempt to bring in more ad sales money. Apparently they thought this
fresh look would would help ad sales, right, I don't know. I
mean they did. They did sell some advertising on the ring and everything,
but it's hard to know if suddenly advertising in the actual body of the linear
TENA Impact broadcast became more appealing. But Spike thought Tenna's scared potential clients those
three letters because it sounded too close to you know, DNA, and that
was just a barrier when it came to talking to advertisers. And of course
that's all Spike hears about can they sell ads against the show? Right,
of course. So the way they looked at it, calling an impact was
a move to becoming more ad sales friendly, and of course, you know,
further enhanced by the fact that the brand doesn't really grow being stuck in
Orlando with a small audience, and they thought they could put the show on
the road and that would make a difference as well. So this makes you
know, the early the first on the road taping we talked about was not
before they renamed the company. It was still TNA, but the second to
where us I guess we can just call them blue rope shows basically, yeah,
right. Meltson wrote that we know that Eric Bischoff and Hulkogan both want
the name gone immediately TNA. That is, Hogan said that it hampers them
in business meetings, which is a joke that it makes it any different,
that it makes any difference. Meltzer says, people fucking care. The TENA
name isn't over, and there's nothing wrong with a change. He writes,
promotions have changed names of the TV show and the promotion since the beginning of
time. The name change never makes any difference in the dynamic of whether people
watch come to the shows, or if the company makes a profit. It's
a goofy name if you don't know it. And the question is, after
nine years of pushing it, how much value does the name have? Honestly,
very little. But a new name won't mean anymore with the current product.
That's the thing. As much as much bellyaching a bishop does about how
TENA didn't invest in themselves when he was there. They made every single fucking
change you can imagine. They got rid of TNA, they changed the whole
look of the show, they try to put it on the road. They
got rid of the six sided ring. They got downplayed and de emphasized the
X division to the point it barely existed. Like you did it all man,
and then everything you wanted and nothing fucking changed. Now. They even
embraced this new slogan they set up like this ad campaign called Wrestling Matters,
and they put Wrestling Matters up on the board. That is going to be
the weirdest fucking thing. Well, because wrestling doesn't matter and impact. Right
now, it doesn't well, wrestling doesn't matter, I mean in general,
right, And I feel like it was misinterpreted. Like when people hear that,
they immediately think like, oh, they're finally going to build a company
around guys who can do five star forty five minute matches. It's like,
No, that's not what I don't think that's what they meant by wrestling matters.
I think what they were trying to say was that what the WWE was
was so not wrestling anymore that just doing wrestling the way they were doing it
like WWF used to do it is preserving wrestling, is making a statement that
wrestling matters enough to do it this way something like that. I mean,
I don't think a company that is always, by necessity going to feature Eric
Bischoff and Hulkogan on the screen fifty percent of the time is trying to go
to market's going to matter. The wrestling in the ring is suddenly gonna matter
more than than they do. But they did it. I don't know if
what they do matters right. I think it should have been nothing matters.
I think that should have been Blair did one fully angle Smowa, Joe,
Tommy Dreamer cut these thirty second commercials. What it really should have been?
What's the matter? What it should have been? What's the matter? M
Impact? What's the matter. Let's get some flavor. This is Mike Tenay
here. I called it First Blue Impact, welcoming ten A viewers and hopefully
more to the first show with the new look, First Blue Impact. What's
a bully? Always a bully? What are you gonna say? But look
around you? Do you like what we've done with a joint? Hum?
Go get an eye? I mean, hey, why no mistake about it.
I know Nick Folly was out here last week taking credit for all of
this, but we all know Mick Foley had nothing to do with it.
If a couple of network executives, real ones up in New York want to
make Impact Wrestling look different, feel different, well hell, we're all about
it. And let's face it, if Mick Foley was really the one behind
it, it would be thumb tax matter, not wrestling matters, right.
I mean, when the hell did he wake up? Look at himself in
the mirror? It see, Frank gotch all of a sudden. Let's be
honest about it. I am being on a Stamits now speaking of New York
City and Hulk Hogan Clerk is in New York right now. Of course he's
having meetings with set executives and Mick Foley. And believe me, when Hulk
is done with Mic Foli in New York, he'll really be done with mcfolio
in New York. Mick, you just went into a gunfight with rubber bullets
tonight. Since Hogan is not here and Folly's in New York, Bishop Rick
Fla and Immortal are you in Sharks? This is our show and we're gonna
take care of some bitsiness. Very cool the way he said bitness there,
Oh, very cool. So a lot of mystery and what the hell he's
talking about. But that was the first blue impact and the reason they had
to jury rate such a complicated explanation, as we'll get to as we marched
through the chronology and in our deep dive portion of things, is that they
unveiled Nick Foley as the representative of the network, the party that was pushing
against Hogan and bishof to do more fan friendly things, sort of like if
we're going to do the storyline, as we'll talk about, where Dixie Carter
loses her court case to try to get TNA back. Well, we still
need somebody to fill that vacuum of who's the power counter to Hogan and Bishop
because they're heels. And so they come up with this notion of the network,
and mcfoli eventually comes out as representative of the network, of course,
and then negotiations and relations fall apart with mcfolian. He leaves before they could
do anything with this, so they have to engineer an explanation of why mcfoli,
who's supposed to be this change agent and rename it to Impact Wrestling and
champion the Wrestling matter slogan, Why all of a sudden when he's gone,
still all these changes that were presented as a slap in the face to Hogan
and Bishoff are still taking place. Why Why is wrestling matters still all over
the arena? Why is the whole set looking different? I think it's exciting.
It is exciting, very exciting, But it was presented as something Folly
was doing to stick it to Hogan and Bishoff, and then Foley leaves the
company and they have to come up with an explanation of why Ian is fine
with it. It sounds fine. They end up doing is just saying the
network sided with Hogan and this New York meeting that he went to with mcfoley
truly fugas. It's like you, I don't where just like Dervedy title rate,
and it's like they do something. You feel like it's a concrete statement
that they've now turned the page and they've got some new stories to unfold,
but they don't lock up the talent that's central to it. And they disappear
before you know step one A can be achieved and they have to, Ah,
where are you disappearing? B Yeah, where he going? Exactly?
What? How many more times could bishof say in New York in that promo?
By the way, Oh god, you know how excited like Dixie got
when she had to go to the offices, like, oh my god,
of course plane she got off the plane that he did a car service.
Oh I love New York. She pretended that there's this one like great cafe
that she knows about. Oh fuck off, you know about the best pizza.
She has an opinion about the best pizza in the city. She you
know, like like she loves you know, you know what she you know,
she loves most. She loves most if she's walking like in Times Square
or whatever. You know, she's wearing sunglasses, you know, dressed really
well, and some tourists comes up to her and asks if she knows where
some places and she loves giving directions. Oh absolutely, if you go down
forty second, right here, two blocks and then you take a ride on
TAMPH you'll go right there. So annoyed, I'm so annoyed how Spike made
all these Florida fucking bumpkins like feel so big time, like it ruined everything.
Like me, it was great exposure for them, is great to have
that television outlet, but man, like it just it just brought this kind
of like, um, this career is and what's the word I'm looking for,
like social climbing aspect to the to TNA that it's just it's a total
joke. But while they're doing television there right exactly, You've got you've got
the fucking Wonder Years kid, right because Dixie's Oh god, I love the
Wonder Years. When I was a kid, I used to watch that show
with my dad. And then TNA purchases, according to The Observer, ad
space on a half a dozen or so billboards, but only in Stanford,
Connecticut to advertise wrestling matters. Oh are you serious? Right next to w
W headquarters. That is hilarious, amazing, um, But I think it
summarizes it well, Dave. The attempts to be the w tow accepted with
blood and using words like skank, shit and asshole and promos that's tnah sounds
good to me. It's bad. So what's what's Hogan got going on?
Because you know, despite being paid a million and a half, he's hardly
minding the store at TNA. Just Bishop most weeks on television, Hogan is
um recuperating from backfusion surgery, and he's got a whole lot of other irons
in the fire. Remember this is the time of how Hogan's life where he
is the mission and the direction to his team is clear. Get me any
fucking sponsorship opportunity that you can find on God's Green, Oh yeah, I
will do it. And interestingly enough that the sort of downfall of his financial
situation and his domestic situation becomes fodder for a special that the twenty twenty television
show does a news magazine show here in the States, sort of an institution
on ABC sure on sort of like the the collateral damage of the reality television
phomenon like, and they interview a series of people that were involved in producing
a lot of the hit reality shows of the genre. Man Hunt no man
Hunt not among them, took off in the late nineties, and one of
the producers they ask, sort of of all the people that have been involved
in these doc follow reality shows documenting their real lives or what's supposed to be
acsimile of their real lives, who suffered the most negative consequences or dipping their
toe into the reality television waters And you better believe that twenty twenty viewers back
here in twenty eleven heard the following hit twenty twenty Reality. The interesting thing
is they all start off not loving the fact that there's microphones and cameras and
everything in their face, and they all leave craving it. Anytime we do
a show, the people we do the show with they have they're sort of
a version of postpartum depression. The camera stop, they become deeply depressed.
Who had the hardest time with that when the cameras went away? The hogans,
Yeah, they're good people. TV has a way, it has a
way of complicating those relationships and there can be unintended consequences. Let me ask
you, was there a second's hesitation in that guy's voice? No? No,
none, Right there, right fucking there? What did it cost the
Hogans? What did it cost our beloved Hulk? Hogan cost him everything?
Everything here he is fucking ten back surgeries, fentnel unbelievable, seriously, so
um, just to make it easier on Hulk. Linda hits the circuit in
twenty eleven big time because her book's coming out. So she's getting booked on
talk shows to talk about Hulk. And you know, she's got that passage
in the book about how Hulk put his hands around her throat once, and
of course that's all anybody wants to talk about. And she's out there,
you know, amplifying that part of the book. She's on the Matt Lower
Show talking about being abused, and so Hulk has got has got to get
out there. She's saying he was she was afraid of his violent outburst,
tore her shirt. We read this passage, I think, on the very
first episode of Total NonStop Hogan, and she went to Peers Morgan show to
talk about it. Um, you know, talking about Hogan's and fidelities and
having a girlfriend before the divorce and the Nick accident and all the rest.
So it's really a tough time for for for Hogan taking these shots from Linda
on the on the circuit, and he's not responding. Um, and a
lot of these published and broadcast reports, he's not saying anything to counter it.
Necessarily. That's not because he doesn't have anything to say. It's because
he just needs I don't know, he just needs the right venue. Of
course, he just needs the right forum. Um, well maybe this is
this is a place he could go to. Eleven Tampa, Flora. Exclusive
comments are failed on the Bubba Blave Sponge show, known for their longtime friendship.
HULLK Cogan spoke exclusively today to naturally syndicated bubbla Loave Sponge, responding allegations
of former wife Linda Hogan makes in a newly released memoir reflecting on her time
with a Hall of Fame professional wrestler. This morning, Linda Hogan was interviewed
by Matt Lauer of NBC's Today's Show promoting a recently published memoir. The Hogan
has refused to respond to any other media outlets Bubba Love Sponge called him direct
for comment, and so what this is is basically a press release promoting that
if you want to hear what Hoak said a Bubba's show, you got to
click an audio link. Ah. So they are in case you thought that
because Bubba left TNA unceremoniously in twenty ten, that there was no distance between
Hogan and his favorite aphot along still us thieves, still relying on the on
the fizz orum that Bubba the Love Sponge provides him, and it's an interesting
time for Bubba. In January of twenty eleven, this headline hits the Tampa
Bay newspapers, Tampa Shock Jock Bubba the Love Sponge leaves Sirius XM for Internet
radio. Wow. He insists this is no fallback position or secondary strategy,
but Tampa Shock Jock Bubba the Love Sponge Clem admits he is taking a chance
establishing his own sweet of internet radio channels. After talks to continue his show
on Sirius XM satellite radio broke down, Clem said Monday there remained an outside
chance that Sirius Starr Howard Stern, a long time friend, might push the
company into crafting a new deal with him, but currently his name and programming
are off the channel, which has been his home since two thousand and six,
back when no traditional radio company would hire a button pushing personality fired by
Clear Channel after earning a seven hundred and fifty five thousand dollars federal fine,
so he start a platform called radioIO dot com where you can hear live streams.
He's off serious. Yeah. In twenty eleven, Yes, thank god,
it's not just Hogan christ It's not just Hogan dealing with the fallout of
divorce. In twenty eleven, Boss one more note on the Bubba front.
As we pulse check the year twenty eleven here on TNH, I'd like you
to share the following. But the listenership, oh great, what that fat
fuck? Local shock jock Bubba the love Sponge Clem files for divorce from the
Saint Petersburg Times September fourteen, twenty eleven. Or what's behind this divorce?
It's something as fans have known for some time thanks to the local shock jock
Bubba love Sponge tendency to talk about his personal life in the radio and in
social media. But Bubba Clem made his split with wife, Heatherclem, official
on Friday filing papers requesting a divorce, less than five years after the two
married at a star stuttered event in Saint Petersburg attended by Hulk Hogan and radio
star Howard Stern. The petition, filed in Penillas County Civil Court, said
the marriage between Bubba Clem, forty five and thirty seven year old Heatherclem is
irretrievably broken and should be dissolved. The Clems separated in March, signing a
settlement agreement developed with help from a mediator, according to the late to this
latest filing. Under the mediated settlement, the couple's assets are to be divided
according to a prenuptial agreement that the pair signed in two thousand and seven,
requiring no alimony and restoring the wife's name to Heather don Cole. Back then,
news that the notoriously explicit on air personality was getting married merited a front
page story the Saint Petersburg Times, as friends and fans alike marveled on such
a traditional move. In this settlement, the couple also agreed not to interfere
with, annoy, molest or harass the other party, or disparage the other
party in public, with special mention made of speaking on air about each other.
That's an important point because Bubba Clem has built his success in radio on
challenging rivals through his show and harshly criticizing opponents, but the shock jock has
encouraged his fans through Twitter to avoid criticizing his departing spouse. During an interview
last week on fellow shock jock Howard Stern's satellite radio show, Bubba Clem declined
to detail the reasons for their split, beyond noting that he worked a lot.
The pair married in January two thousand and seven at First Baptist Church of
Saint Petersburg in a relatively traditional wedding featuring wrestling star Terry Hulk Hogan Balaya as
best man and Stern in the audience, along with former Chicago Tribune Company CEO
Randy Michaels, Randy Savage, Shawn Michaels, Yeah, that's kind of accommodation
too, and several members of Stern's on air crew. The couple didn't have
children during their marriage, but Babba Clem has a son, Tyler, from
a previous relationship, and Heather Clem has a daughter, Julia, also from
a previous relationship. Ababba Love Sponge gets divorced. What could be behind that,
boss, no clue. I can't imagine what, you know, what
could have possibly happened to cause that that relationship to dissolve? And also in
the news in Miami in August, he was going to attend the unveiling of
a nude picture of his daughter. Excuse me, she shot a campaign for
PETA in which he was naked. Okay, you know, hopefully, and
Hogan rep said, quote, the photos of the exhibit are very sophisticated and
classy and just give the illusion of nude or the perception of nude. But
of course to get these shots to shoot itself is fully nude. You know,
I don't know. Don't don't say that they're I'm sorry, you know,
it's such a it's such a stupid thing, you know, if they're
nude, say they're nude, say you know, but they're not really nude
because they're not showing their fucking shit, right, So don't don't even she
was nude at the time the picture was taken. It doesn't self reveals said
nudity, right, It's not a nude photo because she's covered up. A
nude photo implies tits and puss. Correct. That's why Huks showed up in
while a judge using to release Nick Balia from his sentenced five years of probation
as the request was made. Um. It's reported that Nick had been sentenced
to a revocation of his license for three years, but when moving to California
eighteen months later, he was able to get a license there after this whole
fucking fiasca. Um. He had been released from from prison. It was
twenty one years old, living in California near his mother, and you know,
had a series of community service and other things to do. But as
if twenty eleven, Nick Bola locked up for the John Graziano crashes out of
jail, so no more m Yeah, recorded jailhouse phone calls for the Hulkster
to worry about all right, Um that Hogan sues Wells Fargo that gets dismissed
in twenty eleven. Um. He claimed that they didn't inform him, inform
him as we talked about before, that he was actually not adequately covered in
his insurance in the in the event of an accident like what happened with his
son and that that um lack of insurance caused him to lose a substantial amount
of money in the out of court sentiment with the Graziano family, which was
rather hilarious during the deposition readings to hear the lawyer trying to bleed the number
out of Hulk. Yeah, and the lawyer constantly interjecting, trying to prevent
him from saying the number, but eventually it pretty much came out. So,
Yeah, Linda Balay is on the circuit. She's saying, among other
things, that she was afraid she would become the next Nicole Simpson to take
that whole Wow. Wow. They sell the bel Air House for um most
a nine point two asking price, down from a initial offer of twenty million
dollars price. It had been the market for five years according to reporting.
And and so it's all all of the trappings of the life Hulk Hogan built
and his one of a kind pro wrestling career are falling by the wayside rapidly.
Let's hear Hogan on Good Morning America around this point in time. The
interview was set up to promote the Micro Championship wrestling television show on True TV
that he and bischof Hervy Entertainment worked on together. But he's got a range
of things to cover, and please note what he doesn't mention as well.
And you try to kill her? Yeah, yeah, I mean that's an
insane Does that hurt you when you hear that? No, it doesn't.
It just makes me feel really sad for her, It really does, because
we pray for her every night, and we pray that she finds closure and
happiness and it gets rid of this crazy, delusional situation that she actually believes.
I think what she says at this point. When I spoke to Linda
in two thousand and nine, she told us her biggest fear came from Hogan's
reaction to her boyfriend Charlie Hill, thirty years her junior and a former classmate
of her children. Hogan told Rolling Stone magazine he understood why oj did what
he did and could do the same. I thought, it's possible. I
don't want to be a Nicole Simpson situation. I don't know if he could
go there or not. Are you violent outside of the ring at all?
No? And not in the home. No, I'm not. I mean
when we were going to the divorce and she was with her eighteen year old
boyfriend. If I even was in the same town with her, she would
file charges if I looked at her the wrong way at a red light and
one the hen me poot in jail. So if I beat her up for
twenty three years, why you didn't we talk about this is divorce and why
all of a sudden is it coming out now when our books come out?
So it's the whole thing is just so crazy for me. Hogan dealt with
another bloating. He'll rebuilding his life and recently married Jennifer McDaniel, had twelve
back surgeries and is digging himself out of financial ruin. He lost millions,
one hundreds of millions, thing lost, hundreds of ye our houses being bought,
the cars being boughten vacations for family members. There's eight nine to ten
million les million going out, so it got way off. How are your
finances now? You're getting better? Yeah, I'm living in a rental house.
Would you call yourself rich? Would you call your No, no,
no, I'm living in abundance. It's not like what it was. No,
no, no no. But I'm happy now. So money can't buy
you happiness. It helps, it helps get through the desk. It helps
make things easier, but it's good nothing to do with being happy. So
for now, whole Cogan is focused on doing what Hogan knows best. What
you're gonna do. When my micro Championship Wrestlers, Brother, Wow, that
was really good. I've done I've done it a couple of times. And
the show Hogan's micro Championship Wrestling airs Wednesday Night's on True TV. Brother,
just the foot. What do you hear there, Boss Sunny? Dis I
hear, I hear lies, I hear falsity is what I hear? I
hear a guy who who is just trying to who's putting on the act,
yes, correct, of of seeming important, of of you know, trying
to be carefree. Yeah, don't, don't. Don't fucking tell me that.
Uh brother, you know what money helps to you, but you know
it doesn't doesn't create happiness. Bullshit, bullshit, all right, that's all
you need to be happy? And until you killed Gawker, all right,
you were miserable. Correct because if you you know, honestly, because I
look at it like this, you know all these lawsuits, you know,
it's it's it's curious to me that so many lawsuits kind of came up after
the divorce. You know, Yeah, he's suing this person, he's suing
fucking comes up with all these suits because he had to pace it a huge
settlement to her into the Grazianos. I mean it's like, you know,
your spine's gonna get it well as far Ago is gonna get it. Right.
You know, everybody and their mom is gonna get fucking sued by Hulkogan
until he's comfortable to get five from TNA and go on fucking Good Morning America
and not say a peep about it, right, and I mean thinking about
it too, Like how many fucking lawsuits has he been involved with since Gawker
None. That's the story right there. The fact that look, look he's
spending money on lawyers and stuff so we can get quick fucking cash from anybody
who may have fucking you know, uh said something negative about him or done
something to him. Pretty amazing. He's voicing a character in the video game
Saints Row three. Uh wow. He also has a video game come out
called Hulk Hogan's Main Event. Have you heard of that game? I remember
that? Yeah, it's fucking atrocious that game. Yes, yes, It's
one of those games where like was the only licensed wrestler and the rest were
like fax him, a load of real wrestlers with fake names. Right,
it was just like an arcade game, and there was no, um,
there's no skill to it. But you have like, uh, you'd have
like a brunto chicken pie sounds about right and sounds about delicious. And then
Hulk does an appearance, according to the Observer, builds his talk show for
fans. But it ended up being a pitch to get in on a multi
level marketing business. Brother, I mean, Hulk Hogan's basically selling time shares
now three hundred people at ten bucks ahead Hogan and Bischoff. Of course,
Bischoff involved pitching body by Vye Oh my God. Protein powder company of course,
of course clearly inferior to Titan, but probably the manufacturer of the product
that Sting shoves in his mouth and that in ring angle to build down for
glory. Most of the people there Meltzer Rights were the older Hogan fans.
You imagine that a room full of hulkamaniacs hearing it. Brother, Also,
do you know what, brother, what I'm what I'm thinking about, Dude,
I want you to picture this, okay, brother, because I think
that you know, I'm you know, obviously I love the beach, dude,
and I'm definitely prefer Florida. But what about what about you know,
we create Cavava, an obscure old place up in the northeast, brother,
right, kind of like on the coast, on the coast of you know,
of Maine, and we call it the Hulka Maine Estates. It's catchy
if nothing else, or the Kingdom of Hulka, Maine. We you shut
up at this thing. They're playing clips off his match against Kurt Hennig and
the one x WF taping they did because since the only matchup phys he has
rights to air in public. And Horace Hogan's there talking about how it's changed
his life. His nieces are there talking about how it's changed their lives.
Multi level marketing, you know the gimmick, right, Yeah, yeah,
taking inventory and hope to get other people. You really make money by getting
other people involved in selling the stuff, not by actually selling the stuff.
Yeah, Leslie's there. Not Jimmy Hart though, who left TNA and kind
of had a split with with with Hulk and went to WWE in early twenty
eleven, Bishop is MC talking about I don't know why I should buy this
product. Here's a sample, and this is what this is what Helk's doing.
Hit Hogan and body by ye please all right? Wait, I got
it? Is there one or two? There's two? Okay? Shoot which
one's which? Well one says two and one doesn't. I think, yeah,
but I can't see the night. Okay, I got one. Thank
you, Ho Ho Hogan. Santa Claus was good to me this year,
Guys. I got the only thing that I wanted that was the fit Kit.
It's all. I asked Santa for it, and he brought it right
to me. Let me tell you, getting in shape this year is gonna
be a piece of cake because the first thing you do is start out with
the goat to get jump and running, and then you take the pro to
get you through that tough workout. But I always have to make a tough
decision in the very beginning, the protein or the cookie. Today I started
with a cookie and I seal the deal with my favorite protein. I want
to know what you're gonna do when your train, say your prayers and take
your fit kit and get in the best shape of your life. It's game
on with the Thit Kit. We're on a mission now, and our mission
is to spread the word worldwide. Brother, that's what it's all about.
This is excitement personified. And for all the Fit Kit and maniacs who ordered
the Fit Kit in January, I'm getting ready to go back to biceps right
now, and I'm gonna show you my secret workout how I'm gonna blow past
Blake Mallin. Brother, guys, sign up now. It's time for the
special bicep arm workout. But you gotta sign up in January. Don't tell
anybody else. It's pathetic. That's pathetic. It's the matter with him.
It's me so sad. Yeah, seriously us don't tell anybody. Brother the
cookie Hogan, Dude, cookie, I got the cookie. Brother, I
chomped out on the fucking cookie. And what he says, we have to
spread it worldwide. It's like a brother. We're gonna spread it, dude,
We're gonna spread the fucking shit worldwide. Brother, Terry cut cut Terry.
Sorry, Hey, Hulk, Hulk, listen first, great wonderful,
wonderful stuff. I love. I think everyone can agree. Your your your
energy is contagious. But you know, we can't say, we can't say
fuck her anything like that. We get it, you know this for families
and stuff stuff to me. I mean, bro, dude, I'll understand.
Brother. I we'll do We'll do it again. We'll do it again
and uh roll camera and action. Ho ho hogan. Brother, it's after
fucking Christmas. Cut cut h hulk again. I think I tell you wonderful.
Just I love it director, bullshit, it's so good and I can
feel you feel I can feel about it. But again, get it.
You know I'm gonna watch them. Oh, brother, a dude, you
know what. I get so taken up. Brother, I understand you.
I gotta dial it in. I understand. Yeah, yeah, yeah,
you know what that's when it is dial it in, you know. Yeah,
brother, I'll get this thing back on track, dude, I'll get
it back on track. That's perfect, thank you, Yes, yes,
all right, all right, you're good, you're good. Do you want
a moment, brother, I'm good, dude, we got this. I'm
I'm here, dude. Ooof yes, yes, hoof, hoof, hoof
everybody, hoof, hoof, Paul Cogan hoof. Brother. Alright, alright,
alright, alright, alright, uh, roll camera, sound, camera,
everybody, settle, deep breath and action. Fucking a l comed extrade,
he says, hold on, let me make sure I get this right.
He says after action, after being warned about swearing before, he says,
right off the bat, fucking a holkamaniacs du tnh. It is total.
Don't stop argan, Oh god no. As we go through the show,
we'll get to the point where he does a full retirement speech on impact
as part of Yes and I want you to listen closely to this next piece
of sound from his association with Body by Vie. This is a video where
he seems to be talking vibe. By the way, what is it?
Who's vibe? No, I didn't bother to look, don't care. Yeah,
yessum. But he's talking to what appeared to be two executives from the
company on a commercial shoot, and it's almost like it's like a documentary kind
of approach to it, where they're like eavesdropping on a conversation he's having.
And funnily enough, a lot of the phraseology he uses and talking to these
two executives is the same phraseology he uses in his on screen retirement promo on
impact of course, but um but Hogan Nutrition dot com was the place to
be back then. Here is uh, here's a little bit more sound of
him explained, this is what I like to think of. This is this
is twenty eleven Hulkogan, two thousand and ten, Hulkogan in his element,
trying to like, you know, give people the line of bullshit where they
just nod along and you know, genuflect because he's whole Coogan. But really
a word he's saying doesn't make any fucking sense, but he's basically what he's
trying to do. It's he's sort of trying to desperately lock down a seat
at the table with this company because he smells money here. And these these
guys are really tan, just like those doctors that convinced him to a laser
spine when he was down and out and he saw a tan young doctor and
that that that was so telling, wasn't it? In the deposition, Oh
my god, tan young tan doctor. He really said that as if it
was like a meaningful thing to him in terms of like a marker of quality
like that this person like he wants, like Hulk it's no surprise that he's
like tilting towards like scientology and stuff. He like he's taken by like this
really bright, sunny disposition kind of person, you know what I mean.
Yeah, it's like he wants nothing more than for somebody to just work him
into happiness. Yeah, and pretend just work worked happiness around him at all
times, you know, to hide the carney inside and h And I think
these two that he's talking to in this piece of sound fit that bill just
as well. Hit Hogan body by V Two all right to book. It's
the same thing I've said. I've made millions of dollars, but I've never
made it a million dollars. I mean, you know, you have to
work your ass off. You can't seven and answer really generate revenue. And
you know this is a place where you can change or refe because you know,
one doesn't you know, make it happy. But it makes sense easier
to you know, it makes it easier to move through what we have to
do. And this is a lot of long listening, put the time and
know you guys are doing you know that kind of tell you you guys better
than anybody. But yeah, this is one of those deals, man,
It's for real. I mean this everything has a run in life. You
know, some guys getting wrestling business like Stone Poles Teas and you have like
a four or five years run. You know I've had number a thirty year
run my top. Oh my god. Everything in life has a run.
It's gonna be married for six months, to be married for sixty years,
depends on how long you run. Is well, this company is gonna have
a run too. And the run can be ten years, run can be
hundreds of years. These guys for real. So that's that's right. It
cut him off. They're just like smiling at him, like is he gonna
stop with this thing that's taking We just want to stop talking. We just
want to make a quick payday off. You like right, you know right?
You know what I mean. He doesn't understand what he's being used.
He always thinks he's being brought in in partnership. It's like, no,
no, I just want you to dress up and you know, do your
thing, and you know what we can do. Brother, I got some
ideas, ok, I got ideas. We shoot first. Brother, I
knowed you, but you know what I want to talk about because idea is
kind of how we're gonna move this thing forward. Brother. You know,
I'm thinking, you know, Body by Bye, we could take this to
the next level. Dude. We got yeah, we got you think about
it in terms of of of you know, where where are we going with
this? Brother? You know, what's kind of the endgame? Dude?
You know, and I gotta think. I think that Body by Vye could
be that next big thing, brother in terms of you know, in terms
of of wellness, fitness, the whole thing. Brother. So I want
to, you know, I just want to sit down and kind of and
kind of like run some things by you because I think I think you know,
I don't I don't want to put myself you know, I don't want
to. I don't want to be too forward about this. But what I'm
thinking is, I think would be I could be a little bit more than
just a spokesperson, you know, I could I could be a partner in
this, brother, and kind and kind of help you guys take things,
you know, because I understand dude, you know, you guys have the
product, brother, But I'm whole Coogan and I could you know, I
got that kind of that notoriety, you know, I got that street cred
brother, you know, I'm always working on that street crizzle. So I
think, you know, we could kind of get that together, brother,
and you and I, you know, we could kind of put things down,
dude, and and and and take things up. Brother. So I
just want to talk turkey. Did you say put things down and take things
up? Because you just said back to back? How can both be true?
Why do you think he mentioned Stone Cold only had a four year to
run like that because because he had a thirty Because I'm gonna have a thirty
year run still going. Come on, It makes it sound like he's gonna
You know, you got these guys you go on. You know, you
got guys like like Stone Cold, brother, or you get guys like The
Rock Dude. You kind of have these great you know, wrestling careers that
work five years. You know, everybody has Brother, Everyone's gonna run,
dude. You know everyone's had bad time, you know, whole Coogan.
I'm still doing my run, brother, over thirty years, brother, working
that working that main event circuit, dude. And that's the kind of stuffing
that I can bring to body by vine brother, you know, and again
God helping you guys take it to that next level change you know this can
change your life. I mean, brother, this can change your life,
dude, and I can help change many more people's lives with this. Brother,
I just used you to sign this paper, whether it's going to seal
the deal with you sign that. I just gonna sign this paper, brother
saying that I own body bye bye. Just sign that, brother. Oh,
it just says I own body, bye bye and crayon, So I'm
not too worried about it. I'll sign it, and uh the sader maybe
a documentary that doesn't even doesn't even say Hull Cogan. It says I I
own body, bye bye. Could be anybody change his name to I body
by I what I Hogan? What did you? Brother? I hope people
realize by now at this point of the journey that what we have done is
taken the whole Cogan brother, which was always said, you know it,
always mocked and always yes lampooned as a brother period, and we've permanently changed
it to brother question mark. Yeah. And just the profound change you get
between the period and question mark absolutely and all that entails. I think I
don't know. I may I suggest a brother question mark T shirt boss bang,
you know, not a bad idea. I think that's the most powerful
thing we've achieved over the course of this journey. The Sadermania documentary comes out.
Of course, Chris Sader is known as the ultimate hulkamaniac. I think
he lives in Illinois. He's got like a big shrine Hulk in his house
and has the most merchandise and the collectibles and all that shit. There did
a documentary that came out in twenty eleven as well about how big of a
fan he was, so Hulk popping up in light both favorable and unfavorable,
in flattering and unflattering in the mainstream, but certainly nary a mention of total
NonStop action wrestling all the way through here in twenty eleven, and one last
indignity before we dive into the chronology of matches and Impact segments that we're going
to be taking a look at to better understand the You know, the first
three quarters of twenty eleven for Hulkogan is on the T and A website.
Just as they were promoting the episode of Impact where Hulkogan was to give his
retirement speech in the middle of the ring, which of course turned out to
be a total work to turn him heel and build the Sting match. There's
another banner on the same website promoting Bound for Glory Hogan versus Sting. Oh
my god, are you serious? And in another page from the book,
boss of Hogan's getting mainstream attention and never mentioning T and A even though they
pay him two million dollars file Guess What? Massive Network Television primetime game style
reality show Hulk. Coogan made an appearance on right around the time he learned
to impact in March of twenty eleven. I was he on. I feel
like I wouldn't know this tonight is the nation has spoken and both of you
guys are not safe tonight? Brother brother what? What? What do you?
What? Are you not safe? Dude? What I mean? You're
really not safe? To night? Brother what? And they're a brother from
there? You know something, guys, I've got some really really good news
and I've got some really really bad news. The good news is both of
you guys are safe, Oh my god, and both of these guys are
going on tour. Brother what? And the bad news is you, mister
Ryan Seacrest, You're not safe? And this this is to merchant no what
the fuck's he doing on that? I had no clue actually on that.
They I don't know. I mean, it seems like the two finalists are
on stage, the curtain goes up, Hogan's doing the pose. Everyone pop,
he comes out, he tears the shirt and then he gives Ryan Seacrest
a phantom right hand like he gives you know, mister Anderson a right hand
on Spike and Seacrest goes flying off the stage into a bunch of people there
to catch him. Because it's real, but it's the most phantom, like
totally exposed the business cell job uh no crank Aruski for uh for Ryan Seacrest.
How seacrested mouth off to him about how it's fake and Indian. I
can you imagine Seacrest was a willing participant, and you know, all of
a sudden, fucking Seacrest, I'll you get him in there fucking headlock and
he's out. But I believe Hogan's back was to the stage the whole time
though, damn right, brother, you're not safe. Give me a break,
brother, What I mean those were anxious You guys are safe, brother,
But I'm not safe, dude, So what why I'm why am I
not safe, brother, of course, tell me I'm not safe all premium
inventory that hull Copen was occupying his in twenty eleven. I think we've already
established that. But what's one more, right, boss? Hey, that's
that's that's the truth. I mean more that stain might be a problem.
Who hi, hule Cogan here, that shirt has been ruin, but not
with our magic. Use it bull string or dissolved in water and shine on.
It removes even the toughest stains. It's even safe on little hands.
It's tough enough to get the tough stains out, but gentle enough for any
surface with other blood, iodine, burnt on mess or even russ pal Magic
dissolves those stains away. It's activated by water. Micky's window curtains go from
dull and dirty too bright and white. Just that easy. Use it with
a shamination to clean up bullstry, make your metals shine and get that dirt
out of your grout. Magic uses tiny volcanic microparticles that breaks and tough grime
and oily messes. Magic puts the power of pummis in the palm of your
hand. What are you gonna do? Filthy stains? Oh my God on
the power of the pummice. You're talking about cleans you up? Brother?
You talk about two sides, I mean power of the pummice, I mean
power can your hands go quick enough to pro wrestling teas dot com upload function?
Talk about two sides of the spectrum, and I'm not gonna say which
spectrum? Hulk Hope, oh man? I mean by twenty eleven, what
a goof the most successful wrestler of all time is an infomercial as seen on
television? Uh performer for higher Yeah, I mean, what's the problem.
I mean, I know that we know that that's the way it goes.
Brother. He also found the lawsuit in twenty eleven against Southland Imports in the
sun Trup Automotive Group out of Saint Louis, claiming they were stealing his catchphrases
in a TV commercial. Oh shit, here we go the commercials we're using
wrest on lingal like body slamming, bad brothers, tired of wrestling for good
deals, complaining they imitated his voice in catchphrases such as brother calling biceps guns.
I don't think they said pull the nose up on this thing, though.
I mean, I mean, there are a lot of people who call
biceps guns, not just Haul Cogan, like, there are a lot of
people who do well. Before you get too far defending this auto group,
they did call the audience hulkamaniacs, and all right, well there you go.
That's conferring with the holster um. But yeah, so that's just he
just he is and make fourteen burners going. He's gotta fucking make a buck.
He's gotta make back that money. You know, he's he's got a
lifestyle that he was comfortable with and it's been taken away from him because of
that. That that that that fucking Jezebel Linda. It's absolutely phenomenal and it's
an absolutely essential part of the Hulk Hogan story. I mean, you can
talk all you want about his glory days, but if you don't understand twenty
ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, it's what it all comes down to
that matter. It's true. It's true, absolutely totally, because you know
what it's everyone, you know, everyone in their life has a glory period.
It's where you end up. Everyone has a run, like he said,
yeah, and so everyone has a run. It's also the problem is
he's still running some flame wars with the wrestling community. Still, there was
a Twitter war in March, around the time he returned to TNA between himself
and Bret Hart. This is beckwhen Twitter was still novel enough that people didn't
really have like an etiquette down yet. It was like people kind of thought
of it almost as public, but somehow private messages. People hadn't right,
you know, fully comprehended the degree to which Twitter spats could really get out
of control and become a shoot and Brett on Twitter said Hogan's nothing but a
two face, backstabbing steroid freak who deserved everything he got. Hogan came back
with, you know, listen to where Brett speaking from. He's done everything
he's saying I did, which is the most hosterism ever. Oh my god,
what about you, dude? Dude? I mean brother, you know,
if we're talking, I mean, if we're gonna talk, turkey,
dude, you know, why don't we you know, you're talking about stuff.
Why aren't you saying this stuff about yourself? Dude? Heart responded to
Hogan when he said you've done everything I did? You know what he wrote?
Oh god, that's not what John Grazzi, I know thinks dick head
oh Man twenty. I mean Goodford, you know, I mean I think
they're there. Well, I don't like good for you, Brett, but
I think he could have. You know, I appreciate the standing up for
the bullshit, but you know, we're standing up against the bullshit. But
you know, I think they could have think it of You know, that
was a low blow. Brother Hogan comes back and talks about negative losers that
are so better because their own lives are going nowhere. I feel so bad
for them. I mean, how about one more for the road? Brett
felt that way about after reading a laser spine deposition, and then he because
it's all Cogan. It's not enough just to have a war of rhetoric.
You have to fabricate timetables too to make your point. A lot of times
I feel like the wrestler brain, trickly Hogan's brain, to some degree Russo's
brain. They work like this, like, when do I ever feel in
my life that I've done a partial kindness to me? And how can I
sort of retrofit that kindness I vaguely remember doing for them as something that was
a completely pivotal moment in our relationship and something that you'll remember be forgotten.
And if Hogan's having trouble remembering a kindness he did for Brett Hart, he'll
just make one up, right, How about this one? Hogan goes on
to say in this back and forth, when asked when y w stub you
never did Hogan versus Brett in a big pay per view match? Quote he
was coming off a stroke. Oh well, I assume they were talking,
you know, two thousand and two. Brother, Yeah, after Deb's went
under. Yeah, what I mean? He was coming off a stroke and
we were all concerned about his health. We had some house show match.
Brother even stayed at my house. My kids love him, dude, I
mean, fuck brother? What what now? Would those kids include Nick Teeney,
Hulk Star, would include Nico? Nah? Yeah, I think blade
grabbed? You know brook Teeny's tits brother? Sure? Hold, you didn't
grab the blade before going out to the rain? Brother? What? What?
What is huvant comment with bred Hart? They both bring blade to the
arena just in case I had my blades? Brother? Oh yeah, tell
me more, Terry. Any other things you didn't have that you say you
had? I what? I know that one was a little too on the
nose those. But speaking of Nick, I mean we talked earlier about how
we'd now been sprung from jails on probation, living with his near his mom
in Los Angeles, got a driver's license again. And he's also been engaged
at at age twenty, according to jamz Wow, to a woman by the
name of Brianna Tesse, and I apologize if I'm mispronouncing that name. Around
May, reports hit the gossip sites that the two are an item or at
least on the road to being wed. Didn't go down that way because Brie
ends up Brianna ends up surfacing again later as one of Nick Cannon's many baby
MAMASO damn right, so damn right. I think it was just last year.
I think that she took to Instagram to announce that Nick Cannon had finished
inside of her and so, um what so nicktine and getting around fake engagement
to uh infamy. So he's just going down the right path, isn't he.
Boss. He really came out swinging. Oh man, what a fucking
goofball. And there's something perhaps with even more gravity to the Hulkster, if
you can believe it. After all, we've delineated here that happens to him
in calendar year two thousand and eleven, and it also occurs in May.
On May twentieth eleven, Macho Man Randy Savage passed away, Oh yeah,
as a result of that vicious car crash in Seminole, Florida, later attributed
to a heart attack due to heart disease that he suffered behind the wheel.
And it was very uh, it was interesting. We've heard many times going
through this TNA shows Boss when Hogan, you know, was doing backstage skits
and he'll just shout out the Macho Man for no reason, right right,
Oh yeah, totally. I'll say, like you know, like the Mancho
Man used to say, and it's kind of weird. It's like, what's
he doing here? You know? Does he has he reconciled with Savage?
Is he? Is this what whole Coogan would consider an olive branch to the
Mancho Man, had they reconciled, he would wait until Savage was dead to
say that they in fact had, of course, or at least as far
as I can tell, he never I would wait until he was dead too
before I say it. I can tell he never spun this yarn about meeting
up with Savage at a doctor's office by chance, and hitting it off again
until after Randy Savage had passed away. Wow, but that was the story
that he ran into him at a doctor's office and they had a conversation and
Savage invited him to a barbecue or something like that, and of course Hogan
never went. But that's according to other parties who you may ask, well,
barbecue did? What do you mean if you thought that the arrows that
the Hoaxter was taking from every conceivable direction had all been accounted for by this
part of our TNH journey, you were forgetting about one very very significant agitator
as it regards the Hulkster, who emerged hard as he ever would be.
I mean nothing. The only thing harder is the sound of his face slapping
the concrete and Phoenix when he dropped dead after the Hall of Fame. The
Ultimate Warrior life is pain. Do you remember when Warrior suddenly just started releasing
a series of YouTube videos talking about all of Hulk's indiscretions vaguely? I do,
Yeah, so's twenty eleven. Oh my god, All of a sudden,
Warrior has had enough, and to hear him tell it in these videos,
the final straw was the representations that Hogan was making about Randy Savage and
the state of their relationship after he passed away. So, Warrior, you
know, he promises a lot more than he delivers. You know how that
goes in wrestling, of course. You know, watch my next video and
we'll give you the whole story and then it's like twenty minutes with maybe three
and a half seconds of actual world new revelations. But uh I put together
Ah, I guess what they call in the industry a sizzle real boss,
all right, give it to me. Yeah, this is um the bombshells
that Warrior Jim Helwig formerly Jim Helwig was sort of telling himself he was dropping
on the world as everyone piles on Hulk Hogan in two thousand and ten and
two thousand and eleven. It's open season. You know, Linda's out there
with the book. As we talked about, Um, he's suing everybody,
He's being sued. Um, it's all, it's all just part of the
the TNH experience. And now absolutely give it give it to me. I
mean, do you think do you think he has anything to say about wife
swapping? Uh? Yeah, do you think he has anything to say about
the gimmicks in the Fannie Pack. Yes, let's fucking go, Warrior rest
in peace. You know, until last week, it never crossed my mind
that I wanted to spend the time or make the effort to say what I'm
going to say here today. And the main reason is, although I knew
Terry had really messed up as why and was continuing to mess it up in
a really bad way. I have been delightfully That's the great that's a great
word to use. I've been delightfully caught up in the beauty and wonder of
my own life. And I built that life up without having to depend on
paying attention to wrestling, without having to involve myself in wrestling, without paying
attention to what's going on in the lives of the talent, and especially what's
for running the messed up life of Terry Ballet. I mean, I really
just didn't care. I didn't give a rat's ass how far down the whole
his life was going, oh wow, or what it meant to other people
his behavior in the last few years. Then Randy died, he had his
accident, and he passed away, and I read some things. I saw
some things I heard some things. I did a lot of thinking, like
I talked about in the tribute, Did you think something soon realized? And
I just I couldn't keep my mouth shut any longer about this about some things
that I've been seeing that I needed to speak up. I just couldn't stay
silent. And if not so much for me, because I've made my life
work outside the sick and selfish world that Terry Ballet is still operates it in.
Wow, he's on fire. I know you who who what? And
you know I know you. You know that I know the real you.
You know what. I know that when you think about the wrestling world in
your mind, there was only room for Terry Bala and nobody else. You
know that. I know what kind of malicious and backstabbing operator you are.
You have a long running reputation for being a liar and a fraud and a
phony. There are days, Terry, where you do do nothing but sit
around and or cocaine. Take the kind of vitamins you take, the kind
of vitamins that you take, Terry, you need to have a prescription brother,
gimmick bag you wear around your waist that you're never without. That's where
you carry all your gimmicks so you can stay high all day. Let's get
keep in mind. Wow, like that you and Linda had an open marriage.
Brother, you were both hors that did slototy stuff on your side.
Neither one of you had a problem with the other one getting thrills on the
side. Yes, in fact, Terry, you tried to get me to
sample those thrills. And I bet I'm the same time that ever said no
to doing your wife dirty laundry. Terry paranoid and fearful of other guys getting
over, but you hated confrontation. You always to say, I hold my
enemy's close. Brother, the do rag I mean, you're still wearing the
dou rag Man, You're almost sixty years old, still doing the gimmick,
wearing the fifty cent sunglasses you buy down on Venness Beach by the dozen.
Wow, he's going in? Yeah, that get in talking? Was it
worth it to speed your ego, the gimmicks, ego, the GISs like
a clown And I've never need um any decorum? WHAT'SO all for? Professional
saying? Wow? To walk in and just start doing the gimmick? Brother,
exactly, your flap of extensions. Feel backs like those are extensions.
Man. Oh brother, he's laughing his ass off with his big white teeth.
I know, isn't a work? Life For most people isn't a work?
He said. They can't afford the serious damages that come at damage,
the stupid choices. You're a wealthy man, you can you can behave immaturely
and irresponsibly, and whatever price has to be paid, you can afford to
pay it. When you lose one multimillion dollar house, she just moved to
another multi billion dollar house. For as long as you can anyway. Huh.
Look, other people can't do that. I realistic records, dude,
brother, what do you mean you bet at the assessor's office? Did brother?
You can records? Brother? Do you give my records? By the
example you've set of how to fuck up a life? Oh? Is that
not why we do it? Oh? God, let's go, Warrior the
fuck as detestable as he'll go down as I mean, let's go. That's
I mean, listen, Yes he is detestable. He said a lot of
really fucked up things. But I'll tell you you know in terms of you
know, if you have, if you have the thick skin to withstand this
ship that he says, it's a it's a it's a it's a fucking comedy.
Fon, dude, do you expect such money quotes to come from an
upstanding You need a fucking bottom feeder within three years? No, it's it's
more than that. Sorry. Within uh, let's think here, when a
warrior get inducted fourteen? Yeah, three years. I was right. Three
years. They're acting like it's all under the bridge. How hard did he
just go in on Holgan? I mean he went he said things that you
don't come back from. But because they're both fucking phonies exactly. You know,
they they make up. You know when when when when the attention you
know comes, you know, they get an opportunity. Yeah, Hogan famously
sought him out backstage at the Hall of Fame and cameras. I don't know,
just happened to be rolling when they had a heart to heart about it.
If I ever said anything, brother, to upset you, I apologize.
I apologize to you. You know, brother, You're not a way
back dude, you know I you know, I was thinking about it,
brother, I mean, you know, you and I came up around the
same time. Brother, you know, and and and and you not.
You know, we both fed off each other. Brother. We got to
kind of think about it. You know, we always the thing about about
us, dude, is that we always took things that next level. Brother.
You know, every other guy around there, dude, you know they
did their thing, brother, but when you and I were there, you
know, things kinda taken up to the next notch dude. So you know,
I mean, that's something special that nobody else had. Brother. Do
you think when Warrior died, when Savage died, when Paul Horndorff died,
when others died, that h spoken of the Hulkster over the years and made
industry out of speaking ill of the Hulkster. Do you think Hulk kind of
sat down with kind of a grin on his face and said, that's karma,
dude, Look it's karma. Oh. Absolutely. With this John three
sixteen shirt on m just stroking stroking the fu, so stroking the fu,
I think we've made our point here in part one of our next episode here
of TNH end of twenty eleven was a banner year for the Hulkster. Jesus
Christ, and it's not just in the pages of newspapers and gossip rags and
websites, but it's also in the TNA wrestling to the fusion surgery, Hulk
Coogan is not only ready to step back into the Impact Zone and TNA tapings,
he is actually prepared to wrestle once again against sting At Bound for Glory.
Absolute fuck is going on here. An interview with the Monday Night Him
radio show in twenty eleven, he said, quote, if you would have
asked me two months ago, I would have said, no way. If
I could get six and a half months since the surgery under my belt,
I'd pretty much know the answer to that. If he can go again,
if I did land wrong or something, just don't know if all this hardware
and stuff would hold together. Ass you're ready to find out if the hardware
in fact holds together. Ah? Yes, I need to know if the
hardware holds together next time on TNH take the Journey through Impact As was received
by US fans all the way up until Hulk Coogan's match against sting It Bound
for Glory twenty eleven, the Hulkster yes were turned to the ring. It's t