PODCAST RECAP AND REVIEW: Jim Cornette’s Drive-Thru on his favorite authority figuers in wrestling, how Randy Savage would have fared in the NWA, what Abdullah the Butcher would always carry to the ring with him (Ep. 47)

Jim Cornette’s Drive-Thru Episode 47

Release date: April 2, 2018

Recap by: Paul Briody

DIRECT LINK TO LISTEN/DOWNLOAD

Top stories/moments of interest:

• Usual format in which Brian Last asks Jim Cornette email questions from fans about current wrestling and wrestling history with great chemistry between the two.

0:00 – Intro includes a plug for Jim’s upcoming graphic novel and its associated Kickstarter campaign where you can get lots of cool perks for donating and the show’s new sponsor, the law offices of Stephen P. New!

11:25 – Jim’s asked about his favorite authority figures in wrestling and Sandy Scott in particular. Jim liked Scott’s straight- laced approach, not taking the spotlight from the wrestlers. Eddie Marlin in Memphis also worked. Gorilla Monsoon was better than Jack Tunney because he had more personality and could cut promos, “it meant something when Vader Vader-bombed him.” These days it’d be better if the wrestlers could cut their own promos rather than relying on authority figures. Bob Geigel was terrible! Jim muses that the fact that the owners of the main company today are heel-ish and crazy and the wrestlers have to deal with it instead of the other way around might be why no one can get over anymore!

22:07 – Jim’s asked his opinion on Brock not having to defend the title every thirty days. It’s a good thing to keep the champion special by not having him appear on every show but Brock’s schedule is too light.

24:50 – Jim’s asked about a stadium show in Massachusetts in 1985 featuring the Von Erichs and The Midnight Express. Jim wasn’t sure if they’d draw up there. The Midnights (Jim, Bobby and Dennis) traveled with referee Ric Hazzard, Gary Hart, and One Man Gang. The stadium (Manning Bowl) was falling apart and the crowd was about 5000-strong but they were spread out. The payoff wasn’t great. People up there wanted that brand of wrestling but it was a very low budget affair.

36:15 – Jim’s asked about Randy Savage’s jump to the WWF and how would he have fared in the NWA. It was Jimmy Hart who first recommended Randy to WWF management. In Jim’s opinion, Savage wouldn’t have been a good fit as a touring NWA champion, he had such a bombastic personality, he would’ve been a better fit as the number one babyface in a territory that the touring champion would wrestle. Plus, there’d be no Miss Elizabeth (in the NWA) and she was such a big part of the act. Before Miss Elizabeth, Greg Valentine’s wife, Julie, was considered for Randy’s valet.

41:38 – Any Jimmy Hart stories? Jim: “There has never been a manager more important to a territory than Jimmy Hart was from 1980 through 1985 in Memphis… unmatchable.” Jimmy Hart was the number one heel in Memphis at that time and Cornette was his “understudy.” Long, funny story of Jim wrestling Jimmy while Jimmy was wearing a chicken suit in Memphis and getting feathers in Cornette’s mouth, “I was coughing feathers like I’d been bl****g Big Bird.”

52:39 – Should Andy Kaufman be in the WWE Hall Of Fame? In short, yes, because the angle was so well done. Jim: “Even people who knew wrestling was a work believed this.” “They had people for years.” Wasn’t a great financial success (8,000 crowd for the blow-off, 3000 short of a sell-out) but “how else would Lawler have gotten on David Letterman?” Kaufman worked cheap and played it so serious, he was a natural fit for wrestling.

59:51 – Any wrestling superstitions/rituals for Jim? Not really, apart from waiting as late as possible to put his knee braces on because he strapped them on so tight.

1:02:00 – Abdullah The Butcher would carry his wallet to the ring with him for every match after wrapping it in a bandana or cloth, then heavy rubber bands, then putting it in his back brace and pulling his pants up over the brace! Jim once saw him remove the wallet after a match and count the money in it!

1:03:58 – Did Jim ever meet Chick Donovan’s dog, as apparently it was an ex-circus dog and could do lots of tricks, including talking?! Jim never met the dog but “the way he (Chick) explains it he had interesting conversations.” Funny stuff.

1:08:15 – Why was the NWA Chi-town rumble only held one year? The Turner-led NWA schedule was a lot more ad-libbed than Vince McMahon’s WWF. The marketing/promotional division led the booking rather than the other way around.

1:13:31 – Outro. Plugs for jimcornette.com, 6:05 Superpodcast, twitter: @TheJimCornette, @GreatBrianLast.

Rating: 6.5/10

Not quite up to their usual high standard but contains enough interesting tidbits and humour that it’s still well worth a listen!

Time stamps:

0:00 – Intro
11:25 – Authority figures
22:07 – Brock’s schedule
24:50 – Manning Stadium show in ‘85
36:15 – Randy Savage in the NWA?
41:38 – Jimmy Hart stories
52:39 – Andy Kaufman in the WWE HOF?
59:51 – Superstitions/rituals in wrestling
1:03:58 – Chick Donovan’s dog
1:08:15 – NWA Chi-town rumble
1:13:31 – Outro

About Paul: 

I’m just a guy, from England, who watches wrestling and listens to podcasts!