Jim Cornette’s Drive-Thru Episode 66
Release date: Aug 27, 2018
Recap by: Paul Briody
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0:00 – Intro.
12:37 – Any Sam Menacker stories and was Cincinnati ever part of a regular wrestling territory? Cincinnati was part of The Sheik’s territory in Detroit throughout the 1960s and ‘70s and even before that it was a part of the Indianapolis booking office. The Sheik would run Cincinnati perhaps every month or so. Jim talks about Menacker always making sure he was the babyface announcer, in the mould of a Lance Russell, and his verbal jousting with Bobby Heenan.
21:19 – What are Jim’s thoughts on Don Callis? “I liked Don, he was a good talent, he was a good promo. He had heat with some people in the WWF in the ‘90s for a variety of reasons… they tried to stick him in that f****** Truth Commission and he was trying to make chicken salad out of chicken s***. I thought he would’ve been a great manager that could also work… they never got it. I can’t remember who was mad at him and why but it wasn’t (for) any valid reasons other than they just didn’t get it.”
24:07 – What are Jim’s thoughts on ECW originals such as RVD, The Sandman and Tommy Dreamer and would he have ever booked them in SMW? The Sandman character wouldn’t have translated too well to the SMW audience and they’d be limited in what they could do with the gimmick in terms of TV clearance, an RVD/Al Snow pairing would’ve worked well in SMW and Tommy Dreamer would be somewhere in the middle of the two in that SMW couldn’t do the hardcore stuff that really got Dreamer over, although he’d have more of a chance (than Sandman) of working a different style.
Corny then talks about using Dennis Coralluzzo in SMW.
36:41 – What are Jim’s thoughts on Test and will smoking weed instead of taking pain pills ever be accepted by a big wrestling company? If/when weed gets legalized, wrestling companies won’t have much choice. Jim: “As far as Test, I’ve gotta be honest, I think the middle of the card is where Test needed to be.” He was given bad gimmicks and an awful name to contend with but Jim doubts he’d ever have been a main event guy.
42:49 – Why do old school wrestlers always point at the people they take a photo with? It’s basically just a pose that puts over the individual fan, “like, ‘Hey, you’re the man’ so he can show his friends.”
44:20 – Can Jim shed any light on Rocky Maivia being chosen as The Rock’s first WWF name? He was to be a babyface and wanted to pay homage to his father, Rocky Johnson, and his grandfather, High Chief Peter Maivia. Jim wasn’t a fan of the ring gear and the “Kid ‘n’ Play haircut” but immediately foresaw him as a future world champion and he told Vince McMahon as such. Jim then talks about an idea he had for working with The Rock by managing undercard heels for him to beat and gaining him experience in the process.
52:15 – In the 1994 Royal Rumble casket match between Undertaker and Yokozuna, the rumor is that when Undertaker ‘ascended’ he was played by Marty Jannetty, is this true? What are Jim’s general memories of that match? Jim: “That was the only Undertaker-Yokozuna match that I did not enjoy because the finish was not only so ludicrous but I thought they just destroyed the casket match… the whole Undertaker ascending to heaven on a screen… it may have been Jannetty, I can’t remember but it was just so theatrical… I was just embarrassed by it. The locker room emptied with every heel to come down and pummel the Undertaker and not one babyface… it killed the whole thing for me.”
55:25 – How much instruction did Jim ever give talent in SMW and did anyone ever go too far? The question includes an example of Cactus Jack talking about Boo Bradley (Balls Mahoney) having a “fascination with p****” on SMW TV and Jim confirms that Mick Foley cleared that with him beforehand. In terms of going too far, Tracy Smothers would often get so wound up that he’d lose himself in the heat of the moment and swear etc and one time he gave his real address in a promo. Interesting stuff about promo production and bloopers throughout Jim’s career.
1:06:42 – Bam Bam Bigelow debuted as a babyface in NWA 1988 to a lukewarm response, why did he struggle getting over back then? His overall look was just so much more suited to working as a heel, since he was a “bada** looking biker f*** that was legitimate with tattoos on his head.” Jim: “He did a great job in the ring but the booking of Bam Bam never did justice to the guy he could’ve been, in my opinion.” Jim even considers the flame bodysuit too cartoony.
1:11:09 – Outro
Plugs: Twitter: @TheJimCornette, @GreatBrianLast #CornyDriveThru; CornyDriveThru@gmail.com; JimCornette.com; 605pod.com; kfrpod.com; tinyurl.com/cornyyoutube; the law offices of Stephen P. New: newlawoffice.com.
Rating: 7.2
Timestamps:
12:37 – Sam Menacker
21:19 – Don Callis
24:07 – ECW originals
36:41 – Test
42:49 – Wrestlers’ photo poses
44:20 – Rocky Maivia
52:15 – Undertaker/Yokozuna casket match
55:25 – SMW promos
1:06:42 – Bam Bam Bigelow
About Paul:
I’m just a guy, from England, who watches wrestling and listens to podcasts!
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