Evan McClosky's Blog, page 5
June 8, 2021
Literary Squared Circle #4 – J.R.’S COOKBOOK
Last week, Memorial Day ushered in the unofficial start of summer. Though summer won’t officially begin until June 20th, the weather is getting warmer and it’s time to fire up the old backyard grill. If you’re in need of inspiration as to what to cook on that grill, look no further than the book the Literary Squared Circle is reviewing this week, J.R.’s Cookbook: True Ringside Tales, BBQ, and Down Home Recipes by Jim “J.R.” Ross (World Wrestling Entertainment, 2003).
To date, the WWE has released three cookbooks: Can You Take The Heat? (2000), J.R.’s Cookbook (2003), and WWE: The Official Cookbook (2019). J.R.’s Cookbook is, by far, my favorite of the three. It is not as gimmicky as Can You Take The Heat? which contains recipes like Sgt. Slaughter’s Mess Hall Dip, Jerry Lawler’s Chicken à la King, Michael Hayes’s “P.S.” Potato Skins, Billy Gunn’s Grilled Badd Ass-paragus, and Mark Henry’s “Sexual Chocolate” Cake.
Nor is it as pun loving as The Official Cookbook which includes recipes for NWOatmeal, Nacho Man Randy Savage, Mick Foley Guacamole, Braun Stroganoff, and Coffee Kingston. What you’ll find in J.R.’s Cookbook are actual family recipes which were passed down to Good Ol’ J.R. and his late wife, Jan. Examples of the down-home recipes you will find are: J.R.’s Famous Fried Potatoes, Grandad’s Moonshine BBQ Sauce, Mama’s Strawberry Bread, Jan’s Secret Spaghetti Sauce, and Granny’s Lemonade.
J.R.’s Cookbook features over 100 recipes, in eight distinct categories. The recipes are broken down as follows: “There’s the Bell” (breakfast fare), “Sandwiches and Burgers”, “Fixin’s” (condiments and sauces), “Breads”, “Salads and Sides”, “The Main Event!” (main dishes and entrées), “Who Wants Dessert?”, and “Libations and Drinks”.
So, what are the best options offered up in the cookbook for summertime grilling? A few suggestions would be the WrestleMania Burger!, J.R.’s BBQ Chicken, J.R.’s Baby Back Ribs, Piledriver Pork Chops, Slobberknocker Salmon, and Grilled Harvest Corn. In addition to the delicious recipes, Ross also provides grilling tips, recommendations on the proper grilling utensils, and convenient charts featuring suggested grilling times and temperatures.
The thing that sets J.R.’s Cookbook apart from the other two WWE cookbooks, and made it my favorite, is that interspersed amongst the recipes are top ten lists (“ten things to never say to Vince McMahon”, “top ten arenas for best catering”, etc.) and short stories from Jim Ross’ career (how he got into the business, the origins of his iconic black hat, etc.) and personal life (his battle with Bell’s Palsy, his obsession with Oklahoma football, etc.). The inclusion of these stories made the book more than just a collection of recipes. His personal stories give readers the opportunity to get to know Ross as more than just an announcer on TV. J.R.’s insights and opinions concerning the wrestling business enlighten readers to the behind-the-scenes workings of professional wrestling. This was just a taste of what was to come. He would expound upon many of the topics years later in his two bestselling memoirs, Slobberknocker (2017) and Under the Black Hat (2020).
What are you waiting for? Pick a recipe from J.R.’s Cookbook. Fire up the grill and get your grub on! Don’t forget to pick up a bottle (or two) of J.R.’s BBQ sauce!
4 Stars out of 5
To date, the WWE has released three cookbooks: Can You Take The Heat? (2000), J.R.’s Cookbook (2003), and WWE: The Official Cookbook (2019). J.R.’s Cookbook is, by far, my favorite of the three. It is not as gimmicky as Can You Take The Heat? which contains recipes like Sgt. Slaughter’s Mess Hall Dip, Jerry Lawler’s Chicken à la King, Michael Hayes’s “P.S.” Potato Skins, Billy Gunn’s Grilled Badd Ass-paragus, and Mark Henry’s “Sexual Chocolate” Cake.
Nor is it as pun loving as The Official Cookbook which includes recipes for NWOatmeal, Nacho Man Randy Savage, Mick Foley Guacamole, Braun Stroganoff, and Coffee Kingston. What you’ll find in J.R.’s Cookbook are actual family recipes which were passed down to Good Ol’ J.R. and his late wife, Jan. Examples of the down-home recipes you will find are: J.R.’s Famous Fried Potatoes, Grandad’s Moonshine BBQ Sauce, Mama’s Strawberry Bread, Jan’s Secret Spaghetti Sauce, and Granny’s Lemonade.
J.R.’s Cookbook features over 100 recipes, in eight distinct categories. The recipes are broken down as follows: “There’s the Bell” (breakfast fare), “Sandwiches and Burgers”, “Fixin’s” (condiments and sauces), “Breads”, “Salads and Sides”, “The Main Event!” (main dishes and entrées), “Who Wants Dessert?”, and “Libations and Drinks”.
So, what are the best options offered up in the cookbook for summertime grilling? A few suggestions would be the WrestleMania Burger!, J.R.’s BBQ Chicken, J.R.’s Baby Back Ribs, Piledriver Pork Chops, Slobberknocker Salmon, and Grilled Harvest Corn. In addition to the delicious recipes, Ross also provides grilling tips, recommendations on the proper grilling utensils, and convenient charts featuring suggested grilling times and temperatures.
The thing that sets J.R.’s Cookbook apart from the other two WWE cookbooks, and made it my favorite, is that interspersed amongst the recipes are top ten lists (“ten things to never say to Vince McMahon”, “top ten arenas for best catering”, etc.) and short stories from Jim Ross’ career (how he got into the business, the origins of his iconic black hat, etc.) and personal life (his battle with Bell’s Palsy, his obsession with Oklahoma football, etc.). The inclusion of these stories made the book more than just a collection of recipes. His personal stories give readers the opportunity to get to know Ross as more than just an announcer on TV. J.R.’s insights and opinions concerning the wrestling business enlighten readers to the behind-the-scenes workings of professional wrestling. This was just a taste of what was to come. He would expound upon many of the topics years later in his two bestselling memoirs, Slobberknocker (2017) and Under the Black Hat (2020).
What are you waiting for? Pick a recipe from J.R.’s Cookbook. Fire up the grill and get your grub on! Don’t forget to pick up a bottle (or two) of J.R.’s BBQ sauce!
4 Stars out of 5
June 1, 2021
Literary Squared Circle #3 – World Wrestling Peace Festival
Vice TV’s Dark Side of the Ring recently profiled the 1995 Collision in Korea pay-per-view. The official name of that show was the Pyongyang International Sports and Cultural Festival for Peace, and it was the brainchild of Japanese wrestling legend Antonio Inoki. What many may not remember is that Inoki promoted a similar show the following year in Los Angeles.
The World Wrestling Peace Festival took place 25 years ago today, on June 1, 1996, at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena. Inoki’s interpromotional supercard was the first show the legend ever promoted in the United States. Like the Collision in Korea, the World Wrestling Peace Festival featured wrestlers from both Inoki’s New Japan Pro-Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling. This time, however, they were joined by other promotions including: All Japan Women’s Pro-Wrestling & Michinoku Pro Wrestling from Japan, Asistencia Asesoría y Administración & Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre from Mexico, and the National Wrestling Alliance from the United States.
The only two major promotions that did not participate in the show were Extreme Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation. Had the WWF been involved in the show, it surely would have boosted attendance. However, at the time WWF and WCW were embroiled in the Monday Night Wars, and the WWF refused to work with WCW.
Despite having an incredible line-up of talent and many entertaining (albeit short) matches, the Peace Festival will ultimately be remembered as a commercial failure. The 1995 Korean show was held over two days at May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea, in front of an audience estimated to be between 150,000 and 200,000 people each day (whether they wanted to be there on not). Inoki’s World Wrestling Peace Festival drew a disappointing crowd of just 5,964 fans to the L.A. Sports Arena, which when configured for wrestling could accomodate16,740 fans.
The World Wrestling Peace Festival may not have brought about world peace, but it is historically significant in the history of professional wrestling as the genesis of cruiserweight competition in WCW. Eric Bischoff, who was in attendance that night, was reportedly so impressed by the performances of Rey Mysterio, Chris Jericho, and some of the Mexican luchadores, that he signed them to WCW as the foundation of the cruiserweight division.
Instead of reviewing one wrestling book, this week the Literary Squared Circle blog will look back at three books written by those involved with the World Wrestling Peace Festival to get their perspectives on the event itself and its legacy as it relates to WCW’s Cruiserweight Division.
In his 2009 book, Rey Mysterio: Behind the Mask (Pocket Books, 2009), Mysterio recalls that it was his match at the Peace Festival which led to the signings, “At the beginning of June, Último Dragón and I faced off against Heavy Metal and Psicosis at the World Wrestling Peace Festival, held June 1 at the Sports Arena in Los Angeles.”
“The peace festival was promoted by Antonio Inoki, who was hoping to promote international understanding by holding wrestling events around the world. The L.A. show was held in conjunction with WCW, and a lot of their stars were there. According to rumor, so were Eric Bischoff and other key WCW execs…People later said my performance at that show convinced WCW that they would be fools if they didn’t give me a shot.”
Chris Jericho discussed the World Wrestling Peace Festival in his first book, A Lion’s Tale: Around the World in Spandex (Hachette Book Group USA, 2007). Jericho wrote, “I had a gut feeling that it would be in my best interest to be on that show, so I made a few calls to some of the local L.A. promoters I’d worked for and weaseled my way onto the card…I was hoping to use the show as a tryout for New Japan, but it ended up leading me into an entirely different direction.”
“I met up with Chris at a party held the night before the festival and he insisted on introducing me to Eric Bischoff…Two sentences into our conversation, he cut me off and said, ‘Benoit has been recommending you like crazy and that’s enough for me. Do you want to come work for me in WCW?’”
“And that was it…After years of toiling away in foreign countries, high school gyms, bowling alleys, and bingo halls, I’d finally been given the golden ticket to work in the United States.”
“I couldn’t believe how quickly it had transpired. Granted, Bischoff was signing anybody with potential to prevent them from going to the WWF. He was in the middle of a nasty wrestling war and he wanted to lock up as much talent as he could…I’m not saying that Eric didn’t know who I was, but I don’t think he’d seen any of my work besides the Dragón match. I know damn well that he didn’t see my work at the Peace Festival, because he left before the show started. I thought that it was strange that he didn’t stick around to check out his new prospect, but in hindsight it was a typical WCW move.”
Is it really true? Did Bischoff leave the Peace Festival without seeing the cruiserweights in action? He discusses the cruiserweight division in his 2006 book, Controversy Creates Ca$h (Pocket Books, 2006), however, he does not mention the World Wrestling Peace Festival specifically. Bischoff boasts, “When people ask me about things I did that really changed the pro wrestling business, one I like to point to is the cruiserweight division…WCW’s cruiserweight division came about not just because I wanted to keep Nitro different from other shows, but because I wanted to keep some of its segments different from each other. I wanted quick-paced, athletic wrestling to quicken the pulse in the middle of the show.”
“I started looking to New Japan and brought some of those wrestlers over to wrestle with guys like Brian Pillman. I also started looking for other wrestlers capable of having that style of match. That’s when I became aware of wrestlers like Chris Jericho, Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit, and Dean Malenko. Eddie, Chris, and Dean worked for New Japan Pro Wrestling in Japan. Masa Siato [sic] and Brad Rheingans recommended them highly.”
Regardless of how it happened, the World Wrestling Peace Festival was the catalyst behind the creation of WCW’s Cruiserweight Division which would outlast World Championship Wrestling itself and feature a roster of unparalleled talents including: Rey Mysterio, Chris Jericho, Dean Malenko, Eddie Guerrero, Billy Kidman, Último Dragón Juventud Guerrera, and Psychosis just to name a few.
I attended the World Wrestling Peace Festival. Despite the small crowd, it was a unique and entertaining night of wrestling. The disappointing size of the crowd seemed to be due to a lack of advertising. Smart fans who read the Observer knew about the show, but the public at-large probably had no idea it was happening. I don’t remember any ads on television or radio to promote the show, and I don’t believe WCW ever mentioned the Peace Festival on its programming.
For those who were in attendance that night, the show provided a rare opportunity to see legendary international wrestling stars. It was the first, and only, time I ever saw the likes of Antonio Inoki, The Great Sasuke, Tatsumi Fujinami, and El Hijo del Santo wrestle live and in-person. There were 14 matches that night. Here are the results:
• Sgt. Craig Pittman defeated KGB
• Jim Neidhart defeated Bobby Bradley Jr.
• Akira Hokuto & Lady Apache defeated Bull Nakano & Neftali
• Chris Benoit defeated Alex Wright
• Rey Mysterio Jr. & Último Dragón defeated Heavy Metal & Psychosis
• Lex Luger defeated Masa Saito
• Negro Casas defeated El Hijo del Santo
• Atlantis, Dos Caras, & Hector Garza defeated Silver King, Dr. Wagner Jr., & Gran Markus Jr.
• Tatsumi Fujinami defeated Black Cat
• Perro Aguayo & La Parka defeated Pierroth Jr. & Cibernetico
• (Triangle Match) AAA Americas Heavyweight Champion Konnan defeated Chris Jericho and Bam Bam Bigelow
• Jushin “Thunder” Liger defeated The Great Sasuke
• WCW World Heavyweight Champion The Giant defeated Sting
• Antonio Inoki & Dan Severn defeated Yoshiaki Fujiwara & Oleg Taktarov
While many wrestling fans have forgotten about (or never knew of) the World Wrestling Peace Festival, for me, even 25 years later, it remains one of the more memorable live events I have ever attended. Seeing some of the top stars from Japan, Mexico, and the United States competing in one place, and being wowed by those who would soon make up the cruiserweight division in WCW, was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Although the show was not televised, there are videos of the Peace Festival you can watch on YouTube.
The World Wrestling Peace Festival took place 25 years ago today, on June 1, 1996, at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena. Inoki’s interpromotional supercard was the first show the legend ever promoted in the United States. Like the Collision in Korea, the World Wrestling Peace Festival featured wrestlers from both Inoki’s New Japan Pro-Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling. This time, however, they were joined by other promotions including: All Japan Women’s Pro-Wrestling & Michinoku Pro Wrestling from Japan, Asistencia Asesoría y Administración & Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre from Mexico, and the National Wrestling Alliance from the United States.
The only two major promotions that did not participate in the show were Extreme Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation. Had the WWF been involved in the show, it surely would have boosted attendance. However, at the time WWF and WCW were embroiled in the Monday Night Wars, and the WWF refused to work with WCW.
Despite having an incredible line-up of talent and many entertaining (albeit short) matches, the Peace Festival will ultimately be remembered as a commercial failure. The 1995 Korean show was held over two days at May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea, in front of an audience estimated to be between 150,000 and 200,000 people each day (whether they wanted to be there on not). Inoki’s World Wrestling Peace Festival drew a disappointing crowd of just 5,964 fans to the L.A. Sports Arena, which when configured for wrestling could accomodate16,740 fans.
The World Wrestling Peace Festival may not have brought about world peace, but it is historically significant in the history of professional wrestling as the genesis of cruiserweight competition in WCW. Eric Bischoff, who was in attendance that night, was reportedly so impressed by the performances of Rey Mysterio, Chris Jericho, and some of the Mexican luchadores, that he signed them to WCW as the foundation of the cruiserweight division.
Instead of reviewing one wrestling book, this week the Literary Squared Circle blog will look back at three books written by those involved with the World Wrestling Peace Festival to get their perspectives on the event itself and its legacy as it relates to WCW’s Cruiserweight Division.
In his 2009 book, Rey Mysterio: Behind the Mask (Pocket Books, 2009), Mysterio recalls that it was his match at the Peace Festival which led to the signings, “At the beginning of June, Último Dragón and I faced off against Heavy Metal and Psicosis at the World Wrestling Peace Festival, held June 1 at the Sports Arena in Los Angeles.”
“The peace festival was promoted by Antonio Inoki, who was hoping to promote international understanding by holding wrestling events around the world. The L.A. show was held in conjunction with WCW, and a lot of their stars were there. According to rumor, so were Eric Bischoff and other key WCW execs…People later said my performance at that show convinced WCW that they would be fools if they didn’t give me a shot.”
Chris Jericho discussed the World Wrestling Peace Festival in his first book, A Lion’s Tale: Around the World in Spandex (Hachette Book Group USA, 2007). Jericho wrote, “I had a gut feeling that it would be in my best interest to be on that show, so I made a few calls to some of the local L.A. promoters I’d worked for and weaseled my way onto the card…I was hoping to use the show as a tryout for New Japan, but it ended up leading me into an entirely different direction.”
“I met up with Chris at a party held the night before the festival and he insisted on introducing me to Eric Bischoff…Two sentences into our conversation, he cut me off and said, ‘Benoit has been recommending you like crazy and that’s enough for me. Do you want to come work for me in WCW?’”
“And that was it…After years of toiling away in foreign countries, high school gyms, bowling alleys, and bingo halls, I’d finally been given the golden ticket to work in the United States.”
“I couldn’t believe how quickly it had transpired. Granted, Bischoff was signing anybody with potential to prevent them from going to the WWF. He was in the middle of a nasty wrestling war and he wanted to lock up as much talent as he could…I’m not saying that Eric didn’t know who I was, but I don’t think he’d seen any of my work besides the Dragón match. I know damn well that he didn’t see my work at the Peace Festival, because he left before the show started. I thought that it was strange that he didn’t stick around to check out his new prospect, but in hindsight it was a typical WCW move.”
Is it really true? Did Bischoff leave the Peace Festival without seeing the cruiserweights in action? He discusses the cruiserweight division in his 2006 book, Controversy Creates Ca$h (Pocket Books, 2006), however, he does not mention the World Wrestling Peace Festival specifically. Bischoff boasts, “When people ask me about things I did that really changed the pro wrestling business, one I like to point to is the cruiserweight division…WCW’s cruiserweight division came about not just because I wanted to keep Nitro different from other shows, but because I wanted to keep some of its segments different from each other. I wanted quick-paced, athletic wrestling to quicken the pulse in the middle of the show.”
“I started looking to New Japan and brought some of those wrestlers over to wrestle with guys like Brian Pillman. I also started looking for other wrestlers capable of having that style of match. That’s when I became aware of wrestlers like Chris Jericho, Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit, and Dean Malenko. Eddie, Chris, and Dean worked for New Japan Pro Wrestling in Japan. Masa Siato [sic] and Brad Rheingans recommended them highly.”
Regardless of how it happened, the World Wrestling Peace Festival was the catalyst behind the creation of WCW’s Cruiserweight Division which would outlast World Championship Wrestling itself and feature a roster of unparalleled talents including: Rey Mysterio, Chris Jericho, Dean Malenko, Eddie Guerrero, Billy Kidman, Último Dragón Juventud Guerrera, and Psychosis just to name a few.
I attended the World Wrestling Peace Festival. Despite the small crowd, it was a unique and entertaining night of wrestling. The disappointing size of the crowd seemed to be due to a lack of advertising. Smart fans who read the Observer knew about the show, but the public at-large probably had no idea it was happening. I don’t remember any ads on television or radio to promote the show, and I don’t believe WCW ever mentioned the Peace Festival on its programming.
For those who were in attendance that night, the show provided a rare opportunity to see legendary international wrestling stars. It was the first, and only, time I ever saw the likes of Antonio Inoki, The Great Sasuke, Tatsumi Fujinami, and El Hijo del Santo wrestle live and in-person. There were 14 matches that night. Here are the results:
• Sgt. Craig Pittman defeated KGB
• Jim Neidhart defeated Bobby Bradley Jr.
• Akira Hokuto & Lady Apache defeated Bull Nakano & Neftali
• Chris Benoit defeated Alex Wright
• Rey Mysterio Jr. & Último Dragón defeated Heavy Metal & Psychosis
• Lex Luger defeated Masa Saito
• Negro Casas defeated El Hijo del Santo
• Atlantis, Dos Caras, & Hector Garza defeated Silver King, Dr. Wagner Jr., & Gran Markus Jr.
• Tatsumi Fujinami defeated Black Cat
• Perro Aguayo & La Parka defeated Pierroth Jr. & Cibernetico
• (Triangle Match) AAA Americas Heavyweight Champion Konnan defeated Chris Jericho and Bam Bam Bigelow
• Jushin “Thunder” Liger defeated The Great Sasuke
• WCW World Heavyweight Champion The Giant defeated Sting
• Antonio Inoki & Dan Severn defeated Yoshiaki Fujiwara & Oleg Taktarov
While many wrestling fans have forgotten about (or never knew of) the World Wrestling Peace Festival, for me, even 25 years later, it remains one of the more memorable live events I have ever attended. Seeing some of the top stars from Japan, Mexico, and the United States competing in one place, and being wowed by those who would soon make up the cruiserweight division in WCW, was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Although the show was not televised, there are videos of the Peace Festival you can watch on YouTube.
May 25, 2021
Literary Squared Circle #2 – LIFE IS SHORT AND SO AM I
15 years ago this week, Dylan Postl made his WWE debut on the May 26, 2006 episode of Friday Night SmackDown! The match, which was taped in Bakersfield, California on May 23rd, three days prior to its airing, saw Finlay easily defeat Paul Birchall with his Celtic Cross finisher. Following the match, a vicious, crazed leprchaun emerged from beneath the ring and attacked Burchill. This was the moment in which the WWE Universe was introduced to Postl. Initially he was known as Little Bastard, but eventually he was given the more family-friendly monicker of Hornswoggle.
Since I launched my Literary Squared Circle blog last week by reviewing a book about a 7’ 4” tall French Giant, I felt it only fitting to follow that up by reviewing a book about a 4’ 5” tall leprechaun who lives under the ring. Having read hundreds of books about professional wrestling, in my opinion none have a better title than this one: Life Is Short and So Am I: My Life Inside, Outside, and Under the Wrestling Ring by Dylan “Hornwoggle” Postl with Ross Owen Williams and Ian Douglass (ECW Press, 2019).
Despite being at opposite extremes in terms of size, the two shared a common struggle of trying to fit into a world of average-sized people. André the Giant suffered from acromegaly, a hormonal disorder which caused and excess of growth hormones resulting in his immense size. Dylan Postl was born with a condition known as achondroplasia, which results in a form of dwarfism.
A lifelong wrestling fan, Postl was determined to become a wrestler. Undeterred by his size, not only did he achieve his dream but he amassed an impressive resume during his time with World Wrestling Entertainment. As Hornswoggle, he performed live in front of tens of thousands of people at WrestleMania. He captured the WWE Cruiserweight Championship, a title previously held by the likes of Rey Mysterio, Chris Jericho, and Dean Malenko. In fact, Hornswoggle was the final Cruiserweight Champion before the title was retired in 2007.
Hornswoggle was also featured in major storylines including being Vince McMahon’s illegitimate son, becoming a member of D-Generation X, and he was revealed to be the Anonymous Raw General Manager. Hornswoggle had a memorable feud with El Torito (Mascarita Dorada) that included their WeeLC Match at the Extreme Rules pay-per-view in May 2014, and a Hair vs. Mask Match the following month at Payback in which Hornswoggle lost both the match and his hair (but not his eyebrows).
Intersperced amongst Postl’s narrative is a series of “Short Stories” in which Postl tells behind-the-scenes anecdotes about his time in WWE. Though not “A Short Story”, my favorite tale in Life Is Short and So Am I is Postl’s account of meeting The Rock for the first time. The Rock apparently did not know who Postl was, and mistook him for a Make-A-Wish Kid. This story was my personal favorite, but there are many hilarious, laugh out loud stories peppered throughout the book.
Though not a Make-A-Wish Kid, Postl’s time as a WWE Superstar did provide him with the opportunity to live out a few of his other childhood dreams. He was able to meet The Muppets when they guest hosted Raw. That encounter led to Postl being cast in a Muppet movie, 2014’s Muppets Most Wanted. He also met his childhood wrestling hero, The Ultimate Warrior, the night before The Warrior unexpectedly passed away.
After 10 years with the WWE, Postl was released in May 2016. Since then he has continued to appear on the independent circuit, as well as in Impact Wrestling, ROH, and AEW. He has also made sporadic appearances back in the WWE, including Hornswoggle being a surprise entrant the 2018 Greatest Royal Rumble in Saudi Arabia. In addition to wrestling, last month Postl made his boxing debut.
When Dylan Postl made his WWE debut in 2006, it was less than one week before his 20th Birthday. This Saturday, he turns 35. Today, Postl owns and operates his own independent wrestling promotion, ACW Wisconsin, in his hometown of Oshkosh. In addition promoting shows throughout northeast Wisconsin, ACW has an affiliated wrestling school which is training the next generation of wrestlers, helping them to achieve their dreams.
In addition to having the best title of any wrestling book ever written, Life Is Short and So Am I: My Life Inside, Outside, and Under the Wrestling Ring is a great read, plain and simple. Dylan Postl tells his life story in a manner that is both honest and entertaining, as well as funny and inspiring. I highly recommend it.
5 Stars out of 5
Since I launched my Literary Squared Circle blog last week by reviewing a book about a 7’ 4” tall French Giant, I felt it only fitting to follow that up by reviewing a book about a 4’ 5” tall leprechaun who lives under the ring. Having read hundreds of books about professional wrestling, in my opinion none have a better title than this one: Life Is Short and So Am I: My Life Inside, Outside, and Under the Wrestling Ring by Dylan “Hornwoggle” Postl with Ross Owen Williams and Ian Douglass (ECW Press, 2019).
Despite being at opposite extremes in terms of size, the two shared a common struggle of trying to fit into a world of average-sized people. André the Giant suffered from acromegaly, a hormonal disorder which caused and excess of growth hormones resulting in his immense size. Dylan Postl was born with a condition known as achondroplasia, which results in a form of dwarfism.
A lifelong wrestling fan, Postl was determined to become a wrestler. Undeterred by his size, not only did he achieve his dream but he amassed an impressive resume during his time with World Wrestling Entertainment. As Hornswoggle, he performed live in front of tens of thousands of people at WrestleMania. He captured the WWE Cruiserweight Championship, a title previously held by the likes of Rey Mysterio, Chris Jericho, and Dean Malenko. In fact, Hornswoggle was the final Cruiserweight Champion before the title was retired in 2007.
Hornswoggle was also featured in major storylines including being Vince McMahon’s illegitimate son, becoming a member of D-Generation X, and he was revealed to be the Anonymous Raw General Manager. Hornswoggle had a memorable feud with El Torito (Mascarita Dorada) that included their WeeLC Match at the Extreme Rules pay-per-view in May 2014, and a Hair vs. Mask Match the following month at Payback in which Hornswoggle lost both the match and his hair (but not his eyebrows).
Intersperced amongst Postl’s narrative is a series of “Short Stories” in which Postl tells behind-the-scenes anecdotes about his time in WWE. Though not “A Short Story”, my favorite tale in Life Is Short and So Am I is Postl’s account of meeting The Rock for the first time. The Rock apparently did not know who Postl was, and mistook him for a Make-A-Wish Kid. This story was my personal favorite, but there are many hilarious, laugh out loud stories peppered throughout the book.
Though not a Make-A-Wish Kid, Postl’s time as a WWE Superstar did provide him with the opportunity to live out a few of his other childhood dreams. He was able to meet The Muppets when they guest hosted Raw. That encounter led to Postl being cast in a Muppet movie, 2014’s Muppets Most Wanted. He also met his childhood wrestling hero, The Ultimate Warrior, the night before The Warrior unexpectedly passed away.
After 10 years with the WWE, Postl was released in May 2016. Since then he has continued to appear on the independent circuit, as well as in Impact Wrestling, ROH, and AEW. He has also made sporadic appearances back in the WWE, including Hornswoggle being a surprise entrant the 2018 Greatest Royal Rumble in Saudi Arabia. In addition to wrestling, last month Postl made his boxing debut.
When Dylan Postl made his WWE debut in 2006, it was less than one week before his 20th Birthday. This Saturday, he turns 35. Today, Postl owns and operates his own independent wrestling promotion, ACW Wisconsin, in his hometown of Oshkosh. In addition promoting shows throughout northeast Wisconsin, ACW has an affiliated wrestling school which is training the next generation of wrestlers, helping them to achieve their dreams.
In addition to having the best title of any wrestling book ever written, Life Is Short and So Am I: My Life Inside, Outside, and Under the Wrestling Ring is a great read, plain and simple. Dylan Postl tells his life story in a manner that is both honest and entertaining, as well as funny and inspiring. I highly recommend it.
5 Stars out of 5
May 18, 2021
Literary Squared Circle #1 – THE EIGHTH WONDER OF THE WORLD
Tomorrow (May 19th) marks the 75th Anniversary of the birth of André René Roussimoff, better known to the world as its eighth wonder, André the Giant. To commemorate the event, I am reviewing the book, The Eighth Wonder of the World: The True Story of André the Giant by Bertrand Hébert and Pat Laprade (ECW Press, 2020).
André the Giant was the biggest superstar in professional wrestling during the 1970s and 1980s, literally and figuratively. Since his passing in 1993 at the age of 46, he has been the subject of numerous books and documentaries. Most focus on André’s career highlights or perpetuate myths regarding his appetite (eating 12 steaks and 15 lobsters in one sitting), his alcohol consumption (drinking 127 beers in one sitting), and his size (weighing in at 700 pounds). In The Eighth Wonder of the World, Hébert and Laprade debunk these claims and others, yet amazingly in no way does it diminish the uniqueness of André the Giant.
This book is the definitive look at André’s life and legend. It exhaustively covers the career of André the Giant from when he broke into the wrestling business in Paris at the age of 18 in 1964, to his final match in Tokyo in December 1992, less than two months before his death. What sets this book apart from other books written about André, is that the authors also present an intimate portrait of André Roussimoff as a human being, away from his iconic wrestling persona.
Through extensive interviews with André’s family, friends, confidants, and contemporaries, the authors deliver the most comprehensive and complete biography ever written about not only the wrestler, but the man outside the ring. The awkwardness and emotional pain of his being unable to fit into a world of average-sized people is explored, as is the physical pain he suffered due to both his in-ring injuries as well as his continued physical growth due to acromegaly. Acromegaly is the hormonal disorder from which André suffered causing an excess of growth hormones to be produced, resulting in his immense size.
Growing up, I was a fan of André the Giant. I remember when this book was announced, I immediately put it at the top of my “to-read” list. When it was finally released, during an unforeseen global pandemic, The Eighth Wonder of the World became a welcome distraction while abiding by last summer’s Safer at Home orders. The Eighth Wonder of the World is one of those books in which I found myself sharing factoids I had learned about André with everyone I talked to, whether they were interested or not.
I cannot praise the book enough. It is, by far, the best and most well-rounded biography of André the Giant ever written. It was my favorite book of 2020. It also ranks in my Top 10 Best Wrestling Books of All-Time. At over 400 pages, it is a long read, but one that is well worth it. Additionally, the book features many wonderful photos from throughout André’s life and career. I highly recommend The Eighth Wonder of the World: The True Story of André the Giant.
5 Stars out of 5
André the Giant was the biggest superstar in professional wrestling during the 1970s and 1980s, literally and figuratively. Since his passing in 1993 at the age of 46, he has been the subject of numerous books and documentaries. Most focus on André’s career highlights or perpetuate myths regarding his appetite (eating 12 steaks and 15 lobsters in one sitting), his alcohol consumption (drinking 127 beers in one sitting), and his size (weighing in at 700 pounds). In The Eighth Wonder of the World, Hébert and Laprade debunk these claims and others, yet amazingly in no way does it diminish the uniqueness of André the Giant.
This book is the definitive look at André’s life and legend. It exhaustively covers the career of André the Giant from when he broke into the wrestling business in Paris at the age of 18 in 1964, to his final match in Tokyo in December 1992, less than two months before his death. What sets this book apart from other books written about André, is that the authors also present an intimate portrait of André Roussimoff as a human being, away from his iconic wrestling persona.
Through extensive interviews with André’s family, friends, confidants, and contemporaries, the authors deliver the most comprehensive and complete biography ever written about not only the wrestler, but the man outside the ring. The awkwardness and emotional pain of his being unable to fit into a world of average-sized people is explored, as is the physical pain he suffered due to both his in-ring injuries as well as his continued physical growth due to acromegaly. Acromegaly is the hormonal disorder from which André suffered causing an excess of growth hormones to be produced, resulting in his immense size.
Growing up, I was a fan of André the Giant. I remember when this book was announced, I immediately put it at the top of my “to-read” list. When it was finally released, during an unforeseen global pandemic, The Eighth Wonder of the World became a welcome distraction while abiding by last summer’s Safer at Home orders. The Eighth Wonder of the World is one of those books in which I found myself sharing factoids I had learned about André with everyone I talked to, whether they were interested or not.
I cannot praise the book enough. It is, by far, the best and most well-rounded biography of André the Giant ever written. It was my favorite book of 2020. It also ranks in my Top 10 Best Wrestling Books of All-Time. At over 400 pages, it is a long read, but one that is well worth it. Additionally, the book features many wonderful photos from throughout André’s life and career. I highly recommend The Eighth Wonder of the World: The True Story of André the Giant.
5 Stars out of 5
May 16, 2021
Welcome To My Blog
Sunday, May 16, 2021
On Tuesday, I will be officially launching my Literary Squared Circle blog. The first book I will be reviewing is The Eighth Wonder of the World: The True Story of André the Giant by Bertrand Hébert and Pat Laprade.
I selected André the Giant as the subject of my first blog entry for two reasons. The first being that Wednesday, May 19th is the 75th Anniversary of André’s birth. Second, it was André the Giant who, in 1985, got a 12-year-old me so worked up that I begged and pleaded with my dad to take me to my first-ever live wrestling event.
You see it was during a televised match one Saturday morning, in late 1984, that André was assaulted by Big John Studd, Ken Patera, and Bobby “The Brain” Heenan. I watched in disbelief as the villainous trio beat André unconscious and then proceeded to not only cut The Giant’s hair, but as commentator Vince McMahon put it, “rape the dignity of André the Giant”.
The following Saturday, during the local cut-in portion of WWF Championship Wrestling, “Mean” Gene Okerlund interviewed André, who seemed to be two to three inches shorter minus his iconic Afro. “Mean” Gene informed the audience watching at home that WWF President Jack Tunney had afforded André the opportunity to select ANY venue and ANY tag team partner he wanted to seek his revenge on The Heenan Family. The angry Giant, of course, chose… wait for it… the LOS ANGELES MEMORIAL SPORTS ARENA and his partner would be, none other than, the JUNKYARD DOG!!! What were the odds that André the Giant would pick the arena in my local media market for such a historic showdown? Why not Madison Square Garden? Why not partner with Hulk Hogan? What did I know? I was a 12-year-old mark. All I knew was that I HAD to be there!
Somehow, I convinced my dad that wrestling tickets would be the perfect early birthday present. He begrudgingly took me to the show. I remember him bringing along a book to read, and I remember his disappointment when the house lights were dimmed as the matches began. Since that show, I have been to dozens, if not hundreds, of live events. But, as a 12-year-old, seeing The Eighth Wonder of the World, André the Giant live and in-person, albeit from the nosebleed seats on the concourse level, is an experience which I will never forget.
So, I choose to dedicate my first blog entry to the man who headlined the first live event I ever attended: André the Giant. Years later, I discovered that my first live event was the same show at which “Dr. D” David Schultz had his encounter with Mr. T, which resulted in Schultz’s immediate firing. But, that’s another story for another blog entry.
Check back Tuesday for my review of The Eighth Wonder of the World..
On Tuesday, I will be officially launching my Literary Squared Circle blog. The first book I will be reviewing is The Eighth Wonder of the World: The True Story of André the Giant by Bertrand Hébert and Pat Laprade.
I selected André the Giant as the subject of my first blog entry for two reasons. The first being that Wednesday, May 19th is the 75th Anniversary of André’s birth. Second, it was André the Giant who, in 1985, got a 12-year-old me so worked up that I begged and pleaded with my dad to take me to my first-ever live wrestling event.
You see it was during a televised match one Saturday morning, in late 1984, that André was assaulted by Big John Studd, Ken Patera, and Bobby “The Brain” Heenan. I watched in disbelief as the villainous trio beat André unconscious and then proceeded to not only cut The Giant’s hair, but as commentator Vince McMahon put it, “rape the dignity of André the Giant”.
The following Saturday, during the local cut-in portion of WWF Championship Wrestling, “Mean” Gene Okerlund interviewed André, who seemed to be two to three inches shorter minus his iconic Afro. “Mean” Gene informed the audience watching at home that WWF President Jack Tunney had afforded André the opportunity to select ANY venue and ANY tag team partner he wanted to seek his revenge on The Heenan Family. The angry Giant, of course, chose… wait for it… the LOS ANGELES MEMORIAL SPORTS ARENA and his partner would be, none other than, the JUNKYARD DOG!!! What were the odds that André the Giant would pick the arena in my local media market for such a historic showdown? Why not Madison Square Garden? Why not partner with Hulk Hogan? What did I know? I was a 12-year-old mark. All I knew was that I HAD to be there!
Somehow, I convinced my dad that wrestling tickets would be the perfect early birthday present. He begrudgingly took me to the show. I remember him bringing along a book to read, and I remember his disappointment when the house lights were dimmed as the matches began. Since that show, I have been to dozens, if not hundreds, of live events. But, as a 12-year-old, seeing The Eighth Wonder of the World, André the Giant live and in-person, albeit from the nosebleed seats on the concourse level, is an experience which I will never forget.
So, I choose to dedicate my first blog entry to the man who headlined the first live event I ever attended: André the Giant. Years later, I discovered that my first live event was the same show at which “Dr. D” David Schultz had his encounter with Mr. T, which resulted in Schultz’s immediate firing. But, that’s another story for another blog entry.
Check back Tuesday for my review of The Eighth Wonder of the World..
