Mick Foley's Blog, page 3

ABOUT THAT RANT I WENT ONLook, I know it was dumb to go...

ABOUT THAT RANT I WENT ON



Look, I know it was dumb to go on a Twitter rant about a review I received for one of my comedy shows. It was dumb to think I could right a perceived wrong in 140 characters or less. It was dumb to even draw attention to a review that 99.9% of my followers (average in an estimate, not a mathematical fact) would have never even known about. It was dumb to mention the writer's name. It was especially dumb to ask my followers to give their opinion to the writer; even though I asked everyone to be polite, the guy really didn't deserve to be hassled for a review that really wasn't all that bad. For that, I apologize to the guy. All in all, just a series of dumb things I did that day that seemed perfectly logical when I woke up at 4 am and couldn't get that review out of my head. Let me at least try to explain.



Remember "A Christmas Story", where Ralphie wrote the essay about the Red Ryder BB gun? The one he imagined getting the A++++ on? Remember how devastated he was when he got the C (or C+, or C-, whatever the heck it was)? Well, essentially that was me, thinking I was going to get that one tremendous review from an influential comedy website, that was going to allow me much greater exposure in the UK media – and with it, a legitimate chance to expand beyond the curiosity factor in the UK comedy world.



The reviewer had attended two shows; one in Glasgow, and one in Manchester. I made sure he got to see two distinctly different shows. According to more than one account, he had a very enjoyable time as a spectator in Glasgow, even noting that it was a "great show" to promoter Chris Brooker. So following the Manchester show, which I firmly believed was the stronger set of the two, I anticipated a review that would reflect that "great show" sentiment. And when I didn't get it, I got angry.



I know it seems foolish to care so much about a single review. But I firmly believed that this was the review that was going to "make" me. I'd seen it happen before. In 1988, there wasn't even a whisper of a full-time job for me in pro-wrestling. I'd been sending letters, tapes and photos to promoters seemingly forever – all to no avail. Until one reference of my name in "The Wrestling Observer" as one of the best unknown Independent workers in the business – after which I received three full-time job offers in two days. One of them, in Memphis, led to Dallas, which led to WCW, etc., etc.



Believe it or not, my first novel, "Tietam Brown" whose poor sales I joke around about in the US, was actually a modest success – both commercially and critically – in the UK. While the sighting of a Foley novel at a US event or signing is a rarity indeed, I signed dozens (and dozens) of them while on my UK tour. Why the difference in perception? I really believe it was due to one influential reviewer for the BBC, who took the book seriously and gave it a positive review, which seemingly allowed every other media outlet to take the book seriously as well. Not all the reviews were positive, but, love it or loathe it, the book was taken seriously. I seriously thought the reviewer in Newcastle was going to be THAT guy for me in comedy; the guy who would allow others in the UK - whether they loved it or loathed it – to treat what I was doing with at least a modicum of respect. Obviously, that didn't happen.



Yes, I should have been able to let it go. After all, the reviewer wouldn't have been the first person to refer to something as "great" when it actually wasn't. I believe every wrestler (including this one) at some point in their career has said the phrase "great match" to a colleague without really meaning it. My wife might even be guilty of referring to something I did in the Foley bedroom as being "great", when in truth, it was probably only really, really good. Nonetheless, when one has their heart set on something - whether it be a Red Ryder BB gun, or an A++++, or a great comedy review - and then doesn't get it..well, it tends to leave a mark. I used to have creative outlets for frustration. Remember the "Cane Dewey" promo? Yeah, that was a pretty good way to vent frustration. Now I've got Twitter. Sometimes, having instant access to expressing your frustrations – and an instant audience, with permanent ramifications, is not the healthiest..or wisest way to vent those frustrations.



I'm pretty sure I learned a lesson here, and I hope wrestling fans and followers will cut me a little slack. I've got to run now – I'm late for my "Tweeter's Anonymous" meeting. Perhaps disgraced Congressman Anthony Weiner will have a sympathetic ear for me.

MICK FOLEY NIGHTS IN RED FLANNEL UK COMEDY TOUR 2012

Just taking in all of the events and memories of the last two weeks. An amazing time, an amazing tour, even if I was a little disappointed in my performance at the second London show. But to paraphrase Meat Loaf here, "don't be sad, cause 8 out of 9 ain't bad." Besides, you learn as much, if not more from your mistakes as you do your successes, and I will be raring to go when I return to the UK in 2012. Here's how the tour is looking - websites, links, on-sale dates and more will be available very soon at http://mickfoleystandup.co.uk or http://realmickfoley.com

Here they are:

Feb 24 - London - Leicester Square Theater
Feb 25 - London -Leicester Square Theater
Feb 27- Birmingham - The Glee Club
Feb 28 - Cardiff, Wales - The Glee Club
Feb 29 - Sheffield -Memorial Hall
March 1- Liverpool - Olympia
March 2 - Dublin, Ireland (venue TBD)
March 3 - Belfast, UK - Empire

Please check in regularly with the two websites listed for more information.

Really looking forward to returning in February, See you then. I don't want any of my fans in Scotland to dismay; we'll be back a little later in the year. Cheers!

Mick

MICK FOLEY NIGHTS IN RED FLANNEL UK COMEDY TOUR 2012Jus...

MICK FOLEY NIGHTS IN RED FLANNEL UK COMEDY TOUR 2012



Just taking in all of the events and memories of the last two weeks. An amazing time, an amazing tour, even if I may have been a little disappointed in my late show in London. But to paraphrase Meat Loaf here, "don't be sad, cause 8 out of 9 ain't bad." Besides, you learn as much, if not more from your mistakes as you do your successes, and I will be raring to go when I return to the UK in 2012. Here's how the tour is looking - websites, links, on-sale dates and more will be available very soon at http://mickfoleystandup.co.uk or http://realmickfoley.com



Here they are:



Feb 24 - London - Leicester Square Theater

Feb 25 - London -Leicester Square Theater

Feb 27- Birmingham - The Glee Club

Feb 28 - Cardiff, Wales - The Glee Club

Feb 29 - Sheffield -Memorial Hall

March 1- Liverpool - Olympia

March 2 - Dublin, Ireland (venue TBD)

March 3 - Belfast, UK - Empire



Please check in regularly with the two websites listed for more information.



Really looking forward to returning in February, See you then. Cheers!



Mick

A WRESTLER REMEMBERS THE HEALING POWERS OF BASEBALL

 A WRESTLER REMEMBERS THE HEALING POWER OF BASEBALL

I was headed out the door on September 21, 2001 – only ten days after the worst attack ever on United States soil. My wife called out to me, asking me to come back for just a moment before I took my two kids, ages 9 and 7, and a family friend to Shea Stadium, for the first major athletic event in New York since that terrible day when the towers fell, and the world as many of us knew it changed forever.
"Do you have to take both children", she asked, her voice shaking, telling me, without actually saying it, that she was afraid of what might come next – that she would be a widow and the mother of no one by night's end. Looking back on it, ten years later, it may seem like an over-reaction, but at the time, no one knew what to expect. Ten days after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, asking me to leave one of my children at home seemed like a perfectly logical request, given the fear and uncertainty of the time and the place. I think just about all of us living in the US felt that another attack was just a question of "when", not "if", and New York's Shea Stadium, on the night of baseball's return to the Big Apple was in no way an unlikely place for that inevitable next attack.
So I left out house with just one of my children, along with a friend of mine since middle school, weaving our way through traffic and uncertainty to take our place with the other 42,000 souls who felt strongly enough about being part of the delicate process of rebuilding a nation's shattered psyche to celebrate the return of baseball to the big city.
The Mets have been good to me over the years, and they offered me the choice of sitting in pretty good seats in the loge section behind home plate, or sitting in the outfield with police and firemen from around the country – men who had left the safety of their own homes to sift through rubble around the clock, in the hopes of finding remains of those whose lives had been lost. For me, there didn't seem to be a choice at all. I wanted to be able to express my appreciation for the sacrifices so many had made down at Ground Zero. For many of these men, the game offered a first chance to relax since arriving in New York; a chance to press a figurative pause button on a seemingly never-ending real life episode of heartbreak and tragedy.
Under normal circumstances, I watch over my children like a hawk at these sporting events. But on this night, there was no malice to be found among the fans, no pettiness; despite the fact that the Mets were taking on their arch-rivals, the Atlanta Braves, there seemed to be no likelihood of drunken shenanigans or loutish behavior ruining the night. So as I mingled with the police and the firefighters, I let my son sit and enjoy the game without worrying too much about the little guy. No one was going to hurt him in those outfield seats; in an odd juxtaposition, on this dangerous night, with so much uncertainty surrounding all of us, my son had in some ways, never been safer.
Mike Piazza hit a towering home run to lift the Mets to a dramatic and emotional 3-2 victory that night, but for me, the most dramatic, most emotional moment of the evening took place one inning earlier - with the singing of "God Bless America". Usually a seventh inning stretch and that old stretch stand-by "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" signals a massive exodus to the restroom; a chance to relieve the body of whatever fluids have been downed, before taking in the last few innings of play. But on this night, with "God Bless" filling in, the stretch became an opportunity for 42,000 to sing along in a way they probably had not previously, and likely never would again. It was powerful, emotional, real – and unfortunately, destined to be short-lived.
Ten years later, the stretch is far more likely to appeal to beer drinkers and urinal seekers, than it is to those seeking out the transformative powers of a mass sing-a-long during a time of national mourning. A nation brought together by tragedy was quickly strained by politics and posturing, leaving this wrestler/writer to wonder what could have been if the better angels of our nature had been allowed a little more time to roam freely, to seek out the things we had in common, instead of being led into focusing on those things that tend to push us apart.
I still sing "God Bless America" at the two or three ballgames I go to a year. My son is 19 now and he thinks I do it as a joke, as a way to embarrass him in public. Maybe I do sing it a little too loud, and maybe I do put a little extra "Leslie Nielson as Enrique Palazzo" zest into my rendition. But there's part of me that sings it loud to make up for those who have departed for the beer stand or the urinal, or for who just don't understand the role a simple song played in healing this particular American. Ten years after one of the saddest days in our nation's history, I choose to remember that spirit of bother-hood and togetherness I found in the outfield of Shea Stadium – a special night, when I saw so much about what makes this nation great.

I'M JUST A JUGGALO

I have to admit, I was a little worried about the prospect of appearing at my first ever  "Gathering of the Juggalos". These "Gatherings", the brainchild of Detroit rappers The Insane Clown Posse (ICP from this point on) - an event now enjoying it's 12th birthday, had become an anual pilgrimage of excess attended by tens of thousands of maniacs, music loving gypsies, hardcore wrestling afficianados and big fans of bottle tossing. These Gatherings had become the stuff of legend among my fellow wrestlers for years, but had only recently begun to garner mainstream attention for the type of abuse, both verbal and physical hurled at those brave/dumb/trusting enough to take part in such an audacious atmosphere. Indeed, one of the rumored weapons of choice of those in attendance was that old standby - feces. I'd once been victim of a surprise chimpanzee turd-throwing incident, and did not enjoy it, and felt that an experience with human feces would be equally unpleasant - possibly moreso.

I had no interest of ever being part of that scene and was thus relieved when I had the legitimate excuse of an Impact Wrestling house show dates to ward off the couple of people who called, asking about my availability for The Gathering. But, as many of you may know, my employment status changed abruptly, and the despite my trepidation (a favorite word of Stone Cold's –for real) I found myself accepting an offer that was fairly tough to refuse.
A few helpful twitter followers were kind enough to tweet me links of different performers dodging a deluge of debris – the type of dodging I was not sure I'd be capable of, given the status of my knees, back, love handles, etc. So, prior to embarking on my journey, I found myself in the unique position of stopping by a lacrosse warehouse on Long Island, purchasing a stick for the first time since my playing days ended 28 years ago.
"You going to play a little lax, Mick?", one of the guys at the warehouse asked me.
"No", I said, working in the pocket of my new purchase.
"What are you going to use it for?", he inquired, a little surprised; after all, a lacrosse stick is usually limited in it's number of potential uses.
"Just going to use it to catch some shit", I said.
"Really, what kind of shit, Mick?"
"Human..human shit", I said. "I'm going to catch human shit in it. Then I'm going to throw it back at the thrower of the shit – with greater velocity than it arrived."
And that's how I thought it was going to play out in the wee hours of August 13th, 2011; the Hardcore Legend - a man who had left a pretty good job at WWE (though rumor has it, I might well be returning) because he didn't want to take verbal crap, now being forced to catch and throw literal crap back at his tormentors. Once upon a time, I had taken great offense to fans who chanted "you sold out, you sold out" at me upon my dastardly defection from ECW to WWE. Now, I was thinking of that chant, and practically leading it, every time I looked in the mirror.
A couple weeks before the event, I began to see the wrestling card shaping up. The good folks in the ICP had seen fit to offer me a spot as a color commentator, in addition to my doodie dodging duties on the comedy stage. I had to give props where it was due – these clowns (meant as a term of endearment) were putting together one of the most star-studded line-ups in history. To be sure, most of the participants were a few years (in some cases, decades) from their glory days, but nonetheless, it was a staggering line-up.
Author's note – My nine hour flight delay is coming to an end, so for the sake of brevity, I'll bottom line this thing.
As it turned out, I had a heck of a time! Sure it took me 13 hours to get there, and I was more than a little frustrated when the road simply ended at a river ferry that had stopped operating 10 minutes before my arrival. So, even though I could actually see Cave in Rock, Illinois about 300 yards away on the other side of the river, actually driving from Kentucky to Illinois turned out to be a two hour affair, that offered my vivid proof that the white-tailed deer is not an endangered species. Until my drive through the wilds of Northern Kentucky, I has usually associated the "deer in the headlights" phrase to the utterly clueless expression on Al Snow's facial features before the bell rang for our "Best Friends" tag team classics.
But once I arrived – brother..eh, eh (a little Gordon Solie for you) what an amazing time I had! The backstage area was a "who's who" of all-time wrestling greats, and a reunion for so many of the guys, many of whom had not seen each other in years, if not decades. I'd like to go back and watch the show, just to see the look of genuine shock and happiness on my face, when I saw Brickhouse Brown walk down the ramp – the first time I'd seen Brick since we were both in Texas for World Class. He was one of many guys over the years to take me under his wing…but one of the very few who can actually attest to the existence of my sexual heyday, which transpired over a 6-7 week period beginning in mid-to-late December of 1988, and ending somewhere in late-early-to-mid January/February 1989. Go ahead, ask him about the newspaper story sometime on "Brickhouse TV".
Sure, some of the wrestling was a little slow, but the lack of constant action gave me and play-by-play man Kevin Gill to have an absolute blast on-air, a fact that was probably evident to those who stayed up way, way past their bedtime to catch the show on PPV. Perhaps next year, ICP and the organizers of the show may want to include some of the top Indy workers into the "Legends and Icons" show, giving the fans an overall better show, and a chance for the top names of tomorrow to honor the guys who paved the way by working alongside them to put on the best possible show. Taking into account that Gill and I had talked over next to nothing before the show aired, I think we did pretty darn good, and I will proudly add my Vince McMahon "I have no balls" impression into my end or career time capsule, as an example of things I've enjoyed the most in my 26 years in the biz. And what a thrill it was to see X-Pac, after navigating such a tough personal road over the past several years, looking like the Sean Waltman of old – a guy who I absolutely believe deserves another shot with WWE.
Maybe my comedy set wasn't the best I've turned in, but factoring in the 4:30 AM set time, and my previous fears and expectations, it could have been a hell of a lot worse, too. I did get pelted - but with  respect and decent laughter, instead of debris – leaving beautiful Cave in Rock, Illinois sweaty and exhausted..but without even a trace of bodily fluids..or solids on me. My sincere hope for all Juggalos is that they can come to treat every act with as much respect as they treated me, removing that public black eye that is often associated with the event. I even picked up a few hitch-hiking Juggalos at 5:45 AM, who helpfully pointed out that ferry service begins at 6 AM – thereby saving me almost two hours of non-stop swerving to avoid wildlife in the road. Did I mention that the white-tail deer is not an endangered species?

As I mentioned, there's this rumor out there that I might be returning to WWE sometime soon, and if the rumor proves to be true, my chances of returning to this one-of-a-kind atmosphere in 2012 will be dramatically reduced. But I really enjoyed being part of it – and I would really appreciate being asked to do so again. Who knows - maybe next year, I'll even get some offense in and not fall down when I hit the ring to help a friend in need.
Until then, I will remain, respectfully yours – Cactus Sac.

A SERIOUS ATTEMPT AT COMEDY

A SERIOUS ATTEMPT AT COMEDY



Very seldom will I use the word "great" to describe anything I do. Really, that's a word for others to use, if they choose to, in reference to something I have done. Sometimes that word "great" is used in conjunction with the word "disappointment" to describe something I've been part of; a book, a match, or maybe even a three- year tenure with a wrestling company. But I will go on record as saying I had a "great" comedy show last month in Plattsburgh, New York. But that great show was surrounded in both mystery and revelation, and I came out of it with both the feeling that I wanted to earnestly pursue the serious business of comedy, and the realization that I was going to have to work extraordinarily hard to do so.

We only had about 50 people in attendance that night in Plattsburgh - or about 250 less than had stood in line to meet me at the local mall earlier that day. 300 people had shown they cared enough about me to forego a beautiful summer afternoon to stand in line, make a purchase, take a photo, and share a few moments with someone they seemingly liked and cared about. But when I inquired as to their interest in coming to the show, the faces became strained, their discomfort apparent, the excuses transparent. "Um, uh…I'd like to, but I have to do ..something…with someone..somewhere." Odd. But even odder was my realization later that evening, that many people who had paid extra money specifically to meet and greet with me before the comedy show had left the club after meeting me... without staying for the show. They obviously liked me; they'd paid money and gone out of their way to meet me. They just had no interest in seeing me do comedy.

Those adventurous to stay had a great time – see, there I am, throwing the G word around again. But the two promoters of the show heard the same two comments over and over again: I didn't know what to expect, and I didn't think he'd be that good. So, the challenge, as I saw it, was to make people more aware of what they might expect, and to do my part to make sure the shows are as good as I can make them when people make the decision to see me do something other than what they are used to seeing me doing.

Honestly, it's not a challenge I know I'll be successful in. It's like going to see Will Ferrell or Adam Sandler in dramatic roles; yes, they've both done some great work, outside comedy, but it's not quite the way that people like and feel happiest seeing them. Funny, but one of my inspirations is actually Justin Timberlake, who has been able to take people who literally could not stand his music, (me being one of them) and turn them into fans of his comedic acting. His SNL stuff is just priceless!

As many of you know, I've been putting some clips up on the web, and I really appreciate the feedback. Well, not all of it. Really, I only appreciate the positive feedback. The negative stuff..not so much. But no less an authority than the Insane Clown Posse, whose upcoming Gathering of the Juggalos should prove to be my most interesting comedy challenge, touted the benefits of You Tube as the great equalizer – a way to get the material out there, so people can make up their own minds, instead of relying on a few reviews, or opinions.

Yet, taking a cue from the world of sports entertainment, from which I have learned almost every lesson in my life, I know I need to take the next step of getting material out there that is of a better quality than the few things now available. Really, I shouldn't be putting a story out there the first time I tell it. It should be refined and worked on, and presented in a more polished form than the clips I've tweeted about so far. Indeed, the three clips out there represent the first times I've actually told those specific stories. So, I've been doing guest spots on Long Island over the past few weeks, trying out new stuff, polishing up things I've done before, trying to make sure it's the best it can be when seen by a larger audience. Unlike my microphone time in wrestling, where I can wander out in front of an audience with just an idea of what I'm going to do, comedy really does benefit from the honing, tweaking, and polishing process.

But my material needs to be of a much higher video quality too. It used to baffle me when wrestling fans and even personal friends would dismiss guys like Bruiser Brody and Stan Hansen as being and then ask me if I thought I'd ever get to be as good as Outback Jack and Uncle Elmer. Unfortunately, like so many others they equated video and production quality with actual talent, and dismissed the guys they saw on the old AWA shows as being bush league and saw even the guys on the bottom of the WWE barrel as being major league.

With that in mind, I am looking at my August 24 show at The Brokerage in Bellmore, NY (Long Island) as the most important comedy show I've ever done. I'll be having the show professionally video-taped with a two camera shoot, with the express intent of airing it on You Tube, where viewers get to see it for themselves and decide if it's good or not. Hey, comedy is not a one-size-fits-all type of thing, and my style is not going to be for everybody. But I'd really like for all of you to have the opportunity to watch and decide for yourselves. I'll have a new clip to Tweet out in a couple of days, shot by a simple flip-cam followed by the professionally shot stuff towards the end of August.

As some of you may recall, I did several shows under the "Total Extreme Comedy" banner a couple of years ago. Though I had a good time on most of the shows, there were some elements at play that were just not conducive to any long-term success. Ticket prices were too high, there was nothing "Extreme" or "Total" about the comedy I, or Colt Cabana, or Bruce Pritchard performed, and expectations may have been a little unrealistic. Really, should any of us, with a cumulative total of about seventeen comedy shows under our belt, have been booked into the same 3,500 seat theatre that Elvis used to play? Probably not. I look forward to working with Colt again (looks like we have November 3rd in Cleveland together) but think both of us, separately, or together will be content to work in a more realistic environment – rooms in the 100-400 person range.

Warning: I am going to beg here! Please help me out. I really can't be successful at all without a little help from all of you. Watch my stuff when I tweet it out there. Re-tweet it if you think it's good, and mention it to your friends – even if they're not wrestling fans. Almost every non-fan who is bold enough to venture forth to one of my shows has a good time, and the audiences I do guest sets in front of, many of whom have never seen or heard of me, are almost always entertained and pleasantly surprised at my ability to string sentences together. Maybe you can even take the step of Tweeting my links or mentioning my comedy to successful comedians whose work you enjoy. Sometimes, it just takes the right person to see the right clip at the right time – a possibility that is FAR greater with some of you helping me out.

For all of you in the Long Island area – please come out to the show on the 24th. The Brokerage is an amazing and intimate place to see a show. I've already lined up fellow wrestler and comedian Dan Barry to host, and hilarious Irishman Mick Taylor to do a set, and am working on some major surprises to make the night as funny and as memorable as it can be. With the right production values, it will be far more like Monday Night Raw, and far less like Verne Gagne's old tapings at the Tropicana – even if anyone who chose Outback Jack and Uncle Elmer over Brody and Hansen under any circumstances, should be forced to do some kind of community work.

Here's the information: tickets are only $12, and may move quickly

THE BROKERAGE COMEDY CLUB

2797 Merrick Rd (at the corner of Bellmore Ave.)

Bellmore, NY 11710

(516) 781-LAFF (5233)

http://brokeragecomedy.com

50% of ticket sales will be donated to http://rainn.org

Feel free to watch the 1998 Hell in a Cell in its entirety or some of my Japanese stuff from 1995-96, before making the decision to help me out – even if it's just out of sympathy.

UPCOMING MICK FOLEY SCHEDULE

"Countdown to Lockdown", the paperback went on sale July 1st - includes all new bonus chapter!

PROMOTERS LOOKING TO BOOK ME  for Independent shows, comedy, signings, etc. (yes, I do the occasional birthday party, communion and bar mitzvah) can do so at: www.wrestlingmarx.com

August 14 - Yes, I WILL be at The Gathering in Cave in Rock, Illinois..doing a set of comedy somewhere around 2 or 3 am. Should be a nice, laid back crowd - really into my brand of observational story-telling. For more information, consult www.juggalogathering.com

August 20 - Unfortunately, due to a scheduling conflict, I will not be appearing at the Pro Wrestling Syndicate show in. Ronkonkoma, NY

August 21 - East Hampton Bowl, 71 Montauk Highway, East Hampton, NY 11937. This is a benefit for RAINN. The event runs from 6-11 pm, and I will be there from 6-8 pm, signing things, possibly bowling - with ALL proceeds benefiting a great cause. For more information, call (631) 324-1950 or visit www.rainn.org/bowl-for-rainn

August 24 - A HUGE night at The Brokerage Comedy Club in Bellmore, NY (Long Island) as I will be doing a full set that will be professionally filmed for release in clips on the internet. The night of comedy will include a set by Irish comedian Mick Thomas, and fellow pro-wrestler Dan Barry, plus a few potentially amazing surprises! Tickets are only $12 and are available by calling (516) 785-8655 or by visiting www.brokeragecomedy.com . Half of all ticket sales will be donated to RAINN, the nation's largest anti-sexual assault organization.

August 26 - St John, NB, Canada; Harbor Station Arena. This a huge show, featuring Kevin Nash, X-Pac, Scott Steiner and many others. For more information, visit www.cwiwrestling.com

August 28 - Niles, Ohio; Eastwood Field. Following the Mahoning Valley Scrappers game at 5pm, I will be taking part in a wrestling show (not wrestling, but getting involved) along with my pal Al Snow. I love these baseball gigs..and so will you.

September 4 - I will be taking part in the annual Muscular Dystrophy Association Labor Day telethon. Tune in, make a donation, help out some amazing kids. Log onto www.mda.org/telethon/ for more information.

September 18 - Denver, Co; Casselman's, 2620 Walnut St., Denver, Co. 80205. BE ADVISED that this is an extremely hardcore event, and may not be for families, the faint of heart, or the easily offended. For more info, go to: http://primoswrestling.com

September 22 - Presque Isle, Maine (WAY the heck up there) at the Presque Isle Forum. For more info: www.btwpro.com

Setember 23 - Bangor, Maine; Bangor Auditorium. Info at: www.btwpro.com

Setember 24 - Holyoke, MA - Info at: www.btwpro.com

September 25 - Plattsburgh, NY. Returning for an all new full one hour comedy set (well, 90% new). Everyone had a blast a few weeks ago in Plattsburgh, and I am really looking forward to this gig. Details to follow.

October 1 - Lasalle, Illinois. I will be making my first appearance for Dreamwave wrestling. Details to follow.

October 4 - Charlotte, NC; This is a show to raise money for Shane Helms at The Comedy Zone in Charlotte, with 100% of all ticket sales going to offset The Hurricane's expenses following his motorcycle accident. This is NOT a registered charity - just a way of helping one of the guys through a tough time. For more information, call (908) 321-4702.

October 8 - Monroe, NJ; Crowne Plaza Hotel - time TBD. I will be signing autographs and telling exagerrated stories of my glory days at the huge LEGENDS OF THE RING event. For more information, go to www.wrestlingmarx.com

That's it for now, but check back frquently for updates, and look for me to make guest appearances at comedy clubs on Long Island and in NYC at any time. When you least expect it..expect it..brother.

 

 

 

MICK FOLEY SCHEDULE JULY 2011July 9 - Williamsport, Pa...

MICK FOLEY SCHEDULE JULY 2011



July 9 - Williamsport, Pa., Bowman Field, 7:00 PM. I will be signing autographs at the Crosscutters baseball game, in addition to throwing out a first pitch at 6:30. For more information, go to http://crosscutters.com/



7/16 - Plattsburgh, NY, 1-3 PM at FYE store in Champlain Center Mall.



if you can't get enough...I will be doing comedy later that night at:



Therapy's Nightclub 7:00 PM, 14 Margaret St., Plattsburgh, NY 12901. For tickets, call (518) 561-2041



July 17 - Burlington, Vt., 1-3 PM. Autograph signing at University Mall, 155 Dorsett St., South Burlington, Vt 05403. For information, call (802) 863-1066



July 23 - I will be at MC (not to be confused with the "Sucka MC") at the 2011 George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame, Waterloo, Iowa at 6:00 PM at the Five Bothers Sullivan Convention Center. For information or tickets to this great event, call (319) 233-0745, or orders@wrestlingmuseum.org



Hope to see you at an event! Yeah!

LEAVING WITHOUT AN IMPACT

A few days ago, I woke up to the harsh realization that leaving Impact Wrestling meant I couldn't take my kids to Universal Studios any time I pleased anymore. No Mummy or Simpsons without waiting, no post pre-tape rides on the Hulk-coaster. A few days from now, I will come face to face with an even harsher reality; for the first time in several years, there will be no paycheck awaiting me in the Foley mailbox. So with those two realities coinciding, I think it's only fair that I've been asking myself whether working for TNA (Impact Wrestling) was really all that bad.

The answer I keep coming to is "no" - it really wasn't all that bad. In fact, it was pretty good. Sometimes it was really good. I was treated treated with respect, paid well, and pretty much liked everyone I worked with... including Russo, Hogan and Bischoff, in case you were wondering.

I think it's always a good idea to try see problems from other people's points of view. I mentioned on Twitter a few days ago that I pushed hard for changes I thought would be beneficial to Impact, and as a result, was thought to be "difficult to work with." You know, after a few days of serious thinking, I can really see how that "difficult" label could indeed apply to me. I was incredibly critical of the company on Jeff Katz's "Geek Week" last November, did an interview with the opposition to support my book, forgot to mention the company I worked for on several interviews, took part in a handful of interviews that I was asked politely not to by the company that employed me, and lastly, sent out a fairly immature and hurtful tweet comparing my Empty Arena match with the Rock in 1999 to Impact house shows - in terms of attendance. If not for Congessman Weiner's boner shot, my "empty arena" crack may have been the most ill-thought and costly tweet of the month.

I also mentioned my "request" to be released from my contract. Actually, it began as an a legitimate offer to Terry Taylor to help trim the Impact roster of some expensive fat. I had some genuine differences creatively with Impact, and honestly didn't think the company should have to continue to pay good money to someone who had lost faith ion the product. At the time, it seemed like a pretty fair offer. But at the point we agreed to forge ahead with me as the Network rep, I should have just shut up and done the best I could in the role, at least until the Destination X show was over - at which point my departure could have become an interesting part of the show.  I regret that an initial offer made in the company's best interest became a request and maybe even a demand in my own self-interest - or at least what i thought was my own self-interest.. until I realized I didn't get to go to Universal or to the mailbox anymore.

  Somehow, during the exit process, I forgot the central theme of the Rally to Restore Sanity (and/or fear) - that people could disagree without being disagreeable. I think I did become disagreeable there for a few days, and ultimately, the manner in which I departed was not good for anybody involved - me, TNA, the wrestlers, or the fans. I am especially sorry that some of the things I did or said hurt Dixie Carter personally. While some of the criticisms leveled at TNA/Impact by me or others are valid, I think it's been very helpful for me to step back and visualize the landscape of the wrestling business without the faith and vision of that one specific person. Because, make no mistake about it, without Dixie's leap of faith several years ago, Impact does not exist. 100's of incredibly talented wrestlers wrestlers would not have had the chance to show what they could do on a national stage. Dozens of others, myself included, would not have been able to enjoy second chances, last chances, or have the luxury or making choices, had Dixie chosen not to invest her time, passion and money into the complicated, frustrating world of pro-wrestling/sports entertainment. For me, personally, the opportunity at TNA/Impact afforded me the chance to enjoy almost three great years with my family, while being able to explore other passions, like my work with RAINN - even while my passion for wrestling was fading.

Far too often, I was guilty of looking at the Impact glass half-empty - wishing the show and the company could be what I thought it should be, instead of seeing it half-full and appreciating TNA/Impact for what it was - a very good place to work, full of good people, who treated me and my family very well.

WHY NOT 100%, MICK? No one has actually asked me that qu...

WHY NOT 100%, MICK?

No one has actually asked me that question yet, but it's one I keep asking myself. So this post may not actually answer questions you didn't actually have, as much as assure myself of my own answers.

Last month's online RAINN auction was absolutely amazing! Not only did my personal memorabilia go for about double what I was expecting, but the Fender Strat from Billy Corgan and the vacation package from Impact (though it was still TNA at the time) Wrestling helped make the auction an incredible success - a total of over $19,000 (20K if you include my son's card auction from a week earlier).

As you can see from this weeks auction at http://myworld.ebay.com/pickels01 I still have plenty of items that need good homes. Those copies of Scooter and Hardcore Diaries don't do me or anyone else any good sitting in boxes in a storage unit. Unique items, like the 8x10 the Rock signed to my gym in '97 or '98 is going to end up in a frame on a wall, instead of in a box in my closet. I want people to have this stuff, and I want to raise some money for organizations that do incredible work. This week I have chosen Give Kids the World and the Association of Hole in the Wall Camps - two groups that help out kids who are battling life-threatening challenges. If you go to the auction site, look at their information; they do incredible work! I used to volunteer with both, and am hoping that this auction will get me back in gear towards getting back to visiting.

So, if the groups do such good work, why am I only donating 50% on some items, instead of 100% of all of them? Well, as I found out, when you donate 100% (at least this is how I understand it) all fees are paid by the seller, including a small percentage to e-bay and the shipping, which can be pretty, pretty, pretty steep when going overseas. Still, it's a no-brainer when a pair of leopard Cactus boots are bringing in $2,600 to RAINN. A book bringing in $50 which costs $12 to ship and $5 in fees? A little more difficult, but still a good deal. But when the item is a 36 inch Anna Lee mobility figure which costs about $20 to ship, and brings in about $30? Well, at that point, donating a percentage is not very effective.

So, I have basically worked with my kids, trying to predict how much items will get and how much they will cost us to get out. 50% seemed like a good amount to help out the two organizations, cover costs and still allow for a little Pay Pal expenditure for my kids, who work pretty darn hard on these auctions. We are donating 100% on two of the items - the Rock photo, since I figured it was going to bring in a good ammount and not cost much to ship, and the Arnold Schwartzenegger weight-belt, since I figured I'll be denied entry to Heaven if I exploit his personal problems for my own personal gain. We also tried to figure which items would cost more to ship than they would bring in and didn't donate any percentage on those. In some cases, like the WCW comic book, which I figured would bring in $5, but is up to $30, I was wrong. We're going to continue to do these smaller auctions, and I will try to guess right as often as I can.

I'm still planning on doing a big auction down the line for RAINN, incorporating items from all across the sports and entertainment (and sports-entertainment) worlds, with 100% of all items being donated. I'll gladly cover most of those costs. But I think, on these smaller auctions, most of you will think 50% on some items, 0% on others is pretty good. Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty good.