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I know I am a few weeks late on this, but I am watching the Royal Rumble and they are literally in the Houston Astros' house but there's nothing poking fun or mocking the cheating scandal. This CANNOT be an accident right? It's right there and there's no references on promos, on commentary, anything.
You are correct. It was by design. Todd Pettingill, on his great subscription site HeyTodd.com recounted his visit back to WWE at the Rumble (where he appeared on the Watchalong and noted he had a great time going back to visit) and noted that he was explicitly given instruction to not reference the cheating scandal or even joke about cheating, noting that as a comedian, they took some obvious jokes out of his arsenal. So, it makes sense there was some sort of edict across the board not to bring any attention to the Astros scandal.
I don't get some of the places WWE gives interviews to. I see sites that are obviously rip-off sites, I see video game outlets, I see goofy YouTube channels. I don't understand why WWE doesn't have a talent embedded with you every week, especially given how deep the discussions Mike does sometimes go. Anyone who saw the CM Punk thing at Starrcade knows Mike is the best interviewer out there - so why wouldn't WWE want their men and women on the site?
First of all, thank you. I'll take the compliment although I don't want to say anyone is the best out there, period. WWE likes to get their talents outside the pro wrestling bubble, which is a strategy I actually understand. They know our readership and our subscribers are aware of what they are doing, but someone at a radio show, a newspaper, a Gamers' YT channel, etc. might not be and having their talents spotlighted there might lead to new fans. We've had a lot of WWE talents off and on over the years and we'll have more I am sure, but I don't ever expect WWE is going to hand us anyone for an hour or anything like that.
I know you've been at the WWE Performance Center, but have you been inside a ring at the PC?
No, nor would I. I think that's disrespectful to the talents who perform inside the ring. I can't remember any time I've ever been inside a ring, ever, off the top of my head.
If there could be a deep, long-form documentary on any wrestler who ever lived, who would you want it to be?
Roddy Piper and Dusty Rhodes comes to the top of my head. I also think Adrian Adonis and Eddie Gilbert would make great subjects.
Best NWA, WCW, ECW and WWF tag teams of all time - go!
For the NWA, it's the Midnight Express, The Rock N' Roll Express and The Fantastics, in no particular order.
For the WWF, it's The British Bulldogs, Demolition and The Dudley Boyz.
For WCW, it's The Steiners, Harlem Heat, Doom and Michael Hayes & Jimmy Garvin.
For ECW, it's the Dudleys, The Public Enemy, Mikey Whipwreck & Tajiri, and Sabu & RVD.
Who was the first wrestler you ever met?
Big John Studd. He was signing in Flushing Meadows Park as part of the now-defunct Queensday festival in NYC for BQ Cable, a a cable company at the time. I think I was 11 or 12. He was great and I had a great time conveying that story to his son Sean when I interviewed Sean Studd many years later.
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