Literary Squared Circle #25 – CRAZY LIKE A FOX
25 years ago this Thursday, the World Wrestling Federation presented the most controversial angle in the company’s history. “Pillman’s Got A Gun”, as the infamous angle would come to be known, was the result of Brian Pillman needing time off to recover from ankle surgery due to injuries sustained in a car crash earlier that year.
One week earlier on WWF programming, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin turned on his longtime friend and former tag team partner, attacking Pillman and injuring his ankle. This set the stage for the events that occurred live on the November 4, 1996 episode of Monday Night Raw. The injured Pillman appeared live via satellite from his home. During his interview segment, Austin appeared at Pillman’s home and tried to break in. In self-defense, Pillman shockingly produced a 9mm pistol and threatened to shoot Austin. The video feed went dead as what sounded like gunshots rang out.
Pillman, of course, did not shoot Austin, however, during their encounter Pillman accidentally uttered the f-word on live television. The mayhem helped to advance the company’s transition to The Attitude Era and resulted in strong ratings, however, the controversy nearly got Monday Night Raw cancelled by the USA Network. To celebrate the 25th Anniversary of this unforgettable moment in WWE history, the Literary Squared Circle blog takes a look back at the man in the middle of it, Brian Pillman.
Crazy Like A Fox: The Definitive Chronicle of Brian Pillman 20 Years Later by Liam O’Rourke (CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2017) is, to date, the most comprehensive look at the life and career of wrestling’s “Loose Cannon”. Released in 2017 to coincide with the 20th Anniversary of Pillman’s death, Crazy Like A Fox is among the better wrestling biographies I’ve read. O’Rourke interviewed those who knew Brian Pillman the best: his family and friends, fellow wresters, and contemporaries.
Readers learn about Pillman’s childhood health issues, which resulted in damage to his vocal chords. This gave him the raspy voice with which he would deliver his wrestling promos years later. We read about his promising football career through high school, college, the NFL, and the CFL. It was while playing football in Canada that Pillman became interested in professional wrestling and began training under tutelage of Stu Hart.
After his time wrestling for the Hart’s Stampede promotion, Pillman started wrestling for World Championship Wrestling as Flyin’ Brian. Despite his incredible talent, Pillman never received the push he deserved due backstage politics and his lack of size. All of the behind-the-scenes goings on at WCW make for some of the more interesting aspects of Crazy Like A Fox. It was during his time in WCW that Pillman was teamed with then “Stunning” Steve Austin as part of The Hollywood Blonds tag team. Austin, of course, would later play a significant role in the “Pillman’s Got A Gun” angle in the WWF.
It was during Pillman’s waning days with World Championship Wrestling that he began to develop his “Loose Cannon” persona, which would take him to Extreme Championship Wrestling and eventually the World Wrestling Federation. It was as the “Loose Cannon” that Pillman pulled the gun on his former partner, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. Crazy Like A Fox does a wonderful job of getting the reader into the head of Brian Pillman and explaining how much of the character was a work and how much was a shoot (pun intended).
O’Rourke’s book also explores many of the urban legends surrounding Pillman, and tells the real behind-the-scenes details of those incidents. The best example of this is the 1991 “Squeegee Incident” which took place between Pillman and Sid Vicious at an Atlanta hotel. Sid at the time was working for the WWF, while Pillman was with WCW.
Crazy Like A Fox: The Definitive Chronicle of Brian Pillman 20 Years Later is another book which I highly recommend. Pillman was a fascinating figure who was taken from us far too soon. Had he not died so young, and had he not sustained such serious injuries in his 1996 Hummer crash, I honestly believe that Brian Pillman would have been a next-level superstar like his Hollywood Blonds partner, Steve Austin. Unfortunately, we will never know how big a star he could have become. Despite the potential left unfulfilled, Pillman left us with many indelible memories, such as the “Pillman’s Got A Gun” angle.
Today, his son, Brian Pillman Jr., carries on the Pillman legacy in the ring. However, if you want to revisit the life and career of the “Loose Cannon”, Liam O’Rourke’s Crazy Like A Fox is a great place to start. Overall, a terrific book and a great look back at one of wrestling’s most charismatic stars.
5 Stars out of 5
One week earlier on WWF programming, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin turned on his longtime friend and former tag team partner, attacking Pillman and injuring his ankle. This set the stage for the events that occurred live on the November 4, 1996 episode of Monday Night Raw. The injured Pillman appeared live via satellite from his home. During his interview segment, Austin appeared at Pillman’s home and tried to break in. In self-defense, Pillman shockingly produced a 9mm pistol and threatened to shoot Austin. The video feed went dead as what sounded like gunshots rang out.
Pillman, of course, did not shoot Austin, however, during their encounter Pillman accidentally uttered the f-word on live television. The mayhem helped to advance the company’s transition to The Attitude Era and resulted in strong ratings, however, the controversy nearly got Monday Night Raw cancelled by the USA Network. To celebrate the 25th Anniversary of this unforgettable moment in WWE history, the Literary Squared Circle blog takes a look back at the man in the middle of it, Brian Pillman.
Crazy Like A Fox: The Definitive Chronicle of Brian Pillman 20 Years Later by Liam O’Rourke (CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2017) is, to date, the most comprehensive look at the life and career of wrestling’s “Loose Cannon”. Released in 2017 to coincide with the 20th Anniversary of Pillman’s death, Crazy Like A Fox is among the better wrestling biographies I’ve read. O’Rourke interviewed those who knew Brian Pillman the best: his family and friends, fellow wresters, and contemporaries.
Readers learn about Pillman’s childhood health issues, which resulted in damage to his vocal chords. This gave him the raspy voice with which he would deliver his wrestling promos years later. We read about his promising football career through high school, college, the NFL, and the CFL. It was while playing football in Canada that Pillman became interested in professional wrestling and began training under tutelage of Stu Hart.
After his time wrestling for the Hart’s Stampede promotion, Pillman started wrestling for World Championship Wrestling as Flyin’ Brian. Despite his incredible talent, Pillman never received the push he deserved due backstage politics and his lack of size. All of the behind-the-scenes goings on at WCW make for some of the more interesting aspects of Crazy Like A Fox. It was during his time in WCW that Pillman was teamed with then “Stunning” Steve Austin as part of The Hollywood Blonds tag team. Austin, of course, would later play a significant role in the “Pillman’s Got A Gun” angle in the WWF.
It was during Pillman’s waning days with World Championship Wrestling that he began to develop his “Loose Cannon” persona, which would take him to Extreme Championship Wrestling and eventually the World Wrestling Federation. It was as the “Loose Cannon” that Pillman pulled the gun on his former partner, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. Crazy Like A Fox does a wonderful job of getting the reader into the head of Brian Pillman and explaining how much of the character was a work and how much was a shoot (pun intended).
O’Rourke’s book also explores many of the urban legends surrounding Pillman, and tells the real behind-the-scenes details of those incidents. The best example of this is the 1991 “Squeegee Incident” which took place between Pillman and Sid Vicious at an Atlanta hotel. Sid at the time was working for the WWF, while Pillman was with WCW.
Crazy Like A Fox: The Definitive Chronicle of Brian Pillman 20 Years Later is another book which I highly recommend. Pillman was a fascinating figure who was taken from us far too soon. Had he not died so young, and had he not sustained such serious injuries in his 1996 Hummer crash, I honestly believe that Brian Pillman would have been a next-level superstar like his Hollywood Blonds partner, Steve Austin. Unfortunately, we will never know how big a star he could have become. Despite the potential left unfulfilled, Pillman left us with many indelible memories, such as the “Pillman’s Got A Gun” angle.
Today, his son, Brian Pillman Jr., carries on the Pillman legacy in the ring. However, if you want to revisit the life and career of the “Loose Cannon”, Liam O’Rourke’s Crazy Like A Fox is a great place to start. Overall, a terrific book and a great look back at one of wrestling’s most charismatic stars.
5 Stars out of 5
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