It's the dawn of a new year here in total NonStop Hogan. It's two
thousand and twelve, ten years TNA Wrestling has been in existence. God,
you'd think you'd think they've been fucking working for what fifteen minutes. There's a
Slam Aniversary, if you will, coming at about the midpoint of the year,
and the first six months of two twelve will be in focus for us
here as the Hulkster, entering his second year under TENA employee, or at
least as an on screen TENA presence, is about to enter a new phase.
We've talked a lot over the years and covering whole Coogan's career about different
iterations of him being something of a general manager figure an administrator. All the
way back in nineteen ninety nine. Vince Rousseau had that in mind for him
when he took over. Sure, and it always ends up with the Hulkster
somehow getting into a situation where the belt is involved and he's still teasing a
match or wrestling a match. No matter how much bookers have tried to reposition
and recast him into a general manager type role, it's just the nature of
the Hulkster. I mean he's going to look to the left. He's going
to look to the right. It's just the nature of Hulkamania exactly. I
mean, you know, people keep thinking this thing's dead, right, People
keep wanting to marry this thing. People keep wanting to right. This thing's
abtuary dialing this thing in, dude, but the thing just keeps getting dialed
in. Last time we were you wait, last time we were with you.
On TNH, the Holkster did get back into the ring for a fight,
not a match, of course, against sting at Bound for Glory two
thousand and eleven, But two twelve is really the year Boss or hul Cogan
just puts down, puts down the tools, so to speak, and actually
dives entirely into a role as as mouthpiece, as administrator, as general manager.
And the results well they're not necessarily pretty thoughts um. I mean,
it's it's not even that it's not pretty. It's just like, I honestly
feel that it's just the same shit over and over and over and over again.
It give me an it give me an extra polution, an exposition.
What is the thing they keep telling us over and over again, that that
that the only thing that's worthwhile. Our backstage segments featuring Hulk Coogan, that's
it, backstage segments where he is or or a Hogan for that matter.
You know, doesn't have to be Hulkogan these days. Ah Hogan. Um
you know where where he's he's talking nonsense. He's he's he's like he's supposedly
making matchups that we all want to see. Right, he's in charge of
the business. Yet he doesn't want to be in charge of the business.
Brother, and I mean we're back, it's January fourth all over again.
It's no no joke, like literally it comes down to that, and he
plays the whole fuckingle brother. Dude, Dude, I'll bend down this rule
before, brother, and I don't. I just don't want to do that.
Dude. Well it's the wheelhole who and now that's the he is,
you know, broke in the chains from Eric Bischoff. Do you do you
understand? This is what I don't mean me understand the whole time we've been
seeing the real hullk Cogan, all right, the Hulk Hogan that that that
goes one way one time and goes one way the other way, then combined
the two then Criss crosses one way, that makes random decisions and then and
in the end, all he does is have his hand raised because he wons
something. The Hulk Hogan who licks the tip of his index finger and puts
it to the fucking wind right right, and whichever way, whichever way he
needs to go in that direction, whichever way Hulk Hogan needs to go,
he'll go in that direction because it benefits him. Reason for optimism coming off
that, you know, stirring reaction from the Philadelphia crowd against ing it down
for glory. I mean, no, you didn't come into our embarking on
a new year of TNA with a renewed hope that, now that Hogan has
dialed it in as a baby face in the TNA banner that No, it
might be better television. No, I mean I listen, listen say it.
He's not good television. What he's Hulk Cogan? What the fuck are
you talking about? He's not good Listen. We've said it before, I'll
say it again. If he's not wrestling, he's not worth shit. Wow,
you can't him and have him on the show. Try to get other
talent over. Listen, he just he Yes, I would love for that
to be the case, but it ain't gonna happen with all conh Are we
arriving at the central thesis of this massive journey that we've found ourselves in the
middle of, like a like suddenly we're in the st enter of a whirling
dervish. I think that might be the point. And so here look,
unvarnished Hogan is a GM Does it work? No? And why can't we
say that so categorically? Well? And no small part because around this point
in two thousand and twelve, the Pro Wrestling Torch covered published rather a very
diligent study of Impact Wrestling ratings patterns dating back to really the whole existence of
the company, but certainly pre during, and not quite post the Whole Cogan
era in TNA. And it reads like this, one point zero six.
Wait a minute, let's dial it back even further. Brother, let's right
dial this thing in dude. Two thousand and seven, a full three years
before Whole Cogan gets to TNA, the show averaged a one point zero five
rating on Spike TV. According to this Torch analysis. Two thousand and eight,
it went up just a smidge to one point six as an average right
over the fifty two weeks. It was on two thousand and nine before Hulkogan's
arrival, average rating was a one point one five significant jump twenty ten,
as we've documented for many reasons, namely a disastrous experiment to move to Monday
nights for a couple of months, which let the Hulkogan, in his first
match in TNA doing the all time record low rating for any impact ever on
Spider two thousand and ten, came in at one point zero six. You
did. You're saying all these numbers, brother, But see what you don't
understand. It is the business, dude. You haven't want looked a territory.
You haven't been at the top. You haven't wrestled a giant in front
of one hundred thousand people. You haven't wrestled Anoki in front of six million
people, brother, And so what you don't understand are the little nuances right
that really make this business run, really make this business take, make the
people tick. And here you are rating off numbers, brother, like I'm
supposed to be impressed numbers, brother, exactly, that's the question. You
got my number? Brother? What I have your number? It's right here,
dude, I'm gonna call you you what what you live on? Willowdell?
Right, Terry, what are you used to? What do you brother?
What do you do? What? Why? Why? Well, that's
a difficult question to answer. You tell me, dude, what how's twenty
twelve going for you? Hoaxter, I'm sure? What so? One point
one one point one five O nine before Hogan, one point zero six with
Hogan. Now, you know, we can adjust for, like I said,
a lot of those experiments, a lot of things, you know,
upending and complicating the sort of you know, routine appointment viewing that that wrestling
relies on. You know, being at a certain time at a certain place
helps a lot. And so when you're playing around with the schedule, playing
around with the night of the week, it's to be expected. So the
next year, which we just finished chronicling here on TNH twenty eleven, the
average rating for TNA on Spike Drop goes up rather pardon to a one point
one seven. That is the highest yearly average since two thousand and seven one
point five one point six, one point one five, one point six,
and then in two thousand and eleven and one point one seven. Now it's
time to really dial this thing in we've got moment brother Bobby Heal turn new
champion? Who are you dialing? Brother killed in his baby face? And
of course the biggest ratings mover Garrett Bischoff's debut and t what's the problem with
the tattoo that'sa Bischoff on it? And with the Garrett's position tattoos? Yes,
what what's wrong with the kid? He's trying hard? Listen, you
know what, I actually don't mind um, I actually don't mind that he's
in a position where he could be because actually I don't mind him. Actually
I don't. I don't think he's bad. There you go. What what
bothers me is that they pushed him up to be this scrappy motherfucker in no
time, you know, like they could have his story actually could have meant
something if they let him just kind of be whatever, like kind of just
work. But it's it's the problem is it takes a year or two to
do that. You're going to do that for a year. You have to
make people believe that he can do shit. You know, we didn't really
have a reason to believe that. I don't think at this point, not
at all. It's a complete fraud. I don't go that far. A
complete partial fraud. I understand, it's a bunch of bullshit. I was
like, I was just thinking, you know, he could he could have
easily um done some not easily. I mean you just again, you had
to you had to think about it. It had to be thought of,
It had to be you know, it couldn't be this this the way that
it happened. Like all you had to do was I mean, all you
had to do again, you know this is but you couldn't push him the
way that he was pushed. If you wanted him to be get to that
point, you had to let him, you know, trans transition out of
this referee thing and then basically work from the ground up, Yeah, and
work his way and then in a year you could have these this this whole
uh. You know, you got to have him lose for for a couple
of months and then you got to kind of really let him slowly build up
this kind of scrappy, you know, underdog thing for it to really matter,
because you know, then it just doesn't just who cares? It sucks?
Yeah, they do. Um, they assume a lot about the degree
to which we're going to carry Yeah about him just because he's punching arrow Fish
off in the face. I mean, Frank wants that. Nobody wants that.
Every wants punched bish off in the face by this point, all right.
And also nobody wants him to be this this thing. No one wants
him to be there, like just you don't let him be, let them
let him just figure it out. Well, it's um, he'll figure it
out, all right, but he'll figure it out under the fucking tutelage of
Hulk Cogan, because we're we're gonna aim low here in terms of how we
frame him. Nothing short of Hulk Hogan's protege, which is a great way
to get started for one Garat Bischof. So this is all part of the
soup that is early twenty twelve TNA, and you know, Hull Cogan and
adjacent characters. I think what I find the more I think about it,
the more time passes, kind of most objectionable about Garat Bischof is again not
his performance. I think he's very capable and interesting to watch develop. It
just still bothers me that they maye TNA pay for his wrestling school. I
don't know why that bothered me, but it's so because because it's just easy.
You know, you get these guys who have been working on this company
forever, all right, and who who been working their asses off to become
anything. And you know, Bischoff's kid bypasses the whole system. I mean
pretty much, he did certain things to kind of try to make him less
impeachable than the typical you know, nepotism higher and wrestling. It doesn't you
know, the problem is, it doesn't matter unless you see this guy working
his butt off week by week. It does not matter. Right, He's
got it right, He's there, right, you know, but you're just
like, you know, you're getting paid four hundred and fifty grand, Eric,
Like, why do they have to spring for a few thousand dollars for
his wrestling school that he's already incurred the costs of that? That to me
is a red flag, Like why does that have to be in the contract?
What's going on here? Like? Why be Nickel and Diamond? I
don't get it. I think about everybody else on roster who you know,
in a lot of cases, Ward would come out that a lot of these
people who want television every single week are making so little from TNA that there's
still holding down part time jobs when they're not in Orlando. Yeah, you
think they got their wrestling school paid for, especially retroactively. But I don't
understand that it's the EP's son. Well, exactly why he shouldn't need to
have this type of son. No, come on, man, he this
is the guy. This is the son of the guy who's turning business around.
Well, we'll get to this. He's the EP in that spirit.
Ep Son one point one seven average for twenty eleven twenty twelve, one point
zero two average. How about the lowest since at least two thousand and seven.
I mean, I'm not surprised. And this is with them going live
for the whole summer on Thursday nights and moving their start time to eight pm
from nine pm, which sounds like a thing that should strengthen the number,
but I guess it. You could also argue a week in the number.
That's fine. So it is one of those sort of aberrant changes. But
I'm here to tell you that if you're paying Hogan to buck five, you're
paying Bischoff half a million. Huh, you shouldn't be doing the lowest average
rating over twelve months that you did since two since going on Spike. As
far as I can tell, or as far as I fucking care, well,
the business is cyclical, so yeah, you can turn things around.
I'm gonna dig in, brother to what happened at the top, because we
know what do you think? Goo is out as of the dawn of twenty
twelve. About time Jesus Christ Pritchard moves in, takes overhead of talent relations,
takes over ahead of what's that. I'll take Russo. Actually, we
heard Russo last week on the show or two weeks ago now on T ANDH
sort of wringing his hands about you know the way Bruce Prichard reneuvered himself into
the good graces of Dixie and pretty soon even though I brought him in,
bro because I felt bad for him. Bro, he's out of fucking position.
Bishoff, lurking bishoff, getting this lucrative deal in February twenty eleven to
be executive producer Bishop Hervey Entertainment. So many responsibilities, so many duties,
none of which he wanted, right of course, not No, I didn't
want anything. Not only did I not have not only did I not make
that decision. I wouldn't want to make that decision. Wouldn't want to make
that decision. I want to pack. So there he is got what should
we face face? What does your opinion? What's he gonna do that?
Step on? Thank you Jesus. I don't know how many times you've got
to repeat it, probably as many times as we need to remind you that
total NonStop Hogan is brought to you by fucking Titan Nutrition, Ladies and gentle
right. This continues to not be a game throughout the entirety of twenty twenty
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TNA and or wholecoken and you know it's um It's a wonderful time to be
a pleasure over at Patreon dot com s last elapsed fan because you stepped up
from an under The Cinet perspective twenty twelve is when not only Hulk Coogan runs
wild as gm at Brook teeny teeny Brook teeny manya get gotta go get one
of those brook Teeny's shaken, not stirred. Motherfucker's still rect a lot of
stirring, particularly the shit oh and yeah. Brook Hogan is brought in by
Dixie Carter as the head of the Knockouts. She's essentially, you know,
to the women's division what Hulk Coogan is to the men's division and ta and
she hears wrestlers complain and jockey and politic and campaign and makes decisions about who's
going to wrestle who and what's best for the division and blah, but he
blah blah blah, and she sits in that fucking office that everyone apparently shares,
right, you know, does anyone have their own office or is it
just like literally this one fucking place that they all just keep on fucking gravitating
towards that? Whatever happened to that relatively modern looking office space that Hogan and
Bischoff were in in the first two years of TENA No, this is that
one? Um, this is that that shitty one that they've been doing ever
since, ever since twenty ten. Yeah, it just looks like essentially like
a like, I know, a construction trail or on a construction site.
It might be where the clerk of the works keeps the books. And Jesus
Christ, if there was a business about that, ye aren't they all clerk
of the works When it gets right down to it, Yeah, isn't that?
A isn't that a business? Hot dog order? I would say,
you know, whenever whenever a biss gets any kind of a food with condiments,
they call it. They doley call him the clerk of the works.
Should I say, just Jesus? Because there is no Abyss in TNA in
twenty twelve, Joseph park Esquire, Oh my god, I don't know.
We're not going to get into much of that because, you know, as
much as a business Heather to Hull Cogan throughout the course of TNAH, Really,
the Joseph storyline had little to do with Hulk Coogan, so we can
thankfully leave that to the side. We can also leave to the side that
Dixie Carter Clear Lynch aj Styles love Triangle. I don't know if you caught
any whiff of that. I got a little bit of that, and I
really and I was I'm glad that there's none of that ship because I really
can't. Yeah, there's a lot of things TNA did in twenty twelve that
we're just not going to deal with. Can we also can we also get
Hull Coogan away from Rick Flair? No, it's really getting boring. He's
like trusts to make Hogan interesting. When push comes to Shah, it is
so fucking dull. It's been NonStop Hogan Flair NonStop. I mean, how
many more times on TNA television do I have to hear Rick Flair go to
the I've hated you for thirty years. I mean, he just loved him
for fucking thirty years, though in twenty eleven it felt like thirty years.
Yeah, he said it. He literally said it. He said, oh
my god, I love this guy for thirty years and I've been friends for
thirty years. You know. Then it's like okay. So then he turns.
He Hogan turned to baby face, and all of a sudden, it's
the other way around. And how he fuck he's hated him for thirty years.
I feel like it's far should have like a glass window in front of
his face, and you know what it should say on it, boss,
what break in case of emergency? Yeah, seriously, because that's really what
he's here for now, is to rescue Hulkogan from the dull rooms of minimum
impact. I mean that average rating for twenty twelve. I just read to
you that's with Hulkogan on the show like three or four times again. Can
you can you repeat it again? Please? I forget the number already,
the number for twenty twelve. Yes, it's one point zero two average rating
over twelve months. That's a problem, down from one point one seven.
What's a problemist? I can see since twenty seven he's is building things back
up, started stopping such a bitch, I know, and just deal with
the fact that he's money. Deal with the fact that when they went live
for this like Summer Fight Night, Summer Spectacular, they dropped below one again
in Jill, June and July, and then in September they were down and
they never got I mean, it just goes to show you this, Okay,
hul Cogan means nothing. If you don't have a marketing machine behind him,
means nothing, if you don't have one opponent and one feud and one
peak in mind, means nothing. If you try to like take his cash
at whatever it was in twenty twelve and just and just scatter shot it all
over the roster, expect him to, you know, exactly like what he's
just sitting there and if you make a speech, to see the consequence of
what he's saying. Though it's like it's it's more than that though, because
it's like they're they're basically expecting him to just go out there and and start
and then they're going to start counting money. And that's not the way you
work with anybody. You really can't expect that. You gotta you get Apparently
you don't expect it when they sell you that bill of goods. That's the
thing, I guess. And he's about to start running out of chances to
revitalize those original talking points and speak to momentum and getting the thing back on
track and everything else. So that's all still to come. We don't want
to repeat ourselves, but hey, if TENA forces us to, we're gonna
fucking do it over and over and over again. Um. But we mentioned
under the cinemat because we broke with the Marine Journey just quickly. Because as
you realized by if brook Hogan's going to become part of the TNH conversation,
we need to get to her filmography because it doesn't and it does exist.
And also this is the this is the movie that she that was released the
year she started in the company, Amazing tell Us. I was like,
well, what we all needed, and I knew this. We all needed
a two headed shark attack right all right, now we're talking about, in
a weird way, the day the motion picture debut of brook Hogan in a
lead role, even though she'd filmed the movie and Bloody body Ball. You
can listen to the episode to get all the information. But what we have
here is we have Brook Hogan front and center, popcording, pop music,
sensation recording, exactly exactly, working with our old friends. Are good old
friends. That's not some lap serendipity visa etna. I don't know what is
they used to call. They're building the Asylum and that's so fucking funny.
Well we got the asylum who brought production almighty thor painful. Other than that,
we've never done yep. And this was equally painful, not as painful,
not as painful. I will say that there was a little bit and
and you know, we found out that Brooke Hogan was quite surprising, not
gonna lie past the total abateurs. She actually seemed like she knew what she
was doing. She at least compared to them. So you gotta check it
out. And some of the fucking funniest, weirdest shit that we've ever seen,
I swear to god, and most of it has to do with Charlie
O'Connell. Oh my god, just wonderful episode the cinet waiting for you.
It's two headed shark shark attack, thank you, because the shark has two
heads. And then when they make the trilogy. The Shark has three heads
and well they go all the way up to six. Wow, so was
if we didn't have the Heads of the Beast already here. So it also
serves as a wonderful introduction to Brook Hogan and uh sort of you know,
her path to being involved in the industry as well. And we'll pick up
a little bit of the string that you started to pull on. Um.
She did an interview, as you said, just last year with the Raw
Hollywood podcast. We recommend checking it out because this will be the second Now
episode that we excerpt things from. It's it's it's a good sort of pulse
check with Brooke. You know where she's at now. It's it's weird.
It's it's very weird, and it kind of makes me unhappy. Why because
because I kind of like, I think she's kind of cool in that that's
fine. I came into this with no expectation that I would dislike Brooke Hogan.
I mean, I just I, you know, I want to be
annoyed with her because I know, but she's not like she's she's actually,
especially coming from the parents that she comes from, she's pretty down to earth
she is, and she's fair game. Yeah, just coming off Brook Knows
Best, which of course was the VH one spin off from the same product
Getting Away with Shit Here production company Pink Sneakers that put together Hogan Knows Best
and basically presided over I'm not saying caused, but presided over the absolute dissolution
and collapse of the Hogan household that was all happening before the reality show.
Brother. This just brought it to the forefront. But you know, exhibit
A and how reality shows destroy families, as we talked about in that twenty
twenty clip a couple of weeks ago is the Hogan family. And so when
that does that to your family, what do you do? You create a
spin off follow on show for your teenage daughter who's now getting out on her
own for the first time, moving in with roommates in Miami and just trying
to have fun, trying to let loose and still, you know, juggle
with the emotional turmoil of her of her parents splitting up. So all the
whole Cogan draw month, from Nick's accident to the acrimonious divorced, all of
Hulk Cogan's health problems and challenges now is just more fodder for more reality and
we get Brooke Knows Past and just to give me a little flavor of kind
of how Brooke, you know, was in the singular spotlight with this reality
show and kind of had her She's coming into TNA off her real shot at
stardom. It's now pretty much in the rearview mirror. We touched on during
the two Headed Chark Attack under the Cinemat episode her her hit song about Us
with Paul Wall. That was about the biggest song she released, and we
sort of had some fun with, you know, the the cadence of her
vocals and what patterns she's trying to fit. It's like you typed in you
know, chat gpt, like what would Britney spears right if she was with
Paul Wall on the song? You know? And I mean it's so you
know what what what I'm I'm What I realized in learning more about Brooke is
that she was really not she She was really not a a uh like like
she was basically being groomed to be something yes, as opposed to as opposed
to being um herself and kind of figuring out who she is. Yeah,
she signed up for the Make Me a Star booth in the middle of the
model if she's signed up a Ford, but she she certainly had it being
thrust upon her. Yeah, she she didn't like. I mean, maybe
she loves singing her whole life. She's sort of obliged to say that,
you know, when she pursues a music career. But it almost seemed to
me like, I don't know if you've ever heard of these modeling agencies that
like these small time groups, they like they literally sit in the mall and
like approach women who look attractive and like pretend that, oh my god,
you're so beautiful, and it's it's in another hustle, you know, like
signed with me and blah blah blah, and we'll get you one up.
Yeah whatever, a fucking Sony campaign. Yeah, And I feel like that's
what that was. Kind of her music career at a high total wasn't cheap.
I mean, she was with Louke Pearlman, but she she signed up
for the package make me a Star package, know, is what she did
right, right, and it didn't go so well. We've chronicled that and
it fell apart with Pearlman and Linda Hogan was was antagonizing in a different direction.
Than Hulk was, and this led to a lot of acrimony with Hogan
and with Brooke and Terry at a certain point, which led to his whole
racist spiel that came out on tape because he was talking about the state of
Brooke, you know, going the wrong way, going against going with her
mom over me, and talking about her boyfriend, and that's when the racial
stuff starts coming out her boyfriend at the time. So all that is,
you know. Now she talks very glowingly about her father and is very complimentary
about how he's handled all the different challenges let's say he's faced from a public
relations standpoint and a personal and domestic and probate standpoint. But Brooke Knows Best
is the attempt to make us care about Brooke as a personality, right as
a young woman trying to make it in the world with talent and looking to
spread her wings from under the thumb or at least the watchful, loving eye
of a protective father who now finds him sure completely unmoored from his reality,
having been divorced and losing a lot. So let's just give you a flavor.
This is the premiere episode of Brookno's Best. The the opening montage of
the first episode, and it kind of really touches everything as far as what
what they tried to get across for Brookno's Best and what people would have thought
about Brooke and had been told about Brooke and made to feel about Brooke coming
into TNA in twenty twelve, hit Brooknos this week, I'm Brookno's Best.
After nineteen years of living in the hook and household, I decided it's finally
time to move out on my own. Insane that's right, No parents,
just me. Oh yeah, and my long time Franklyn totally putsonic. This
is awkward, big, big, big, barmed the gayest scale. I'm
like a one to ten ten being the gayest. Let me where are you
at? Oh my god, Cork. My dad is having a long time
with the whole thing doing He don't spraying it, dad. Can you imagine
if can spray that in some bad guys that's all excited and had an erection
or something. He just freak out and losing. It's been a pretty crazy
year. My parents have decided to get a divorce. So long I was
like that the captain of the ship, and all of a sudden, you
know, I don't even have a ship after twenty four years of marriage.
I just never knew that they would end up like this, Hey dad,
that your mom, dad stopped, chop whatever or something. My whole family
struggling stop. You don't know which one to believe, which one to trust.
So decided to take And on top of everything, Nick got into a
horrible car accident. Nick is being accountable and he's praying. Yeah, it
was all pretty overwhelming. So in order to save my sanity, I decided
the time had come for me to get out and live it. Look that
looks great love, and so far I'm loving it. Come on, my
life? Is that not taking your back? That's so annoying? I mean,
even if you watch the show, that's so of the time that the
whole feeling totally what's the music telling you? Like? What are they trying
to make this feel about Brook? Like that she's just she's a cool girl,
you know, like, hey, my life, my life, Like
she's just a normal average girl's just normal check on the scale of one to
ten. You know how they are? You and that guy fucks with him
so bad because he kind of like ends up saying like I have been with
girls and Terry's like, what what do you mean? Girls? How do
you mean girls? Do were you talking about? But you're gay? I'm
are we talking like Pat Patterson gay? Or brother? I'm gonna say,
I'm my way brother. What are we like, Mike Tyson gay? What
are we are we like? Mister t gay? What are you talking about?
Brother? And He's like talking about like, you know, don't go
out on the hot tub on the deck because of lightning and Florida's the lightning
capital of the world and it will kill you. They just have them like
go away over the top in terms of being a protective more so even more
h right, So in other words, the Hogans are back. Okay,
they're back at the table for some more reality uh reality show life improvement.
And so Brook's coming off that exposure and you can see why TNA yeah and
Spike in particular might be willing to take a flyer on or let's hear hear
this now, this is um and I want to link you to it as
well. Boss, if you can click the link that I'm about to send
you, I think it'll be helpful. So I want to send you the
link and I want you to take the Look, this is this is Spike
trying to make some hay out of the fact that brook Hogan, coming off
Brookno's best and the highest real profile she achieved in pop culture, is coming
to Impact Wrestling. Okay, all right, here we go, biggest name
in wrestling. Oh my god? Did so? She was part of,
you know, this idea of a live series of Impacts in the summer of
twenty twelve. She kind of kicked it off and they could also play fucking
Real American commercial. Yeah, they had I assume more. Wow, different
permissioning. It's probably different for one commercial campaign versus every single week he comes
out on Impact the cost, I guess. But it is interesting that,
you know, Real American is out there. It's available for licensing. If
somebody you know wanted to do what they could have did they did? They
who owned the still own the rights of the song. That tells me absolutely
they do. I don't know about today, but in twenty twelve, Yes,
that's so fascinating. I've never heard that before. And you know,
it was kind of mind blowing when aw brought in Jeff Hardy and was able
to use the Hardy Boys theme because you realized that they just ripped that off
like hardcore Holly's theme. You know that you've heard that during Spike commercials in
the past, totally unrelated to wrestling. It's just kind of like a generic
song that anybody can license, right, I mean, I imagine something to
the degree of Kurt Angeles theme. So because that was written, that was
done by used by so many people, and I've never heard outside of wrestling,
but there you go, right that one. Yeah. Yeah, So
I ask I asked WCW if they were willing to pay Jimmy Hendricks's estate for
Voodoo Child, why are you not fucking paying for real American when he comes
in at ninety four exactly? And that's fucking money. You know, maybe
it's the same consideration. Why pay for it for the actual wrestling show?
Yeah? Just too expensive? But here, I mean, really is it
really that expensive? I don't know, we we've I mean, would it
be. I mean, it's over this over again, it's I know,
I know, it's all I know. Music rights are always weird because god
knows how many fucking legal fabrics are involved. Yeah. Um, And so
tell the people what you saw there, because the obviously couldn't see it.
How are they framing and presenting Brook Hogan in this quick ad number one?
You got the song playing and they show very very extreme close ups of different
parts of you know, what you think is hule Cogan, but then you
see one shot of hands and you realize that there's nail polish on there,
and we've never seen Hulek Cogan wear nail polish. And then it's then you
see Brooke Hogan, what you're gonna do? Brother? And then she rips
off her shirt. Titty's all over the place, I'm not kidding, but
like literally take it off, and she's got a red bikini top on,
yes, you know, and so it's just like, what the fuck am
I watching? Which is so weird because they don't frame her that way at
all. No, she's not like you know, a you know, like
a a sex symbol for TNA. She's an authority figure. She's always wearing
like you know, Karen Miller and dresses where you Stephane McMahon fucking sport up
Ai Kinni on no, you know. And for the public, she's dressed
like she's going to a high school reunion, you know. Every week she's
dressed like someone that's trying to titillate um and certainly not a wrestler, But
I just thought it was so interesting that that's what Spikes saw when they they
went complete sex with her essentially, and you know, so was two headed
chark attack. Yeah, yeah, totally mean she's in Pikinia the whole movie,
whole Seriously, that's all she's doing. And she's fucking bouncing all over
the place, and there's no shortage of clear signals that the director is trying
to create, you know, moments where she can bounce around. Yeah.
Yeah, she walks very briskly, right, you know Christopher Ray all about
brisk walking with a very scantily clad Yeah, big chested woman. It's brisk
teeny really is what it is. And so for those that might not have
had the advantage there of hearing what we heard, let's now play the sound
Brook Spike. This is the ad we're referring to, the biggest name in
wrestling is about to make a brand new impact. What you're gonna do when
I run wild on you? For Covid joins her legendary father as Impact kicks
off. It's mind Summer Besh at the brand new time of eight pm when
it to his life. Anything that can happen impacts live Summer Bash starting Thursday
at eight fun Spike. She doesn't really enjoin her legendary father at all though,
No, not at all. I mean also it makes little sense too,
Like they're calling her the biggest name in wrestling. I think they're kind
of saying that Hulk Cogan is making this impact by bringing his daughter in.
So the biggest name in wrestling is is making this move allowing his daughter into
the business, or his daughter into the business. That's bullshit, bullshit.
Yeah, well you get the conceit of the commercial. He's supposed to think
it's Hulk, but it's Brooke, and and it's just so awe compared to
how she's actually presented weekend and weekend on television program I found that rather interesting.
So Brooke Hogan's coming in business is picking up. How does she look
back on it and how did it come together? Oh yes, let's go
back to the Hollywood Raw podcast conversation she did a year ago looking back on
all this, and in Brooke One, we're going to hear about how she
ended up in Nashville and how the opportunity to come to work for TNA surfaced,
So Nashville. Nashville is I have mixed feelings about Nashville so and I
don't really care if anybody in Nashville's listening because they changed their minds like the
wind too. So, but Nashville. When I first moved here in two
thousand and eleven, I came here because I had finished Brookne's Best. I
was out in LA and Dixie Carter, who was working with my dad,
said, you know, we've got this wrestling company called t NA Wrestling,
and it's total NonStop action wrestling the way not tits and as thank you,
We've got this wrestling company. She had owned the company as a strong female,
and she was really passionate about their female league, and she was like,
I really want to bring somebody in to manage the girls. But it's
hard to find people with like the extensive knowledge of wrestling. Even though I
never got into it. You could ask me any anything and I would probably
tell you like the inside workings of it, you know, the inside of
the juggernaut that it is. So you know, she goes, hey,
listen, you know, like it's not going to be like great pay,
but you know, you love music, and it's in Nashville, and there's
not just country music here. You can like do all kinds of music.
And I thought, you know what, I'm all up for adventure. I've
always just like kind of moved on a whim and been kind of an adventurous
type of person. So I came down to Nashville side unseen. To be
honest, I felt like I was moving to like the most podun town in
the whole world. I did not know what the fact. I thought it
was just all like cornfields and tractors. I didn't know. And I came
here and it was a really cool little town. I was like, this
is awesome, like and there were little restaurants and little like pockets of there
were little history kind of things. And I really had a great time.
My first couple of years here in Nashville. The dating scenes sucked. It's
like very incestuous in a way, like everybody's dated everybody. But I had
a good time. And then all of a sudden, like the last I
would say, maybe three or four years, the city has started to grow
so quickly that it's like I feel like I'm back in La. It's not
my same Nashville. You know. Before it was homie and you'd see,
you know, your friend on the corner. Hey, man, how are
you do you know? Nice to you? Do you need help with your
groceries up to your house? It was that kind of town. And now
it's just that that old school southern charm is starting to wear off and it's
becoming like a Las Vegas brother as soon as you show up? Yeah,
what about this incestuous stuff? Dude? Like, what do you what do
you do? What? What do you mean? Brother? What? What
would you trying to say? Something? Brook? Tiny? Huh? She?
By the way, at one an episode of Brook Knows Best, she
picks up the phone at Target. You know how you can do like a
call over the loudspeakers? Yes, and she she She says, um,
can you please page hulk teeney oh, and he's like in the bathing suit
aisle yo. I want you to picture Hogan right shopping at Target with his
daughter like her decorate your dorm room day. What are you doing? Dude's
in a Target? Yeah? I like this Van Go painting. I like
this Van Go poster. I want this I want the starry night in my
wall. Go away. Brother. Um, oh, this is great tupperware.
You're gonna buy more tupperware? How much TopWare can you fit in?
Want a part um? So that's going on, and I love this.
She was kind of sold by Dixie that going to Nashville and working for TENA
is actually kind of an extension of her music career, which I found upboriously
funny a year ago. Jeff Jared Ivan Jeff Jarrett might have convinced her that
he's so gone by this point. He left in late twenty eleven the company
to go start up a totally different venture that was under the TNA umbrella TENA
Entertainment umbrella. It was called Ringcock King and it was an Indian promotion.
Oh my god. And one of the weird things about TNA, man is
they always got a very rich royalty stream from Indian television networks that wanted to
put their wrestling on TV. Wow. Yeah, There's a company, a
TV station I believe called Sony six that used to air their stuff even when
they were in the doldrums in the States. It was like a bright spot
for them. And so there's always been this tradition at TNA of pushing just
some random Indian star trying to make something out of any Indian that showed any
aptitude for wrestling, And so Jeff tries to go over there and basically just
breaks off entirely from what we know it was Impact wrestling on American television and
tries to basically start an entire wrestling league based exclusively in India with Indian wrestlers
to provide Indian content. So he's just totally out of the picture in twenty
twelve and um, and that's accentuated when, as we'll get to towards the
end, when Sting gives his Hall of Fame speech as the first inductune of
the tena Hall of Fame announced here in two thousand and twelve, the first
people he gets to thank are Jeff and Jerry Jarrett, And I was like,
wait a minute, what the hell happened to Jeff Jarrett? There you
go, So yeah, you know, you can do any kind of music
out here, so you can hear Dixie's gears turning here. She's a strong
woman. Girl power. I mean you got she said girl power like thirty
times in the debut promo to Dixie. When you first brought Brook Hogan out
in an Impact zone, of course, going on in twenty twelve, and
that's all you what you need to know about Dixie. Like she's already written
her own story. You know, she's of course, of course Dixie Carter,
who blazed a trail in the wrestling business by being the first female blood,
Like she already wants she's already decided that this is how she's going to
be remembered. And it's like she has no success yet to point to,
you know, necessarily. Um So Brook Hogan to this interview all talks about,
you know, the state of her father sort of at this point in
time, and also looking back on all that will happen helegan in the years
that will unfold both before us here on TNH and of course after that.
As he continues, this is at Brook two Brook two Brook Tuny. Yes,
correct, you know we've been through Our family has been through a lot
of crap. And I will say, my dad despite you know, I
mean it's it's hard to you know, have all your skeletons, you know,
pulled out of your closet and just waved in front of everybody's face and
humiliated the world. And then our family just go through all this stuff.
And he has stayed so graceful through it all. You know, Like I
talked to him yesterday, I said, you know, it's so it has
to be so hard for you because it's like you've got so many people poking
at you, poking at you, poking at you, and you can never
poke back. You can never say, yeah, I messed up, but
this person did this too, or yeah, you know, like you just
can't ever throw shade back because then it just makes you look worse, you
know, and people are you know, So it's it's so hard. He
always has to take the high road. He always has to just you know,
sit down, shut up, you know, follow the rules, not
piss anybody off. So, you know, in the worst situation. So
um, you know, he's he's real. He's like, hey, I'm
you know, this is how I messed up or this is how I'm feeling.
Like he communicates and he's you know, um, like I said,
just gentle giants. So brother, now by he can never poke back.
Do you mean he can never sue everybody who's ever wronged him for millions of
dollars and succeed and get settlements. Is that what you mean? I'm looking
at the court dock in here, Brook, it looks like he did a
lot of poking back. Huh, who you may have? What were index
in the poke back to bat as a matter of fact, a finger say.
I'd say, there's nobody who pokes back better than what are you talking
about? And if you have you ever look at your dad's Twitter feed poking
when he's not taking picture of the sunset inciting Bible verse. My man's poking
back, um, and she touches on, you know, kind of how
you talk to just down to earth right, And of course it wasn't wasn't
raised to feel like, you know, the world was necessarily her oyster and
that everything would just unfold in front of her because she snapped her fingers.
And that's the Brookoken we see here in TNA. In two thou twelve,
it's hit Brook three. Um. But I think that's the one thing.
And I'm pretty tough, like I've I've grown my thick skin, but that
is the one thing I'll say that drives me crazy if I see a comment
and having a rich daddy, yeah, I'm sure. First of all,
when we were going through all of our stuff, that money was so tied
up in lawsuits and divorces and just all kinds of crazy stuff that there was
no way that it was like, hey can I help. You know,
it's like they are literally checking bank statements and pay stubs from you know,
wwe like ten years ago, fifteen years ago, like it's it's crazy.
So, you know not And on top of that, I have pride,
like I think, you know, maybe because I set off on my own.
I was like, first of all, there was so much drama at
back home that I was like, I cannot wait to move out. So
like, right when I turned eighteen, I went and I got an apartment
at the Flamingo in Miami. I did not know what I was getting into.
If you ever ask anybody about Flamingo in Miami, it's a little bit
crazy. That's the building that we just heard her gushing about and Hulk gushing
about on the premier episode of Brookno Spec by the way, about the Cafavee,
And we heard Brook at the deposition that decided, you know, in
the laser spine case that we conveyed just a couple of weeks ago on TNH,
where she's just you know, talking about how full of shit the TV
business is and particularly the reality business. And you just can't believe a single
thing that's said on any episode ever, ever, right exactly, They got
hours and hours of raw footage from the production company of Hulk in the fucking
surgery center consulting with doctors about the very procedures that he would later sue this
medical practice over fucking up his back, you know, and misadvising him on
what was necessary. And I can't trust any other dude, I wouldn't believe
any of it. Miss who brother who? Miss what's your name? Dude?
Meanwhile, has said there's no record of that final episode of Hogan knows
best you cannot record exists, but the fucking video cannot be found no matter
what corner of the Internet you dig in. This is going to be our
dragon to slave for the rest of the existence of the lapsed fans. The
only thing we've not been able to find that we needed. So read into
that what you will. And to conclude our excerpts from this Hollywood raw interview
that Brook Hogan did a year ago. I submit this in furtherance of the
idea that there's something to this idea that the Hogan back surgery episode of Brook
knows best disappeared for any reason. I wanted to listen closely, and I
was waiting to see if you picked up on this under the cinemat boss you
played the clip, but I think you missed it. Oh okay, I'm
here we go. They asked, Brooke, how our dad's doing, you
know, with all the health challenges he's been through, and I want you
to listen very closely for a heartful edit. Brook four. We counted how
many surgeries he's had in the last ten years, and I think we're at
twenty five. So he's had both both shoulders scoped, and he had his
whole bicep and his versus act and his everything tied up in his shoulder.
Like last year that was a disaster. He got MURSA and it was like
a big thing, so he had to go back and undo it. Tons
of physical therapy. He's had both of his knees replaced multiple times, I
think twice on both. He's had his hips done, he's had his elbow
scopes, he's had so yeah, he's had so many surgery, so he's
done. He's done a ton, but this last one that he just had
finally was like the winning ticket. So right now he's feeling great, he's
working out two hours in the gym every day, he's still chugging along.
I mean, I'm no expert, but I would think if I was to
listen with me me of my father's surgery, I would probably mention the eight
or nine or ten or whatever number he settled on. And there wasn't edit.
There there was I could hear it, and you know I didn't.
I'm you know, it's funny because I'm usually just like kind of listening.
I don't actually usually watch the clips as much. What I mean, is
there a visual Yes, there is. You can tell that they cut something
out. Wow, And I submit to you what they cut out. In
my educated estimation would be her saying, you know, it's kind of sensitive
to actually say how many back surgeries my father has. Yeah. Again,
we don't know what came of his civil lawsuit against Laser Spine Institute. We
know the case settled without you know, a judge deciding or a jury deciding
one way or the other, so I can assume it was a settlement.
I can assume it went in Hulkoken's favor. Though something tells me if he
really cashed out on the deal. They would have found a way to get
the press notified about that. Where we've heard about it, It wasn't much
coverage of this if that, I mean, could they could cold could ls
I have said, you know, you can't talk about as a condition of
settlements, you can you can't speak to how many surgeries or whatever? Yeah,
yeah, and entirely possible, just like you know, the weird language
he starts using around wrestling or fighting. Sting. Now, that did come
before the lawsuit against LSI. He was probably pissed at LSI already, and
maybe there was already some backchannel community case that there's going to be a lawsuit
here. But as we talked about in that episode of Teenage, that that
suit wasn't filed to twenty fourteen, well after his TEENA run was over.
So it's not like all he's doing the press tour for Bound for Glory twenty
eleven again sting that he's got this lawsuit in mind hadn't been you know,
filed yet, let alone resolved with the stipulation that Hogan is to never wrestle
again to keep up the idea that you know, laser spine fucked him up.
So badly that it cost him millions. Remember in deposition, just how
closely they were grilling Hogan about like can you really not wrestle? Like can
you really not like can you really not do anything any differently than before laser
spine ever touched you? Like are you pretty much in the same position of
not being able to wrestle despite what we didn't didn't do or they didn't didn't
do. So I just I just had to. I had to just relish
that moment totally totally. Guys, Um, can we can we just talk
real quick off the record if you will, Yeah, you can keep recording.
But it's kind I love it. I love it so much because you
know, everything except back surdrinks, which is the whole stur drink. You
know. That's kind of the thing that it's funny. I didn't even pick
up on at because I was actually thinking to myself, Man, why didn't
you mention the back surgeries? Brother? I was like, wow, all
right, you know, I'm broke, brother, I'm It was more like
this, Brook, Brother, you can't talk about the back surgeries, dude.
You gotta have them take that out. Broke. Wait, Brook,
is your dad in the room. No, I'm not in the room.
I'm not here, dude, But you can't. You can't talk back surgeries.
Brother. Is that behind you? Is that a burger? What is
there? Brogler in the room? What do you? Brother? I just
dude, you got it. I don't know who you're talking to. Broke.
You can't fucking you can't talk back surgery brother. Oh that's come on.
We can't tell that to you. Nobody says brother like like that.
Besides you, Brooke, Brooke. I don't know who the fuck these guys
are, dude, but you're gonna you're gonna fucking you gotta dial with us
back in. Yeah, they're from raw Hollywood. We're not taking I don't
care raw dude. The Vince Brother you are you on the phone? Are
you doing an interview with Vince Brother? You know if I went back to
Titan and ninety seven, I would have been raw Hollywood, right, dude,
you know I would have been raw Hollywood. Hogan, Dude, brother,
we gotta dial this thing in, dude about this back surgeries brother.
Brother? All right, bro we can't. You know, Look, we
can't play hide the ball anymore about her. All Right, we gotta we
gotta, you know, stop with the ying and the yang. Dude,
you gotta stop talking back surgeries. Brother. Bring the nose up on this
thing. Dude, what are you trying to get her to say? Guys?
What do you hey? Hey, brother, I want to know what
the fuck you guys are trying to do with my daughter. Dude. This
is her attorney. This is not this is not Hulk Hogan. All right,
brother, this is not Hulk Hogan. This is her attorney. Dude.
I'm I'm the law firm, law firm of of of Balley and Associates.
It's a big secret and knobs pc Nabowski. Brother. Yeah, you
can't talk back surgery, dudes. This Hollywood rod, where's Hollywood SmackDown?
Dude. Look you can't, brother. Let me put it this way,
dude, all right, let me put it this way. Hulk Hogan is
not having back surgeries, brother, and he is currently not doing back surgeries.
Oh, thanks for clearing it up. Thanks for clearing that up,
Terry. I'm so much less confused than I was. He may have had
back surgeries at some point, brother, but he's only not in a back
surgery. Brother. How many back surgeries have you had Hulk. Currently,
we don't. We don't. We have had no backshured red brother. Currently,
I'm having no back surgeries. Currently, back surgery is off the table.
Exactly why are you talking about my back so much? So so good
stuff. So um yeah, and shout out to the member of the Solar
System who wrote us a patriot. I said I was going to get a
spinal cord stimulator put in, and now I'm scared to well rest assured.
I mean, I'm no doctor, but I mean the Hogan's whole thing was
he needed to crank the thing to feel any better. I don't hope,
I sincerely hope that's not the case for the Solar System member that expressed that
sentiment. I showed that it helps a lot and follow doctor's orders, et
cetera. But this is an extreme case. The hulkster, I think,
is one thing we definitely took away from the deposition reading that we brought.
He was part of teenage. So that's Brooke, that's um her story.
That's how she comes to t NA in two thousand and twelve, just an
extension of her wanting to be around the music scene in Nashville. Nothing more,
nothingeless and that worked out beautifully in terms of the Center office. I
guess you could say an impact wrestling a time of tumult. It's not only
is Russo gone and Bischoff is on board now executive producer, and Pritchard is
wearing both hats is head of talent relations and head of creative Bruce Pritchard actually
has a heart attack in I believe it's March of twenty twelve, definitely the
first quarter of two twelve. There was even reports I think a JBL put
a Facebook post out when it happened, saying that it sound like it was
actually two heart attacks that he suffered. And this is after I believe Bruce's
wife had had a lot of challenges around cancer, which he's talked about in
his podcast. I think those two things were coincident, and so it's a
very difficult time for the Pritchard family, and it creates a bit of a
power vacuum, because, if you're to believe Vince Russo, Pritchard and Bischoff
kind of engineered a way that he would be Russo that is edged out of
power and edged out of influence, and the creative room at TENA and now
all of a sudden Pritchard's down and definitely, um, so what's to happen?
What's to what's to fill that void? I mean you anything that yeah,
that are you know Russo isn't sending an opportunistic email or something at the
time. Let's see how mister Eric Bischoff reading the tea leaves and his good
friend Bruce Pritchard um suffering these health concerns, how he deals with it.
Let's hit Eric three three please. I pretty much grabbed it, yeah,
because here's what my fear was going to be. You know, I didn't
know how long Bruce was going to be out. I didn't you know,
I didn't. I just didn't know. And I knew what a snake bit
was at that time internally and not somewhat not with the talent. Talent.
The talent was great, but from a management perspective, I had no confidence
whatsoever in anybody making the right decision, oh my god, excluding Dixie.
I wasn't concerned about Dixie. But Dixie wasn't the shop caller that everybody thinks
she was not. When he came to money that was out of Dixie's hands,
she certainly had influence and all that, but the final decisions they weren't
Dixie's. And I knew that instantly, you know, when I talked to
Stephanie p Bruce's wife, was the one that let me know right away what
happened. And in that moment, you like less than a split less than
a millisecond after I hung up the phone, I knew what I was going
to do, and I was just going to big foot my way into it.
I was going to take it all. And I told Stephanie such said,
don't worry about because she was worried about Bruce's job. She didn't know,
you know, And I said, stephaniely, I trust me, nothing
is going to happen to Bruce's position. And before I said it, and
I didn't know how I was going to ensure that, but I knew that
I would, one hundred percent confident that I would. I just didn't know
how. And I thought about it for a brief period of time, and
I said, well, fuck it, I'm just gonna take it. I'm
gonna visit. What I didn't want to do is something goes bad creatively,
The numbers kind of go down after a week or two or three, and
then what typically happens when you have you know, low information management is they
start pointing fingers. Oh you know Bruce Ane's is gonna be able to do
it. You know, who knows if he's ever going to come back.
But you know, they start painting pictures in their minds of how, you
know, they can justify making a decision that they shouldn't make. And I
knew that that was going to happen, so I thought, the only way
I can stop that is to do everything I can to make sure that that
aspect of T and A to the extent possible, runs smoothly until Bruce gets
back. So I didn't ask permission, I didn't subtenly weave my way into
the process. I just big footed my way in. I took over the
very first production meeting. I didn't ask permission to run that meeting. I
just did it, And within about two weeks, everybody just got real used
to that. And that's the way it was until Bruce came back. I
didn't I didn't ask to bigfoot the meeting. I didn't want I'm I didn't
want to bigfoot the meeting. But you know it was a snake pin.
Oh you imagine, I'm an absolute snake pin guy. Guys, you're putting
on a pro wrestling show, Okay, Calm the fuck down. The only
time you start using language like that when nobody knows how to do something that
improves the ratings consistently, right, and you've got to come up with a
fucking bogey man for it, snake pit, how about we write a show
that draws ratings and grows ratings and justifies TV bullshit. Ah and then of
course the wrestling shows about writing the wrestling show? I mean, can you
deal with this idea they have? This is okay? So the key reason
I played that clip is not only to explain the history of with Pritchard,
but also to say that, you know, this is on a Lloyd Bischoff
like this is you know, not like that was sincer So this is Bishoff.
Twenty twelve TNA lowest average ratings since at least two thousand and seven is
Bishop with Pritchard kind of sprinkling himself back in when he recovers from his medical
scare and he actually becomes a somewhat of an on screen character by the time
the summer comes around. Just for your boss, great um. But yeah,
so this is Bischoff's TNA through this, and I don't know, I
guess we can probably we say we will, of course examine it more closely
as we go here in the tenage chronology, pretty much through the end of
Hogan's run is Bischoff as the guiding hand of creative, with no russo to
point to when something's really stupid. And he's you know, obviously deferential and
very friendly with Bruce, so he's unlikely to point the finger at Bruce for
something bad. So he's in a position where he has no choice but to
you know, wear it on his chin if creative sucks in TNA. But
I invite you to consider the idea that what we're missing is on the fly
interviews where there isn't someone holding a microphone in front of the wrestlers face backstage,
but instead just a documentarian read at Jason Hervey of course, getting in
people's face and getting testimonials, and also being a fly on the wall when
Hulk Hogan does things like meat with the top six contenders and have them lobby
him for why they should be the one to challenge Bobby Rude. Next eight
minutes of a Kurt Angle at Jeff Hardy and aj Styles, Bubba Ray Dudley,
Bully Ray whatever, all lobbying the Holster as he sits on his desk
for why they should and they're trying to They're trying to make make the show
about what it's like backstage when wrestlers are jockeying for position and opportunity. I
still don't see where the problem is. You watch that segment, we'll talk
about it, we'll sample it. I mean, are you not riveted by
Hogan in this context? I I hate every single little fucking thing about it.
I hate too strong a word, No, hates too weak of a
word. And then I hate to beat a dead horse. But we're gonna
do it. Why do you hate it? It's just so because it's I
don't need this shit. I don't need to know about backstage, Like that's
not interesting to me. Can we get on with what comes up? Here's
the thing, here's the thing. Do you know when it would be interesting
again, like even remotely interesting again? When it's not happening all the fucking
time? Everyone? You don't when when I feel like I shouldn't be watching
it. But I don't feel that way right now. I feel like this
is the best thing you fucking got for me, So that's not good.
Like, what makes it interesting is when there's a hint of something that maybe
we weren't supposed to know about, but you have to do it well and
in a way that again it requires you know this this magical thing called thought.
I feel like nobody in when producing wrestling shows, like it's like they
they almost think that that easy is not complex enough, right, but convoluted
is the best way we can get our stories across. Let me ask you
a question. If I refer to the stories we're telling not as the stories
but as story, right, he doesn't. I'm totally in. I'm totally
in. I mean that means that means this is a serious tenure and experience
in the television business. No, that signals this is somebody who has sat
at the table with Mark Burnett. It means horse shit. Story not the
story, not a story, not stories, just story the TNA experience.
This is right, I mean story ta story time? What story? That's
what it should be. The story of Hulcogan. Like in a fucking debate
society, that's the thing about this tnah, I wante vote and they keep
trying it and they pretend it's different. Right. That's part of it too,
is like they keep trying the same fucking shit over and over again.
Like it didn't work lass time, it didn't work the time before that,
it didn't work in fucking twenty ten. It's not gonna work today. I'm
gonna work tomorrow. Had nothing else. Twenty twelve, they'll plug in Austin
Ais into the Rob van Damn role from twenty ten. Right, the new
guy that we suddenly just I cannot stand it, have win the World Championship
out of absolutely nowhere, and see this is the guy that's young or at
least younger than Hulks generation that we're putting the rocket on or Bobby Rude up
until mid twenty twelve, they tell the story. Then, all right,
m you've heard the phrase. You don't want to see how the sausage is
made, right, boss? Yes? All I see in these backstage segments
and all this on the fly stuff is sausage being absolutely right. And I
just eat the sausage after it's been made and decide if it tastes good.
Yeah, why do you take me to the factory so I can see all
the different fucking guts of different animals to see what's going on. All right,
that's the way it's gonna roll. Go to restaurants. I want the
plate presented to me so I can eat it. I don't go to a
restaurant, want so I can, but the right way, I guess.
I guess I just don't understand story. And you don't understand story, and
you don't understand you know, you don't understand how how how sports entertainment is
you know who else apparently didn't understand it? And then audience, Yeah,
that's true too. They just weren't getting what you were going for here apparently.
So what are you? What are you going for? Bro? I'm
not going for anything, Terry. I'm just trying to figure out what why
why the emergency release wasn't pulled on this thing like two years or three years
earlier than it was. But wondering, Hogan keeps finding a way. Man,
He's still you know, he's got little to point two in terms of
success. He's got little to point two in terms of raising the water level
of TNA above where it was before he got there. And I'll be damned
if he's still not in every other segment I know, and he's still not
staying paid. And for Bischoff, it's an interesting time because is at the
same time that he's trying to figure out how to you know, consolidate his
power in Bruce Pritchard's absence and kind of get creative in his own hands and
takeover production meetings or wherever he put a big footing production meetings. He's also
making a decision about his status as an on camera performer. Um, I
don't know. It just seems to me that if you've watched the amount of
TNA that we have in Succession over the course of this journey this year,
you get the distinct impression, how's that I'd rather watch Succession? Can you
get the distinct impression there A Bishop fucking loves being on television? Oh yeah,
I think he likes it more than anything, because I don't see what
he's pointing to to say I need to be on television in terms of,
like, you know, a consistent quarter hour performance. Maybe his stuff's the
highest point in the show, but he's also interacting when the most important wrestlers
on the show exclusively but come to do it. It's kind nothing to do
with it Okay, God, thank you for that clarification. I want to
write that down, glad. I'm here to go with it explained to thank
you. Yep, there's twenty twenty twelve tons though twenty twelve. Sorry.
He decides I don't want to be on television anymore and the reasons, well,
let's hear him again. This is a sample from the eighty three Weeks
podcast with Conrad Thompson. This is Eric on why he came off television and
a big part of what we're going to cover this week on TNH. The
first half of twenty twelve, Eric won. It was a little bit of
both, but mostly it was me. I just didn't want to be on
anymore and I never wanted to be on television, and of course, my
god, I then why are you on Ego? I guess Pride. It's
felt like a step down. Yeah, yeah, you know when you go
from where oh god, I can't we a character right, what I was
doing on Nitro and then what I was doing on Monday Night Raw. You
know, just I'm on TV enough. I scratched that itch. I like
to perform, but I just I didn't want to be on TV at all.
Part of it, I guess said. A big part of it was
my ego. Um, some of it was just I don't have time to
do this anymore. And here's the other honest part of it, really three
parts. I look like shit like that. I wasn't taking care of myself.
I was going away as far as TV goes, you know what I
mean, healthy enough. But I just I shouldn't have been doing it,
and I knew it. I didn't want to do it. Just it was
easy. It's just sad to say, but true, it made sense.
It was an easy go to. The crowd would react, Yeah, not
really so by now, Partially it was laziness. I think we're getting out
there is you know, when you're trying to figure out what to put on
television, you don't really give a funk about TNA. You just plug yourself
in and so you can go out there and just say shit. And it's
fill timon stitch together stories. He's such a fucking loser. He's fine.
It's a vision, a lot of success, tremendous track record and resumes,
such a goofball. Too bad, he never That's all I'm saying. I
would have been amazing. Do you imagine that would have been fantastic, very
much. Feelings about his physical appearance here, I mean, he doesn't look
like you know, the Ken Dolly didn't WCW. But I don't know,
jeez, he's like, I know, he's like so preocupized. He's got
a belly. Maybe he maybe he knows that behind the scenes he was,
you know, drinking his ass off or whatever. And as soon as we
could tell more than we could, yeah, or like fucking eating at like
Miami Subs every fucking day or whatever, a Mexican place that Hogan forced Hill
go to every every UM And I bring up the liquor thing because one of
the things we're going to cover this week TNH is the final impact that Bischoff
makes a TNA television appearance on UM as he receives exclusively in a backstage role,
and they do this kind of like you know, Bishop Appreciation Night theme,
and one point JB Jeremy Borash, who apparently had a lot of history
with Bishof, and on screen I think reflected a bit of the backstage tension
between the two as well. Yeah, and he goes for the juggular and
he talks about Bishof drunk tweeting or drunk Facebook post right right, which Bischof
definitely had a problem with cantankerous Facebook postings while being half million dollars. M.
I had no clue. Yeah, I just was not in on this.
He would fight with fans and or you know, he would just like
like defensive statements, just the kind of things that are just once you're paid
and pro wrestling, you're supposed to not have to worry about that. The
only reason you do that is because you're not getting paid and you need to
be part of a conversation. You need to make people feel like they need
your counsel, they need to pull you off the sidelines because you've got,
you know, insights that they could that they could do. So, so
yeah, that's brought up on TNA television. It's funny because he did an
episode of eighty three Weeks where he watches that episode of Impact that we'll touch
on here this week where he does his goodbye and they're doing a live watch
along of JB. Colin. I'm essentially a drunk and he didn't say anything
about it. He doesn't gaffa, he doesn't complain. He kind of laughs
along with a JB. Saying, but he doesn't indulge it, that's for
sure. Yeah, right, but I hear that in his voice. Um,
so you wonder in terms of rock at the time, I bet he
was. I bet he was fucking I'm just letting JB tell me what to
think here. That's yes, and I'm fine with that. So that's no
problem with that. Bischof taking himself off television. And in terms of Hogan
stepping into this new role as general manager, one would think, you know,
a lot lower impact, right, He's coming off a back fusion surgery
that he finally hire impact. Was that hire impact, brother? Well?
That remains to be especially once you opened that gimmick bag around your waist.
What do you did you pouch? Now? What are you getting a brother?
Did you so? Who? When it comes to Oof, you know,
Hogan coming into a general manager role, coming off the fusion surgery and
wrestling again against Sting, you would think about Essen dialed down. It's it's
not going to be this ilarative exclusively about how much pain Hogan's in just to
get out the ring and not coming out with the crutch in one hand pretending
it's a guitar. You know, the whole thing. Yes, um,
so what do you think Eric on eighty three weeks? Touching on twenty twelve
and Hogan and the GM role was was Hogan finally you know, feeling physically
up to the task. Was Hogan is spry as he appears to be every
week on impact in the GM role? Hare, But this is going to
be the story of Hogan coming back to being the guy leading the company.
Was holg ready to be back on camera at full time a full time at
this point? Mentally? Yeah, yeah, mentally he couldn't wait to get
back out there him. I think guys like called Kogan, Rick Flair,
Randy Savage when he was with US, Um, Ruddy Piper, anybody put
on almost anybody's name in here that came from that era and spent twenty or
thirty years being that character. Unlike a traditional television actors go home and everybody
knows when they see him on the street, oh, you played that character.
When you see a guy like Hulk Hogan, or Rick Flair or or
your name insert any name here that spent on television that long and they see
you as that character, that's right. They know you as that character,
and in turn, you become that character even away from television, and I
think over a period of you know, I've seen it now, I've thought
a lot about this, but over a period of twenty twenty five, thirty
years, whatever, you you kind of need that, you know. It's
why I think a lot of people have a hard time stepping away from wrestling.
They won't admit it to themselves, they will eventually, but deep downance
because that's their connection. That's a big part of who they really are.
And stepping away from that is stepping away from a big part of your identity.
And some people do it really well. Some people manage that transition.
Some people struggle with that. That has a lot to do with some of
the sad stories that we read about, you know, Sonny and and others.
I don't mean to pick on her, but some people deal with it.
Some people have a hard time with it. Hulk was physically he should
have. He had a hard time getting up the stairs to get into the
ring to cut a brother what he I mean, what amount of pain that
that guy put himself through is unless she saw it and you were there with
him, you can't imagine it. You just can't. But there were times
when I'd get tears in my eyes watching him trying to get out of his
car and make it to the sound stage. I mean, it was horrible,
but that's who he was, that was that was one thing he was
trying to hold onto. That's the other thing that I think is what got
to me the most with Hulk is he was going through so much. Now
I'm making excuses for him because I know that's going to be the go to
reaction for a lot of people on social media, but he had gone through
so much there's no need to break it down here. And he was beat
up emotionally, physically. He should have not been allowed to be out of
the house, brother, without help. But the one thing he could hold
on to was getting into that ring and getting the reaction from the crowd.
It's the one thing he had control over. He no longer had control over
his body because he does certain things he just he couldn't do anymore. His
personal life was not good, but he could still go out there and be
hull COVID. What what do you, brother? Why exactly are saying?
Dude? Let's going on? Brother? Right when you say that I shouldn't
get out of bed, Dude, what are you? Are you? What
are you? What's going on? Brother? Where are you coming from?
Are you brothers? With all that said, if help you know, shouldn't
be anywhere near the Impact is even a broad Do you think it's time to
double down on at least in the media and the press highlighting the degree to
which Hulkogan is involved as his daughter Brook time for one more press tour?
Oh my god. So this is from the Miami Herald. This is from
May of twenty twelve, as Tena's preparing to bring in Brook Hogan in that
campaign. We just touched on and just kind of like a pulse check on
where the TENA messaging was midpoint in twenty twelve around Hulkogan and Brook Hogan's involvement
in TNA. At what message Dixie Carter was trying to get out about the
product? Please regale the Solar System boss with this article by Scott Fishman.
With tim Impact Wrestling's ten year anniversary quickly approaching, the winds of change and
evolution continue for the company. To TENA President Dixie Carter, that means the
sky is the limit the promotions. Queen b fielded questions during a conference call
Wednesday to promote Impact Wrestling's move to eight pm Thursdays on Spike TV. Getting
a conference call. Oh I bet you, yeah, I'm sure she does
beginning May thirty. First, the flagship show flagship show for what for TNA?
I guess it isn't the only show for t NA. Yeah. I
think they're saying Slam Aniversary is a flagship show. Am I wrong? They
did have no blow? No, no, no, They're saying the Flagship
Show will also run live this summer for at least the next twelve weeks.
That is Impact. Yeah, that's Impact. They did have other shows,
okay, no one lot top. A hot topic was the promotion's decision to
take a new more take a more realistic approach to its shows. From a
production standpoint, performers. Performers will be given more freedom to express themselves without
the shackles of word for word script. Oh I thought that would day one.
That means vince ourselves gone, That's what that means. And the backstage
segments are being shot in a more candid way with cameras everywhere. For Carter,
this is a way to say that operate their product from others in the
marketplace. Everybody is really excited. I think it's better than one not kind
of event. You know, we got things planned all summer long. We
are doing, we're going to be doing trying new things on the show as
well as that, I'm excited about to be able to do them live,
in my opinion, will make it that much more impactful. Viewers got a
hint of where the company is looking to go in style and presentation on television
with an opening segment including Hulk Hogan deciding who would face heavyweight champion Bobby Roode.
In that one segment, you can you saw a different view of five
very important people on our show. I'm more excited about that than anything we
have done in our company's history. It was fifteen years ago when reality TV
really didn't exist, but it's permanently altered the way the landscape for cable and
television viewing today. It's producing Jesus correct, I'm a reality TV ran,
Dixie. Just go out there and talk about reality TV. You know that
when Hogan's back there deciding who's going to get the world title shot after they
lobby him, that they think that's wrestling's version of like, you know,
American Idol or something. But Dixie. I don't want to be on TV
anymore. I don't want to be on TV anymore. I've done that,
I've been there, I've done that. You have I have? I have
that. I didn't want. I don't want responsibility, but I have to
have it so well. But really they like think this is like, um,
of course you know that that what's missing from pro wrestling is a presentation
style, you know, basically basically what they're showing. I mean, this
is this is this Kevin Nash is having a wet dream over this ship,
absolutely because basically what this is is is we're seeing a television product on one
side, in the ring, in the back, we're seeing the behind the
scenes of it all. This is fucking It's Larry Sanders show, absolutely right.
We have done some things in the path on the flot with the fly
on the wall backstage element. I think we did an outstanding time of it.
But it's really time for us to take this to another level. It
is going to be an evolution. I invite you to stay tuned as we
continue to change and grow in the coming weeks and months. It's something that
in my opinion that in my opinion, gonna be a much needed way of
watching wrestling. This is what happens when you totally throw in the towel on
doing any business on pay per view and wrestling. But of course when is
the central conceit of building to the big show? Yes, you end up
wanting to get You end up wanting to get pat in the back for the
way you shoot things. Not what you shoot and any good, but the
way you shoot it. What's wrong with man? This isn't the fucking you
know, Sports Broadcasting Awards luncheon is what's wrong with it. It's the NAPTI
convention. You're trying to impress industry people with this. You're trying to make
wrestling fans pay pay. But the only reason this business has ever existed getting
fans to pay and watching television on Thursday night is not paying. What convincing
that audience to pay is successful? Who high ratings don't mean shit? As
we learned, if you don't know how to make them pay a part with
dollars, I always have to spend more and then they'll pay. Note,
what how about you reach a steady state where they're paying and then incrementally start
trying to spend more. What are you going to spend You're not making anything.
Must not be how it works, I must just be a mark continue.
Oh, I mean you just again? How's your fucking territory? You
know? Along with the tweaks to pack wrestling, Brook Hogan Wills will make
your TENNA debut. Carter said she met Hogan's daughter a few years ago and
they hit it off. With backgrounds in the music business. She addressed criticism
on this new addition to the TENA roster. You don't know how it's going
to play out, so I hope you give it a chance. This division
is very important to me as a female head of a predominantly male company,
a wrestling company. For women to get out there and do this, I
feel we have to set a certain standard that needs to bet be better than
anything else out there. I feel we have the best female wrestlers on the
planet. Does this have to do with Brook Hogan of any Hold on Hold
on the movie? I miss something here. I feel we have the best
female planets on a female I feel we have the best female wrestlers on the
planet of any roster. Okay, but we're asking you why you're paying Brooke
Hogan money. I mean, here is a girl who has been living and
breathing wrestling her entire life. Kind of Okay, I'll shut up then,
fine, if that's what you're gonna do. Every time I got entered,
Jack, I will shut the fuck up. Thank you, Oh Jesus Christ.
Um. So so, here is a girl who has been living and
breathing wrestling her entire life. She has been under the greatest single we've been.
She has been under the greatest single wrestler that will probably ever live in
the history of our industry. So it's everybody else. Brother never been on
top of him, that's for her. Not for more than two and a
half seconds. I wouldn't even have my daughter on told what we I mean?
Once up with this conference. It's called dude, Like, what good
a language is that to be used? I thought we were on the same
team. Dude, brother, what t Can you guys stop laughing so much?
It's obnoxious. Sure I'll work on that, brother, did you so?
Go ahead? Dud Dixie. Um, she is incredibly intelligent and a
big star in her own rhyme. We have the greatest wrestlers, but what
we really need is something to give them more exposure. I think Brooke is
going to be a great character on television. She's not going to wrestle,
She's going to continue to pursue her music. But I think one of the
biggest things she will do for us is shine a spotlight on the knockouts that
they very much deserve. Carter has been involved in advertising and marketing and public
relations and entertainment and sports well before you joining TNA ten years ago. I
think if you're smart, you listen to I think if you're smart, you
listen to you the fans and the criticism, learn from it and grow.
Not everybody has the perspective and information that I have. We have to make
decisions with it. So that is a unique position to be in. Can
someone can I get English translation of this? Please? I just what she's
Definitely she's been hanging around hook a lot. I mean, what the fuck
you know away things? Let me ask you. I mean, they truly
signed up Brook for the exact same thing. She just said, we need
Brooke to shine a spotlight down boys haste beside me screaming now. So I
think if you're oh wait, sorry, I read that one. Not everybody
has I said that. I do weigh that very carefully. DNA celebrates its
tenth anniversary quite an accomplishment with its Slam Anniversary pay per view on Sunday,
June tenth, from the College Park Center in Arlington, Texas on the University
of Texas at Arlington Campus. I am so proud that in a few short
days we will be celebrating our tenth year in this business. I've never been
so proud to be associated with anything in my professional career. I truly love
the men and the women that make up our roster. Work behind the scenes
and in this office, you have a group of people that work harder,
care more. We really have a great working environment. We achieved so much
in ten years. It was really tough. There were times when I didn't
think we would be in business for ten months. It almost did in last
ten weeks. We were strong, we pulled together, We made better decisions.
I'm proud of what we have accomplished, but more importantly, where we
are going. I look back and we have made I look back and we
have made a ton of mistakes. We we have the money quote twenty twelve
eight. I'm gonna be the first to say it and take responsibility for them.
Both creatively and the way we approach certain things. But it has been
a learning curve. Oh, the way we approach certain things very good,
Dixie, tell me more. I think we are on a very good road.
If you haven't watched our show in a long time, I would encourage
people to tune ratings. Tell me either. I don't think we have produced
such quality television like we are doing right now. Of the future plans,
Carter c's exploring the possibility over future programming with Spike TV, including specials in
twenty th She says she isn't a fan of twelve pay per views a year,
and neither are your customers, and the company sees the potential to renegotiate
its contracts next year. Carter hopes to work with Alex Shelley again and it
is sad to see the company's greatest pitchman, Don West leave. She wouldn't
comment on Ric Flair's contractual status. Carter says the ultimate goal is to go
live and on the road, but over time, she thinks the new format
will allow them to use the Universal Studio's property to its best ability and take
viewers on a greater journey outside it to freshen up the show. Universal Studios,
Orlando is the home of TNA Impacts Wrestling television show. The word live
reversed to scrutiny TNA received for its Monday Night Live experiment in twenty ten.
It was another learning experience. We have an incredible competitor that has a twenty
five year headstart on us. The main thing I learned was that people watch
television differently today than they did back in the Monday Night Wars. I think
even in the last twelve months, we are seeing a huge shift and how
people watch TV. I would say that too when I looked at the ratings,
like the bugs apper on the porch, that's how she deals with this
said, excuse me. I practically don't watch a show during its initial broadcast.
I'm a DVR person, especially for t NA, and don't have a
lot of time in life. I think the entire television industry is facing the
same dilemma right now. The fuck I think there is going to be a
shift in how we look at ratings. I feel funckless. I feel good
about the changes we are making and thinking we'll have a big impact on our
success. TNA aims to differentiate itself from its big adversary in the business now
more than ever to not acknowledge competition as ridiculous. I think competition is absolutely
critical to the success of any business. Whether you are Home Depot or Lows,
CVS or Walgreens. It doesn't matter what industry you're in. It makes
you better, It makes you work harder, it makes you pay attention more,
it makes it more exciting and fun. That's how I feel about it.
I don't know how other people take it. I just think it's absolutely
critical for the fans more than anything else to have options. Our thought is,
instead of trying to compete in the same form and format as our competitor,
let us compete in the same industry, but try to be different and
unique. Let us how many times you say compete, get my shit in,
brother, our thoughts. Get instead of trying to compete in the same
form and format as our competitor, let us compete in the same industry,
but hard to be different and unique. Let us look at it through fresh
eyes. Let us try to present our product in a way that we can
do and we think it will be best for us. That will give us
for us a strong competitive advantage. Let's form one pair. The thing I'm
most proud of is wrestling matters. Wrestling matters to me us and it's not
a dirty word. It's something we're very proud of. So we are excited
to take what we do best and presenting it in a unique way. Pulling
that curtain back and widening the focus of the real elements that go into our
business I think will be absolutely fascinating. Carter believes the company is ready to
go live, despite being on an earlier time slop at TNA. Head feels
it won't change the content or direction it's taking the programs. I think we
do take all the elements very seriously and present them in the right way.
I think it is business as usual. To do something that is sexually offensive
is ridiculous. How have we done that in the past a little? But
I won't say we have done that too much. It's a waste of time.
Too much blood means nothing, too much strong language means nothing. I
think whatever happens, it has to have meaning and makes sense, and our
intent to keep things as real as possible, some of that is going to
come out. The company is always looking to add new talent to its roster.
They have taken an active role in the recruiting process. There was developmental
partnership with Ohio Valley Wrestling and it's gut Check sessions at various cities they visited
the gut check concept make it made its way to Impact Wrestling's telecasts on a
monthly basis. I think there are different levels. If if there are those
who have already had an established career, then there will be interest in them.
I think we are looking at people all the time. If there are
new people in the industry, then I think that is what gut check does
so well. We have found several of our talents through gut check. We
found Crimson, Rosita, Jesse, Sorensen, Gunner and a few others.
We realize that this is a really neat opportunity to show people the process we
go through to find the talent and how we evaluate them and what happens behind
the scenes. It is such a pressure cooker for these guys. It's exciting,
it's great TV. Carter believes the candid look of TNA's television presentation will
show another side of Hulk Hogan and others on the roster. I get very
defensive when I hear people saying, Hulk Hogan is there to take a paycheck.
He is there to take television time. If he has been off TV
for five months, people will say that. I have to tell you when
I'm in a meeting we are planning the show, and I hear him talk
so passionately. He is not paid to be there, but he sits in
these meetings. He works with the talent and tries to make them better.
He is trying to make our show better. When I see him so passionate,
I am honored. He works for me, but I feel honored to
sit on these meetings. Why can't other people see this side of him?
We all know his character. It has been around for decades. What I
get to see is what I think is so evolutionary and in what we view
wrestling. As it relates to Hulk Hogan directly, I think it is going
to be a big part of the legacy he leaves for this business. Not
what he did for himself, but what he did for others. I think
it relates to the other characters, those four other guys, Bully, Ray,
Kurt angele aj Styles, Jeff Hardy. In that segment last week,
We're not Scripted, it all unfolded, real he just had a meeting with
them. Those were real emotions, real feelings of what was going on.
They didn't know who was going to be chosen. I think that allowed them
to show their characters on a such a different level. I'm excited about showing
that more and more. Sometimes voice is deep inside me screaming over the sign
of its dead every day people who in my heart, but it wheals not
in a world that seems to be so free, the new never It's enough
of that. I just all of that said about the revolutionary way they're going
to take us behind, the very real ways our industry gets organized and programmed
and put together, these organic meetings that Hulk Cogen's having in the back with
talent that isn't told how the segments are willing to end. Fly on the
wall, expanding the aperture, shooting outside the impact zone so we can tell
ourselves and our audience and try to trick them into thinking they're not in the
impact zone anymore. Why can't we shoot out in the in the par Why
can't we shooting that? Oh way? Why can't we shoot everywhere? By?
Why should we? Okay, can't we shooting now all that said,
all this shit, the word salad that Dixie Carter just issued fourth in that
article, and that conference call end of the year Pro Wrestling torch. Last
Thursday, TNA wrapped up a disappointing year in the TV ratings department. For
the year, Impact delivered at one point zero two rating, averaging all fifty
two shows, the lowest of the last six years. Impact was down twelve
point eight percent compared to the one point one seven ratings average in twenty eleven.
And mid twenty twelve, Impact moved up one hour on Spike TV,
but Impact was already well on its way to a one tenth decline in TV
ratings compared to twenty eleven during the first half of twenty twelve. January fifth
to May fourth, May twenty fourth, Impact average to one point zero seven
rating. During the second half of the year, going an hour earlier and
going live throughout, Impact averaged a point ninety seven wow, the trend one
point one seven rating on in twenty eleven, one point zero seven rating first
half twenty twelve, point nine seven rating second half of twenty twelve, all
of which happened after Dixie just issued that vision statement. If you will being
a live versus taped did not make any difference, the Torch notes, contrary
to what TENA was selling when Impact moved up one hour in May. Unlike
ww RAW, which had a different problem of losing third hour viewers but getting
people to tune in an hour earlier at eight pm Eastern, TENA just never
could gain traction in the earlier first hour. This is exemplified by the following
statistic. Out of the thirty one episodes and tena's new time slot, only
five episodes scored a one point zero rating or above in the new first hour,
and then we'd go through the twenty seven to twenty twelve averages. The
article notes twenty eleven was viewed it's a rebound year for TNA after the two
thousand and ten Monday Night experiment, then trying to rEFInd their audience again on
Thursday nights. Eleven also benefited from one time rating spikes and changes to creative
that seemed to hold promise. In twenty twelve. TENA did not go for
one times rating spikes one time rating spikes, which showed good discipline, but
the product never really gained traction with casual viewers. TNA kept the hardcore fans
engaged throughout the year, but the lack of a strong central number one lead
star or strong hook to the product did not attract newer viewers. Midway through
the year, TENA introduced an angle which showed zero ratings growth short term.
We'll get to that angle soon, and then TNA continued with the angle well
passed its expiration date despite no signs of ratings growth long term. The result
was the peak rating of the year came in January. The peak rating of
twenty twelve came in January when the Jerry nineteenth episode scored a one point two
zero rating during the earlier time when Hogan was not around. By the way,
when Hogan was taking his rich or spatical, as has become the trend,
we don't learn though, we don't learn this ship during the earlier time
slot. In the second half of the year, the peak rating was at
one point one six rating in August twenty third, prior to the start of
the fall season. They go through the month by month breakdown. Did I
go through this already? I did? Right? They dip below one in
September and never come back. Most concerning in the month by month breakdown is
that October was the lowest rated month of twenty twelve. It reflects tena's inability
to get viewers excited for the culmination of the Bound for Glory series, the
main event for Bound for Glory and fallout from Bound for Glory setting up the
next season feuds and angles. Granted, TENAE was up against increased NFL competition
on Thursday nights, but a sudden change to the main event scene from September
to October at the conclusion of the Bound for Glory series contributed to a poor
performance in Tena's biggest month of the year. The month by month breakdown also
shows where momentum was lost February leading into March, which is wwb's biggest month
of the year, building towards WrestleMania in January. TENA was riding a wave
of momentum from twenty eleven, but the momentum was lost by March. Whether
it was the product not connecting with viewers or Bishop Now I'm Kidding or casual
wrestling fans getting their wrestling fix from wid in the Mania build up, TENA
did not recover until August, but after August, TENA lost viewers again during
the start of the fall season, which included more NFL games on Thursday nights.
The best bet for tna IS at twenty twelve was their growing pains year
after shaking up Creative, trying to rebuild, moving up an hour earlier to
make room for Bellator on Spike TV in twenty thirteen, and finding some homegrown
stars to build around in future years. But Creative was not strong year end,
with a handful of impact episodes, feeling pointless and devoid of purpose,
plus featuring Brookhogan in a role that is bound to turn away more viewers than
attract. Ouch Tina has settled into a rounded one point zero rating and one
point three million viewers, so it will be difficult for the show to go
lower than the twenty twelve average in twenty thirteen, barring a complete disaster Creatively
in twenty thirteen, oh Farda were visiting that statement further Homeboy and the Road
in Tnah. Finding one or two key stars the Torch notes to build around
in twenty thirteen will help, but they continue to struggle to find anyone who
could move the needle for this company and presenting under hyped, under sold star
or star matchups in a careless, flippant manner. Similar WWE is not going
to make a difference. Neither will the Hogan Knows Best saga or the aforementioned
angle and its involvement. Barring big changes from the presentation of both, twenty
twelve captured that story well enough, and other things that are moving and shaking
that are disadvantaging TNA or changes in Spike TV. Of course, they've heard
me mentioned the name Brian Diamond before. Do you remember that vaguely? There's
an executive's Spike. You can see him in the background when they showed the
ten A creative room during the Finding Hulk Cogan documentary on an Ey. He
was pretty hands on with the TENA product and was also a key partner to
the UFC in their years on Spike TV, growing as monstrously as they did
in partnership with Spike. And he really was when they talk about the network,
right, yeah, in angles and such, that's kind of who they're
picturing him and his thoughts Kevin k and Scott Fishman. But Brian Diamond leaves
Spike TV in two thousand and twelve and that was received as a big negative.
This is how the Observer put it, there's a major shake up it's
TV over the last two weeks. Brian Diamond, who is the senior vice
president of Sports and Special Programming, left to pursue other endeavors on October five,
although Spike made no mention of that public endeavor. That's what what do
you mean endeavor? Are they what would happened he went to endeavor? Well,
why maybe he did, We'll have to find out. I don't know.
I didn't improve of this. Diamond was a supporter of TNA and was
especially bullish on its prospects for growth when they signed hel Coogan in twenty oh
nine. Yeah, he was. I was not aware that did No one
talked to me about this. Well they did what You can also see him
up on the dais and around when Hogan did the Madison Square Garden press conference
in October two thousand and nine, and arounding his arrival in TNA Hulk who
So, I wouldn't call it a good thing? Diamond up melts of reports.
The biggest threat to TENA is on the advertising side, and that has
nothing to do with changes at the top of Spike. The loss of UFC
hurts Tena's value to Spike even with its ratings. Meltzer wrote TENA as a
hard selled advertisers because it's pro wrestling, plus it's off brand pro wrestling.
What Spike could do with UFCTV sponsors is offer them deals where if they bought
UFC, they could get time on TNA at a bargain rate. And with
UFC gone, those sponsors aren't going to stick with TNA. Wow, and
ratings value when it comes to wrestling with Spike in USA and sci fi is
too full. The first key is that Spike can push itself as having a
certain primetime average and having TENA boost that average, which is very important.
But the rating of the show individually when it's a wrestling show, isn't that
valuable because it can be a heart sale no matter what the rating is.
And remember we noted Boss that as soon as they change the name of at
least the television show from TNA to Impact Wrestling, suddenly this direct auto loan
ad shows up in the ring apron. Oh, yes, that's what it
is. It was too close to TNA, tits and ass for advertisers,
and it was one of the reasons for the change to the name Impact.
It made it more ad sales friendly. At the time, when Spike at
sales would trying to pull in clients, they would, as else are noted,
offer an overall deal with the entire Spike network, And of course clients
wanted UFC because it was so hot, especially with young men, which is
a very desirable demographic. So if a client wanted UFC, they would also
Spike offer X, Y, and Z as a means of added value.
So just for a little more money, you can get UFC plus more and
it would even go across network. Sometimes you could get Spike, but you
could get other Bacom properties like MTV VH one. Originally Bellator before it came
to Spike, was on MTV two even while a UFC was on Spike,
but it was clear the relationships stays were numbered, so Viacom was positioning for
a future beyond them, and as mentioned, they bought a majority stake in
bellatore Mma and put them on the air in twenty twelve or twenty twenty twelve.
They had like this interregnant period where there's like a year where UFC had
gone to Fox Sports, but they weren't able to contractually start up bellatorion on
Spike, so they did like an MMA talk show to fill the gap for
a little while and keep people engaged in MMA topics on the air, and
then launched Bellatour. But they eventually bought Bellator and that was Bischof's vision.
Bischoffics wanted that taste, he wanted he wanted Impact to sell the Spike,
and Bischoffice had many times in this podcast that Spike was interested in buying into
impacts like they bought into Bellatoor a majority stake, essentially controlling share. And
to hear Bishof tell it, Spike, pardon me, Dixie Carter and the
Carter family was just not into that. They just weren't willing to part with
control of their little toy asset here. That's a little thing that I don't
know, I lose control, then that wouldn't be their company that they could,
you know, go to country clubs and say I own a company that
Hulkogan works for and all that shit. Whatever reason the Carters stayed with TNA,
even though the books told them to fucking abandon ship is the reason they
also wouldn't sell the Spike because there's too much vanity there. It actually only
exists to brag about owning, and if you don't own it, the whole
fucking point is deleted. That's my perspective, having heard Bischoff in particular talk
about it in kind of edgewise fashion over the years on his podcast. But
that's the proposition, and all of a sudden, if UFC isn't there right
and you can't sprinkle TNA and as a little extra to get people to pay
a little more than just what the UFC audience indicates they should pay, then
it's not good. Of course, the hope is Bellator will fill that void
to some degree, but nowhere close is the clear distant number two organization and
the MMA business at the time, although they put a lot of resources into
it and really tried to pump Bellator up. And when Bellator brought in guys
with some UFC cashier, some legends, you know, they could pop big
ratings, they could do it, but it became a very strange organization in
terms of like it's going TNA. Honestly, it was like we have like
this heart of the promotion, these like young up and coming fighters in tournament
style, a meritocracy in terms of who gets the belt, and who gets
the push, who's the best gets the spotlight, and sometimes that forced Belletor
to put fighters in the foreground that really weren't all that marketable, especially to
a US audio. But you know, we do tournaments and who's left standing
wins the belt and that's what we go with. And it was it was
good, and they picked talent well and then all of a sudden, Spike
buys in and it's like, well, let's see how many big names from
the UFC we can just kind of put on the card too, right,
Let's let's kind of do the heart of the promotion, the X division part
of Bellator, but let's also bring a whole cogan when when we can,
of course, or Kimbo slice or wherever the case. Maybe so they were
they were replicating a lesson that they failed to learn. I think in the
way TENA an impact evolved under their nose. But that is huge. And
if Brian Diamond was the key person evangelizing in the Spike offices that this TNA
thing is still worth piling into and taking seriously and seeing upside and in the
future, then I think we can start to say the sands of the hour
glass of TNA and the Spike offices that they love visiting so much in New
York City are starting to drain out. They were asking for, you know,
more clarity on stories, just so they knew where things were going.
And yeah, any opportunities that might create for a sales or integrations. That's
all they care about. You know, we can talk all day about Spike
caring about if Vince Russo's writing the show or if Hogan's doing this on TV
or story by. They just want to sell ads. That's it. It's
crazy. If they're not selling ads, they don't give a fuck about TNA.
All of a sudden and they're they're you know, diplomatic. It's not
like they're saying this person at TNA was good to work with, this person
was bad. You won't get that out of them. They will sort of
paint broadly and say they were all, you know, good to work with
and not not true negative things to say about any of them. There was
typical nonsense that would come up, but overall, respectful, easy to work
with, a good group of partners. Dixie still is looked at favorably,
I think by the impact by the Spike folks. The folks that, um,
you know, we're still thereafter they left the network, though certainly the
story of how it finally came down between T and A and Spike doesn't indicate
that there would be very positive, mushy feelings between the parties afterwards. But
whatever, that's the song they're singing, so they're you know, they start
to ask for a little bit more clarity, as Bischoff has talked about,
around where storylines are going and how it's structuring and if there's any opportunities there
to lean in. They did one in San Diego before a show in Salt
Lake City when John Guberrick gets involved with creative you heard him reference to So
they had some ideas, but what you know, make no mistake, you
know, they were just trying to connect the dots for Spike, explain new
talent they wanted to bring in. But there's no debate here. Okay.
It's like there's no Spike saying no, let's not do that. It's look
good, yep, okay, good, thank you. That's all it is.
So that's starting to evolve and devolve at the same time in terms of
the dynamic here in twenty twelve between Spike and Impact and you can just look
at the ratings pattern that we've spent so much time talking about here to get
a flavor as to why. But I mean, Boss, you heard Dixie's
remarks there. I mean, she sounds like she's embracing something that she's been
sold as different than what they've been doing, you know what I mean.
But it's not different, as I hear explain everything she said, with the
possible exception of the gut check, which we'll talk about, it's been happening.
It's just Hogan was a heel doing it. Hogan was a heel,
you know, booking the show, deciding who don't you see, don't you
see it's a difference. So Hogan got like two years of pay days,
a year and a half of pay days out of, you know, doing
a show built around his decision making. Except he was a heel. So
the story was sort of like, who can get out from under his nose
and buck his authority and reclaim TNA. Now that that's played out and that
that candle has burned out, now we'll just make him a face and do
the whole thing again for another year and a half. So fucking dumb,
that's Hogan. Um, they mentioned the gut check, and this is another
innovation they have the open flight. Yeah right, that's what I was That's
what I was going to ask if this was and the gut check two different
things. So Open Fight night. Hogan comes out when we can Impact us
we'll talk about as we deep dive this time period in TNA here on this
episode and just basically says there's going to be one night a month on Impact
where anybody can come out and challenge anybody, including champions, and they absolutely
have to answer the challenge and fight the person. Okay, And it's just
you know, another just adding this sort of superficial layer on top of the
wrestling show that makes nothing better or worse. I mean, they're they're putting
as always, they're putting a fucking band aid, you know, like they're
not actually solving the problem. They're just they're just lipstick on a pig that
they're just they're adding like a like a front gate to something that doesn't need
a front gate, or they're like adding an overlay to something that is not
good. I mean, it's just or at least it's underdeveloped, Like the
focus shouldn't be on how we structure getting to the match, you know,
or how the match gets made. But the match, right, right,
no one, no one's going to ask about how this person got the opportunity
if the match of the promo were fun to watch more so, nobody cares.
Nobody gives a shit about that part of the business. That's not interesting.
And when you're creatively bankrupt, you have to sell everybody on the idea
that it is interesting because you spend so little time seeking out actual creative inspiration.
And Bischoff said it there, he told on himself laziness. Right,
It's like he's not going to take the time to try to understand what TA
could do that would actually feel different. Oh, if I can put words
in his mouth, he's really just gonna put on paper whatever occurs to him
in the you know, hour a week that he tells himself he's going to
focus on writing this thing, right while pursuing what he sees to be a
continuously fruitful reality television career, so much show that he just basically decides to
make impact a reality show. The way Dixie Carter is talking about the structure
of the show, Oh exactly, it's what all it is like she's talking
about it being this fucking this a reality show, talking about reality television and
whatever, and it's like Jesus Christ, lady like it kind of it's supposed
to already be quote unquote reality television. Like it's like, you know,
like a story but story and things that work in PowerPoint decks to reality producers
after Teenago's out of business. But you understand, there's a story Bible.
We got it. You know, there's a story Bible, story Bible where
the network just sits there and nods along like they could give a fuck what's
in your story Bible. So gut check is another notion. And what this
is is exactly what she's talking about. We're going to take the process of
screening, uh, scouting and critiquing talent. It's basically, remember tough enough.
They would have the judges Kevin Dunn and shit and John Godberrick. Interestingly
enough, oh and they're looking at these contestants and they're making comments about their
look, their charisma, their appeal, their athletic ability. Once they get
in the ring and do some drills, that space they put that in the
in the ring on the actual bus of the main Impact Television show. What's
wrong with man? So these guys come out, aren't you compelled? These
women come out, these upstarts that don't have TEENACN, which is also a
great way to save money, right because you can you put these people one,
assign them to contracts when you put them in the gut check stream and
they go in there and they cut promos and they have matches, and then
judges like Al Snow and Tazz and Rick Flair and Bruce Pritchard on the actual
show critique the performance that wrestler just going so fucking frost Check one. This
is Tas being confronted by Hulk, not confronted, but Hulk is thanking Taz
backstage for agreeing to be a gut check judge. Tell me you're not compelled
after hearing this, You know, Taz, I really appreciate you stepping up
because of all the change that's going on here. Some people come up to
the table and some people walk away. And I love the way you didn't
sugarcoat things I heard about, the deliberation. You keep everybody in check for
this gut check segment. Listen, man, I look hold. I can't
thank you enough for the opportunity to be part of Gut Check with Al Snow
and Bruce Pritchett. I mean, and tonight's live, man, So we're
gonna see this kid's fate and you know the things I want to understand something
you know me? Oh fair, you know me as tas to call a
commentator all saying. Also, but this deal here, you're gonna get the
real tasks. Some people don't like the real Tasm'm just letting you know that.
I don't care about that. All I care about is you call him
like you see him. If this kid pulls a rabbit out of the hat,
well then maybe you can save his life as nod brother, do what
you gotta do. But this is the future of this company, this gut
check that we got going, This is our future, man. That's why
I needed you, brother. Then, thank you for stepping up. Thank
you wow Roller. So what do you hear? Their boss? That's it
all? What do you I hear? Bullshit? I mean, I hear
nothing, I hear exactly. All I hear is just gums flapping. We're
gonna put the process of selecting NXT recruits on Raw, the main show.
What's wrong with Them? That's going to take up like thirty minutes, and
here's a little taste of what the backstage deliberations look like as they watch tape.
In this case, it's on Joey Ryan, who would go on to
fame and infamy as well in the wrestling space doing the porn star gimmick with
the dick spots and all that. Remember, all the weird So he's he's
very much exiled from the business now due to allegations. But this is back
when he was, you know, trying to get over with the porn star
mustache from the seventies. Look, and this is Bruce Pritchard, Al Snow
and Tazz sitting in chairs backstage on Impact evaluating talent for our entertainment enjoyment.
It cut checked two point judging panel deliberation room here and I'm on it to
be here until Dixie that I mean, I'm you know, I respect both
you guys a lot. You know that. You know we're gonna butt heads
over time with this. You know we're gonna you and I have Maybe at
least this time we're getting something. Maybe we'll see round two. Well,
we got Joey Ryan, the last competitor for gut Check. He's interesting he
is. I admire his mustache. Okay, well well let's start there.
Then let let's let's talk about his look. Yeah, I think he has
a unique look. I like it. It's kind of like Austin Aris and
I had a love job. But nonetheless, he's got a different look.
He doesn't have that clean cut male model underwear look. You know, he
stands out. I agree with you, he looks different for that. I
mean, there's something to be said for that alone. He gets your attention
to mean, to me, he looked like a reject from nineteen seventies porn
flick. That's the gimmick, though, bro, I understand trying to be
a gimmick, but in a world of reality where we're trying to accentuate the
talent and what they truly are, I think he's trying to be something that
he's not. But I disagree. I think that is who is to without
Without a whole video on a guy and people to put him over and talking
about him, you could see who he is. He's some guy who's got
this seventies look that you know, maybe sits on the couch like upsetting.
You know, some of the fans that actually came into Twitter thought that he
was actually better than Alex Silva, the first Gut Check participant who ended up
getting a contract, who swayed us at the end with a passionate promo.
I cannot tell you something like, well, Joey Ryan did that that.
This turned me. This kind of pissed me off. Like calling his match,
watching it, he didn't know who he's gonna face, and boom,
here comes the Exhivision champion, Boston Aris. As soon as aries comes out,
Joey Ryan, Okay, he stayed in character, but you don't want
He didn't look like he was about to be in a fight for his life.
And that's what bothered me as a former competitor. You got a kid
who is coming in, as you say, fighting for his life, and
I don't know what the hell he's doing. Time it's entertaining, I know
that much. Yet Okay, maybe it's entertaining, maybe it's traction. But
right here, bam, and he goes up to the ropes. Like see,
that's what I'm saying. It's like he's you know, it's a tough
thing for these guys. They get an opportunity on Gut Check to have a
fa their dreams come true, so they don't know where to be. Do
I show my character all away? Am I in a fight? Am?
Well, that's the balance we're looking for. You gotta have that balance.
You gotta have that little nuance that you're in a fight. You have to
have the time. I don't think he did that. He did a great
job. I don't think that he went so bad that he took it.
Not seriously. You don't you think he took it seriously? Yeah, I
thought he did a good job. I really did. I thought that Joey.
I thought Joey did a good job. Did he blow me away?
Not? Really? Do I remember him? Yes? Which is also good.
And he has some great attributes. He has a lot of positives.
You also have to weigh those negatives, and you do have to. You
do have to throw the negatives into the mix. He's got one last opportunity
to sell us. He's got to tell us exactly whether or not this this
is for him and really convince us one way or the other, it's possible.
It is, it is possible. It's possible. So we've already been
down that road, so you know, maybe we get there again, maybe
not, Maybe that's where we'll see the heart. Maybe that's where we'll see
the fashion player or lack of air. So you admit that you didn't see
harten him in this match. I didn't say, I just know I did
not. Maybe it will see even more or not convince whoever setting on the
fence to dreams a lifestyle change. It's what you work for. It's right
there for this kid got to cut that promo and cut the promo of his
life. We'll see what I I can't tell you how annoyed I am.
I wish you would I I I that was on the day I'm number one?
Why are they talking for that fucking wrong? I don't need all the
ins and outs. You know what, if you're gonna do first of all,
it's a bad idea to begin with, right, This is a stupid
fucking ideed to begin with. All Right, But if you're gonna actually go
through with this stupid idea, just say he sucks or he doesn't suck,
and move on. Yeh. I don't need your reasons, because you know
what. Your reasons don't fucking matter. Like I'm not curious about the intelligent
insights of two fucking of three fucking CARNI workers, you know what wrestling is
missing, and it got, for a brief moment here chopped. Yeah right,
I know, I you know that would be great if actually the guys
to see maybe I might watch that. Actually, if there was a wrestling
version of Chopped, and you had three idiotic judges fucking standing up there and
like each one, like all the competitors had to like have a match with
each other or something, would be hilarious, actually hilarious, but it would
not, But it would be hilarious to watch. That's what this was.
So it sucks so fucking stool. Even calling it chopped is a pretty good
double entendre. I know, actually it is. I mean, I don't
see the problem. I think it was really gripping to hear these guys go
back and forth about whether the kid has upside, about whether the kid projects
reality, about whether the kid believes. Can you imagine if that's how they
really talk, If that's if that's how they really than I am. If
that's how these guys got over and wrestling, then what the fuck? Like
they didn't? Okay, like they're all fucking goofballs. They're you know,
they're using such coded language for like their gut feeling got check. Indeed,
you know what I mean, it's like my bias, It's all it's like
this this this like torrent of bias, you know, which is fine.
I mean, everyone's biased, but they're trying to like objectify their bias.
They're trying to like make it sound like there's something analytical about their gut feeling
on whether someone's worth a shit or not. And if that's the compelling stuff
that goes on backstage at TNA that they absolutely just have to put on on
the screen because we have to see it because that's the next evolution of this
business or this company or whatever. The fuck? Than my god, are
they dumber than I thought? And not? Am I even more bearish on
their prospects than I thought I was, Because seriously, that is boring.
What we just heard is so it was excruciating, scruciatingly boring. And I'll
tell you what. The person they're talking about, I don't care who it
is, has no chance of getting over after that, of course, not
no chance at all, because now you're you immediately see this wrestler as having
absolutely no agency in their success or lack they're of in the wrestling rank,
they now have. No they've completely stripped away any sense, which is all
the wrestling fan wants. That these guys are actually the agents of their own
destiny, that they're going to go out every there, every week, and
they have the ability to control whether they sink or swim in the wrestling ranks.
Now, it's just it comes down to this, these guys who are
like seventy pounds heavier than they should be passing judgment and just like you know,
the three lessons they learned about how to get over in their own right,
extrapolating that to how everybody can or cannot get over in the business.
I just if that's how If that's how it really works, If this is
what Dixie said it was a faithful representation of how decisions are actually made in
wrestling, or a tena and specific, then I am just I am deeply
forget it. Forget it. You should be what a bunch of shit they
thought that was the next move. And all the things we're gonna hear from
Wholekogan scouting, deciding, hearing pitches, he brings up formats, does he
not boss? Does he not hold a format in his hand? And ask
these a room full of wrestlers, do you know what this is? It's
a format? What are we doing? We are not fans of the production
of wrestling. We are fans of wrestling, and if the production helps us
enjoy the wrestling, then it is additive and it is necessary and it is
vital. But we do not give the first fuck about that early stage of
the process. No, I want to see a guy come in who is
already defined in a way. I know, the guy who's already passed this
test. Why are we bothering? Right? If they don't pass the sniff
test? Why they even anywhere near TNA? I believe Bruce called it the
deliberation room, boss. Isn't that what wrestling is missing? TNH twenty twelve
record low average rating. It's only getting better. There's a gut check for
you. And if that wasn't absurd enough for we deep dive the matches before
us here this week. This is also the year where Hokogan, at least
in the early part of twenty twelve, really cranks up the absurdity in media
interviews and larger, you know, public relations appearances. This from j twenty
sixty twelve. It ran in aol Music, but it references an interview that
Hulkogan gave to the Sun in the UK. The headline is Hulk Hogan almost
joined Metallica. Oh no, this is when this happened. This is when
he said this one of his all time greatest whoppers with cheese and another piece
of news that sounds at once outlandish and also weirdly appropriate at Hulk Hogan once
almost joined an early version of Metallica, the wwwwe Living legend and start of
three Ninjas high Noon at Mega Mountain. Apparently found work as a session musician,
apparently being the keyword there before becoming the super destroyer. In between Hogan
and Metallica, there is a sheered affinity for handlebar mustaches. I used to
be a session musician before I was a wrestler, Hogan Tolts. I played
bass guitar. I was big pals with Laurez ull Rich and he asked me
if I wanted to play bass with Metallica in their early days, but it
didn't work out. Pardon me first, Lars hull Rich. Let's get to
Google on hull Cogan. It's from Loudwire. Oh my god, they comment,
Yes, Lars all Rich doesn't recall offering Hulk Cogan a spot in Metallica
good, nor should you. Ulrich was diplomatic in his rebuttal of the story.
An interview in Howard Stern's radio show this week, ull Rich explained that
he is nearly a photographic memory, does not know Hull Hogan, and has
no recollection of inviting him to join the band. The band he wasn't the
band for a second, but he wasn't the band. To be honest here,
he said he had his people called Metallica's people, but he never heard
back, and a Stern interview, Ulrich said the story seems much more plausible
that he called and they never called back. He says, you know what,
I'm bless or curse, depending on how you look at it, with
having more or less a photographic memory for pretty much anything than I've been a
part of. Lars told Howard Stern that one when that showed up to the
three months ago, I was scratching my head over that one. Unless he
went by. I don't know Hulkegan. I don't know enoughbout him. I'm
not a huge wrestling fan. Unless he went by like his Christian name or
something and I don't know if anybody knows what his Christian name was, Dave
Smith name, Yeah, exactly, this Christian name. There was a whole
thing that we had him under a different name. But I certainly have no
recollection of doing anything with quote hug Yeah, the otherything under Thaddius Balia.
Oh my god. So that's l Tilgan. That's the absurdity. That's the
fun house we're about to dive back into here as the calendar turns to twenty
twelve in TNA under the Hulkster. So we're gonna hear in a moment prepared
to cup our ear and hear what a general manager Hulkogan baby face style has
for us. But all of this said, all of this saying, all
of this TNAS about twenty twelve, it all pales in comparison to what is
really the most historically significant thing about twenty twelve, which Hugan in DNA.
I don't know if you realize this, Boss TNA certainly didn't realize it as
it happened, and nobody planned for this to go down in history the way
it did. But we need to talk about Hulk Hogan's final wrestling match.
Whoa let your mind turn think about it. What did you think his last
match was? Um? I thought, God, I don't know where I
really thought it was. I guess I don't know. That's the thing,
because I I'm trying to think here, and I don't recall ever really knowing
about any of the matches he had in TNA, right, Um, So
I couldn't tell you what I thought. It was all the hoopla around the
sting match and the retirement you know, preambles that they did on television,
and the fact that he was able to get in there after all of those
back surgeries in the final fusion surgery and take a couple bumps in the match
and move around pretty well for about ten minutes. Yeah, you know you
wouldn't. Um, you could forgive TNA for not trying to really drive that
bound for glory match home as Hogan's last match. Thank Everyone, including Hogan,
probably held out hope that there were some more you know, abbreviated gimmicked
up but still matches left in the tank for the guy. And they certainly
didn't have any you know, grand plan of which I'm sure if they knew
what date on the calendar to circle as whole Cogan's last match. They would
have made a huge deal out of it. They would have, of course
if you if you actually had a retirement match, promoted it to the hilt.
But um, we're going to be talking in part two about ten A
venturing to the United Kingdom in January of twenty twelve to tape some really hot
television shows. You know, it's a market that and A always sort of
over indexed in in terms of popularity. They had a very strong television clearance
in the UK during this point in time, and it was a place that
they really like to go because it made them feel big league, you know,
sizeable crowds, a lot of enthusiasm. Fans were much more likely to
be familiar with the characters and storylines in the UK than they were in the
US when they went on the road. Here brother and Hulk's making the trip
because he's got an angle to shoot Visavi Garrett and Eric Bischoff for the Impact
television show. Plenty of towns booked out in the UK and you know a
brother, these uh, these Gates and Nottingham and Manchester. Brother and the
end of January, they're not looking too bad, dude, Maybe the Hulkster.
I mean, you know, these people are here in a lot of
ways to see Hule Comania for the first time live in eighteen years? Brother,
aren't o? Brother? Maybe it's time I take the shirt off,
dude. No, these gates, dude, I mean, I'm gonna be
about twenty five hundred and Nottingham forty three hundred people in Manchester for the days
when those were thousands not hundreds. Yes, but you have to grit in
a curve when you're in DNA, do I He probably did. I'm sure
he did. Yeah, he's not gonna. I'm sure brother. You know,
for every for every fan, dude, you know, for t and
a brother or it's really like a thousand fans, right, so really do
forty hundred times a thousand? Dude? It's really about multiples, right brother?
What multiple do you put on it? And if it was the Impact
Zone, I don't think Hulk Cogan would suddenly tell himself, you know what,
let's let's have what could be my last match. It's looking like it's
just a kind of night I feel like going out there. But would this
crowd and would this uh thirst for live impact wrestling in the UK and the
television, you know, equipment on the road, so it made sense for
help to make the trip, not just you know, the UK and European
house shows that TNA had done for years. Ulster steps in and it turns
out to be his last matches in the Square Circle Brother TNH. January twenty
sixth, twenty twelve, Capital FM Arena, Nottingham in nottingham Shire, England,
Hull Coogan, Sting and James Storm defeat Bobby Rude, Curt Angel and
Bully Ray in a six man tag team match Get the Fuck out of Town
and then the final match of hul Coogan's career January twenty seventh. The next
night, twenty twelve, Manchester Arena, Manchester, England, Ogan Storman staying
once again over Rude Ray An Angle. Oh, there's a lot of a
lot of reality that we've touched on Visa v the childhood hero to so many
of us over the course of TNH. But I don't know how to feel
about this. When I was sort of trying to architect how this whole thing
would roll out, this TNH journey, it was in my rolodecks of things
that made it worth highlighting this point in Hulkogan's life and career that you know.
Yeah, of course his last matches would have happened in TNA, But
do people realize they were non televised shows in England that no one anticipated as
he stepped through the ropes would be his last matches. That's just the way
it turned out. It's kind of heartwrenching in a way, like it's kind
of sad, it's kind of pathetic. Forty three hundred people in Hulk Coogan's
last match, Actually, what's that? It's kind of everything we expect actually
from That's kind of what I'm getting at. Should Hulk Coogan's last match be
in front of forty three hundred people? Yes? Should his second to last
match be in front of twenty five hundred people? Yes, He's earned it.
Presenting now as we turned the page in twenty twelve to total NonStop Hogan,
We're going to take it in. They're available in bits and pieces on
YouTube. One of the files is the complete match, but of course these
aren't television tapings. We have to rely on Fancam there is I will say,
and I know you spent some time as we began planning Tnah's looking for
this DVD. There is a DVD that TENA released that's incredibly rare, Pain
and the Pain in the Butt. What did you find? Tell the people
nothing, Well, the point is what did you try to find? Oh?
I try to find They had a a Hulk Hogan like TNA Greatest Hits
DVD and I was like, if we're gonna do Hogan and TNA, that's
got to be a source of incredible wealth. What we're trying to do.
I couldn't agree more. You know, we think that Last Brook knows best
episodes The Dragon to Sleigh add this to the list. I invite you,
if you have a second Baus, just google around for us and tell us
what you see. Try to find, you know, a match listening for
that DVD that that you tried to Oh, I mean secured. I want
you to tell us. You see, this was my December in January.
I want you to know. And it's entirety Um. Yeah, Like seriously,
you're trying to find fucking places to do it. What was the name
of the dvd? Um, I'm trying to find it. Is it just
right hold TA Greatest Hits or something? D I mean the s an article
like who bought this right right? Oh? Um, no, not that
one. Where is it? It's who best of Whole Coogan TNA is what
it is? So best the match listing best of Oh boy, hold on,
I'm not there yet though, match I gotta do match listing. Oh
I'm overwhelmed here. It doesn't have to be just just a list of what's
on the DVD. Eat it all right? Um? Full match O?
Best of Sting? Is there is there one? Let's take a look.
Is there a match listing best of Hogan TNA? Oh? Here we go.
There's the cage match. Okay, there we go. Matches. I
want to send you a link. I got, I gotta now Wow,
holy wait all you got Whole Cogan and Abyss versus Rick Flair and aj Style
Naturally, the first Monday Night Impact Abyss, Rob Van Damn, Jeff Jared
And this is the lethal Lockdown match that Hogan's not in Team Hogan, Team
Hogan Hogan versus Sting TENA Bound for Glory Naturally, Hogan, Sting and James
Storm versus Kurt Angle, Bobby Rude and Bully Ray TNA Maximum Impact Tour,
January twenty twelve. Wow, fuck, click the link. This is the
twenty sixth Son of a Bitch second to last match, Son of a Bitch?
You do want you to play it right now? Or just go ahead
and play it and tell us we can see I'm gonna do the same on
Jen all right? Wait? Wait, should we do it? Well,
let's do it? Do account? Just just uh just play it. I
can catch every you all right right. On January twenty six, twenty twelve,
and Nottingham, England YouTube by the way of the YouTube Kingdom Hogan Hogo,
he made a surprise return to the ring to team with Sting and James
Storm to battle Kurt Angle, Bobby Root and Bullie Ray. This bonus match
has never been televised. Holy shit, don't talk YouTube for all to see.
I don't know if this is the exact I understand we're not in the
it's on the DVD, but I think it's likely. Here's Sting up in
Nottingham Forest. Why Nottingham Forest? Shut out, fucking ass clown brother a
ring with James Storm. If you don't understand it, we're not what I
don't know, Darby Allen. I guess Harbinger thinks to come for the Stinger,
so I'll tell you what, I think I could come up with a
new tag team partner. Oh boy, I think I can hear him now
nobody? You got nobody? Holy shit, get the fuck out of town.
Are you serious? Calcimania flashes on the screen. They he came down
to fucking Eyah the Tiger. Did he know what's his last match? No?
And this isn't it? This is the second to last one. Oh,
this is the second to last match. Look at him, red bandana,
yellow cut off, Halkimania shirt, jeans. I mean he's like trying
to wave his arms like he's not fucking eighty years old, Like he hasn't
had fifteen back surgeries, like he hasn't been in eighteen dozen awsomes over the
Lasting Boss preach on d n h. Let's not forget that this shell of
a man. Everyone's praising him, everyone's fucking doing that. We're not worthy.
Of course, he's wearing jeans. Isn't that how it should end?
Hilarious? Welcome back? I love, I really love. Like. This
is the thing about wrestling fans I never understand is why, like do we
do we not know that these men are completely inept when it comes to physical
activity in the ring, and we just want them willing to accept it.
Do we want to live in the fantasy? Yeah, that's that's an easy
question to answer. It's just funny because like I don't want to see him
wrestling, right, Like I've kind of accepted the fact that that he's that,
that he's one step out of the grave and he's gonna start the match.
Of course he is roller. Look at him. He better start and
finish him. That's the way to do it. Start it, take a
take a three hour break, and then finish the match. Outside of Bobby
Rude is to be working with him, bouncing on the bottom rope. Look
at him holding trying the jog and the new balance holding him, bullies starting
him off. Look at him circle. Oh, he's already gassed. He's
done both angle. I don't know he rude crude tags on him. I
was gonna say the uh, the Angle. The Angle match of actually very
significant because Kurt Angle, as far as I know, you know, well,
I know the only night in WWE to ever make him tap out.
That's right, yep, they circled. That's Bobby Rude, the team,
the heavyweight champ locking it up with the Holster look at just fucking walking around
a bottle, slapping of shoulders and biceps. Here, brother, oh holler,
oh who who whoa? They lock it up. Hogan backs into the
corner, going whoa, whoa, whoa. There he goes. That's because
you get a salesman. There. Hogan pushes him, head of her heels,
right hand blocked. Hogan scores between the eyes. Down, goes Rude.
Angle enters the fray down, goes Angle. Bully. Ray enters the
fray down, goes Bully. Hogan's cooking in London or in England. He's
hardly swimming fists. He can barely move his fists. It's all about the
selling. Wow one second, brother, I'm the breather dude, only right
tailing, Bobby Rude, you are the champion. You can beat him.
Hogan standing there like a guy. I don't know, the dude like a
guy A champion. Brother Hogan with his hands on his hips, looking like
he's waiting for his takeout order. Oh, he's waiting for the go home
order. Actually, okay, I got that right. That'll be tomorrow night.
Crotch chop from the Hulkster. Oh he's so edgy. Can you spot
the little cut of the neckline of the T shirt for later. Yep,
I know what he's gonna do. Yeah, why couldn't you fucking like cut
do the real cut like you normally do, Kyle, he doesn't even have
cuts in the back. Whoa, Oh, he's stuffing the bandannion on his
throat. I'm Bobby Rube's throat arm right here by the Hulkster going to work
with an elbow across the elbow, Bobby Rude. It's also kind of weird
to see Hogan in the ring not oiled up. No, that's true.
No, like his skin is very like just there. That is the stinger.
I think Hogan's work is done with the finish. Yeah, I'm not
saying he's gonna he's gonna. I mean, I hope he gives I'm sure
he can't do a boot, but I hope he can do a axual boom
ball. And see him conversing on the apron with a smile on his face
with James Storm. I'd love him to be a fly at the wall for
that one. We got like Rick Flair sting, Yeah, stings nosed on
the chops. No, Jesus is the WCW helk up for the galoob generation
here exactly, high back body drop. Who's waiting? He's talking him.
Stinger splash misses, but he no sells and runs him over with a closed
line. Right, He's going for it right from the get go. He
wants to finish him off. Ogan turns to the faithful, trying to get
him fired up for Sting to turn over the scorpion deathlock. He does,
but kurd Angle nars the fray and Sting keeping everybody at bay with back hands.
Sting throws back hands, stinger splash, stinger splash, Ogan directly traffic
all right, he's booking on the fly. Oh, yes, a gentleman
manager. It's true. He has a lot of book talent. Stinging back
to the Scorpion deathwalk on Bobby Route. Can you turn him over? Can
you get him? Yes he can, Yeah, but he's got his back
to his to his opponents. Not a good plan, Paul, there,
oh, con certainly no physical condition to run interference. He did try to
step in though, whefree Brian Hepner Hilt. He's sitting on his ass outside.
Yeah, he's the able bodied one. He hasn't moved a muscles he's
the one like who actually is of age? Well right now legal taken over
on Sting. What's he saying? They're saying pussy Ray right? That makes
sense other than sugar Ray. I suppose that is true. The band not
the boxer pussing of the corner. Kurt Angle gets the tag here we go,
you know wants Hogan who wants your repeated business shout and get him out
of the corner. Off the triple team, in the Stinger, in the
heel corner, its blue ropes, whole Hogan's last stand. I really can't
deal with this being the last you know, tip for Tad and the ring
for the Hulkster. I just can't look how long the hair is in the
back, especially with the bend in off. Oh I know extensions, brother,
Well it depends, uh what Dixie can afford come October. Oh dude,
Angle drops Sting with a shoulder block and then mocks Hogan's earcup Hogan trying
to step in. Dude that he's not gonna mock me, brother, or
Hogan trying to bend the rules. The general manager bending rules something a little
uh yeah, something a little uh hypocritical. Yet the the rulemaster General of
KNA trying to bend and break the rules. Bizarre us. Oh Wen,
just tell Brian Heavener keep your eye on the ball. Meanwhile, Brian Heavener
is trying to hide it holding No, I'm the ball, dude. Don't
play hide the ball, mother. I see you, I see your,
I see your your black and white striped shirt. Brother, We're not playing
the yang dude staying on the hop. They collide to the center of the
ring, stings and a collapse on roots crotch. Comedy tell you five able
bodied wrestlers. Hodiam is the most animated guy Eve apparently fucking humping the correct
stand up, stand up, stand up right, stand up, be a
man, Hogan, I think that's sting with a British accent. Oh tag
James Storm legal for the first time in the sixth Man the only able bodied
individual on team Hogan throwing hands on guard angle with reversed angle takes the forearm
shiver down. He goes reverse angle. What it is he's able to move?
How he's doing with his fucking in his shape? Well, you know
what they were calling him back then? I heard perk angle right long blower
by Storm on angle hook gets to Hogan, questioning the count on hobby head
trips. James Storm said, look at can climb the ropes, trying to
get him that that fusion start too. Did the trick's pretty go up?
Top started getting abused by the heels on the floor while Sting just looks at
this good looks at him, look at this and talking like neighbors on the
corner. Broller, you want to get a buriaus a lot for this dude.
You're retiring in Tampa, right, Stinger. Hey, you got a
good houses in the valley. Dude thinking of moving closer to them ex wife,
just to make sure everything's, you know, on the up and up.
You want to move will says will Adele. Dude. Sting thought he
was talking about computers and thought he said, will Adele do well, No,
I'm more of an HP guy. We long's you're an HD guy,
Dude. Jakes going playing baby face and peril. Now it's Bully Ray writing
down punishment on the Tennessee Cowboy, the recent job jacking between the Hulkstern,
Bully Ray, Hey, Pussy Ray, Stevie Ray, Stevie Ray. Everyone
really is going for well, brother, get in there, do you see
it for the fact man, when you watch it, brother, this has
got to be the version that's on that TNA DVD, I would imagine.
I mean it's pretty good quality. It looks like especially for twenty twelve.
You know, most phone cameras didn't have this quality. Then yeah, this
is very clearly ring like really ring side. Yeah, you're right, this
isn't clear enough fancam yep. So in the way they filmed this but didn't
actually film it for real, like they had the fourth sight to to to
film this for what posterity. I know, it's a great question. I
don't know if they made a practice of at least doing a one camera shoot
on every show they did, Like WW does that? Yeah, I think
there's I think in WW could be wrong about this, but I think there's
like an expectation that there's a tape that the office can watch if they want
to like right track progress or look at something whatever. I always thought that
was the case. But they don't do it the next night because the match
listing I see you for that TNA DVD does not date in the match and
it's the same six man both nights. This is the first night, so
I guess it's kind of good to know that Whole Cogan's actual final last match.
But the person who posted this didn't get the wrong dating. I suppose
it's possible. Yeah, I mean they say it's nodding him right in the
descriptions, So all right, you call. But it is referred to on
YouTube's Whole Cogan's Final Match mistakenly. According to you know Wrestling Data and the
other you know wrestling record keeping websites, it's January twenty seventh, is final
match. James Storm has found an opening, avoiding the onslaught of Bully Ray
and Hulkkegan himself has the hand extended for the hot tag and he gets it.
Brother, he can't get it. What's wrong here? Someone who's yanking
James Storm off camera? We couldn't see it here he comes, Oh dude,
I'm acting like I'm twenty years old, Brother Art is tear's the shirt
and that's what you're gonna get. That reaction. You look at the strange
combination of muscle and flab. Oh, I know, it is so weird.
A shirtless Hulkkegan throwing hands and everybody's bumping for the big man, and
everyone's and the crowd is seems to be enjoying this. A mortal tattooed across
his back, the spinal stimulator sticking through his skin. Oh, he went
for a boot. He couldn't even do it though. He got to the
gut, the gutter, Bobby Ruth. Look, he's gonna he's gonna signal
for it. He's gonna run. Someone's gonna happen. It's not gonna happen,
No way he can fucking Oh he tags out. He cut the year.
Oh, he's gonna have him do the leg drop. That's cute,
Broler. I can't, dude, next generation leg didn't drop? Brother,
shouldn't Brother? There come Storm, he's up. Oh, Hogan absolute a
little boost from the Hoaxter cover two three storm pins. Rude. Wow,
look at him in jeans, Brother stinging Storm, raising his hands center ring
and Nottingham. Hogan cups the year. Wow. Hogan must pose, he
must. That's what we're here for. We're here for the pose. Broler.
It's pretty good man, I mean, yeah, you know, all
things considered. Get to see the fans rejoicing and yeah, shit, so
we got cast on Blost Uncle Jef awesome on Dwayne the Rock Johnson, Johnson
and Terry Crews. Oh that's the follow up algorithm video. So that was
that was the match, James Storm doing the honors, dropping the leg for
the hopster ain't getting the pen. And so we do come to January twenty
seven, twenty twelve, Manchester Arena, Manchester, England, hul Coogan's final
professional wrestling match part of TNH and the match does not exist and it's entirety
really even in pieces on YouTube this one, I think we do have to
rely on fancam okay, and all we have is the entrance and the post
match. Wow, what a douche's not fucking doing the right thing? Love
to know, Yeah, I mean, if they only knew this would be
a historical document, I'm sure they would have gone to the trouble of recording
this thing. And maybe it exists somewhere in the TNA vault. And if
it does, I think we hear at TLF have done a lot for Impact
Plus this year. Okay, as the laps erendipity is set in there uploading
the episodes in chronology precisely the clip we happened to cover for them on the
show. It one may think a conspiracy theorist might think we're in concert with
each other, considering how much overlap there is. They're posting clips on their
Twitter of Impacts we're just about to cover. Are you serious? Like the
bishoff with the falcon in his office when Sting is going nuts? They posted
that one like the week before we talked about it, and here's the call.
You can pretend I didn't you didn't hear me make it? But digging
those fucking crates man. And if anybody over at Impact has the January twenty
seventh, twenty twelve how show in Manchester, England on any kind of memoracks,
we need it. We need it in its entirety because it is Hull
Coogan's last match Jesus. So let's let's see what we can. All right,
sent a link there. I'm going to get an advertisement, so you
might want to mute. This is up on them. Get it right in.
Okay, I got an ad, so please bear with me. Just
started zero and I'll tell you when to start, all right. Um?
Yeah, so this was posted eleven years ago, so it wasn't like you
know, people realized it was it was a last match video. In fact,
it's just titled Hogan making his entrance at a TNA card in Manchester,
and so uh yes, here we go three two one play. Here it
comes hold Comania shirt, red bandana doing the post, same hole Commandia tron
the tiger, I'm announcer. I think that's Penzer. And again the red
jogging pants. Here he comes one last time. This is clearly a fan
cam. Yes, look around for cameras. I see there's a camera.
Great idea. I don't see one man rising up. There's a kind of
hot Hogan there, there's gotta heind Hogan with some kind of bag. There's
a camera hemery. What the fuck hemery we have? They're in footage of
this thing. It exists. Come on, dappens too fast? Bag motherfuckers.
Oh the tears the shirt before the match this time and they roar at
Manchester one more time for the holster. Wow, whose fucking bag? He
has? Bands man, some of them, but the jeans weren't working for
him. But gonna be jeans again, dude. I'm digging out poll takes
of the raigment stinging James storm Cup in the years, all four sides of
the ring, the ring he took from six sides to four. I'll see
the UK fans Chenney for six sides by the way, using this music proof
that Hogan knows is TNA song sucked? Yes, why don't you get the
rights to this fucking song? I'm suspensive, but like, give us something
that's actually a whole Cogan. How if you went to this show, you
got it? I know for the show the night before that he actually looks
pretty good at a distance? Does he does? You can't tell that he's
a fucking shell of a human being. So the match is the match.
I can only assume it's probably the exact replica of what we're just pasting.
Yeah, but um, if Hogan's gonna pose, if Hogan must pose after
every match, then you better believe he's gonna do it for his last one.
Here we go pose down. Yes, I know, man, am
I've been different because you know what they're playing here music and I wonder if
you got the pan and you know what this video looks a lot. This
is a stable camera. Does also look different locations too much better quality.
This isn't a fan cam. I don't think it is. They're just not
trained at ringside, so can look at the swishy pants. Look at the
fucking I know it's very uncomfortable. I mean it looks like a he looks
like a like a like a guy in a neighborhood who's like working on his
car during the summer above the last time are hanging out. He doesn't know.
They don't deserve it, brother, They're not making enough noise, dude,
stinging storm, trying to convince him otherwise, this is actually kind of
beautiful. Yeah, wow, hooking digging that wax out of his ear.
I can't hear yah boom cupping put that fucking uh without hearing back in the
stinger helping clear right, Hogan's here, Bunny, Well the why are you
doing that? You're sticking your finger in my hair? Dude, What the
fuck? What are you doing behind me? Brother? Posing Hogan? Yes,
all he's been through all that hardware in his back and now it looks
like a Halloween skeleton. It's fine. Looks he's got fucking a Halloween cost
He always did, didn't. He looks like a fucking guy wearing a hulk
Looks like that guy used to go to the shows wearing that Hulk Hogan costume.
It's cupping as much as he can be trusting it's Ogan. Yeah,
it's that a paper towel taped to his head. Heard book and the thumbs
up, fucking saggy arms do a flair flop there, it's just selling it.
Die is going with the black Sneaks this time Grandpa Hogan and the ring
stinging Storm leaving the squared circle just to the Hogster. Are you guys get
out of the ring? Dude? Hey, what are you doing? Brother?
What are you doing? Whoa christ Heavy? Hold the ropes open for
the Hochster. Christy, do you know you help the honor of being the
last person to hold open the Look at these people, one of them?
They want it. They're hungry like Storm in the jay Leno stage at the
beginning of the Jesus. That's how it ends. Wow, And in some
ways I feel like we're reaching an end here. Untih sure I suppose that
is true. The boss were obliged before we take this break to remind people
what we have for them. Over at Patreon we already referenced available right now
with the two Headed Sharp Attack movie that Brooke Hogan started in released in this
very year twenty twelve. But we're in the midst of a marine journey we
are, and that resumes soon it does resume or resumes this week with uh,
you know, it's kind of actually fitting a fitting a break to take
actually, because in the Marine franchise there really is a before miss and an
after miss, and we're about to hit that miss section because the next four
movies revolve around the miss character of Jake Carter Marine Jake Carter, and we're
about to dig into some some really interesting well I don't know about really interesting,
but some hilarious stuff and interesting stuff actually regarding the the status of W
Films and W Studios and and really we're we're kicking off the Missus movie career.
This was the Marine three. Home Front was his first movie, so
this is the first WD movie unbelievable if that matters. So we'll get better
acquainted with Mike Muzzanan, indeed, even better than we did when he did
the Christmas movie, which was called the two Christmas Movies We've seen. We've
seen Christmas Bounty and Santa's Little Helper. Can't Wait for more? Yeah,
or he did the Marine one with John Cena, the Marine two with he
who shall not be named surprised surprisingly decent Marine two. By the way,
that's that's kind of the the takeaway. It was actually not It's not a
great movie, but it wasn't It wasn't bad, and it might actually be
I'm the best marine movie. Yeah, man, laps fan Live laps fan
Maine. You know, like, yeah, right, we're not just going
to shoot on something because you expect us to and because you think it's it's
entertaining, like it's not shitty, We're not going to shoot on it.
If if it is, no one goes harder. I mean it's pretty simple,
right, I mean, you know, two headed shark attack. There
you go, perfect. Zepher Brooke, Zepher Brooks Brook was good. So
yeah, so we get four weeks of the miss coming up. Ready,
you're getting me back man? Oh yeah. And also on the biggest swing
in dick tire of them all, the moat tier, which we know is
is a pretty penny. But you also can't blame us for lavishing the most
elaborate praise on those who have the dick size. Frankly, absolutely have to
pledge of that denomination and to enjoy that that true elite status. Boss.
And at the same time qualify for Wrestle Mommia, that most indulgent show we
do, the most indulgent comment content. Rather, we offer this is Mama
Sorrow, your beloved mother sitting there, yes, watching matches and saying the
things we remember our parents and grandparents saying when we came of ages wrestling fans.
It's it's really, it's a reminder. It's a reminder of where we
are as wrestling fans and where we always rememb as wrestling fans. And by
the time this drops, fans will have just listened to me and my mom
watch Hulk Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior take on Sergeant Slaughter, Colonel Mustafa and
General Adnan from Summer Slam ninety one. Unbelievable chance to go back over all
these classics exactly exactly dives is the parent in the room. And now we
got it. I know it's so true. It's so true. Now we
got it. So layer that on as well to all the things we're offering
you. And it's always appropriate to tip our cap to those who have pledged
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just the wherewithal there's no where we can't go from a logistics right and
a research standpoint because of that backing. You know, bosses, you've dived
in posting and researching and putting together under the cinemat. It's all about not
having any handcuffs on you in terms of, like I need to go find
this information. The people expect it, and the only reason we can afford
to do it is because the supporters like that. Absolutely. I mean it's
actually it's I mean, i I'm completely flabbergasted at kind of having to dig
in to so many different areas. It's really because you know, you've said
a hell of an example. I have to try to follow suit on the
other end with the cinemat and so it's like there's so much to try to
grab at that to have these extra resources, it's just it's it makes it
that much easier to have the luxury of stopping it nothing. And we know,
like you have to realize folks like we have this in us. We've
proved it on the wrestling side of the movie side, but we would never
do it. We would never give it to the world such as it is
if it wasn't for people like this saying yes, go forth, yes,
yes, here's money to prove it, because that's look, we know what
world we live in, we know what country we live in, we know
what economic system we sit in. I'm talking about people outside of our bubble.
No one thinks it's real until you put a dollar figure on it and
they go, what. How many people have come to us just because they
see our Patreon and try to make friends with us, Like, we don't
fucking know what they're doing. Yeah, you know what I mean exactly.
And if if our content was exactly the same and our Patreon was a quarter
of what it was we wouldn't hear for a single word from him. They're
they're counting other people's money, the first step to a downfall of anybody.
But we're happy to participate in said downfall of others and an uplifting of ourselves.
And thanks to the Moat tier for that and everybody of course we pledges
to us on Patreon, we just dropped the live call for Backlash. We
watched Modern WBC. You don't have to match by match call. Boss Cody
gets what he deserves, he penned Brock listener, Right, it's all all's
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So get our live unfiltered thoughts as we take in Modern WWE. That's available
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And you can't get better give and take discussion like you get on the
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to be Patreon dot com slash the lapsed fan and if you want to wear
it on your sleeve. Boss. We just got an email from someone who's
going to this massive Wembley Stadium aw chefs. They had a simple question,
what shirt from the TLF catalog should I wear? CoA chairman, I sent
him in the direction of brother with a question mark in the whole style brother,
as we're in full t H mode, But tell the people what they
can find at progressing ts dot com slash lapsed fan. You know we got
some brand new doozies up there. They came out. Actually, this is
funny enough. They actually came out before uh the episode drop, because you
know, that's just the way we roll. There is a Pummius power shirt
available for fans uh in that in that classic Python power look from Hulk Coogan.
There is the brother shirt, and there is a clown infrastructure. S
fucking did it with a giant tower and then you got a silhouette of Savage
on the roof of the building ic Clowe Infrastructure. It's there that probably would
be the most the most random shirt that you could possibly wear to any event.
People would have liked that to me is the weirdest one. But I
like it. Of course We've got you know, I do love going back
whenever I am checking to make sure shirts are are available. I love seeing
what kind of just kind of happened that I may have forgot about. And
I do love looking at our Christmas collection from us a whole new level.
This year. The Christmas we had was just holy shit, just all around.
Yeah, this is bonkers, and you know, just kind of like
looking back. And you got the Elf themed one, you got Christmas Story
one, you got night Member Before Christmas, you got the Charlie Brown Christmas
version. You got the home alone version, you got the the scrooged version,
you got the die hard version. It's just awesome. I'm just I
was very proud of I was very you know what. The Christmas spirit had
me hard uh this year, so and then so much other stuff. You
got the Dan Cook shirt for those who in the uh in the moat tier
they fucking know. And you get the one that I actually also get a
kick out if you get the the ones of of the wrestlers, um older
characters that they you know, weren't like. We've got um shrug shadow for
Scott Hall. Oh my god, yet shrug shadow. We got fang mcfrost
ice dagger both for uh for Steve Austin does fucking great shit. So we
get hundreds of shirts, hundreds upon hundreds and hundreds of shirts. Maybe you
should have had, you know what, the guy going to the britishow,
you know what he should have had wrestling it's bent that's what he should have
had. That's a that's a tough one in the UK. Yeah, you
know of it. Um So I fell in love during the LA show we
did after WrestleMania with the lapsed ecosystem shirt. It's a deep cut and it
has like four pieces to it, like, what is it to be in
the last ecosystem? The key one undermine desire. That's what we exist to
do here at the laps time. So let's let's let's continue in that vein
boss by diving into a little twenty twelve TNA. What do you say,
how about we do a deep dial in? Yeah, a deep dial in
as Hulkegan assumes a different color bandana, a different color cut off shirt,
but the same rap, just in a general manager skin. Let's see if
we can turn the nose up on this thing. Finally, in the year
twenty twelve, ten years after TNA's founding, let's let's fucking go. You
got it side of this break