Jim Cornette’s Drive-Thru Episode 44
Release date: March 12, 2018
Recap by: Paul Briody
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 features Jim’s humorous criticism of Brian’s lethargic opening!
3:39 – Jim talks about his childhood memories of Nick Gulas doing local promos, full of hyperbole and grand standing, often taking time and attention away from his wrestlers. They also talk about different wrestling personalities from around that time, including Mark Lowrance (WCCW) and Reeser Bowden (Mid-South). Interesting stuff, lots of detail.
17:35 – Jim tells story of him putting a VHS tape together of The Midnight Express for John Arezzi (to sell via his radio show) and it being ‘intercepted’ along the way by Vince Russo. Jim didn’t see any of the profits and this, unbeknownst to Jim at the time, was the genesis of their feud!
20:54 – Jim is asked about the worst match he’s ever seen by a great wrestler and the best match he’s ever seen by a bad wrestler. Ric Flair/Rick Steiner comes to mind as an example of the former and as for the latter: “Johnny Ace was in a bunch of f*****’ four star tag and six mans in Japan.” Also: “Lou Thesz did have some stinkers in the 50s.”
28:14 – Jim talks about Dusty Rhodes chewing out Big Bubba Rogers (Bossman) after a botch: “Don’t do s*** you don’t know how to do.” He also talks about Dusty shouting at an enhancement talent for refusing to sell and they laugh about Dusty once saying, whilst on Jim Crockett’s private jet, “This time next year we’re going to be making major motion pictures and sitcoms.”
32:41 – Funny story about Jim being punched by a fan during a match involving Dusty. “Gave me a straight right to the base of the skull.” A cop managed to get between them and Dusty ending up diving on everybody from the ring. Dusty then went straight back into selling once he saw that the cops had the situation under control.
37:13 – Jim’s asked if he ever thought that Dave Meltzer ever went too far by ‘exposing the business’/revealing too much. Jim is an admirer of Dave’s and values his opinion but remembers thinking “this could be dangerous if it ever gets out.” In those days, the Observer catered to a much smaller audience and Jim thought it was great commentary on the inner workings of the business. They also discuss the short-lived Weasel’s World newsletter by Weasel Dooley.
Jim credits Dooley with creating the star rating system.
45:52 – Jim’s asked about Sami Callahan playing the heel since the baseball bat incident and if he can appreciate the old school nature of this approach. In short, he can, but can’t get past the “outlaw bulls***” aspect of it and the “p***-poor planning.” More talk of recklessness today vs the territory days: “it’s a whole new level of s***.”
53:01 – Jim tells story of Tim Horner “p****y punching” Brian Matthews in SMW.
53:53 – Rex King and Chris Candido also had a fight in SMW. They travelled together, too, and one time Sunny was annoying them both so King suggested that Candido put her in the trunk, which he did, and that went down well with “the boys.”
55:40 – Jim’s asked about King Kong Bundy’s insistence on a five-count pinfall and what would’ve happened if his opponent kicked out at four. The announcers were meant to stress that Bundy wouldn’t accept anything less than a five-count victory and Jim’s surprised that it was never specifically used in an angle. Jerry Lawler and Jimmy Valiant had a five-count match once. It’s a tool that can be utilized by the booker.
58:08 – Jim’s asked about working with Lisa Wolf and other WWF office staff at the time.
1:01:49 – Jim answers a question about why Pedro Morales is not mentioned as much as other WWF icons of the time. Other wrestlers like Bruno were so popular and enduring, not much tape of Pedro’s best work has survived, he was only really on top for three years and many people’s memories of him are from the 80s when he’d really slowed down. He also once pawned the world championship belt to pay off his gambling debts and wrestling historian Tom Burke bought it in a New York pawn shop.
1:05:53 – Outro. Jim’s $10 DVD sale is still going on at Cornette’s Collectibles! Some good stuff there.
Rating: 6.5/10
Entertaining show but not quite up to their usual standard.
Timestamps:
0:00 – Intro
3:39 – Nick Gulas memories
20.54 – Worst match by a great wrestler/best match by a bad wrestler
28:14 – Dusty Rhodes
32:41 – Jim’s altercation with a fan involving Dusty
37:13 – Dave Meltzer
45:52 – Sami Callahan
55:40 – King Kong Bundy’s five-count
1:01:49 – Pedro Morales’ legacy
About Paul:
I’m just a guy, from England, who watches wrestling and listens to podcasts!
Be the first to comment