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Directors at the Box Office: Robert Zemeckis
2024.05.25 21:24 SanderSo47 Directors at the Box Office: Robert Zemeckis
 | https://preview.redd.it/6t1fknzlim2d1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=298048bdfc7fc1d9c63051d6f37ad70a86315ba6 submitted by SanderSo47 to boxoffice [link] [comments] Here's a new edition of "Directors at the Box Office", which seeks to explore the directors' trajectory at the box office and analyze their hits and bombs. I already talked about a few, and as I promised, it's Robert Zemeckis' turn. As a child, Zemeckis loved television and was fascinated by his parents' 8 mm film home movie camera. Starting off by filming family events like birthdays and holidays, he gradually began producing narrative films with his friends that incorporated stop-motion work and other special effects. After seeing Bonnie and Clyde with his father, Zemeckis decided that he wanted to go to film school. His parents disapproved of the idea, but he still went to USC, where he meet his colleague Bob Gale. One of his student films caught the attention of Steven Spielberg, who decided to become an executive producer and help him with his career. From a box office perspective, how reliable was he to deliver a box office hit? That's the point of this post. To analyze his career. It should be noted that as he started his career in the 1970s, some of the domestic grosses here will be adjusted by inflation. The table with his highest grossing films, however, will be left in its unadjusted form, as the worldwide grosses are more difficult to adjust.I Wanna Hold Your Hand (1978)"It isn't fatal, but it sure is fun."His directorial debut. It stars Nancy Allen, Bobby Di Cicco, Marc McClure, Susan Kendall Newman, Theresa Saldana, Eddie Deezen, and Wendie Jo Sperber. Its story follows a disparate group of teenagers over the course of one day in New York City as they attempt to gain entry to the Beatles' first live appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show on February 9, 1964. The reason behind the film's existence was that Steven Spielberg was confident Zemeckis could make a feature length film after watching his student films. So he signed as executive producer, his first credit. But Universal was not thrilled with the concept and handing the production to an unexperienced director. To bankroll it, Spielberg had to promise studio executives that, if Zemeckis was seen to be doing a markedly poor job, he would step in and direct the film himself. Despite the backing of a major studio, the film flopped with just $1.9 million domestically. But it received very positive reviews, so there was interest in giving Zemeckis another chance.
Used Cars (1980)"Like new, great looking, and fully loaded with laughs."His second film. It stars Kurt Russell, Jack Warden, Frank McRae, David L. Lander, Michael McKean, Joe Flaherty, Al Lewis, Dub Taylor, Harry Northup, Dick Miller, and Betty Thomas. The story follows Rudy Russo, a devious salesman, working for affable, but monumentally unsuccessful used-car dealer Luke Fuchs. Luke's principal rival, located directly across the street, is his more prosperous brother, Roy L. Fuchs, who is scheming to take over Luke's lot. Like his previous film, it received good reviews but it was a box office flop. Zemeckis really needed a hit now.
Romancing the Stone (1984)"She's a girl from the big city. He's a reckless soldier of fortune. For a fabulous treasure, they share an adventure no one could imagine... or survive."His third film. It stars Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner and Danny DeVito. The film follows a romance novelist who must venture beyond her New York City comfort zone to Colombia in order to save her sister from criminals who are holding her for ransom. The film received very positive reviews, with many favorably comparing it to Raiders of the Lost Ark. And after a streak of bad luck, the box office finally rewarded Zemeckis, as the film earned over $100 million worldwide.
Back to the Future (1985)"He was never in time for his classes. He wasn't in time for his dinner. Then one day... he wasn't in his time at all."His fourth film. It stars Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover, and Thomas F. Wilson. Set in 1985, it follows Marty McFly, a teenager accidentally sent back to 1955 in a time-traveling DeLorean automobile built by his eccentric scientist friend Emmett "Doc" Brown, where he inadvertently prevents his future parents from falling in love – threatening his own existence – and is forced to reconcile them and somehow get back to the future. In 1980, Bob Gale visited his parents and took a look at his father's high school yearbook. He wondered if he and his father would have been friends had they attended school together. He did not think so, but realized he could test his theory if he could travel back to a time when he and his parents were a similar age. He shared the idea with Zemeckis, who recalled his mother's childhood stories were often contradictory. They believed many time-travel films focused on the past being immutable and wanted to show the past being altered and the effect those changes would have on the future. In the first drafts, Doc was a video pirate and the time machine was a stationary object moved around on the back of a truck. Originally, Marty's actions in 1955 had a more significant impact on the future, making 1985 more futuristic and advanced, but every person who read the script took issue with the idea. Another huge aspect is that the drained time machine was written to be powered by Marty driving it into a nuclear explosion, combined with an additional ingredient: Coca-Cola. They gave the second draft to Columbia Pictures president Frank Price, but he considered it way too "tame" compared to the raunchy hits of the 80s. Multiple studios rejected the script, as they felt the concept being unappealing to contemporary rebellious youth as well as the recent box office failure of time travel films. They only had Steven Spielberg's support, but they feared they'd have to rely solely on him to get their scripts greenlit. So Zemeckis temporarily left to make Romancing the Stone, and its box office success allowed him to gain more credibility. Spielberg got involved as executive producer, and set the project at Universal. Price was now working there, but Spielberg ensured that he had zero impact on the production. Michael J. Fox was the first choice to play Marty, as Zemeckis and Gale were impressed by his work in the sitcom Family Ties. But the show's producer Gary David Goldberg did not give Fox the script. With Fox out, Sid Sheinberg preferred Eric Stoltz, who had impressed with his portrayal of Rocky Dennis in an early screening of the drama film Mask. With the filming date approaching, Zemeckis opted for Stoltz. Sheinberg promised that if Stoltz did not work out, they could reshoot the film. At the same time, Christopher Lloyd signed as Doc and Melora Hardin as Jennifer. Filming began on November 26, 1984, and the tight schedule meant that editing occurred concurrently with filming. On December 30, Zemeckis reviewed the existing scenes with his editors, and he believed Stoltz's acting was not working and had already listed several scenes he wanted to reshoot. Zemeckis called in Gale and the producers to show them the footage; they agreed Stoltz was not right for the part. Stoltz was performing the role with an intense and serious tone, not the "screwball" energy they desired. Spielberg finally got Goldberg to let Fox sign, and filming continued without informing Stoltz that he would be replaced. One week after Fox agreed, Stoltz was finally fired, and the crew said they deemed this "good news" despite having to reshoot the film. As a result, Hardin was also fired as the crew felt she was too tall for Fox. On January 15, 1985, Fox started filming his scenes. By that point, the film lost 34 days of filming and the reshoots meant that the budget had to increase by $4 million, which included Soltz getting his full salary despite not finishing the film. This also prompted Universal to mount a PR campaign to mitigate the negative buzz for replacing the lead actor. Fox filmed Family Ties during the day before traveling to the Back to the Future filming location. Often, he would not return home until early the following morning, and on weekends, the schedule was pushed back further as Family Ties was filmed in front of a live audience. Filming wrapped in April, and Zemeckis was pressured to complete editing, especially when Sheinberg decided to move up the date to July 3. The film opened with $11.3 million on its first weekend, ranking #1. It eased an absurd 5% in its second weekend and added $10.5 million. After losing the top spot on its fourth weekend, it returned to #1 on its fifth weekend and it stayed there for 8 weeks. It didn't have a drop higher than 10.2% until its tenth weekend. It simply had incredible legs, and in October, it passed Rambo: First Blood Part II ($149 million) as the year's highest grossing title. It stayed in theaters for almost an entire year, and it closed with an extraordinary $211 million domestically ($214 million through re-releases). Worldwide, the film was also a huge success, earning $381 million ($384 million through re-releases). The film received an incredible response from critics and audiences, quickly earning a place among the greatest sci-fi films ever made. It became one of the most influential and beloved films in history, and massively increased the careers of Zemeckis and Fox. Universal wanted a sequel, but Zemeckis and Gale were not interested.
Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)"It's the story of a man, a woman, and a rabbit in a triangle of trouble."His fifth film. Loosely based on the novel Who Censored Roger Rabbit? by Gary K. Wolf, it stars Bob Hoskins, Christopher Lloyd, Stubby Kaye, Joanna Cassidy, and the voices of Charles Fleischer and Kathleen Turner. Combining live-action and animation, the film is set in an alternate history Hollywood in 1947, where humans and cartoon characters (referred to as "toons") co-exist. Its plot follows Eddie Valiant, a private investigator with a grudge against toons, who must help exonerate Roger Rabbit, a toon framed for murder. Disney bought the film rights in 1981, and Jeffrey Price and Peter S. Seaman were hired to write the script. Zemeckis offered himself to direct, but Disney didn't trust him as the only two films he made by that point were box office duds. By 1985, Amblin Entertainment got involved as producers, and Disney greenlit the project when the film was set at $30 million. They offered the film to Terry Gilliam, but he declined because he felt it was too technically challenging (a decision he said regrets to this day). After the success of Romancing the Stone and Back to the Future, Zemeckis was finally granted the director's chair. With his involvement, Spielberg convinced Warner Bros., Fleischer Studios, Harvey Comics, King Features Syndicate, Felix the Cat Productions, Turner Entertainment, and Universal Pictures/Walter Lantz Productions to "lend" their characters to appear in the film with (in some cases) stipulations on how those characters were portrayed. For this, Donald Duck and Daffy Duck appear as equally talented dueling pianists, while Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny also share a scene. Among the characters they were unable to use were Popeye, Tom and Jerry, Little Lulu, Casper, or the Terrytoons characters. For the effects, mime artists, puppeteers, mannequins, and robotic arms were commonly used during filming to help the actors interact with "open air and imaginative cartoon characters." This caused the budget to escalate, while the shooting schedule ran longer than expected. When the budget reached $40 million, Disney CEO Michael Eisner seriously considered shutting down production, but studio chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg talked him out of it. Despite the budget escalating to over $50 million, Disney moved forward on production because they were enthusiastic to work with Spielberg. The film opened with $11 million, which was Disney's biggest debut ever. It had fantastic legs, closing with $154 million domestically and $351 million worldwide, making it the year's second highest grossing film. It received extraordinary reviews for its groundbreaking special effects, winning 4 Oscars for Film Editing, Sound Effects, Visual Effects and a Special Achievement Award. It became one of the most influential films, as no film properly combined animation and live-action as efficient as this film. Zemeckis quickly became a big star. He said he's open to a sequel, even after Hoskins' death in 2014, claiming that there's a "wonderful" script he read. However, he said it was unlikely that Disney would greenlight it, as "the current corporate Disney culture has no interest in Roger, and they certainly don't like Jessica at all."
Back to the Future Part II (1989)"Getting back was only the beginning."His sixth film. The sequel to Back to the Future, it stars Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Thomas F. Wilson, Elisabeth Shue, and Jeffrey Weissman. It follows Marty McFly and his friend Dr. Emmett "Doc" Brown as they travel from 1985 to 2015 to prevent Marty's son from sabotaging the McFly family's future. When their arch-nemesis Biff Tannen steals Doc's DeLorean time machine and uses it to alter history for his benefit, the duo must return to 1955 to restore the timeline. Zemeckis and Gale did not plan for the original film to get a sequel, the final scene was just a nice send-off that suggested they would have adventures off-screen. But after the huge success, Universal convinced them in a sequel. Zemeckis and Gale would later regret that they ended the first one with Jennifer in the car with Marty and Doc Brown, because it required them to come up with a story that would fit her in, rather than a whole new adventure. With the size of the story, Zemeckis and Gale decided to make two sequels, shot back-to-back to save money. Claudia Wells had to drop out due to a family crisis, so Elisabeth Shue replaced her and re-shot the final scene of the previous film. It was one of ILM's first forays into digital compositing, as well as the VistaGlide motion control camera system, which enabled them to shoot one of its most complex sequences, in which Fox played three separate characters (Marty Sr., Marty Jr., and Marlene), all of whom interacted with each other. Although such scenes were not new, the VistaGlide allowed, for the first time, a completely dynamic scene in which camera movement could finally be incorporated. The technique was also used in scenes where Fox, Thomas F. Wilson, Christopher Lloyd, and Elisabeth Shue's characters encounter and interact with their counterparts. Rather than write George out of the film, Zemeckis used previously filmed footage of Glover from the first film as well as new footage of actor Jeffrey Weissman, who wore prosthetics including a false chin, nose, and cheekbones to resemble Glover. Glover filed a lawsuit against the producers of the film on the grounds that they neither owned his likeness nor had permission to use it. As a result of the suit, there are now clauses in the Screen Actors Guild collective bargaining agreements stating that producers and actors are not allowed to use such methods to reproduce the likeness of other actors. Highly anticipated, the film opened with $27 million on its first weekend, breaking the Thanksgiving record. But while the original film had insane legs, this one wasn't quite strong. It closed with $119 million domestically, a steep 45% drop. It actually increased overseas, which allowed the film to close with $332 million worldwide. The film drew mixed reactions, particularly for its story and darker tone. In subsequent years, its reputation grew, although it was still considered inferior to the original.
Back to the Future Part III (1990)"They've saved the best trip for last... but this time they may have gone too far."His seventh film. The final installment in the Back to the Future trilogy, it stars Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Mary Steenburgen, Thomas F. Wilson, and Lea Thompson. The film continues immediately following Part II; while stranded in 1955, Marty discovers that "Doc, trapped in 1885, was killed by Buford "Mad Dog" Tannen, Biff's great-grandfather. Marty travels to 1885 to rescue Doc and return once again to 1985, but matters are complicated when Doc falls in love with Clara Clayton. While filming the original, Zemeckis talked with Fox over what kind of film he would like to make, and Fox said he wanted to make an Old West film. Zemeckis and Gale were intrigued and decided to have the third film set in the Old West. To save costs, the films were shot back-to-back, and it took nine months to film the two movies. Although the schedule for most of the personnel involved was grueling, the actors found the remote location for Part III relaxing, compared to shooting its predecessor. It released six months after Part II opened, and just 3 days after that film hit VHS. The film opened with $19 million ($23 million for the four-day Memorial weekend), far below the projections. It closed with $88 million domestically and $245 million, marking another drop from the previous films. It received a favorable response, and was considered a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. Despite Universal wanting a fourth film or reboot, Zemeckis and Gale have said they will block all attempts to reboot the franchise.
Death Becomes Her (1992)"In one small bottle... the fountain of youth. The secret of eternal life. The power of an ancient potion. Sometimes it works... sometimes it doesn't."His eighth film. The film stars Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn, Bruce Willis, and Isabella Rossellini. Its plot follows two women who fight for the affections of the same man and drink a magic potion that promises eternal youth. The film was a technologically complex film to make, and represented a major advancement in the use of computer-generated effects, under the pioneering direction of ILM. It was the first film where computer-generated skin texture was used. Streep admitted that she disliked working on a project that focused so heavily on special effects and vowed never to work on another film with heavy special effects again. The film received mixed reviews; while the effects were praised, the humor was criticized. But with the trio's star power, the film earned $149 million, becoming a box office success. Its reputation grew with time, and it won the Oscar for Best Visual Effects.
Forrest Gump (1994)"The world will never be the same once you've seen it through the eyes of Forrest Gump."His ninth film. Based on the novel by Winston Groom, it stars Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Mykelti Williamson, and Sally Field. The film follows the life of Forrest Gump, a man with low IQ, who recounts the early years of his life when he found himself in the middle of key historical events. All he wants now is to be reunited with his childhood sweetheart, Jenny. The novel's success prompted a bidding war, with Warner Bros. winning the film rights. Groom was paid $500,000 and also wrote the first three first drafts of the screenplay, which leaned closer to the events of the novel. After Rain Man told the story of a savant, WB lost interest in the picture, and by 1990 the project was in turnaround. Columbia Pictures rejected the project, but Paramount picked it up just as Eric Roth joined as screenwriter. Ivan Reitman, Penny Marshall and Terry Gilliam passed on the project, while Barry Sonnenfeld was attached to direct, but left to work on Addams Family Values. Afterwards, Zemeckis joined to direct. Once again, Zemeckis had another film with groundbreaking special effects. Using CGI techniques, it was possible to depict Forrest meeting deceased personages and shaking their hands. Hanks was first shot against a blue screen along with reference markers so that he could line up with the archive footage. To record the voices of the historical figures, voice actors were filmed and special effects were used to alter lip-syncing for the new dialogue. Archival footage was used and with the help of such techniques as chroma key, image warping, morphing, and rotoscoping, Hanks was integrated into it. On its opening weekend, the film opened with $24 million. Buoyed by extraordinary word of mouth, the film decreased just 1.3% in its second weekend. By its third weekend, the film already broke the $100 million milestone in the United States. For the first twelve weeks of release, the film was in the top 3 at the US box office, topping the list 5 times, including in its tenth week of release. It spent almost one year in theaters. It eventually closed with a colossal $330 million domestically, making it the highest grossing film of the year in the United States. Even with its American focus, it was also a worldwide phenomenon; it earned $678 million worldwide, becoming the fourth highest grossing film ever. It was also Zemeckis' highest grossing film, as well as Paramount's biggest film. The film received critical acclaim, and has been referred as one of the world's most beloved and iconic films. It received 13 Oscar nominations and won 6: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Visual Effects, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Film Editing. Zemeckis was just unstoppable. There were talks to adapt the novel's sequel, Gump & Co., but the film is stuck in development hell. Roth submitted his draft on September 10, 2001. After 9/11, Roth, Zemeckis, and Hanks decided the story was no longer "relevant."
Contact (1997)"If it's just us, it seems like an awful waste of space."His tenth film. Based on the novel by Carl Sagan, it stars Jodie Foster, Matthew McConaughey, James Woods, Tom Skerritt, William Fichtner, John Hurt, Angela Bassett, Rob Lowe, Jake Busey, and David Morse. It follows Dr. Eleanor "Ellie" Arroway, a SETI scientist who finds evidence of extraterrestrial life and is chosen to make first contact. Sagan and his wife Ann Druyan chose to adapt his own novel. They added the science and religion analogies as a metaphor of philosophical and intellectual interest in searching for the truth of both humanity and alien contact. Zemeckis was offered the director's chair, and while he liked the script, he said the very last page was the reason he decided to turn it down. WB hired George Miller instead, and he cast Jodie Foster to play Ellie. However, Miller spent so much time in pre-production that WB chose to fire him and convinced Zemeckis to finally direct, granting him total artistic control and the right of final cut privilege. The film received a positive response, although some felt that the film prioritized scientific accuracy over storytelling. It earned $171 million worldwide, although that didn't look quite good against its $90 million budget.
What Lies Beneath (2000)"He was the perfect husband until his one mistake followed them home."His 11th film. It stars Harrison Ford, Michelle Pfeiffer, Diana Scarwid, Joe Morton, James Remar and Miranda Otto. The film follows a marriage who moves to the husband's old house, where the wife experiences disturbing supernatural activity. Soon, she discovers a shocking truth about her husband and Madison, his student who is dead. Documentary filmmaker Sarah Kernochan had adapted a personal experience with the paranormal as a script treatment featuring a retirement aged couple dealing with restless but compassionate spirits. DreamWorks commissioned a rewrite from actor-writer Clark Gregg (Agent Coulson). Spielberg decided to give the project to Zemeckis, who managed to film the entire movie while another film of his shut down production (we'll get to that later on). At $100 million, it was the most expensive horror film ever. The film received mixed reviews, particularly for its script. But the star power of Ford and Pfeiffer translated into a great box office run, as the film earned almost $300 million worldwide.
Cast Away (2000)"At the edge of the world, his journey begins."His 12th film. It stars Tom Hanks, Helen Hunt, and Nick Searcy. It follows a FedEx troubleshooter who is stranded on an uninhabited island after his plane crashes in the South Pacific, and the plot focuses on his desperate attempts to survive and return home. Hanks wanted to make a film that would "examine the concept of four years of hopelessness, in which you have none of the requirements for living — food, water, shelter, fire and company." William Broyles was brought to write the film, and Zemeckis soon joined as director and Hanks gaining 50 pounds for the role. The film started filming in January 1999 and was paused two months later, so Hanks could lose the weight and grow his hair and beard to look like he had been living on the island for years. Filming didn't continue until April 2000. During that one-year gap, Zemeckis filmed What Lies Beneath. FedEx provided access to their equipment, but paid no money on product placement. The film was well received, and the reunion of Zemeckis and Hanks provided another box office hit, as the film earned over $400 million worldwide. Hanks was later nominated for Best Actor at the Oscars, losing to Russell Crowe on Gladiator. Zemeckis was on fire.
The Polar Express (2004)"Believe."His 13th film. Based on the children's book by Chris Van Allsburg, it stars Tom Hanks, Daryl Sabara, Nona Gaye, Jimmy Bennett, and Eddie Deezen. Set on Christmas Eve, it tells the story of a young boy who sees a mysterious train bound for the North Pole stop outside his window and is invited aboard by its conductor. He joins other children as they embark on a journey to visit Santa Claus, who is preparing for Christmas. Hanks optioned the book in 1999 after reading the book to his children with the hopes of playing the conductor and Santa Claus. Van Allsburg was skeptical over selling the rights, but sold them after Hanks asked, under the condition that it wouldn't be animated as he feared this would not accurately represent his characters. Rob Reiner was hired to direct, but he was replaced by Zemeckis when the film was delayed. He brought in William Broyles to rewrite the script; their new draft expanded the roles of minor characters such as Hero Girl, Know-it-all, and Lonely Boy. It also added the new character of Hobo. Despite Van Allsburg's original terms with Hanks, Zemeckis felt that a live-action version was unfeasible, claiming that it "would look awful, and it would be impossible – it would cost $1 billion instead of $160 million". Zemeckis felt that such a version would rob the audience of the art style of the book which he felt was "so much a part of the emotion of the story". However, Zemeckis also agreed that a conventional animated version would suit the film poorly. In order to keep his vision, a new process was created by which actors would be filmed with motion capture equipment in a black box stage which would then be animated to make the resulting film. This cost $1 million per minute of footage, and Hanks played 5 characters through this. It was recognized as the first all-digital capture film, and with $170 million, it was the most expensive animated film by that point. The film attracted mixed reactions, as many were conflicted over the character animation. But word of mouth was far stronger; it was a box office success after earning $318 million worldwide through re-releases. But why was it a success if the budget was $170 million? Easy, because it was colossal in DVD and Christmas reruns. To this day, the film is still massively popular during the holiday season.
Beowulf (2007)"Evil breeds pain."His 14th film. Based on the Old English epic poem, it features the voices of Ray Winstone, Anthony Hopkins, Robin Wright Penn, Brendan Gleeson, John Malkovich, Crispin Glover, Alison Lohman, and Angelina Jolie. The film depicts the rise and fall of the warrior Beowulf after he travels to Denmark to kill a monster. Neil Gaiman and Roger Avary wrote a screen adaptation of Beowulf in May 1997. The project was set up at DreamWorks with Avary slated to direct and Zemeckis producing. Avary stated he wanted to make a small-scale, gritty film with a budget of $15–20 million, similar to Jabberwocky or Excalibur. The project was then stuck in development hell. Producer Steve Bing, at the behest of Zemeckis who was wanting to direct the film himself, revived the production by convincing Avary that Zemeckis' vision, supported by the strength of digitally enhanced live action, was worth relinquishing the directorial reins. The film received very positive reviews, who noted it as an improvement over The Polar Express. But the massive $150 million budget made it difficult to be profitable, and the film closed with just $196 million worldwide.
A Christmas Carol (2009)"Season's greedings."His 15th film. Based on Charles Dickens's novel, it stars the voices of Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Bob Hoskins, Robin Wright and Cary Elwes. It follows Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly old moneylender who is visited by three Christmas spirits on Christmas Eve. Scrooge embarks on a journey of self-redemption to mend his miserly ways. After making The Polar Express, Zemeckis stated that he "fell in love with digital theater" and tried finding an avenue in order to use the format again. He eventually decided that an adaptation of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol would be an opportunity to achieve this. He collaborated with Disney on the project, marking their first film since Who Framed Roger Rabbit. The film received mixed reviews for its tone and animation. It earned $325 million worldwide, but the massive costs meant that it was a flop. That's 3 box office duds in a row.
Flight (2012)His 16th film. The film stars Denzel Washington, Don Cheadle, Kelly Reilly, John Goodman, Bruce Greenwood and Melissa Leo. It follows William "Whip" Whitaker Sr., an alcoholic airline pilot who miraculously crash-lands his plane after a mechanical failure, saving nearly everyone on board. Although hailed a hero, an investigation soon begins to cast the captain in a different light.It marked Zemeckis' first R-rated film since Used Cars. It received very positive reviews, and was a much needed box office success for him.
The Walk (2015)"Dream high."His 17th film. The film stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ben Kingsley, Charlotte Le Bon, James Badge Dale, Ben Schwartz, and Steve Valentine, and is based on the story of French high-wire artist Philippe Petit's walk between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in 1974. Despite good reviews, it was another box office bomb for Zemeckis, and it marked his first film to earn less than $100 million since Used Cars.
Allied (2016)"The enemy is listening."His 18th film. It stars Brad Pitt, Marion Cotillard, Jared Harris, Simon McBurney and Lizzy Caplan. It follows a Canadian intelligence officer and a French Resistance fighter who fall in love while posing as a married couple during a mission in Casablanca in 1942, but the wife is suspected of being a German spy. The film received mixed reviews, and marked another box office dud for Zemeckis.
Welcome to Marwen (2018)"You can't put this hero in a box."His 19th film. The film stars Steve Carell, Leslie Mann, Diane Kruger, Merritt Wever, Janelle Monáe, Eiza González, Gwendoline Christie, Leslie Zemeckis, Siobhan Williams and Neil Jackson. It tells the true story of Mark Hogancamp, a man struggling with PTSD who, after being physically assaulted, creates a fictional village to ease his trauma. The film was poorly received, and it was his worst attended film since his debut in 1978.
The Witches (2020)His 20th film. Based on the novel by Roald Dahl, it stars Anne Hathaway, Octavia Spencer, Stanley Tucci, and Kristin Chenoweth. When an orphan encounters a witch, his grandmother takes him away in order to protect him. But, in their hotel, a group of witches plot to get rid of the children of the world.Due to the pandemic, it was sent to HBO Max and played at select theaters worldwide, so it was a bomb. And a poorly received film again.
Pinocchio (2022)His 21st film. A live-action remake of Disney's 1940 animated film, it stars Tom Hanks, Cynthia Erivo, and Luke Evans with Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Keegan-Michael Key, and Lorraine Bracco in voice roles. The story follows a wooden puppet named Pinocchio, who is brought to life by a blue fairy after being crafted by an old Italian woodcarver named Geppetto.As it's a Disney+ original, there are no box office numbers here. What we have, however, is that it had awful reviews, with some considering it as Zemeckis' worst film. The FutureHis next film is a Forrest Gump reunion. The film is Here, which is written by Eric Roth and stars Tom Hanks and Robin Wright. The story covers the events of a single spot of land and its inhabitants spanning from the past to well into the future. It opens this November.MOVIES (FROM HIGHEST GROSSING TO LEAST GROSSING)
The VerdictHis run through the 80s and 90s was just insane. Banger after banger, and films that could change the landscape of what movies were possible. To this day, these films have remained popular and he earned a place as one of the most bankable names in film business.Starting on the 21st Century, however, you notice how the cracks start to appear. Bankable for a few years, but he hasn't made a profitable film in 12 years, which by itself was his first profitable in 12 years. Some broke even at best, but others were colossal box office failures. And through his recent films, you can tell he has not been able to replicate another beloved film. Zemeckis may still use his 80s/90s run to justify getting more films greenlit, but it's a foregone conclusion that his glory days are long past him. Hope you liked this edition. You can find this and more in the wiki for this section. The next director will be Richard Donner. An influential figure in superhero films, for Superman changed everything. I asked you to choose who else should be in the run and the comment with the most upvotes would be chosen. Well, we'll later talk about... Tony Scott. It was inevitable, as we already covered his brother Ridley. This is the schedule for the following four:
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2024.05.22 19:23 Even-Card-35 Monster inlaws and the wedding of my nightmares.
This is one of my wildest stories about my former inlaws and the outrageous things that happened leading up to the wedding. Also FYI not the real names because I am not giving that information away. They know what they did and will probably figure it out, but I am not setting myself up for that kind of heat.
I (26F) married a man named Derek (26M) who I had met in college. We were always really good friends but I hadn’t seen the potential for a relationship. He told me after a really bad breakup to think about it and I decided that we could try dating but laid the ground rules that if it didn’t work or one of us said it wasn’t going to work out we had to be honest with each other. Well, things were really good for a while. I had met his family and he had spent time with mine (previous friendship and all) and so everyone seemed elated that we were together. That was until we got engaged. We were going to a big event and had talked about what getting married had meant to us and didn’t really think that much of it. Up comes the big event and Derek proposed. We were both ecstatic but then realized that we needed to tell our family before anyone shared it on social media. We rushed back to his parents and sister who had social media, whereas mine didn’t and I could make a quick phone call to my sister. Well, we arrived back and told his sister Danielle (23F), and then told his parents Norm (54) and Terri (53) the news. I had hoped for happiness and was met with horrified looks from everyone in the room…(now I am singing that in my head lol). Danielle was completely upset and was miffed that it had happened as he always thought that Derek was just supposed to date me, not marry me as I wasn’t marriage material. Terri then started to spiral in her own sort of mother-of-the-groom way saying that it had to be the talk of the town. Poor Norm just sat there as the two spiraled. My then fiancé asked if we could get married in a specific location near his family and I agreed because it didn’t much matter to me the location per se but that our family and friends be there and that we could do this while keeping costs low as we were both working but just sort of making ends meet. Well, the next thing I knew, Terri had it all planned and had devised a way for it to include a guest list of 300, Large venue, the works! And tried to tell me that my fiancé wanted and all the trappings and trimmings because this wasn’t just a wedding anymore, it was THE WEDDING. I tried to explain it to them that I hadn’t even told my parents yet and that, being somewhat traditional, my parents would be looking to pay for the wedding and may have some requests in there too to be respected. That was apparently not the acceptable response and Terri and Danielle began to gang up on me that I was taking away a dream of Terri’s and that I was being an awful daughter-in-law. Well, I legit left there crying.
Fast forward to telling my parents and they were elated and decided to have a backyard engagement party to celebrate to talk about the wedding and all the details. We get to the party, and everything is great it seems like things are going well until my mother broaches the subject of taking care of the reception in its entirety. My soon-to-be mother-in-law loses it because she doesn’t think that it should be all on her considering they have a guestlist that has grown to include 375 people. My mother damn near spit out her drink and said excuse me, 375 without our side of the family?? My mother excused herself but was livid. I had to talk her down for the next 3 days from moving the wedding to my hometown which was an hour away. We managed to get things calmed down but when we returned to his parents' place they carried on the conversation like it had never finished. I didn’t have patience for this so I left it to my fiancé to talk to Terri about the issue. He reiterated to her that I had just spent three days trying to smooth things over with my parents and her response was that all of us were unreasonable. Things continued on but I knew we weren’t out of the woods yet.
We booked our engagement photos and my mother-in-law was adamant that we go where she had her engagement photos… well, Danielle lost her shit and says that it would undermine her wedding, Hot take, she wasn’t even in a relationship. We tell her that we would like somewhere nice and near a lake and Danielle straight up tells her brother that we shouldn’t be using her space and to find somewhere else. Meanwhile, Terri has it in her head that it needs to be “just so”. We carry on and my family wants to throw us a Jack and Jill and Terri loses her mind again saying that she forbids us from doing that because it makes us look like paupers. I was shocked at this and also told her that in my family, a jack and jill is thrown for the couple and they just have to show up and do whatever is asked (usually a pie in the face). Terri said this was absolutely abhorrent and she would not support us. Meanwhile, she demanded I make an outrageously large wedding registry with bone china and the whole nine. I talked to Derek about this and before anyone could buy anything off the registry, we took everything “ritzy” off as we are just not those people.
The wedding week finally comes up and Danielle is losing her mind at the drop of a hat… Terri is trying to create opportunities for us to bond and every time we get together Danielle uses the time to cut me down, calling me fat, telling me my feet are gross… telling me I am too pasty, you name it. I flat out told my mom that I could not take it anymore, but I didn’t want to rock the boat as my sister Grace (22F) was coming into town and we were supposed to spend the day before the day before the wedding at the inlaw’s house. Well, the day came and Danielle pitched a fit with her mom Terri in tow and my sister was then uninvited to stay. I asked them where she was supposed to go because this was the very last minute and they said they didn’t care and didn’t want to deal with my family, making a mess of things and that she could figure it out herself. So, I removed myself from the equation too. We went to stay with friends the night before the major wedding day prep and when I told my mother she was livid but wanted to continue with the good vibes even though she flat-out hated this woman. We prepped for the wedding and then the day of the wedding. Danielle shows up to get makeup and hair done with a sour look on her face… I am not sure what was going on but I told her that it was going to be a beautiful day. She didn’t say much and headed out. We took pictures with my side and arrived at the wedding to hear my friend playing guitar for the intro, and Danielle was singing. To be clear this was not the plan, but again I did not want to make waves about this… Danielle was apparently salty about not getting enough attention. we carried on, got married and things went on without many hitches. We had a great day, but the day after Danielle had apparently had enough and told us at the gift opening that our attention-seeking was over with and to get past it and move on.
I had enough and left. Hubby and I left and didn’t come back for some time. It wasn’t until a couple of months later that my final wedding shock happened. We received the photos. The ones with the bridal party and my family were as expected but what was not expected was the 76 prom-looking photos that Terri made Derek take and demanded. There were also many many photos of Danielle looking sour in the background that I was browbeaten into not posting because it wasn’t her best side and because of that, I was allowed to post 30 photos from my whole wedding album. I will say this marriage didn’t last due in part to his family and we ended up getting divorced… but that wedding was something else. I have never experienced anything like that since.
Derek and I remained friends and we still talk about the ridiculousness which is why he and his new bride eloped. I asked him how it went, and he said as expected. Some people are just destined to be monster inlaws.
submitted by Even-Card-35 to CharlotteDobreYouTube [link] [comments]
I (26F) married a man named Derek (26M) who I had met in college. We were always really good friends but I hadn’t seen the potential for a relationship. He told me after a really bad breakup to think about it and I decided that we could try dating but laid the ground rules that if it didn’t work or one of us said it wasn’t going to work out we had to be honest with each other. Well, things were really good for a while. I had met his family and he had spent time with mine (previous friendship and all) and so everyone seemed elated that we were together. That was until we got engaged. We were going to a big event and had talked about what getting married had meant to us and didn’t really think that much of it. Up comes the big event and Derek proposed. We were both ecstatic but then realized that we needed to tell our family before anyone shared it on social media. We rushed back to his parents and sister who had social media, whereas mine didn’t and I could make a quick phone call to my sister. Well, we arrived back and told his sister Danielle (23F), and then told his parents Norm (54) and Terri (53) the news. I had hoped for happiness and was met with horrified looks from everyone in the room…(now I am singing that in my head lol). Danielle was completely upset and was miffed that it had happened as he always thought that Derek was just supposed to date me, not marry me as I wasn’t marriage material. Terri then started to spiral in her own sort of mother-of-the-groom way saying that it had to be the talk of the town. Poor Norm just sat there as the two spiraled. My then fiancé asked if we could get married in a specific location near his family and I agreed because it didn’t much matter to me the location per se but that our family and friends be there and that we could do this while keeping costs low as we were both working but just sort of making ends meet. Well, the next thing I knew, Terri had it all planned and had devised a way for it to include a guest list of 300, Large venue, the works! And tried to tell me that my fiancé wanted and all the trappings and trimmings because this wasn’t just a wedding anymore, it was THE WEDDING. I tried to explain it to them that I hadn’t even told my parents yet and that, being somewhat traditional, my parents would be looking to pay for the wedding and may have some requests in there too to be respected. That was apparently not the acceptable response and Terri and Danielle began to gang up on me that I was taking away a dream of Terri’s and that I was being an awful daughter-in-law. Well, I legit left there crying.
Fast forward to telling my parents and they were elated and decided to have a backyard engagement party to celebrate to talk about the wedding and all the details. We get to the party, and everything is great it seems like things are going well until my mother broaches the subject of taking care of the reception in its entirety. My soon-to-be mother-in-law loses it because she doesn’t think that it should be all on her considering they have a guestlist that has grown to include 375 people. My mother damn near spit out her drink and said excuse me, 375 without our side of the family?? My mother excused herself but was livid. I had to talk her down for the next 3 days from moving the wedding to my hometown which was an hour away. We managed to get things calmed down but when we returned to his parents' place they carried on the conversation like it had never finished. I didn’t have patience for this so I left it to my fiancé to talk to Terri about the issue. He reiterated to her that I had just spent three days trying to smooth things over with my parents and her response was that all of us were unreasonable. Things continued on but I knew we weren’t out of the woods yet.
We booked our engagement photos and my mother-in-law was adamant that we go where she had her engagement photos… well, Danielle lost her shit and says that it would undermine her wedding, Hot take, she wasn’t even in a relationship. We tell her that we would like somewhere nice and near a lake and Danielle straight up tells her brother that we shouldn’t be using her space and to find somewhere else. Meanwhile, Terri has it in her head that it needs to be “just so”. We carry on and my family wants to throw us a Jack and Jill and Terri loses her mind again saying that she forbids us from doing that because it makes us look like paupers. I was shocked at this and also told her that in my family, a jack and jill is thrown for the couple and they just have to show up and do whatever is asked (usually a pie in the face). Terri said this was absolutely abhorrent and she would not support us. Meanwhile, she demanded I make an outrageously large wedding registry with bone china and the whole nine. I talked to Derek about this and before anyone could buy anything off the registry, we took everything “ritzy” off as we are just not those people.
The wedding week finally comes up and Danielle is losing her mind at the drop of a hat… Terri is trying to create opportunities for us to bond and every time we get together Danielle uses the time to cut me down, calling me fat, telling me my feet are gross… telling me I am too pasty, you name it. I flat out told my mom that I could not take it anymore, but I didn’t want to rock the boat as my sister Grace (22F) was coming into town and we were supposed to spend the day before the day before the wedding at the inlaw’s house. Well, the day came and Danielle pitched a fit with her mom Terri in tow and my sister was then uninvited to stay. I asked them where she was supposed to go because this was the very last minute and they said they didn’t care and didn’t want to deal with my family, making a mess of things and that she could figure it out herself. So, I removed myself from the equation too. We went to stay with friends the night before the major wedding day prep and when I told my mother she was livid but wanted to continue with the good vibes even though she flat-out hated this woman. We prepped for the wedding and then the day of the wedding. Danielle shows up to get makeup and hair done with a sour look on her face… I am not sure what was going on but I told her that it was going to be a beautiful day. She didn’t say much and headed out. We took pictures with my side and arrived at the wedding to hear my friend playing guitar for the intro, and Danielle was singing. To be clear this was not the plan, but again I did not want to make waves about this… Danielle was apparently salty about not getting enough attention. we carried on, got married and things went on without many hitches. We had a great day, but the day after Danielle had apparently had enough and told us at the gift opening that our attention-seeking was over with and to get past it and move on.
I had enough and left. Hubby and I left and didn’t come back for some time. It wasn’t until a couple of months later that my final wedding shock happened. We received the photos. The ones with the bridal party and my family were as expected but what was not expected was the 76 prom-looking photos that Terri made Derek take and demanded. There were also many many photos of Danielle looking sour in the background that I was browbeaten into not posting because it wasn’t her best side and because of that, I was allowed to post 30 photos from my whole wedding album. I will say this marriage didn’t last due in part to his family and we ended up getting divorced… but that wedding was something else. I have never experienced anything like that since.
Derek and I remained friends and we still talk about the ridiculousness which is why he and his new bride eloped. I asked him how it went, and he said as expected. Some people are just destined to be monster inlaws.
2024.05.21 16:26 WorkingEducational83 Natural father of Lesley Ann Downey/family tree
I am wanting to ask about Lesley Ann Downey's biological father, as I am aware that Alan West was her stepfather, although strangely Alan's name is given on Lesley's gravestone as a parent. There seems to be an extraordinary dearth of information about him, so I am wondering if anyone has any helpful links here. I believe he was an Irish Catholic, but I wanted to recheck his name, when Ann separated/divorced from him (? I think 1962) what, if any, involvement he had at the 1966 trial, and when he died. (I presume some of this detail may be in Ann's book, which unfortunately I don't have to hand.)
As a subsidiary question, I would also be grateful if someone could confirm that Terry, Tommy and Brett were all full siblings of Lesley, i.e. (as I believe) Ann and Alan did not have any more children together. Many thanks for any pointers and information here.
submitted by WorkingEducational83 to MoorsMurders [link] [comments]
As a subsidiary question, I would also be grateful if someone could confirm that Terry, Tommy and Brett were all full siblings of Lesley, i.e. (as I believe) Ann and Alan did not have any more children together. Many thanks for any pointers and information here.
2024.05.19 22:03 Ok-Guide-7329 Clueminati Interview Notes, Chris calls in at 3:14:00
 | -Chris says Seth and them were up at the school but they did not stop or interact with them and he doesn't know what they were doing submitted by Ok-Guide-7329 to SebastianRogers [link] [comments] -Chris says he didn't do anything directly to Sebastian and he doesn't have knowledge of who could've on the 26th -Chris says Katie went with him to the campground instead of staying at the home bc of the threats they were getting, he says they do turn all threats into LE -Chris confirms 13-18 different dogs have been in the home several times in the first 8 days -Chris says if he could tell people to search any areas, he said they should search: North, North West, and North East -Chris thinks the 5 mile radius has been thoroughly checked and he's not saying nothing is in the 5 mile radius but he thinks they should start moving outside of that radius -Chris says with the relationship between Seth and Katie, he would not let his daughter have a form of a relationship in that magnitude with a man. He says from what he understands as a fathers standpoint it was an inappropriate relationship. He says he has what they've both said and it is what it is and it sucks that the tragedy of Sebastian going missing has dug up a lot of dirt and it had nothing to do with Sebastian missing. He said he understands the digging but he doesn't -Chris says he thinks all of the theories and assumptions out there are hogwash. He says maybe it's so simple it's complicated, a 15 yr old child walked out of the house and disappeared -Chris says Seth has worked with LE and so have they to try to get answers and theories and get things debunked that needs to be debunked -Chris says he doesn't know if Seth would listen to him for advice about his team, but he'd have a conversation in private with him, no cell phone or anyone around. If Katie was present it'd be the 3 of them. -Chris says Seth has been hurting since the minute he got the phone call. He said Katie is hurting equally and Chris is hurting too. -Chris says kids who are products of divorces get 4 parents, more family. He doesn't think him being a step dad is unequal to being a dad -Chris says Katie is hurting and she's emotional -Chris says there are therapists out there who've offered their time to Chris and Katie and they're gonna take advantage of that -You can hear the dogs in the background, Chris calls it an ankle biter (Sebastians dogs are still there it seems or different ones)
-Chris says he can't disclose information about the cameras inside and outside his house but it's been talked about by LE -Chris says he is kind of a joker, he likes to joke around to relieve some of his tension -Chris says he was not making fun of Sebastian and if they saw him and Sebastians interactions together they liked to joke around and do goofy things -Host says he's not disrespecting Chris and Chris is answering his questions with respect and you can't pull honey out of vinegar -Chris isn't gonna speak for Stephen Crabtrees false information but he said he respects him owning his mistake but he says there is nothing the public knows that all the parents know. He said LE will talk to them before anyone out there about the case. -Chris said they aren't supposed to divulge information and they've been asked not to talk about the case information. -Chris says LE has been wonderful anytime they've had questions -Chris says he did not start the Chris Proudfoot is Innocent Facebook Page -Chris says he's not in everyone's YouTube commenting and trolling and he doesn't think Seth is doing it either -Chris says he hasnt played online with Sebastian and Seth. He's tried to play online with Sebastian but he doesn't have a tag so he can't go online and play. He said he's never played online with Sebastian at his dad's house -Chris said personally he prefers Sebastian not play online at all -Chris said Sebastian would never sleep in the garage and he did not pressure wash him. There's no room to lay a mattress to sleep on on his garage he said. He said that's false -Chris says Sebastian did not text Katie's mom before he went missing -Chris said everything him and Katie have told him has been checked out down to the T. The phone call, Katie's route that morning, the alibis, etc. He said it's all been vetted and checked by LE -Chris says his wife was a mess and Katie called him bc she was highly stressed and talked and Chris said hold on and he got ahold of the sheriffs office and within 10 minutes of the call the police were there -Chris says he does not believe Seth was involved with Sebastians disappearance, he said he was at work. Chris said he will never forget the conversation they had when he told Seth -Chris admits he called and asked his mom Cathy to go to his house that morning to be with Katie until he could get home, that's why Cathy was there -Chris says his family all track each other with life360 on their phones -Chris says that Seth knows that Cathy was already interviewed -Chris said this case is so simple if you take the drama away from it and the best part about it, the most unique part, is Sebastian managed to leave without leaving any evidence behind him -Chris and Katie went to a restaurant that had flyers up before but didn't anymore. He says you just have to give them another flyer and ask them to put it back up -Chris says let's say the avg person could walk a certain distance like 2 miles in a hour. From 12-6am he could have got that far, do the math and he could be further than everyone thinks -Chris says he truly feels deep down Sebastian would seek help if he could -Chris says if you found Sebastian and he is by himself and you see him, call 911, offer him food or a drink just not soda bc he doesn't like carbonation. Chris says call 911 immediately and let them tell you what to do -Chris said if you find him to make him comfortable just talk about his family and his parents -Chris said Sebastian is funny and very unique -Chris said the double malt joke thing is something Sebastian and Terri loved to get together at Culver's -Sebastian loves Debbie cakes, chocolate milk, steamed tofu not fried, Sebastian isn't a huge steak eater but he loves smoked salmon and he likes his burgers -Chris says he's one way at Seth's house and one way and their house -Tony had called and said his job was to control Seth and control the narrative and Seth got on an interview and said some nonfactual things and what he said opened another avenue up for more speculation. Chris said the call was a little heated but he doesn't care about his end game or his role, he would rather have a conversation with Tony offline -Chris said there are organizations that want to get involved but they without a doubt should be vetted through LE before Katie and Chris consider them being involved -Chris says he had a conversation with Jules and he said unless LE comes to the house and says she can do it and they are there or if she brings something new he doesn't want more people coming in and out of their house. He does not discredit Jules and TBI has called and said she is legit but he says there's nothing that he knows of that her dogs are gonna do that the others didnt. He said dogs that came already came from across the states across districts even federal dogs so what will Jules dogs do that the others didn't -Chris said he doesn't know if had a secret phone but if he did it was probably at his dad's house -Chris says Sebastian didn't ever leave the house alone. Once he was caught crossed the street at his neighbors yards when Chris and Katie got home, once he went to the bus stop in their driveway way too early. Chris says he probably didn't run off at Seth's house -Chris said let's not go down the road of what he felt about Seth leaving Sebastian home alone while he was at work, Seth does what he does while he's there -Katie says for the record she does have a voice and she refuses to speak on panels and her husband doesn't abuse her -Chris says some of the memes are funny -Chris says this is not a hoax |
2024.05.12 05:25 eccentricaesthetic Dorothy & Stan's kids; the math ain't mathing.
Ok, so as many of you GG fans know, continuity was never the best in the series. I've always felt this one was one helluva of a MAJOR "doozy".
As of Season 1, Dorothy and Stan had been divorced 2 years after being married for 38 years. The whole reason they were married was because Dorothy was pregnant. It's never mentioned who is the firstborn, but even so it's somewhat moot in this "argument". Point is, at least one of the two kids would have been nearing the age of 40 as of Season 1.
Bear in mind from this point, the show began airing in 1985 so taking into account 40 years, Stan and Dorothy would have been married in 1945. (Continuity changes on this as well but never really by much).
In the very 2nd episode of Season 1, we meet Kate. While her age isn't really discussed, based on appearances (even on the 2nd Kate who shows up in Season 2 with marital problems) I somehow doubt that Kate is anywhere near the age of 40 years old. One "clue" is given in her first appearance when Dorothy is talking about how Kate hadn't been this interested in a man "since Paul McCartney".
Rose: "Kate dated Paul McCartney!?!?" Dorothy: "Yes Rose. They wanted to get engaged but I insisted that Kate finish grade school first."
That episode aired in 1985. The Beatles gained popularity in 1963. Even if Kate had been 10 years old in 1963, in 1985 she would have been 32 at the most. (Personally I always guesstimated that Kate was around 25-27 years old). Meaning the earliest Kate could have been born would have been 1953 - a full 8 years after Stan and Dorothy's wedding.
Michael's age was never consistent. In the episode where he marries Lorraine (S:3 E:23 - Mixed Blessings), it's mentioned that he's 23 years old. That episode aired in 1988, meaning he was born in 1965. That's 20 years, 2 full decades after Stan and Dorothy's wedding.
Even if we take into account that in another episode that aired in 1986, S:2 E:7 - A Family Affair (the episode where Michael sleeps with Rose's daughter Bridget), his age is mentioned as being 29 at the time, that would mean he would have been born in 1957. Again this is 12 years after Stan and Dorothy's wedding.
So... what happened to the firstborn child? -A 3rd, elder sibling is never mentioned once throughout the series. -Had it been given up for adoption there would be no need for Dorothy and Stan to have married, so I somehow doubt that. -Dorothy was still a child when her youngest sibling Gloria was born, so we can fairly easily rule out the old fashioned practice of Sofia having "adopted" her own grandchild and raising the baby as Dorothy's "sibling". -Did Dorothy possibly have a late term miscarriage? Considering the show never shied away from "heavier" subject matter (though surprisingly miscarriages were never discussed) I would assume if that were the case, it would have been mentioned. I could picture Sofia saying something along the lines of "After you married that yutz you didn't even end up with a baby anyway, so it was all for nothing!" -I can't see Dorothy faking a pregnancy to have gotten a commitment from Stan for a variety of reasons. Sofia mentioned once that the night before Dorothy's wedding, she had spent "all night letting out that dress", implying that she definitely had a visible baby bump. It's also implied/said flat out multiple times that Dorothy ONLY married Stan because of the pregnancy.
I'm curious to see how many fans have picked up on this and what your theories are that would explain how Dorothy was either pregnant for 8 years -or- how the "baby" disappeared.
submitted by eccentricaesthetic to theGoldenGirls [link] [comments]
As of Season 1, Dorothy and Stan had been divorced 2 years after being married for 38 years. The whole reason they were married was because Dorothy was pregnant. It's never mentioned who is the firstborn, but even so it's somewhat moot in this "argument". Point is, at least one of the two kids would have been nearing the age of 40 as of Season 1.
Bear in mind from this point, the show began airing in 1985 so taking into account 40 years, Stan and Dorothy would have been married in 1945. (Continuity changes on this as well but never really by much).
In the very 2nd episode of Season 1, we meet Kate. While her age isn't really discussed, based on appearances (even on the 2nd Kate who shows up in Season 2 with marital problems) I somehow doubt that Kate is anywhere near the age of 40 years old. One "clue" is given in her first appearance when Dorothy is talking about how Kate hadn't been this interested in a man "since Paul McCartney".
Rose: "Kate dated Paul McCartney!?!?" Dorothy: "Yes Rose. They wanted to get engaged but I insisted that Kate finish grade school first."
That episode aired in 1985. The Beatles gained popularity in 1963. Even if Kate had been 10 years old in 1963, in 1985 she would have been 32 at the most. (Personally I always guesstimated that Kate was around 25-27 years old). Meaning the earliest Kate could have been born would have been 1953 - a full 8 years after Stan and Dorothy's wedding.
Michael's age was never consistent. In the episode where he marries Lorraine (S:3 E:23 - Mixed Blessings), it's mentioned that he's 23 years old. That episode aired in 1988, meaning he was born in 1965. That's 20 years, 2 full decades after Stan and Dorothy's wedding.
Even if we take into account that in another episode that aired in 1986, S:2 E:7 - A Family Affair (the episode where Michael sleeps with Rose's daughter Bridget), his age is mentioned as being 29 at the time, that would mean he would have been born in 1957. Again this is 12 years after Stan and Dorothy's wedding.
So... what happened to the firstborn child? -A 3rd, elder sibling is never mentioned once throughout the series. -Had it been given up for adoption there would be no need for Dorothy and Stan to have married, so I somehow doubt that. -Dorothy was still a child when her youngest sibling Gloria was born, so we can fairly easily rule out the old fashioned practice of Sofia having "adopted" her own grandchild and raising the baby as Dorothy's "sibling". -Did Dorothy possibly have a late term miscarriage? Considering the show never shied away from "heavier" subject matter (though surprisingly miscarriages were never discussed) I would assume if that were the case, it would have been mentioned. I could picture Sofia saying something along the lines of "After you married that yutz you didn't even end up with a baby anyway, so it was all for nothing!" -I can't see Dorothy faking a pregnancy to have gotten a commitment from Stan for a variety of reasons. Sofia mentioned once that the night before Dorothy's wedding, she had spent "all night letting out that dress", implying that she definitely had a visible baby bump. It's also implied/said flat out multiple times that Dorothy ONLY married Stan because of the pregnancy.
I'm curious to see how many fans have picked up on this and what your theories are that would explain how Dorothy was either pregnant for 8 years -or- how the "baby" disappeared.
2024.05.05 00:21 ChonkyKat04 Not a reboot but a continuation
Like what they did with Ghostbusters afterlife.
Dorothy, Rose and Blanche had plenty of children/grandkids to choose from to continue the story that could still center around the problems and nuances of today.
We could def have Dorothy’s son Micheal that married Lorraine, an older black woman that would give us a biracial character. Kate or Micheal moving in either due to windowing or divorce could work too.
I’d like to see Rebecca Sue or her kid enter the home being body positive and just as sexually active as Blanche herself.
Rose’s daughter Kirsten or (Kirsten’s) daughter Charley could be a viable candidate for the shared home.
As for the 4th it could either go to Rose or Blanche’s other kids bc Dorothy only has the 2.
It would still make sense that they’d have to room together since their moms/grandmas were friends for so long (and renting is damn nightmare) and most of them are somewhat familiar with the other.
I just think it would be fun to see how some of their moms/grandmas traits and traditions would hold up in our present day.
Their sexualities, gender and other beliefs could be up to whatever is needed.
And yes, they would still eat cheesecake.
submitted by ChonkyKat04 to theGoldenGirls [link] [comments]
Dorothy, Rose and Blanche had plenty of children/grandkids to choose from to continue the story that could still center around the problems and nuances of today.
We could def have Dorothy’s son Micheal that married Lorraine, an older black woman that would give us a biracial character. Kate or Micheal moving in either due to windowing or divorce could work too.
I’d like to see Rebecca Sue or her kid enter the home being body positive and just as sexually active as Blanche herself.
Rose’s daughter Kirsten or (Kirsten’s) daughter Charley could be a viable candidate for the shared home.
As for the 4th it could either go to Rose or Blanche’s other kids bc Dorothy only has the 2.
It would still make sense that they’d have to room together since their moms/grandmas were friends for so long (and renting is damn nightmare) and most of them are somewhat familiar with the other.
I just think it would be fun to see how some of their moms/grandmas traits and traditions would hold up in our present day.
Their sexualities, gender and other beliefs could be up to whatever is needed.
And yes, they would still eat cheesecake.
2024.05.01 17:08 random_poster1 (selling) Aquaman 2, godzilla, 2012, Beverly Hills cop trilogy, Bullet train, clerks, Guardians of Galaxy 3, JoJo rabbit, Mist, once upon a time in Hollywood, Simple Favor, Sleepless in Seattle , Who framed Roger rabbit
Happy to discount for multiple buys :)
12 years a slave HD MA - 4
13 hours secret soldiers 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 5
16 candles HD Itunes(ports) - 4
1917 HD MA - 4
21 Jump Street 4K MA - 6.50
22 Jump Street HD MA - 4, SD MA - 1.50
2 Guns 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
31 HD Vudu - 4
47 meters down HD Vudu - 4
47 Ronin HD MA/4k Itunes - 4
50 shades of grey unrated HD MA - 4
101 dalmatians(animated) HD GP - 4
101 dalmatians 2 HD MA - 6.50
About last night SD MA - 2
About my father 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 6
Absolutely fabulous movie HD MA - 5
Addicted SD Vudu - 2
Adrift HD Itunes - 4
Ad Astra HD MA - 4
Adventures of Ichabod and Mr Toad HD MA - 6
Air Force One 4K MA - 6
Aladdin (1992) HD GP - 3.50
Aladdin (live action) 4K Itunes(ports) or HD MA - 5
Alexander and terrible no good day HD MA - 4
Alice in Wonderland HD MA - 6
Aliens 3 HD MA - 6
Alien Covenant 4K Itunes(will port) - 5
Alpha Dog HD Vudu - 4
Amazing Spiderman HD MA - 4
Amazing Spiderman 2 HD MA - 4
American Hustle HD MA - 4
American Pie Unrated HD MA - 5
American reunion HD MA - 4
American Sniper 4K MA - 7
Anchorman 2 HD Vudu/Itunes - 4
Annihilation 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 5
Anomalisa HD Vudu/Itunes - 5
Antman HD GP - 4
Antman and wasp 4K MA - 5, HD GP - 4
Apocalypse Now 4K Vudu/Itunes - 6.50
Apollo 13 4K MA - 5, HD MA - 3
Arrival 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 4.50
Assassin's Creed 4K MA - 4
Atlantis: Lost Empire, Milo's return HD MA - 6.50 each
Atomic Blonde 4K Itunes(will port) - 5
Atonement HD MA - 4
Avengers Endgame 4K MA - 6, HD MA - 4
Avengers Age of Ultron HD GP - 4
Avengers Infinity War 4K Itunes(ports) - 5, HD GP - 3
Baby Driver HD MA - 4
Babylon 4K Itunes/Vudu - 6
Bad Grandpa HD Vudu/Itunes - 5
Bad moms HD Itunes(ports) - 4
Bad words HD MA - 4
Battleship 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Baywatch 4K Vudu/Itunes - 4
Beau is afraid HD Vudu - 8
Beauty and the beast(1991) 4K MA - 8
Beauty and the beast 2017 HD MA - 5
Beavis and butthead do America HD Itunes/Vudu - 5.50
Before i go to sleep HD MA - 4
Belfast HD MA - 5
Belle HD MA - 4
Ben Hur (2016) HD Vudu - 3
Beverly Hills Cop 2 4K Itunes/Vudu - 6.50
Beverly Hills cop 3 4K Vudu - 5
Big Hero 6 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Big short HD Vudu/Itunes - 5
The Big Sick HD Itunes - 5
Birds 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Birth of nation HD MA - 4
Black hawk down Extended 4K MA - 6
Black kklansman HD MA - 4
Black Panther Wakanda Forever 4K MA - 6
Black Panther 4K ITunes(ports) - 5, HD MA - 4
Black widow HD MA - 4
Blonkamp collection (Chappie, District 9, Elysium) HD MA - 12
Blue Jasmine SD MA - 2.50
Book of life HD MA - 5
Boss baby HD MA - 4
Bourne legacy 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Bourne Ultimatum 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Bridesmaids HD Itunes(ports) - 4
Broken city HD MA - 5
Brooklyn 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Bullet train 4K MA - 6
Bumblebee 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 5
Burnt HD Vudu - 4
Cabin in the woods 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 5
Call me by your name SD MA - 2
Call of the wild(2020) HD MA - 4
Captain America Civil War 4K Itunes(ports) - 5, HD GP - 4
Captain America Winter Soldier 4K Itunes(ports) - 6, HD GP - 4
Captain Marvel 4K Itunes(ports) - 6
Captain Phillips HD MA - 4
Cars 3 HD GP - 3
Casablanca 4K MA - 6
Chicago HD Itunes/Vudu - 4
The Choice (2016) HD Vudu - 3
Christmas Story 4K MA - 6
Cinderella 1950 4K MA - 7.50
Classic Monsters (Dracula, Frankenstein, Wolfman, Invisible Man) 4K MA - 18
Clerks HD Vudu - 5
Clifford the big red dog 4K Itunes/hd Vudu - 5
Close encounters of third kind 4K MA - 7
Coco HD GP - 3
Cold pursuit 4K Itunes/hd Vudu - 5
Color Purple (1985) 4K MA - 6
Columbiana HD MA - 5
The Corrupted (2020) HD Vudu/Itunes - 4
Crawl 4K Itunes/ HD Vudu - 6
Criminal 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 4
Cruella HD GP - 4
Cult of Chucky HD ITunes(ports) - 5
Curse of Chucky HD MA - 5
Daddy’s home 1,2 HD Vudu - 4 each
Daniel Craig James Bond collection(first 4 movies) HD Vudu - 12
The Darkest hour HD MA - 4
Dawn of the planet of apes 4K Itunes (will port) - 5
Deadpool 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Deadpool 2 HD MA - 5
Deepwater horizon 4K Itunes/hd vudu - 5
Descendants SD Itunes(ports) - 2
Desperado HD MA - 5
Despicable Me 1, 2, 3 HD MA - 4 each
Detroit 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Dictator HD Vudu - 4, SD Vudu - 1.50
Die hard HD MA - 4
Dirty Grandpa HD Vudu/Itunes - 4
Disney Short films (2015) HD GP - 5
Divergent HD Vudu split - 3
Django unchained HD Vudu - 4
A Dog's purpose HD MA - 4
Don't breathe HD MA - 5
Dora and the lost city of Gold 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 5
Downton Abbey HD MA - 4
Dracula Bram Stokers (1992) 4K MA - 6.50
Dreamgirls HD Vudu - 4
Dream Scenario HD Vudu - 6.50
Dredd (2012) 4k Itunes/vudu - 4
Drive HD MA - 4
The Drop HD MA - 5
Dr Strange 4K Itunes(ports) or HD MA - 4
The Doorman 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 5
Downsizing HD Vudu - 3
Downton Abbey HD MA - 4
Dracula untold 4K Itunes/HD vudu - 5
Dredd 4K Vudu/Itunes - 4.50
The Duff HD Vudu - 4
Dumb and Dumber To HD Itunes(ports) - 5
Dumbo (1941) HD GP - 5
Dying of the light HD Vudu - 4
Edward scissorhands HD MA - 4
El Chicano HD MA - 4
Elemental 4K MA - 9
Elf 4K MA - 6.50
Epic HD MA - 4
Elysium HD MA - 4
Encanto HD MA - 4, HD GP - 2.50
End of watch HD Itunes (ports) - 6
Ender's game 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 4
Endless love HD Itunes(ports) - 4
Equalizer 1,2 HD MA - 4 each
Escape plan HD Vudu/Itunes - 5
Eternals 4K MA - 6.50
E.T. 4K Itunes(ports) - 5, HD MA - 3
Everything everywhere all at once 4K Vudu - 7
Ex Machina HD Vudu - 4
Exorcist Believer HD MA - 4.50
Expendables 2 4k Itunes/hd vudu - 5
Expendables 3 4K Itunes/hd vudu - 4
Fantastic Mr Fox HD MA - 5
Fantastic Four: Rise of Silver Surfer HD MA - 6.50
Fast and furious 9-movie collection HD MA - 18, 8-movie collection HD MA - 12
The fast and the furious 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
2 fast 2 furious 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Fast and Furious: Tokyo drift 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Fast and Furious (4) 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Fast Five HD MA - 3
Fast and furious 6 ext 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Fate of the furious 4K MA - 5
Fault in our stars 4K Itunes(ports) or HD MA - 4
Fences 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 4
Ferris Buellers day off 4K Itunes/Vudu - 6
Field of Dreams 4K MA - 6
Finding Dory 4K Itunes(ports) - 6
The Finest Hours HD MA - 5
50 shades of grey HD MA - 4
50 shades darker HD MA - 4
Florence foster jenkins HD Itunes/Vudu - 3
Forrest Gump 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 6
Fox and the hound 2 HD MA - 6
Free guy 4K MA - 6.50, HD GP - 3
Free state of Jones HD Itunes(ports) - 4
Friday 13 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 6
Friday 13th part 2,3 HD Vudu/Itunes - 5 each
Frozen 1 4K Itunes(ports) - 4
Frozen singalong edition HD GP - 4
Fruitvale station HD Vudu - 4
Fury 4K MA - 6, HD MA - 4, SD MA - 2
Gattaca 4K MA - 6
Gemini man 4K Itunes/vudu - 5
Get him to the greek HD MA - 5
Get on Up HD Itunes (ports) - 4
Ghostbusters 2 HD MA - 4
Ghostbusters Answer the call (2016) HD MA - 4
Gifted HD MA - 3
GI Joe: Snake eyes 4K Itunes/Vudu - 5.50
Girl on the train 4K MA - 5, HD MA - 3
Gone baby gone HD Vudu - 4
Good dinosaur 4K Itunes(ports) - 6, HD MA - 4
Gods of Egypt 4K Itunes/hd vudu - 5
Godzilla King of Monsters 4K MA - 6.50
Godzilla (1998) 4K MA - 6.50
Gone girl 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Goosebumps HD MA - 5, SD MA - 2
Grand hotel Budapest HD MA - 5
The Greatest showman HD MA - 4
Greatest show on earth HD Itunes/Vudu - 4.50
Great Wall 4K Itunes(ports) HD MA - 4
Grown ups 2 HD MA - 4
Guardians of Galaxy 1 4K Itunes(ports) - 5, HD GP - 2
Guardians of Galaxy 2 HD MA - 5
Guilt trip HD Vudu - 3
Hacksaw ridge 4K Itunes/hd Vudu - 4
Hail Caesar HD ITunes(ports) - 4
Halloween 2018 HD MA - 4
Hancock 4K MA - 5
Hands of Stone (Ana DeArmas) HD Vudu - 4
Hanna HD Itunes(ports) - 5
Hansel and Gretel Witchunters HD Vudu - 4
Hardcore Henry HD MA - 4
Hateful Eight HD Vudu - 4
Haunting in Venice HD Vudu - 7.50
The Heat (Sandra Bullock) HD MA - 4
Hell or high water 4K ITunes - 5
Hell or high water, Wind river, Sicario (3 movie collection) HD Vudu - 6
Hercules (2014) HD Vudu - 3
Here comes the boom HD MA - 4
Hidden figures 4K ITunes(ports) - 5
Highlander 4K Vudu - 5
Hitchcock HD MA - 5
Hobbes and Shaw HD MA - 4
Hocus pocus 4K Itunes(ports) - 6, HD GP - 3
Holiday Inn HD MA - 4
Home Alone 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Home Alone 2 HD MA - 5
Home again HD MA - 5
Homefront (Jason Statham) HD MA - 4
The Homesman HD Vudu - 4
Hot tub time machine 2 HD ITunes - 4
Hugo 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 5
Hurricane heist 4K Itunes/hd vudu - 5
The Ides of March HD MA - 5
If I stay 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 5
I, Frankenstein HD Vudu/Itunes - 3
I know what you did last summer 4K MA - 6
The Impossible HD Vudu - 4
Incredibles 2 4K MA - 6.50, HD GP - 3
Independence day Resurgence 4K Itunes(ports) - 4.50
Independence Day + Independence Day Resurgence HD MA - 6.50
Indiana Jones Last Crusade 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 6
Indiana Jones Raiders of lost ark 4K Itunes/Vudu - 6
Indiana Jones Temple of Doom 4K Vudu/Itunes - 6.50
Indiana Jones Crystal Skull 4K Itunes/hd Vudu - 6.50
Inside Llewellyn Davis HD MA - 6
Inside Out HD GP - 3
Insidious Last Key HD MA - 5
Instructions not included HD Vudu - 4
The internship HD MA - 4
Interstellar HD Vudu - 3
The Interview (2014) HD MA - 4
Invisible Man (2020) 4K MA - 6
Iron Man 3 4K Itunes(ports) - 6
Jack reacher 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 5
James Bond Sean Connery collection Vol1 (Dr No, Goldfinger, From Russia with love) HD Vudu - 18
Jarhead 2 HD MA - 4
Jason Bourne 4K MA - 4
Jaws 4K MA - 6
Jerry Maguire HD MA - 4
Jingle all the way HD MA - 6
Joe Dirt 2 HD MA - 4
John Henry(Terry Crews) HD Itunes - 4
John Wick 1&2 HD Vudu - 5
John Wick 4K Itunes/Vudu - 5
John Wick 2 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 5
John Wick 3 4K Vudu/Itunes - 5
John wick HD Vudu - 2
Jordan Peele Collection (Nope, Get Out, Us) HD MA - 12
Judy 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 4
Jumanji Next Level 4K MA - 6
Jumanji Welcome to the jungle HD MA - 4
The Jungle book (1967) HD GP - 4
Jungle Book (2016) HD MA - 5, GP - 3
Jungle Cruise HD MA - 4
Juno SD Itunes(ports) - 2
Jurassic Park 5-movie collection 4K MA - 18
Jurassic Park 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Jurassic Park 3 4K Itunes(ports) - 5.50
Jurassic world 4K MA - 5
Jurassic World Fallen kingdom HD MA - 4
Katy Perry Part of me HD Vudu/Itunes - 4
Kevin Hart What Now? HD Itunes(ports) - 5
Kickass 2 HD MA - 4
Kid who would be king HD MA - 5
Kill the messenger HD Itunes(ports) - 4
King Kong 2005 4K MA - 6
Kingsman (2021) HD GP - 3
Kingsman Secret Service 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Kingsman Golden circle 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Kin 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 4
Knight and Day SD Itunes(ports) - 2
Krampus HD Itunes(ports) - 5
Lala land 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 5
Lara Croft Tomb Raider 4K Vudu/iTunes - 5
The Last Dragon HD MA - 4
The Last Duel 4K MA - 6.50, HD MA - 4
Lawrence of Arabia 4K MA - 6
Leprechaun: origins HD Vudu - 4
Les Miserables(2012) 4K Itunes (ports) - 5
Let’s be cops 4K Itunes(will port) - 4
Life of Pi 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Lightyear 4K MA - 6.5O, HD MA - 4
Lilo and stitch 2 HD MA - 6
Lion King (animated) 4K MA - 6.50, HD GP - 3
Lion King (2019) 4K MA - 6
Little mermaid 1989 4K Itunes(ports) - 6, HD GP - 3
Little Rascals save the day HD Itunes(ports) - 4
Logan 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Lone Ranger(Johnny Depp) HD GP - 2.50
Lone survivor 4K ITunes(ports) - 4
Looper HD MA - 4, SD MA - 1.50
Lost City 4K Vudu/Itunes - 6
Love Actually 4K MA - 7
Love Simon HD MA - 4
Lucy 4K Itunes(will port) - 4
Maggie HD Vudu - 4
Magnificent Seven (2016) HD Vudu - 4.50
Major League 4K Vudu - 6.50
Maleficent 4K Itunes(ports) - 5, HD GP - 3
Maleficent Mistress of Evil 4K ITunes(ports) - 5
Mallrats HD Itunes(ports) - 4
Mamma Mia, here we go again HD MA - 5
Manchester by the sea HD Itunes - 4
The Martian 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Mary poppins HD GP - 3
Megamind HD MA - 5.50
M3gan (Megan) HD MA - 4
Megan Leavey HD MA - 3
Men in Black 3 SD MA - 1.50
Metalocalypse Army of Doomstar HD MA - 5
Mickey's Christmas Carol HD MA - 5
Midway (2019) 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 4
Mile 22 4K Itunes - 4
A million ways to die in West HD Itunes(ports) - 4
Minions 4K Itunes(ports) or HD MA - 5
Mission Impossible 1,2,3,4,5,6 4K Vudu/Itunes - 5 each
Mission Impossible 4,6 4K Itunes - 5
Mission Impossible 5 4K Vudu - 5
Mission Impossible 2,3 HD Vudu - 4 each
Moana HD GP - 3
Mocking Jay Part 2 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 4
Monster high 13 wishes HD Itunes(ports) - 5
Monster Hunter 4K MA - 6.50
Moonfall 4K Itunes/Vudu - 5.50
Mortdecai HD Vudu - 4
A Most Wanted Man HD Vudu - 4
Mother (2017) 4K Vudu/Itunes - 5
Mountain between us 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Ms Peregrine's home for peculiar children 4K Itunes(ports) or HD MA - 5
Mud HD Vudu - 4
Mulan (animated) 4K Itunes(ports) - 7
Mulan 2 HD MA - 6
Mummy Trilogy (Mummy, Mummy Returns, Tomb of Dragon Emperor) HD MA - 10
Mummy(1999) 4K MA - 5, HD MA - 3
Mummy (2017) HD MA - 3
Mummy returns HD MA - 4, 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Mummy Tomb of Dragon emperor 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Muppets most wanted HD MA - 6.50
Murder on Orient Express (2017) HD MA - 4
My big fat Greek wedding 2 HD Itunes(ports) - 4
My girl 4K MA - 5
Need for Speed HD GP - 4
Neighbors HD Itunes(ports) - 4
Nightmare before Christmas 4K MA - 7
Night at Museum 3-movies HD MA - 12
Night at Museum Secret of tomb 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Noah HD Itunes/Vudu - 4
Nope 4K MA - 6.50
No time to die 4K Itunes - 4
Now you see me HD Vudu - 3
Nurse HD Vudu - 5
Nutcracker and the four realms HD GP - 5
Oblivion 4K Itunes(will port) - 5
Office christmas party 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 5
Olympus has fallen HD MA - 5
Once upon a time in Hollywood HD MA - 4, 4K MA - 6
Onward HD GP - 3
Ouija HD MA - 4
Overlord 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 5
Oz the great and powerful HD MA - 3
Paddington HD Vudu - 4
Pain and gain HD Vudu/Itunes - 4
Parasite 4K MA - 6.50
Passion of Christ HD MA - 8
Patriot games 4K Vudu/Itunes - 6
Patriots Day 4K Itunes/Vudu - 6
Paul HD Itunes(ports) - 4
Paranormal activity HD Itunes/Vudu - 5
Paranormal activity 3 HD Vudu/Itunes - 4
Passengers HD MA - 4.50
Penguins of Madagascar HD MA - 5
Percy Jackson Sea of monsters HD MA - 5
Perfect guy HD MA - 4
Perks of being a wallflower HD Vudu/Itunes - 4
Pet Sematary 4K ITunes/HD Vudu - 5
Peter Pan (1953) HD MA - 6
Pete's Dragon HD GP - 4
Pirate Fairy (Disney) HD MA - 5
Pitch perfect 4K Itunes(ports) or HD MA - 4
Pitch perfect 2 4K Itunes(ports) - 4
Planes HD Itunes(ports) - 4
Pocahontas HD MA - 6
Power Rangers (Saban's) 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 4
Precious cargo(Bruce Willis) SD Vudu - 2
The predator (2018) HD MA - 4
Premium rush SD MA - 2
Pride prejudice and zombies 4K MA - 6.5O, HD MA - 5
Prometheus HD MA - 4
Promising young woman HD MA - 5
Protege 4K Itunes/Vudu - 5
Pulp fiction 4K Itunes - 5
Pulp fiction HD Vudu - 4
The Purge HD MA - 4
Purge Election year 4K Itunes/HD MA - 4
A Quiet Place 4K Vudu/Itunes - 5
The Raid Redemption HD MA - 4.50, SD MA - 1.50
Ralph breaks the internet 4K MA - 6
Rambo Last blood 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 5
Raya and the last dragon HD MA - 5
Red Sparrow HD MA - 4
Red 2 HD Vudu - 3
Renfield HD MA - 5
Reservoir Dogs 4K Vudu/Itunes - 6
Resident Evil retribution HD MA - 4
Respect 4K Itunes - 4
Ride along HD MA - 4
Ride along 2 HD MA - 4
Rise of the guardians HD Vudu/Itunes - 4
Rise of Planet of Apes 4K Itunes(ports) - 6
Robin Hood (1973) HD MA - 6
Robocop (2014) HD Vudu - 3
Rocketman 4K Vudu/Itunes - 6
Roman Israel Esq SD MA - 2
Ron's gone wrong HD GP split - 3
Room HD Vudu - 5
Rules don't apply HD MA - 5
Safe (Statham) HD Vudu/Itunes - 4
Saving Private Ryan 4K Vudu/Itunes - 6.50
Sausage party HD MA - 5
Saw 8- movies HD Vudu - 12
Scary Stories to tell in the dark 4K Itunes/ Vudu - 5
Scent of woman HD MA - 4
Schindler's list HD MA - 4
Scorpion King 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Scream (1996) 4K Vudu/Itunes - 6
Secret in their eyes HD MA - 4
Selma HD Vudu/Itunes - 3
Seventh Son HD Itunes(ports) - 3.50
The Shallows HD MA - 4
Shaun of the Dead HD MA - 3
Shrek 3 HD MA - 4
Sicario 4K Itunes/Vudu - 4
Sicario 2 Day of soldado SD MA - 2
Silver Linings Playbook HD Vudu - 4
A Simple Favor 4K Itunes/hd Vudu - 6.50
Sinister HD Itunes - 4
Sisters unrated HD MA - 4
Skyfall HD Vudu - 3
Sleeping beauty HD GP - 3.50
Sleepy Hollow 4K Vudu - 6
Snatched 4K Itunes(will port) - 4
Snitch HD Vudu/Itunes - 5
Snow White and the seven dwarves HD GP - 4
Snow White and huntsman HD MA - 4
Some kind of wonderful HD Itunes/Vudu - 6
Song of the Sea HD MA - 8.50
Sonic the hedgehog 4K Itunes/hd Vudu - 6
Soul 4K MA - 6.50, HD MA - 4
Spartacus HD MA - 3
The Spectacular Now SD Vudu - 2
Spectre 4K Itunes - 6
Spiderman Into the spiderverse 4K MA - 8
Spiderman homecoming HD MA - 3
Spiderman No way home HD MA - 3
Spiderman 3 HD MA - 4
Split 4K Itunes(ports) - 5, HD MA - 4
Spoiler alert HD MA - 5
Spongebob sponge out of water HD Itunes - 5
Spotlight HD Itunes(ports) - 4
Step up all in HD Vudu - 3
Star Trek Into Darkness HD Vudu - 2.50
Star Trek Beyond 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 4
Star Wars New Hope HD GP - 5
Star Wars Return of jedi HD GP - 5
Star Wars Empire strikes back 4K MA - 8.50
Star Wars Last Jedi 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Star Wars Rise of Skywalker 4K ITunes(ports) - 5 , HD GP - 3
Star Wars Rogue one 4K Itunes(ports) - 6, HD GP - 4
Star Wars Solo HD GP - 3
Star Wars the Force Awakens 4K ITunes(will port) - 4
Stillwater (2021) HD MA - 5
The Sting HD MA - 3
Straight out of Compton HD MA - 4
Strange World HD GP - 4
Stripes 4K MA - 5
Suburbicon HD Vudu - 3
Super 8 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 5
Taken 2 HD MA - 4
Taken 3 HD MA - 4
Talk to me 4K Vudu - 7
Ted HD MA - 4
Ted 2 unrated HD Itunes(ports) - 4
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014) 4K Itunes/hd vudu - 4
Terminator Genisys 4K ITunes /HD Vudu - 4
Think like a man HD MA - 4
This is the end HD MA - 4
This is 40 HD Itunes(ports) - 3
Thor Love and Thunder HD MA - 4, HD GP - 3
Thor Ragnarok 4K MA - 6, HD GP - 2
Thor Dark World 4K Itunes - 6, HD GP - 3
Tinker Bell Legend of Neverbeast HD MA - 5
Titanic 4K Itunes / HD Vudu - 5
To sir with love 4K MA - 4.50
Top Gun 4K Vudu/Itunes - 5
Total recall (2012) SD MA - 2
Tower heist HD Itunes(ports) - 4
Toy Story 4K MA - 6.50
Toy Story 4 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Toy Story 1,4 HD GP - 3 each
Transformers Rise of beasts 4K Vudu/Itunes - 6
Transformers 3 Dark of moon 4K Itunes / HD vudu - 4
Transformers 4 Age of extinction 4K Itunes / HD vudu - 4
Transformers 5 Last knight 4K Itunes/ vudu - 4
Turbo (2013) HD MA - 5
The Turning (2020) HD MA - 4.50
Turning Red HD MA - 4, 4K MA - 6.50
Uncharted HD MA - 4.50
Under the skin HD Vudu - 4
The Untouchables 4K Vudu/ITunes - 6.50
Venom HD MA - 4
Venom 2 let there be carnage SD MA - 2
Vertigo HD MA - 3.50
Vice (Bruce Willis) HD Vudu - 4
The Visit HD MA - 5
Wanted HD Itunes(ports) - 5
War and Peace (Audrey Hepburn) HD Itunes/Vudu - 5
War for the planet of apes 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Warcraft 4K Itunes(ports) - 4
Warm bodies 4K Vudu/Itunes - 5, SD Vudu - 1
Werewolf the beast among us HD MA - 4
West Side Story HD MA - 4, HD GP - 2.50
The Witch(A24) HD Vudu - 4
While we're young (A24) HD Vudu - 7.50
Wish I was here HD Itunes(ports) - 4
Why him? 4K Itunes(ports) or HD MA - 4
Wolf of wall street 4K Itunes /Vudu - 5
Wolverine HD MA - 5
Wonder 4K ITunes/HD Vudu - 5
World war Z 4K Itunes/ HD Vudu - 5
A wrinkle in time 4K MA - 5
X Men (2000) HD MA - 5
X Men First Class 4K Itunes(ports) - 7
X Men Days of future past 4K Itunes(will port) - 5, Rogue Cut 4K - 8.50
Young Guns 4K Vudu - 6.50
Zero dark thirty HD MA - 4
Zookeeper's wife HD Itunes(ports) - 5
Zootopia HD MA - 4
.
TV shows:
Barry S1 HD ITunes - 7
Big little lies S1 HD Itunes - 7
Black Sails S3 HD Vudu - 7
Boardwalk Empire S4 HD Itunes - 7
Divorce S1 HD ITunes - 5
Game of Thrones S3, 5 HD Itunes - 7 each, S8 - 8
House of Cards S3 HD Vudu - 8
Nurse Jackie S6 HD Vudu - 8
Outlander S2 HD Vudu - 11
Silicon Valley S5 HD GP - 6, S3 HD Itunes - 8
Strike Back S1 HD GP - 7
Succession S1 HD ITunes - 7
Veep S2 HD GP - 5
The Walking Dead S5 HD Vudu - 5
. .
Sony Pictures Movies Anywhere reward - 4, current options:
4K __ Hancock
4K __ My Girl
4K __ Stripes
HD__ Blob
HD__ Blue Thunder
HD__ Born Yesterday (1950)
HD__ Bye Bye Birdie (1963)
HD__ Guess Who
HD__ Stir Crazy
HD__ Untraceable
. Universal Pictures Movies Anywhere reward - 3 , current options:
Agnes Brown
Antz
Backdraft 2 (4K)
Being Frank
Black Christmas (4K)
A Dog's Purpose (4K)
Don't Let Go
Final Account
Kicks
Loving
Raw
The Sparks Brothers (4K)
Paypal, Venmo, other ok. All rewards/points assume to be redeemed
submitted by random_poster1 to DigitalCodeSELL [link] [comments]
12 years a slave HD MA - 4
13 hours secret soldiers 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 5
16 candles HD Itunes(ports) - 4
1917 HD MA - 4
21 Jump Street 4K MA - 6.50
22 Jump Street HD MA - 4, SD MA - 1.50
2 Guns 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
31 HD Vudu - 4
47 meters down HD Vudu - 4
47 Ronin HD MA/4k Itunes - 4
50 shades of grey unrated HD MA - 4
101 dalmatians(animated) HD GP - 4
101 dalmatians 2 HD MA - 6.50
About last night SD MA - 2
About my father 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 6
Absolutely fabulous movie HD MA - 5
Addicted SD Vudu - 2
Adrift HD Itunes - 4
Ad Astra HD MA - 4
Adventures of Ichabod and Mr Toad HD MA - 6
Air Force One 4K MA - 6
Aladdin (1992) HD GP - 3.50
Aladdin (live action) 4K Itunes(ports) or HD MA - 5
Alexander and terrible no good day HD MA - 4
Alice in Wonderland HD MA - 6
Aliens 3 HD MA - 6
Alien Covenant 4K Itunes(will port) - 5
Alpha Dog HD Vudu - 4
Amazing Spiderman HD MA - 4
Amazing Spiderman 2 HD MA - 4
American Hustle HD MA - 4
American Pie Unrated HD MA - 5
American reunion HD MA - 4
American Sniper 4K MA - 7
Anchorman 2 HD Vudu/Itunes - 4
Annihilation 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 5
Anomalisa HD Vudu/Itunes - 5
Antman HD GP - 4
Antman and wasp 4K MA - 5, HD GP - 4
Apocalypse Now 4K Vudu/Itunes - 6.50
Apollo 13 4K MA - 5, HD MA - 3
Arrival 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 4.50
Assassin's Creed 4K MA - 4
Atlantis: Lost Empire, Milo's return HD MA - 6.50 each
Atomic Blonde 4K Itunes(will port) - 5
Atonement HD MA - 4
Avengers Endgame 4K MA - 6, HD MA - 4
Avengers Age of Ultron HD GP - 4
Avengers Infinity War 4K Itunes(ports) - 5, HD GP - 3
Baby Driver HD MA - 4
Babylon 4K Itunes/Vudu - 6
Bad Grandpa HD Vudu/Itunes - 5
Bad moms HD Itunes(ports) - 4
Bad words HD MA - 4
Battleship 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Baywatch 4K Vudu/Itunes - 4
Beau is afraid HD Vudu - 8
Beauty and the beast(1991) 4K MA - 8
Beauty and the beast 2017 HD MA - 5
Beavis and butthead do America HD Itunes/Vudu - 5.50
Before i go to sleep HD MA - 4
Belfast HD MA - 5
Belle HD MA - 4
Ben Hur (2016) HD Vudu - 3
Beverly Hills Cop 2 4K Itunes/Vudu - 6.50
Beverly Hills cop 3 4K Vudu - 5
Big Hero 6 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Big short HD Vudu/Itunes - 5
The Big Sick HD Itunes - 5
Birds 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Birth of nation HD MA - 4
Black hawk down Extended 4K MA - 6
Black kklansman HD MA - 4
Black Panther Wakanda Forever 4K MA - 6
Black Panther 4K ITunes(ports) - 5, HD MA - 4
Black widow HD MA - 4
Blonkamp collection (Chappie, District 9, Elysium) HD MA - 12
Blue Jasmine SD MA - 2.50
Book of life HD MA - 5
Boss baby HD MA - 4
Bourne legacy 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Bourne Ultimatum 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Bridesmaids HD Itunes(ports) - 4
Broken city HD MA - 5
Brooklyn 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Bullet train 4K MA - 6
Bumblebee 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 5
Burnt HD Vudu - 4
Cabin in the woods 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 5
Call me by your name SD MA - 2
Call of the wild(2020) HD MA - 4
Captain America Civil War 4K Itunes(ports) - 5, HD GP - 4
Captain America Winter Soldier 4K Itunes(ports) - 6, HD GP - 4
Captain Marvel 4K Itunes(ports) - 6
Captain Phillips HD MA - 4
Cars 3 HD GP - 3
Casablanca 4K MA - 6
Chicago HD Itunes/Vudu - 4
The Choice (2016) HD Vudu - 3
Christmas Story 4K MA - 6
Cinderella 1950 4K MA - 7.50
Classic Monsters (Dracula, Frankenstein, Wolfman, Invisible Man) 4K MA - 18
Clerks HD Vudu - 5
Clifford the big red dog 4K Itunes/hd Vudu - 5
Close encounters of third kind 4K MA - 7
Coco HD GP - 3
Cold pursuit 4K Itunes/hd Vudu - 5
Color Purple (1985) 4K MA - 6
Columbiana HD MA - 5
The Corrupted (2020) HD Vudu/Itunes - 4
Crawl 4K Itunes/ HD Vudu - 6
Criminal 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 4
Cruella HD GP - 4
Cult of Chucky HD ITunes(ports) - 5
Curse of Chucky HD MA - 5
Daddy’s home 1,2 HD Vudu - 4 each
Daniel Craig James Bond collection(first 4 movies) HD Vudu - 12
The Darkest hour HD MA - 4
Dawn of the planet of apes 4K Itunes (will port) - 5
Deadpool 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Deadpool 2 HD MA - 5
Deepwater horizon 4K Itunes/hd vudu - 5
Descendants SD Itunes(ports) - 2
Desperado HD MA - 5
Despicable Me 1, 2, 3 HD MA - 4 each
Detroit 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Dictator HD Vudu - 4, SD Vudu - 1.50
Die hard HD MA - 4
Dirty Grandpa HD Vudu/Itunes - 4
Disney Short films (2015) HD GP - 5
Divergent HD Vudu split - 3
Django unchained HD Vudu - 4
A Dog's purpose HD MA - 4
Don't breathe HD MA - 5
Dora and the lost city of Gold 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 5
Downton Abbey HD MA - 4
Dracula Bram Stokers (1992) 4K MA - 6.50
Dreamgirls HD Vudu - 4
Dream Scenario HD Vudu - 6.50
Dredd (2012) 4k Itunes/vudu - 4
Drive HD MA - 4
The Drop HD MA - 5
Dr Strange 4K Itunes(ports) or HD MA - 4
The Doorman 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 5
Downsizing HD Vudu - 3
Downton Abbey HD MA - 4
Dracula untold 4K Itunes/HD vudu - 5
Dredd 4K Vudu/Itunes - 4.50
The Duff HD Vudu - 4
Dumb and Dumber To HD Itunes(ports) - 5
Dumbo (1941) HD GP - 5
Dying of the light HD Vudu - 4
Edward scissorhands HD MA - 4
El Chicano HD MA - 4
Elemental 4K MA - 9
Elf 4K MA - 6.50
Epic HD MA - 4
Elysium HD MA - 4
Encanto HD MA - 4, HD GP - 2.50
End of watch HD Itunes (ports) - 6
Ender's game 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 4
Endless love HD Itunes(ports) - 4
Equalizer 1,2 HD MA - 4 each
Escape plan HD Vudu/Itunes - 5
Eternals 4K MA - 6.50
E.T. 4K Itunes(ports) - 5, HD MA - 3
Everything everywhere all at once 4K Vudu - 7
Ex Machina HD Vudu - 4
Exorcist Believer HD MA - 4.50
Expendables 2 4k Itunes/hd vudu - 5
Expendables 3 4K Itunes/hd vudu - 4
Fantastic Mr Fox HD MA - 5
Fantastic Four: Rise of Silver Surfer HD MA - 6.50
Fast and furious 9-movie collection HD MA - 18, 8-movie collection HD MA - 12
The fast and the furious 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
2 fast 2 furious 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Fast and Furious: Tokyo drift 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Fast and Furious (4) 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Fast Five HD MA - 3
Fast and furious 6 ext 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Fate of the furious 4K MA - 5
Fault in our stars 4K Itunes(ports) or HD MA - 4
Fences 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 4
Ferris Buellers day off 4K Itunes/Vudu - 6
Field of Dreams 4K MA - 6
Finding Dory 4K Itunes(ports) - 6
The Finest Hours HD MA - 5
50 shades of grey HD MA - 4
50 shades darker HD MA - 4
Florence foster jenkins HD Itunes/Vudu - 3
Forrest Gump 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 6
Fox and the hound 2 HD MA - 6
Free guy 4K MA - 6.50, HD GP - 3
Free state of Jones HD Itunes(ports) - 4
Friday 13 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 6
Friday 13th part 2,3 HD Vudu/Itunes - 5 each
Frozen 1 4K Itunes(ports) - 4
Frozen singalong edition HD GP - 4
Fruitvale station HD Vudu - 4
Fury 4K MA - 6, HD MA - 4, SD MA - 2
Gattaca 4K MA - 6
Gemini man 4K Itunes/vudu - 5
Get him to the greek HD MA - 5
Get on Up HD Itunes (ports) - 4
Ghostbusters 2 HD MA - 4
Ghostbusters Answer the call (2016) HD MA - 4
Gifted HD MA - 3
GI Joe: Snake eyes 4K Itunes/Vudu - 5.50
Girl on the train 4K MA - 5, HD MA - 3
Gone baby gone HD Vudu - 4
Good dinosaur 4K Itunes(ports) - 6, HD MA - 4
Gods of Egypt 4K Itunes/hd vudu - 5
Godzilla King of Monsters 4K MA - 6.50
Godzilla (1998) 4K MA - 6.50
Gone girl 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Goosebumps HD MA - 5, SD MA - 2
Grand hotel Budapest HD MA - 5
The Greatest showman HD MA - 4
Greatest show on earth HD Itunes/Vudu - 4.50
Great Wall 4K Itunes(ports) HD MA - 4
Grown ups 2 HD MA - 4
Guardians of Galaxy 1 4K Itunes(ports) - 5, HD GP - 2
Guardians of Galaxy 2 HD MA - 5
Guilt trip HD Vudu - 3
Hacksaw ridge 4K Itunes/hd Vudu - 4
Hail Caesar HD ITunes(ports) - 4
Halloween 2018 HD MA - 4
Hancock 4K MA - 5
Hands of Stone (Ana DeArmas) HD Vudu - 4
Hanna HD Itunes(ports) - 5
Hansel and Gretel Witchunters HD Vudu - 4
Hardcore Henry HD MA - 4
Hateful Eight HD Vudu - 4
Haunting in Venice HD Vudu - 7.50
The Heat (Sandra Bullock) HD MA - 4
Hell or high water 4K ITunes - 5
Hell or high water, Wind river, Sicario (3 movie collection) HD Vudu - 6
Hercules (2014) HD Vudu - 3
Here comes the boom HD MA - 4
Hidden figures 4K ITunes(ports) - 5
Highlander 4K Vudu - 5
Hitchcock HD MA - 5
Hobbes and Shaw HD MA - 4
Hocus pocus 4K Itunes(ports) - 6, HD GP - 3
Holiday Inn HD MA - 4
Home Alone 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Home Alone 2 HD MA - 5
Home again HD MA - 5
Homefront (Jason Statham) HD MA - 4
The Homesman HD Vudu - 4
Hot tub time machine 2 HD ITunes - 4
Hugo 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 5
Hurricane heist 4K Itunes/hd vudu - 5
The Ides of March HD MA - 5
If I stay 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 5
I, Frankenstein HD Vudu/Itunes - 3
I know what you did last summer 4K MA - 6
The Impossible HD Vudu - 4
Incredibles 2 4K MA - 6.50, HD GP - 3
Independence day Resurgence 4K Itunes(ports) - 4.50
Independence Day + Independence Day Resurgence HD MA - 6.50
Indiana Jones Last Crusade 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 6
Indiana Jones Raiders of lost ark 4K Itunes/Vudu - 6
Indiana Jones Temple of Doom 4K Vudu/Itunes - 6.50
Indiana Jones Crystal Skull 4K Itunes/hd Vudu - 6.50
Inside Llewellyn Davis HD MA - 6
Inside Out HD GP - 3
Insidious Last Key HD MA - 5
Instructions not included HD Vudu - 4
The internship HD MA - 4
Interstellar HD Vudu - 3
The Interview (2014) HD MA - 4
Invisible Man (2020) 4K MA - 6
Iron Man 3 4K Itunes(ports) - 6
Jack reacher 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 5
James Bond Sean Connery collection Vol1 (Dr No, Goldfinger, From Russia with love) HD Vudu - 18
Jarhead 2 HD MA - 4
Jason Bourne 4K MA - 4
Jaws 4K MA - 6
Jerry Maguire HD MA - 4
Jingle all the way HD MA - 6
Joe Dirt 2 HD MA - 4
John Henry(Terry Crews) HD Itunes - 4
John Wick 1&2 HD Vudu - 5
John Wick 4K Itunes/Vudu - 5
John Wick 2 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 5
John Wick 3 4K Vudu/Itunes - 5
John wick HD Vudu - 2
Jordan Peele Collection (Nope, Get Out, Us) HD MA - 12
Judy 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 4
Jumanji Next Level 4K MA - 6
Jumanji Welcome to the jungle HD MA - 4
The Jungle book (1967) HD GP - 4
Jungle Book (2016) HD MA - 5, GP - 3
Jungle Cruise HD MA - 4
Juno SD Itunes(ports) - 2
Jurassic Park 5-movie collection 4K MA - 18
Jurassic Park 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Jurassic Park 3 4K Itunes(ports) - 5.50
Jurassic world 4K MA - 5
Jurassic World Fallen kingdom HD MA - 4
Katy Perry Part of me HD Vudu/Itunes - 4
Kevin Hart What Now? HD Itunes(ports) - 5
Kickass 2 HD MA - 4
Kid who would be king HD MA - 5
Kill the messenger HD Itunes(ports) - 4
King Kong 2005 4K MA - 6
Kingsman (2021) HD GP - 3
Kingsman Secret Service 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Kingsman Golden circle 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Kin 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 4
Knight and Day SD Itunes(ports) - 2
Krampus HD Itunes(ports) - 5
Lala land 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 5
Lara Croft Tomb Raider 4K Vudu/iTunes - 5
The Last Dragon HD MA - 4
The Last Duel 4K MA - 6.50, HD MA - 4
Lawrence of Arabia 4K MA - 6
Leprechaun: origins HD Vudu - 4
Les Miserables(2012) 4K Itunes (ports) - 5
Let’s be cops 4K Itunes(will port) - 4
Life of Pi 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Lightyear 4K MA - 6.5O, HD MA - 4
Lilo and stitch 2 HD MA - 6
Lion King (animated) 4K MA - 6.50, HD GP - 3
Lion King (2019) 4K MA - 6
Little mermaid 1989 4K Itunes(ports) - 6, HD GP - 3
Little Rascals save the day HD Itunes(ports) - 4
Logan 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Lone Ranger(Johnny Depp) HD GP - 2.50
Lone survivor 4K ITunes(ports) - 4
Looper HD MA - 4, SD MA - 1.50
Lost City 4K Vudu/Itunes - 6
Love Actually 4K MA - 7
Love Simon HD MA - 4
Lucy 4K Itunes(will port) - 4
Maggie HD Vudu - 4
Magnificent Seven (2016) HD Vudu - 4.50
Major League 4K Vudu - 6.50
Maleficent 4K Itunes(ports) - 5, HD GP - 3
Maleficent Mistress of Evil 4K ITunes(ports) - 5
Mallrats HD Itunes(ports) - 4
Mamma Mia, here we go again HD MA - 5
Manchester by the sea HD Itunes - 4
The Martian 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Mary poppins HD GP - 3
Megamind HD MA - 5.50
M3gan (Megan) HD MA - 4
Megan Leavey HD MA - 3
Men in Black 3 SD MA - 1.50
Metalocalypse Army of Doomstar HD MA - 5
Mickey's Christmas Carol HD MA - 5
Midway (2019) 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 4
Mile 22 4K Itunes - 4
A million ways to die in West HD Itunes(ports) - 4
Minions 4K Itunes(ports) or HD MA - 5
Mission Impossible 1,2,3,4,5,6 4K Vudu/Itunes - 5 each
Mission Impossible 4,6 4K Itunes - 5
Mission Impossible 5 4K Vudu - 5
Mission Impossible 2,3 HD Vudu - 4 each
Moana HD GP - 3
Mocking Jay Part 2 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 4
Monster high 13 wishes HD Itunes(ports) - 5
Monster Hunter 4K MA - 6.50
Moonfall 4K Itunes/Vudu - 5.50
Mortdecai HD Vudu - 4
A Most Wanted Man HD Vudu - 4
Mother (2017) 4K Vudu/Itunes - 5
Mountain between us 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Ms Peregrine's home for peculiar children 4K Itunes(ports) or HD MA - 5
Mud HD Vudu - 4
Mulan (animated) 4K Itunes(ports) - 7
Mulan 2 HD MA - 6
Mummy Trilogy (Mummy, Mummy Returns, Tomb of Dragon Emperor) HD MA - 10
Mummy(1999) 4K MA - 5, HD MA - 3
Mummy (2017) HD MA - 3
Mummy returns HD MA - 4, 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Mummy Tomb of Dragon emperor 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Muppets most wanted HD MA - 6.50
Murder on Orient Express (2017) HD MA - 4
My big fat Greek wedding 2 HD Itunes(ports) - 4
My girl 4K MA - 5
Need for Speed HD GP - 4
Neighbors HD Itunes(ports) - 4
Nightmare before Christmas 4K MA - 7
Night at Museum 3-movies HD MA - 12
Night at Museum Secret of tomb 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Noah HD Itunes/Vudu - 4
Nope 4K MA - 6.50
No time to die 4K Itunes - 4
Now you see me HD Vudu - 3
Nurse HD Vudu - 5
Nutcracker and the four realms HD GP - 5
Oblivion 4K Itunes(will port) - 5
Office christmas party 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 5
Olympus has fallen HD MA - 5
Once upon a time in Hollywood HD MA - 4, 4K MA - 6
Onward HD GP - 3
Ouija HD MA - 4
Overlord 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 5
Oz the great and powerful HD MA - 3
Paddington HD Vudu - 4
Pain and gain HD Vudu/Itunes - 4
Parasite 4K MA - 6.50
Passion of Christ HD MA - 8
Patriot games 4K Vudu/Itunes - 6
Patriots Day 4K Itunes/Vudu - 6
Paul HD Itunes(ports) - 4
Paranormal activity HD Itunes/Vudu - 5
Paranormal activity 3 HD Vudu/Itunes - 4
Passengers HD MA - 4.50
Penguins of Madagascar HD MA - 5
Percy Jackson Sea of monsters HD MA - 5
Perfect guy HD MA - 4
Perks of being a wallflower HD Vudu/Itunes - 4
Pet Sematary 4K ITunes/HD Vudu - 5
Peter Pan (1953) HD MA - 6
Pete's Dragon HD GP - 4
Pirate Fairy (Disney) HD MA - 5
Pitch perfect 4K Itunes(ports) or HD MA - 4
Pitch perfect 2 4K Itunes(ports) - 4
Planes HD Itunes(ports) - 4
Pocahontas HD MA - 6
Power Rangers (Saban's) 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 4
Precious cargo(Bruce Willis) SD Vudu - 2
The predator (2018) HD MA - 4
Premium rush SD MA - 2
Pride prejudice and zombies 4K MA - 6.5O, HD MA - 5
Prometheus HD MA - 4
Promising young woman HD MA - 5
Protege 4K Itunes/Vudu - 5
Pulp fiction 4K Itunes - 5
Pulp fiction HD Vudu - 4
The Purge HD MA - 4
Purge Election year 4K Itunes/HD MA - 4
A Quiet Place 4K Vudu/Itunes - 5
The Raid Redemption HD MA - 4.50, SD MA - 1.50
Ralph breaks the internet 4K MA - 6
Rambo Last blood 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 5
Raya and the last dragon HD MA - 5
Red Sparrow HD MA - 4
Red 2 HD Vudu - 3
Renfield HD MA - 5
Reservoir Dogs 4K Vudu/Itunes - 6
Resident Evil retribution HD MA - 4
Respect 4K Itunes - 4
Ride along HD MA - 4
Ride along 2 HD MA - 4
Rise of the guardians HD Vudu/Itunes - 4
Rise of Planet of Apes 4K Itunes(ports) - 6
Robin Hood (1973) HD MA - 6
Robocop (2014) HD Vudu - 3
Rocketman 4K Vudu/Itunes - 6
Roman Israel Esq SD MA - 2
Ron's gone wrong HD GP split - 3
Room HD Vudu - 5
Rules don't apply HD MA - 5
Safe (Statham) HD Vudu/Itunes - 4
Saving Private Ryan 4K Vudu/Itunes - 6.50
Sausage party HD MA - 5
Saw 8- movies HD Vudu - 12
Scary Stories to tell in the dark 4K Itunes/ Vudu - 5
Scent of woman HD MA - 4
Schindler's list HD MA - 4
Scorpion King 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Scream (1996) 4K Vudu/Itunes - 6
Secret in their eyes HD MA - 4
Selma HD Vudu/Itunes - 3
Seventh Son HD Itunes(ports) - 3.50
The Shallows HD MA - 4
Shaun of the Dead HD MA - 3
Shrek 3 HD MA - 4
Sicario 4K Itunes/Vudu - 4
Sicario 2 Day of soldado SD MA - 2
Silver Linings Playbook HD Vudu - 4
A Simple Favor 4K Itunes/hd Vudu - 6.50
Sinister HD Itunes - 4
Sisters unrated HD MA - 4
Skyfall HD Vudu - 3
Sleeping beauty HD GP - 3.50
Sleepy Hollow 4K Vudu - 6
Snatched 4K Itunes(will port) - 4
Snitch HD Vudu/Itunes - 5
Snow White and the seven dwarves HD GP - 4
Snow White and huntsman HD MA - 4
Some kind of wonderful HD Itunes/Vudu - 6
Song of the Sea HD MA - 8.50
Sonic the hedgehog 4K Itunes/hd Vudu - 6
Soul 4K MA - 6.50, HD MA - 4
Spartacus HD MA - 3
The Spectacular Now SD Vudu - 2
Spectre 4K Itunes - 6
Spiderman Into the spiderverse 4K MA - 8
Spiderman homecoming HD MA - 3
Spiderman No way home HD MA - 3
Spiderman 3 HD MA - 4
Split 4K Itunes(ports) - 5, HD MA - 4
Spoiler alert HD MA - 5
Spongebob sponge out of water HD Itunes - 5
Spotlight HD Itunes(ports) - 4
Step up all in HD Vudu - 3
Star Trek Into Darkness HD Vudu - 2.50
Star Trek Beyond 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 4
Star Wars New Hope HD GP - 5
Star Wars Return of jedi HD GP - 5
Star Wars Empire strikes back 4K MA - 8.50
Star Wars Last Jedi 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Star Wars Rise of Skywalker 4K ITunes(ports) - 5 , HD GP - 3
Star Wars Rogue one 4K Itunes(ports) - 6, HD GP - 4
Star Wars Solo HD GP - 3
Star Wars the Force Awakens 4K ITunes(will port) - 4
Stillwater (2021) HD MA - 5
The Sting HD MA - 3
Straight out of Compton HD MA - 4
Strange World HD GP - 4
Stripes 4K MA - 5
Suburbicon HD Vudu - 3
Super 8 4K Itunes/HD Vudu - 5
Taken 2 HD MA - 4
Taken 3 HD MA - 4
Talk to me 4K Vudu - 7
Ted HD MA - 4
Ted 2 unrated HD Itunes(ports) - 4
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014) 4K Itunes/hd vudu - 4
Terminator Genisys 4K ITunes /HD Vudu - 4
Think like a man HD MA - 4
This is the end HD MA - 4
This is 40 HD Itunes(ports) - 3
Thor Love and Thunder HD MA - 4, HD GP - 3
Thor Ragnarok 4K MA - 6, HD GP - 2
Thor Dark World 4K Itunes - 6, HD GP - 3
Tinker Bell Legend of Neverbeast HD MA - 5
Titanic 4K Itunes / HD Vudu - 5
To sir with love 4K MA - 4.50
Top Gun 4K Vudu/Itunes - 5
Total recall (2012) SD MA - 2
Tower heist HD Itunes(ports) - 4
Toy Story 4K MA - 6.50
Toy Story 4 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Toy Story 1,4 HD GP - 3 each
Transformers Rise of beasts 4K Vudu/Itunes - 6
Transformers 3 Dark of moon 4K Itunes / HD vudu - 4
Transformers 4 Age of extinction 4K Itunes / HD vudu - 4
Transformers 5 Last knight 4K Itunes/ vudu - 4
Turbo (2013) HD MA - 5
The Turning (2020) HD MA - 4.50
Turning Red HD MA - 4, 4K MA - 6.50
Uncharted HD MA - 4.50
Under the skin HD Vudu - 4
The Untouchables 4K Vudu/ITunes - 6.50
Venom HD MA - 4
Venom 2 let there be carnage SD MA - 2
Vertigo HD MA - 3.50
Vice (Bruce Willis) HD Vudu - 4
The Visit HD MA - 5
Wanted HD Itunes(ports) - 5
War and Peace (Audrey Hepburn) HD Itunes/Vudu - 5
War for the planet of apes 4K Itunes(ports) - 5
Warcraft 4K Itunes(ports) - 4
Warm bodies 4K Vudu/Itunes - 5, SD Vudu - 1
Werewolf the beast among us HD MA - 4
West Side Story HD MA - 4, HD GP - 2.50
The Witch(A24) HD Vudu - 4
While we're young (A24) HD Vudu - 7.50
Wish I was here HD Itunes(ports) - 4
Why him? 4K Itunes(ports) or HD MA - 4
Wolf of wall street 4K Itunes /Vudu - 5
Wolverine HD MA - 5
Wonder 4K ITunes/HD Vudu - 5
World war Z 4K Itunes/ HD Vudu - 5
A wrinkle in time 4K MA - 5
X Men (2000) HD MA - 5
X Men First Class 4K Itunes(ports) - 7
X Men Days of future past 4K Itunes(will port) - 5, Rogue Cut 4K - 8.50
Young Guns 4K Vudu - 6.50
Zero dark thirty HD MA - 4
Zookeeper's wife HD Itunes(ports) - 5
Zootopia HD MA - 4
.
TV shows:
Barry S1 HD ITunes - 7
Big little lies S1 HD Itunes - 7
Black Sails S3 HD Vudu - 7
Boardwalk Empire S4 HD Itunes - 7
Divorce S1 HD ITunes - 5
Game of Thrones S3, 5 HD Itunes - 7 each, S8 - 8
House of Cards S3 HD Vudu - 8
Nurse Jackie S6 HD Vudu - 8
Outlander S2 HD Vudu - 11
Silicon Valley S5 HD GP - 6, S3 HD Itunes - 8
Strike Back S1 HD GP - 7
Succession S1 HD ITunes - 7
Veep S2 HD GP - 5
The Walking Dead S5 HD Vudu - 5
. .
Sony Pictures Movies Anywhere reward - 4, current options:
4K __ Hancock
4K __ My Girl
4K __ Stripes
HD__ Blob
HD__ Blue Thunder
HD__ Born Yesterday (1950)
HD__ Bye Bye Birdie (1963)
HD__ Guess Who
HD__ Stir Crazy
HD__ Untraceable
. Universal Pictures Movies Anywhere reward - 3 , current options:
Agnes Brown
Antz
Backdraft 2 (4K)
Being Frank
Black Christmas (4K)
A Dog's Purpose (4K)
Don't Let Go
Final Account
Kicks
Loving
Raw
The Sparks Brothers (4K)
Paypal, Venmo, other ok. All rewards/points assume to be redeemed
2024.04.26 05:03 livenlearnxo_ Jones-Brown Family (Twinbrook Townies) Update : From chaos to happily ever after 😭
During the holidays, I posted about how much I was enjoying playing with the Jones-Brown family from Twinbrook. I never played with them before and was very surprised how much of a hotmess they naturally are. So much has happened since then, especially for Jenni, that I’ve been wanting to share so here we go on a VERY LONG update lol.
Here’s the link to my original post on the family if anyone wants to back track: https://www.reddit.com/Sims3/s/kghX7xoKB0
Let’s start with Renee (the mom): She remained very neurotic and anti social for quite some time. She didn’t like going outside so I let her enjoy what she liked doing most, which was cleaning, ignoring the world and putting her grandson Jagger to bed lol. A big change for her came when a few of their household items got repossessed🫥😂.She didn’t care about the things they lost but she experienced love at first sight with the repo man😂😂. I had never seen Renee excited about or attracted to any man, not even her ex-husband, so seeing her get instant butterflies for the repo man of all people was wild. She suddenly had an interest in going outside, and to go on dates with him! Ree, the repo man, is much younger than her but the age gap didn’t bother either of them. She made it clear she’s not the commitment type and will never get married again — and he had no problems with their arrangement. Their arrangement has gone on for so long, Jagger knows him as Grandpa Ree lol.
As for, Lenny (the dad): Notorious couch potato and womanizer. He continued to be a doting grandpa and great support system for Jenni, but his biggest weakness was married women— specifically married women that he worked with 🫠🤨🫢. He continued sleeping with his boss, and despite having never gotten caught in person with her, somehow word still got around town that he was doing more than just filing paperwork for her. He thought he’d get fired or beat up by her husband — but instead, his other female coworkers began to call him up to “hang out”. Before he knew it, his roster grew and he didn’t even have to try😂 He still hates going to work, but because of the “extra benefits”, he has no desire to retire. He continues to be a fabulous grandpa, and waits til everyone is asleep before he sneaks women in. He couldn’t imagine having women walk past ex-wife on the way to the bathroom 🤣 —— yes, Renee and Lenny still live under one roof despite being divorced lmao. They barely talk to each other, but given the economy, they figure it’s better to split the costs 🤣🤣🤣🤣
And now Jenni (the daughter and mommy of Jagger): In my last post, we left off with Jenni working part-time with a toddler and desperate for a partner so she could have the picture perfect family. She was hoping her baby daddy, Goodwin, would be the one but she quickly realized despite having good in his name, he was really trash😫. But she couldn’t bring herself to be entirely done with him, for their son’s sake but also because she was so lonely as a single mom. So during the first year of Jagger’s life, she settled. Her and Goodwin never made it official, but they continued to sleep together whenever he came over to see Jagger. The turning point for her, however, came on the day of Jagger’s first birthday. She was so excited to have seen Jagger grow so much, but realized Goodwin didn’t feel the same when he showed up 3 hours late to the party. Not only was he late, but during the party she caught him flirting with her best friend (now ex best friend) AGAIN. It finally clicked that she couldn’t continue the situationship they were in. The following day, she asked Goodwin to be just friends and arranged a custody agreement. Jagger would spend one day at his house, and he was allowed to come over one day a week to Jenni’s house to take care of Jagger. Both days would be only about Jagger and nothing physical could happen with them. Fresh out of the situationship, Jenni began to think of what future she could give Jagger while working part-time at a spa. She had gotten a few promotions but it wasn’t enough. She decided to set her sights on pursuing a career in education. But in order to do that, she would have to get an education of her own. She spoke to her parents about her options, and made the decision that she would go to University and while she was away Jagger would stay with her parents. Jenni had never spent one day away from Jagger and it broke her heart thinking of leaving him, but she knew it was the best decision for their future. Through Jagger’s toddler years, Jenni studied and saved for college. She was able to get a partial scholarship, and a week after Jagger became a child, she left for university.
While away at college, Jenni experienced a whole new world. She got a glimpse into what life would’ve been if she didn’t become a mom so young. She spoke to Jagger and her family everyday and studied hard. At first, she didn’t enjoy campus life and it felt strange having so much freedom. But by the second semester, she embraced it and tried her best to live it up while she could. Mom guilt did creep in at times, but she decided to she deserved to live a little for herself too. And that’s when she met Hank 😏. A cute upperclassmen who her professor (who was also her friend) introduced her to. Her professor felt someone a bit older would be better since Jenni was so much more mature than her peers. Her and Hank had instant chemistry. After a few dates, and a couple of make-out sessions at his place – Jenni was starting to think she found the one (She’s a hopeless romantic so go easy on her guys 😅). There was only one issue, every time Jenni tried to take things to the next level aka queue the woohoo🤪, Hank would literally sprint out of the room 🙃🤣. At first, Jenni thought he was just shy, but after it happened several times, she began to feel confused. Especially because Hank kept sending her sexy pictures in the mail 😵💫🤣. College dating wasn’t seeming very hopeful for Jenni – she realized there was weirdos everywhere you go 🥴. She continued to hang out with Hank but never initiated anything romantic with him again. Thankfully, she didn’t let her romantic woes get in the way of studying. She passed all of her classes with flying colors, and graduated with honors! Once she returned home from university, Jenni wasted no time taking steps to elevate her life. She was thankful for her parents and Goodwin for taking care of Jagger while she was away, but she felt she had a lot of lost time to make up for. She joined the education field at a higher level because of her degree, and was finally able to start saving for her own place. When she wasn’t at work, she spent all of her time with Jagger. And after several months, she was able to save up enough money to move out of her parents house. Her new place wasn’t much to look at, but it felt amazing to have something that was just hers and Jagger’s. Despite all the ups and downs in the early years of his life, Jagger was growing up to be a great kid. He was naturally an easygoing kid, and as long as he was with family or had a ball to play with, he was happy! Jenni felt so lucky to have him and was starting to feel a yearning to have another child all over again but she knew it wasn’t the right time. She and Jagger were in a great rhythm and she didn’t want to disrupt his life with too many changes again. She continued working, taking care of Jagger and doing little things for herself. She was content with how things were and surprisingly not interested in dating whatsoever. And then one day, walking out of the tattoo shop after getting her first tattoo – she ran into Des Eyre (the rocker looking townie who never takes his glasses off 😎😅). It was an instant attraction, and he wasted no time walking over to her and introducing himself. Jenni was smitten and asked him if he wanted to go out for a drink on the spot. He accepted and they became inseparable😭. Even though he wouldn’t take his glasses off 😅, Jenni felt a deep connection with him. She made a promise to herself that she would not introduce any guy to Jagger until they were official. Des was very understanding of Jenni being a mother and respected Jenni’s schedule. Even Goodwin was on board with Jenni dating again. They had become such good friends while improving their co-parenting relationship that he even volunteered to watch Jagger on nights that she wanted to go out with Des. Everything was going better than Jenni could’ve ever imagined. After a couple of months of dating, Jenni and Des made it official and he met Jagger. Jagger was a friendly kid so he was happy to have someone new to play video games with. Jenni’s heart felt full seeing Des play soccer with Jagger in their yard, and she was beginning to wish to grow her family with Des. But everything changed one night when Des slept over. I noticed that all of Des’ dream bubbles were of his female roommate and not Jenni🫥🫥. My heart sank for Jenni. I knew something was weird, and I typically don’t like to intervene in my sims wishes but I switched active households to check Des’ info and I saw he had been in a romantic relationship with his roommate the entirety of his relationship with Jenni! I knew Jenni was really feeling Des, but there was no way, I was letting my girl be played like that 😡. Jenni didn’t know why she did it, but the following morning, she broke up with Des. And much to my surprise, she wasn’t that heartbroken 🫡.Des sent gifts and called for days, but Jenni never spoke to him again. She was starting to feel that love was just not in the cards for her and her dreams of having a husband was not meant to be.
And in true, fairytale fashion, when the hopeless romantic throws in the towel on searching for love – Love finds them! 😭🥲😭.Terry A. Keyes had popped up in Jenni’s dms before but she ignored the messages since all the other guys she had matched with in the past were duds. Oddly enough, I even remember seeing him at the tattoo parlor a couple of times when she was there – but they never spoke before until the ✨magical night✨ at her dad’s party. Side note, after Jenni and Jagger moved out, Lenny started throwing parties several nights a week. Jenni didn’t go to all of them because it was excessive and I lowkey suspected there might be swinging going on given his extracurricular activities🥴🫣. But of all the parties Jenni missed, I’m glad this one wasn’t one of them! 😭
It was seriously like a scene out of a movie, a woman in a pretty dress gets approached by a handsome man in a suit. They locked eyes (he doesn’t wear glasses like that jerk Des lol), he asked her to dance and the rest was history🥹🥰. Jenni wished to fall in love with him from that very night, and lucky for her, she learned he felt the same. Just like Jenni, Terry was a hopeless romantic who had been waiting for his happily ever after. Not only did Jenni meet the perfect man but she met him at the perfect time🥹Jagger was now a teenager with a girlfriend of his own, and Jenni was settled in her career as a Principal. Terry made it clear he was all in, and that was all she needed to know!
They fell in love very quickly and soon after he moved in. Jagger loved having Terry around. They shared a love of arcade games and old cars. Terry even developed a good friendship with Goodwin, as they shared the responsibility of teaching Jagger how to drive. For the first time, Jenni felt what it was like to have a real partner. Seeing how much Terry had done for her effortlessly and willingly, made Jenni love him even more. Meanwhile, Terry was dreaming of doing even more for her. He knew he came into the relationship with no savings and at the bottom of a dead end career but none of that mattered to Jenni. He knew she loved him for who he was. And when she supported him quitting his job to pursue his dream of being a musician -- he knew there was only one thing left to do!
It took a lot of saving but one the last day of summer, Terry popped the question! 🥰💍It completely caught Jenni by surprise. After all she'd been through, finally she had true love. They both couldn't wait to get married. Literally about a week after the engagement 😭, they put the wedding arch in the front yard, invited a few of their friends and family over and said I do! 🥹Jenni finally got her happily ever after and on the second night of their honeymoon, I heard the little jingle letting us know baby Keyes is on the way 🥹👶🤰
Thank you for reading!!! I know it was very long lol, but I did have a lot of fun writing it☺️ Hope you all are well and having fun plays!☺️
submitted by livenlearnxo_ to Sims3 [link] [comments]
Here’s the link to my original post on the family if anyone wants to back track: https://www.reddit.com/Sims3/s/kghX7xoKB0
Let’s start with Renee (the mom): She remained very neurotic and anti social for quite some time. She didn’t like going outside so I let her enjoy what she liked doing most, which was cleaning, ignoring the world and putting her grandson Jagger to bed lol. A big change for her came when a few of their household items got repossessed🫥😂.She didn’t care about the things they lost but she experienced love at first sight with the repo man😂😂. I had never seen Renee excited about or attracted to any man, not even her ex-husband, so seeing her get instant butterflies for the repo man of all people was wild. She suddenly had an interest in going outside, and to go on dates with him! Ree, the repo man, is much younger than her but the age gap didn’t bother either of them. She made it clear she’s not the commitment type and will never get married again — and he had no problems with their arrangement. Their arrangement has gone on for so long, Jagger knows him as Grandpa Ree lol.
As for, Lenny (the dad): Notorious couch potato and womanizer. He continued to be a doting grandpa and great support system for Jenni, but his biggest weakness was married women— specifically married women that he worked with 🫠🤨🫢. He continued sleeping with his boss, and despite having never gotten caught in person with her, somehow word still got around town that he was doing more than just filing paperwork for her. He thought he’d get fired or beat up by her husband — but instead, his other female coworkers began to call him up to “hang out”. Before he knew it, his roster grew and he didn’t even have to try😂 He still hates going to work, but because of the “extra benefits”, he has no desire to retire. He continues to be a fabulous grandpa, and waits til everyone is asleep before he sneaks women in. He couldn’t imagine having women walk past ex-wife on the way to the bathroom 🤣 —— yes, Renee and Lenny still live under one roof despite being divorced lmao. They barely talk to each other, but given the economy, they figure it’s better to split the costs 🤣🤣🤣🤣
And now Jenni (the daughter and mommy of Jagger): In my last post, we left off with Jenni working part-time with a toddler and desperate for a partner so she could have the picture perfect family. She was hoping her baby daddy, Goodwin, would be the one but she quickly realized despite having good in his name, he was really trash😫. But she couldn’t bring herself to be entirely done with him, for their son’s sake but also because she was so lonely as a single mom. So during the first year of Jagger’s life, she settled. Her and Goodwin never made it official, but they continued to sleep together whenever he came over to see Jagger. The turning point for her, however, came on the day of Jagger’s first birthday. She was so excited to have seen Jagger grow so much, but realized Goodwin didn’t feel the same when he showed up 3 hours late to the party. Not only was he late, but during the party she caught him flirting with her best friend (now ex best friend) AGAIN. It finally clicked that she couldn’t continue the situationship they were in. The following day, she asked Goodwin to be just friends and arranged a custody agreement. Jagger would spend one day at his house, and he was allowed to come over one day a week to Jenni’s house to take care of Jagger. Both days would be only about Jagger and nothing physical could happen with them. Fresh out of the situationship, Jenni began to think of what future she could give Jagger while working part-time at a spa. She had gotten a few promotions but it wasn’t enough. She decided to set her sights on pursuing a career in education. But in order to do that, she would have to get an education of her own. She spoke to her parents about her options, and made the decision that she would go to University and while she was away Jagger would stay with her parents. Jenni had never spent one day away from Jagger and it broke her heart thinking of leaving him, but she knew it was the best decision for their future. Through Jagger’s toddler years, Jenni studied and saved for college. She was able to get a partial scholarship, and a week after Jagger became a child, she left for university.
While away at college, Jenni experienced a whole new world. She got a glimpse into what life would’ve been if she didn’t become a mom so young. She spoke to Jagger and her family everyday and studied hard. At first, she didn’t enjoy campus life and it felt strange having so much freedom. But by the second semester, she embraced it and tried her best to live it up while she could. Mom guilt did creep in at times, but she decided to she deserved to live a little for herself too. And that’s when she met Hank 😏. A cute upperclassmen who her professor (who was also her friend) introduced her to. Her professor felt someone a bit older would be better since Jenni was so much more mature than her peers. Her and Hank had instant chemistry. After a few dates, and a couple of make-out sessions at his place – Jenni was starting to think she found the one (She’s a hopeless romantic so go easy on her guys 😅). There was only one issue, every time Jenni tried to take things to the next level aka queue the woohoo🤪, Hank would literally sprint out of the room 🙃🤣. At first, Jenni thought he was just shy, but after it happened several times, she began to feel confused. Especially because Hank kept sending her sexy pictures in the mail 😵💫🤣. College dating wasn’t seeming very hopeful for Jenni – she realized there was weirdos everywhere you go 🥴. She continued to hang out with Hank but never initiated anything romantic with him again. Thankfully, she didn’t let her romantic woes get in the way of studying. She passed all of her classes with flying colors, and graduated with honors! Once she returned home from university, Jenni wasted no time taking steps to elevate her life. She was thankful for her parents and Goodwin for taking care of Jagger while she was away, but she felt she had a lot of lost time to make up for. She joined the education field at a higher level because of her degree, and was finally able to start saving for her own place. When she wasn’t at work, she spent all of her time with Jagger. And after several months, she was able to save up enough money to move out of her parents house. Her new place wasn’t much to look at, but it felt amazing to have something that was just hers and Jagger’s. Despite all the ups and downs in the early years of his life, Jagger was growing up to be a great kid. He was naturally an easygoing kid, and as long as he was with family or had a ball to play with, he was happy! Jenni felt so lucky to have him and was starting to feel a yearning to have another child all over again but she knew it wasn’t the right time. She and Jagger were in a great rhythm and she didn’t want to disrupt his life with too many changes again. She continued working, taking care of Jagger and doing little things for herself. She was content with how things were and surprisingly not interested in dating whatsoever. And then one day, walking out of the tattoo shop after getting her first tattoo – she ran into Des Eyre (the rocker looking townie who never takes his glasses off 😎😅). It was an instant attraction, and he wasted no time walking over to her and introducing himself. Jenni was smitten and asked him if he wanted to go out for a drink on the spot. He accepted and they became inseparable😭. Even though he wouldn’t take his glasses off 😅, Jenni felt a deep connection with him. She made a promise to herself that she would not introduce any guy to Jagger until they were official. Des was very understanding of Jenni being a mother and respected Jenni’s schedule. Even Goodwin was on board with Jenni dating again. They had become such good friends while improving their co-parenting relationship that he even volunteered to watch Jagger on nights that she wanted to go out with Des. Everything was going better than Jenni could’ve ever imagined. After a couple of months of dating, Jenni and Des made it official and he met Jagger. Jagger was a friendly kid so he was happy to have someone new to play video games with. Jenni’s heart felt full seeing Des play soccer with Jagger in their yard, and she was beginning to wish to grow her family with Des. But everything changed one night when Des slept over. I noticed that all of Des’ dream bubbles were of his female roommate and not Jenni🫥🫥. My heart sank for Jenni. I knew something was weird, and I typically don’t like to intervene in my sims wishes but I switched active households to check Des’ info and I saw he had been in a romantic relationship with his roommate the entirety of his relationship with Jenni! I knew Jenni was really feeling Des, but there was no way, I was letting my girl be played like that 😡. Jenni didn’t know why she did it, but the following morning, she broke up with Des. And much to my surprise, she wasn’t that heartbroken 🫡.Des sent gifts and called for days, but Jenni never spoke to him again. She was starting to feel that love was just not in the cards for her and her dreams of having a husband was not meant to be.
And in true, fairytale fashion, when the hopeless romantic throws in the towel on searching for love – Love finds them! 😭🥲😭.Terry A. Keyes had popped up in Jenni’s dms before but she ignored the messages since all the other guys she had matched with in the past were duds. Oddly enough, I even remember seeing him at the tattoo parlor a couple of times when she was there – but they never spoke before until the ✨magical night✨ at her dad’s party. Side note, after Jenni and Jagger moved out, Lenny started throwing parties several nights a week. Jenni didn’t go to all of them because it was excessive and I lowkey suspected there might be swinging going on given his extracurricular activities🥴🫣. But of all the parties Jenni missed, I’m glad this one wasn’t one of them! 😭
It was seriously like a scene out of a movie, a woman in a pretty dress gets approached by a handsome man in a suit. They locked eyes (he doesn’t wear glasses like that jerk Des lol), he asked her to dance and the rest was history🥹🥰. Jenni wished to fall in love with him from that very night, and lucky for her, she learned he felt the same. Just like Jenni, Terry was a hopeless romantic who had been waiting for his happily ever after. Not only did Jenni meet the perfect man but she met him at the perfect time🥹Jagger was now a teenager with a girlfriend of his own, and Jenni was settled in her career as a Principal. Terry made it clear he was all in, and that was all she needed to know!
They fell in love very quickly and soon after he moved in. Jagger loved having Terry around. They shared a love of arcade games and old cars. Terry even developed a good friendship with Goodwin, as they shared the responsibility of teaching Jagger how to drive. For the first time, Jenni felt what it was like to have a real partner. Seeing how much Terry had done for her effortlessly and willingly, made Jenni love him even more. Meanwhile, Terry was dreaming of doing even more for her. He knew he came into the relationship with no savings and at the bottom of a dead end career but none of that mattered to Jenni. He knew she loved him for who he was. And when she supported him quitting his job to pursue his dream of being a musician -- he knew there was only one thing left to do!
It took a lot of saving but one the last day of summer, Terry popped the question! 🥰💍It completely caught Jenni by surprise. After all she'd been through, finally she had true love. They both couldn't wait to get married. Literally about a week after the engagement 😭, they put the wedding arch in the front yard, invited a few of their friends and family over and said I do! 🥹Jenni finally got her happily ever after and on the second night of their honeymoon, I heard the little jingle letting us know baby Keyes is on the way 🥹👶🤰
Thank you for reading!!! I know it was very long lol, but I did have a lot of fun writing it☺️ Hope you all are well and having fun plays!☺️
2024.04.19 17:14 andy2023usa Entrepreneur Walk of Fame
"Do not Follow where the path may lead.
Go, instead, where there is no path and leave a trail"
- Muriel Strobe
Who Is Muriel Strode? (quotegarden.com)
Who Is Muriel Strode?
The author I’m currently reading is Muriel Strode, an amazing woman — strong, gutsy, spiritual, creative, generous, intelligent, talented, and hard-working. Her writing is both down-to-earth and celestial, humble in spirit and yet fiercely, fearlessly ambitious. Her poems run the gamut from blushingly soul-sensual and nature-erotic to mystical and motivating, from poetic positive affirmations and self-discovery to some downright trippy verse.
There is very little information about Muriel on the Web, but I’ve pieced together this brief biography from a few dozen electronic and paper sources, and I’ve updated this article with further information from Muriel’s family for which I’m extremely grateful!
Early life & family. Born Muriel Strode on February 16th 1875 in Bernadotte Township, Illinois, her grandparents were pioneers and she spent her childhood on the farm where they originally settled. Her father William Smith Strode (1847–1934) was a naturalist, teacher, and physician. Her mother Amelia Steele Strode (1849–1888) died young, at age 39. A couple of years after she passed away, William married Julia Yarnell Brown (1866–1954), a periodicals writer. Muriel’s four siblings, all Illinois-born were:
📷Husband & daughter. In 1908 she married Samuel David Lieberman (1875–1952), the president of an iron and steel firm in Chicago where Muriel had worked. His love interest in her began when he read the inspirational sayings and poems in her first publication, My Little Book of Prayer. He and Muriel had one foster child, Elinore Anne Clifford Austin (1914–2006), born in Colorado and taken in at three years old. The family lived in New York City for several years before moving to California in 1923, when oil was discovered on Muriel’s land and she had suddenly become rich.
Riches & philanthropy. With part of her new riches, Muriel gathered seventeen young wives and mothers, one for each year she had owned the properties, and took them on a shopping spree for beautiful gowns, hats, earrings, undergarments, and other dainty, colorful things. “I was a distributor of wings, I released them into a realization of their beauty. We are all beautiful in our elemental state. We all want to be moon moths in the glowing. But like the flowers, we need petals to show off our beauty. I want to set people free into beauty. I want to take them out of their Cinderella ashes to function as princesses,” she told reporter Ruth Snyder. “It is a poem of pain to feel the urge toward the unfolding of the wings of beauty. It is a song of ecstasy to release it. All my life I have wanted to do something big and useful and beautiful — to help others.”
Shortly thereafter in another display of generosity, she purchased a run-down waterwheel mill in her girlhood Illinois township and with her father, oversaw the restoration of it and its dam as a historic landmark, its surrounding area converted to a public park and playground. At age 80, she wrote in a letter that “I left part of my heart back in Bernadotte years ago and I have never gotten over being homesick.”
Arizona & final years. The Strode–Lieberman family moved to Arizona in 1929 due to Sam’s tuberculosis. They homesteaded on 640 acres fourteen miles east of Tucson, and their home sat atop a ridge overlooking the entire Tucson valley. Muriel’s father, who was then divorced from Julia, had retired and moved in with the Liebermans. They had originally planned to build a solid rock home, every day making three-mile excursions into the desert to collect rocks. The passings of Muriel’s father and husband put a stop to the plan, however, and Muriel lived out the remainder of her days in the original wood-framed home.
In a 1955 letter Muriel wrote, “I have come a devious route to land eventually on these desert acres, as Mr. Lieberman’s business took him traveling and we lived in half the important cities in the United States.” But once in southern Arizona, that is where she stayed. She would sign her letters and books from “the Ranch of the Gorgeous Sunsets, Tucson, Arizona.” Muriel passed away on January 25th 1964 after twelve years’ struggle with a heart ailment.
📷Writing & publications. Her habit was to write her thoughts and ideas every morning, and she continued to work on her writings and manuscripts even into her final years. She had first published in periodicals, mostly The Open Court. The first publication I found her cited in was The Philistine: A Periodical of Protest, from 1901. Later she authored four books:
Sometimes she received harsh critiques in the newspapers. Some reviewers who did not understand her writing thought it egotistical. In 1923 she explained to a reporter, “When I say ‘I,’ I mean the cosmic ‘I,’ speaking to the cosmic ‘you.’” On reading her books, it seems clear to me that she was not egotistical but mystical. She said in a 1962 interview, “I don’t mind adverse criticism. It doesn’t matter if I’m misinterpreted because not everyone will understand what I’m trying to say.”
Those who did understand her cosmic perspective handed out more favorable reviews. “Muriel Strode has a distinctive touch in free verse rhythms. She uses them to interpret optimistically and broadly the elemental forces of being, and she strikes a high note of endeavor and faith in life without glossing over its inevitable question” (The Kansas City Times, 1921).
“Few poets are as prolific in sheer beauty as Muriel Strode. Her work is marked with richness, the forms she chooses for expression are diverse and through all her work there is the rumbling of the seeker of truth. Miss Strode’s poems are a revelation in inspiration. There seems no end to her philosophic thoughts. There is a virility of beauty in this poet’s work” (Howard Willard Cook, 1923). She “sings of the things elemental in universal nature and in human nature” (Charles Fleischer). During her childhood in Fulton County, Illinois, she “breathed in the beauty and the intense love of nature and the elemental things of life that flame out in her poetry” (The Fulton Democrat).
Names. Other names she was known by include: Muriel Strode-Lieberman, Muriel Lieberman, Muriel S. Lieberman, Mrs. Samuel D. Lieberman, Mrs. S. D. Lieberman, and Mrs. Sam Lieberman. The 1880 census lists “Muray Strode,” but her surviving family is not aware of that nickname so it is possibly a typo or a childhood pet name that didn’t last. 📷
Famous quote & found treasures. There were quite a few newspaper articles about Muriel during her publishing days and when she first got rich from oil, but I can’t find personal references much past her death date. Sadly, she seems to have disappeared from history, excepting her famous 1903 words “I will not follow where the path may lead, but I will go where there is no path, and I will leave a trail,” which around the 1990s had started being widely misattributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson. I am exceptionally pleased to digitally revive this wonderful poetess — I’ve been posting selected quotations from her works to The Quote Garden. Here is a sample gem: “I will have a care lest my burden rest all too long where my wings might have grown.” —Muriel Strode, My Little Book of Life, 1912
Image Information. Photo of Muriel is unknown date, courtesy of Muriel’s family, modified by Terri Guillemets using imikimi app, 2017. Book cover is My Little Book of Life by Muriel Strode, 1912. Muriel’s signature is from the 1934 application for her father’s headstone.
Acknowledgement. I am eternally grateful to Muriel’s family for providing the information to expand this bio, as well as the beautiful photograph and retroactive permission to use her words on my website. Thank you so much!
submitted by andy2023usa to doodlegoogle [link] [comments]
Go, instead, where there is no path and leave a trail"
- Muriel Strobe
Who Is Muriel Strode? (quotegarden.com)
Who Is Muriel Strode?
The author I’m currently reading is Muriel Strode, an amazing woman — strong, gutsy, spiritual, creative, generous, intelligent, talented, and hard-working. Her writing is both down-to-earth and celestial, humble in spirit and yet fiercely, fearlessly ambitious. Her poems run the gamut from blushingly soul-sensual and nature-erotic to mystical and motivating, from poetic positive affirmations and self-discovery to some downright trippy verse.
There is very little information about Muriel on the Web, but I’ve pieced together this brief biography from a few dozen electronic and paper sources, and I’ve updated this article with further information from Muriel’s family for which I’m extremely grateful!
Early life & family. Born Muriel Strode on February 16th 1875 in Bernadotte Township, Illinois, her grandparents were pioneers and she spent her childhood on the farm where they originally settled. Her father William Smith Strode (1847–1934) was a naturalist, teacher, and physician. Her mother Amelia Steele Strode (1849–1888) died young, at age 39. A couple of years after she passed away, William married Julia Yarnell Brown (1866–1954), a periodicals writer. Muriel’s four siblings, all Illinois-born were:
- Winifred Strode Morrison (1872–1916), who had seven children, one of whom was named Muriel Marie
- Walter Lucien Strode (1877–1917), a grocery salesman
- John William Strode (1884–1957), who studied mining then moved to Arizona in 1907. After serving in the military, he served two governors as executive secretary, including Arizona’s first governor, George W. P. Hunt. Later, J. W. was editor of the Miami (Arizona) Silver Belt and president of the Arizona Democratic Association.
- Catherine Joane Brown Strode (1895–1969), half-sister, who graduated young, studied art in Chicago, and moved to California at age 19. She became an established artist using the pseudonym Joane Cromwell.
📷Husband & daughter. In 1908 she married Samuel David Lieberman (1875–1952), the president of an iron and steel firm in Chicago where Muriel had worked. His love interest in her began when he read the inspirational sayings and poems in her first publication, My Little Book of Prayer. He and Muriel had one foster child, Elinore Anne Clifford Austin (1914–2006), born in Colorado and taken in at three years old. The family lived in New York City for several years before moving to California in 1923, when oil was discovered on Muriel’s land and she had suddenly become rich.
Riches & philanthropy. With part of her new riches, Muriel gathered seventeen young wives and mothers, one for each year she had owned the properties, and took them on a shopping spree for beautiful gowns, hats, earrings, undergarments, and other dainty, colorful things. “I was a distributor of wings, I released them into a realization of their beauty. We are all beautiful in our elemental state. We all want to be moon moths in the glowing. But like the flowers, we need petals to show off our beauty. I want to set people free into beauty. I want to take them out of their Cinderella ashes to function as princesses,” she told reporter Ruth Snyder. “It is a poem of pain to feel the urge toward the unfolding of the wings of beauty. It is a song of ecstasy to release it. All my life I have wanted to do something big and useful and beautiful — to help others.”
Shortly thereafter in another display of generosity, she purchased a run-down waterwheel mill in her girlhood Illinois township and with her father, oversaw the restoration of it and its dam as a historic landmark, its surrounding area converted to a public park and playground. At age 80, she wrote in a letter that “I left part of my heart back in Bernadotte years ago and I have never gotten over being homesick.”
Arizona & final years. The Strode–Lieberman family moved to Arizona in 1929 due to Sam’s tuberculosis. They homesteaded on 640 acres fourteen miles east of Tucson, and their home sat atop a ridge overlooking the entire Tucson valley. Muriel’s father, who was then divorced from Julia, had retired and moved in with the Liebermans. They had originally planned to build a solid rock home, every day making three-mile excursions into the desert to collect rocks. The passings of Muriel’s father and husband put a stop to the plan, however, and Muriel lived out the remainder of her days in the original wood-framed home.
In a 1955 letter Muriel wrote, “I have come a devious route to land eventually on these desert acres, as Mr. Lieberman’s business took him traveling and we lived in half the important cities in the United States.” But once in southern Arizona, that is where she stayed. She would sign her letters and books from “the Ranch of the Gorgeous Sunsets, Tucson, Arizona.” Muriel passed away on January 25th 1964 after twelve years’ struggle with a heart ailment.
📷Writing & publications. Her habit was to write her thoughts and ideas every morning, and she continued to work on her writings and manuscripts even into her final years. She had first published in periodicals, mostly The Open Court. The first publication I found her cited in was The Philistine: A Periodical of Protest, from 1901. Later she authored four books:
- My Little Book of Prayer, 1904, “a collection of thoughts on the spiritual side of nature, moral fortitude and other uplifting themes” (Judy Donovan)
- My Little Book of Life, 1912, “a personal philosophy of life that spells courage, cheer, and serenity” (The Open Court)
- A Soul’s Faring, 1921, “tumultuous imagery, mighty seething seas of words, of similes, of metaphors, of themes of love and life and death and the Beyond” (Brooklyn Daily Eagle)
- At the Roots of Grasses, 1923, “the very rhapsody of an American soul pouring itself forth in songs of the strong” (Charles Fleischer)
Sometimes she received harsh critiques in the newspapers. Some reviewers who did not understand her writing thought it egotistical. In 1923 she explained to a reporter, “When I say ‘I,’ I mean the cosmic ‘I,’ speaking to the cosmic ‘you.’” On reading her books, it seems clear to me that she was not egotistical but mystical. She said in a 1962 interview, “I don’t mind adverse criticism. It doesn’t matter if I’m misinterpreted because not everyone will understand what I’m trying to say.”
Those who did understand her cosmic perspective handed out more favorable reviews. “Muriel Strode has a distinctive touch in free verse rhythms. She uses them to interpret optimistically and broadly the elemental forces of being, and she strikes a high note of endeavor and faith in life without glossing over its inevitable question” (The Kansas City Times, 1921).
“Few poets are as prolific in sheer beauty as Muriel Strode. Her work is marked with richness, the forms she chooses for expression are diverse and through all her work there is the rumbling of the seeker of truth. Miss Strode’s poems are a revelation in inspiration. There seems no end to her philosophic thoughts. There is a virility of beauty in this poet’s work” (Howard Willard Cook, 1923). She “sings of the things elemental in universal nature and in human nature” (Charles Fleischer). During her childhood in Fulton County, Illinois, she “breathed in the beauty and the intense love of nature and the elemental things of life that flame out in her poetry” (The Fulton Democrat).
Names. Other names she was known by include: Muriel Strode-Lieberman, Muriel Lieberman, Muriel S. Lieberman, Mrs. Samuel D. Lieberman, Mrs. S. D. Lieberman, and Mrs. Sam Lieberman. The 1880 census lists “Muray Strode,” but her surviving family is not aware of that nickname so it is possibly a typo or a childhood pet name that didn’t last. 📷
Famous quote & found treasures. There were quite a few newspaper articles about Muriel during her publishing days and when she first got rich from oil, but I can’t find personal references much past her death date. Sadly, she seems to have disappeared from history, excepting her famous 1903 words “I will not follow where the path may lead, but I will go where there is no path, and I will leave a trail,” which around the 1990s had started being widely misattributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson. I am exceptionally pleased to digitally revive this wonderful poetess — I’ve been posting selected quotations from her works to The Quote Garden. Here is a sample gem: “I will have a care lest my burden rest all too long where my wings might have grown.” —Muriel Strode, My Little Book of Life, 1912
Image Information. Photo of Muriel is unknown date, courtesy of Muriel’s family, modified by Terri Guillemets using imikimi app, 2017. Book cover is My Little Book of Life by Muriel Strode, 1912. Muriel’s signature is from the 1934 application for her father’s headstone.
Acknowledgement. I am eternally grateful to Muriel’s family for providing the information to expand this bio, as well as the beautiful photograph and retroactive permission to use her words on my website. Thank you so much!
2024.04.12 23:50 OShaunesssy Book report guy back again! I just read Jim Ross's 1st book that he wrote and gathered all the interesting stories I could fit on 1 post...
Book report guy here. This book was a fun read, with JR being very nice to most everyone but still attempting to be honest.
I'll have a link at the bottom to his 2nd book, which I did a post on a year or so ago. Anyways, it's in chronological order as always. I hope it's a fun read...
In the early 1970s, JR was recruited to a couple of fraternities in college, and after a chaotic flag football game in 1974 that got some negative press, his fraternity was ordered to do community service While most guys were organizing car washes and bake sales, JR wanted to put on a wrestling show. He didn't know where to start though, and basically just called the local promotion up, and in possibly the most shocking things I've ever read in one of these books, JR says his one phone call led to not only getting front row seats to an NWA World title match between Harley Race and Bill Watts, but JR got a meeting with Bill Watts and his partner Leroy McGurick to pitch his idea!
JR's meeting with Cowboy Bill Watts was fast, and all JR said was they got free radio time to advertise before Watts laid out the groundrules. JR pays for pretty much everything, including a $250 fee for one of Watts guys to haul the ring over. JR supplied the venue as well as paying for security and ensuring there are two locker rooms for heels and faces. (Though they kayfabed JR and said it was for everyone's safety) Watts said he would supply 8 wrestlers plus a referee and he will give them a good card. JR could keep all concession stand money, but 80% of the gate goes to Watts, leaving 20% for JR. JR agreed immediately.
JR didn't get Bill Watts himself on the card for that show, but he got his idol Danny Hodge! JR got a ton of radio spots and recorded them himself. The show was such a success that they sold all 2500 tickets!
It was so successful that they did it again a few months later with another sellout, and this time, Bill Watts was on the card. Bill actually asked JR before the show, "How are you pulling this off?" And when JR explained his radio and newspaper deals, Bill told him they would talk more after the show.
JR was surprised when the Bill Watts main even match only went 10 minutes with some big power moves, while Danny Hodge's main event at the previous show went half an hour with a series of grapples and lots of back and forth offence. Bill told JR after the show how the main attraction Heavyweights don't go that long unless it's a special attraction. JR noted how both shows were received well with no one disappointed by the length of Watt's match.
After the show, JR described his buisness tactics and impressed Watts, who told JR that they weren't even doing some of that stuff in his main territory. Watts told JR that once he finished college, to come find Bill for a job. JR instantly quit school and decided he was going to work in the wrestling industry in some capacity.
Bill Watts hired JR as Leroy McGurick's gopher, telling JR it was his job to pick up Leroy every morning, take him to the office, run any errands for him and take him home. Leroy was legally blind in both eyes, and JR found himself taking notes in all the big NWA and other promotional meetings. JR also says Leroy needed liquor and cigars every morning, and it was his job to make sure he was presentable every Tuesday for tv tapings, which Leroy was the commentator for. JR is super nice about it, and puts over Leroy's wrestling acumen, but it's clear Leroy was a drunk most of the time who struggled to keep himself dressed, let alone running a wrestling promotion.
The drive to TV tapings would be 3 hours in the car with the drunken and blind Leroy, and while most of the time, it was driving in silence as Leroy would pass from drinking. Often times though, JR would have to listen to Leroy bitch and moan about what or whom ever pissed him off. JR was the babysitter.
JR says Bill Watts paid him about $125 per week, and Bill noted how he appreciated JR's discretion, since JR sat in on some pretty significant meetings. JR says wrestlers would routinely try to get him to spill those secrets, and JR knew that if he does, he wouldn't be valuable to Watts anymore.
JR says he would also referee matches at this time as well, since most of the refs from that Era were getting older. JR was told to ref every match like a shoot, that good heels wouldn't get caught and if he had to DQ someone, to not hesitate and let Watts deal with the pissed off wrestler in the back after the match.
Before his first referee match, Harley Race asked JR to demonstrate how he makes a 3 count. When JR did, Harley nodded and told him to maintain the same cadence and timing for every single 3 count. It seems guys were familiar with the counting speed of each referee. That's pretty fascinating imo.
JR reminices on all the wild things he learnt from these legends while driving in cars with these old time legends like Danny Hodge and such. JR notes how he hilariously learnt how to roll a joint while steering a car with his knees.
JR's hero was Danny Hodge and JR says Hodge was the best driving companion and JR learnt a ton from him.
JR recalls the Canadian "Bruiser" Bob Sweetan taking advantage of JR when Danny Hodge was traveling elsewhere. JR says Sweetan would rip him off on card games when they drove together and how Sweetan would "accidentally" hit JR in matches when JR was referee. JR says one time Sweetan busted his nose. JR says Hodge roughed Sweetan up when he returned to their circuit.
With a wife and child on the way, JR nearly quit the business altogether until 1975, when Bill Watts randomly asked him to try commentating out alongside the blind Leory McGurick. Watts gave him $100 and told him to buy a suit fit for TV, but Watts did later ask for the receipt and change.
JR studied Gordon Solie almost every day since he started working for Watts. On his first show, when JR started doing his best Solie impression, Watts cut him off and said "If I wanted Solie, I'd just hire him." Watts then told JR to find his own voice. JR remembers Leroy snickering at that.
JR stayed as mostly a referee over the next several years, with the odd commentary job when he was randomly needed.
In 1976, JR remembers Dick Murdoch getting fined his "entire paycheck except one dollar." JR says he saw the check out to Murdoch for literally just $1. Murdoch's hilarious plan to get back at Watts for the fine, was to never cash the check. He laughed as he told JR that Watts would never be able to balance his check book and Murdoch hoped that Watts would kill himself out of frustration.
In 1979, Bill Watts and Leroy McGurick's partnership deteriorated to the point where they split the territory. Leroy took the Northern half, so Oklahoma as well as a few towns in Arkansas, Northern Texas and Southern Missouri. Watts took Louisiana and Mississippi, the states that would form the core of Mid-South Wrestling.
Despite being a "Watts guy" JR stayed with Leroy in Oklahoma, because he lived there and was currently going through a divorce. He didn't want to lose contact with his daughter.
JR remembers "Bruiser" Bob Sweetan once saying "I could make her purr like a kitten" while talking about a 12 year old girl. Sweetan was good friends with Jake Roberts dad Grizzly Smith. JR says just thinking of this makes him feel genuinely sick.
JR left the wrestling buisness for a couple of years from 1979 - 1982, where he moved home and attempted to run the local mercantile store he grandparents had owned. JR was miserable and it failed. He found out after filling for bankruptcy that his mother secretly leveraged her own mortgage to help secure JR the loan for the store. This only compounded JR's feeling of failure.
When JR's second marriage got rocky, JR remembers his dad saying, "maybe marriage isn't for you."
In the years that JR was out, Bill Watts had absorbed Paul Boesch's Houston promotion, and after Watts finally bought Leroy out of Oklahoma in 1982, Watts called up JR asking for his help with advertising. JR was working for a local radio station at the time, and jumped at the opportunity to get back into the wrestling business.
Bill Watts would eventually hire JR as Director of Marketing in 1984 after JR started his own radio marketing business. JR desperately wanted back in the broadcast booth and saw this as a possible avenue.
Bill would ask JR to do commentary work almost immediately and JR says when Bill Watts worked out a trade for wrestlers with Mephis, Jerry Lawler came to a Mid-South show and did color commentary alongside JR. I didn't realize they did a show together in the mid-80s. JR says they worked great together even then, and noticed how Jerry was scanning the crowd checkling out the ladies. Though JR does say that the number of women in the audience is a good indicator of how over the babyface is.
JR was shocked when Watts asked him to not only be the on camera interviewer for all the promo tapings, but Watts literally put JR in charge of the tapings too. JR remembers being terrified that he was gonna have to be the "boss" pf a bunch of wrestlers at promo tapings.
JR remembers one particular taping with Jim Cornette, who cut a scathing promo ripping into JR for a minute or two. Afterwards Bill Watts chewed out Cornette with a tirade of profanity and insults, because all Cornette did was build up a program between Cornette and JR. And since Watts had zero intention of that ever being a program, he made Cornette redo the whole promo and told him to actually talk about the teams. Cornette was only a couple years into the business, but JR noted how impressed he was by Cornette who took it all on the chin, didn't take it personally and then did it exactly like Watts told him to.
JR remembers when Muhammed Ali stood in the corner of Eddie "Snowman" Crawford when Eddie faced off against Jake "The Snake" Roberts. JR says Roberts wasn't thrilled to have to work with Ali or sell for him. JR says that when. It came time for their physical altercation, Jake didn't sell like he had agreed to and stayed awake. He was supposed to get KO'd but JR suspects Jake was trying to save his own credibility, which was needless since it was Muhammed Ali of all people who was supposed to knock him out. Jake would have lost nothing.
JR spent some time with Muhammed Ali and says one time while at Ali's home, JR made an excuse to call his mom because he wanted Ali's number to show up in her machine. He never used it or gave it to anyone, but he thought it was super cool to have Muhammed Ali's home phone number.
By 1985, JR was working non-stop and surviving off "crown royal and a little bit of Marijuana everyday" to get him through the routine. Even with a six figure salary, JR was getting burnt out and seriously neglecting his parental responsibilities. He says outside of being financially responsible for his kids, he wasn't really there for him. I always appreciate when these guys are honest about their own parental shortcomings in these books.
With the National expansion of pro wrestling, JR remembers how Crockett Promotions and Mid-South Wrestling were both briefly on the Turner stations. Crockett Promotions was averaging 4 million viewers and Mid-South was averaging 5 million. JR was secretly hoping the 2 companies would join forces to challenge Vince McMahon and the WWF, but that wasn't in the cards.
After Turner kicked Watts and Mid-South off their station favor of Crockett Promotions, Bill Watts was pissed and desperate to compete nationally with Crockett and more importantly, the WWF. Watts rebranded Mid-South Wrestling as the United Wrestling Federation, or UWF with hopes of competing on a bigger scale.
By 1987, the UWF was struggling in every department except ratings and JR could sense that Bill Watts was as burnt out as JR, if not more. JR randomly asked Bill if he would sell UWF to Crockett Promotions and for a split second, JR couldn't tell if Watts would respond positively or negatively. Watts almost immediate said "Two Million. You get us two million and I'm out."
JR said he stood to make 5% of the sale price, and he was ready to negotiate his heart out. So JR was a little shocked when Jimmy Crockett asked "How much?" immediately. JR said four million, ready to negotiate, but it seems Crockett was happy with that deal. JR suspects he just didn't want to give Vince and the WWF another promotion to buy out.
JR later says that he heard Crockett paid less than 4 million and after months of hounding Watts for his 5% cut, JR got a check for ten grand.
JR decided to stay on working for Crockett, but now it was solely as a broadcaster. For the first time, JR was only an on-air talent with no office responsibilities, and you can tell he loved that.
JR criticizes the Ronnie Garvin NWA World title win over Ric Flair in 1987, saying it had zero buildup and bad follothrough. I remember Ric Flair feeling similarly about it in his book as well.
In 1988 JR got to call his first ever prime time event on TBS, the Clash of Champions show. JR had been working the B-level shows alongside Bob Caudle while David Crockett and Tony Schiavone were calling the big shows. JR had made it his immediate objective to get on those main shows.
As WWF continued to pick up momentum and Crockett Promotions continued to struggle, JR remembers looking at Jimmy Crockett and seeing the same look that Bill Watts had a few years earlier and within months on 1988, rumors started into circulation suggesting that TBS was either looking to bail Crockett Promotions out or buy them outright.
JR remembers being crushed when his parents split up in 1988, and his dad quickly moving in with a new woman. JR confronted him once but his dad cut him off quick and made it clear that they wouldn't be discussing this. In hindsight, JR seems to accept this as something he can't help. But in the moment, this was devastating to him.
JR remembers being excited when Crockett Promotions sold to Turner and was rebranded as WCW. He had a salary, corporate benefits and a retirement package. Not a bad climb from a guy who started off by fetching whiskey for and old drunken, blind man.
Like everyone else in the wrestling business, JR has nothing really positive to say about Jim Herd, who was made Vice President of day to day operations for WCW following the Turner purchase. JR suggests he only got the job because no one in Turner wanted it and he was drinking buddies with the guy in charge of finding someone to run it.
JR says Dusty Rhodes was removed from the WCW booking committee after he bladed heavily when he was told "no blading."
JR remembers one time he was drinking with Flair, who whipped his penis out for a couple of ladies that Flair was chatting up. Flair got the ladies back to his limo before pulling his pants down, and both ladies screamed and ran from the car. When JR asked Flair why he did that, Flair said because it "works 50% of the time and that was 50% more of a chance than you had before." Flair claimes that move was to get JR laid.
JR says one time Dick Murdoch showed off his own KKK member card. JR was confused why Murdoch was showing him and expected it to be a rib of some kind. But Murdoch just walked off and no one jumped out laughing.
JR remembers how he was the middle man between Jim Herd and the rest of the WCW booking committee and he would catch heat from the boys and the office when there was a disagreement. JR defends Herd's point of view, saying that Herd learned from working for Sam Muchnick in St Louis. St Louise didn't do much interviews or promos and Herd thought that's how all wrestling should be, despite having guys like Terry Funk or Jim Cornette who could talk people into the buildings.
Interesting point here, JR says he wanted to pull the trigger on Sting in 1989 and said he was trying to talk Ric Flair into it. JR believed Flair didn't need a world title and they could have 2 top draws in Flair and Sting. JR says that some on the booking committee opposed this, and alludes to Flair himself opposing it. In Flair's book, he presented it as if he was the only one pushing for Sting and that he had to fight Herd in order to drop the title to Sting. Odd discrepancy here and I'm inclined to side with JR. JR never out right says Flair opposed it, but says everything but that and points out how Sting's push had to wait while they placate Flair's requests.
JR requested a meeting with Herd so he could discuss a raise for himself and Tony Schiavone and not only did JR and Tony both get a 50% raise, but JR was given Tony Schiavone's spot calling the TBS shows, but Tony was demoted to syndication where JR was. JR knew this hurt Tony and argued to switch roles but Jim made it clear this wasn't a discussion amd ended the meeting. JR says Tony took a job for WWF a week later.
JR's broadcasting idol Gordon Solie was unceremoniously removed from broadcasting in 1985 in favor of Tony Schiavone and David Crockett, but he was brought back for a small idea in 1989. Solie would record 2 or 3 minute responses to angles as a sort of analytical role for the viewer. They had the first one scheduled for later in the evening and JR was shocked to get a call informing him that Solie was drunk. JR didn't want to scold or embarrass someone he respected so much, so he sent him to bed and made sure all future recordings would be in the morning to avoid this. Gordon Solie was well known to be a bit of a drunk by this point.
JR remembers on the rare occasion they would have Solie call an entire shoe with JR, they would have a cooler full of orange juice and vodka so Solie could sip screwdrivers for the 4 hours he would be stuck there.
JR has nothing but praise for Terry Funk working as color commentary with him, saying Funk would listen and respond to JR similarly to how he listened and responded to the crowd in the ring.
JR says it was George Scott's idea to bring Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat to WCW in late 1980s.
JR remembers being suprised when Tony Schiavone came back to WCW in 1990, though JR had heard that the moving the family up to New York area wasn't working out to well for him.
JR seemed to enjoy Ole Anderson being made booker of WCW in 1990 and liked having a voice in charge. He also liked how hands off Ole was with announcers, so JR could just do his job.
JR says Ole Anderson wrote the main shows, while JR and Tony Schiavone wrote the secondary shows.
JR says Lex Luger, while nice enough, came across as arrogant and more concerned with his looks than anything else. JR also pointed out how all the flip flopping from heel to face and back again, made it impossible for Lex to get comfortable in a role.
JR remembers being frustrated by the RoboCop angle they had to incorporate. JR said that the RoboCop suit was too cumbersome to run and too restricting to climb in the ring or even throw a punch, so they had to figure out how to incorporate a guy stuck in a full body cast.
Again, JR says the company was ready to pull the trigger on Sting when he came back from blowing out his patella tendon at the Clash show. But JR says it was Ric Flair putting the breaks on it, with JR saying "He didn't like the idea of not being associated with the big gold belt." Flair's book put Flair over as Stings biggest advocate backstage, with Flaor saying he flat out refused to lose to anyone but Sting.
JR notes how Ric Flair put the breaks on JR's idea to bring in The Great Muta to run a program with Flair. It's funny how Flair insisted in his book that "what was best for the wrestling business is best for Ric Flair." But we have JR here pointing out how political Flair was in protecting his spot. I'm not suprised, just fascinated after reading Flair's book last month.
Another discrepancy from Flair's book compared to JR here. Flair placed all the blame for the "Black Scorpion" angle on Jim Herd. In Flairs book, he said "Jim Herd knew what he was doing," implying that Herd used the Black Scorpion angle to hurt everyone involved and make them all look bad. But JR points out how it was 100% Ole Anderson's idea, and even Ole's voice when they needed The Black Scorpion to talk in a promo package. JR remembers asking Ole what the endgame is for the angle and Ole made it clear he didn't have one and they would figure it out when they got there.
JR does point out how much Flair openly hated the angle and how Flair wanted nothing to do with it. Ultimately Ole put his foot down and ordered Flair to go our there and reveal himself as the Black Scorpion.
JR met his future wife Jan on a plane ride with Ric Flair. Jan was their flight attendant and had to deal with Flair hitting on her the whole flight. When JR readied his business card for her as the plane landed, Flair was trying to talk him out of it, saying that JR didn't stand a chance if she wasn't interested in Flair. To both of their suprise, Jan handed JR her own business card and told him to call her.
Having read his second book which delves into her heartbreaking death, I can confidently say that JR's love for Jan is truly next level and it's so fucking sad how their story ends. The link for the 2nd book report will have more on that and spoiler warning, it made me openly weep and ugly cry. Not many wrestling books have ever made me cry before, let alone bawling to the point where I had to put the book down.
In 1990, Paul Heyman clashed with Ric Flair to the point where JR says that "Flair had Paul sent home" where he sat for 6 months. Heyman says he was still under contract but not getting paid, and JR worked to bring him back as a mananager. Heyman initially said no but then asked who he would be managing. When JR said "Mean" Mark Calloway, Paul said "Oh, he's money." before accepting.
JR says none of the WCW office wanted Paul Heyman back, JR even quoted Jim Barnett as saying "What if we brought him back and beat the shit out of him on air? That would shut him up." JR says Paul Hayman once called Jim Barnett "a flamboyant, evil son of a bitch; a cross between Truman Capote and Darth Vader."
JR pushed for Paul Heyman to have a bigger role and broadcast alongside of him, and always asked Heyman to drive. That was because JR had his drivers liscence suspended after a 2nd DUI.
JR has high praise for his chemistry with Paul Heyman on commentary, saying they always knew what the other one was doing.
JR remembers how Ole Anderson said Marl Calloway would "never draw a dime." JR says he advised Mark to head to WWF and soon after JR saw him debut on WWF TV as The Undertaker.
JR heard Ole Anderson was fired as booker, but he also heard that Ole had quit. So he isn't really sure. Either way, Dusty Rhodes was brought back in to replace him.
JR got to do commentary with Dusty Rhodes and calls him one of the easiest guys he ever worked with.
JR says Jim Herd angrily told him one day that Flair was gone from the company. Then, JR remembers Herd asking if JR had ever heard of someone leaving with the championship belt. When JR asked why, Herd said "No reason."
JR thinks Herd didn't even know about the $25,000 deposit Flair had put on the belt. JR doesn't go into detail, but according to Flair, the bone of contention came down to how Flair was a 10 time champion and never asked for the money back between title reigns, so he felt he was owed interest. Flair claims to have gotten that extra cash ontop of the 25 grand.
JR says Jim Herd quit shortly after Flair left, citing frustrations with Dusty Rhodes and WCW office. Herd was replaced by K. Allen Frey, someone with a law degree who knew nothing of wrestling. JR says he was easily manipulated by the roster and didn't know how to manage them.
JR says K. Allen Frey was the first to introduce WCW's guaranteed contracts.
JR expands on this more in his second book, but he doest express regret for how poor a broadcast partner he was to Jesse Ventura in 1992. JR was jealous of how much Jesse got paid and purposely made it difficult for Jesse when they called matches together.
JR says K. Allen Frey resigned in frustration in May 1992 and JR decided he should try for the job. JR was shocked when he went to pitch his name, but instead found "Cowboy" Bill Watts has already secured the job.
JR says Watts was hired with the expectation of cutting costs across the board and got a bad reputation with the wrestlers from the start.
JR says he got heat from the wrestlers because JR was knows a "Watts guy" but he didn't warn anyone Watts was coming in.
JR doesn't go into much detail with Watts time in WCW, possibly out of respect, but does say Watts had "unpopular ideas" and was angry a lot at work. JR said he knew from the start that Watts wouldn't have worked long term in that role.
In Flair's book, he said he was mortified by Bill Watts "old school" behavior in the WCW offices, saying he was shocked to find Watts at the Turner offices wearing workout pants and tshirts, putting his boss Bill Shaw in a headlock, laughing at everyone else wearing suits and not taking it seriously.
JR doesn't go into detail on why Watts was fired, but does the same thing Flair did in his book on the subject, pointing out how Watts had pushed several black wrestlers in the past like Junkyard Dog and Ron Simmons, and how Watts "wasn't a racist".
The incident that JR doesn't go into detail on is that Watts did an interview where he said, "If you own a buisness why shouldn't you be able to discriminate? Why should I have to hire a f@g if I don't like f@gs? If I don't wanna sell fried chicken to blacks, I shouldn't have to. It's my restaurant." Watts resigned shortly after when his boss Bill Shaw questioned him on it.
JR says being known as a "Watts guy" essentially killed his career at WCW and ostracized him after Watts did that interview.
JR has nothing nice to say about Bill Shaw in the book, and suspects he had hand sanitizers installed at the WCW offices so he could "wash the stench off" when he left.
Eric Bishoff was named Watts replacement, and JR thinks it's because Bishoff sold himself as the opposite of a wrestling guy, who Turner were tired of dealing with. In Flair's book, he says that Ole Anderson was in contention for this job again and that Flair's recommendation gave it to Bishoff. In Bruce Hart's book, he claims to have interviewed for the job as well and came up in 2nd place.
JR says Eric Bishoff made it clear he didn't want JR calling his shows.
Bill Shaw decided to punish JR for being a "Watts guy" by making him decide between being suspended with pay for 6 weeks and taking a more prominent office job or just handing in his resignation. JR took the vacation and the office job, where he said he got to do some broadcasting jobs on the side as well. But he was removed from doing the thing he loved most in the business.
JR says he did a weekly report for a WCW 900 number which made a "small fortune" that he never saw a dime of.
After being asked one too many times why he wasn't on TV anymore and feeling humiliated, JR quit WCW and decided to try his hand in the WWF.
JR called Bruce Pritchard, whom he knew from their days together in Mid-South. JR notes how Bill Watts never liked Bruce, but Bruce did get JR a meeting with Vince McMahon. Vince said he couldn't match WCW salary, but he could get close and offered JR a 50 grand signing bonus.
After WCW had moved reassigned JR's position, they technically voided out the contract so JR was allowed to jump to WWF immediately and with no issues.
JR had operated a small radio show for years in which he used to promote WCW. When he signed with WWF he got Vince McMahon to do an episode with him and he remembers the WCW office freaking out. They thought they owned the radio show and were shocked to find JR owned 100% of it and could do as he pleased.
JR's first show was Wrestlemania 9 where he called the show alongside Randy Savage and Bobby Heenan. JR says Randy was "challenging to work with" but notes how he doesn't mean that as a negative. JR has huge praise for Bobby Heenan and says he was easy to work with all the time.
JR says Vince hired him without telling anyone and that he found he was pretty unpopular right off the bat backstage.
JR became the driver for Gorilla Monsoon. JR has nothing but positives on Monsoon, but notes how in the 10 months since his son died, Gorilla had deteriorated a bit.
JR says Lord Alfred Hayes treated him poorly from the start, until he was smartened up by Gorilla who always had JR's back. JR also notes Bobby Heenan as being a good friend from the start.
JR remembers one time Randy Savage was ribbed by someone into thinking JR was responsible for his fucked up schedule and bookings. So Savage grabbed JR and threatened to beat him up until Gorilla Monsoon made the save.
JR married Jan on October 13, 1993 and he calls it the best day of his life.
JR says it was Vince's idea for him to start wearing a cowboy hat.
JR remembers not getting much broadcast work the first 6 months in WWF, and was wondering if something was wrong.
In early 1994 JR got his first Bell's palsy attack which left half his face paralyzed. He was told by the doctor he should recover in 6 - 8 weeks.
2 weeks after his Bell's palsy attack, JR was told by head of human resources that he has to come into the office asap. His face was still paralyzed and when he sat down with Vince, the head of human resources was also there. With 4 months left on his contract, JR was fired right then and there. Vince just told him that JR was no longer in the company's plans.
JR met with Eric Bishoff who straight up told him that WCW would not be hiring him back.
Jim Cornette paid JR $300 to come tape two one-hour shows for his new promotion, Smokey Mountain Wrestling. Between the drive and everything else, it sounds like JR didn't really make any money but he enjoyed doing it.
WWF called JR back to work while Vince dealt with the steroid trial, but that wrapped up quicker than expected. With Vince back, JR was out again since Vince was the lead broadcaster on RAW.
JR did on and off work for Jim Cornette in Smokey Mountain Wrestling, but knew he wanted back in the WWF.
Four months later in mid-late 1994, Vince called JR and offered him the position of JJ Dillon's assistant in Talent Relations. JR immediately accepted.
Vince told JR he was not hiring him as an on air talent and JR was not to leverage his position into being one. JR accepted that his on-air career was done and committed 100% to learning from JJ Dillon in talent relations.
JR says soon he was producing Vince every RAW and was the voice in his ear during the show.
JR has a wildnstory about riding with Vince, who was doing 90 miles an hour and literally dancing in his seat or taking his eyes off the road to scare JR.
JR says Vince gave him the "Good Ol' J.R." nickname and JR really didn't seem to like it or wearing a cowboy hat.
In 1995, JR says "Cowboy" Bill Watts was brought on to oversee the wrestling shows while Vince was transitioning into more of an executive role.
Bill Watts wanted to give the name "Buck Johnson" to the young rookie Tony Norris. Vince McMahon apparently viewed this as Bill trying to recreat Junkyard Dogg or Ernie Ladd, overruled this decision. Vince decided to go with the name "Ahmed Johnson."
Bill Watts only lasted a couple of weeks before clashing with that same head of talent relations who would have him removed from the company.
JJ Dillon would often send JR to meet with potential new talents to gage their personality. One such talent was a young Dwayne Johnson, who told JR in that first meeting "I'm going to be your top guy one day."
JR remembers how a big part of his and JJ Dillon's job revolved around dealing with talent issues caused by the Kliq. (Shawn Michaels, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall and Triple H) JR says he would often just talk to Triple H about the issue, since he was easiest to deal with.
JR suspects Vince saw a bit of himself in the Kilq and that may explain why he gave them sow much leeway.
In July 1995, JR was randomly put back on tv, doing color commentary with Jerry Lawler and Vince McMahon, with no explanation ever given to JR.
JR puts over his 3 man booth with Vince and Lawler, saying he had fun doing it. And JR says it was a blast to do commentary work with Curt Hennig, who helped JR navigate away from terms and talking points that Vince hates.
JR knew the fake Diesel and fake Razor characters were dead on arrival.
JR says his "shoot" promo about being fired for having Bell's palsy was all Vince's idea and that Vonce thought JR did a great job with it.
In 1996, JJ Dillon quit after getting a pay cut but given more responsibilities. Dillon also had a special needs son at home, whom JJ wanted to focus more time on. Bruce Pritchard was offered the talent relations role, and JR remembers Bruce being very scared and hesitant to accept it.
JR says Bruce didn't last an even short amount of time in the role before Vince put him back on the creative team. Vince then offered JR the role of "Senior Vice President of Talent Relations" and gave JR full autonomy on hiring any talent he wanted. Vince told JR "I trust your judgement completely."
JR took over the payroll side of things for Vince too, and after that freed up a lot of time, JR says Vince's wife Linda McMahon hugged JR and thanked him for giving her husband his weekends back to spend with her.
While filming vignets at Bret Hart's home, JR says a bored Stu put JR in a hold and nearly choked the life out of JR.
JR notes how Bret Hart was often late and that reminds me how Bret said in his book that when negotiating a contract with WCW, he got in writing that he could he late sometimes.
JR says his only issue with the Hart/HBK Mania Iron Man match, is that the sudden death/ overtime concept was never spoke about prior to the show and he felt it came out of left field.
JR says Roddy Piper was a "little high maintenance." JR remembers how emotional Roddy got when he asked and was given Ford Bronco they used in his Wrestlemania match with Goldust in 1996.
JR says Goldust/ Dusty Rhodes was his first major recruites.
JR remembers how they tired to reposition Brian Pilman into a broadcaster after his bad motorcycle wreck that permanently fucked up his ankle. But Pilman insisted on being a wrestler and it wasn't long before JR was getting reports of Pilman passing out backstage at shows and acting irrationally. They eventually drug tested him and found he needed serious help.
JR remembers sending Vader and Yokozuna to weight rehab to get them healthier. Both would pay off orderleys for food or sneak out to fast food joints. JR says Vader eventually got to make return but they had to fire Yokozuna, who would die just a couple months later.
When JR brought Mick Foley in, he remembers Vince allowing him to do so because he wanted JR to "learn how it feels to have your heartbroken" and said Foley was the shits.
JR remembers how Steve Austin was pissed following his famous "3:16" promo because he was being paid peanuts. JR went to Vince and they agreed to tear uo Austin's contract and offer him a much better one.
JR finally gave in and started wearing the cowboy hat at the Royal Rumble 1997 ppv. He didnt want to admit it, but he felt it immediately completed his look and character.
When Owen Hart accidentally broke Stone Cold's neck, JR made sure he was sitting at Steve's bed when he woke up.
JR says Owen Hart was guilt ridden over this and often asked JR for updates on Austin's health, but thinks Owen didn't know how to properly reach out to Steve and thinks Owen was ashamed.
JR remembers being devastated when Brian Pillman passed in fall of 1997. On the plane ride after the funeral, Vonce said to JR, "When I said you were going to get your heart broken. I meant to not get too close to the boys." JR says Linda McMahon gave him a similar warning, "Don't get too close to the flame."
JR says that once it became clear Bret Hart was leaving, JR's responsibility ended and as talent relations, he stopped needed to work with Bret. He says he was 100% not involved in the Montreal Screwjob.
JR remembers him and Jerry Lawler looking at each other in shock as the Screwjob happened.
Immediately after the match and show ended, JR says Vince McMahon ordered JR lock himself in Vince's office for his own safety. He sat and heard the commotion next door between Bret and Vince. Eventually, Vince was helped by his son Shane and Sgt Slaughter. They all sat in silence for a few minutes before Vince said to no one in particular, "I had to let him have a free shot. I owed him that much."
JR says he once asked Vince what the difference was between the real Vince McMahon and the tv character Mr McMahon, and Vince struggled to think of an example.
JR said he hated the Brawl For All concept immediately.
JR says that after he pushed to sign Dr. Death Steve Williams, it was used against him after Dr. Death suffered a bad injury in the Brawl For All.
JR says when they eventually had to let Dr. Death go, that this strained their 20-year friendship. Dr. Death thought he never got a fair shot in the WWF.
JR says most of the boys in the back assumed JR pushed for the Butterbean vs. Bart Gunn match as revenge for Bartt knocking out Dr Death. JR vehemently denies this and says if he was asked, he would have pushed against the match.
JR says Butterbean wanted to get into wrestling and asked JR before his Mania match if anyone would be upset if he knocked out Bart Gunn in the first round. JR told Butterbean to treat it like a real competition but secretly mocked the idea of Butterbean not taking Bart Gunn seriously.
JR says a lof the boys bet on the fight, and most had Bart Gunn picked to win. JR and everyone else were shocked to when Butterbean KO'd Gunn in under 40 seconds.
JR says he legit thought Mick Foley died at the 1998 King of the Ring ppv when Undertaker threw him from the top of the cell. JR says all his words, and there are 100% real.
JR says he had a serious talk a few days later with Mick Foley about never doing that again and how Foley can't support his family if he is crippled.
In December 1998, JR was oversees with WWF when he found out his mom died. He opted to stay on the tour and do the shows. The next night, however, as he called the show with Jerry, he was hit with a 2nd Bell's palsy attack, and this time, it was worse. He powered through the show and made it home where Vince set up an appointment for JR to get checked out.
JR spent weeks at home, depressed from losing his mom, and suffering from Bell's palsy. Half of JR's face was sagging now, and he was convinced his on-airncareer was over. He moped around for weeks until Vince sent him a hand written letter, essentially telling him to get the fuck back to work, how much Vince loved/ respected JR and that there was a $5000 cheque waiting for JR on his desk at work.
JR says he briefly tried being an on-air heel managing Dr. Death, but JR calls that a disastrous attempt, and he was coming back too soon.
JR says that both Stone Cold and The Rock personally requested he call their 1999 Wrestlemania match, and so Vince randomly told JR to buy a suit because he would be calling the main event.
The book ends with JR being optimistic about his future behind the broadcast booth, calling matches.
His second book details 1999 -2019, and it'd be a very good read. It will make you hate Vince McMahon and break your heart when it comes to how his wife Jan passed away.
Jim Ross 2nd book
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I'll have a link at the bottom to his 2nd book, which I did a post on a year or so ago. Anyways, it's in chronological order as always. I hope it's a fun read...
In the early 1970s, JR was recruited to a couple of fraternities in college, and after a chaotic flag football game in 1974 that got some negative press, his fraternity was ordered to do community service While most guys were organizing car washes and bake sales, JR wanted to put on a wrestling show. He didn't know where to start though, and basically just called the local promotion up, and in possibly the most shocking things I've ever read in one of these books, JR says his one phone call led to not only getting front row seats to an NWA World title match between Harley Race and Bill Watts, but JR got a meeting with Bill Watts and his partner Leroy McGurick to pitch his idea!
JR's meeting with Cowboy Bill Watts was fast, and all JR said was they got free radio time to advertise before Watts laid out the groundrules. JR pays for pretty much everything, including a $250 fee for one of Watts guys to haul the ring over. JR supplied the venue as well as paying for security and ensuring there are two locker rooms for heels and faces. (Though they kayfabed JR and said it was for everyone's safety) Watts said he would supply 8 wrestlers plus a referee and he will give them a good card. JR could keep all concession stand money, but 80% of the gate goes to Watts, leaving 20% for JR. JR agreed immediately.
JR didn't get Bill Watts himself on the card for that show, but he got his idol Danny Hodge! JR got a ton of radio spots and recorded them himself. The show was such a success that they sold all 2500 tickets!
It was so successful that they did it again a few months later with another sellout, and this time, Bill Watts was on the card. Bill actually asked JR before the show, "How are you pulling this off?" And when JR explained his radio and newspaper deals, Bill told him they would talk more after the show.
JR was surprised when the Bill Watts main even match only went 10 minutes with some big power moves, while Danny Hodge's main event at the previous show went half an hour with a series of grapples and lots of back and forth offence. Bill told JR after the show how the main attraction Heavyweights don't go that long unless it's a special attraction. JR noted how both shows were received well with no one disappointed by the length of Watt's match.
After the show, JR described his buisness tactics and impressed Watts, who told JR that they weren't even doing some of that stuff in his main territory. Watts told JR that once he finished college, to come find Bill for a job. JR instantly quit school and decided he was going to work in the wrestling industry in some capacity.
Bill Watts hired JR as Leroy McGurick's gopher, telling JR it was his job to pick up Leroy every morning, take him to the office, run any errands for him and take him home. Leroy was legally blind in both eyes, and JR found himself taking notes in all the big NWA and other promotional meetings. JR also says Leroy needed liquor and cigars every morning, and it was his job to make sure he was presentable every Tuesday for tv tapings, which Leroy was the commentator for. JR is super nice about it, and puts over Leroy's wrestling acumen, but it's clear Leroy was a drunk most of the time who struggled to keep himself dressed, let alone running a wrestling promotion.
The drive to TV tapings would be 3 hours in the car with the drunken and blind Leroy, and while most of the time, it was driving in silence as Leroy would pass from drinking. Often times though, JR would have to listen to Leroy bitch and moan about what or whom ever pissed him off. JR was the babysitter.
JR says Bill Watts paid him about $125 per week, and Bill noted how he appreciated JR's discretion, since JR sat in on some pretty significant meetings. JR says wrestlers would routinely try to get him to spill those secrets, and JR knew that if he does, he wouldn't be valuable to Watts anymore.
JR says he would also referee matches at this time as well, since most of the refs from that Era were getting older. JR was told to ref every match like a shoot, that good heels wouldn't get caught and if he had to DQ someone, to not hesitate and let Watts deal with the pissed off wrestler in the back after the match.
Before his first referee match, Harley Race asked JR to demonstrate how he makes a 3 count. When JR did, Harley nodded and told him to maintain the same cadence and timing for every single 3 count. It seems guys were familiar with the counting speed of each referee. That's pretty fascinating imo.
JR reminices on all the wild things he learnt from these legends while driving in cars with these old time legends like Danny Hodge and such. JR notes how he hilariously learnt how to roll a joint while steering a car with his knees.
JR's hero was Danny Hodge and JR says Hodge was the best driving companion and JR learnt a ton from him.
JR recalls the Canadian "Bruiser" Bob Sweetan taking advantage of JR when Danny Hodge was traveling elsewhere. JR says Sweetan would rip him off on card games when they drove together and how Sweetan would "accidentally" hit JR in matches when JR was referee. JR says one time Sweetan busted his nose. JR says Hodge roughed Sweetan up when he returned to their circuit.
With a wife and child on the way, JR nearly quit the business altogether until 1975, when Bill Watts randomly asked him to try commentating out alongside the blind Leory McGurick. Watts gave him $100 and told him to buy a suit fit for TV, but Watts did later ask for the receipt and change.
JR studied Gordon Solie almost every day since he started working for Watts. On his first show, when JR started doing his best Solie impression, Watts cut him off and said "If I wanted Solie, I'd just hire him." Watts then told JR to find his own voice. JR remembers Leroy snickering at that.
JR stayed as mostly a referee over the next several years, with the odd commentary job when he was randomly needed.
In 1976, JR remembers Dick Murdoch getting fined his "entire paycheck except one dollar." JR says he saw the check out to Murdoch for literally just $1. Murdoch's hilarious plan to get back at Watts for the fine, was to never cash the check. He laughed as he told JR that Watts would never be able to balance his check book and Murdoch hoped that Watts would kill himself out of frustration.
In 1979, Bill Watts and Leroy McGurick's partnership deteriorated to the point where they split the territory. Leroy took the Northern half, so Oklahoma as well as a few towns in Arkansas, Northern Texas and Southern Missouri. Watts took Louisiana and Mississippi, the states that would form the core of Mid-South Wrestling.
Despite being a "Watts guy" JR stayed with Leroy in Oklahoma, because he lived there and was currently going through a divorce. He didn't want to lose contact with his daughter.
JR remembers "Bruiser" Bob Sweetan once saying "I could make her purr like a kitten" while talking about a 12 year old girl. Sweetan was good friends with Jake Roberts dad Grizzly Smith. JR says just thinking of this makes him feel genuinely sick.
JR left the wrestling buisness for a couple of years from 1979 - 1982, where he moved home and attempted to run the local mercantile store he grandparents had owned. JR was miserable and it failed. He found out after filling for bankruptcy that his mother secretly leveraged her own mortgage to help secure JR the loan for the store. This only compounded JR's feeling of failure.
When JR's second marriage got rocky, JR remembers his dad saying, "maybe marriage isn't for you."
In the years that JR was out, Bill Watts had absorbed Paul Boesch's Houston promotion, and after Watts finally bought Leroy out of Oklahoma in 1982, Watts called up JR asking for his help with advertising. JR was working for a local radio station at the time, and jumped at the opportunity to get back into the wrestling business.
Bill Watts would eventually hire JR as Director of Marketing in 1984 after JR started his own radio marketing business. JR desperately wanted back in the broadcast booth and saw this as a possible avenue.
Bill would ask JR to do commentary work almost immediately and JR says when Bill Watts worked out a trade for wrestlers with Mephis, Jerry Lawler came to a Mid-South show and did color commentary alongside JR. I didn't realize they did a show together in the mid-80s. JR says they worked great together even then, and noticed how Jerry was scanning the crowd checkling out the ladies. Though JR does say that the number of women in the audience is a good indicator of how over the babyface is.
JR was shocked when Watts asked him to not only be the on camera interviewer for all the promo tapings, but Watts literally put JR in charge of the tapings too. JR remembers being terrified that he was gonna have to be the "boss" pf a bunch of wrestlers at promo tapings.
JR remembers one particular taping with Jim Cornette, who cut a scathing promo ripping into JR for a minute or two. Afterwards Bill Watts chewed out Cornette with a tirade of profanity and insults, because all Cornette did was build up a program between Cornette and JR. And since Watts had zero intention of that ever being a program, he made Cornette redo the whole promo and told him to actually talk about the teams. Cornette was only a couple years into the business, but JR noted how impressed he was by Cornette who took it all on the chin, didn't take it personally and then did it exactly like Watts told him to.
JR remembers when Muhammed Ali stood in the corner of Eddie "Snowman" Crawford when Eddie faced off against Jake "The Snake" Roberts. JR says Roberts wasn't thrilled to have to work with Ali or sell for him. JR says that when. It came time for their physical altercation, Jake didn't sell like he had agreed to and stayed awake. He was supposed to get KO'd but JR suspects Jake was trying to save his own credibility, which was needless since it was Muhammed Ali of all people who was supposed to knock him out. Jake would have lost nothing.
JR spent some time with Muhammed Ali and says one time while at Ali's home, JR made an excuse to call his mom because he wanted Ali's number to show up in her machine. He never used it or gave it to anyone, but he thought it was super cool to have Muhammed Ali's home phone number.
By 1985, JR was working non-stop and surviving off "crown royal and a little bit of Marijuana everyday" to get him through the routine. Even with a six figure salary, JR was getting burnt out and seriously neglecting his parental responsibilities. He says outside of being financially responsible for his kids, he wasn't really there for him. I always appreciate when these guys are honest about their own parental shortcomings in these books.
With the National expansion of pro wrestling, JR remembers how Crockett Promotions and Mid-South Wrestling were both briefly on the Turner stations. Crockett Promotions was averaging 4 million viewers and Mid-South was averaging 5 million. JR was secretly hoping the 2 companies would join forces to challenge Vince McMahon and the WWF, but that wasn't in the cards.
After Turner kicked Watts and Mid-South off their station favor of Crockett Promotions, Bill Watts was pissed and desperate to compete nationally with Crockett and more importantly, the WWF. Watts rebranded Mid-South Wrestling as the United Wrestling Federation, or UWF with hopes of competing on a bigger scale.
By 1987, the UWF was struggling in every department except ratings and JR could sense that Bill Watts was as burnt out as JR, if not more. JR randomly asked Bill if he would sell UWF to Crockett Promotions and for a split second, JR couldn't tell if Watts would respond positively or negatively. Watts almost immediate said "Two Million. You get us two million and I'm out."
JR said he stood to make 5% of the sale price, and he was ready to negotiate his heart out. So JR was a little shocked when Jimmy Crockett asked "How much?" immediately. JR said four million, ready to negotiate, but it seems Crockett was happy with that deal. JR suspects he just didn't want to give Vince and the WWF another promotion to buy out.
JR later says that he heard Crockett paid less than 4 million and after months of hounding Watts for his 5% cut, JR got a check for ten grand.
JR decided to stay on working for Crockett, but now it was solely as a broadcaster. For the first time, JR was only an on-air talent with no office responsibilities, and you can tell he loved that.
JR criticizes the Ronnie Garvin NWA World title win over Ric Flair in 1987, saying it had zero buildup and bad follothrough. I remember Ric Flair feeling similarly about it in his book as well.
In 1988 JR got to call his first ever prime time event on TBS, the Clash of Champions show. JR had been working the B-level shows alongside Bob Caudle while David Crockett and Tony Schiavone were calling the big shows. JR had made it his immediate objective to get on those main shows.
As WWF continued to pick up momentum and Crockett Promotions continued to struggle, JR remembers looking at Jimmy Crockett and seeing the same look that Bill Watts had a few years earlier and within months on 1988, rumors started into circulation suggesting that TBS was either looking to bail Crockett Promotions out or buy them outright.
JR remembers being crushed when his parents split up in 1988, and his dad quickly moving in with a new woman. JR confronted him once but his dad cut him off quick and made it clear that they wouldn't be discussing this. In hindsight, JR seems to accept this as something he can't help. But in the moment, this was devastating to him.
JR remembers being excited when Crockett Promotions sold to Turner and was rebranded as WCW. He had a salary, corporate benefits and a retirement package. Not a bad climb from a guy who started off by fetching whiskey for and old drunken, blind man.
Like everyone else in the wrestling business, JR has nothing really positive to say about Jim Herd, who was made Vice President of day to day operations for WCW following the Turner purchase. JR suggests he only got the job because no one in Turner wanted it and he was drinking buddies with the guy in charge of finding someone to run it.
JR says Dusty Rhodes was removed from the WCW booking committee after he bladed heavily when he was told "no blading."
JR remembers one time he was drinking with Flair, who whipped his penis out for a couple of ladies that Flair was chatting up. Flair got the ladies back to his limo before pulling his pants down, and both ladies screamed and ran from the car. When JR asked Flair why he did that, Flair said because it "works 50% of the time and that was 50% more of a chance than you had before." Flair claimes that move was to get JR laid.
JR says one time Dick Murdoch showed off his own KKK member card. JR was confused why Murdoch was showing him and expected it to be a rib of some kind. But Murdoch just walked off and no one jumped out laughing.
JR remembers how he was the middle man between Jim Herd and the rest of the WCW booking committee and he would catch heat from the boys and the office when there was a disagreement. JR defends Herd's point of view, saying that Herd learned from working for Sam Muchnick in St Louis. St Louise didn't do much interviews or promos and Herd thought that's how all wrestling should be, despite having guys like Terry Funk or Jim Cornette who could talk people into the buildings.
Interesting point here, JR says he wanted to pull the trigger on Sting in 1989 and said he was trying to talk Ric Flair into it. JR believed Flair didn't need a world title and they could have 2 top draws in Flair and Sting. JR says that some on the booking committee opposed this, and alludes to Flair himself opposing it. In Flair's book, he presented it as if he was the only one pushing for Sting and that he had to fight Herd in order to drop the title to Sting. Odd discrepancy here and I'm inclined to side with JR. JR never out right says Flair opposed it, but says everything but that and points out how Sting's push had to wait while they placate Flair's requests.
JR requested a meeting with Herd so he could discuss a raise for himself and Tony Schiavone and not only did JR and Tony both get a 50% raise, but JR was given Tony Schiavone's spot calling the TBS shows, but Tony was demoted to syndication where JR was. JR knew this hurt Tony and argued to switch roles but Jim made it clear this wasn't a discussion amd ended the meeting. JR says Tony took a job for WWF a week later.
JR's broadcasting idol Gordon Solie was unceremoniously removed from broadcasting in 1985 in favor of Tony Schiavone and David Crockett, but he was brought back for a small idea in 1989. Solie would record 2 or 3 minute responses to angles as a sort of analytical role for the viewer. They had the first one scheduled for later in the evening and JR was shocked to get a call informing him that Solie was drunk. JR didn't want to scold or embarrass someone he respected so much, so he sent him to bed and made sure all future recordings would be in the morning to avoid this. Gordon Solie was well known to be a bit of a drunk by this point.
JR remembers on the rare occasion they would have Solie call an entire shoe with JR, they would have a cooler full of orange juice and vodka so Solie could sip screwdrivers for the 4 hours he would be stuck there.
JR has nothing but praise for Terry Funk working as color commentary with him, saying Funk would listen and respond to JR similarly to how he listened and responded to the crowd in the ring.
JR says it was George Scott's idea to bring Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat to WCW in late 1980s.
JR remembers being suprised when Tony Schiavone came back to WCW in 1990, though JR had heard that the moving the family up to New York area wasn't working out to well for him.
JR seemed to enjoy Ole Anderson being made booker of WCW in 1990 and liked having a voice in charge. He also liked how hands off Ole was with announcers, so JR could just do his job.
JR says Ole Anderson wrote the main shows, while JR and Tony Schiavone wrote the secondary shows.
JR says Lex Luger, while nice enough, came across as arrogant and more concerned with his looks than anything else. JR also pointed out how all the flip flopping from heel to face and back again, made it impossible for Lex to get comfortable in a role.
JR remembers being frustrated by the RoboCop angle they had to incorporate. JR said that the RoboCop suit was too cumbersome to run and too restricting to climb in the ring or even throw a punch, so they had to figure out how to incorporate a guy stuck in a full body cast.
Again, JR says the company was ready to pull the trigger on Sting when he came back from blowing out his patella tendon at the Clash show. But JR says it was Ric Flair putting the breaks on it, with JR saying "He didn't like the idea of not being associated with the big gold belt." Flair's book put Flair over as Stings biggest advocate backstage, with Flaor saying he flat out refused to lose to anyone but Sting.
JR notes how Ric Flair put the breaks on JR's idea to bring in The Great Muta to run a program with Flair. It's funny how Flair insisted in his book that "what was best for the wrestling business is best for Ric Flair." But we have JR here pointing out how political Flair was in protecting his spot. I'm not suprised, just fascinated after reading Flair's book last month.
Another discrepancy from Flair's book compared to JR here. Flair placed all the blame for the "Black Scorpion" angle on Jim Herd. In Flairs book, he said "Jim Herd knew what he was doing," implying that Herd used the Black Scorpion angle to hurt everyone involved and make them all look bad. But JR points out how it was 100% Ole Anderson's idea, and even Ole's voice when they needed The Black Scorpion to talk in a promo package. JR remembers asking Ole what the endgame is for the angle and Ole made it clear he didn't have one and they would figure it out when they got there.
JR does point out how much Flair openly hated the angle and how Flair wanted nothing to do with it. Ultimately Ole put his foot down and ordered Flair to go our there and reveal himself as the Black Scorpion.
JR met his future wife Jan on a plane ride with Ric Flair. Jan was their flight attendant and had to deal with Flair hitting on her the whole flight. When JR readied his business card for her as the plane landed, Flair was trying to talk him out of it, saying that JR didn't stand a chance if she wasn't interested in Flair. To both of their suprise, Jan handed JR her own business card and told him to call her.
Having read his second book which delves into her heartbreaking death, I can confidently say that JR's love for Jan is truly next level and it's so fucking sad how their story ends. The link for the 2nd book report will have more on that and spoiler warning, it made me openly weep and ugly cry. Not many wrestling books have ever made me cry before, let alone bawling to the point where I had to put the book down.
In 1990, Paul Heyman clashed with Ric Flair to the point where JR says that "Flair had Paul sent home" where he sat for 6 months. Heyman says he was still under contract but not getting paid, and JR worked to bring him back as a mananager. Heyman initially said no but then asked who he would be managing. When JR said "Mean" Mark Calloway, Paul said "Oh, he's money." before accepting.
JR says none of the WCW office wanted Paul Heyman back, JR even quoted Jim Barnett as saying "What if we brought him back and beat the shit out of him on air? That would shut him up." JR says Paul Hayman once called Jim Barnett "a flamboyant, evil son of a bitch; a cross between Truman Capote and Darth Vader."
JR pushed for Paul Heyman to have a bigger role and broadcast alongside of him, and always asked Heyman to drive. That was because JR had his drivers liscence suspended after a 2nd DUI.
JR has high praise for his chemistry with Paul Heyman on commentary, saying they always knew what the other one was doing.
JR remembers how Ole Anderson said Marl Calloway would "never draw a dime." JR says he advised Mark to head to WWF and soon after JR saw him debut on WWF TV as The Undertaker.
JR heard Ole Anderson was fired as booker, but he also heard that Ole had quit. So he isn't really sure. Either way, Dusty Rhodes was brought back in to replace him.
JR got to do commentary with Dusty Rhodes and calls him one of the easiest guys he ever worked with.
JR says Jim Herd angrily told him one day that Flair was gone from the company. Then, JR remembers Herd asking if JR had ever heard of someone leaving with the championship belt. When JR asked why, Herd said "No reason."
JR thinks Herd didn't even know about the $25,000 deposit Flair had put on the belt. JR doesn't go into detail, but according to Flair, the bone of contention came down to how Flair was a 10 time champion and never asked for the money back between title reigns, so he felt he was owed interest. Flair claims to have gotten that extra cash ontop of the 25 grand.
JR says Jim Herd quit shortly after Flair left, citing frustrations with Dusty Rhodes and WCW office. Herd was replaced by K. Allen Frey, someone with a law degree who knew nothing of wrestling. JR says he was easily manipulated by the roster and didn't know how to manage them.
JR says K. Allen Frey was the first to introduce WCW's guaranteed contracts.
JR expands on this more in his second book, but he doest express regret for how poor a broadcast partner he was to Jesse Ventura in 1992. JR was jealous of how much Jesse got paid and purposely made it difficult for Jesse when they called matches together.
JR says K. Allen Frey resigned in frustration in May 1992 and JR decided he should try for the job. JR was shocked when he went to pitch his name, but instead found "Cowboy" Bill Watts has already secured the job.
JR says Watts was hired with the expectation of cutting costs across the board and got a bad reputation with the wrestlers from the start.
JR says he got heat from the wrestlers because JR was knows a "Watts guy" but he didn't warn anyone Watts was coming in.
JR doesn't go into much detail with Watts time in WCW, possibly out of respect, but does say Watts had "unpopular ideas" and was angry a lot at work. JR said he knew from the start that Watts wouldn't have worked long term in that role.
In Flair's book, he said he was mortified by Bill Watts "old school" behavior in the WCW offices, saying he was shocked to find Watts at the Turner offices wearing workout pants and tshirts, putting his boss Bill Shaw in a headlock, laughing at everyone else wearing suits and not taking it seriously.
JR doesn't go into detail on why Watts was fired, but does the same thing Flair did in his book on the subject, pointing out how Watts had pushed several black wrestlers in the past like Junkyard Dog and Ron Simmons, and how Watts "wasn't a racist".
The incident that JR doesn't go into detail on is that Watts did an interview where he said, "If you own a buisness why shouldn't you be able to discriminate? Why should I have to hire a f@g if I don't like f@gs? If I don't wanna sell fried chicken to blacks, I shouldn't have to. It's my restaurant." Watts resigned shortly after when his boss Bill Shaw questioned him on it.
JR says being known as a "Watts guy" essentially killed his career at WCW and ostracized him after Watts did that interview.
JR has nothing nice to say about Bill Shaw in the book, and suspects he had hand sanitizers installed at the WCW offices so he could "wash the stench off" when he left.
Eric Bishoff was named Watts replacement, and JR thinks it's because Bishoff sold himself as the opposite of a wrestling guy, who Turner were tired of dealing with. In Flair's book, he says that Ole Anderson was in contention for this job again and that Flair's recommendation gave it to Bishoff. In Bruce Hart's book, he claims to have interviewed for the job as well and came up in 2nd place.
JR says Eric Bishoff made it clear he didn't want JR calling his shows.
Bill Shaw decided to punish JR for being a "Watts guy" by making him decide between being suspended with pay for 6 weeks and taking a more prominent office job or just handing in his resignation. JR took the vacation and the office job, where he said he got to do some broadcasting jobs on the side as well. But he was removed from doing the thing he loved most in the business.
JR says he did a weekly report for a WCW 900 number which made a "small fortune" that he never saw a dime of.
After being asked one too many times why he wasn't on TV anymore and feeling humiliated, JR quit WCW and decided to try his hand in the WWF.
JR called Bruce Pritchard, whom he knew from their days together in Mid-South. JR notes how Bill Watts never liked Bruce, but Bruce did get JR a meeting with Vince McMahon. Vince said he couldn't match WCW salary, but he could get close and offered JR a 50 grand signing bonus.
After WCW had moved reassigned JR's position, they technically voided out the contract so JR was allowed to jump to WWF immediately and with no issues.
JR had operated a small radio show for years in which he used to promote WCW. When he signed with WWF he got Vince McMahon to do an episode with him and he remembers the WCW office freaking out. They thought they owned the radio show and were shocked to find JR owned 100% of it and could do as he pleased.
JR's first show was Wrestlemania 9 where he called the show alongside Randy Savage and Bobby Heenan. JR says Randy was "challenging to work with" but notes how he doesn't mean that as a negative. JR has huge praise for Bobby Heenan and says he was easy to work with all the time.
JR says Vince hired him without telling anyone and that he found he was pretty unpopular right off the bat backstage.
JR became the driver for Gorilla Monsoon. JR has nothing but positives on Monsoon, but notes how in the 10 months since his son died, Gorilla had deteriorated a bit.
JR says Lord Alfred Hayes treated him poorly from the start, until he was smartened up by Gorilla who always had JR's back. JR also notes Bobby Heenan as being a good friend from the start.
JR remembers one time Randy Savage was ribbed by someone into thinking JR was responsible for his fucked up schedule and bookings. So Savage grabbed JR and threatened to beat him up until Gorilla Monsoon made the save.
JR married Jan on October 13, 1993 and he calls it the best day of his life.
JR says it was Vince's idea for him to start wearing a cowboy hat.
JR remembers not getting much broadcast work the first 6 months in WWF, and was wondering if something was wrong.
In early 1994 JR got his first Bell's palsy attack which left half his face paralyzed. He was told by the doctor he should recover in 6 - 8 weeks.
2 weeks after his Bell's palsy attack, JR was told by head of human resources that he has to come into the office asap. His face was still paralyzed and when he sat down with Vince, the head of human resources was also there. With 4 months left on his contract, JR was fired right then and there. Vince just told him that JR was no longer in the company's plans.
JR met with Eric Bishoff who straight up told him that WCW would not be hiring him back.
Jim Cornette paid JR $300 to come tape two one-hour shows for his new promotion, Smokey Mountain Wrestling. Between the drive and everything else, it sounds like JR didn't really make any money but he enjoyed doing it.
WWF called JR back to work while Vince dealt with the steroid trial, but that wrapped up quicker than expected. With Vince back, JR was out again since Vince was the lead broadcaster on RAW.
JR did on and off work for Jim Cornette in Smokey Mountain Wrestling, but knew he wanted back in the WWF.
Four months later in mid-late 1994, Vince called JR and offered him the position of JJ Dillon's assistant in Talent Relations. JR immediately accepted.
Vince told JR he was not hiring him as an on air talent and JR was not to leverage his position into being one. JR accepted that his on-air career was done and committed 100% to learning from JJ Dillon in talent relations.
JR says soon he was producing Vince every RAW and was the voice in his ear during the show.
JR has a wildnstory about riding with Vince, who was doing 90 miles an hour and literally dancing in his seat or taking his eyes off the road to scare JR.
JR says Vince gave him the "Good Ol' J.R." nickname and JR really didn't seem to like it or wearing a cowboy hat.
In 1995, JR says "Cowboy" Bill Watts was brought on to oversee the wrestling shows while Vince was transitioning into more of an executive role.
Bill Watts wanted to give the name "Buck Johnson" to the young rookie Tony Norris. Vince McMahon apparently viewed this as Bill trying to recreat Junkyard Dogg or Ernie Ladd, overruled this decision. Vince decided to go with the name "Ahmed Johnson."
Bill Watts only lasted a couple of weeks before clashing with that same head of talent relations who would have him removed from the company.
JJ Dillon would often send JR to meet with potential new talents to gage their personality. One such talent was a young Dwayne Johnson, who told JR in that first meeting "I'm going to be your top guy one day."
JR remembers how a big part of his and JJ Dillon's job revolved around dealing with talent issues caused by the Kliq. (Shawn Michaels, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall and Triple H) JR says he would often just talk to Triple H about the issue, since he was easiest to deal with.
JR suspects Vince saw a bit of himself in the Kilq and that may explain why he gave them sow much leeway.
In July 1995, JR was randomly put back on tv, doing color commentary with Jerry Lawler and Vince McMahon, with no explanation ever given to JR.
JR puts over his 3 man booth with Vince and Lawler, saying he had fun doing it. And JR says it was a blast to do commentary work with Curt Hennig, who helped JR navigate away from terms and talking points that Vince hates.
JR knew the fake Diesel and fake Razor characters were dead on arrival.
JR says his "shoot" promo about being fired for having Bell's palsy was all Vince's idea and that Vonce thought JR did a great job with it.
In 1996, JJ Dillon quit after getting a pay cut but given more responsibilities. Dillon also had a special needs son at home, whom JJ wanted to focus more time on. Bruce Pritchard was offered the talent relations role, and JR remembers Bruce being very scared and hesitant to accept it.
JR says Bruce didn't last an even short amount of time in the role before Vince put him back on the creative team. Vince then offered JR the role of "Senior Vice President of Talent Relations" and gave JR full autonomy on hiring any talent he wanted. Vince told JR "I trust your judgement completely."
JR took over the payroll side of things for Vince too, and after that freed up a lot of time, JR says Vince's wife Linda McMahon hugged JR and thanked him for giving her husband his weekends back to spend with her.
While filming vignets at Bret Hart's home, JR says a bored Stu put JR in a hold and nearly choked the life out of JR.
JR notes how Bret Hart was often late and that reminds me how Bret said in his book that when negotiating a contract with WCW, he got in writing that he could he late sometimes.
JR says his only issue with the Hart/HBK Mania Iron Man match, is that the sudden death/ overtime concept was never spoke about prior to the show and he felt it came out of left field.
JR says Roddy Piper was a "little high maintenance." JR remembers how emotional Roddy got when he asked and was given Ford Bronco they used in his Wrestlemania match with Goldust in 1996.
JR says Goldust/ Dusty Rhodes was his first major recruites.
JR remembers how they tired to reposition Brian Pilman into a broadcaster after his bad motorcycle wreck that permanently fucked up his ankle. But Pilman insisted on being a wrestler and it wasn't long before JR was getting reports of Pilman passing out backstage at shows and acting irrationally. They eventually drug tested him and found he needed serious help.
JR remembers sending Vader and Yokozuna to weight rehab to get them healthier. Both would pay off orderleys for food or sneak out to fast food joints. JR says Vader eventually got to make return but they had to fire Yokozuna, who would die just a couple months later.
When JR brought Mick Foley in, he remembers Vince allowing him to do so because he wanted JR to "learn how it feels to have your heartbroken" and said Foley was the shits.
JR remembers how Steve Austin was pissed following his famous "3:16" promo because he was being paid peanuts. JR went to Vince and they agreed to tear uo Austin's contract and offer him a much better one.
JR finally gave in and started wearing the cowboy hat at the Royal Rumble 1997 ppv. He didnt want to admit it, but he felt it immediately completed his look and character.
When Owen Hart accidentally broke Stone Cold's neck, JR made sure he was sitting at Steve's bed when he woke up.
JR says Owen Hart was guilt ridden over this and often asked JR for updates on Austin's health, but thinks Owen didn't know how to properly reach out to Steve and thinks Owen was ashamed.
JR remembers being devastated when Brian Pillman passed in fall of 1997. On the plane ride after the funeral, Vonce said to JR, "When I said you were going to get your heart broken. I meant to not get too close to the boys." JR says Linda McMahon gave him a similar warning, "Don't get too close to the flame."
JR says that once it became clear Bret Hart was leaving, JR's responsibility ended and as talent relations, he stopped needed to work with Bret. He says he was 100% not involved in the Montreal Screwjob.
JR remembers him and Jerry Lawler looking at each other in shock as the Screwjob happened.
Immediately after the match and show ended, JR says Vince McMahon ordered JR lock himself in Vince's office for his own safety. He sat and heard the commotion next door between Bret and Vince. Eventually, Vince was helped by his son Shane and Sgt Slaughter. They all sat in silence for a few minutes before Vince said to no one in particular, "I had to let him have a free shot. I owed him that much."
JR says he once asked Vince what the difference was between the real Vince McMahon and the tv character Mr McMahon, and Vince struggled to think of an example.
JR said he hated the Brawl For All concept immediately.
JR says that after he pushed to sign Dr. Death Steve Williams, it was used against him after Dr. Death suffered a bad injury in the Brawl For All.
JR says when they eventually had to let Dr. Death go, that this strained their 20-year friendship. Dr. Death thought he never got a fair shot in the WWF.
JR says most of the boys in the back assumed JR pushed for the Butterbean vs. Bart Gunn match as revenge for Bartt knocking out Dr Death. JR vehemently denies this and says if he was asked, he would have pushed against the match.
JR says Butterbean wanted to get into wrestling and asked JR before his Mania match if anyone would be upset if he knocked out Bart Gunn in the first round. JR told Butterbean to treat it like a real competition but secretly mocked the idea of Butterbean not taking Bart Gunn seriously.
JR says a lof the boys bet on the fight, and most had Bart Gunn picked to win. JR and everyone else were shocked to when Butterbean KO'd Gunn in under 40 seconds.
JR says he legit thought Mick Foley died at the 1998 King of the Ring ppv when Undertaker threw him from the top of the cell. JR says all his words, and there are 100% real.
JR says he had a serious talk a few days later with Mick Foley about never doing that again and how Foley can't support his family if he is crippled.
In December 1998, JR was oversees with WWF when he found out his mom died. He opted to stay on the tour and do the shows. The next night, however, as he called the show with Jerry, he was hit with a 2nd Bell's palsy attack, and this time, it was worse. He powered through the show and made it home where Vince set up an appointment for JR to get checked out.
JR spent weeks at home, depressed from losing his mom, and suffering from Bell's palsy. Half of JR's face was sagging now, and he was convinced his on-airncareer was over. He moped around for weeks until Vince sent him a hand written letter, essentially telling him to get the fuck back to work, how much Vince loved/ respected JR and that there was a $5000 cheque waiting for JR on his desk at work.
JR says he briefly tried being an on-air heel managing Dr. Death, but JR calls that a disastrous attempt, and he was coming back too soon.
JR says that both Stone Cold and The Rock personally requested he call their 1999 Wrestlemania match, and so Vince randomly told JR to buy a suit because he would be calling the main event.
The book ends with JR being optimistic about his future behind the broadcast booth, calling matches.
His second book details 1999 -2019, and it'd be a very good read. It will make you hate Vince McMahon and break your heart when it comes to how his wife Jan passed away.
Jim Ross 2nd book
2024.04.10 22:18 glad_yard2 GRB put on ‘addiction’ notice after cosmetic surgery.
 | ( once again pasted directly from the article ) submitted by glad_yard2 to thegrbcase [link] [comments] Dr. Paul Nassif wants Gypsy Rose Blanchard to keep her eyes on the prize in light of her recent nose job. Per his recent conversation with a news outlet, the celebrity plastic surgeon is hopeful that the 32-year-old will avoid becoming addicted to cosmetic surgery in the long run. Dr. Nassif has revealed that many individuals tend to excessively alter their appearance after their initial cosmetic procedure. These excessive interventions can lead to patients looking "botched," ultimately requiring the assistance of the "Botched" star and his colleague, Dr. Terry Dubrow. Despite that, Dr. Nassif is not entirely worried about Blanchard, who recently underwent rhinoplasty and septoplasty in her hometown of Louisiana. Speaking to TMZ, he said, "If it is done properly, with the right patient, then hopefully she's gonna have a fantastic outcome and like her results." Regarding critics who argue that it is much too soon for the 32-year-old, the celebrity doctor asserted that she has the right to undergo a transformation at her own pace and on her own timeline. Blanchard initially shared her intention to go under the knife just days after she announced her impending divorce from her husband of two years, Ryan Anderson. As reported by The Blast, she stated: "I'm going through a personal transformation journey currently and that includes a physical one, too. Wish me luck with my surgery and watch the whole thing this summer on 'Gypsy Rose: Life After Lock Up.'" Even though she has yet to unveil the nose to the public, Blanchard did report that the operation "went great." She also disclosed, "I come in and out of sleep. I was in pain at first, but I am on pain medicine." Additionally, she pointed out that she "can't breathe through [her] nose because of the packing, but that comes off on the 10th [of April]." |
2024.04.09 12:14 CP4-Throwaway A rough estimate of celebs that may seem more BB, Cusp, or X from Famous Birthdays, based on the widest definition of my personal transitional BooXer/Baby Buster microgeneration, b. circa 1958-1967 (UPDATED)
Just for context, in this specific post:
BB = Baby Boomer
Cusp = Cusp
X = Gen X
This is a repost from the original (which was an extension of the very original post here) that I did a few years back, just to be updated for 2024 because I thought it'd be to fun to explore this again.
But I will exclude the 1965-1967 list because that'd be way too long. I'll add them in the comment sections. So in this post, I'll focus on the celebrities born from 1958-1964.
I know the vast majority of this sub will disagree but I'll post it anyway.
This is based on the vibes and/or appearance of the celebrity so please don't take this too seriously as this may or may not be accurate, depending on one's view of Boomers and Gen X.
This is based on my current perception of these celebrities.
What do you think?
submitted by CP4-Throwaway to generationology [link] [comments]
BB = Baby Boomer
Cusp = Cusp
X = Gen X
This is a repost from the original (which was an extension of the very original post here) that I did a few years back, just to be updated for 2024 because I thought it'd be to fun to explore this again.
But I will exclude the 1965-1967 list because that'd be way too long. I'll add them in the comment sections. So in this post, I'll focus on the celebrities born from 1958-1964.
I know the vast majority of this sub will disagree but I'll post it anyway.
This is based on the vibes and/or appearance of the celebrity so please don't take this too seriously as this may or may not be accurate, depending on one's view of Boomers and Gen X.
This is based on my current perception of these celebrities.
WARNING: THIS POST WILL BE SUPER LONG!!! DISCRETION ADVISED!!!!!!
1958
https://www.famousbirthdays.com/yea1958.html- Michael Jackson (1958-2009), Pop Singer - Cusp
- Ellen DeGeneres, 66, TV Show Host - BB
- Madonna, 65, Pop Singer - Cusp
- Tim Burton, 65, Director - BB
- Prince (1958-2016), Pop Singer - BB
- Angela Bassett, 65, Movie Actress - Cusp
- Alec Baldwin, 66, TV Actor - BB
- Jamie Lee Curtis, 65, Movie Actress - BB
- Ice T, 66, Rapper - Cusp
- Gary Oldman, 66, Movie Actor - BB
- Andrea Swift, 66, Family Member - BB
- Ned Luke, 65, Voice Actor - Cusp
- Nikki Sixx, 65, Bassist - X
- Kevin Bacon, 65, Movie Actor - BB
- Carl Judie (1958-2021), TV Actor - BB
- Jennifer Tilly, 65, Movie Actress - Cusp
- Mark Cuban, 65, Entrepreneur - BB
- Alan Jackson, 65, Country Singer - BB
- Joan Jett, 65, Rock Singer - BB
- Terry Fox (1958-1981), Runner - BB
- Andy Reid, 66, Football Coach - BB
- Rey Misterio Sr., 66, Wrestler - X
- Michelle Pfeiffer, 65. Movie Actress - BB
- Andrea Bocelli, 65, Opera Singer - BB
- Peter Capaldi, 65, TV Actor - BB
- Neil deGrasse Tyson, 65. Astrophysicist - BB
- Sharon Stone, 66, Movie Actress - BB
- Anita Baker, 66, R&B Singer - BB
- Scott Patterson, 65, TV Actor - X
- Drew Carey, 65, Game Show Host - BB
- Giancarlo Esposito, 65, Movie Actor - BB
- Karen Houghton (1958-2024), Family Member - BB
- Scott Hall (1958-2022), Wrestler - BB
- Billy Mays (1958-2009), Entrepreneur - BB
- Tommy Lister (1958-2020), Movie Actor - Cusp
- Lenny Henry, 65, Comedian - BB
- Holly Hunter, 66, Movie Actress - BB
- Viggo Mortensen, 65. Movie Actor - BB
- Diana Williams, 65. Journalist - BB
- Belinda Carlisle, 65, Pop Singer - BB
- Lisa Loring (1958-2023), TV Actress - BB
- Ana Maria Polo, 65, TV Show Host - BB
- Kevin Sullivan, 65, Director - BB
- Levi Roots, 65, Reggae Singer - BB
- Joe Diffie (1958-2020), Country Singer - BB
- Annette Bening, 65, Movie Actress - BB
- Andie MacDowell, 65, Movie Actress - BB
- Helen DeMacque, 65, Pop Singer - Cusp
1959
https://www.famousbirthdays.com/yea1959.html- Simon Cowell, 64, Talent Manager - BB
- Cathy Nesbitt-Stein, 64, Reality Star - BB
- Magic Johnson, 64, Basketball Player - BB
- Weird Al Yankovic, 64, Pop Singer - X
- Emma Thompson, 64, Movie Actress - BB
- Sade, 65, R&B Singer - Cusp
- Rachel Renee Russell, 65, Children's Author - BB
- Bryan Adams, 64, Rock Singer - Cusp
- Dave Coulier, 64, TV Actor - BB
- Maggie Baird, 65, TV Actress - BB
- Clancy Brown, 65, Movie Actor - BB
- Hugh Laurie, 64, TV Actor - Cusp
- Israel Kamakawiwoʻole (1959-1997), Folk Singer - X
- Flavor Flav, 65, Rapper - Cusp
- Babyface, 64, Music Producer - Cusp
- Tracey Ullman, 64, Comedian - BB
- Sting, 65, Wrestler - BB
- Miki Matsubara (1959-2004), Composer - X
- Robert Smith, 64, Rock Singer - X
- Randy Travis, 64, Country Singer - BB
- Morrissey, 64, Rock Singer - BB
- Matthew Modine, 65, Movie Actor - BB
- Val Kilmer, 64, Movie Actor - X
- Ultimate Warrior (1959-2014), Wrestler - BB
- Kevin Spacey, 64, Movie Actor - BB
- Mike Pence, 64, Vice President - BB
- Chris Hansen, 64, Journalist - BB
- Kathy Hilton, 65, Fashion Designer - BB
- Michael Kors, 64, Fashion Designer - BB
- Lorraine Kelly, 64, TV Show Host - BB
- Irene Cara (1959-2022), Movie Actress - Cusp
- Judd Nelson, 64, Movie Actor - Cusp
- Charlie Murphy (1959-2017), Comedian - Cusp
- John McEnroe, 65, Tennis Player - BB
- Sean Bean, 64, TV Actor - Cusp
- Pete Burns (1959-2016), Pop Singer - X
- Chris Hadfield, 64, Astronaut - BB
- Allison Janney, 64, TV Actress - BB
- Gwen Ballinger, 64, Instagram Star - Cusp
- Helen Pearson, 64, Soap Opera Actress - BB
- Kevin Nash, 64, Wrestler - BB
- Linda Blair, 65, Movie Actress - BB
- Sarah Ferguson, 64, Duchess - BB
- Gustavo Cerati (1959-2014), Guitarist - BB
- Nicole Brown Simpson (1959-1994), Family Member - BB
- Jason Alexander, 64, TV Actor - BB
- Kyle MacLachlan, 65, TV Actor - BB
- Carlo Ancelotti, 64, Soccer Coach - BB
1960
https://www.famousbirthdays.com/yea1960.html- Queen Cheryl, 63, TikTok Star - BB
- RuPaul, 63, TV Show Host - Cusp
- Diego Maradona (1960-2020). Soccer Player - BB
- Niki Mahajan, 63, Fashion Designer - X
- Hugh Grant, 63. Movie Actor - BB
- Bono, 63, Rock Singer - BB
- Jeremy Clarkson, 63, TV Show Host - BB
- Jane Lynch, 63, TV Actress - BB
- Ayrton Senna (1960-1994), Race Car Driver - Cusp
- Lisa Vanderpump, 63, Reality Star - Cusp
- Antonio Banderas, 63, Movie Actor - BB
- Bradley Walsh, 63, TV Actor - BB
- Prince Andrew, Duke of York, 64, Prince - BB
- Colin Firth, 63, Movie Actor - BB
- Chalino Sánchez (1960-1992), World Music Singer - BB
- Tim Cook, 63, Business Executive - BB
- Julianne Moore, 63, Movie Actress - X
- Damon Wayans, 63, Comedian - X
- Stanley Tucci, 63, Movie Actor - Cusp
- John Schneider, 64, TV Actor - BB
- George Elliott Clarke, 64, Poet - BB
- Angela Raiola (1960-2016), Reality Star - Cusp
- Valerie Bertinelli, 63, TV Actress - Cusp
- Jennifer Grey, 64, Movie Actress - Cusp
- Jean-Claude Van Damme, 63, Movie Actor - Cusp
- John F. Kennedy Jr. (1960-1999), Entrepreneur - BB
- Mohanlal, 63, Movie Actor - Cusp
- John Leguizamo, 63, Movie Actor - X
- Kathy Griffin, 63, Comedian - Cusp
- Tony Robbins, 64, Motivational Speaker - BB
- Tony Goldwyn, 63, TV Actor - X
- Jason Beghe, 64, TV Actor - Cusp
- Tilda Swinton, 63, Movie Actress - Cusp
- Sean Penn, 63, Movie Actor - Cusp
- Jonathan Ross, 63, TV Show Host - Cusp
- Greg Mathis, 64, Reality Star - BB
- James Spader, 64, Movie Actor - Cusp
- Hugo Weaving, 64, Movie Actor - Cusp
- Hirohiko Araki, 63, Comic Book Artist - X
- Shirley Ballas, 63, Dancer - BB
- Kim Wilde, 63, Pop Singer - Cusp
- Gary Lineker, 63, Soccer Player - Cusp
- David Duchovny, 63, TV Actor - BB
- Nena, 64, Pop Singer - Cusp
- John Elway, 63, Football Player - BB
- Scott Baio, 63, TV Actor - Cusp
- Kenneth Branagh, 63, Director - X
- John Taylor, 63, Bassist - BB
1961
https://www.famousbirthdays.com/yea1961.html- Barack Obama, 62, US President - BB
- Princess Diana (1961-1997), Princess - BB
- Ralph Macchio, 62, Movie Actor - Cusp
- Eddie Murphy, 63, Movie Actor - Cusp
- Billy Ray Cyrus, 62, Country Singer - X
- George Clooney, 62, Movie Actor - BB
- Toby Keith (1961-2024), Country Singer - Cusp
- Jennifer Coolidge, 62, Movie Actress - X
- Michael J. Fox, 62, Movie Actor - Cusp
- George Lopez, 62, Comedian - X
- Wayne Gretzky, 63, Hockey Player - BB
- Dennis Rodman, 62, Basketball Player - X
- Carole Baskin, 62, Activist - BB
- Stephen Hillenburg (1961-2018), Director - BB
- Woody Harrelson, 62, TV Actor - Cusp
- Randy Jackson, 62, Pop Singer - BB
- Eugenio Derbez, 62, TV Actor - Cusp
- Boy George, 62, Pop Singer - Cusp
- Susan Boyle, 63, Pop Singer - BB
- Ricky Gervais, 62, Comedian - Cusp
- Dave Mustaine, 62, Metal Singer - Cusp
- Phil Swift, 63, YouTube Star - Cusp
- Vince Neil, 63, Metal Singer - Cusp
- Jeff Probst, 62, Game Show Host - Cusp
- Joko Widodo, 62, Politician - BB
- Larry Lawton, 62, YouTube Star - Cusp
- Meg Ryan, 62, Movie Actress - X
- Jodi Benson, 62, Voice Actress - Cusp
- Elizabeth Daily, 62, Voice Actress - X
- Nadia Comaneci, 62, Gymnast - X
- Christopher Meloni, 63, TV Actor - X
- Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, 63, Prince - BB
- James Gandolfini (1961-2013), TV Actor - BB
- Tom Ford, 62, Fashion Designer - X
- Isiah Thomas, 62, Basketball Player - BB
- Keith Sweat, 62, R&B Singer - X
- Martin Kemp, 62, TV Actor - Cusp
- Amr Diab, 62, World Music Singer - X
- DJ Yella, 62, Music Producer - X
- Forest Whitaker, 62, Movie Actor - Cusp
- Enya, 62, World Music Singer - Cusp
- Julia Louis-Dreyfus, 63, TV Actress - Cusp
- Robert Carlyle, 62, Movie Actor - BB
- Dan Marino, 62, Football Player - BB
- Chad Smith, 62, Drummer - X
- Lea Thompson, 62, Movie Actress - Cusp
- Camryn Manheim, 63, TV Actress - X
- Rick Owens, 62, Fashion Designer - Cusp
1962
https://www.famousbirthdays.com/yea1962.html- Tom Cruise, 61, Movie Actor - Cusp
- Jim Carrey, 62, Movie Actor - Cusp
- Axl Rose, 62, Rock Singer - X
- Jon Bon Jovi, 62, Rock Singer - Cusp
- Steve Carell, 61, TV Actor - Cusp
- Steve Irwin (1962-2006), Reality Star - BB
- Tom Kenny, 61, Voice Actor - BB
- Tommy Lee, 61, Drummer - X
- Kirk Hammett, 61, Guitarist - X
- Jodie Foster, 61, Movie Actress - Cusp
- Demi Moore, 61, Movie Actress - Cusp
- Ralph Fiennes, 61, Movie Actor - Cusp
- MC Hammer, 62, Rapper - X
- Garth Brooks, 62, Country Singer - X
- Kate Spade (1962-2018), Fashion Designer - Cusp
- Kim Mulkey, 61, Basketball Coach - BB
- Thomas Gibson, 61, TV Actor - Cusp
- Paula Abdul, 61, Pop Singer - Cusp
- Jerry Rice, 61, Football Player - Cusp
- Jeff Dunham, 61, Ventriloquist - Cusp
- Andre Braugher (1962-2023), TV Actor - BB
- Michelle Yeoh, 61, Movie Actress - Cusp
- Lance Reddick (1962-2023), TV Actor - Cusp
- Matthew Broderick, 62, Movie Actor - Cusp
- Eric Allan Kramer, 62, TV Actor - Cusp
- Flea, 61, Bassist - Cusp
- Cliff Burton (1962-1986), Bassist - X
- Phillip Schofield, 62, TV Show Host - BB
- Manute Bol (1962-2010), Basketball Player - Cusp
- Bob Odenkirk, 61, TV Actor - Cusp
- John Marshall Jones, 61, TV Actor - Cusp
- Emilio Estevez, 61, Movie Actor - Cusp
- Evander Holyfield, 61, Boxer - BB
- Bo Jackson, 61, Baseball Player - Cusp
- Peter Steele (1962-2010), Metal Singer - X
- Anthony Kiedis, 61, Rock Singer - X
- Sheryl Crow, 62, Pop Singer - X
- Kelly Preston (1962-2020), Movie Actress - BB
- Frank Mele, 61, Family Member - BB
- Rosie O'Donnell, 62, TV Show Host - BB
- Wesley Snipes, 61, Movie Actor - Cusp
- Izzy Stradlin, 62, Guitarist - X
- Joan Cusack, 61, Movie Actress - BB
- Suzanne Collins, 61, Young Adult Author - X
- Jordan Peterson, 61, Psychologist - BB
- Gabe Newell, 61, Entrepreneur - BB
- Clark Gregg, 62, Movie Actor - BB
- Jasmine Guy, 62, TV Actress - Cusp
1963
https://www.famousbirthdays.com/yea1963.html- Michael Jordan, 61, Basketball Player - Cusp
- Johnny Depp, 60, Movie Actor - X
- Brad Pitt, 60, Movie Actor - X
- Whitney Houston (1963-2012), R&B Singer - X
- David Baszucki, 61, Entrepreneur - BB
- John Stamos, 60, TV Actor - BB
- George Michael (1963-2016), Pop Singer - Cusp
- Lisa Kudrow, 60, TV Actress - X
- Kevin Chamberlin, 60, TV Actor - Cusp
- Morgz Mum, 60, YouTube Star - X
- Coolio (1963-2022), Rapper - X
- James Hetfield, 60, Metal Singer - X
- Mike Myers, 60, Movie Actor - Cusp
- Conan O'Brien, 60, TV Show Host - Cusp
- Greg Paul, 60, Instagram Star - Cusp
- Rob Schneider, 60, Movie Actor - X
- Quentin Tarantino, 61, Director - Cusp
- David Thewlis, 61, Movie Actor - X
- Vanessa Williams, 61, TV Actress - X
- Momma Dee, 60, Reality Star - Cusp
- Seal, 61, Rock Singer - X
- James May, 61, TV Show Host - BB
- Charles Barkley, 61, Basketball Player - BB
- Larry the Cable Guy, 61, Movie Actor - X
- Natasha Richardson (1963-2009), Movie Actress - BB
- Pam Stepnick, 60, YouTube Star - Cusp
- Edie Falco, 60, TV Actress - Cusp
- Jason Isaacs, 60. TV Actor - X
- Jet Li, 60, Movie Actor - X
- Graham Norton, 61, TV Show Host - BB
- Lars Ulrich, 60, Drummer - X
- José Mourinho, 61, Soccer Coach - Cusp
- Tom Cavanagh, 60, TV Actor - X
- Marc Jacobs, 60, Fashion Designer - X
- Lisa Rinna, 60, Soap Opera Actress - Cusp
- Till Lindemann, 61, Metal Singer - X
- Sir Mix-a-Lot, 60, Rapper - Cusp
- Benjamin Bratt, 60, TV Actor - X
- Joel Osteen, 61, Religious Leader - Cusp
- Dan Povenmire, 60, TV Producer - X
- Phoebe Cates, 60, Movie Actress - X
- Zeena Schreck, 60, Religious Leader - Cusp
- Lane Frost (1963-1989), Bull Rider - BB
- Bret Michaels, 61, Rock Singer - X
- Anthony Albanese, 61, Politician - BB
- Isaiah Washington, 60, TV Actor - Cusp
- Lisa Ann Walter, 60, Movie Actress - BB
- A.B. Quintanilla III, 60, World Music Singer - X
1964
https://www.famousbirthdays.com/yea1964.html- Jeff Bezos, 60, Entrepreneur - Cusp
- Michelle Obama, 60, First Lady - BB
- Eazy-E (1964-1995), Rapper - X
- Keanu Reeves, 59, Movie Actor - Cusp
- That Vegan Teacher, 59, TikTok Star - BB
- Courteney Cox, 59, TV Actress - X
- Sandra Bullock, 59, Movie Actress - X
- Wendy Williams, 59, TV Show Host - X
- Boris Johnson, 59, World Leader - BB
- Rob Lowe, 60, Movie Actor - Cusp
- Nicolas Cage, 60, Movie Actor - Cusp
- Kamala Harris, 59, Vice President - Cusp
- Matt Dillon, 60, Movie Actor - Cusp
- Stone Cold Steve Austin, 59, Wrestler - Cusp
- Mariska Hargitay, 60, TV Actress - X
- Lori Loughlin, 59, TV Actress - BB
- Lenny Kravitz, 59, Funk Singer - X
- Courtney Love, 59, Rock Singer - X
- TobyMac, 59, Rapper - X
- Rick Riordan, 59, Young Adult Author - BB
- Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, 60, Prince - BB
- Chris Cornell (1964-2017), Rock Singer - X
- Monica Bellucci, 59, Movie Actress - Cusp
- Tracy Chapman, 60, Pop Singer - X
- Chris Farley (1964-1997), Movie Actor - X
- Russell Crowe, 60, Movie Actor - Cusp
- Boz Mofid, 60, Family Member - Cusp
- Yolanda Hadid, 60, Reality Star - X
- David Spade, 59, TV Actor - X
- Bobby Flay, 59, Chef - X
- Ronnie Coleman, 59, Bodybuilder - Cusp
- David Cross, 60, TV Actor - X
- Laura Rivera, 59, Family Member - X
- Eddie Vedder, 59, Rock Singer - X
- Marisa Tomei, 59, Movie Actress - X
- Don Cheadle, 59, Movie Actor - Cusp
- Cedric the Entertainer, 59, Movie Actor - Cusp
- MaryLou Sturniolo, 59, Family Member - X
- Vivica A. Fox, 59, Movie Actress - X
- Dell Curry, 59, Basketball Player - Cusp
- Steve Wilkos, 60, TV Show Host - Cusp
- Stephen Colbert, 59, TV Show Host - Cusp
- Cassi Davis, 59, Movie Actress - Cusp
- Wanda Sykes, 60, Comedian - X
- Cece Winans, 59, Gospel Singer - X
- Nigel Farage, 60, Politician - BB
- Molly Shannon, 59, Comedian - X
- Trisha Yearwood, 59, Country Singer - Cusp
What do you think?
2024.04.09 02:40 Kerney7 2023 SPFBO Bingo Card Part 1 Rows1-3
The SPFBO /Fantasy Bingo Card
This is a bingo card filled with entries for the SPFBO, hosted by Mark Lawerence. Twenty-two out of twenty-five boxes are filled with SPFBO Entries with the remaining three slots (Sequel, Short Stories, Novella) each having ties to authors SPFBO entries.
Furthermore, the twenty-two slots are divided. Six of my bingo squares are from the SPFBO9 300 original entries and were mostly read when that section of the competition was active, from which I nominate an unofficial book bingo “Semi-Finalist”. Six Semi-Finalists from various years filled six other bingo slots, from which I pick one “Bingo Finalist”, where were I a judge, I would advance to the finals. Finally, I read ten books that made the finals including three winners, and rated them, giving them scores and picking my favorite from among them.
This is divided in two because reddit limits us to 400,000 characters.
Without Further Ado,
Row 1:
Title With A Title: Fortune’s Fool by Angela Brood
SPFBO Standing: SPFBO 5 Runner Up
Once played as a pawn in a deadly game of feuding Houses, Kyrra d’Aliente now makes her living in male guise as the ruthless mercenary Kyris di Nada. Yet hidden beneath her tough exterior lies a woman driven by one thing: the belief that her lost love, killed in the war he fought on her behalf, is still alive. But when Kyrra is offered the chance to assassinate the man who betrayed her, the seductive song of revenge changes everything.
In a world of scheming gods and precarious loyalties, vengeance comes at a deadly cost. As the treacherous web of her past tries to trap her once again, Kyrra must make a choice: kill the man who stole everything from her, or risk everything to save the man she loves.
This book follows Kyrra from a naïve and somewhat stupid heir to a noble family to her life as a mercenary swordswoman. This mixes gods, an Italian Renaissance inspired setting that feels like a more brutal version of the World of the Five Gods.
Kyrra evolves in this series of present day and flash backs, as she pieces together the destruction of her family. Punches are not pulled and not everything is known, and the man who has guided her through her transformation also has some huge secrets that even he doesn’t know.
This is the best book if you want to combine grimdark and romance (Grimantasy?). That is not an easy feat to achieve.
8.5/10
Superhero: Wayfarer by K.M. Weiland
SPFBO Standing: SPFBO 6 Semi-Finalist, from Booknest
Think being a superhero is hard? Try being the first one.
Will’s life is a proper muddle—and all because he was “accidentally” inflicted with the ability to run faster and leap higher than any human ever. One minute he’s a blacksmith’s apprentice trying to save his master from debtor’s prison. The next he’s accused of murder and hunted as a black-hearted highwayman.
A vengeful politician with dark secrets and powers even more magical than Will’s has duped all of London into blaming Will for the chilling imprisonments of the city’s poor. The harder Will tries to use his abilities to fight crime, the deeper he is entangled in a dark underworld belonging to some of Georgian England’s most colorful characters.
Only Will stands a chance of stopping this powerful madman bent on “reforming” London by any means necessary. Unfortunately, Will is beginning to realize becoming a legend might mean sacrificing everything that matters.
This book was original, smart, and very much felt like a ‘First’ superhero setting, only with the distinction of being set in 1820s England. Lots of details work, for example, I love how the class distinctions between Will and his love interest and Will and his enemy are not swept under the rug and are important to the plot. Characters are likable and well-developed.
Overall, this is a story that’s slightly feels like the first installment to superhero universe. Sadly, there is no sequel, even though there is plenty of sequel bait at the end.
8/10
Bottom of my TBR: A Handful of Souls by Stephen Rice
SPFBO Standing: SPFBO 7 Semi-Finalist from Booknest
Mud, gold and lies. That's all you get in Branera. You'll find no better expert on these things than Lily Kale-Tollworth. Yet she has no clue of the events already in motion around her.
Weeks ago, a murderer with a bleeding grin was released from the Mountain Head. Lily doesn't know this pale-skinned giant has been writing to her. She doesn't even know he's coming to find her. But as her father, Husker Tollworth feels like it's his right.
Days ago, a tax patrol was slaughtered. Lily doesn't know her brother's corpse was pulled from a ditch, stolen by a man who can raise the dead. Lark Kale-Tollworth will follow this bizarre scholar to the Southlands. He will forget how many times he's died.
Hours ago, an informant showed Lily's stepfather an incriminating note. Branera has taxed its villages too hard. An uprising is massing in the Northlands - and they have a noose with Josef Kale's name on it.
At this very moment, Josef is frantically packing their coach, while Lily is drinking whisky in a brothel. She's met the arrogant idiot who will be their guide south. She doesn't know he has a hollow soul, filled with thousands of spirits. She doesn't know his mouth is filled with as many lies.
But if there are three things Lily's good at, it's mud, gold and lies.
This is the story of the Kale-Tollworth family and feels like regency industrial creepy in a good way, rather like Joe Abercrombie’s Age of Madness, but not quite that high on the social ladder. This is intimate, family-level social disruption and chaos.
We get several viewpoints, Lilly who drinks to much, Lark who has been killed and resurrected by a necromancer, their father Husker who has just gotten out of prison for murder, and Dren and all parts are fully realized.
Overall, this is an 8/10.
Historical Setting (Substitution for Magical Realism): Werewolf of Whitechapel by Suzannah Rowntree
SPFBO Standing: SPFBO 9 Semi-Finalist, almost finalist from The Weatherwax Report/Critiquing Chemist
A killer stalks the grimy streets of Whitechapel—but Scotland Yard seems determined to turn a blind eye. With one look at her best friend's corpse, Liz Sharp already knows the truth: the killer is a werewolf.
No one important will hold a werewolf accountable—after all, the monsters rule Europe. Certainly, no one will believe a werewolf victim like Liz: the very scars that make her determined to investigate Sal’s death also condemn her as the sort of female who’d sell her blood for easy money.
As it happens, Liz’s best hope for justice might well lie with her emotionally repressed employer, Princess May. Though the princess has connections with werewolf royalty, there’s no one else Liz can turn to. Certainly, she can’t risk trusting the irritatingly personable Inspector Short, who dogs her steps from the slums of Whitechapel to the palaces of St James.
But as corpses mount up, Liz discovers that no one is precisely who she thought: not Sal, not herself, and certainly not the werewolf.
Set in an the late 1800s where most of European Royalty are vampires, werewolves and whatever else, including (secretly, the British Royal Family) Ms. Sharpe is a former werewolf victim, current amnesic, who has spent the last few years training as a bodyguard/ladies maid.
Rowntree does a great job with this intriguing world, setting up the school, the employment, the status and powers of various royal families and mixing it with the details of Whitechapel. The first two-thirds were highly enjoyable and would rate much higher. However, the final third had a lot of ‘jump the shark’ moments involving British Royals being much too differential to a newly hired servant.
If you don’t think this last part will bother you as much, I highly recommend it.
6/10
Young Adult: Regen/Regerate by Cassie Gruetman
SPFBO Standing: SPFBO 9 Entry, reviewed twice by Covers With Cassidy (Shout out to Cassidy for allowing two sub-judges to review each book)
After years of being shoved from home to home, sixteen-year-old Trisha Penchant finally found a foster family that she won’t admit she loves. Life is looking up. Until the night she wakes up in the woods covered in blood.
Her supernatural ability saved her life. But it put her on the radar of the Faerie Council, who give her an ultimatum. Catch an escaped fugitive, or be taken to Faerie, a place her missing mother told her horror stories about. Trying to appease the Council, keeping her powers hidden from her foster parents, and learning to work with the ex-boyfriend who killed her, Trisha's brushes with death are on the rise.
Pushed to the brink, she struggles to walk a fine line of doing what’s right, and doing what’s necessary.Her choices will change lives. Forever.
This is a perfectly decent, and professional YA book that I think is typical of a lot of books that get a half paragraph from various sub-judges and are then quickly passed over. Trisha is a Faerie who has been part of the foster care system. Before that she traveled around with her faerie mother as a fugitive.
The problem with this book is that while it doesn’t do anything particularly badly, it doesn’t do anything particularly well. The faerie feel remarkably mundane, Trisha doesn’t feel like a foster kid, and the foster parents she supposedly bonds with after evading their questions don’t seem a little too good to be true.
5.5/10
Row 2
Mundane Jobs: Out Of Nowhere by Patrick LeClerc
SPFBO Standing: Finalist SPFBO 4
Healer Sean Danet is immortal—a fact he has cloaked for centuries, behind enemy lines and now a paramedic’s uniform. Having forgotten most of his distant past, he has finally found peace—and love. But there are some things you cannot escape, however much distance you put behind you. When Sean heals the wrong man, he uncovers a lethal enemy who holds all the cards. And this time he can’t run. It’s time to stand and fight, for himself, for his friends, for the woman he loves. It’s time, finally, for Sean to face his past—and choose a future. A story of love, of battle—and of facing your true self when there’s nowhere left to hide.
This is the story of Sean, an EMT who just happens to be an immortal with a healing factor. He moves around on a regular basis and changes his names every few years, i.e. the standard immortal story we’ve seen. He is old enough to have no memory of his origin, which allows for a very non-specific background and very vaguely Slavic feeling criminals who know who he is and begin to hunt him. He eventually deals with this threat with a Highlander style duel and a pledge to stay out of the drug trade said criminals deal with locally.
If this story has a flaw, it’s that Sean is simply someone who, though he cares about his immediate friends, has no heroic pretensions and very little reason for us to cheer for him other than being the designated protagonist.
Some readers may also be put off by the language. It uses very contemptuous descriptions of gays, trans, and cops (and probably a few others I’ve forgotten) but which are keeping with the blue color, urban subculture of the setting. This may be off putting to some readers.
5/10
2000s: A Donkey, A Stablehand, and An Empire
SPFBO Standing: Entrée, SPFBO 9 entry, reviewed by Fantasy Book Critic
Carson Barker certainly doesn't think so, and appoints himself into the unenviable role of imperial translator.
However, it isn't going to be an easy ride. With assassins, blood-thirsty fishmongers and furious homemakers around every corner, each seeking to be the first to kill the new regent and seize the throne for themselves, Carson finds himself squarely in the firing line by association.
Little do they know this is no ordinary donkey, and the future of the Empire, possibly even the world, rests on Carson's ability to keep this extraordinary animal alive.
Will he manage to save his ass? Find out in the witty and action-packed book one of the Three Crowns series.
The people of Ostera find themselves saddled with a new, Regent, known as Regent Donkey the First - keeper of the lands through 'right of conquest' until another takes his place -accepting a stablehand as 'official translator'.
Story comes down to whether you want to kill the ass or save the ass, and whether being ruled by an ass is being any different than being ruled by a human.
It also manages to be short, so the jokes don’t get stale.
This book manages fun in a Monty Python Sort of way with and underlying Pratchett sort of thoughtful/serious.
8/10
Angels And Demons: Small Miracles by Olivia Atwater
SPFBO Standing: Winner, SPFBO 8
Gadriel, the fallen angel of petty temptations, has a bit of a gambling debt. Fortunately, her angelic bookie is happy to let her pay off her debts by doing what she does best: All Gadriel has to do is tempt miserably sinless mortal Holly Harker to do a few nice things for herself.
What should be a cakewalk of a job soon runs into several roadblocks, however, as Miss Harker politely refuses every attempt at temptation from Gadriel the woman, Gadriel the man, and Gadriel the adorable fluffy kitten. When even chocolate fails to move Gadriel’s target, the ex-guardian angel begins to suspect she’s been conned. But Gadriel still remembers her previous job… and where petty temptations fail, small miracles might yet prevail.
SPFBO 8 winner and a deserving one, though not my top choice. This is a nice feel-good story that is short and touching. Gadriel is likeable as a relatively good demon whose only crime is doubting God. The other protagonist is Holly, who has too much on her plate with her niece, daughter of her late sister whom she had very little in common.
Atwater deliberately modeled this book on the late Terry Pratchett and so the tone varies from light on the surface, but with a deeper meaning built-in and in this sense it works. The character work is excellent and the plot is well thought out.
I had the misfortune of getting the audio version which has since been removed from sale, it was so bad. But fortunately, I finished the PDF. This is one book where format really matters.
8.5/10
Five Short Stories:
All taken from the Anthology Alchemy of Sorrow, Edited by Sarah Chorn which features stories dealing with grief and loss and is highly recommended. I divided the 13 stories between this and my standard bingo card. The five I chose for this are—
A Matter of Trust by Angela Brood
The Witch in the Woods by Quenby Olsen
Death in The Uncanny Valley by M.L. Wang
Summer Souls by Clayton Snyder
The Paperweight Watch by Krystle Matar
Favorites were A Matter of Trust, about a divorced mercenary who finds healing through helping a mother with her young children. The Paperweight Watch, about a young man seeing to his deceased parents business through interactions with the employees of his family business that he’ll not be involved with on a regular basis.
My ultimate favorite was Thicker Than Water by Carol Park, about a young man labeled an evil sorcerer who sees his parents and siblings turn on him and has to start over.
9/10
Horror: Patronus by Dyrk Ashton
SPFBO Standing: SPFBO 2 Finalist
When a local hospital is attacked by strange and frightening men, Fiona Patterson and Zeke Prisco save a catatonic old man named Peter—and find themselves running for their lives with creatures beyond imagination hounding their every step.
With nowhere else to turn, they seek out Fi’s enigmatic Uncle Edgar. But the more their questions are answered, the more they discover that nothing is what it seems—not Peter, not Edgar, perhaps not even themselves.
The gods and monsters, heroes and villains of lore—they’re real. And now they’ve come out of hiding to hunt their own. In order to survive, Fi and Zeke must join up with powerful allies against an ancient evil that’s been known by many names and feared by all. The final battle of the world’s oldest war has begun.
This is a book that is about mythology, all of them, Odin, Lancelot, the Minotaur, Baphomet, Quetzalcoatl, Ganesha, and is one of those books is hard to describe and very good.
And it starts all very normal, except for some strange cuts to Asia Minor which involve the Minotaur. Fi works in a nursing home, Zeke is a few years older and volunteers as a musician. They are starting to date, and pretty soon they’re under siege in said nursing home from supernatural baddies.
They’re all going after a senile patient at the nursing home. He happens to be God, but he’s senile so they can’t ask his help at first. This is very much horror at first, then it becomes weird Urban Fantasy, but this is not the Urban Fantasy of sexy vampires, but scary and stisturbing fever dream with real stakes.
There are some flaws. The power dynamic changes when Peter, the old man/god wakes up and the ending seems inevitable. The book feels like it was written by a guy who was eighteen in about 1975. But these are minor drawbacks.
8/10
Row 3
Self Publish or Indie Publisher: Steal The Sun by SM Carter
SPFBO Standing: SPFBO 9 Entry Reviewed by Domish Books for Team Bookborn.
Domish also gets my award for best ‘sub-judge’.
When Raik, the most cunning smuggler this side of the desert, finds where the Ivory King vaults his magical runes—he builds a crew to execute an elaborate heist.
Among them is Kahli Mahanta, a religious assassin with blind ambition. A young rogue, Kirin, with wit sharper than his arrows ought to be. And Amara, the so-called Nightspirit, whose raven-hair conceals even darker secrets.
It won't be easy. They’re opposed by the curved blades of the magic-deranged, watched by a paranoid king, and hunted by gaunt beasts that click in the cold desert night... All the while discovering that trusting each other might be the most dangerous mission of all.
To Steal The Sun is a tale of unlikely heroes thrust together in a new refreshing fantasy. One cast in vibrant silks, fragrant spice, and the relentless glare of a radiant sun.
Steal the Sun is a heist, and it works. This is a very interesting Middle Eastern inspired world. I didn’t love it by I did enjoy it, but I think learned that the semi-D&D party isn’t my thing.
What worked was the Rune magic system and issues of addiction to magic. Characters were enjoyable but didn't blow me away. Seven months later, I am having minimal interest in this book and struggling to recall the details.
That says something there, one which is I should take better notes.
6/10
Set In the Middle East: Gunmetal Gods by Zamil Aktar
SPFBO Standing: SPFBO 7 Semi-finalist and last eliminated by Fantasy Book Critic
They took his daughter, so Micah comes to take their kingdom. Fifty thousand gun-toting paladins march behind him, all baptized in angel blood, thirsty to burn unbelievers.
Only the janissaries can stand against them. Their living legend, Kevah, once beheaded a magus amid a hail of ice daggers. But ever since his wife disappeared, he spends his days in a haze of hashish and poetry.
To save the kingdom, Kevah must conquer his grief and become the legend he once was. But Micah writes his own legend in blood, and his righteous conquest will stop at nothing.
When the gods choose sides, a legend will be etched upon the stars.
The fact that this book has done very well since being eliminated says a lot.
First thing you need to know that this book is grimdark. How dark? Well, there is a scene about a third in that is darker than the Red Wedding. There is a wonderful/horrible detail involving horses that is necessary to save their lives, but diminishes them.
Yet all the Grimdark is like this, not banal, but understandable from the PoV being described. It is never grim for grims sake.
Plus there is lots more going on, from rival royal courts modeled on Turkish and Byzantine courts, women who are products of sexist societies that perfectly balance being products of such societies yet also being ‘strong’, fully realized people. There are nomads and merchants. There is a very good romance and lots of stakes. Religions that are modeled on Sunni Islam and Orthodox Christianity yet are their own thing.
This is one of the two most fully realized SPFBO reads in creating a worlds that closely resembles a historical societies well. It is up there with the likes of Guy Gavriel Kay in that regard.
Only concern other than the grimdark, is that one two main PoV is a straight-out villain. The other is a flawed protagonist on a redemption arc. Some may find him too flawed to cheer for. If so, this book might not be for you.
9.5/10, and I very much considered a 10. Not only my favorite Semi Finalist, but the best book on this card.
Published in 2023: Mountain of Souls By Marcus Lee
SPFBO Standing: SPFBO 9 Entry, reviewed by Phillip Chase
Within the depths of the Mountain of Souls, orphans are raised to be remorseless assassins. Abandoned by a society ravaged by endless war and greed, hundreds die during selection so that a determined few, honed by training and enchantment, can ascend to join The Chosen.
Malina is one of those orphans.
Cursed with yellow eyes and deathly pale skin, she is neither popular nor strong and is certain to die on her first day, broken and forgotten like so many before her.
Fate, however, has other, far more reaching plans for Malina than a quick death. The return of The Once and Future King is imminent, The Chosen are pivotal to his ascension, and no two destinies have ever been more intricately entwined.
Yet what happens if the path laid out before her is not the one she decides to take?
I have read this entire trilogy, so I liked the book and I recommend the series.
This book follows Malina, an orphan girl bought by a cult of snake people. Hundreds are bought, ten survive, including Malina, and gradually she and her fellow survivors are brainwashed and trained to be assasins for this cult, servants of the Once and Future King whose return is imminent and will bring about world of equality for all humanity.
Yet Malina has something within her, that suggests that being an assasin might be a bad thing, yet her brainwashing keeps her from straight out wondering ‘are we the baddies?’ and Lee does a great job of making us sympathize with our brainwashed cultists.
This is my “Semi-Finalist” from my Six SPFBO reads.
8/10
Multiverses: Thirteenth Hour by Trudie Skies
SPFBO Standing: SPFBO 8 Runner Up
Cruel gods rule the steam-powered city of Chime, demanding worship and tribute from their mortal subjects. Kayl lost her faith in them long ago, and now seeks to protect vulnerable and downtrodden mortals from their gods’ whims. But when Kayl discovers powers that she didn’t know she had—and destroys a mortal’s soul by accident—she becomes Chime’s most wanted.
Quen’s job was to pursue sinners, until the visions started. Haunted by foreboding images of his beloved city’s destruction, Quen hunts soul-sucking creatures made of aether who prey on its citizens—and Kayl is his number one target.
To ensure Chime’s future, Kayl and Quen must discover the truth of Kayl’s divine abilities before the gods take matters into their own hands.
For a city that bows to cruel gods, it’ll take godless heathens to save it.
This is the only book I read twice. Once when SPFBO8 was winding down and again at the end of March to see if it was as good as I remembered.
I liked it more the second time.
First off, this setting contains no humans. Instead, twelve races with different abilities created by twelve gods on twelve worlds inhabit Chime, which is centered around a gate that spends an hour connected to each world twice daily, allowing for comrence and transport.
Every race is equal, only some races are more equal than others. Every god demands a tithe from the people they’ve created and some can be quite merciless if that tithe is not met.
Everyone vanishes when they die, going back to their god. Only, now, sometimes, they are not, the soul utterly destroyed.
Kayl has two problems. First she is a member of the Godless, and underground movement that wishes to be free of their Gods, committing the twin sins of blasphemy and apostacy. She has also accidently killed her employer and destroyed her soul, and she has no idea how she did that.
Quen is a Warden (i.e. Cop) tasked with capturing her, the other Godless, only he has some secrets. I am making this book sound complicated and boring.
It is snarky, sexy, beautifully anti-authoritarian, complicated in a way that balances wildly imaginative with easy to keep track of. We are get excerpts from dossiers and Godless tracts at the start of each chapter. We are exposed to every species in this setting and every one of them comes alive.
Also, Quen and Kayl are genuinely good likable people in difficult circumstances. They are easy to cheer for and the stakes they face are real.
The only ‘flaw’ in this book may be tied to why you read fantasy. If you read in hopes of sometimes having your mind blown, this is the book for you. If you read it because you like predictable tropes and familiar settings, you will find less of that here.
9.5/10 my champion of finalists and 2nd place overall on this card.
POC Author: The Dragon Charmers Apprentice by JC Kang
SPFBO Standing: SPFBO 8 Semi-Finalist from Queens Book Asylum
A slave shall rise from the ashes to master dragons.
Born into slavery, Mai's horizons are limited to one simple desire: to catch the eye of a handsome mate. She dares not dream for more, for like all humans, she’s been taught from birth that her life belongs to the orcs, her destiny to serve.
But her world is upended when Aralas, a messenger from the elf gods, reveals blasphemous truths: humanity was created to be free; and hope—if it can be called that—lies in the jaws of the dragon Avarax, whom only Mai can charm with her unique voice.
Torn, overwhelmed, desperate to hope yet terrified of failing her kind, Mai has until a rare conjunction of moons to master magic that takes lifetimes to learn. Yet how will she discover who she really is when even her allies seek to control her?
Only by making the greatest of sacrifices will she manifest the power of a Dragon Song, and help mankind escape eternal servitude.
Standard, free the already conquered world story with an Asian theme. Okay, not very original but I’m intrigued. Mai is taken to a hidden village to be trained as a singedragon charmer by Aralas, an ‘Elf-Angel’ a centuries old magical teacher who helps his various students improve their skills. This set up is convincing, in a very YA sort of way. It works out predicably well.
Then we get to why I can genuinely recommend five out six semi-finalists and this is number six.
All of Aralas’ mostly female students have slept with their centuries-old teacher, said teacher tells Mai that such a liaison is inevitable, and enhances magical abilities.
Just a hard no. 2/10. Please pass the brain bleach.
Link to Part 2
submitted by Kerney7 to Fantasy [link] [comments]
This is a bingo card filled with entries for the SPFBO, hosted by Mark Lawerence. Twenty-two out of twenty-five boxes are filled with SPFBO Entries with the remaining three slots (Sequel, Short Stories, Novella) each having ties to authors SPFBO entries.
Furthermore, the twenty-two slots are divided. Six of my bingo squares are from the SPFBO9 300 original entries and were mostly read when that section of the competition was active, from which I nominate an unofficial book bingo “Semi-Finalist”. Six Semi-Finalists from various years filled six other bingo slots, from which I pick one “Bingo Finalist”, where were I a judge, I would advance to the finals. Finally, I read ten books that made the finals including three winners, and rated them, giving them scores and picking my favorite from among them.
This is divided in two because reddit limits us to 400,000 characters.
Without Further Ado,
Row 1:
Title With A Title: Fortune’s Fool by Angela Brood
SPFBO Standing: SPFBO 5 Runner Up
Once played as a pawn in a deadly game of feuding Houses, Kyrra d’Aliente now makes her living in male guise as the ruthless mercenary Kyris di Nada. Yet hidden beneath her tough exterior lies a woman driven by one thing: the belief that her lost love, killed in the war he fought on her behalf, is still alive. But when Kyrra is offered the chance to assassinate the man who betrayed her, the seductive song of revenge changes everything.
In a world of scheming gods and precarious loyalties, vengeance comes at a deadly cost. As the treacherous web of her past tries to trap her once again, Kyrra must make a choice: kill the man who stole everything from her, or risk everything to save the man she loves.
This book follows Kyrra from a naïve and somewhat stupid heir to a noble family to her life as a mercenary swordswoman. This mixes gods, an Italian Renaissance inspired setting that feels like a more brutal version of the World of the Five Gods.
Kyrra evolves in this series of present day and flash backs, as she pieces together the destruction of her family. Punches are not pulled and not everything is known, and the man who has guided her through her transformation also has some huge secrets that even he doesn’t know.
This is the best book if you want to combine grimdark and romance (Grimantasy?). That is not an easy feat to achieve.
8.5/10
Superhero: Wayfarer by K.M. Weiland
SPFBO Standing: SPFBO 6 Semi-Finalist, from Booknest
Think being a superhero is hard? Try being the first one.
Will’s life is a proper muddle—and all because he was “accidentally” inflicted with the ability to run faster and leap higher than any human ever. One minute he’s a blacksmith’s apprentice trying to save his master from debtor’s prison. The next he’s accused of murder and hunted as a black-hearted highwayman.
A vengeful politician with dark secrets and powers even more magical than Will’s has duped all of London into blaming Will for the chilling imprisonments of the city’s poor. The harder Will tries to use his abilities to fight crime, the deeper he is entangled in a dark underworld belonging to some of Georgian England’s most colorful characters.
Only Will stands a chance of stopping this powerful madman bent on “reforming” London by any means necessary. Unfortunately, Will is beginning to realize becoming a legend might mean sacrificing everything that matters.
This book was original, smart, and very much felt like a ‘First’ superhero setting, only with the distinction of being set in 1820s England. Lots of details work, for example, I love how the class distinctions between Will and his love interest and Will and his enemy are not swept under the rug and are important to the plot. Characters are likable and well-developed.
Overall, this is a story that’s slightly feels like the first installment to superhero universe. Sadly, there is no sequel, even though there is plenty of sequel bait at the end.
8/10
Bottom of my TBR: A Handful of Souls by Stephen Rice
SPFBO Standing: SPFBO 7 Semi-Finalist from Booknest
Mud, gold and lies. That's all you get in Branera. You'll find no better expert on these things than Lily Kale-Tollworth. Yet she has no clue of the events already in motion around her.
Weeks ago, a murderer with a bleeding grin was released from the Mountain Head. Lily doesn't know this pale-skinned giant has been writing to her. She doesn't even know he's coming to find her. But as her father, Husker Tollworth feels like it's his right.
Days ago, a tax patrol was slaughtered. Lily doesn't know her brother's corpse was pulled from a ditch, stolen by a man who can raise the dead. Lark Kale-Tollworth will follow this bizarre scholar to the Southlands. He will forget how many times he's died.
Hours ago, an informant showed Lily's stepfather an incriminating note. Branera has taxed its villages too hard. An uprising is massing in the Northlands - and they have a noose with Josef Kale's name on it.
At this very moment, Josef is frantically packing their coach, while Lily is drinking whisky in a brothel. She's met the arrogant idiot who will be their guide south. She doesn't know he has a hollow soul, filled with thousands of spirits. She doesn't know his mouth is filled with as many lies.
But if there are three things Lily's good at, it's mud, gold and lies.
This is the story of the Kale-Tollworth family and feels like regency industrial creepy in a good way, rather like Joe Abercrombie’s Age of Madness, but not quite that high on the social ladder. This is intimate, family-level social disruption and chaos.
We get several viewpoints, Lilly who drinks to much, Lark who has been killed and resurrected by a necromancer, their father Husker who has just gotten out of prison for murder, and Dren and all parts are fully realized.
Overall, this is an 8/10.
Historical Setting (Substitution for Magical Realism): Werewolf of Whitechapel by Suzannah Rowntree
SPFBO Standing: SPFBO 9 Semi-Finalist, almost finalist from The Weatherwax Report/Critiquing Chemist
A killer stalks the grimy streets of Whitechapel—but Scotland Yard seems determined to turn a blind eye. With one look at her best friend's corpse, Liz Sharp already knows the truth: the killer is a werewolf.
No one important will hold a werewolf accountable—after all, the monsters rule Europe. Certainly, no one will believe a werewolf victim like Liz: the very scars that make her determined to investigate Sal’s death also condemn her as the sort of female who’d sell her blood for easy money.
As it happens, Liz’s best hope for justice might well lie with her emotionally repressed employer, Princess May. Though the princess has connections with werewolf royalty, there’s no one else Liz can turn to. Certainly, she can’t risk trusting the irritatingly personable Inspector Short, who dogs her steps from the slums of Whitechapel to the palaces of St James.
But as corpses mount up, Liz discovers that no one is precisely who she thought: not Sal, not herself, and certainly not the werewolf.
Set in an the late 1800s where most of European Royalty are vampires, werewolves and whatever else, including (secretly, the British Royal Family) Ms. Sharpe is a former werewolf victim, current amnesic, who has spent the last few years training as a bodyguard/ladies maid.
Rowntree does a great job with this intriguing world, setting up the school, the employment, the status and powers of various royal families and mixing it with the details of Whitechapel. The first two-thirds were highly enjoyable and would rate much higher. However, the final third had a lot of ‘jump the shark’ moments involving British Royals being much too differential to a newly hired servant.
If you don’t think this last part will bother you as much, I highly recommend it.
6/10
Young Adult: Regen/Regerate by Cassie Gruetman
SPFBO Standing: SPFBO 9 Entry, reviewed twice by Covers With Cassidy (Shout out to Cassidy for allowing two sub-judges to review each book)
After years of being shoved from home to home, sixteen-year-old Trisha Penchant finally found a foster family that she won’t admit she loves. Life is looking up. Until the night she wakes up in the woods covered in blood.
Her supernatural ability saved her life. But it put her on the radar of the Faerie Council, who give her an ultimatum. Catch an escaped fugitive, or be taken to Faerie, a place her missing mother told her horror stories about. Trying to appease the Council, keeping her powers hidden from her foster parents, and learning to work with the ex-boyfriend who killed her, Trisha's brushes with death are on the rise.
Pushed to the brink, she struggles to walk a fine line of doing what’s right, and doing what’s necessary.Her choices will change lives. Forever.
This is a perfectly decent, and professional YA book that I think is typical of a lot of books that get a half paragraph from various sub-judges and are then quickly passed over. Trisha is a Faerie who has been part of the foster care system. Before that she traveled around with her faerie mother as a fugitive.
The problem with this book is that while it doesn’t do anything particularly badly, it doesn’t do anything particularly well. The faerie feel remarkably mundane, Trisha doesn’t feel like a foster kid, and the foster parents she supposedly bonds with after evading their questions don’t seem a little too good to be true.
5.5/10
Row 2
Mundane Jobs: Out Of Nowhere by Patrick LeClerc
SPFBO Standing: Finalist SPFBO 4
Healer Sean Danet is immortal—a fact he has cloaked for centuries, behind enemy lines and now a paramedic’s uniform. Having forgotten most of his distant past, he has finally found peace—and love. But there are some things you cannot escape, however much distance you put behind you. When Sean heals the wrong man, he uncovers a lethal enemy who holds all the cards. And this time he can’t run. It’s time to stand and fight, for himself, for his friends, for the woman he loves. It’s time, finally, for Sean to face his past—and choose a future. A story of love, of battle—and of facing your true self when there’s nowhere left to hide.
This is the story of Sean, an EMT who just happens to be an immortal with a healing factor. He moves around on a regular basis and changes his names every few years, i.e. the standard immortal story we’ve seen. He is old enough to have no memory of his origin, which allows for a very non-specific background and very vaguely Slavic feeling criminals who know who he is and begin to hunt him. He eventually deals with this threat with a Highlander style duel and a pledge to stay out of the drug trade said criminals deal with locally.
If this story has a flaw, it’s that Sean is simply someone who, though he cares about his immediate friends, has no heroic pretensions and very little reason for us to cheer for him other than being the designated protagonist.
Some readers may also be put off by the language. It uses very contemptuous descriptions of gays, trans, and cops (and probably a few others I’ve forgotten) but which are keeping with the blue color, urban subculture of the setting. This may be off putting to some readers.
5/10
2000s: A Donkey, A Stablehand, and An Empire
SPFBO Standing: Entrée, SPFBO 9 entry, reviewed by Fantasy Book Critic
Carson Barker certainly doesn't think so, and appoints himself into the unenviable role of imperial translator.
However, it isn't going to be an easy ride. With assassins, blood-thirsty fishmongers and furious homemakers around every corner, each seeking to be the first to kill the new regent and seize the throne for themselves, Carson finds himself squarely in the firing line by association.
Little do they know this is no ordinary donkey, and the future of the Empire, possibly even the world, rests on Carson's ability to keep this extraordinary animal alive.
Will he manage to save his ass? Find out in the witty and action-packed book one of the Three Crowns series.
The people of Ostera find themselves saddled with a new, Regent, known as Regent Donkey the First - keeper of the lands through 'right of conquest' until another takes his place -accepting a stablehand as 'official translator'.
Story comes down to whether you want to kill the ass or save the ass, and whether being ruled by an ass is being any different than being ruled by a human.
It also manages to be short, so the jokes don’t get stale.
This book manages fun in a Monty Python Sort of way with and underlying Pratchett sort of thoughtful/serious.
8/10
Angels And Demons: Small Miracles by Olivia Atwater
SPFBO Standing: Winner, SPFBO 8
Gadriel, the fallen angel of petty temptations, has a bit of a gambling debt. Fortunately, her angelic bookie is happy to let her pay off her debts by doing what she does best: All Gadriel has to do is tempt miserably sinless mortal Holly Harker to do a few nice things for herself.
What should be a cakewalk of a job soon runs into several roadblocks, however, as Miss Harker politely refuses every attempt at temptation from Gadriel the woman, Gadriel the man, and Gadriel the adorable fluffy kitten. When even chocolate fails to move Gadriel’s target, the ex-guardian angel begins to suspect she’s been conned. But Gadriel still remembers her previous job… and where petty temptations fail, small miracles might yet prevail.
SPFBO 8 winner and a deserving one, though not my top choice. This is a nice feel-good story that is short and touching. Gadriel is likeable as a relatively good demon whose only crime is doubting God. The other protagonist is Holly, who has too much on her plate with her niece, daughter of her late sister whom she had very little in common.
Atwater deliberately modeled this book on the late Terry Pratchett and so the tone varies from light on the surface, but with a deeper meaning built-in and in this sense it works. The character work is excellent and the plot is well thought out.
I had the misfortune of getting the audio version which has since been removed from sale, it was so bad. But fortunately, I finished the PDF. This is one book where format really matters.
8.5/10
Five Short Stories:
All taken from the Anthology Alchemy of Sorrow, Edited by Sarah Chorn which features stories dealing with grief and loss and is highly recommended. I divided the 13 stories between this and my standard bingo card. The five I chose for this are—
A Matter of Trust by Angela Brood
The Witch in the Woods by Quenby Olsen
Death in The Uncanny Valley by M.L. Wang
Summer Souls by Clayton Snyder
The Paperweight Watch by Krystle Matar
Favorites were A Matter of Trust, about a divorced mercenary who finds healing through helping a mother with her young children. The Paperweight Watch, about a young man seeing to his deceased parents business through interactions with the employees of his family business that he’ll not be involved with on a regular basis.
My ultimate favorite was Thicker Than Water by Carol Park, about a young man labeled an evil sorcerer who sees his parents and siblings turn on him and has to start over.
9/10
Horror: Patronus by Dyrk Ashton
SPFBO Standing: SPFBO 2 Finalist
When a local hospital is attacked by strange and frightening men, Fiona Patterson and Zeke Prisco save a catatonic old man named Peter—and find themselves running for their lives with creatures beyond imagination hounding their every step.
With nowhere else to turn, they seek out Fi’s enigmatic Uncle Edgar. But the more their questions are answered, the more they discover that nothing is what it seems—not Peter, not Edgar, perhaps not even themselves.
The gods and monsters, heroes and villains of lore—they’re real. And now they’ve come out of hiding to hunt their own. In order to survive, Fi and Zeke must join up with powerful allies against an ancient evil that’s been known by many names and feared by all. The final battle of the world’s oldest war has begun.
This is a book that is about mythology, all of them, Odin, Lancelot, the Minotaur, Baphomet, Quetzalcoatl, Ganesha, and is one of those books is hard to describe and very good.
And it starts all very normal, except for some strange cuts to Asia Minor which involve the Minotaur. Fi works in a nursing home, Zeke is a few years older and volunteers as a musician. They are starting to date, and pretty soon they’re under siege in said nursing home from supernatural baddies.
They’re all going after a senile patient at the nursing home. He happens to be God, but he’s senile so they can’t ask his help at first. This is very much horror at first, then it becomes weird Urban Fantasy, but this is not the Urban Fantasy of sexy vampires, but scary and stisturbing fever dream with real stakes.
There are some flaws. The power dynamic changes when Peter, the old man/god wakes up and the ending seems inevitable. The book feels like it was written by a guy who was eighteen in about 1975. But these are minor drawbacks.
8/10
Row 3
Self Publish or Indie Publisher: Steal The Sun by SM Carter
SPFBO Standing: SPFBO 9 Entry Reviewed by Domish Books for Team Bookborn.
Domish also gets my award for best ‘sub-judge’.
When Raik, the most cunning smuggler this side of the desert, finds where the Ivory King vaults his magical runes—he builds a crew to execute an elaborate heist.
Among them is Kahli Mahanta, a religious assassin with blind ambition. A young rogue, Kirin, with wit sharper than his arrows ought to be. And Amara, the so-called Nightspirit, whose raven-hair conceals even darker secrets.
It won't be easy. They’re opposed by the curved blades of the magic-deranged, watched by a paranoid king, and hunted by gaunt beasts that click in the cold desert night... All the while discovering that trusting each other might be the most dangerous mission of all.
To Steal The Sun is a tale of unlikely heroes thrust together in a new refreshing fantasy. One cast in vibrant silks, fragrant spice, and the relentless glare of a radiant sun.
Steal the Sun is a heist, and it works. This is a very interesting Middle Eastern inspired world. I didn’t love it by I did enjoy it, but I think learned that the semi-D&D party isn’t my thing.
What worked was the Rune magic system and issues of addiction to magic. Characters were enjoyable but didn't blow me away. Seven months later, I am having minimal interest in this book and struggling to recall the details.
That says something there, one which is I should take better notes.
6/10
Set In the Middle East: Gunmetal Gods by Zamil Aktar
SPFBO Standing: SPFBO 7 Semi-finalist and last eliminated by Fantasy Book Critic
They took his daughter, so Micah comes to take their kingdom. Fifty thousand gun-toting paladins march behind him, all baptized in angel blood, thirsty to burn unbelievers.
Only the janissaries can stand against them. Their living legend, Kevah, once beheaded a magus amid a hail of ice daggers. But ever since his wife disappeared, he spends his days in a haze of hashish and poetry.
To save the kingdom, Kevah must conquer his grief and become the legend he once was. But Micah writes his own legend in blood, and his righteous conquest will stop at nothing.
When the gods choose sides, a legend will be etched upon the stars.
The fact that this book has done very well since being eliminated says a lot.
First thing you need to know that this book is grimdark. How dark? Well, there is a scene about a third in that is darker than the Red Wedding. There is a wonderful/horrible detail involving horses that is necessary to save their lives, but diminishes them.
Yet all the Grimdark is like this, not banal, but understandable from the PoV being described. It is never grim for grims sake.
Plus there is lots more going on, from rival royal courts modeled on Turkish and Byzantine courts, women who are products of sexist societies that perfectly balance being products of such societies yet also being ‘strong’, fully realized people. There are nomads and merchants. There is a very good romance and lots of stakes. Religions that are modeled on Sunni Islam and Orthodox Christianity yet are their own thing.
This is one of the two most fully realized SPFBO reads in creating a worlds that closely resembles a historical societies well. It is up there with the likes of Guy Gavriel Kay in that regard.
Only concern other than the grimdark, is that one two main PoV is a straight-out villain. The other is a flawed protagonist on a redemption arc. Some may find him too flawed to cheer for. If so, this book might not be for you.
9.5/10, and I very much considered a 10. Not only my favorite Semi Finalist, but the best book on this card.
Published in 2023: Mountain of Souls By Marcus Lee
SPFBO Standing: SPFBO 9 Entry, reviewed by Phillip Chase
Within the depths of the Mountain of Souls, orphans are raised to be remorseless assassins. Abandoned by a society ravaged by endless war and greed, hundreds die during selection so that a determined few, honed by training and enchantment, can ascend to join The Chosen.
Malina is one of those orphans.
Cursed with yellow eyes and deathly pale skin, she is neither popular nor strong and is certain to die on her first day, broken and forgotten like so many before her.
Fate, however, has other, far more reaching plans for Malina than a quick death. The return of The Once and Future King is imminent, The Chosen are pivotal to his ascension, and no two destinies have ever been more intricately entwined.
Yet what happens if the path laid out before her is not the one she decides to take?
I have read this entire trilogy, so I liked the book and I recommend the series.
This book follows Malina, an orphan girl bought by a cult of snake people. Hundreds are bought, ten survive, including Malina, and gradually she and her fellow survivors are brainwashed and trained to be assasins for this cult, servants of the Once and Future King whose return is imminent and will bring about world of equality for all humanity.
Yet Malina has something within her, that suggests that being an assasin might be a bad thing, yet her brainwashing keeps her from straight out wondering ‘are we the baddies?’ and Lee does a great job of making us sympathize with our brainwashed cultists.
This is my “Semi-Finalist” from my Six SPFBO reads.
8/10
Multiverses: Thirteenth Hour by Trudie Skies
SPFBO Standing: SPFBO 8 Runner Up
Cruel gods rule the steam-powered city of Chime, demanding worship and tribute from their mortal subjects. Kayl lost her faith in them long ago, and now seeks to protect vulnerable and downtrodden mortals from their gods’ whims. But when Kayl discovers powers that she didn’t know she had—and destroys a mortal’s soul by accident—she becomes Chime’s most wanted.
Quen’s job was to pursue sinners, until the visions started. Haunted by foreboding images of his beloved city’s destruction, Quen hunts soul-sucking creatures made of aether who prey on its citizens—and Kayl is his number one target.
To ensure Chime’s future, Kayl and Quen must discover the truth of Kayl’s divine abilities before the gods take matters into their own hands.
For a city that bows to cruel gods, it’ll take godless heathens to save it.
This is the only book I read twice. Once when SPFBO8 was winding down and again at the end of March to see if it was as good as I remembered.
I liked it more the second time.
First off, this setting contains no humans. Instead, twelve races with different abilities created by twelve gods on twelve worlds inhabit Chime, which is centered around a gate that spends an hour connected to each world twice daily, allowing for comrence and transport.
Every race is equal, only some races are more equal than others. Every god demands a tithe from the people they’ve created and some can be quite merciless if that tithe is not met.
Everyone vanishes when they die, going back to their god. Only, now, sometimes, they are not, the soul utterly destroyed.
Kayl has two problems. First she is a member of the Godless, and underground movement that wishes to be free of their Gods, committing the twin sins of blasphemy and apostacy. She has also accidently killed her employer and destroyed her soul, and she has no idea how she did that.
Quen is a Warden (i.e. Cop) tasked with capturing her, the other Godless, only he has some secrets. I am making this book sound complicated and boring.
It is snarky, sexy, beautifully anti-authoritarian, complicated in a way that balances wildly imaginative with easy to keep track of. We are get excerpts from dossiers and Godless tracts at the start of each chapter. We are exposed to every species in this setting and every one of them comes alive.
Also, Quen and Kayl are genuinely good likable people in difficult circumstances. They are easy to cheer for and the stakes they face are real.
The only ‘flaw’ in this book may be tied to why you read fantasy. If you read in hopes of sometimes having your mind blown, this is the book for you. If you read it because you like predictable tropes and familiar settings, you will find less of that here.
9.5/10 my champion of finalists and 2nd place overall on this card.
POC Author: The Dragon Charmers Apprentice by JC Kang
SPFBO Standing: SPFBO 8 Semi-Finalist from Queens Book Asylum
A slave shall rise from the ashes to master dragons.
Born into slavery, Mai's horizons are limited to one simple desire: to catch the eye of a handsome mate. She dares not dream for more, for like all humans, she’s been taught from birth that her life belongs to the orcs, her destiny to serve.
But her world is upended when Aralas, a messenger from the elf gods, reveals blasphemous truths: humanity was created to be free; and hope—if it can be called that—lies in the jaws of the dragon Avarax, whom only Mai can charm with her unique voice.
Torn, overwhelmed, desperate to hope yet terrified of failing her kind, Mai has until a rare conjunction of moons to master magic that takes lifetimes to learn. Yet how will she discover who she really is when even her allies seek to control her?
Only by making the greatest of sacrifices will she manifest the power of a Dragon Song, and help mankind escape eternal servitude.
Standard, free the already conquered world story with an Asian theme. Okay, not very original but I’m intrigued. Mai is taken to a hidden village to be trained as a singedragon charmer by Aralas, an ‘Elf-Angel’ a centuries old magical teacher who helps his various students improve their skills. This set up is convincing, in a very YA sort of way. It works out predicably well.
Then we get to why I can genuinely recommend five out six semi-finalists and this is number six.
All of Aralas’ mostly female students have slept with their centuries-old teacher, said teacher tells Mai that such a liaison is inevitable, and enhances magical abilities.
Just a hard no. 2/10. Please pass the brain bleach.
Link to Part 2
2024.04.06 23:39 crispy_kat Comprehensive Season 1 Guide
hey so I convinced one of my friends to watch Glee but she thinks it's got too much singing, though based on other similar musicals and shows she likes I'm sure she'll actually enjoy it if she gives it a chance. I made this guide to season 1. It's stuff that's important to watch, some skippable songs, things I don't think she'd like, etc. Please let me know if I missed anything, but other than that, here it is! If anyone wants to use it, feel free :)
Glee Guide
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I’ll make another for season 2 but it’s 3 in the morning so that’s it for now
submitted by crispy_kat to glee [link] [comments]
Glee Guide
- Pilot - Seen
- Showmance - Unnecessary
- Quinn joins glee club to keep an eye on Rachel and Finn
- Youtube: Say a Little Prayer
- New Directions (ND) performs for school for first time
- Youtube: Push it
Summary of important stuff:
- Will forms an all-male acapella group to gain confidence away from glee club
- Puck and Finn join
- Mercedes gets a crush on Kurt then finds out he’s gay and gets mad
- Youtube: Bust your windows
Summary of important stuff:
- As seen already, Quinn is pregnant and tells Finn he’s the father (he’s not)
- Puck is the real father because he got Quinn drunk and she is lying to Finn because she doesn’t know what to do
- Funny Kurt + football storyline, worth watching if you want to
- If you don’t watch, youtube: Single Ladies by Kurt, Single Ladies by football team
Summary of important stuff:
- Rachel has quit glee club because she didn’t get enough solos, so as they prepare for sectionals, Quinn gets to sing Rachel’s solo with Finn
- However she gets motion sickness and leaves (rest of ND do not know she is pregnant except Finn, Puck and Mr Schue)
- Finn realizes he could get a music scholarship if they win the competition so he tries to get Rachel to come back, knowing they can’t win without her
- Will’s ex classmate April Rhodes (Kristin Chenoweth) goes back to school to get her HS diploma, but encourages drinking and bad behavior with the kids
- Important scenes: ND find out about Quinn, Somebody to love
Summary of important stuff:
- Lots of Terri (yay)
- ND on drugs performing in a mini boys vs girls competition among the group
- Terri has an important question for Quinn
- Only two songs in this episode, the two mashups performed for the boys vs girls competition, both energetic and entertaining
Summary:
- Important Terri and Will storyline advances
- Important Quinn vs Rachel storyline advances
- Very funny Sue plot line
- Sue splits up the ND based on minorities, leaving the five white kids (Rachel, Finn, Quinn, Puck, Brittany) with Mr Schue
- Important development between Sue and Quinn
- Songs to skip: Ride wit me, hate on me
Summary:
- Will is approached by Emma to do a favor for her
- Ken has trust issues and forces the glee club football players (Puck, Finn, Mike, Matt) to pick between football and glee by putting football practice at the same time as their rehearsals
- Quinn and Finn grapple with losing all their popularity
- Puck and Rachel begin a relationship
- Sue gives very bad news to Quinn
- Songs to skip: Bust a move, thong song (please), what a girl wants, I could have danced all night
- Basically skip all songs except maybe sweet caroline because it’s puck’s first solo and Sing because there’s no singing it’s just dancing (with Sue)
Summary:
- Artie may not be able to go to sectionals with the rest of the group because they can’t afford a wheelchair accessible bus
- The group starts a bake sale fundraiser to raise money for the bus
- Mr Schue makes the group use wheelchairs for a week to sympathize with Artie
- Quinn and Finn struggle to pay for bills, Finn searches for a job
- Sue is suspiciously nice and lets a student with Down syndrome on the Cheerios
- Kurt and Rachel compete for a solo at sectionals
- Only three songs and they’re all pretty good. Even Kurt and Rachel's tbh
- In case you don’t watch, here are the important bits:
Summary:
- Mr Schue splits the club into pairs to sing ballads to each other for their assignment, but a member is sick so he has to step in and be Rachel’s partner, but Rachel develops a crush on him
- Finn reveals the truth to Quinn’s parents so she moves in with Finn and his mom
- Puck reveals a secret to Mercedes
- The group gathers to support Quinn and Finn at the end
- Songs to skip: none, they are all really good actually (or they’re so uncomfortable but they move the plot along and are important)
Summary:
- Mr Schue is suspicious of Sue and suspects that she is scheming against them
- He visits the school of one of their competitor glee clubs and talks to their coach to see if she has leaked their set list
- This also causes issues with their other competitor school, a school for the deaf
- Kurt gives Rachel a makeover to impress Finn, but he is secretly making her look bad because he has a crush on Finn
- Quinn considers keeping her baby instead of giving it up for adoption, so to test it out, she babysits Terri’s nephews with Puck
- Songs to skip: Bootylicious
- Important scenes in case you skip:
Summary:
- Budget cuts make it so the glee club won’t get a yearbook photo, but everyone is happy because it means their photos won’t get vandalized
- Rachel is very upset about this and books the glee club a mattress commercial to make money for a photo
- Quinn makes it her mission to get on the cheerleading yearbook photo despite being kicked off
- Terri and Will showdown
- Songs to skip: Smile, When you’re smiling
Summary:
- The first competition arrives
- Finn is very stressed about the baby, but Rachel uses some deducing skills to determine that the father is Puck, then Quinn's secret is revealed
- Funny and important-to-the-future scene between Santana, Brittany, Mercedes, Tina and Kurt
- Will is disqualified and cannot take the club to sectionals so Emma steps in, despite her wedding being on the same day
- Sue leaks the setlist to ND’s competitors and throws another curveball at them
- Songs to skip: You can’t always get what you want
Summary:
- Fresh off their win at Sectionals, ND starts preparing for regionals
- Rachel and Finn’s budding romance hits a bump when Vocal Adrenaline (competitor club) leader Jesse St James (Kristoff) shows up and begins messing with the club
- Mr Schue goes to VA coach Shelby Corcoran (Elsa) to confirm this
- Will considers his relationship with Emma
- Shelby tries to connect with Rachel and reveal her identity
- Songs to skip: Hello Again
Summary:
- Sue expresses her love of Madonna
- Mr Schue is concerned that the girls in glee club are being bullied by the guys
- He makes this week’s assignment Madonna, hoping the empowering messages will help the girls, and will teach the boys the errors of their ways
- Kurt and Mercedes join the Cheerios
- Finn sleeps with Santana (losing his virginity) and immediately regrets it
- Songs to skip: Depends, they did a good job with all of them but if you don’t know any, you might not wanna watch some songs
- Main takeaway should be this: Vogue by Sue
Summary:
- Kurt sets up his dad Burt with someone, hoping to make a "real family", but it backfires
- Sue demands that Mercedes goes on a diet and loses 10 pounds in preparation for an interview with a cheerleading magazine
- Quinn helps Mercedes with her body image issues
- April Rhodes returns to help Will save the glee club
- If you skip, here’s the key moments:
- Mercedes talks to Santana and Brittany, Mercedes faints, Quinn talks to her couldn't find clips of Kurt and Burt’s storyline
- Songs to skip: the songs here aren’t great, but don’t skip A House is Not a Home and Beautiful
- If you skip, here’s the key moments:
Summary:
- Mr Schuester begins an investigation when someone makes a list ranking the glee club members’ hotness
- Meanwhile, a very embarrassing video of Sue gets leaked and circulates McKinley
- In retaliation, Sue makes a list of her own against them
- The low-ranked students (or the ones who didn’t even make the cut) try to improve their popularity
- Will has the club find songs with bad reputations and try to improve them to teach the club a lesson
- Important Rachel + Jesse + Finn + Puck storyline as well
- Very iconic performances in this episode, and they are all purposefully bad hence the name
- Ice Ice Baby, You Can’t Touch This, Physical, Total Eclipse of the Heart, and one of the most iconic glee performances of all time: Run Joey Run
- Laryngitis - Mainly filler but funny, recommend you watch
- Rachel gets laryngitis and over exaggerates a lot, believing she’ll never sing again and that this will get in the way of regionals
- Finn takes her to the doctor but tries not to let her see how much he cares about her
- He helps her learn to put things in perspective by taking him to visit one of his old friends
- Kurt tries to “act straight” to impress Burt after seeing how he bonds with Finn over guy stuff
- Puck dates Mercedes strategically after losing his mohawk, causing Mercedes and Santana to fight over him, eventually Mercedes quits cheerios
- Songs to skip: One, Rose’s Turn, Pink Houses
- In case you skip:
Summary:
- Will’s old high school nemesis Bryan Ryan (Neil Patrick Harris) decides he wants to cut the glee club budget
- Tina tries to encourage Artie to be hopeful that he will walk again some day and fulfill his biggest dream, dancing
- Tina offers to help create a wheelchair dance routine with him
- Jesse St James helps Rachel find out who her mother is
- Songs to skip:
- Daydream Believer, Piano Man, Dream On (if you want, but I think it's good)
- Songs to skip:
Summary:
- The group pays tribute to Lady Gaga and their theatricality, but the boys think she’s too girly so they pay tribute to KISS (all except Kurt)
- Principal Figgins believes Tina is a vampire because of her gothic clothes
- Rachel finds out Vocal Adrenaline is going to do Lady Gaga for regionals and encourages the group to be inspired by her style
- Rachel discovers who her mother is
- Finn and Kurt face challenges after Burt and Carole move in together
- Puck tries to help Quinn with the baby plans
- Songs to skip:
- Pokerface (it’s good it’s just an acoustic version and I don’t like it) the rest of the songs in this episode are all very good
- Songs to skip:
Summary:
- Jesse rejoins Vocal Adrenaline, scaring ND
- Vocal Adrenaline trashes ND’s choir room as a way of intimidating them
- They learn that VA’s greatest weakness is funk music so the group explores funk to beat them
- Quinn tries to connect with her “funky” side with help from Mercedes
- Quinn’s methods are a little strange resulting in another iconic performance (not in a good way)
- Sue gets a crush on an enemy
- Jesse + Rachel drama
- Will and Terri finalize their divorce
- Songs to skip: Tell Me Something Good
- DO NOT SKIP MAN’S WORLD, it’s a piece of glee history (again, not in a good way)
Summary:
- The moment they’ve been waiting for has arrived, Regionals
- Sue throws another curveball at Will and the club, knowing that if they don’t win, Figgins will cut the program for next year
- Quinn’s life changes
- Finn and Rachel begin to rebuild their relationship
I’ll make another for season 2 but it’s 3 in the morning so that’s it for now
2024.04.06 11:23 EccentricBai Katrina Kaif - the Mega Post - First Deepdive by Rekharai that caught attention of many Influencers
KATRINA KAIF'S FAMILY - Call this the mega post. Keep scrolling for the photos. A lot has been said about Katrina's past, I'll start by saying that I don’t debate her existence in Indian cinema because regardless of anything, she's here and here to stay and yes it doesn’t matter at this point who her father is - but finally there is a subreddit where we can hopefully post or discuss her background without fear of someone's PR making someone take it down. More info on her real father in this post as well (below).
But first - there is a lot of "conjecture" about Katrina's past - the general conjecture seems to be that Katrina struggled as a child and had to support her family by modeling or appearing in pornos. Her past is troubled, her family was in a cult, they didn't have much money and had to move around, etc. etc. I believe this to be mainly false. While I don't doubt that her parents divorce troubled her, and that Katrina had a colorful upbringing, but as her mother was allegedly a lawyer from Bath, England who then went on to pursue social work, Katrina's upbringing seems fairly stable (other than the moving around she mentions). Katrina’s mother does social work to this day with her partner Jessie Joseph Tincher. My understanding is that due to her being moved around, she was homeschooled by private tutors. Clearly, her siblings did not receive a poor early education as they all went on successfully to higher education, Katrina herself says that if she didn't join acting, she would have continued on in school like her younger sister. Her elder and younger siblings are all highly accomplished, barring perhaps Isabelle who did study theatre.
I don’t dispute that Katrina was not close to her father, as per her comment here: No. I have no idea where it is. My mother and my father – when they split, we were very young. And for reasons my mom would like to keep private, they went their separate ways and the contact after that was very, very bare minimal. So my dad, unfortunately, and not out of choice, has had no influence on our upbringing, on our religious or social or moral bearings. Whatever it has been – it’s just been my mother. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/Im-not-dumb-Katrina/articleshow/7162203.cms
However, based on what Katrina has spoken about her family, and how tight knit they seem to be, they just don’t seem to be scarred (I know they could have worked through this in therapy), and by all accounts seem like a very close, tight knit family who all celebrate together like they did at Christine’s wedding and will be doing for Natacha in August. The fact that they all also continued into higher education, is not easy for someone to do if they were “cult members” - members of cults when they get out typically spend a lot of time working out their issues, struggling with relationships and school, and Katrina’s siblings' lives took a very normal trajectory. Katrina spoke about her childhood in this video - saying that she was a perfect daughter until the age of 15 and that she was very introverted as a child and that her family thought she would be a doctor. Source: https://youtu.be/SLAKEAEHurs?t=179 That’s not the indication of someone who had any sort of low income, or troubled childhood where you’d have to worry about getting in with the wrong crowd. She also mentioned “if there is ever a family get together” she would cling to her mother and then seems to try and recover that statement because obviously her story was that she was being transported all over the world and therefore it doesn’t make sense that they would have family around. It seems like they mainly moved around Europe such as France, Poland. Belgium which makes sense as they were British citizens and had easy ability to move and I suppose there was a short stint in Hawaii. Her mother, clearly an educated lawyer seemed to have more than enough money to take care of them and by Katrina's own accounts she was "successful". Maybe from the age of 15-17, Katrina was “wild” and dabbled in amateur modeling, her sister had reportedly done a porno, but most of her upbringing seems normal and that may have just been her acting out teenage phase which were the 3 years spent in London from 14-17. Edit for clarification: I believe rumours Katrina ever dabbled in porn to be false, as she would have been a minor at that time. Their friend Terry Stephen’s is an above board producer and child pornography is a serious crime.
Katrina’s statements
As recently as 2019 Katrina made claims about having Indian heritage while doing promotions for Bharat *"*This election, as with every election, citizenship was a hot topic and Bollywood celebrities with foreign citizenship saw their patriotism being questioned. Katrina too holds a British passport, while her upcoming film is ironically titled, Bharat. She says, “I am an Indian and my father is Indian. I have an Indian heritage. There are many actresses who hold different passports. One could hold a different passport due to various reasons. But my father is Indian and that is my origin,” and adds, “Although my mother is British, India has always been my home. It has been my home since the time I was 17. This is the country in which I live and work.” https://www.asianage.com/age-on-sunday/010619/my-father-is-indian-thats-my-origin-katrina-kaif.html
She also agrees in this video interview that her father is Indian/Kashmiri: https://youtu.be/gratZDAQ2sI?t=878 and mentions that she had an Uncle and family in Bangalore - an uncle we only hear of in the beginning of her career in Bollywood.
In an interview with Indian Express by Uttara Varma https://twitter.com/uttaravarma she spoke comprehensively about her background was asked "Do you consider yourself a foreigner or an Indian?" She replied "I am hundred per cent Indian. When I was growing up, I always felt a very strong awareness that I am an Asian. I don't know whether that's politically correct or not, but I always felt that I am different and growing up in a country that's not Asian. But that sense of belonging was always missing when I was growing up. When I came to India, I felt an instant sense of belonging. My uncle was here, I had a bit of family in Bangalore. My uncle was a civil engineer constructing water systems for the city. I came here with my older sister and she said, "Katrina, this is not for me and I love our house in London and want to go back." I said I am going to stay here; this is where I want to be. Now, there is no other place that I would ever consider home. When I came here, I had only Rs 4 lakh. I told myself that if I can make it with this money, I will stay here. If not, I will go back to London and rejoin college. So the stories of Kaizad Gustad discovering you... I met Kaizad Gustad in London. He encouraged me. He said, "You must come to India." At that time I was focusing on modelling. He gave me a lot of contacts, including that of Farooq."
Tell us who you are. Why is there so much mystery? Tell us about yourself, pre-stardom. I was born in Hong Kong. My mom was a Harvard graduate, a very successful lawyer who gave it up to join a charitable organisation. She was working with the organisation as a non-profit lawyer and because of that, we travelled a lot. From Hong Kong, we went to Japan, China, France, Hawaii and then to London.
The Indian in you comes from your father. Yes. My parents separated when we were very young. We were raised by my mother who did a wonderful job. She raised us with the belief and inspiration to find yourself in the world. Live your dreams and find what is going to make you live life freely. She made us tough and she wasn't the kind of mother who told us to go to college and get a degree and become a doctor or a lawyer. She herself had found her fulfillment in things that were off-beat. I have one brother. He is a professional skier and a rock climber.
What about your father? We have grown up without a father. I missed it a great deal. I do feel that sense of loss.
You haven't been in touch with him? No. When I see friends who have wonderful fathers who are like pillars of support for their families, I say, if only I had that. But instead of complaining, I should be grateful for all the other things I have.
He hasn't tried to get in touch with you after you became a star. No, he is not that kind of a man. *He is very decent and comes from a good family** and they went their own ways because of issues which are personal. He is an affluent person, so he is not going to come back because his daughter is now famous.*
Regarding the controversial story that Ayesha Shroff shared about Katrina's last name being Turcotte and choosing Kaif, Katrina said Her father, Mohammad Kaif, lives in America and is quite a well-to-do businessman, she says, who has no interest in reaching out to her. She claims he is a Kashmiri, though it is a most unusual name in those parts. "It's a closed topic for our family," says Katrina. "My mother's been married twice. It's a common thing, even here in India. She deserves her privacy. Why is there this constant questioning of my parentage?" https://www.indiatoday.in/profile/story/the-rise-of-bollywood-beauty-katrina-kaif-126985-2011-01-28
She also says “My last name is Turquotte, *which I have taken after my mother’s name.** I don’t understand this constant scrutiny about my last name. There are other actors too, such as Ajay Devgn and Akshay Kumar, who have got different names on their passports. I wonder why the media doesn’t ask them the same questions!”* https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/do-you-ask-for-akshay-s-passport-asks-katrina/story-iMr8rmbNUYkfkyNBzKSsAO.html
As well she’s said “And for people wondering, yes, my passport name is Katrina Turquotte. I changed it because it'll be easier for people to call me. Nothing more." https://www.timesnownews.com/entertainment/news/people/article/do-you-know-why-katrina-kaif-changed-her-surname-mohammad-kaif-find-out-here-bollywood-news/286774
So the context then is that Katrina changed her legal name from her Caucasian mother’s name - Turcotte, to her Indian Kashmiri father’s name (we assume this is Kaif). Except of course, this is likely not the reality.
Katrina's siblings:
This picture was originally posted by Katrina's 2years younger sister, Melissa. In it, she is standing with we believe Katrina’s real father - Ronald Turcotte. The photo shows Stephanie (Katrina’s eldest sister) commenting that “Dad” still looks young. Melissa is with her half or step siblings, Kevin and Nicole, who he is raising with his wife, Beet Turcotte. The fact that Beet has the last name Turcotte, indicates that this is Roland’s last name, and it is not in fact Suzanne Mary Theresa’s surname, but her married name. Which means that Katrina would be 100% caucasian - with French/Canadian heritage on her father’s side and British on her mother’s side.
https://preview.redd.it/oh3k5thovuz41.jpg?width=650&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bced7760d830495be5cec9d9c1556b860ae3ef7f
The fact that Melissa is standing with Roland and his step/children indicates that there is no Mohammad Kaif, that he fathered Katrina, Melissa and Isabelle and that Roland was very much a part of the family and in contact with his children even after his divorce and after marrying Beet. He's certainly not a Kashmiri businessman who divorced her mom and was never heard from again. He exists. On Facebook. In Montreal, Quebec, Canada. His wife and children exist. All of their relations can be seen on Facebook.
Beet was previously married to Johannes Maurits. It seems likely that Nicole and Kevin Maurits are not Ronald’s as they go by Beet’s ex husband’s name. They had other children as well - Angela, Melanie. There is a Mexico family album where they call Johanes “Dad”. Johanes is a photographer.
Ronald and current wife Beet. You can see Katrina resembles him here.
Alright so now about the family. This is Ronald below with all the kids. You can see it is a family photo where he’s holding his youngest child at the time - Katrina. The other children in the photo are Stephanie, Sebastian (Michael), Christine and Natacha.
Ronald holding his youngest child at the time, Katrina
Ronald with 5 of his children. Probably around 1988
There was another baseless rumor that Stephanie's father is Ronald, but Christine and Michael were the result of Mary's relationship with someone named Jean Louis Duran, following which she had the rest of her children with Ronald again. I don’t really believe this because Sebastian (Michael) goes by Ronald’s last name, so it doesn’t make sense that Suzanne (Katrina’s mother) would have had children with Ronald, then with some other guy, then with Ronald again. This just seems like something that was made up to again give the impression that Katrina had some sort of bohemian upbringing where her mother had multiple partners so that we buy the story that Katrina had an Indian father, which we know to be false. It seems likely that Katrina's mother was only married once to Ronald, and now she is with her current partner, Jessie Joseph Tincher with whom she has been with since at least 2007 as they started their NGO in India. I don't believe Katrina's mother or Ronald are in touch.
Ronald's account. You can see his daughter Natacha there.
Nicole and Natacha are also friends
Ronald and Beet in Montreal with their family
Stephanie (Katrina's sister) lovely comment on Beet's photo.
https://preview.redd.it/cc5ctmecwuz41.png?width=1654&format=png&auto=webp&s=3172f4267d4c777607733d8ed33d4470f4dffe28
Christmas fun
Katrina's step sisters and her sisters are all gorgeous! This is Nicole and her partner
Natacha and her partner Michael who will be getting married in August. Congratulations on your engagement!
Christine resembles her mother so much. This is her with her two daughters.
Ronald is friends with all his children on Facebook - you can see Stephanie, Christine, Natacha, Melissa deleted her account, Sebastian doesn't have Facebook anymore, and Ann Roberts is (see next pic)...
Ann Roberts is Isabelle Kaif. Katrina's YOUNGER sister. Ergo, all of them have the same father.
Alrighty.. lets hope this doesn't get taken down.
As for all of this information - it was publicly posted, on public forums, all rights for these images belong to Facebook and I cannot verify that any of these accounts are real because Facebook doesn't have verified accounts but you can see the comments etc, I'm not making this up or creating fake accounts lol.
submitted by EccentricBai to BBNG [link] [comments]
But first - there is a lot of "conjecture" about Katrina's past - the general conjecture seems to be that Katrina struggled as a child and had to support her family by modeling or appearing in pornos. Her past is troubled, her family was in a cult, they didn't have much money and had to move around, etc. etc. I believe this to be mainly false. While I don't doubt that her parents divorce troubled her, and that Katrina had a colorful upbringing, but as her mother was allegedly a lawyer from Bath, England who then went on to pursue social work, Katrina's upbringing seems fairly stable (other than the moving around she mentions). Katrina’s mother does social work to this day with her partner Jessie Joseph Tincher. My understanding is that due to her being moved around, she was homeschooled by private tutors. Clearly, her siblings did not receive a poor early education as they all went on successfully to higher education, Katrina herself says that if she didn't join acting, she would have continued on in school like her younger sister. Her elder and younger siblings are all highly accomplished, barring perhaps Isabelle who did study theatre.
I don’t dispute that Katrina was not close to her father, as per her comment here: No. I have no idea where it is. My mother and my father – when they split, we were very young. And for reasons my mom would like to keep private, they went their separate ways and the contact after that was very, very bare minimal. So my dad, unfortunately, and not out of choice, has had no influence on our upbringing, on our religious or social or moral bearings. Whatever it has been – it’s just been my mother. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/Im-not-dumb-Katrina/articleshow/7162203.cms
However, based on what Katrina has spoken about her family, and how tight knit they seem to be, they just don’t seem to be scarred (I know they could have worked through this in therapy), and by all accounts seem like a very close, tight knit family who all celebrate together like they did at Christine’s wedding and will be doing for Natacha in August. The fact that they all also continued into higher education, is not easy for someone to do if they were “cult members” - members of cults when they get out typically spend a lot of time working out their issues, struggling with relationships and school, and Katrina’s siblings' lives took a very normal trajectory. Katrina spoke about her childhood in this video - saying that she was a perfect daughter until the age of 15 and that she was very introverted as a child and that her family thought she would be a doctor. Source: https://youtu.be/SLAKEAEHurs?t=179 That’s not the indication of someone who had any sort of low income, or troubled childhood where you’d have to worry about getting in with the wrong crowd. She also mentioned “if there is ever a family get together” she would cling to her mother and then seems to try and recover that statement because obviously her story was that she was being transported all over the world and therefore it doesn’t make sense that they would have family around. It seems like they mainly moved around Europe such as France, Poland. Belgium which makes sense as they were British citizens and had easy ability to move and I suppose there was a short stint in Hawaii. Her mother, clearly an educated lawyer seemed to have more than enough money to take care of them and by Katrina's own accounts she was "successful". Maybe from the age of 15-17, Katrina was “wild” and dabbled in amateur modeling, her sister had reportedly done a porno, but most of her upbringing seems normal and that may have just been her acting out teenage phase which were the 3 years spent in London from 14-17. Edit for clarification: I believe rumours Katrina ever dabbled in porn to be false, as she would have been a minor at that time. Their friend Terry Stephen’s is an above board producer and child pornography is a serious crime.
Katrina’s statements
As recently as 2019 Katrina made claims about having Indian heritage while doing promotions for Bharat *"*This election, as with every election, citizenship was a hot topic and Bollywood celebrities with foreign citizenship saw their patriotism being questioned. Katrina too holds a British passport, while her upcoming film is ironically titled, Bharat. She says, “I am an Indian and my father is Indian. I have an Indian heritage. There are many actresses who hold different passports. One could hold a different passport due to various reasons. But my father is Indian and that is my origin,” and adds, “Although my mother is British, India has always been my home. It has been my home since the time I was 17. This is the country in which I live and work.” https://www.asianage.com/age-on-sunday/010619/my-father-is-indian-thats-my-origin-katrina-kaif.html
She also agrees in this video interview that her father is Indian/Kashmiri: https://youtu.be/gratZDAQ2sI?t=878 and mentions that she had an Uncle and family in Bangalore - an uncle we only hear of in the beginning of her career in Bollywood.
In an interview with Indian Express by Uttara Varma https://twitter.com/uttaravarma she spoke comprehensively about her background was asked "Do you consider yourself a foreigner or an Indian?" She replied "I am hundred per cent Indian. When I was growing up, I always felt a very strong awareness that I am an Asian. I don't know whether that's politically correct or not, but I always felt that I am different and growing up in a country that's not Asian. But that sense of belonging was always missing when I was growing up. When I came to India, I felt an instant sense of belonging. My uncle was here, I had a bit of family in Bangalore. My uncle was a civil engineer constructing water systems for the city. I came here with my older sister and she said, "Katrina, this is not for me and I love our house in London and want to go back." I said I am going to stay here; this is where I want to be. Now, there is no other place that I would ever consider home. When I came here, I had only Rs 4 lakh. I told myself that if I can make it with this money, I will stay here. If not, I will go back to London and rejoin college. So the stories of Kaizad Gustad discovering you... I met Kaizad Gustad in London. He encouraged me. He said, "You must come to India." At that time I was focusing on modelling. He gave me a lot of contacts, including that of Farooq."
Tell us who you are. Why is there so much mystery? Tell us about yourself, pre-stardom. I was born in Hong Kong. My mom was a Harvard graduate, a very successful lawyer who gave it up to join a charitable organisation. She was working with the organisation as a non-profit lawyer and because of that, we travelled a lot. From Hong Kong, we went to Japan, China, France, Hawaii and then to London.
The Indian in you comes from your father. Yes. My parents separated when we were very young. We were raised by my mother who did a wonderful job. She raised us with the belief and inspiration to find yourself in the world. Live your dreams and find what is going to make you live life freely. She made us tough and she wasn't the kind of mother who told us to go to college and get a degree and become a doctor or a lawyer. She herself had found her fulfillment in things that were off-beat. I have one brother. He is a professional skier and a rock climber.
What about your father? We have grown up without a father. I missed it a great deal. I do feel that sense of loss.
You haven't been in touch with him? No. When I see friends who have wonderful fathers who are like pillars of support for their families, I say, if only I had that. But instead of complaining, I should be grateful for all the other things I have.
He hasn't tried to get in touch with you after you became a star. No, he is not that kind of a man. *He is very decent and comes from a good family** and they went their own ways because of issues which are personal. He is an affluent person, so he is not going to come back because his daughter is now famous.*
Regarding the controversial story that Ayesha Shroff shared about Katrina's last name being Turcotte and choosing Kaif, Katrina said Her father, Mohammad Kaif, lives in America and is quite a well-to-do businessman, she says, who has no interest in reaching out to her. She claims he is a Kashmiri, though it is a most unusual name in those parts. "It's a closed topic for our family," says Katrina. "My mother's been married twice. It's a common thing, even here in India. She deserves her privacy. Why is there this constant questioning of my parentage?" https://www.indiatoday.in/profile/story/the-rise-of-bollywood-beauty-katrina-kaif-126985-2011-01-28
She also says “My last name is Turquotte, *which I have taken after my mother’s name.** I don’t understand this constant scrutiny about my last name. There are other actors too, such as Ajay Devgn and Akshay Kumar, who have got different names on their passports. I wonder why the media doesn’t ask them the same questions!”* https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/do-you-ask-for-akshay-s-passport-asks-katrina/story-iMr8rmbNUYkfkyNBzKSsAO.html
As well she’s said “And for people wondering, yes, my passport name is Katrina Turquotte. I changed it because it'll be easier for people to call me. Nothing more." https://www.timesnownews.com/entertainment/news/people/article/do-you-know-why-katrina-kaif-changed-her-surname-mohammad-kaif-find-out-here-bollywood-news/286774
So the context then is that Katrina changed her legal name from her Caucasian mother’s name - Turcotte, to her Indian Kashmiri father’s name (we assume this is Kaif). Except of course, this is likely not the reality.
Katrina's siblings:
- Stephanie born 30 August 1977 currently living in Atlanta, Georgia USA. She is Operations Manager at Jackbilt Development and has her own dog care service called https://www.mawnpaws.com/. She says " I have loved dogs and animals since I was born. I have been fortunate enough to grow up all over Asia and Europe and have always saved and cared for any animals i found.I had my first dog Princess in Japan who had a few litters that I would care for as a young girl. "
- Michael aka Sebastian 1978 (Who also calls himself "Sebastian Turcotte") makes bespoke furniture https://sebastienbespoke.blogspot.com
- Christine Rapheal Spencer - 1981, UK - married with 2 children. Her wedding pictures were widely shared with indian media where Katrina and her sisters wore pink bridesmaid dresses. She does eyelashes - https://www.instagram.com/christinelashes/ (followed by Yasmin Karachiwala,her sister's dogwalking business, follows Katrina accounts and.. Sajid Nadiadwala lol)
- Natacha Roberts/Turcotte 1982 - UK - has 1 child named Archie, and is engaged to Mike O Gorman. She is getting married in August this year! (She’s also gorgeous omg I mean they all are)
- Katrina Kaif 1984, actress
- Melissa Turcotte 1985 November, Mathematician, current occupation unknown http://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/75083/imperial-maths-students-sweep-board-science/#maincontent
- Sonia Turcotte 1989, London UK, Designer (tech not fashion) soniaturcotte.com she recently worked on the UK gov site and is pursuing her masters now.
- Isabel Kaif 1991, actress
This picture was originally posted by Katrina's 2years younger sister, Melissa. In it, she is standing with we believe Katrina’s real father - Ronald Turcotte. The photo shows Stephanie (Katrina’s eldest sister) commenting that “Dad” still looks young. Melissa is with her half or step siblings, Kevin and Nicole, who he is raising with his wife, Beet Turcotte. The fact that Beet has the last name Turcotte, indicates that this is Roland’s last name, and it is not in fact Suzanne Mary Theresa’s surname, but her married name. Which means that Katrina would be 100% caucasian - with French/Canadian heritage on her father’s side and British on her mother’s side.
https://preview.redd.it/oh3k5thovuz41.jpg?width=650&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bced7760d830495be5cec9d9c1556b860ae3ef7f
The fact that Melissa is standing with Roland and his step/children indicates that there is no Mohammad Kaif, that he fathered Katrina, Melissa and Isabelle and that Roland was very much a part of the family and in contact with his children even after his divorce and after marrying Beet. He's certainly not a Kashmiri businessman who divorced her mom and was never heard from again. He exists. On Facebook. In Montreal, Quebec, Canada. His wife and children exist. All of their relations can be seen on Facebook.
Beet was previously married to Johannes Maurits. It seems likely that Nicole and Kevin Maurits are not Ronald’s as they go by Beet’s ex husband’s name. They had other children as well - Angela, Melanie. There is a Mexico family album where they call Johanes “Dad”. Johanes is a photographer.
Ronald and current wife Beet. You can see Katrina resembles him here.
Alright so now about the family. This is Ronald below with all the kids. You can see it is a family photo where he’s holding his youngest child at the time - Katrina. The other children in the photo are Stephanie, Sebastian (Michael), Christine and Natacha.
Ronald holding his youngest child at the time, Katrina
Ronald with 5 of his children. Probably around 1988
There was another baseless rumor that Stephanie's father is Ronald, but Christine and Michael were the result of Mary's relationship with someone named Jean Louis Duran, following which she had the rest of her children with Ronald again. I don’t really believe this because Sebastian (Michael) goes by Ronald’s last name, so it doesn’t make sense that Suzanne (Katrina’s mother) would have had children with Ronald, then with some other guy, then with Ronald again. This just seems like something that was made up to again give the impression that Katrina had some sort of bohemian upbringing where her mother had multiple partners so that we buy the story that Katrina had an Indian father, which we know to be false. It seems likely that Katrina's mother was only married once to Ronald, and now she is with her current partner, Jessie Joseph Tincher with whom she has been with since at least 2007 as they started their NGO in India. I don't believe Katrina's mother or Ronald are in touch.
Ronald's account. You can see his daughter Natacha there.
Nicole and Natacha are also friends
Ronald and Beet in Montreal with their family
Stephanie (Katrina's sister) lovely comment on Beet's photo.
https://preview.redd.it/cc5ctmecwuz41.png?width=1654&format=png&auto=webp&s=3172f4267d4c777607733d8ed33d4470f4dffe28
Christmas fun
Katrina's step sisters and her sisters are all gorgeous! This is Nicole and her partner
Natacha and her partner Michael who will be getting married in August. Congratulations on your engagement!
Christine resembles her mother so much. This is her with her two daughters.
Ronald is friends with all his children on Facebook - you can see Stephanie, Christine, Natacha, Melissa deleted her account, Sebastian doesn't have Facebook anymore, and Ann Roberts is (see next pic)...
Ann Roberts is Isabelle Kaif. Katrina's YOUNGER sister. Ergo, all of them have the same father.
Alrighty.. lets hope this doesn't get taken down.
As for all of this information - it was publicly posted, on public forums, all rights for these images belong to Facebook and I cannot verify that any of these accounts are real because Facebook doesn't have verified accounts but you can see the comments etc, I'm not making this up or creating fake accounts lol.
2024.04.03 20:48 OShaunesssy Book Report Guy, I just read Dynamite Kid's book from 2001 and oh boy, its a bit of a ride. Here are as much interesting stories as I could fit on a single post...
Tom "Dynamite Kid" Billington was born December 5th, 1958
Bret Hart says Tom's lineage can be traced back to a family of executioners who hung criminals in the early 19th century. There was a family of executioners with the last name Billington, though its unclear if Tom came from them.
Tom says he was a prankster and describes how when he was a kid and found a doll meant to be an Xmas gift for his little sister, he painted it all blue.
Tom describes how his father was strict and would punch or smack him hard without warning if he thought Tom was misbehaving. Tom says his dad once broke his nose, and he doesn't remember what the reason was.
Tom tells a story about a kid he called Jimmy Parrot (because he had a big nose) who once shoulder checked Tom. Tom chased him down and slammed his head into a wall, leaving him a bloody mess. Tom says he was scared of his dad's reaction and hid all day until his dad found him, took him to Jimmy's house and tried goading the kid out so Jimmy and Tom could "settle it." Jimmy didn't come out.
Tom's met Ted Bently, who used to wrestle under a mask as Dr. Death. Ted took one look at Tom and got him over to his gym, where he was trained Tom 3 - 4 days a week for 3 years.
Tom was shown how to shoot wrestle by Billy Chambers, who wrestled as Jack Flacon on Tv. Chambers mostly just stretched and shot on him for several weeks or months, but Tom says he learned a lot from the "bastard."
Ted Bentley arranged Tom's first match and gave him the "Dynamite Kid" name.
Tom spent his first few months working for Joint Promotions, where Tom won the British Lightweight Championship from Jimmy Breaks.
In 1978, Tom wrestled a very good match against Mark "Rollerball." Rocco and Bruce Hart, one of Stu Hart's sons, was in the building and saw him wrestle. Bruce Hart immediately invited Tom to Canada to wrestle for Stampede Wrestling. Tom says Bruce promised him a free car, a free apartment, and $400 a week. Bruce refutes this claim in his own book.
At this time, Tom was wrestling 7 nights a week and making maybe $12 a match and was only offered a $1 pay raise if he stayed with Joint Promotions. Sounds like an easy decision to go to Stampede.
On April 27th, 1978, Tom left for Canada with just $20 in his pocket. He planned to only be gone for 2 months, but didn't come back home for 13 years.
Tom remembers the first meeting he had with Stu Hart, who looked him up and down like a piece of meat and said, "Ehhhhh, you're a skinny little bastard." Stu was known to favor bigger guys, and Bruce wasn't very big, so he always tried to push guys along the same size as him and Dynamite. Tom says that Stu later on told Tom that the "skinny little bastard" made him more money than any other wrestler in Stampede Wrestling history.
Tom says aside from Owen and Bret Hart, he couldn't "rate" any of the siblings as legitimate pro wrestlers. He called them all, "glorified." Tom used the term rate as a way of saying he thought positively on a guy.
Tom says everything Bruce had promised him was a lie, but he did get paid around $350 a week.
Stampede Wrestling was the first place Tom got to be a heel, and he said he enjoyed it more than being a good guy. He took pride in getting a crowd riled up to "riot level" as he put it.
Tom tells a story of riding with Harley Race and Bret Hart during one of the tours Harley made to Stampede. Tom still had a very thick accent, and Harley, who was driving, told him he can't understand a word he is saying. Tom says he snapped back. "That's okay, because I can understand you. So that means I'm clever than you!" Harley hit the breaks and ordered Tom and Bret out of the car to fight. Tom says as Harley had both men in headlocks before Tom tripped him, sending Harley Race back first on the ground.
One time Kieth Hart and Bruce Hart took Tom skiing, and through miscommunication, Tom wore no jacket and when he fell down while skiing he was soaked, freezing and pissed off, believing it to be some prank. He said he asked if a t-shirt was fine and said both Keith and Bruce said it was. Kieth insists he warned Tom to bring a jacket, though. In the weeks that followed, he waited to get revenge and broke a couple of Kieth's teeth in a match, claiming it was an accident. He says Keith always wore a mouth guard after that. Then Tom waited for Bruce to hop in the showers so he could fuck with the hot water so Bruce got scalded by the water. Tom laughs about how Bruce had blisters on his head for weeks after.
Tom says he was able to secure tours in Germany and Japan, but Stu Hart always worked a deal where one of kids tagged along as part of the deal.
The first year he went to Germany, Smith Hart accompanied him, and Tom remembers how Smith thought it would be funny to shave his mustache similar to Hitlers and do the Nazi salute in the ring. Tom says the entire stadium was dead silent and Smith was fired on the spot.
Tom ribbed wrestler Axel Ditta by baking a pie made of dog food and leaving it for him as if a gift from a fan.
On his Germany tour, Tom met Junkyard Dog who gave him his first ever steroids.
Tom says he convinced Bret Hart to branch out of his amature repertoire and try arm drags and leap frogs. He said Bret initially refused because of how silly it looked, and insisted on grappling the entire match. In Bret's book, Bret did mention how he learned a bunch of new moves while wrestling Tom, but says it was out of necessity because of how stiff amd uncooperative Tom was.
In Tom's first ever match with Bret Hart, Tom didn't like how rigid and stiff Bret was, so Tom backed him up into the corner and smashed his forearm into Bret's face, breaking his nose. Tom says "he wasn't rigid no more." After the match, a bloody Bret Hart had to be held back from attacking Tom, but Tom says 6 months later Bret thanked him for the match and they became good friends.
In Bret's book, he did say that wrestling Dynamite Kid in a series of bouts in late 1978 looked real because they were real shoot fights. He talked about Tom stiffing him and how he broke his nose in their first match. Bret had to fight back every night with real kicks and punches and elbows, all while the two called moves and holds on the fly to one another.
Bret's book mentioned a time when Tom "soccer kicked" Bret in the face while he was down blading with a razor, causing Bret to cut himself pretty badly.
During his second year in Stampede, Tom met Jake "The Snake" Roberts, who gave him some amphetamine (speed) to help him preform an hour long match.
Charles Bouffont was a green as grass wrestler brought in from Georgia, and his first match was against Tom. Tom remembers the guy being stiff and green, and no sold after Tom ran his face along the ropes as if to burn him. Apparently Charles laughed it off and Tom thought he was trying to show him up. So Tom kicked him hard for real and says "as he fell, his jaw caught my boot, which knocked him senseless. So I just covered him for the pin." Apparently Smith Hart was friends with Charles and had big plans for him, so he was pissed at Tom. Tom says when Smith complained to Stu Hart, Stu couldn't care less. Stu turned to leave and Tom says Smith kicked his own dad, Stu Hart in the balls. I've never heard this story before. Maybe Tom meant it as a metaphorical kick to the balls? The writing honestly isn't clear.
Tom says that despite the stories told, he doesn't think any of the Hart kids were intimidated or scared of their dad Stu. He says the kids would routinely say or do mean things to him and then laugh it off. Very different view or the Hart Family here then you see get reported over the years.
Tim did his first tour of Japan in 1979 and hated it, having to sleep in a van and only got paid $1,000. But he did it for the tv exposure he was getting there. That was for International Wrestling Enterprise.
In 1980, Tom was paired with John Foley as his manager. Bruce Hart takes credit for turning John Foley into JR Foley, a take on JR from the Tv show Dallas, but Bret credits Puerto Rico booker Dick Steinborn for the idea. I was hoping Tom would give his 2 cents here but it's not mentioned.
Tom would rib Foley with pranks as numerous as they were deranged. Tom once lit Foley's hat on fire in the riding van and didn't tell him until Bad News Brown helped Foley put out the fire.
Tom says Bill Watts reached out to Stu about borrowing Tom, but Stu refused, claiming it would hurt Stampede business too much.
Tom says his dad called him early 1981 to tell Tom that his little cousin Davey Boy had gotten started wrestling after also training under Ted Bently. Tom told his dad he would be happy to help Davey Boy out in any way. Tom would end up getting him a job in Stampede Wrestling, with Stu paying for his plane ticket.
A few months in, Davey Boy asked Tom for help getting steroids, and Tom said he would inject hin right there, and gave him 2 shots, 1 in each butt cheek. He didn't give him steroids though, the fucking psycho injected his little 18 year old cousin with milk, fucking milk. The next day Tom told everyone and they all "moo'd" and made cow noises at a confused Davey Boy.
Tom was a reigning World Mid-Heavyweight Champion in Stampede Wrestling when he went off to do a several week tour in Japan. His last match before leaving was with Davey Boy and Tom suggested dropping the belt to him. Bruce Hart veto'd it and told him to just keep the belt but leave it at home for his Japan tour. Tom said "okay" but went out and dropped the belt to Davey Boy anyway. This wasn't uncommon in Stampede Wrestling, as Bad News Brown did something similar when he heard he was dropping a belt to Bret Hart.
After reading several dozen wrestling books, Tom is the first guy to not have anything negative to say about Billy Robinson. That in and of itself, is telling.
One night in Japan in 1981, Tom was slapped in the back by a kid in the front row while Tom walked to the ring. Tom makes it clear that this was literally just a child, and says he grabbed him, tossed him hard over the barricade, ripped his clothes off down to his underwear, then kicked him in the mouth. Tom then wrestled his match and was arrested after. He said he was told by promoter Peter Takahashi to rough up the fans, and suggests it was a set up, but he was released after a day or two.
Tom says Bret Hart was the worst for laughing in the ring. A criticism I haven't heard much elsewhere.
Tom gives a few examples of New Japan Pro Wrestling trying to rip him off on his agreed payment.
Tom was invited by New Japan to wrestle Tiger Mask at Madison Square Garden for a show that was co-promoted with the WWF. Tom says he met Vince Sr who was smoking a cigar all day and Vince Jr who was doing commentary.
Tom tells a story of being in Japan with wrestler Mike Davis, and not only did he slip him a bunch of laxative pills, he shaved a bunch of Mike's hair off in his sleep! Tom calls this a "good laugh."
Tom randomly mentions in the book how he secretly married Bret Hart's sister-in-law Michelle shortly after Bret married Michelle's older sister Julie. He doesn't give any details but from other books I know they only dated a few months before marrying each other, and that Tom was 25 years old when he met 17 year old Michelle.
In another book I've read, Michelle remembers how the day they got married, Tom screamed at a homeless man asking for change on the street and she was mortified. She also describes several times Tom would snap and knock someone out over a minor inconvenience. Michelle said at the time she said it made her feel safe, but she was young, naive and stupid. She doesn't go into detail, but says one time she dropped an ashtray and Tom snapped on her. She said Tom getting angry was like "flipping a switch" in his head.
Tom says he and Davey Boy started tagging together in New Japan in 1983, and that from their first match together to their last, Tom did 100% of the planning and thinking when it came to the matches. It's wild how much Tom paints Davey Boy as some big idiot who can barely put words together half the time.
I have a hunch on the Davey Boy/Dynamite conflict. It was well known that Diana Hart was infatuated with Tom when he came to Calgary, but nothing materialized. Diana went on to marry Davey Boy and perhaps Davey Boy didn't like how his wife originally had her eyes on his older cousin. I can see that starting the friction that led to these two cousins hating one another.
Tom says by mid-1983 he was doing steroids every single day and he notes how it made him more volatile and aggressive.
Tom remembers another time in Japan when a kid slapped his back again in the entrance ramp, so Tom grabbed him and threw him hard over the barricade, before Davey Boy press slammed him into a wall. Tom says he gave the kid one more good kick to the ribs before heading to the ring. Again police were called and the two of them spent a few days behind bars. Tom says the kid was 16 or 17 years old.
Tom remembers how pissed Davey Boy was to learn New Japan was paying Tom more than him. Tom really paints Davey Boy as an unappreciative, ungrateful guy who wasn't as good in the ring as his legacy suggests.
Tom would wrestle much more physically and rough in Japan, to the point where promoters would ask him to slow down for the sake of his opponents who were getting hurt or complaining about Tom's style.
Tom remembers one night in Japan, after a show all the wrestlers were told to stay in their hotel because some gang or mafia related shootings were happening every night that week.
Tom remembers seeing Antonio Inoki getting slapped hard across the face by a mafia member, and then Inoki thanked the man who slapped him.
Tom says his back started seriously hurting at age 25, but he never once considered slowing down or adapting hus style.
Tom says his wife Michelle was worried their first child would be a "steroid baby" and Tom says he just called her stupid and told her not to worry.
After Tom won a world title in New Japan Pro Wrestling, he was offered a briefcase with $15,000 - $20,000 cash to jump from New Japan to All Japan Pro Wrestling. He took it and he said he got Davey Boy the same deal. Tom says he mailed the World title back to NJPW with a letter thanking them.
Tom says Stu Hart was furious that Tom jumped from New Japan to All Japan, because Stu had worked out a deal where New Japan paid Stu $10,000 each time Tom toured there. Tom was pissed he wasn't cut in on the deal, and he says Bret was mad that Tom didn't cut him in on the All Japan deal.
Tom wrestled Terry Funk in AJPW, and says Terry Funk offered him a spot to be in Rocky 4? He never heard back from Terry and after the movie came out, Tom asked Terry what happened. Terry said Tom was too short for the role. This sounds like a rib from Terry tbh.
Tom says the only person better than himself at getting a poor opponent over in the ring, was Terry Funk.
Tom says he once spiked Terry Funk's drink with some speed that kept Funk up for a couple days.
One time in Japan, Tom set Gypsy Joe on fire at a McDonalds. Tom says it was a bad joke but also calls it very funny at the time.
The 1st time Tom wrestled try out matches for the WWF in New York, he was paid $25 for 2 matches. He was pissed and refused to go back to WWF until George Scott called him and promised him more money.
When Stampede sold to WWF, Tom brought Davey Boy to meet George Scott and Vince McMahon. Vince came up wih the "British Bulldogs" title for their team.
Tom refused a WWF contract so he could keep touring Japan and working for Giant Baba, who paid him a guaranteed $20,000 each tour. When Tom was told by WWF agent Chief Jay Strongbow that the Bulldogs would challenge for the tag titles at Wrestlemania 2, but lose, Tom said "No thank you" and made it clear he was going to Japan. 20 minutes later, Strongbow came back and said Bulldogs will win the titles at Mania, but no more Japan tours.
Vince suprised Davey Boy with the dog Matilda that Davey Boy and Tom would go to the ring with. Davey tried to hand the dog off after the match, but Vince said no, that's Davey Boy's dog now for real. Davey had to keep the dog, I had no idea.
Tom remembers how Greg Valentine would complain about how physical Tom and Davey Boy were in the ring.
Tom says Vince let him pick a manager for the team, Tom picked Captain Lou Albano.
Tom remembers when he overheard Lou screaming at Vince McMahon "You fucking irish bastard! You can't fire me Nobody can fire the Captain! Your dad said so!" Tom then immediately says "Anyways, Vince fired him."
Tom says he was paid $20,000 for his 15 minute Tag title win at Wrestlemania 2.
Tom calls Brustus Beefcake a "load of shit."
Tom says he injected cortisone into his shoulder right before ever single match.
Tom blames roid rage for a time he slammed some guy's head into a wall while the man was using a urinal in a public bathroom. The man had said he does karate, so that's what Tom did to him.
Tom says all the wrestlers would do coke together after the matches and swap urine samples to avoid drug testing punishments. Tom remembers smoking crack all night once with Junkyard Dog.
December 13th, 1986 is the night Tom fucked his back up real bad in a match. During a routine set of moves with Don Muraco, Tom went to leapfrog over Don, but as he did, he felt his back spasm in pain and Tom just fell to the mat, unable to move his back or legs and in a ton of pain. Tom couldn't even talk and tell Don to stop kicking him after he fell. No one, from Don to the ref, to Don's manager Mr Fuji realized something was wrong.
Tom says he pulled himself to the apron and fell out of the ring, eventually counted out. Mr Fuji hit Tom with a chair a couple times until they all figured out something was wrong.
Tom remembers his leg twitching out of control as he was in the stretcher and ambulance, he later found out that was because of nerve damage in his back.
Tom would have a 6 hour surgery to fix several ruptured disks in his back, when he woke up, he couldn't feel or move his left leg and was told that is temporary. They were kinda right, but he never got feeling back in his foot.
The doctors told him he should never wrestle again. Tom didn't tell anyone else that fact for years, not Vince or his wife Michelle or anyone. He left left the hospital before doctors cleared him to, and in another book, I read how his wife Michelle found him crawling up the front steps of their house that day, attempting to get home.
Tom says Davey Boy only visited him once in the hospital, and he came with his wife and a press photographer. The Hart's have since disputed this claim and say Davey Boy was there for Tom at this time. He also says he later found out that Davey Boy had called home to their family and said Tom was a drug addict who would die soon, but presented himself as a straight laced good guy trying his best to hold Tom together.
Tom was WWF Tag champion with Davey Boy, but he refused to hand over the titles and Vince tried for a week's. Eventually Tom agreed to a match, just 6 weeks later on later January 1987, where The Bulldogs dropped the titles to the Hart Foundation. Tom says Vince wanted Shiek and Volkoff to go over but Tom refused and insisted on Hart Foundation.
Tom was literally wheel chair bound the day of the show and needed to lock arms with Davey Boy and allow Davey to pretty much carry them both to the ring.
Tom insisted on making it back for Wrestlemania 3 that year but says he was in tons of pain and doesn't even remember it.
Tom remembers one time, road agent Chief Jay Strongboy asked Tom for a bunch of steroids, for Jay's son. After Tom handed them over, Strongbow fined him $200 because he was late to the show that day.
Tom says Vince made him shave his 5 o-clock shadow because he likes his babyfaces clean shaved.
Tom says a normal day was taking speed in the morning to wake up, then Valium to sleep on the plane, percocet before the match, then beers and coke after the show.
Tom says his Wrestlemania 4 match was cut short so the main event got more time.
Tom says he pitched turning the Bulldogs heel to Vince, who said no. Tom believed this was due to his small size, so he started taking horse steroids.
Tom suffered his first seizer in the summer of 1988, he was on an escalator at the time and fell all the way to the bottom.
Tom describes a pretty famous incident between him and Rougeaus Brothers in 1988, after Curt Hennig cut up the Rougeaus gear and blamed it on Tom. Tom walked into the dressing room to have both Jacques and Raymond screaming at him about their gear. Tom waited until their back was turned and he cuffed Jacques across the ear and then took him down as Jacques tried to shoot on Tom. Tom says he fed Jacques shots until his brother Raymond tried to calm Tom down, so Tom knocked Raymond out as well.
A few weeks later, Tom thought the incident was in the past since it was Mr Perfect who cut uo the gear, but the Rougeaus weren't over Tom knocking them out. Tom says he was a walking backstage at a show and saw The Rougeaus with Pat Patterson, so Tom assumed they wouldn't try anything. He was wrong. Jacques sucker punched him a legit pair of brass knuckles, shattering 4 of Tom's teeth and cutting up his gums real bad. Tom says he remembers being stunned but knowing he can't fall down, so he braced himself on the wall as Jacques feeds him 2 more painful punches and Pat Patterson is screaming at him to stop. Tom says he saw Raymond coming in to hit him as well and figured he was about to die. Bad News Brown showed up and cleared the brothers off.
Pat Patterson gave Tom some money and told him to get fixed up at a hospital, but don't tell them what happened. When Tom later spoke to Vince, he remembers the first thing Vince said was "Goddamn Tom, I can't believe you didn't go down!" Tom said Vince talked him out of retaliation against the Rougeaus, because of their alledged criminal connections in Montreal.
Tom thinks that Pat Patterson was in on it, convinced that Pat set him up to nearly get killed by standing guard for the Rougeaus as they assaulted him. And based off Vince's reaction, Tom suspects Vince may have been in on it too.
Tom says Davey Boy again called home to their families to tell them about Tom getting beat up, but added that he saved Tom's life. Again, Tom didn't hear about this until years later.
Tom says The Rougeaus Brothers weren't fired or even suspended or fined.
Tom says Vince arranged a meeting between him and the Rougeaus, where Tom promised to drop everything if the brothers pay his dentist bill. Jacques tried to argue but his brother Raymond told him to shut up and then assured Tom they would pay the bill, and Tom says they did.
Bret Hart says Tom was a different person after the attack, and compares Tom to a toothless or neutered dog.
Tom calls Arn Anderson a great wrestler but says Tully Blanchard is "full of shit."
Tom decided to quit WWF and go back to All Japan after he and Davey were the only wrestlers forced to drive home after a tour. Everyone else got plane tickets from the office, but Tom and Davey had to drive.
Tom remembers wrestling The Brainbusters on one of his last nights with WWF, and was told by Pat Patterson to put them over. Tom refused, flat out. Pat called Vince to complain, but Vince just said "Let Tom do whatever he wants." So the Bulldogs got DQ'ed.
Their last WWF match was a Survivor Series elimination match, which Tom was curious about since The Rougeaus were on the opposite team, and he was curious if they would get a chance to square off. Bret eliminated The Rougeaus in the first 5 minutes, and by the time Tom got to the back, they had already left the building.
Tom says Davey Boy had to give back Matilda the dog when they finished up with WWF. I wonder what happened to her.
Tom says his wife Michelle wasn't happy he was off the road after finishing up with WWF. Tom says she had freedom to do as she pleased in the 4 years he was with WWF and she was probably scared of losing that.
Tom never mentions it in the book, but he owned a bunch of guns and a big ranch where he would shoot gophers and other animals as a lesier activity.
The only good thing Tom says about Davey Boy is how it was smart of Davey to trademark his name before WWF could. Though, Tom thinks it was probably Davey's wife who suggested it.
Tom went back to Stampede Wrestling and was suprised when Ross Hart told him they wanted Tom to book the territory. Ross initially told Tom it was because the boys were too rowdy on the road and that they all respect Tom. Ross also said they hoped by putting Tom in charge, that it would rein him in a bit so he doesn't "act as stupid as you usually do." Ross Hart's words, alledgedly.
Tom says Bruce didn't like that Tom was booking Stampede Wrestling, and says he had to to tell Bruce "no" when Bruce suggested they co-book the promotion. Bruce liked over the top gimmicks like fire balls and such, but Tom just liked basic wrestling.
Tom says that within a week, he was selling out buildings for Stampede.
Tom stresses that he wasn't like Bruce or any of the Hart's as a booker, that he wasn't a glory hound and he liked making guys look strong and putting others over.
Tom never mentions it, but he was ultimately demoted from booker back to just wrestler because of how wild and unpredictable he was, according to Ross Hart.
Tom did another tour in Japan in January 1989, and remembers how he met The Nasty Boys there. He didn't like them, so when they wrestled, Tom and Davey Boy no-sold literally everything and beat them flat in the ring. Tom says he got in trouble because the office had big plans for Nasty Boys, and The Bulldogs just made them look like fools.
Tom remembers a trip to Yellowknife, where he and all the boys from Stampede piled into a cramped Van for the long trip. Bruce didn't join them, and Tom was pissed when a Buick passed them, and Bruce was sitting in the passenger seat, feet up in the dashboard, and he just smiled at Tom. At the show, a pissed off Tom confronted Bruce who was snarky about it, so Tom punched him hard in the jaw. During his match, Tom noticed the ring announcer to be the one driving the Buick with Bruce, so Tom punched him too. Bruce and the driver ended up barricading themselves in the van after they called the cops on Tom. Tom says the cops physically restrained him as Bruce and the announcer hopped into the Buick and drove off.
Owen Hart was getting married a week later, and Bruce was best man, but after getting punched by Tom, he refused to go if Tom was there. So Ross Hart asked Tom to go wrestle a show in Edmonton that day instead. Tom agreed but skipped the show and the wedding, instead going to a pub and drinking alone all day. Tom says a week after the wedding, Bruce Hart shook Tom's hand and they mended that fence a bit.
Tom says the only Hart who stayed mad at him for the incident was Dean Hart, who once barged into Tom's dressing room as he slept and screamed at Tom. Tom says he started yelling back until Ross came in, scared for Dean's safety. Dean was very sick at the time, and Tom says he was never going to hurt Dean, but it doesn't matter, because a month later Dean was dead.
Tom says Vince McMahon reached out to him several times about bringing the Bulldogs back to the WWF, but with the intention of putting over The Brainbusters. Tom turned him down each time.
Tokyo Joe was a guy who worked in the office for All Japan and had a wooden leg. John would work out deals for Stampede talent to work in Japan, but he always kept 10% of their guarantee. Tom was trying to get a deal worked out for Chris Benoit to go to All Japan. Tokyo Joe and Tom got into an argument over this, with Tom questioned Joe on why he always takes guys money. Joe said if Tom had any sense, he would do the same! So Tom snapped back at him "If I had any gasoline, I'd pout it all over your wooden leg and set it on fire."
Tom got a couple of bad checks from Stu Hart, so he told Stu he would be quitting, then he handed the checks back to him, saying "you need these more than I do." Stu didn't say anything, but he did take the checks back.
Tom reached out to Ric Flair who was "booking" WCW to inquire about working there. Flair gave him some bullshit reason why he can't and Tom realized his reputation had finally caught up with him.
Tom was offered a spot in a territory down in Portland, but was told he has to promise to leave a wrestler named Mitch Snow alone. Tom said he pulled some pretty harsh pranks on Mitch in Japan, years prior, including deliberately spiking his head down on the mat hard during an assisted piledriver. Tom told the promoter to just forget it.
Stampede Wrestling was finally going out of buisness for good, and Stu wanted the last couple shows to be big, so he asked Tom to work a couple street fights with Owen Hart. Tom didn't want to let Stu down, so he and Owen had a couple of very good matches, according to Tom.
Tom spent most of 1990 working All Japan tours and a random New Zealand tour as well. Tom notes how he wasn't up to preforming at the level he used to and was in more and more pain every day. He couldn't do his repertoire of moves (like the snap suplex) on bugger guys anymore.
All Japan does an annual tag tournament, so when November 1990 came around, Tom expected himself and Davey Boy to be there. Tom was suprised when he heard through the grapevine that not only was Davey not doing the tournament, he was going back to WWF alone. Tom says he didn't care that Davey went back to WWF, he was upset that Davey didn't tell him and left him hanging in Japan. Tom says he never got a chance to ask Davey Boy about it, because they literally never spoke to each other again. Davey Boy didn't die for another 13 years, so he and Tom, who are cousins, just ignored one another for over a decade until one of them died. Wild.
Tom says his next tour with All Japan was nearly canceled because someone called them and said Tom was in a bad car accident and wouldn't make the tour. Tom says Davey Boy and his wife were the only ones who knew about his tour, he is convinced Davey Boy tried to fuck him over here.
Tom never mentions it, but every morning his wife Michelle would have to change the bed sheets because they were literally soaked in sweat, and when she asked him why, he snapped at her "because I'm in pain, ya fookin' cow!" Tom never told her how fucked his back was.
Michelle remembers New Years Eve 1991, she was very pregnant and wanted to stay in, but a drunken Tom came home with a gash in head and bleeding everywhere. His 2 kids were crying and scared as Tom screamed at Michelle to get dressed do they can go out. Earlier that night Tom refused to pay the $5 cover charge to a bar, and after some words were said he ended up getting beat up by several guys.
Tom says it was no suprise when his wife Michelle asked for a divorce, despite being pregnant with their 3rd kid. Side note: Tom barely mentioned his children in this book, literally just once or twice.
Tom says he got back to Calgary to find an empty house and a one-way plane ticket to England sitting on the kitchen table. Michelle later says she spent her last dime on that ticket before fleeing the house with her kids. Tom says he left the $30,000 he had from wrestling that year on the table for Michelle and the kids. (Michelle refutes this claim of leaving 30 grand) Tom says he returned home for the first time in 13 years, broken back, empty bank account and back living with is parents.
Michelle said she took the kids and fled to a women's shelter, because one of Tom's frequent threats through the years was that he would cut her up so bad no man would want her.
Tom makes no mention of a pretty notorious story of him pointing a loaded gun at Michelle one night.
Tom says he took LSD at Dan Spivey's house and his heart stopped. He technically died twice on Dan's floor and the paramedics arrived to what they thought was a corpse. Tom was told by doctors that the steroids had fucked up his heart and he had to stop taking them immediately.
All Japan wouldn't let him wrestle as much on the next tour. Giant Baba took one look at Tom and said he was too sick to wrestle.
Tom wrestled the UK independent scene again using the "British Bulldog" moniker until Davey Boy had lawyers track him down to put an end to that. Tom says he was lucky to make $30 a night, but Davey Boy who was making far more than that still had to screw over Tom.
Tom finally decided to call it quits after the 1991 All Japan tag tournament. He was advised to slow down in the ring, but he couldn't, he could literally only wrestle going full speed. He got a nice going away celebration where the wrestlers lifted him uo in the ring and they all signed a nice sweater and gave it to him. Tom made snide comments in the book about how little pageantry there is in "endings" for pro wrestling, so I think he really appreciated this, even if he doesn't say it outright.
Tom mentions a time when Bret Hart and Chief Jay Strongbow were on a WWF UK tour and decided to visit Tom at home. Tom talks about Bret offering him a job and Tom politely saying no. Bret's book also describes this story but it's much darker from Bret's perspective as Bret described the house like a drug den and was upset at how Tom treated who Bret assumed to be Tom's new girlfriend. After they left, Strongbow told Bret that he wishes they didn't visit and how it ruined his opinion of Tom.
Tom's dad died of cancer and Tom notes how devastated he was. He also mentions how because of Tom and Davey Boy's fractured relationship, Tom's dad and Davey Boy's mom stopped speaking to one another. They were siblings and Tom remembers them always being close, and he tells a sad story of when Tom's dad refused to see his sister before he died. Tom doesn't say it, but I think he felt a ton of guilt over this.
Davey Boy was back on the UK independent scene eventually too, and Tom went to a show he was wrestling at. Tom said he saw a display table full of Davey's pictures, so Tom snapped and tipped it over. The promoter and Davey Boy's dad tried to calm him down but eventually police were called and Tom was hauled off. Tom heard later that Davey Boy was hiding on his dressing room the whole time.
Tom wrestled random one off matches for a couple of years whenever he needed money, but his last match came at a small promotion in Japan. He spent the day fighting off seizers until he finally got hit by one that sent him to the hospital for a couple of days.
Tom mentions meeting his second wife Dot and getting married in 1997. He seems to consider her the only person who liked Tom Billington, instead of Dynamite Kid.
Throughout the Mid-90s Tom would experience episodes where he couldn't walk or his legs would give out and he would collapse. Finally in late 1997, he never recovered from one of these incidents, and was told that his back was beyond fixing. He was told he would never walk again. Tom says he refused to cry in front of the doctors, he just politely thanked the doctor and then asked Dot to get him out of that hospital.
Tom says it took him months to come to terms with his condition, and found it impossible to watch wrestling anymore. He did hear Jim Ross mention his name several times during Wrestlemania X7, to which Tom was greatful to still be remembered.
When WWF held a ppv in UK in 2001, Tom stopped by and got to see his old friends. It sounds like nice closure for the guy.
Tom says he will probably never speak to Davey Boy again, and as far as I know, that's true since Davey Boy died 2 years after this book came out.
He and Dot eventually split up after the book came out as well, though little is known on details there. Michelle tried to reach out to him in 2005 when she heard part of his leg was amputated but he never responded to her.
Last anyone really heard from Tom, he was alone and living in destitution.
Tom suffered a stroke in 2013 and tried to sue WWE in 2015 along with several others over concussion issues, but the case was dismissed.
Tom died on 5 December 2018, his 60th birthday. The exact cause of death remains unconfirmed, but the BBC report of his death placed it in the context of his previous reported health issues.
The final line in the book reads, "Wrestling was my life, and I loved it. No regrets. I had a blast."
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Bret Hart says Tom's lineage can be traced back to a family of executioners who hung criminals in the early 19th century. There was a family of executioners with the last name Billington, though its unclear if Tom came from them.
Tom says he was a prankster and describes how when he was a kid and found a doll meant to be an Xmas gift for his little sister, he painted it all blue.
Tom describes how his father was strict and would punch or smack him hard without warning if he thought Tom was misbehaving. Tom says his dad once broke his nose, and he doesn't remember what the reason was.
Tom tells a story about a kid he called Jimmy Parrot (because he had a big nose) who once shoulder checked Tom. Tom chased him down and slammed his head into a wall, leaving him a bloody mess. Tom says he was scared of his dad's reaction and hid all day until his dad found him, took him to Jimmy's house and tried goading the kid out so Jimmy and Tom could "settle it." Jimmy didn't come out.
Tom's met Ted Bently, who used to wrestle under a mask as Dr. Death. Ted took one look at Tom and got him over to his gym, where he was trained Tom 3 - 4 days a week for 3 years.
Tom was shown how to shoot wrestle by Billy Chambers, who wrestled as Jack Flacon on Tv. Chambers mostly just stretched and shot on him for several weeks or months, but Tom says he learned a lot from the "bastard."
Ted Bentley arranged Tom's first match and gave him the "Dynamite Kid" name.
Tom spent his first few months working for Joint Promotions, where Tom won the British Lightweight Championship from Jimmy Breaks.
In 1978, Tom wrestled a very good match against Mark "Rollerball." Rocco and Bruce Hart, one of Stu Hart's sons, was in the building and saw him wrestle. Bruce Hart immediately invited Tom to Canada to wrestle for Stampede Wrestling. Tom says Bruce promised him a free car, a free apartment, and $400 a week. Bruce refutes this claim in his own book.
At this time, Tom was wrestling 7 nights a week and making maybe $12 a match and was only offered a $1 pay raise if he stayed with Joint Promotions. Sounds like an easy decision to go to Stampede.
On April 27th, 1978, Tom left for Canada with just $20 in his pocket. He planned to only be gone for 2 months, but didn't come back home for 13 years.
Tom remembers the first meeting he had with Stu Hart, who looked him up and down like a piece of meat and said, "Ehhhhh, you're a skinny little bastard." Stu was known to favor bigger guys, and Bruce wasn't very big, so he always tried to push guys along the same size as him and Dynamite. Tom says that Stu later on told Tom that the "skinny little bastard" made him more money than any other wrestler in Stampede Wrestling history.
Tom says aside from Owen and Bret Hart, he couldn't "rate" any of the siblings as legitimate pro wrestlers. He called them all, "glorified." Tom used the term rate as a way of saying he thought positively on a guy.
Tom says everything Bruce had promised him was a lie, but he did get paid around $350 a week.
Stampede Wrestling was the first place Tom got to be a heel, and he said he enjoyed it more than being a good guy. He took pride in getting a crowd riled up to "riot level" as he put it.
Tom tells a story of riding with Harley Race and Bret Hart during one of the tours Harley made to Stampede. Tom still had a very thick accent, and Harley, who was driving, told him he can't understand a word he is saying. Tom says he snapped back. "That's okay, because I can understand you. So that means I'm clever than you!" Harley hit the breaks and ordered Tom and Bret out of the car to fight. Tom says as Harley had both men in headlocks before Tom tripped him, sending Harley Race back first on the ground.
One time Kieth Hart and Bruce Hart took Tom skiing, and through miscommunication, Tom wore no jacket and when he fell down while skiing he was soaked, freezing and pissed off, believing it to be some prank. He said he asked if a t-shirt was fine and said both Keith and Bruce said it was. Kieth insists he warned Tom to bring a jacket, though. In the weeks that followed, he waited to get revenge and broke a couple of Kieth's teeth in a match, claiming it was an accident. He says Keith always wore a mouth guard after that. Then Tom waited for Bruce to hop in the showers so he could fuck with the hot water so Bruce got scalded by the water. Tom laughs about how Bruce had blisters on his head for weeks after.
Tom says he was able to secure tours in Germany and Japan, but Stu Hart always worked a deal where one of kids tagged along as part of the deal.
The first year he went to Germany, Smith Hart accompanied him, and Tom remembers how Smith thought it would be funny to shave his mustache similar to Hitlers and do the Nazi salute in the ring. Tom says the entire stadium was dead silent and Smith was fired on the spot.
Tom ribbed wrestler Axel Ditta by baking a pie made of dog food and leaving it for him as if a gift from a fan.
On his Germany tour, Tom met Junkyard Dog who gave him his first ever steroids.
Tom says he convinced Bret Hart to branch out of his amature repertoire and try arm drags and leap frogs. He said Bret initially refused because of how silly it looked, and insisted on grappling the entire match. In Bret's book, Bret did mention how he learned a bunch of new moves while wrestling Tom, but says it was out of necessity because of how stiff amd uncooperative Tom was.
In Tom's first ever match with Bret Hart, Tom didn't like how rigid and stiff Bret was, so Tom backed him up into the corner and smashed his forearm into Bret's face, breaking his nose. Tom says "he wasn't rigid no more." After the match, a bloody Bret Hart had to be held back from attacking Tom, but Tom says 6 months later Bret thanked him for the match and they became good friends.
In Bret's book, he did say that wrestling Dynamite Kid in a series of bouts in late 1978 looked real because they were real shoot fights. He talked about Tom stiffing him and how he broke his nose in their first match. Bret had to fight back every night with real kicks and punches and elbows, all while the two called moves and holds on the fly to one another.
Bret's book mentioned a time when Tom "soccer kicked" Bret in the face while he was down blading with a razor, causing Bret to cut himself pretty badly.
During his second year in Stampede, Tom met Jake "The Snake" Roberts, who gave him some amphetamine (speed) to help him preform an hour long match.
Charles Bouffont was a green as grass wrestler brought in from Georgia, and his first match was against Tom. Tom remembers the guy being stiff and green, and no sold after Tom ran his face along the ropes as if to burn him. Apparently Charles laughed it off and Tom thought he was trying to show him up. So Tom kicked him hard for real and says "as he fell, his jaw caught my boot, which knocked him senseless. So I just covered him for the pin." Apparently Smith Hart was friends with Charles and had big plans for him, so he was pissed at Tom. Tom says when Smith complained to Stu Hart, Stu couldn't care less. Stu turned to leave and Tom says Smith kicked his own dad, Stu Hart in the balls. I've never heard this story before. Maybe Tom meant it as a metaphorical kick to the balls? The writing honestly isn't clear.
Tom says that despite the stories told, he doesn't think any of the Hart kids were intimidated or scared of their dad Stu. He says the kids would routinely say or do mean things to him and then laugh it off. Very different view or the Hart Family here then you see get reported over the years.
Tim did his first tour of Japan in 1979 and hated it, having to sleep in a van and only got paid $1,000. But he did it for the tv exposure he was getting there. That was for International Wrestling Enterprise.
In 1980, Tom was paired with John Foley as his manager. Bruce Hart takes credit for turning John Foley into JR Foley, a take on JR from the Tv show Dallas, but Bret credits Puerto Rico booker Dick Steinborn for the idea. I was hoping Tom would give his 2 cents here but it's not mentioned.
Tom would rib Foley with pranks as numerous as they were deranged. Tom once lit Foley's hat on fire in the riding van and didn't tell him until Bad News Brown helped Foley put out the fire.
Tom says Bill Watts reached out to Stu about borrowing Tom, but Stu refused, claiming it would hurt Stampede business too much.
Tom says his dad called him early 1981 to tell Tom that his little cousin Davey Boy had gotten started wrestling after also training under Ted Bently. Tom told his dad he would be happy to help Davey Boy out in any way. Tom would end up getting him a job in Stampede Wrestling, with Stu paying for his plane ticket.
A few months in, Davey Boy asked Tom for help getting steroids, and Tom said he would inject hin right there, and gave him 2 shots, 1 in each butt cheek. He didn't give him steroids though, the fucking psycho injected his little 18 year old cousin with milk, fucking milk. The next day Tom told everyone and they all "moo'd" and made cow noises at a confused Davey Boy.
Tom was a reigning World Mid-Heavyweight Champion in Stampede Wrestling when he went off to do a several week tour in Japan. His last match before leaving was with Davey Boy and Tom suggested dropping the belt to him. Bruce Hart veto'd it and told him to just keep the belt but leave it at home for his Japan tour. Tom said "okay" but went out and dropped the belt to Davey Boy anyway. This wasn't uncommon in Stampede Wrestling, as Bad News Brown did something similar when he heard he was dropping a belt to Bret Hart.
After reading several dozen wrestling books, Tom is the first guy to not have anything negative to say about Billy Robinson. That in and of itself, is telling.
One night in Japan in 1981, Tom was slapped in the back by a kid in the front row while Tom walked to the ring. Tom makes it clear that this was literally just a child, and says he grabbed him, tossed him hard over the barricade, ripped his clothes off down to his underwear, then kicked him in the mouth. Tom then wrestled his match and was arrested after. He said he was told by promoter Peter Takahashi to rough up the fans, and suggests it was a set up, but he was released after a day or two.
Tom says Bret Hart was the worst for laughing in the ring. A criticism I haven't heard much elsewhere.
Tom gives a few examples of New Japan Pro Wrestling trying to rip him off on his agreed payment.
Tom was invited by New Japan to wrestle Tiger Mask at Madison Square Garden for a show that was co-promoted with the WWF. Tom says he met Vince Sr who was smoking a cigar all day and Vince Jr who was doing commentary.
Tom tells a story of being in Japan with wrestler Mike Davis, and not only did he slip him a bunch of laxative pills, he shaved a bunch of Mike's hair off in his sleep! Tom calls this a "good laugh."
Tom randomly mentions in the book how he secretly married Bret Hart's sister-in-law Michelle shortly after Bret married Michelle's older sister Julie. He doesn't give any details but from other books I know they only dated a few months before marrying each other, and that Tom was 25 years old when he met 17 year old Michelle.
In another book I've read, Michelle remembers how the day they got married, Tom screamed at a homeless man asking for change on the street and she was mortified. She also describes several times Tom would snap and knock someone out over a minor inconvenience. Michelle said at the time she said it made her feel safe, but she was young, naive and stupid. She doesn't go into detail, but says one time she dropped an ashtray and Tom snapped on her. She said Tom getting angry was like "flipping a switch" in his head.
Tom says he and Davey Boy started tagging together in New Japan in 1983, and that from their first match together to their last, Tom did 100% of the planning and thinking when it came to the matches. It's wild how much Tom paints Davey Boy as some big idiot who can barely put words together half the time.
I have a hunch on the Davey Boy/Dynamite conflict. It was well known that Diana Hart was infatuated with Tom when he came to Calgary, but nothing materialized. Diana went on to marry Davey Boy and perhaps Davey Boy didn't like how his wife originally had her eyes on his older cousin. I can see that starting the friction that led to these two cousins hating one another.
Tom says by mid-1983 he was doing steroids every single day and he notes how it made him more volatile and aggressive.
Tom remembers another time in Japan when a kid slapped his back again in the entrance ramp, so Tom grabbed him and threw him hard over the barricade, before Davey Boy press slammed him into a wall. Tom says he gave the kid one more good kick to the ribs before heading to the ring. Again police were called and the two of them spent a few days behind bars. Tom says the kid was 16 or 17 years old.
Tom remembers how pissed Davey Boy was to learn New Japan was paying Tom more than him. Tom really paints Davey Boy as an unappreciative, ungrateful guy who wasn't as good in the ring as his legacy suggests.
Tom would wrestle much more physically and rough in Japan, to the point where promoters would ask him to slow down for the sake of his opponents who were getting hurt or complaining about Tom's style.
Tom remembers one night in Japan, after a show all the wrestlers were told to stay in their hotel because some gang or mafia related shootings were happening every night that week.
Tom remembers seeing Antonio Inoki getting slapped hard across the face by a mafia member, and then Inoki thanked the man who slapped him.
Tom says his back started seriously hurting at age 25, but he never once considered slowing down or adapting hus style.
Tom says his wife Michelle was worried their first child would be a "steroid baby" and Tom says he just called her stupid and told her not to worry.
After Tom won a world title in New Japan Pro Wrestling, he was offered a briefcase with $15,000 - $20,000 cash to jump from New Japan to All Japan Pro Wrestling. He took it and he said he got Davey Boy the same deal. Tom says he mailed the World title back to NJPW with a letter thanking them.
Tom says Stu Hart was furious that Tom jumped from New Japan to All Japan, because Stu had worked out a deal where New Japan paid Stu $10,000 each time Tom toured there. Tom was pissed he wasn't cut in on the deal, and he says Bret was mad that Tom didn't cut him in on the All Japan deal.
Tom wrestled Terry Funk in AJPW, and says Terry Funk offered him a spot to be in Rocky 4? He never heard back from Terry and after the movie came out, Tom asked Terry what happened. Terry said Tom was too short for the role. This sounds like a rib from Terry tbh.
Tom says the only person better than himself at getting a poor opponent over in the ring, was Terry Funk.
Tom says he once spiked Terry Funk's drink with some speed that kept Funk up for a couple days.
One time in Japan, Tom set Gypsy Joe on fire at a McDonalds. Tom says it was a bad joke but also calls it very funny at the time.
The 1st time Tom wrestled try out matches for the WWF in New York, he was paid $25 for 2 matches. He was pissed and refused to go back to WWF until George Scott called him and promised him more money.
When Stampede sold to WWF, Tom brought Davey Boy to meet George Scott and Vince McMahon. Vince came up wih the "British Bulldogs" title for their team.
Tom refused a WWF contract so he could keep touring Japan and working for Giant Baba, who paid him a guaranteed $20,000 each tour. When Tom was told by WWF agent Chief Jay Strongbow that the Bulldogs would challenge for the tag titles at Wrestlemania 2, but lose, Tom said "No thank you" and made it clear he was going to Japan. 20 minutes later, Strongbow came back and said Bulldogs will win the titles at Mania, but no more Japan tours.
Vince suprised Davey Boy with the dog Matilda that Davey Boy and Tom would go to the ring with. Davey tried to hand the dog off after the match, but Vince said no, that's Davey Boy's dog now for real. Davey had to keep the dog, I had no idea.
Tom remembers how Greg Valentine would complain about how physical Tom and Davey Boy were in the ring.
Tom says Vince let him pick a manager for the team, Tom picked Captain Lou Albano.
Tom remembers when he overheard Lou screaming at Vince McMahon "You fucking irish bastard! You can't fire me Nobody can fire the Captain! Your dad said so!" Tom then immediately says "Anyways, Vince fired him."
Tom says he was paid $20,000 for his 15 minute Tag title win at Wrestlemania 2.
Tom calls Brustus Beefcake a "load of shit."
Tom says he injected cortisone into his shoulder right before ever single match.
Tom blames roid rage for a time he slammed some guy's head into a wall while the man was using a urinal in a public bathroom. The man had said he does karate, so that's what Tom did to him.
Tom says all the wrestlers would do coke together after the matches and swap urine samples to avoid drug testing punishments. Tom remembers smoking crack all night once with Junkyard Dog.
December 13th, 1986 is the night Tom fucked his back up real bad in a match. During a routine set of moves with Don Muraco, Tom went to leapfrog over Don, but as he did, he felt his back spasm in pain and Tom just fell to the mat, unable to move his back or legs and in a ton of pain. Tom couldn't even talk and tell Don to stop kicking him after he fell. No one, from Don to the ref, to Don's manager Mr Fuji realized something was wrong.
Tom says he pulled himself to the apron and fell out of the ring, eventually counted out. Mr Fuji hit Tom with a chair a couple times until they all figured out something was wrong.
Tom remembers his leg twitching out of control as he was in the stretcher and ambulance, he later found out that was because of nerve damage in his back.
Tom would have a 6 hour surgery to fix several ruptured disks in his back, when he woke up, he couldn't feel or move his left leg and was told that is temporary. They were kinda right, but he never got feeling back in his foot.
The doctors told him he should never wrestle again. Tom didn't tell anyone else that fact for years, not Vince or his wife Michelle or anyone. He left left the hospital before doctors cleared him to, and in another book, I read how his wife Michelle found him crawling up the front steps of their house that day, attempting to get home.
Tom says Davey Boy only visited him once in the hospital, and he came with his wife and a press photographer. The Hart's have since disputed this claim and say Davey Boy was there for Tom at this time. He also says he later found out that Davey Boy had called home to their family and said Tom was a drug addict who would die soon, but presented himself as a straight laced good guy trying his best to hold Tom together.
Tom was WWF Tag champion with Davey Boy, but he refused to hand over the titles and Vince tried for a week's. Eventually Tom agreed to a match, just 6 weeks later on later January 1987, where The Bulldogs dropped the titles to the Hart Foundation. Tom says Vince wanted Shiek and Volkoff to go over but Tom refused and insisted on Hart Foundation.
Tom was literally wheel chair bound the day of the show and needed to lock arms with Davey Boy and allow Davey to pretty much carry them both to the ring.
Tom insisted on making it back for Wrestlemania 3 that year but says he was in tons of pain and doesn't even remember it.
Tom remembers one time, road agent Chief Jay Strongboy asked Tom for a bunch of steroids, for Jay's son. After Tom handed them over, Strongbow fined him $200 because he was late to the show that day.
Tom says Vince made him shave his 5 o-clock shadow because he likes his babyfaces clean shaved.
Tom says a normal day was taking speed in the morning to wake up, then Valium to sleep on the plane, percocet before the match, then beers and coke after the show.
Tom says his Wrestlemania 4 match was cut short so the main event got more time.
Tom says he pitched turning the Bulldogs heel to Vince, who said no. Tom believed this was due to his small size, so he started taking horse steroids.
Tom suffered his first seizer in the summer of 1988, he was on an escalator at the time and fell all the way to the bottom.
Tom describes a pretty famous incident between him and Rougeaus Brothers in 1988, after Curt Hennig cut up the Rougeaus gear and blamed it on Tom. Tom walked into the dressing room to have both Jacques and Raymond screaming at him about their gear. Tom waited until their back was turned and he cuffed Jacques across the ear and then took him down as Jacques tried to shoot on Tom. Tom says he fed Jacques shots until his brother Raymond tried to calm Tom down, so Tom knocked Raymond out as well.
A few weeks later, Tom thought the incident was in the past since it was Mr Perfect who cut uo the gear, but the Rougeaus weren't over Tom knocking them out. Tom says he was a walking backstage at a show and saw The Rougeaus with Pat Patterson, so Tom assumed they wouldn't try anything. He was wrong. Jacques sucker punched him a legit pair of brass knuckles, shattering 4 of Tom's teeth and cutting up his gums real bad. Tom says he remembers being stunned but knowing he can't fall down, so he braced himself on the wall as Jacques feeds him 2 more painful punches and Pat Patterson is screaming at him to stop. Tom says he saw Raymond coming in to hit him as well and figured he was about to die. Bad News Brown showed up and cleared the brothers off.
Pat Patterson gave Tom some money and told him to get fixed up at a hospital, but don't tell them what happened. When Tom later spoke to Vince, he remembers the first thing Vince said was "Goddamn Tom, I can't believe you didn't go down!" Tom said Vince talked him out of retaliation against the Rougeaus, because of their alledged criminal connections in Montreal.
Tom thinks that Pat Patterson was in on it, convinced that Pat set him up to nearly get killed by standing guard for the Rougeaus as they assaulted him. And based off Vince's reaction, Tom suspects Vince may have been in on it too.
Tom says Davey Boy again called home to their families to tell them about Tom getting beat up, but added that he saved Tom's life. Again, Tom didn't hear about this until years later.
Tom says The Rougeaus Brothers weren't fired or even suspended or fined.
Tom says Vince arranged a meeting between him and the Rougeaus, where Tom promised to drop everything if the brothers pay his dentist bill. Jacques tried to argue but his brother Raymond told him to shut up and then assured Tom they would pay the bill, and Tom says they did.
Bret Hart says Tom was a different person after the attack, and compares Tom to a toothless or neutered dog.
Tom calls Arn Anderson a great wrestler but says Tully Blanchard is "full of shit."
Tom decided to quit WWF and go back to All Japan after he and Davey were the only wrestlers forced to drive home after a tour. Everyone else got plane tickets from the office, but Tom and Davey had to drive.
Tom remembers wrestling The Brainbusters on one of his last nights with WWF, and was told by Pat Patterson to put them over. Tom refused, flat out. Pat called Vince to complain, but Vince just said "Let Tom do whatever he wants." So the Bulldogs got DQ'ed.
Their last WWF match was a Survivor Series elimination match, which Tom was curious about since The Rougeaus were on the opposite team, and he was curious if they would get a chance to square off. Bret eliminated The Rougeaus in the first 5 minutes, and by the time Tom got to the back, they had already left the building.
Tom says Davey Boy had to give back Matilda the dog when they finished up with WWF. I wonder what happened to her.
Tom says his wife Michelle wasn't happy he was off the road after finishing up with WWF. Tom says she had freedom to do as she pleased in the 4 years he was with WWF and she was probably scared of losing that.
Tom never mentions it in the book, but he owned a bunch of guns and a big ranch where he would shoot gophers and other animals as a lesier activity.
The only good thing Tom says about Davey Boy is how it was smart of Davey to trademark his name before WWF could. Though, Tom thinks it was probably Davey's wife who suggested it.
Tom went back to Stampede Wrestling and was suprised when Ross Hart told him they wanted Tom to book the territory. Ross initially told Tom it was because the boys were too rowdy on the road and that they all respect Tom. Ross also said they hoped by putting Tom in charge, that it would rein him in a bit so he doesn't "act as stupid as you usually do." Ross Hart's words, alledgedly.
Tom says Bruce didn't like that Tom was booking Stampede Wrestling, and says he had to to tell Bruce "no" when Bruce suggested they co-book the promotion. Bruce liked over the top gimmicks like fire balls and such, but Tom just liked basic wrestling.
Tom says that within a week, he was selling out buildings for Stampede.
Tom stresses that he wasn't like Bruce or any of the Hart's as a booker, that he wasn't a glory hound and he liked making guys look strong and putting others over.
Tom never mentions it, but he was ultimately demoted from booker back to just wrestler because of how wild and unpredictable he was, according to Ross Hart.
Tom did another tour in Japan in January 1989, and remembers how he met The Nasty Boys there. He didn't like them, so when they wrestled, Tom and Davey Boy no-sold literally everything and beat them flat in the ring. Tom says he got in trouble because the office had big plans for Nasty Boys, and The Bulldogs just made them look like fools.
Tom remembers a trip to Yellowknife, where he and all the boys from Stampede piled into a cramped Van for the long trip. Bruce didn't join them, and Tom was pissed when a Buick passed them, and Bruce was sitting in the passenger seat, feet up in the dashboard, and he just smiled at Tom. At the show, a pissed off Tom confronted Bruce who was snarky about it, so Tom punched him hard in the jaw. During his match, Tom noticed the ring announcer to be the one driving the Buick with Bruce, so Tom punched him too. Bruce and the driver ended up barricading themselves in the van after they called the cops on Tom. Tom says the cops physically restrained him as Bruce and the announcer hopped into the Buick and drove off.
Owen Hart was getting married a week later, and Bruce was best man, but after getting punched by Tom, he refused to go if Tom was there. So Ross Hart asked Tom to go wrestle a show in Edmonton that day instead. Tom agreed but skipped the show and the wedding, instead going to a pub and drinking alone all day. Tom says a week after the wedding, Bruce Hart shook Tom's hand and they mended that fence a bit.
Tom says the only Hart who stayed mad at him for the incident was Dean Hart, who once barged into Tom's dressing room as he slept and screamed at Tom. Tom says he started yelling back until Ross came in, scared for Dean's safety. Dean was very sick at the time, and Tom says he was never going to hurt Dean, but it doesn't matter, because a month later Dean was dead.
Tom says Vince McMahon reached out to him several times about bringing the Bulldogs back to the WWF, but with the intention of putting over The Brainbusters. Tom turned him down each time.
Tokyo Joe was a guy who worked in the office for All Japan and had a wooden leg. John would work out deals for Stampede talent to work in Japan, but he always kept 10% of their guarantee. Tom was trying to get a deal worked out for Chris Benoit to go to All Japan. Tokyo Joe and Tom got into an argument over this, with Tom questioned Joe on why he always takes guys money. Joe said if Tom had any sense, he would do the same! So Tom snapped back at him "If I had any gasoline, I'd pout it all over your wooden leg and set it on fire."
Tom got a couple of bad checks from Stu Hart, so he told Stu he would be quitting, then he handed the checks back to him, saying "you need these more than I do." Stu didn't say anything, but he did take the checks back.
Tom reached out to Ric Flair who was "booking" WCW to inquire about working there. Flair gave him some bullshit reason why he can't and Tom realized his reputation had finally caught up with him.
Tom was offered a spot in a territory down in Portland, but was told he has to promise to leave a wrestler named Mitch Snow alone. Tom said he pulled some pretty harsh pranks on Mitch in Japan, years prior, including deliberately spiking his head down on the mat hard during an assisted piledriver. Tom told the promoter to just forget it.
Stampede Wrestling was finally going out of buisness for good, and Stu wanted the last couple shows to be big, so he asked Tom to work a couple street fights with Owen Hart. Tom didn't want to let Stu down, so he and Owen had a couple of very good matches, according to Tom.
Tom spent most of 1990 working All Japan tours and a random New Zealand tour as well. Tom notes how he wasn't up to preforming at the level he used to and was in more and more pain every day. He couldn't do his repertoire of moves (like the snap suplex) on bugger guys anymore.
All Japan does an annual tag tournament, so when November 1990 came around, Tom expected himself and Davey Boy to be there. Tom was suprised when he heard through the grapevine that not only was Davey not doing the tournament, he was going back to WWF alone. Tom says he didn't care that Davey went back to WWF, he was upset that Davey didn't tell him and left him hanging in Japan. Tom says he never got a chance to ask Davey Boy about it, because they literally never spoke to each other again. Davey Boy didn't die for another 13 years, so he and Tom, who are cousins, just ignored one another for over a decade until one of them died. Wild.
Tom says his next tour with All Japan was nearly canceled because someone called them and said Tom was in a bad car accident and wouldn't make the tour. Tom says Davey Boy and his wife were the only ones who knew about his tour, he is convinced Davey Boy tried to fuck him over here.
Tom never mentions it, but every morning his wife Michelle would have to change the bed sheets because they were literally soaked in sweat, and when she asked him why, he snapped at her "because I'm in pain, ya fookin' cow!" Tom never told her how fucked his back was.
Michelle remembers New Years Eve 1991, she was very pregnant and wanted to stay in, but a drunken Tom came home with a gash in head and bleeding everywhere. His 2 kids were crying and scared as Tom screamed at Michelle to get dressed do they can go out. Earlier that night Tom refused to pay the $5 cover charge to a bar, and after some words were said he ended up getting beat up by several guys.
Tom says it was no suprise when his wife Michelle asked for a divorce, despite being pregnant with their 3rd kid. Side note: Tom barely mentioned his children in this book, literally just once or twice.
Tom says he got back to Calgary to find an empty house and a one-way plane ticket to England sitting on the kitchen table. Michelle later says she spent her last dime on that ticket before fleeing the house with her kids. Tom says he left the $30,000 he had from wrestling that year on the table for Michelle and the kids. (Michelle refutes this claim of leaving 30 grand) Tom says he returned home for the first time in 13 years, broken back, empty bank account and back living with is parents.
Michelle said she took the kids and fled to a women's shelter, because one of Tom's frequent threats through the years was that he would cut her up so bad no man would want her.
Tom makes no mention of a pretty notorious story of him pointing a loaded gun at Michelle one night.
Tom says he took LSD at Dan Spivey's house and his heart stopped. He technically died twice on Dan's floor and the paramedics arrived to what they thought was a corpse. Tom was told by doctors that the steroids had fucked up his heart and he had to stop taking them immediately.
All Japan wouldn't let him wrestle as much on the next tour. Giant Baba took one look at Tom and said he was too sick to wrestle.
Tom wrestled the UK independent scene again using the "British Bulldog" moniker until Davey Boy had lawyers track him down to put an end to that. Tom says he was lucky to make $30 a night, but Davey Boy who was making far more than that still had to screw over Tom.
Tom finally decided to call it quits after the 1991 All Japan tag tournament. He was advised to slow down in the ring, but he couldn't, he could literally only wrestle going full speed. He got a nice going away celebration where the wrestlers lifted him uo in the ring and they all signed a nice sweater and gave it to him. Tom made snide comments in the book about how little pageantry there is in "endings" for pro wrestling, so I think he really appreciated this, even if he doesn't say it outright.
Tom mentions a time when Bret Hart and Chief Jay Strongbow were on a WWF UK tour and decided to visit Tom at home. Tom talks about Bret offering him a job and Tom politely saying no. Bret's book also describes this story but it's much darker from Bret's perspective as Bret described the house like a drug den and was upset at how Tom treated who Bret assumed to be Tom's new girlfriend. After they left, Strongbow told Bret that he wishes they didn't visit and how it ruined his opinion of Tom.
Tom's dad died of cancer and Tom notes how devastated he was. He also mentions how because of Tom and Davey Boy's fractured relationship, Tom's dad and Davey Boy's mom stopped speaking to one another. They were siblings and Tom remembers them always being close, and he tells a sad story of when Tom's dad refused to see his sister before he died. Tom doesn't say it, but I think he felt a ton of guilt over this.
Davey Boy was back on the UK independent scene eventually too, and Tom went to a show he was wrestling at. Tom said he saw a display table full of Davey's pictures, so Tom snapped and tipped it over. The promoter and Davey Boy's dad tried to calm him down but eventually police were called and Tom was hauled off. Tom heard later that Davey Boy was hiding on his dressing room the whole time.
Tom wrestled random one off matches for a couple of years whenever he needed money, but his last match came at a small promotion in Japan. He spent the day fighting off seizers until he finally got hit by one that sent him to the hospital for a couple of days.
Tom mentions meeting his second wife Dot and getting married in 1997. He seems to consider her the only person who liked Tom Billington, instead of Dynamite Kid.
Throughout the Mid-90s Tom would experience episodes where he couldn't walk or his legs would give out and he would collapse. Finally in late 1997, he never recovered from one of these incidents, and was told that his back was beyond fixing. He was told he would never walk again. Tom says he refused to cry in front of the doctors, he just politely thanked the doctor and then asked Dot to get him out of that hospital.
Tom says it took him months to come to terms with his condition, and found it impossible to watch wrestling anymore. He did hear Jim Ross mention his name several times during Wrestlemania X7, to which Tom was greatful to still be remembered.
When WWF held a ppv in UK in 2001, Tom stopped by and got to see his old friends. It sounds like nice closure for the guy.
Tom says he will probably never speak to Davey Boy again, and as far as I know, that's true since Davey Boy died 2 years after this book came out.
He and Dot eventually split up after the book came out as well, though little is known on details there. Michelle tried to reach out to him in 2005 when she heard part of his leg was amputated but he never responded to her.
Last anyone really heard from Tom, he was alone and living in destitution.
Tom suffered a stroke in 2013 and tried to sue WWE in 2015 along with several others over concussion issues, but the case was dismissed.
Tom died on 5 December 2018, his 60th birthday. The exact cause of death remains unconfirmed, but the BBC report of his death placed it in the context of his previous reported health issues.
The final line in the book reads, "Wrestling was my life, and I loved it. No regrets. I had a blast."
2024.04.01 00:42 Little-Monster1000 Dangerous Love 4
Nathan adored Megan. But did he love her with the patience of a saint or the passion of the devil? Perhaps, it didn’t make a difference. She wasn’t there with him to be loved or hated, she ran away, and he still loved her, as if she were there with him and craved for her kisses, as if they were part of his respiratory system and her lips were the source of carbohydrate. Not just any carbohydrate but pure sugar, and he wanted to kiss her till his heart absorbed every sweetness in her essence, kiss her French till his blood sugar was high, and his liver stored the sugar as glycogen, and converted it to glucose as the muscles in his tongue and lips continued to burn calories before he even parted his lips from her sweet lips, kiss her, and kiss her and kiss her till his soul caught fire. Nathan didn’t believe in the past life, but if there were one, he thought that they invented kiss, it was him and her, who started it all, they sat under the tree, and bill and coo, and kissed for the very first time in the history of humankind, it must have been around 15000 BC, they were love hero and heroine, he was half god and half man, she was a nymph, they changed how people looked at romance. They kissed till their heart turned into roses, covered with due droplets. The gods and goddesses got jealous and made them mortals. It didn’t stop there. He was a warrior in the kingdom of Egypt around 3100 BC, he won many battles, riding a chariot and shooting arrows with a bow and all; she was the beautiful daughter of a pharaoh Tutankhamun. Nathan saw her when he came to have few words with her father and fell in love with her. Meanwhile, she had a dream about walking in the desert barefoot and she stumbled upon a red rose, picked the flower up, and smell it before Sandstrom twirled around her, out of nowhere came a Bedouin in a winged unicorn, picked her up, placed her on the unicorn, and rescued her, they escaped flying in the sky. The pharaoh brought an oracle to interpret the dream, the oracle said that her heart belonged to a warrior, but her life was in great danger; the rose was love and sandstorm meant trouble. Megan admitted that she was in love with Nathan, she wanted to marry him. Upon hearing that news, her uncle Ramses, who desired his son Djoser to rule Egypt, conspired against them, saying that Nathan wasn’t a royal blood, so he couldn’t marry her, his son Djoser was chosen by gods to marry his brother’s daughter and together they should rule Egypt. At the same time, Moses wanted to free the Israelites, there were too many things going on back then, Pharaoh’s relatives were hungry for power, law makers wanted to increase tax in order to build government buildings and conflicts between political parties fighting for the throne.
Djoser hired an assassin after Megan refused to marry him. She came to Nathan’s house to visit him. The assassin, who had followed her, flashed a knife and stopped her dead in her tracks, and when he was about to stab her in the stomach, out of nowhere came Nathan and held his hand. In the ensuing straggle, Nathan stabbed him in the liver with the same knife and killed him. The officials arrested Nathan. Djoser ordered for his execution, but Megan told him that she would marry him if Djoser pardoned Nathan. Djoser pardoned Nathan but made him a slave; he was forced to build a pyramid. Megan, who was now a queen, visited him every chance she got despite the fact Djoser had warned her not to get involved with him, she also refused to sleep with her nephew, she didn’t love him, Djoser, who was only interested in power, didn’t mind at all; he didn’t have feelings for Megan either and chose to have a son with another woman after an oracle told him a child with Megan might potentially result in a Hemophilia and the death of the offspring. And during the plagues, even though the bible said that God killed firstborn of children, he didn’t kill the pharaoh’s son; in fact, he didn’t kill children at all, they only got sick, it was a deadly disease (similar to smallpox) that might have been responsible for the death of those, who had a weak immune system, without discriminating first, second or third born and so on. But Megan, who was a doctor, got it under control, and in the height of political turmoil, finally, the Pharaoh (Djoser) allowed the Israelites to leave Egypt. Megan freed Nathan, they put normal clothes, joined the Israelites, left Egypt through red sea, rested in Sinai Desert, and later discovered Jerusalem.
Nathan then became a sculptor around 440 BC in Athens and Megan was the beautiful daughter of a merchant - Lysias. He caught a glimpse of her, did a sculpture of her, and kissed it every day. Her father wanted her to marry a young business man named Thucydides, who was making name for himself. Aeschylus, Thucydides’ father, was a good friend of Lysias (her father). Thucydides had a thing for her, she told her father that she was in love with a sculptor named Nathan, whom she secretly saw doing her sculpture and kissing it on the lips while visiting her friend (Diana), whom happened to be his neighbor, she wanted to be with him. Her father respected her wish. Megan met Nathan in a garden, they spent quality time, as a matter of fact, they hit it off; kissing, caressing, and making love like the gods and goddesses in the Garden of Eternal love. Thucydides, who fancied her, confronted Nathan, they had a duel, Nathan killed him in self-defense. The officials charged him for murder, Megan, who served as his lawyer, defended him; it was Thucydides, who started the fight, Nathan was standing up to a bully, the juries found him not guilty, he was acquitted of all charges, the judge sent him home. Nathan and Megan got married, but Euripides (Thucydides’ brother), who wanted to avenge his brother and had vowed to kill both Nathan and Megan, came to their house in the middle of the night with a couple of hoodlums, they beat them mercilessly, tied them with ropes, rinsed the house with gas. Euripides said, eye for an eye, and set the house on fire while they were still in the house knotted. The Greek might have invented tragedy and death seemed inevitable, but luckily, Nathan freed himself, untied Megan, and they exited right before the house was about to be engulfed with flames. Eventually, Nathan confronted Euripides, they got in a sword fight, Nathan stabbed him in the lungs and killed him. Unfortunately, Euripides’ wife Tara was the daughter of an important politician named Hippias, Hippias was upset that Nathan left his daughter without a husband, used his influence, the Greek court persecuted him to the fullest extent of the law, the judge gave him a death penalty, he was executed in public. Megan died of grief as well. Later, Nathan returned as a poet in 10 BC in the golden age of Rome, Megan was a princess. Nathan fell in love with her and wrote a million of poems, but she was engaged to a powerful emperor named Caesar. Caesar ordered his troops to burn the poems and crucify him on the cross and stone her to death for infidelity even though she wasn’t his wife yet; it was her parents, who arranged the marriage against her wish; she chose to run away with Nathan, and they hit it off, making love day and night… till they captured them; they crucified him like a thief and they stoned her to death like a prostitute; even though it was a time of prosperity, some paid the price when they gave their hearts to each other, as though it were a sin to worship mortals.
Later, Nathan became a renewed painter in High Renaissance period in Florence, Megan was a young Queen, she was married to King Lorenzo. The king paid Nathan to do his wife portrait. Nathan came to the palace to do her painting, the queen removed her clothes and requested him to do her nude portrait. Nathan was smitten with her despite the fact the king, who was so envious, had warned him nether to look at her in the eyes nor be deceived by her charm; he couldn’t help falling in love with her, she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen in his life. And since he couldn’t do the portrait at the palace, he invited her to his chateau and did her nude portrait before they got involved in a passionate love affair under the king’s nose. Megan told her friends that Nathan was the best lover that she’d ever had. Eventually, the king found out about it, and upon contemplating on the punishment that he believed was appropriate for the misconduct and feeling rage, he gave the order to burn every painting that was painted by Nathan and destroy all his records, as if he had never existed. The king also instructed the court Legislators to burn the queen at the stake for adultery, and whoever mentioned their names would be subjected to torture and death, so they would be no accounts of their existence.
Later, Nathan became an aspiring composer during Belle Époque in France and she was a ballerina but quit after she suffered from an ankle injury and became a performer at a cabaret where he played a piano to make ends meet. Megan was involved with a man named Paul, who owned the club, and Nathan was married to a stage actress named Camille, whom he despised, because he suspected that she was fooling around with stage actors that she worked with; she always got caught in a method acting, but that didn’t bother him, he was head over heels in love with Megan, he carried a torch for her; however, she was up to no good, even though she was dating Paul, she wasn’t in love with him. Megan was also aware of that Nathan was smitten with her, she liked him too, one thing led to another, they seduced each other and had an affair. Megan then told Nathan that the owner had a lot of money in his safe, she wanted him to help her steal the money and ran away with her to America. Nathan helped her steal the money, she took the money from Paul at gun point. Paul tried to take the gun from her hand, she shot him in the heart and killed him by accident. Nathan and Megan took the money, got rid of the body, and came to New Orleans. They lay low in New Orleans, later, they opened a blues bar in Baton Rouge. She became a singer and he played piano. They ran a successful business. One night, Nathan and Megan danced slow as a young African American girl named Rachel (an aspiring singer), who worked as a busgirl, played piano; it was Nathan, who thought her how to played piano in his spare time, and she picked up very fast. She was also a part time singer. She sang once in a while when Megan felt drained or bored. She lived with them at the bar. Anyhow, they sent Rachel to her room and began to make love on the piano. A man named Robert, who was secretly obsessed with Megan, entered through the window, came to the main bar, shot them in cold blood, and walked away. He knew that it was gloomy. But he wanted to end it with a sad note in order to move on to the next phase.
Later, Nathan became an aspiring writer in New York City in the roaring twenties and Megan was a flapper. They met at an art party, hosted by Nathan’s friend Rachel, who was a surrealist. Megan came to the party with her husband Jim, who was an art collector. Nathan was smitten with her and she was attracted to him as well. Later, he ran into her at a market accidentally on purpose. She was happy to see him. They shopped together, she bought a dress, he bought groceries before he invited her to his house. They cooked together… but she couldn’t stay for dinner, she had to be home, her husband would be there soon, she had to prepare dinner for him before he showed up. Nathan and Megan kissed goodbye, promised to meet again, he was left with ache in her heart, he had dinner by himself. Nathan wished that she stayed a little longer. Anyhow, later that week, they met at a museum, this time, they purchased groceries earlier, cooked together, they could have supper but instead, chose to dance slow with “You're the top” by Cole Porter; love had filled their souls with joy, one thing led to another, kissed like the angels in the garden of Eden and made love till they were covered with sweats. It was a steamy sex. Megan told Nathan that she was in love with him but couldn’t divorce her husband, Jim wouldn’t grant her no matter what, he was Catholic. The Catholic Church prohibited divorce, “What God had joined together let no man put asunder.” Marriage was holy, and people should think twice before they broke apart a marriage, or got divorce.
It didn’t matter to them. Nathan and Megan became lovers, got involved in a passionate love affair, spent quality time, read poetry, went to jazz club, she danced till her knees trembled, they made love every romantic place they could think of, he wrote her poems, it was one of the happiest days of her life. Nathan had a blast, too. He couldn’t get enough of her. She inspired him to write a new novel. It marked a high point in his life. Love changed Megan’s life as well. They went out and associated with artistic people. Megan had a lot of fun, painted the town red, and became the life of the party. However, she had to deal with her husband, who treated her like she was nothing, Jim was unpredictable, he was a jealous type, he once spited on her face for looking at a man with smile in her eyes after he paid her a thoughtful compliment, she didn’t have a choice but to forgive him, because he was drunk. Now, she had a sun in her heart, she was always smiling. And luckily, Jim didn’t suspect, he usually traveled to Europe to buy and sell paintings. Then one day, Megan forgot her ring at Nathan’s house, she did her best to hide her fingers from her husband, it seemed she succeeded, they went to bed without quarrel, but Jim waked up in the middle of the night to take a leak and noticed that his wife wasn’t wearing the ring. He was taken aback but said nothing for the time being. Later, Jim hired a private investigator named Vaughn, who was expert at catching a cheating wife.
Vaughn photographed them kissing and gave Jim the photos. Jim lied to Megan that he was going to Paris for business. Megan spent the night at Nathan’s house, cooking, dancing… etc. They made love and sat in a bathtub surrounded by candles. Nathan read her few pages of his novel (the first draft), she really liked it, he asked her to leave everything behind and go to Hollywood with him. Kevin (his friend) had already found him a screenwriting job in California. Megan agreed to go to Hollywood with him. They kissed passionately. Jim and his four friends (Randel, Terry, Tyler and Rubin) stormed into the house. Jim grabbed Megan’s hair and pulled her out of the bathtub. Randel, Terry, Tyler and Rubin beat Nathan, so did Jim before they took them away. Jim burned Nathan’s novel and made Megan watch as Jim and his friend beat the daylights out of him. Rubin was holding Megan. She wanted to intervene. But Rubin held her firmly. Megan begged them to stop hurting him. They ignored her, as if she was a ghost that had no business there, they continued to beat him within an inch of his life and threw him in a river. Jim then flagellated Megan with a whip till her skin peeled off from her back, cut her face with a knife, disfiguring her look, and threw her at a hospital without a single drop of cloth.
The paramedics rushed her to emergency room, the doctors stopped the bleed, cleaned her cuts, stitched them, patched up her wounds and safe her life. Meanwhile, a good Samaritan fetched Nathan out of the water, took him to his house, and restored him to health. On the other hand, Megan, who was disfigured badly, recovered from her injury but fell into depression and killed herself, thinking that Nathan wouldn’t love her like how he used to. Nathan, who was grief-stricken by her death, killed her husband and his friends (one by one). But the police shot and killed him as he tried to escape. Nathan was the first American’s most wanted for a wrong reason but the right cause. The police thought that he was a serial killer. He came to their houses in the middle of the night, cut their chests, removed their hearts and roasted their hearts with fire till it was black. He then put their hearts back in their chests and stitched the skins back; it was how he felt, they took his light away and his heart became dark, and they paid dearly. The police didn’t know the cause of their deaths till they did autopsies. It became a big news. Every law enforcement agent in New York City came after him. It was what it was. Their lives must have been filled with romance, passion, love, longing, violent, sex, crime and scandal.
Love was one of the basic necessities of life, but at the same time, it was full of mystery. Nathan knew that he had no control over it but hoped he gained some knowledge of his heart before it was too late - the source of joy and pain, euphoria and heartache, and pleasure and melancholy. Love had taken him to a place, where even fools feared to tread, "with nothing underfoot, with nothing around, without pandemonium, without much belief in his own right, and still less in that of his adversary" like Heart of darkness by Joseph Conrad... except it had a blissful atmosphere. The stars were spectators. There was glory, there was the great desire of victory, there was fear of losing control, but he had a strong faith; he believed "When we wanted it bad, all the universe conspires in helping us achieving it." Nathan was willing to die for her; he loved her from the bottom of his heart and he did not understand why a girl wanted to run away from a heart that wanted to nurture her day and night. She was the love of his life. He thought that he could have placed his trust on her forever and ever. She would never let me down, would she? It didn’t matter at all. Nathan still had a beautiful opinion of her. He wanted to make her happy with no string attached. She was his queen. He wouldn’t betray her trust. But the demons in his head told him Why would anyone want to give their heart to a girl who was no-good? As an artist, he had to ask himself how he would be remembered. But as a man, he should always strive for respect. If they didn't respect him, they wouldn't fear him. And if they didn't fear him, they would take him for granted. And if they took him for granted, they would destroy him. He didn’t want that, did he? They wanted him to imagine giving his heart and soul to a girl that he thought that she needed him. And he then discovered that he meant nothing to her. Megan was nothing but trouble. If he forgot her, he would do his heart a great service. But Nathan knew Megan was his Sunshine. He didn’t care about respect. Respect had nothing to do with love. His heart needed her. It would stop beating if anything happened to her. He thought the demons in his head liked to talk nonsense. Megan was a treasure, which his heart sought restlessly the moment he laid eyes on her. Nathan thought that they could take the world by storm; together they would have become legends. And in the future, the world would look up to them like Romeo and Juliet or Cleopatra and Mark Antony or Tristan and Iseult. The truth was there was nothing like Megan in the history of creation, she was out of this world, if she came from any era, she must have come from the future millions of light years away.
Nathan didn't think that it was fair. Her eyes were sparkling like stars that the angels collected from the most celestial part of heaven and sprinkled them in two mysterious seas that dwelled in the air, which in themselves were belonged to the goddess of love, beauty, desire, and all aspects of sexuality, who granted anyone's wish in the count of seven. Megan, worrying about what was going on in the world and things that might put her life in danger, slept with ache in her heart and dreamed of dancing with a stranger. She woke up in the morning with butterflies in her belly. She took a sip from a coffee with brown sugar, hazelnut, and cinnamon concoction while it was still steaming. She didn’t put it down like an item that she purchased at the auction. She had one sip after another till love filled her irises with maple syrup, chocolate, honey, gold and diamonds; beaming. He could see his soul dilating in her eyes and hear his heart screaming. Nathan worshipped her like how the ancient Egyptians idolized the sun, having confidence in its heat and light, which it bestowed upon the world, and believing that it would deliver them from darkness as long as they continued to pray sincerely and honor it with gifts or make sacrifices... such as killing animals in a religious ceremony; they depended on it even though it was only 1 star out of the countless bright objects in the universe... except Nathan believes that she was 1 in an infinity. There were nothing like her in the universe...
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Djoser hired an assassin after Megan refused to marry him. She came to Nathan’s house to visit him. The assassin, who had followed her, flashed a knife and stopped her dead in her tracks, and when he was about to stab her in the stomach, out of nowhere came Nathan and held his hand. In the ensuing straggle, Nathan stabbed him in the liver with the same knife and killed him. The officials arrested Nathan. Djoser ordered for his execution, but Megan told him that she would marry him if Djoser pardoned Nathan. Djoser pardoned Nathan but made him a slave; he was forced to build a pyramid. Megan, who was now a queen, visited him every chance she got despite the fact Djoser had warned her not to get involved with him, she also refused to sleep with her nephew, she didn’t love him, Djoser, who was only interested in power, didn’t mind at all; he didn’t have feelings for Megan either and chose to have a son with another woman after an oracle told him a child with Megan might potentially result in a Hemophilia and the death of the offspring. And during the plagues, even though the bible said that God killed firstborn of children, he didn’t kill the pharaoh’s son; in fact, he didn’t kill children at all, they only got sick, it was a deadly disease (similar to smallpox) that might have been responsible for the death of those, who had a weak immune system, without discriminating first, second or third born and so on. But Megan, who was a doctor, got it under control, and in the height of political turmoil, finally, the Pharaoh (Djoser) allowed the Israelites to leave Egypt. Megan freed Nathan, they put normal clothes, joined the Israelites, left Egypt through red sea, rested in Sinai Desert, and later discovered Jerusalem.
Nathan then became a sculptor around 440 BC in Athens and Megan was the beautiful daughter of a merchant - Lysias. He caught a glimpse of her, did a sculpture of her, and kissed it every day. Her father wanted her to marry a young business man named Thucydides, who was making name for himself. Aeschylus, Thucydides’ father, was a good friend of Lysias (her father). Thucydides had a thing for her, she told her father that she was in love with a sculptor named Nathan, whom she secretly saw doing her sculpture and kissing it on the lips while visiting her friend (Diana), whom happened to be his neighbor, she wanted to be with him. Her father respected her wish. Megan met Nathan in a garden, they spent quality time, as a matter of fact, they hit it off; kissing, caressing, and making love like the gods and goddesses in the Garden of Eternal love. Thucydides, who fancied her, confronted Nathan, they had a duel, Nathan killed him in self-defense. The officials charged him for murder, Megan, who served as his lawyer, defended him; it was Thucydides, who started the fight, Nathan was standing up to a bully, the juries found him not guilty, he was acquitted of all charges, the judge sent him home. Nathan and Megan got married, but Euripides (Thucydides’ brother), who wanted to avenge his brother and had vowed to kill both Nathan and Megan, came to their house in the middle of the night with a couple of hoodlums, they beat them mercilessly, tied them with ropes, rinsed the house with gas. Euripides said, eye for an eye, and set the house on fire while they were still in the house knotted. The Greek might have invented tragedy and death seemed inevitable, but luckily, Nathan freed himself, untied Megan, and they exited right before the house was about to be engulfed with flames. Eventually, Nathan confronted Euripides, they got in a sword fight, Nathan stabbed him in the lungs and killed him. Unfortunately, Euripides’ wife Tara was the daughter of an important politician named Hippias, Hippias was upset that Nathan left his daughter without a husband, used his influence, the Greek court persecuted him to the fullest extent of the law, the judge gave him a death penalty, he was executed in public. Megan died of grief as well. Later, Nathan returned as a poet in 10 BC in the golden age of Rome, Megan was a princess. Nathan fell in love with her and wrote a million of poems, but she was engaged to a powerful emperor named Caesar. Caesar ordered his troops to burn the poems and crucify him on the cross and stone her to death for infidelity even though she wasn’t his wife yet; it was her parents, who arranged the marriage against her wish; she chose to run away with Nathan, and they hit it off, making love day and night… till they captured them; they crucified him like a thief and they stoned her to death like a prostitute; even though it was a time of prosperity, some paid the price when they gave their hearts to each other, as though it were a sin to worship mortals.
Later, Nathan became a renewed painter in High Renaissance period in Florence, Megan was a young Queen, she was married to King Lorenzo. The king paid Nathan to do his wife portrait. Nathan came to the palace to do her painting, the queen removed her clothes and requested him to do her nude portrait. Nathan was smitten with her despite the fact the king, who was so envious, had warned him nether to look at her in the eyes nor be deceived by her charm; he couldn’t help falling in love with her, she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen in his life. And since he couldn’t do the portrait at the palace, he invited her to his chateau and did her nude portrait before they got involved in a passionate love affair under the king’s nose. Megan told her friends that Nathan was the best lover that she’d ever had. Eventually, the king found out about it, and upon contemplating on the punishment that he believed was appropriate for the misconduct and feeling rage, he gave the order to burn every painting that was painted by Nathan and destroy all his records, as if he had never existed. The king also instructed the court Legislators to burn the queen at the stake for adultery, and whoever mentioned their names would be subjected to torture and death, so they would be no accounts of their existence.
Later, Nathan became an aspiring composer during Belle Époque in France and she was a ballerina but quit after she suffered from an ankle injury and became a performer at a cabaret where he played a piano to make ends meet. Megan was involved with a man named Paul, who owned the club, and Nathan was married to a stage actress named Camille, whom he despised, because he suspected that she was fooling around with stage actors that she worked with; she always got caught in a method acting, but that didn’t bother him, he was head over heels in love with Megan, he carried a torch for her; however, she was up to no good, even though she was dating Paul, she wasn’t in love with him. Megan was also aware of that Nathan was smitten with her, she liked him too, one thing led to another, they seduced each other and had an affair. Megan then told Nathan that the owner had a lot of money in his safe, she wanted him to help her steal the money and ran away with her to America. Nathan helped her steal the money, she took the money from Paul at gun point. Paul tried to take the gun from her hand, she shot him in the heart and killed him by accident. Nathan and Megan took the money, got rid of the body, and came to New Orleans. They lay low in New Orleans, later, they opened a blues bar in Baton Rouge. She became a singer and he played piano. They ran a successful business. One night, Nathan and Megan danced slow as a young African American girl named Rachel (an aspiring singer), who worked as a busgirl, played piano; it was Nathan, who thought her how to played piano in his spare time, and she picked up very fast. She was also a part time singer. She sang once in a while when Megan felt drained or bored. She lived with them at the bar. Anyhow, they sent Rachel to her room and began to make love on the piano. A man named Robert, who was secretly obsessed with Megan, entered through the window, came to the main bar, shot them in cold blood, and walked away. He knew that it was gloomy. But he wanted to end it with a sad note in order to move on to the next phase.
Later, Nathan became an aspiring writer in New York City in the roaring twenties and Megan was a flapper. They met at an art party, hosted by Nathan’s friend Rachel, who was a surrealist. Megan came to the party with her husband Jim, who was an art collector. Nathan was smitten with her and she was attracted to him as well. Later, he ran into her at a market accidentally on purpose. She was happy to see him. They shopped together, she bought a dress, he bought groceries before he invited her to his house. They cooked together… but she couldn’t stay for dinner, she had to be home, her husband would be there soon, she had to prepare dinner for him before he showed up. Nathan and Megan kissed goodbye, promised to meet again, he was left with ache in her heart, he had dinner by himself. Nathan wished that she stayed a little longer. Anyhow, later that week, they met at a museum, this time, they purchased groceries earlier, cooked together, they could have supper but instead, chose to dance slow with “You're the top” by Cole Porter; love had filled their souls with joy, one thing led to another, kissed like the angels in the garden of Eden and made love till they were covered with sweats. It was a steamy sex. Megan told Nathan that she was in love with him but couldn’t divorce her husband, Jim wouldn’t grant her no matter what, he was Catholic. The Catholic Church prohibited divorce, “What God had joined together let no man put asunder.” Marriage was holy, and people should think twice before they broke apart a marriage, or got divorce.
It didn’t matter to them. Nathan and Megan became lovers, got involved in a passionate love affair, spent quality time, read poetry, went to jazz club, she danced till her knees trembled, they made love every romantic place they could think of, he wrote her poems, it was one of the happiest days of her life. Nathan had a blast, too. He couldn’t get enough of her. She inspired him to write a new novel. It marked a high point in his life. Love changed Megan’s life as well. They went out and associated with artistic people. Megan had a lot of fun, painted the town red, and became the life of the party. However, she had to deal with her husband, who treated her like she was nothing, Jim was unpredictable, he was a jealous type, he once spited on her face for looking at a man with smile in her eyes after he paid her a thoughtful compliment, she didn’t have a choice but to forgive him, because he was drunk. Now, she had a sun in her heart, she was always smiling. And luckily, Jim didn’t suspect, he usually traveled to Europe to buy and sell paintings. Then one day, Megan forgot her ring at Nathan’s house, she did her best to hide her fingers from her husband, it seemed she succeeded, they went to bed without quarrel, but Jim waked up in the middle of the night to take a leak and noticed that his wife wasn’t wearing the ring. He was taken aback but said nothing for the time being. Later, Jim hired a private investigator named Vaughn, who was expert at catching a cheating wife.
Vaughn photographed them kissing and gave Jim the photos. Jim lied to Megan that he was going to Paris for business. Megan spent the night at Nathan’s house, cooking, dancing… etc. They made love and sat in a bathtub surrounded by candles. Nathan read her few pages of his novel (the first draft), she really liked it, he asked her to leave everything behind and go to Hollywood with him. Kevin (his friend) had already found him a screenwriting job in California. Megan agreed to go to Hollywood with him. They kissed passionately. Jim and his four friends (Randel, Terry, Tyler and Rubin) stormed into the house. Jim grabbed Megan’s hair and pulled her out of the bathtub. Randel, Terry, Tyler and Rubin beat Nathan, so did Jim before they took them away. Jim burned Nathan’s novel and made Megan watch as Jim and his friend beat the daylights out of him. Rubin was holding Megan. She wanted to intervene. But Rubin held her firmly. Megan begged them to stop hurting him. They ignored her, as if she was a ghost that had no business there, they continued to beat him within an inch of his life and threw him in a river. Jim then flagellated Megan with a whip till her skin peeled off from her back, cut her face with a knife, disfiguring her look, and threw her at a hospital without a single drop of cloth.
The paramedics rushed her to emergency room, the doctors stopped the bleed, cleaned her cuts, stitched them, patched up her wounds and safe her life. Meanwhile, a good Samaritan fetched Nathan out of the water, took him to his house, and restored him to health. On the other hand, Megan, who was disfigured badly, recovered from her injury but fell into depression and killed herself, thinking that Nathan wouldn’t love her like how he used to. Nathan, who was grief-stricken by her death, killed her husband and his friends (one by one). But the police shot and killed him as he tried to escape. Nathan was the first American’s most wanted for a wrong reason but the right cause. The police thought that he was a serial killer. He came to their houses in the middle of the night, cut their chests, removed their hearts and roasted their hearts with fire till it was black. He then put their hearts back in their chests and stitched the skins back; it was how he felt, they took his light away and his heart became dark, and they paid dearly. The police didn’t know the cause of their deaths till they did autopsies. It became a big news. Every law enforcement agent in New York City came after him. It was what it was. Their lives must have been filled with romance, passion, love, longing, violent, sex, crime and scandal.
Love was one of the basic necessities of life, but at the same time, it was full of mystery. Nathan knew that he had no control over it but hoped he gained some knowledge of his heart before it was too late - the source of joy and pain, euphoria and heartache, and pleasure and melancholy. Love had taken him to a place, where even fools feared to tread, "with nothing underfoot, with nothing around, without pandemonium, without much belief in his own right, and still less in that of his adversary" like Heart of darkness by Joseph Conrad... except it had a blissful atmosphere. The stars were spectators. There was glory, there was the great desire of victory, there was fear of losing control, but he had a strong faith; he believed "When we wanted it bad, all the universe conspires in helping us achieving it." Nathan was willing to die for her; he loved her from the bottom of his heart and he did not understand why a girl wanted to run away from a heart that wanted to nurture her day and night. She was the love of his life. He thought that he could have placed his trust on her forever and ever. She would never let me down, would she? It didn’t matter at all. Nathan still had a beautiful opinion of her. He wanted to make her happy with no string attached. She was his queen. He wouldn’t betray her trust. But the demons in his head told him Why would anyone want to give their heart to a girl who was no-good? As an artist, he had to ask himself how he would be remembered. But as a man, he should always strive for respect. If they didn't respect him, they wouldn't fear him. And if they didn't fear him, they would take him for granted. And if they took him for granted, they would destroy him. He didn’t want that, did he? They wanted him to imagine giving his heart and soul to a girl that he thought that she needed him. And he then discovered that he meant nothing to her. Megan was nothing but trouble. If he forgot her, he would do his heart a great service. But Nathan knew Megan was his Sunshine. He didn’t care about respect. Respect had nothing to do with love. His heart needed her. It would stop beating if anything happened to her. He thought the demons in his head liked to talk nonsense. Megan was a treasure, which his heart sought restlessly the moment he laid eyes on her. Nathan thought that they could take the world by storm; together they would have become legends. And in the future, the world would look up to them like Romeo and Juliet or Cleopatra and Mark Antony or Tristan and Iseult. The truth was there was nothing like Megan in the history of creation, she was out of this world, if she came from any era, she must have come from the future millions of light years away.
Nathan didn't think that it was fair. Her eyes were sparkling like stars that the angels collected from the most celestial part of heaven and sprinkled them in two mysterious seas that dwelled in the air, which in themselves were belonged to the goddess of love, beauty, desire, and all aspects of sexuality, who granted anyone's wish in the count of seven. Megan, worrying about what was going on in the world and things that might put her life in danger, slept with ache in her heart and dreamed of dancing with a stranger. She woke up in the morning with butterflies in her belly. She took a sip from a coffee with brown sugar, hazelnut, and cinnamon concoction while it was still steaming. She didn’t put it down like an item that she purchased at the auction. She had one sip after another till love filled her irises with maple syrup, chocolate, honey, gold and diamonds; beaming. He could see his soul dilating in her eyes and hear his heart screaming. Nathan worshipped her like how the ancient Egyptians idolized the sun, having confidence in its heat and light, which it bestowed upon the world, and believing that it would deliver them from darkness as long as they continued to pray sincerely and honor it with gifts or make sacrifices... such as killing animals in a religious ceremony; they depended on it even though it was only 1 star out of the countless bright objects in the universe... except Nathan believes that she was 1 in an infinity. There were nothing like her in the universe...
2024.03.29 17:12 NewTorai GUESS WHO?
 | Anna Nicole Smith, the miss may submitted by NewTorai to PlayBoyUSAcovers [link] [comments] who knocks us out in those sexy jeans ads, takes another trophy Playmate of the Year! text by REG POTTERTON Anna Nicole Smith YOU'VE SEEN the Guess Jeans ads. The ultimate blonde, fighting her way out of tight dresses, straps falling off her shoulders, eyes smoldering into the camera. She reminded me of someone-several someones-when I first saw the pictures. A hint of Marilyn Monroe and the great Dane, Anita Ekberg, yes, but someone else, too, a blonde version of Jane Russell, perhaps. She has that attitude: Don't mess with me, mister, not if you know what's good for you. The challenge when she leans against a sun-bleached pole, cigarette coolly poised between long fingers. That look on her face: Does it say drop dead? Get over here, big boy? Or both? Anna Nicole Smith There was no clue to the answers when i called this familiar stranger to set up an interview. She was staying at an old-fashioned five-star hotel on Chicago's Gold Coast. That's all I knew-that, and the fact that my call woke her up. "What time is it?" Her voice was soft, small, sleepy. "Just after noon." "Call me at two, please." By four in the afternoon I was knocking on the door of room 444, counting the plates piled outside on a room-service tray. Seven, all empty. This was a hungry woman. And there she was, on the threshold of a darkened room, blinds drawn, one shaded lamp on a table, TV blurting and squelching in the background. Happy Days. The Fonz and the gang, in that diner where they hang out. Anna Nicole Smith She was maybe an inch under six feet. Hair pulled back in a ponytail. Baggy top. Tight jeans. Cute socks, flat shoes. The voice was still soft. "Please don't look at my hair. It's got plastic in it. Plastic snow. For the movie. They haven't let me wash it for the past three days." That was my first glimpse of Anna Nicole Smith, the Guess Jeans girl, PLAYBOY's Playmate of the Year. I knew PLAYBOY put her on the cover in March 1992 and then chose her for Playmate two months later, when she went by her original name, Vickie Smith. But the rest was unknown terri-tory. Who was she? Where did she come from? How did she get here from there? When did it all start? Anna Nicole Smith She sat on the side of the table with the lamp, I sat on the other, taking notes. Four o'clock in the afternoon and the bed wasn't made. It looked as though wild animals had been mangling the sheets and blankets. What kind of hotel was this? "Lousy," said Anna. "I've spoken to everyone from the maid up to the manager, trying to get the TV fixed. My bodyguard next door gets full cable service, I get the networks. I've given up asking. They don't listen." What's the point of having a bodyguard, I thought, if you can't use him to brutalize hotel people who fall down on the job? But I said nothing. Anna did all the talking. Never raised her voice, never displayed outrage or anger, none of that "don't they know who I am" business. While she talked, she chewed vitamin C tablets, kept an ear and sometimes an eye on Happy Days, laughing at the jokes, and called me sir. There wasn't a lot of Texas left in her accent, but you could tell it was there, hiding, perhaps, until she was back with friends and family. Texas is where she was born 25 years ago and lived most of her life, some of it in and around Houston, much of it in a small town about 70 miles south of Dal-las. From the age of 15 to 19 she was breakfast cook at the Chicken House. "Its real name was Jim's Krispy Fried Chicken," she said, "but we all called it plain old Chicken House. I did eggs. I was real good with eggs. And okra. Mashed potatoes. Home-fried chicken. All that good stuff you can't get in these fancy hotels." "What was that," I asked, "a five-day week?™ "Mostly seven," she said Anna worked with a girlfriend. Anna Nicole Smith They gave themselves nick-names. Anna was Cricket. "I was always jumping around." The two girls married two brothers, one of whom, Anna's husband, worked at the Chicken House. He'd been her boyfriend in high school. She was 17 when they married, he was 16. Both girls had babies a month apart, both got divorced. Anna took her son, Daniel, Houston and moved in with her mother, a police officer. They didn't get along, so Anna and Daniel found a place of their own, a tiny studio apartment in Hous-ton. She took two jobs, waiting tables at a Red Lobster and working as a Wal-Mart cashier. "I knew that something would happen one day. I just had to keep trying." She went for an interview at one of Houston's biggest modeling agencies. "They asked me for money, told me to darken my hair, lose weight, change the way I looked and go to modeling school. I dyed my hair. Then I cried for two weeks, and they told me to forget it. You just don't have it, that's what they said." A local photographer took a few pic-tures. He sent them to PLAYBOY's Los Angeles studio. PLAYBOY flew Anna to the West Coast for tests. Impressed by the results, the magazine signed her up for the cover and as a Playmate. "She has that look," said Gary Cole, PLAYBOY's Photography Director. "You can be sitting next to her and you think, Well, she's OK, she's not bad. But then you put her in front of a camera and, damn, it's another woman—not just another great blonde but someone ex-traordinary. That's what we saw." Paul Marciano, the man who invented Guess Jeans, saw the same thing when he picked up the March and May 1992 issues of PLAYBOY. "I was totally mesmerized by that March cover," he said. "Her face drove me crazy." He looked inside the issue for more pictures but found none. When Anna's Playmate pictorial came out in May he called Marilyn Grabowski, PLAYBOY's West Coast Photography Edi-tor. He had two questions: Who was she? Where could he find her? "I met Paul in Houston," Anna said. Anna Nicole Smith "He was shooting a new series of Guess ads in San Antonio and he invited me down to watch them work. No promises, he said, and that was the deal. After I'd been in San Antonio for a couple of hours he told them to put some makeup on me, just for a little test. Then they looked at the pictures and kept shooting me for the next two days. That's how I got to sign up with Guess Jeans for three years." Paul Marciano, who called me after I'd seen Anna, confirmed the essentials. "We went to San Antonio to shoot a catalog of clothing for babies and kids," he said. "When I met her, I wasn't sure how it would turn out. She didn't walk like a model, she didn't look like a model. But in front of a camera she was magic. It was absolutely astounding, just seeing it happen. And it wasn't easy work, either. We were shooting in temperatures of a hundred and six. After ten minutes her makeup melted. She carried on as if she'd been doing it all her life." on as if Back at the hotel in Chicago, the Fonz was doing his Happy Days shtick. Anna giggled. "Here's a copy of the script," she said. Script? Right, almost forgot, the movie she had come to Chicago to make. I looked at the cover. The Hudsucker Proxy. An industrial fantasy, it said on the bot-tom. A film by Joel and Ethan Coen. The Coen brothers! The guys who made Blood Simple. Raising Arizona. Barton Fink. Miller's Crossing. Cinematic milestones, in my humble view. "It's got Paul Newman and Tim Rob-bins in it," said Anna. "I play the part of Tim's girlfriend, then I dump him for an elevator man. It's going to be one funny movie. I was laughing so hard watching Tim the other day, they had to take my mike off." I was thinking: From Red Lobster and Wal-Mart to the Coen boys, Newman and Robbins. I thought life didn't write that kind of story anymore. Anna Nicole Smith "What's next, Anna?" "I'm just waiting for things to slow down," she said. "It's all gone so fast. We've been shooting from six at night until four in the morning. Same again tonight." Ah, that explains her reaction to my wake-up call at noon. Sorry, Anna. "I'd give a lot for a little more sleep. Next week we move to North Carolina and start shooting again." She has three months of solid bookings after she finishes Hudsucker. Modeling jobs, guest appearances, making movies. In between, she flies home to be with seven-year-old Daniel, or takes him with her when she's working close to home. She'll be in Cannes for the 1993 International Film Festival. Later she wants to rent an apartment in New York City for a year and get serious about acting lessons. "I'm young and I'm blonde and I'm Texan," she said, "but I'm a serious per-son. I take work seriously and 1 take Daniel seriously, even though he drives me nuts when he beats me at Nintendo. Which he does all the time. He just laughs-he's too quick for me." She admits it, she doesn't take kindly to losing. "Watch out if you play Monopoly with me. You send me to jail and I will kick that whole game over." She could do it, too. The woman has some powerful legs. They come from years of hard work. She's reading more scripts and has found at least one she likes. Her ambition is to be an actress in the Monroe tra-dition: sexy, cool and funny. "I can't explain it because I don't understand it, but I've always felt this strong connection to Marilyn Monroe, always. She's who I turn to when I get upset. I play her songs, look at her pictures, watch her movies. I've got them all except River of No Return. I sure wish I could find that one." As for actors, the one she said had the most lethal effect on her was Brad Pitt in Thelma & Louise. "The strange thing is, he's not even my type, but when I saw him in that sex scene in the motel with Geena Davis, I couldn't take my eyes off him. I just could not sit still. He drove me totally nuts. It was all I could do to make it through the movie." I swear she squirmed, ever so gently, at the memory. "I don't know about that kind of stuff. Beiron, the guy I work with in the Guess ads—he's the young one with the dark hair hanging over his face? He's so cute. When they told me to kiss him I couldn't stop laughing, he looked so good. Those big lips of his." That Beiron guy, I was thinking, is one lucky stiff. I bet Anna doesn't call him sir. The only people she calls sir, I bet, are the ones who remind her of customers lining up at Wal-Mart for their hearing-aid batteries. I asked her if she ever feels like calling up the Houston modeling agency and saying, "Yoo-hoo, just thought I'd say hi. Thanks for the career advice." Anna Nicole Smith She has no such need. "I don't have to be mean to anyone now. I just smile and keep right on going." She recently bought a 15-acre ranch not far from Houston. Anna and Daniel share it with 30 guinea fowl, three turkeys, three pigs, three horses, 20 cows, a breeding bull, two parrots, a tame squirrel and six dogs. "I'm looking for a couple of zebras and a chimp," she said. "I want one of those chimps that shake hands and like to be hugged." Those are not the only items on her live shopping list. "Well, I've got the ranch," she murmured in that soft voice-and she had a wicked smile as she said this-"Now all I need is a cowboy." Bet your boots on it, she won't be calling him sir. BLACK & WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY BY DANIELA FEDERICI COLOR PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN WAYDA Playboy Magazine, June 1993 |
2024.03.26 12:57 sonofabutch Spring Training is over, so let's remember a forgotten Yankee: Tony Tarasco
“I asked him what he thought his best position was in the outfield and he said he could play them all. I had to fight myself, I didn’t want to say something silly like, ‘I didn’t know you can play right field.'” -- Joe TorreTwenty-five years ago today, on March 26, 1999, the Yankees signed Tony Tarasco, an outfielder who was most famous for a catch he didn't make... against the Yankees!
That's right, we're gonna talk about the Jeffrey Maier play.
Anthony Giacinto Tarasco was born December 9, 1970, in Washington Heights; he lived in the Bronx until he was 7, and his father was a peanut vendor at Yankee Stadium. He then moved to Santa Monica, California, and was taken in the 15th round of the 1988 amateur draft by the Atlanta Braves.
Tarasco got attention as a prospect after hitting .330/.388/.530 (with 33 stolen bases) as a 22-year-old in Triple-A in 1993. He had a brief early season call-up, going 4-for-16 in seven games, and then returned in September, where he went 4-for-20.
The following year the Braves had former Yankee Roberto Kelly in center and future Yankee David Justice in right, leaving just left field for Tarasco and another top prospect -- 23-year-old Ryan Klesko. Early on it was a competition. Tarasco had some big games, including a game on April 10 when he had two doubles and a home run. But Klesko was an absolute monster, hitting .345/.422/.745 through the end of April. Tarasco became a reserve, used mostly as a defensive replacement; by the second half, he was hardly playing at all. He finished the season with a decent .273/.313/.432 line, but it was clear his future was elsewhere. The Braves traded him, Roberto Kelly, and Esteban Yan to the Montreal Expos for Marquis Grissom.
Playing almost every day in Montreal, Tarasco hit .249/.329/.404 and was 24-for-27 stealing bases, but during Spring Training 1996 he was traded to the Orioles for Sherman Obando. In June, he had to undergo shoulder surgery and was out until the end of the season... making it back just in time for the playoffs.
Which brings us to Yankee Stadium on October 9, 1996. It was Game 1 of the American League Championship Series between the Orioles and the Yankees.
In the bottom of the 8th inning, the Yankees were losing, 4-3. The Orioles sent right-handed setup man Armando Benitez to the mound, and Tarasco to right field as a defensive replacement for Bobby Bonilla.
Jim Leyritz struck out to begin the inning.
Next up was Derek Jeter, and he crushed the first pitch toward the right field bleachers. Tarasco backed all the way up until his back was against the padded blue wall, and stuck his glove up, and... and a fan's glove reached out over the wall!
Tarasco was livid, immediately pointing up at the 12-year-old kid who had tried to catch the ball. (It had bounced off the heel of his glove and into the stands behind him, and quickly scooped up by another fan; no one knows for sure who has it today.)
We've all seen the replays. From the ball's trajectory, it wouldn't have gone out. But would Tarasco have caught it? It looks like it's going to hit the wall above his glove. But maybe not. Who knows.
But right field umpire Rich Garcia -- who had run all the way to the warning track for a good view -- immediately called it a home run.
Tarasco then ran over and got into Garcia's face, but the umpire just kept pointing up at the wall as if to say, "it went over!" Umpire calls were not subject to video replay at the time, but fans at home saw what happened as NBC showed it over and over.
As Tarasco kept arguing, a half-dozen Orioles ran over to surround Garcia. Other umpires tried to keep them away. Orioles manager Davey Johnson was ejected.
Meanwhile, 12-year-old Jeffrey Maier from Old Tappan, New Jersey, was in the stands high-fiving every Yankee fan he could reach!
He was interviewed by NBC's Jim Gray and over the next few days was on television talking about the play, even on The Today Show.
Like the Steve Bartman incident in 2003 or Clyde Engle's fly ball to Fred Snodgrass in the 1912 World Series, Maier's catch did not end the game; Jeter's home run came in the 8th inning, and it only tied the score. It stayed tied until an 11th inning home run by Bernie Williams.
It also was Game 1... and the Orioles won Game 2. The series went back to Camden Yards, where the Yankees won the next three games to go to the World Series.
Over the years, Tarasco has been asked about the Jeffrey Maier play many, many times. He is surprisingly zen about it.
"You're not going to find me in a mental home with posters of Jeffrey Maier on the wall," he said in 1999. "There was nothing I could have done differently. If I knew the kid was going to interfere, I would've climbed the fence, grabbed him and then caught it."
Had it gone the other way -- if it had been Cal Ripken Jr.'s fly ball caught by Maier above Paul O'Neill's outstretched glove -- "they would have hated that kid," Tarasco said.
Tony always seems to be a good sport about it, and said Maier -- who turned 40 in November, by the way, and has three kids -- did what any kid would have done in that situation, including himself. In 2021, he told the New York Post:
“I’ve actually had an opportunity to run into [Maier] here and there. What a wonderful person, he was a 12-year-old kid, what do you expect a 12-year-old kid to do, not try to catch the ball? You go to a game, you bring your glove, you want to bring home a ball. That’s a home run for Derek Jeter? I might have flipped over the fence to try for it.”Tarasco also was used as a defensive replacement in the 9th inning of Game 2, catching the final out -- a fly ball by Tino Martinez -- to end the game as the Orioles won, 5-3. The series went back to Baltimore for the next three games, with the Yankees winning all three. He never played in the post-season again.
He was back in Baltimore in 1997, but hit .205/.313/.392. Released after the season, he was claimed by the Reds, spent most of the year in Triple-A, and again released at the end of the season. He signed with the Royals, but they released him during Spring Training. And at first -- for 15 long days -- no one called.
Tarasco was just 28 years old, but he had been released three times in two years. He was starting to think his career might be over.
“It makes you look at reality,” Tarasco said in 1999. “One night I just said a prayer and said, ‘It’s in your hands. Show me the way.’ The next morning my agent called.”
The agent was calling with an offer from the Yankees, a minor league deal. If it wasn't the only one on the table, Tarasco might not have taken it. The Yankees were hardly an ideal situation: they had an outfield of Bernie Williams, Paul O'Neill, and Chad Curtis, and Chili Davis locked in as the everyday DH. Next on the depth chart were Ricky Ledee and Shane Spencer, and the Yankees were waiting for the return of Darryl Strawberry, who was undergoing treatment for colon cancer. Tarasco slotted in as the eighth option, at best.
But by mid-May, things had changed. Curtis was hitting .179/.329/.328 through the first six weeks of the season. Ledee, a previously forgotten Yankee, hit .200/.245/.200 and was sent to the minors. Spencer, after taking the league by storm with eight home runs in September the previous season, was hitting just .216/.275/.324. And Strawberry was arrested on charges of cocaine possession and soliciting a prostitute, keeping him out of baseball until September. Even O'Neill was off to a slow start, hitting just .244/.337/.385 on May 23. (He hit .299/.359/.485 over the rest of the season.)
Tarasco, meanwhile, was in Columbus, with a league-leading .365 batting average. He also had eight home runs and 33 runs batted in. And so the Yankees made the move, calling him up on May 25.
Asked by reporters if he was nervous about how he'd be greeted by Yankee fans, Tarasco replied:
“Hey, I’m from the Bronx and I was born in Washington Heights,” Tarasco said. “I know they’ll greet me the right way.”The next day he made his debut in right field as a 9th inning defensive replacement, giving O'Neill the rest of the night off in a game the Yankees would win 8-3. And the Yankee fans did greet him the right way... sort of... with chants of "Jeffrey Maier" and "Richie Garcia"!
“I’m going to go to some voodoo place and have the woman extradite the ghost out there,” Tarasco joked after the game. “But I didn’t mind them yelling at me out there. Three months ago, I was sitting at the house.”
The next day he got the start in left field in a game at Yankee Stadium against the Boston Red Sox!
Tarasco struck out in his first Yankee plate appearance, but his next time up had a one-out single up the middle off Pat Rapp to knock in Chili Davis for his first Yankee hit and his first Yankee RBI. Tarasco then stole second for his first Yankee stolen base, but Scott Brosius and Chuck Knoblauch each grounded out to end the inning. When he was next due up in the 7th, he was pulled for Chad Curtis, who popped out. The Yankees won the game, 4-1.
Over the next month he'd share left field with Curtis, making eight starts to Curtis's five; Spencer also would start twice that month. But Tarasco never got going, and on June 20 was hitting .161/.229/.226. The Yankees sent him back to Columbus, and went back to a rotation of Curtis, Ledee, and Spencer in left.
The biggest stir Tarasco caused in pinstripes was on June 1, when his walk-up song was the profanity-laced Tommy's Theme by Mad Men featuring The Lox from the 1998 movie Belly. Tarasco said he had asked that either the "clean" edit or an instrumental version of the song be played, but instead it was the NSFW original.
"My heart started pumping. I was thinking, ‘I hope they don’t think that was my choice of music.’" - Tony TarascoYankee PR director Rick Cerrone told the New York Daily News that it was "the sound-booth technician’s first day on the job and that he had been reprimanded."
Tarasco was released after the season, and played the following year with the Hanshin Tigers in Japan, hitting just .240/.306/.429. He returned to the States on a minor league deal with the Mets, ending his career hitting .250/.305/.490 in 96 at-bats in Flushing.
After his playing days were over, Tarasco became a coach. He's currently an assistant coach with the San Diego State Aztecs. He previously was a coach with the San Diego Padres, New York Mets, and Washington Nationals, and also with Great Oak High School in Temecula, California.
Tarasco Sauce
- Tarasco's nickname was "Baby Jacc" after his father, Jiacinto, who was nicknamed Jack. "Tarasco spells it with a c instead of a k because he said 'hood language' does not allow the k to be used in certain words," Jack Curry wrote in The New York Times in 1999.
- One of Baby Jacc's fondest memories was shagging flies in the outfield at Yankee Stadium during batting practice as his father, the former Yankee Stadium peanut vendor, watched from the stands. “That was his moment of peace, seeing that,” Tarasco said in 2015. “He was very happy about that. He passed a couple of years later, so it means a lot more because of the timing.”
- Tony's father asked that his ashes be spread in the outfield of the major league stadium Tarasco was playing in. But he died in 2001, and Tarasco spent that entire season in the minors. It made returning to the bigs all the more special the following year, even if it was with that other New York team. “With the Mets, it was my first time returning to the big leagues and I saved his ashes just so I could say, ‘Hey pop I made it back, ’ ” Tarasco told the New York Post in 2021. “I sprinkled his ashes out there at Shea to keep his spirit alive.”
- Tarasco was born in Manhattan, but grew up in Southern California, where he said he was a member of the Santa Monica Graveyard Crips. “A lot of what I was doing in the early part of the ’80s was no different from what you would see in West Side Story, a lot of street gangs and fighting and stuff,” Tarasco said in 2001.
- Except in his version of West Side Story, there was a lot more shooting than dancing. He said six of his friends had been killed in street violence, and has tattoos that honor his best friend, a gang member who had been killed. He said he narrowly avoided getting gunned down in a drive-by shooting at a fast-food restaurant because he happened to be in the bathroom at the time.
- He said he joined the gang at 13 because it was the only way to survive in his neighborhood, but he wasn't in it long enough to get into serious trouble. "I was never a soldier in the gang. Soldiers do everything. I was into the hustle so I could make a few bucks and dress nice for the girls. I was never into the raw dog, dirty stuff."
- Tarasco got out because an older gang member, recognizing his athletic ability, made him quit the gang at age 16 and focus on playing baseball.
- Tony is one of 12 graduates of Santa Monica High School to reach the major leagues; the best was Rick Monday, a former #1 overall pick who played 19 years in the majors and hit .264/.361/.443 in 7,162 at-bats. Another was previously forgotten Yankee Tim Leary, who went 78-105 with a 4.36 ERA in 13 seasons. The late Tyler Skaggs also graduated from Santa Monica; his mother was the school's softball coach.
- Other Vikings who became known in sports are two-time NBA All-Star Baron Davis; three-time national champion Terry Schofield of the UCLA Bruins; 1950s tennis player Anita Kanter; and Olympic volleyball player Liane Sato. Ronda Rousey dropped out of Santa Monica High School and was homeschooled while training for the Olympics in judo.
- But "Samohi" is best known for the long list of entertainers it produced, including actors Dean Cain, Robert Downey Jr., Emilio Estevez, Glenn Ford, Lorenzo Lamas, Chad Lowe, Rob Lowe, Sean Penn, Holly Robinson, Charlie Sheen, Heather Thomas, and Robert Wagner; TV personality Carson Daly; cartoonist and writer William Overgard; Everclear lead singer Art Alexakis; and filmmaker Don Bluth.
- And like many other Santa Monica alumni, Tony has a credit on IMDB: he was a baseball player in Talent for the Game, a 1991 baseball movie starring Edward James Olmos and Lorraine Bracco. In 2005, he was in a spoof of The Matrix movies called The Helix... Loaded. (Also starring Vanilla Ice!)
- Tarasco wore #22 with the Yankees, currently worn by Juan Soto. The two previous seasons it was worn by Harrison Bader. Other Yankees who wore the double-deuces include Jacoby Ellsbury (2014-2017), Roger Clemens (1997-2003, 2007), Jimmy Key (1993-1996), Bill Stafford (1960-1965), and Allie Reynolds (1947-1954)
- Tarasco's promotion on May 25, 1999, came at the expense of Mike Figga, who had been on the roster for the first two months of the season but didn't have a plate appearance. He got into just two games, both as a late-inning defensive replacement at catcher, and then was released. "I should be smiling and having fun with it," said Figga of the opportunity to go to another organization and actually play. But instead, Figga was crying as he spoke to reporters. "New York is a great place to play, a great place to play even if you aren't playing. I know I can play at this level. All I need is a chance." Figga was claimed by the Orioles, where he hit .221/.236/.302 in 86 at-bats, and was released at the end of the year. He ended his career in 2004 at age 34, playing for the Nashua Pride in the independent Atlantic League.
- Tarasco battled tobacco. During his 1999 interview with The New York Times, Jack Curry noted that Tarasco smoked cigarettes. Two years later, Tarasco -- now with the Norfolk Tides -- was trying to quit, but his sour mood wasn't helped by his teammates. “This is my sixth day of quitting smoking and I tell you what, there’s nothing but straight snappage all over this clubhouse today. I feel like the whole team is quitting with me.” Tarasco had tripled and homered in the game, but the Tides had lost the game and tempers were frayed. Manager John Gibbons was determined to keep Tarasco hot: “If he starts slumping, I’m going to buy him a carton of cigarettes. To heck with his health.”
- He might have smoked other stuff, too. In 2002, Tarasco was with Mets relief pitcher Mark Corey in a hotel parking lot near Shea Stadium after a June 26 loss to the Braves when Corey had a seizure. Tarasco called paramedics and told them Corey had been smoking marijuana. He wouldn't confirm or deny to reporters that he'd been smoking too. "I'm just really concerned about that kid right now," he said. The New York Times reported both players would be designated as first-time drug offenders and required to undergo random drug testing.
- Tarasco has an unusual headshot on baseball-reference.com. Usually it's a headshot where you're facing the camera, but this one is more artistic. This older image from when he was with the Braves is more traditional.
- Center fielder Michael A. Taylor, who won a Gold Glove with the Kansas City Royals in 2021, credited Tarasco with teaching him how to be an outfielder. Taylor was drafted as a shortstop, but Tarasco saw his future was on the grass. “You would think at that level, a lot of guys don’t wanna have to talk about going back to the elementary things,” Taylor said. “He spent a lot of time doing that and for me, that built a foundation that carried me the rest of my career.”
- With the Mets, Brandon Nimmo and Dominic Smith also credited Tarasco with improving their defense, as did Bryce Harper of the Nationals. Harper had been drafted as a high school catcher, but Tarasco helped convert him into an outfielder.
- Tarasco won the Community Service Award with the Atlanta Braves in 1994 and with the Baltimore Orioles in 1997, and he was a finalist for the Roberto Clemente Award while with the Montreal Expos in 1995.
- When he was called up to the Yankees in 1999, Tarasco was asked what would happen if a Yankee Stadium fan took a ball away from him again. Now that he was in pinstripes, he said he knew the Bleacher Creatures would have his back. "If anyone wants to lean over and take the ball from me again, then they'll land in the Hudson River."
- "For the most part, you want to be remembered in baseball for your skills, not infamy, like that play," Tarasco said in 2015. "But it doesn’t overall bother me. It’s not how you want to be remembered, but I can get into a restaurant when I’m in New York because just about everybody knows who I am."
"I told God one night I was going to walk away if something didn't happen. I said my prayers and went to sleep. The next day my agent woke me and told me I had a job with the Yankees." -- Tony TarascoOverall, Tarasco hit .240/.313/.397 (84 OPS+) in 1,006 at-bats spread across eight major league seasons. During his short time in pinstripes, he went 5-for-31 (.161) with three RBIs and a stolen base.
But he'll always be remembered by Yankee fans... looking up at Jeffrey Maier!
2024.03.24 21:09 OShaunesssy Book report guy, here is the 2nd half of the Ric Flair book. It covers his WWF and WCW runs from 1991 to 2004.
Part 1
Flair turned down $800,000 a year offer from WCW and a contract claus that would protect him as the "Babe Ruth of WCW" for Vince's handshake deal. He says Jim Herd was fired shortly after he jumped ship to the WWF.
Flair says that when WCW tried suing the WWF over Ric having the NWA title on tv, their wasn't much of a case but the judge was sympathetic to the WCW's position since they would get the title back eventually. So Ric says he mostly wore a WWF Tag Team title, and it was "digitized" on TV to look like the NWA title. I had never heard this before.
Flair doesn't understand why he and Hogan were wrestling untelevised matches when it would have drawn huge numbers and did good business.
Bobby Heenan was paired with Flair for about six months before he took himself off the road. Bobby needed neck surgery and was in a ton of pain all the time, so partying every night with Flair wasn't helping. When Heenan had enough, he told Ric, "You're killing me, you hear that? You're killing me, I can't keep track of time. I hope all your hair falls out and comes back red. I hate you!" I have no idea how serious Bobby was being here.
Earl Hebner was put on the road with Ric next, and he says it took 4 or 5 years off his life from partying every night. He talks about Flair paying for "happy ending" massages for them and how it eventually led to Earl getting divorced because he was cheating on his wife all the time. He says it's not all Flair's fault, but Ric definitely played a part in his divorce.
Flair says he first heard he was winning the WWF title from Jake Roberts, who heard locker room gossip about it. Reminds me of how Bret Hart heard he was losing his tag titles from Dino Bravo due to locker room gossip.
Bobby Heenan says the 1992 Royal Rumble is the best match he ever called and the only match he ever called that he believed to be 100% while calling it.
Flair says his Mania match with Hogan was changed to Randy Savage because Hogan's relationship with Vince had deteriorated, and he was on his way out the door to become a full-time movie star.
Flair says he was originally planned to retain against Savage at Mania before Savage "pitched and mounded until it was changed."
Flair says he can't call Randy Savage great because of how pre-planned out his matches are. He hated practicing the match at Savage's home weeks prior to the show.
Flair says that while at Savage's home, he "realized there was real terror between Randy and Miss Elizabeth."
Flair says Savage is the one who asked him to blade during their match, knowing it was banned at that time in the WWF. He says Vince was furious backstage and scolded Flair as he came back through the curtain. Bret Hart's book touched on this a bit because Hart also bled but worked everyone on it so that he wasn't fined. Flair doesn't mention the fine in his book, but Hart says Flair was fined $500. Bret says no one ever said anything to him, so he got away with it.
Flair says he was with Savage when Savage was freaking out because alledgedly, Elizabeth went to a club and never came back. Savage was on the phone frantically trying to find his wife.
Flair says Savage wasn't much without Elizabeth in the picture and again reiterates that he can't call Savage great.
Flair says Savage's heart wasn't in it anymore after Elizabeth left, and that's why Vince decided to put the title back on Flair.
Flair says Randy Savage didn't like Scott Hall personally.
On September 1st, 1992, Ric Flair wrestled Savage at a tv taping in Hershey Pennsylvania for the WWF Championship. Ric calls the match terrible and again says it's because Savage just didn't care about anything anymore. Scott Hall was supposed to do a run-in, but because of their heat, things got bad quickly. In fact, Vince had sent Bobby Heenan out there making the cut sign on his throat, so literally everyone in the ring had to stop and head to the back because Vince hated what he was seeing on the monitor. Flair notes how confused the fans were at this taping. Pretty wild story.
Flair says they talked the match over for half an hour before heading back out to the ring to try again and again and again. He said the crowd hated everything, and Savage was overselling his leg too much and that Flair couldn't do a fall to light up the crowd at all. Eventually Savage just passed out during the figure 4 leg lock to a dead crowd.
Flair says that he was just a transitional champion as Vince wanted to spearhead Bret Hart as the face of his New Generation idea.
Flair says Ultimate Warrior botched a suplex, resulting in Flair dislodging a chip in his inner ear, and he could get his balance back. Earl Hebner had to call off the match when Flaor tried to do his corner spot and fell out of the ring. Flair notes how Charles Barkley was sitting in the front row, and Flair was trying to show off.
He says this injury made him immediately drop the title to Bret, and that's why it happened at the house show in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. I could be wrong, but I don't remember Bret mentioning any injury in his book and just tried to paint Flair as uncooperative in the series of matches they had. Flair called his title loss match to Bret awful.
Flair says he went to the Mayo Clinic with his dad, who was a doctor, and was told he had "benign paroxysmal position vertigo" as a result or the dislodged chip. He was told he couldn't lean forward or backward without losing his equilibrium. He says he saw 3 specialists between the Mayo Clinic and Duke Univeristy before applying for Loyds of London benefits. He says he was all set up to receive $30,000 a month for 3 years to just not wrestle.
He day before filing his claim, Flair says he woke up completely fine with no dizziness. He even smacked his head against the wall a few times to prove to himself for some reason. As a result, he didn't get his Loyds of London payday but says he has no regrets, noting how he wouldn't exchange his good health for money.
Flair says when he came back, his rematches with Bret were also not great, and the fans didn't care. In Bret's book, he tells a story about Flair was sabotaging their return matches since he said Flair was already planning to return to WCW. He says at one point, Pat Patterson got them alone together in a room and told Flair to stop screwing up the matches every night. Flair apologized to Bret and confessed that he just didn't have his head in the game since he was leaving back to WCW soon.
Okay, so this is a weird one. I'm torn on who is closer to the truth here between Hart's story and Flair's story. Flair makes no mention of the meeting, but Pat Patterson was alive when Bret wrote his book, so this could have been refuted if untrue. Bret insisting on Flair sabatoging the matches and making no mention of the potential injury is odd. Though I do question the validity of the injury, since it was so convenient a timing for Flair. Looking up Flair's match history online, you can find the no contest match he mentioned having prior to the title change. But he wrestled Bret 2 times before the Saskatoon title change bout, and 1 of which was nearly half an hour long! After the title change, he wrestled Warrior a few more times before having zero matches for nearly a month. That would coincide with his multiple specialist visits. It's a fantastic tale that isn't impossible, so I'm inclined to side with Flair here. I love Bret, but he and his family are a bunch of paranoid crazies half the time.
Flair says he was pulled aside by Vince and basically told that he wasn't a priority anymore. Vince said, "I don't know what we're gonna do with you next." Flair saw the New Generation campaign and looked back over at WCW, which was now being overseen by Bill Shaw. Shaw hired Cowboy Bill Watts as the booker, and Flair had great respect for him, so the decision to go back was easy. Bill Watts called Vince on the obone to personally ask for Flair to come back. Vince was true to his word and let Flair leave since he wasn't gonna be featured in the main event anymore. Vince just asked Flair to put over Mr. Perfect on the way out since Perfect had spent the last several months in Flair's corner. Flair was happy to do so. Flair was proud to walk away without burning any bridges.
Flair knew there was trouble the second he got back to WCW. He was shocked to find Watts at the Turner offices wearing workout pants and t-shirts, putting Bill Shaw in a headlock, laughing at everyone else wearing suits and not taking it seriously.
Flair says Cowboy Bill Watts wasn't racist because of the black wrestlers he pushed in various places or promotions. Flair says it was Watts idea to make Ron Simmons the first African American Champion of any promotion ever.
Watts did an interview where he said, "If you own a business, why shouldn't you be able to discriminate? Why should I have to hire a fg if I don't like fgs? If I don't wanna sell fried chicken to blacks, I shouldn't have to. It's my restaurant." Watts resigned shortly after when Shaw questioned him on it
Flair says he was asked by WCW executives about Vince's operation, and Flair advised them to hire Bobby Heenan and Gene Oakerlund asap. He was shocked they did.
Flair says Bill Shaw asked him to take Watts' position and oversee the day to day operations. Flair immediately declined, so they hired someone named Bob Dhue. Flair says Bob was competent, but Bob knew he was in over his head managing the boys. Flair turned down a second offer this time from Bob to help oversee WCW.
Flair says Bob Dhue asked Flair what he thought about Eric Bishoff. He says Bill Shaw also asked him what he thought Bishoff and Flair pushed for Bishoff, saying he liked him because he is aggressive.
Flair says it was down to Eric Bishoff or Ole Anderson for the position and Flair says he wasn't impressed with Ole's personality as a leader or his idea's as a booker so he pushed for and helped get Eric Bishoff hired.
Flair says Bob and Eric were originally a team, but Eric quickly pushed him out. Flair then takes credit for that, too, saying Bill Shaw asked him about Bob and Flair said Bob was struggling. Flair notes how he did Bob a favor since he wasn't around for the collapse of WCW and still kept his original Turner position. Flair isn't considering that Bob also wasn't there for the rise of the company either, so it's a weird point to make, in my opinion.
With Eric overseeing the day-to-day operations of WCW, Dusty Rhodes was brought back as booker. Flair doesn't bring up his earlier claim of refusing to work for Dusty ever again.
Dusty remade the Four Horseman with Flair, Arn and Ole Anderson, and perennial under card talent, Paul Roma. Flair says Roma had a shitty work ethic and notes how at the Omni in Atlanta, the crowd went silent as Roma as announced with the team. Flair remembers thinking to himself, "It never ends, Dusty screwing with me again."
On July 18th, 1993, Flair beat Barry Windham for the NWA world title but notes how little the crowd cared because Vader was the WCW Champion at the time and the company was pushing him as a much bigger deal. In September, a few months later, the NWA finally withdrew from the WCW. Since Flair was the champion but wrestled for WCW contractually, the title was vacated.
Flair trashes Sid Vicious throughout the book as a poor wrestler with a poor work ethic. He remembers how Sid would call in sick but still go play in his local softball league. He tells a funny story of Jim Cornette voicing concerns in a meeting of putting Sid over, saying, "we have to go back to that town someday."
Flair notes how originally Sid Vicious was planned to go over Vader at Starcade that year and win the WCW title. But Sid would leave the company, and Dusty would go with Flair. Flair says a lot of guys like Rick Rude and Paul Orndorff were upset over this decision, thinking they deserved the spot while Flair was already a 10-time World champion.
Flair puts over Dusty a bit for the build to Flair vs. Vader at Starcade 1993. He still takes a few more shots at him but notes how sometimes he was a creative genius.
Flair says Vader got some flack backstage from some wrestlers for agreeing to drop the belt to Flair, so their was some heat there between them. Flair says that while Vader protected Flair like a professional when it comes to moves and slams and falls, Vader was throwing real punches. Flair says he had a cauliflower ear, swollen eye, and a busted open mouth. Flair remembers how, at one point, Vader told Flair to fight back for real. Harley Race was ringside as Vader's manager and noted how unprofessional Vader was being in the match, saying it was uncalled for. Harley does note how Vader loosened up a bit after Flair tagged him with a series of punches that buried Vader's eye.
Flair calls his Starcade 1993 match with Vader as one of his finest moments. He says Hulk Hogan called him the next day and told him the match with Vader made Hulk cry.
Eric Bishoff asked Flair for help in signing Hulk Hogan, and Flair started getting in Hulk's ear about it and made sure to arrange a face to face encounter between Hulk and Bishoff Flair says Hulk signed a ridiculous contract that gave him creative control and 25% of all ppv revenue. That means Hulk was making $600,000 to $1.2 million for every ppv match, while Flair was only making $500,000 for the whole year! Flair says he doesn't blame Hogan at all for exercising his creative control. He blames Eric.
The plan originally was for Sting to take the WCW title off Ric Flair, but with Hogan coming in, plans completely changed. Flair turned heel to accommodate Hogan's spot, and Sting was completely removed from title picture plans. Flair says Sting was furious.
Flair says that Vader and Rick Rude flat out refused to work with Hogan. Apparently, Vader hated Hogan's style of wrestling since Vader liked to be rough, and Rude was bitter because Hogan refused to drop the WWF title to Rude years prior.
Flair notes how Hogan was boo'd heavily for the first few months he was in WCW, and everyone worked really hard to get him over as a hero.
Flair says he and Hogan had agreed to Flaor dropping the title at the Bash at the Beach ppv in July 1994, then for Ric to win it back at the Clash of Champions ppv in August, only for Hogan to win the rubber match in a cage at Halloween Havoc. After Hogan won the title at the Bash ppv, he had a change of heart and said he didn't want to lose the title yet. Hogan told Flair the fans don't wanna see him lose the title yet, either.
Flair won their rematch at the Clash ppv by countout and didn't see a point in a rubber match since there was no heat. A few weeks before the Havoc ppv, Bishoff pulled Hogan and Fkair aside, Bishoff was upset that the Havoc ppv hadn't sold much tickets. Flair was annoyed at how that was an obvious outcome and was worried when Bishoff told Flair he wanted Flair's career on the line when he lost. He promised Flair an office gig for a year before coming back hotter than ever. Flair was nervous because his contract hadn't been extended yet.
Flair says, "Later on, I was accused of refusing to lose until I got a new contract." Flair never really disputes this, though, and just justifies his position, saying he had to stand his ground "to the very end." He says Bill Shaw showed up to the Halloween Havoc ppv with a new contract in hand for Flair. Flair signed it, then went out and lost his "retirement" match to Hogan.
Eric Bishoff approached Flair in early 1995 about wrestling in North Korea. Flair later found out he was the 4th person Eric Bishoff approached this to, saying both Hulk Hogan George Forman wanted too much money, and Sting just refused. Jimmy Carter, Ted Turner, and Jane Fonda were originally planned to go as well, but all backed out, leaving the only marquee names being Muhammed Ali and Ric Flair.
Flair says he only agreed to go to Korea for the chance to get to know Muhammed Ali in some way.
Flair says the second they all landed, their passports were confiscated.
Flair says each wrestler or performer got someone assigned to them as a "cultural attache" who never left their side.
Flair remembers seeing cameras in every corner and notes how when Scott Norton called home to his wife, the line was cut after Scott said, "This place sucks."
Flair says he and Ali were kept apart and in separate cars even.
Flair says that it was a sight to see over 300,000 spectators, remembering how he couldn't see where the people actually ended. But he says it was kinda creepy and that I felt like they were ordered to attend. Well, duh, Ric.
It was a 2 night show, and the first night, Ric didn't wrestle, so he sat with North Korean officials and remembers how confused they were by the matches. Ric reslized they were figuring out right then and there that it was predetermined. They thought they were getting real combat, it would seem.
It was supposed to be a 2 night trip with Flair losing to Inoki on the 2nd night. Flairnwas told that it wouldn't be broadcast to America and implies WCW tricked him because no one told him it would be shown on a WCW ppv.
For reasons Flair was never told, the w day trip turned into 5 with Flair and Ali getting dragged all over the place for various appearances.
Flair remebers how little Ali spoke and how out of it he seemed due to Parkinson disease he suffered from. But one night at a dinner with a bunch of North Korean officials, someone was talking loud and boisterous about North Korea's superiority and Ali randomly chimed in loudly saying, "No wonder we hate these motherfuckers!" Flair immediately panicked, telling him to stop talking and thinking.'Please don't start talking now!'
Flair was asked to make a speech before leaving and to praise North Korea, their leader, and trash the States. Flair says he just said some random diplomatic bs but was quoted as putting over North Korea and trashing the states. Flair says he kissed the ground when he got off the plane in America.
Flair says that Hogan made sure guys like Brutus Beefcake and EarthQuake were hired while trying to push out Arn Anderson.
Flair remembers how Bishoff and Hogan wanted The Renegade to squash Arn Anderson in 15 seconds for Arn's TV title.
Flair says Hogan was trying to groom The Renegade as the next Ultimate Warrior, so Hogan can beat him to avenge his Wrestlemania loss to Warrior 5 years later. Ric questions why anyone watching WCW would care about this at all. In 1999, 4 months after The Renegade was released from WCW, he shot himself in the head. Flair states he doesn't blame Hogan but says Hogan did inflate the kids' ego.
Flair again found himself on the creative committee and hated it, having to fly down to Hogan's house to plan angles that Hogan would just toss out the day of the show.
Flair talks about how guys like Hogan and Bret Hart were too obsessed with Dave Meltzer and his newsletter. Bret confirms this in his book, as he would trash Meltzer but routinely quote directly from the newsletter as if Dave's opinion really mattered to him. Flair says Hogan would spend more time talking about Dave than any wrestlers he worked with.
Flair says he helped Randy Savage get hired at WCW.
Flair says Hogan convinced Savage that the 2 of them were bigger than WCW, and both guys would go out drinking before the shows before coming back and changing things with Eric Bishoff's approval. Eventually, Eric was joining them for those drinks.
Flair was finally brought back to television in mid 1995, where he started a fued with Randy Savage. Savage was supposed to win their bout at the Slamboree ppv in May, but Ric says "enough is enough" and told Savage that he was winning, adding "take it or leave it" Savage agreed, and Flair won. Flair says he was surprised he finally put his foot down, but not surprised when he was immediately kicked off the booking committee after the show.
Ric Flair takes time in his book to say he couldn't call Scott Hall a "great" performer either.
Flair says he nearly walked out one day when Eric Bishoff told they whole locker room that the only people to draw money for the company were Hogan, Savage and Piper. Chris Jericho was there and remembers how everyone looked at Flair, who just sorta took it.
Flair says that when he wrestled Randy Savage at Starcade 1995 to win the WCW title, Savage wanted color, so he cut Flair open without asking or talking about it first. Flair says that's the only time in his career that happened to him.
Flair said he and Savage were having a series of good matches, trading the title back and forth, but it was abruptly ended so Flair could drop the title to The Giant. (The future Big Show)
Flair says the decision to drop the title to The Giant came after Flair missed a show when taking his son Reid to an amature wrestling tournament Reid was in.
Flair has high praise for the Four Horsman group that consisted of himself, Arn Anderson, Dean Melanko, and Chris Benoit. Arn had to have a vertibre removed from his neck in 1997 and could no longer wrestle, so he was replaced with Mr Perfect.
Flair said they weren't warned of NWO impersonating the Four Horseman and spoofing Arn's retirement speech. Flair also questions why he and the Horseman weren't allowed to go get even with them.
Arn Anderson actually knocked on Kevin Nash's dressing room door after the show because he was very offended by the NWO spoof. Arm says Nash genuinely didn't see how it was hurtful and that it was just business to him. Arn says that after they talked for a while, he came to see Nash was probably genuine.
Flair says later on it was revealed that the NWO spoof segment was thought up by Arn's good friend Terry Taylor, who genuinely meant no ill will and thought segment would be funny. Flair says Nash apologized for any issues, and later, when Arm wrote a book and expanded on his hurt feelings, Nash called him to apologize again. Nash is one guy who Flair really didn't have much bad to say about in the book.
Flair says the decision to have Mr. Perfect turn on Horseman a month after joining was designed to humilate Flair.
Earlier in the book, Flair spent several pages trashing Bret Hart for the Montreal screwjob, saying Vince was correct when he said, "Bret screwed Bret." Flair made fun of Bret for not wanting to lose in Canada, and sarcastically said that would be like me having a problem losing in the Carolina's. A couple hundred pages later and Flair is complaining constantly about losing in the Carolina's and how they were killing towns buy having the Horsemen lose so close to home. It's not quite the same, but I found it funny.
Flair says he was realizing in early 1998 that Shawn Michaels was starting to eclipse Flair as the best active wrestler in the world.
Ric Flair says 18 guys were making more than him in 1998 working for WCW and even lists several of them out. Of the names, you would expect to see Hogan and Goldberg and Nash, but there were also names like Booker T and even Rick Steiner, who were making more than Ric Flair at the time.
Late in the book, Flair says one of his agents was actually Barry Bloom, and Flair doesn't have much nice to say about him either. He says Bloom as negotiating a book deal for Flair that ended up going to Goldberg, and Bloom convinced him to re-sign with WCW in 1998 instead of going to WWF. Jim Cornette had told Flair that Vince would have loved to have Flair back. Flair says he wasn't a priority to Bloom or his other agent.
Flair says he was technically operating without a contract in early 1998, when he went to a wrestling tournament his son was in. WCW offered to charter a plane to get him to a show asap, but only if Flair paid for half of it. Flair knew they wouldn't make Hogan pay, so he said no. Bishoff tried to fire him and sue him for a breach of contract, but Flair wasn't on one at that time.
Eric gathered all the WCW wrestlers together and badmouthed Flair to them. Chris Jericho remembers Eric saying he was going to sue Flair into bankruptcy and starve his family.
Flair doesn't say it, but implies it was his absence that led to the 80+ week win streak Nitro had in the ratings, coming to an end.
Flair says he sat out 5 months without pay as the lawyers settled things. Flair says he wanted to go to WWF but felt an obligation towards Arn and the rest of the Horsemen still trying to get that over, so Flair re-signed his contract for extra years and got no extra pay.
Flair takes pride in the fact that he didn't take liberties in his match with Eric Bishoff at Starcade 1998 and that he was always professional. Flair says Bishoff asked him the day of the show to lose.
Flair says the angle where Hogan whipped David Flair with a weight belt wasn't discussed beforehand. David says Hogan said not to worry, and he would hit him a couple of times, but Hogan hit him over a dozen times, and David says it was excruciatingly painful. Flair was pissed, obviously, since David wasn't trained, and this wasn't talked about. David remembers how Scott Norton was holding him for the lashes and kept asking him, "Are you okay, kid?"
Flair says David was too nice to be a wrestler and tried to talk him out of it and have him go home and take the State Trooper exam he had been preparing for.
Flair takes a couple of paragraphs to shade Diamond Dallas Page as an average at best wrestler, whose climb to the top was a "joke," as Flair put it.
Flair calls Page pinning him for the WCW title as an "insult to everything I've learned from men like Verne Gagne and Wahoo McDaniel."
Flair says the mental patient storyline was a Kevin Nash idea, who was not booking. Charles Robinson says it was disgrace to Flair.
Flair says it bothered him that Bret was so angry at WWF and Vince after Owen died and talked about how Bret was trashing Vince publicly and said it should have been a private conversation. Ric didn't know at the time that Bret and Vince spoke privately shortly after Owen died, I guess. Flair says Bret seemed more upset with the Montreal Screwjob than the death of Owen.
Flair says Vince Russo didn't say a word to him when he came to WCW, and after seeing all the boys kissing his ass, Flair refused to talk to Russo or even introduce himself.
Flair remembers the first real conversation he and Russo had, where Russo randomly said, "You must really hate my guts?" Flair said he doesn't even know Russo to hate him, and Russo responds with "Well your friend Jim Cornette hates me, so I figure you would too." Flair said."What makes you think you're even important enough for Jim to mention your name to me? He's a busy guy."
Flair didn't like the way Scott Steiner would insult people's personal lives on the mic and noted how he never said anything about Kevin Nash or Scott Hall or Scott Norton.
Flair was very heated over Scott Steiner's random shoot promo, where he buried Flair as an ass kisser and failure. Flair spends several paragraphs burying Scott, saying Scott meant nothing as a talent, drew no money, and has no legacy.
Flair spends a couple of paragraphs to shade Shane Dougles as a forgettable talent who couldn't rise above bad booking like any quality wrestler could, according to Flair. He says that despite how much Dougles trashed him online and in interviews, when they met in 2000, Douglas shook Flair's hand and told him all those interviews were just a work.
Flair has nice things to say about David Arquette, who won the WCW title in 2000. Flair advised David to buy everyone drinks the night he won, and David obliged. He also notes how Arquette donated his WCW paydays to the families of deceased wrestlers like Owen Hart and Brian Pilman. Flair says Arquette had more character than most.
Flair heavily criticizes the booking of WCW in 2000, notably the month of July, when the WCW title changed hands 5 times.
Flair was upset when his son David moved in with Stacey Kiebler without talking to him first. He was worried that David wasn't putting his own needs ahead.
Flair notes how, at one point, Russo wanted to reveal that Stacey Kiebler was Ric Flair's daughter or that David Flair was Russo's son? No wonder Vince liked Russo so much.
Flair says he didn't make it to Wahoo McDaniel's funeral in 2002, or Mr Perfects, or Andre the Giant's, or Road Warrior Hawk's. He felt great shame for missing Wahoo's and said he had "prior commitments." Not everyone can do funerals, though. Actor David Spade famously refused to go to Chris Farley's funeral, saying, "I couldn't have gone into a room where Chris was in a box." Not everyone can face that, and poor Flair is so torn up over being one of those guys, it seems.
Flair says at the end of the book that he isn't missing any more funerals and already told guys like Triple H and Vince McMahon to throw the biggest party when Flair passes. Flair says if he goes first, his wife Beth promised to buy a boat and lower his body into the sea as everyone parties. Flair has been remarried 3 times since then, though, so I don't know if his current wife has the same idea.
Flair had to have rotator cuff surgery in 2000 but agreed to shave his head in a match before going away. It was clear that Russo and Bishoff wanted to humiliate Flair, but he got to share the ring with both his sons that night, and he said he enjoyed it more than he expected.
Flair said he really lost his passion in 2000, and for the first time ever, he stopped working out, and the fans heckled him for it.
Flair says he was shocked at how little Vince McMahon paid for WCW and says if he knew it would go that low, he would have gotten a couple of investors together to buy it himself. He is confident with himself and Sting on board. They could have kept it going.
Flair says he had to be talked into wrestling Sting at the final Nitro episode because he was so beaten down. He was embarked by his physique and wore a t-shirt. He calls the match terrible and tales all the credit for it being so bad.
Flair says Jim Ross (head of WWF talent relations at the time) called him in mid-2001 shortly after Nitro went off the air and asked Flair to come wrestle for the WWF. Flair was apprehensive but said yes, then sat around for 6 months before he heard back from the WWF.
Flair says that during that 6 months, he was contacted several times a week by various independent groups offering 5 or 10 grand for appearances or to wrestle. Flair refused, believing if he wanted to fix his image and legacy, it would be with Vince McMahon.
Flair remembers how Eric Bishoff called him after 9/11 because Eric wanted to "check on his friends." Ric was and Is still confused by this because they weren't friends. Flair spent many years angry about not beating the shit out of Bishoff. He legitimately regretted not doing it at WCW.
Flair was horrified when he was asked to wrestle Vince at Royal Rumble ppv in 2002. He broke down crying in front of Vince and Vince's kids, Shane and Stephanie, admitting to them that he isn't the same as he used to and his confidence was shot. Vince hugged him, assured him that everyone gets to that point and that Vince has confidence in Flair.
Flair remembers how, right before his match with Vince, Vince pulled Flair aside and assured him that this was all about making Flair look great. Flair was floored by this after years of dealing with Bishoff.
Flair says Undertaker hand picked Ric Flair as his opponent for Wrestlemania in 2002.
Flair remembers how Undertake beat up David Flair in the build-up to Mania and notes how Undertaker called Flair up after the beat down to ask about David and put him over to Ric. Flair compares this to Hogan whipping David and not caring at all about hurting the kid.
During the Mania match, Flair botched a flip over the top rope, but before he could panic, Undertaker set it back up and asked Flair, "You ready to try this again, kid?" Flair doesn't care that he's older than Taker or that he was called "kid" because he was just grateful for the support.
When Flair fueded with Chris Jericho in the summer of 2002, he told Chris that he didn't feel good enough to share the ring with him. Flair says he felt the same way when he started a program with Rob Van Dam as well.
With Bishoff in WWE, Flair couldn't handle it and actually cornered him in a dressing room. Flair had Arn watch the door and slapped Bishoff across the face. He ended up backing up and challenging Eric to a real fight, threatening to rip his eyes out. Eventually, road agent Sargent Slaughter broke things up. Vince was pissed at Flair for this incident. Vince told Flair he couldn't ever do that again and asked if there was anyone else he wanted to assault. Flair half jokingly said, "Yeah, Hogan." Vince got all bug eyed and told Flair "No you can't do that!"
Flair says Eric Bishoff has repeatedly tried to bury the hatchet, but Flair says "fuck no, fuck him."
Flair says multiple guys came up to him to praise Flair for his attack on Eric, so that made Flair feel better.
Flair says Triple H started talking about forming the Evolution group in early 2002 and Flair wanted to be part of it from the start. He liked how full circle it felt with the Horsemen in the past.
Ric Flair credits his May 2003 match with Triple H as being significant in getting his confidence back. I watched that match as it aired when I was 14 and it was one of the best matches all year. Bubba Ray Dudley remembers how everyone in the back couldn't tale their eyes off the monitor for that match and he told Vince McMahon afterward that this was an example of everything good in their buisness.
Shawn Michaels says Tommy Dreamer organized all the wrestlers coming out after the match to celebrate Flair.
Flair says when he want to a Smackdown taping the next day, Roddy Piper made sure to reconnect with Flair, but Hogan didn't say a word to him at all. This would be during the Mr America program with Piper and Hogan on Smackdown in 2003.
Flair was disappointed when David was released from OVW because he felt there were a lot more guys who were worse than Davis who weren't let go.
He ends the book putting over Evolution and how they were all champions on the RAW brand when he wrote the book.
That's the end of Flair's book and I found most of it fascinating, probably because I was a WWF kid growing up and am not familiar with the details of other promotions.
I have Dynamite Kid's book I'll be reading next after a non-wrestling related autobiography I'm reading right now. Then I have a bunch to chose from, if anyone has any suggestions between JR's 1st book, Foley's 1st book, Jericho's 1st book or that random Rock book that came out like 20 years ago, let me know?
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Flair turned down $800,000 a year offer from WCW and a contract claus that would protect him as the "Babe Ruth of WCW" for Vince's handshake deal. He says Jim Herd was fired shortly after he jumped ship to the WWF.
Flair says that when WCW tried suing the WWF over Ric having the NWA title on tv, their wasn't much of a case but the judge was sympathetic to the WCW's position since they would get the title back eventually. So Ric says he mostly wore a WWF Tag Team title, and it was "digitized" on TV to look like the NWA title. I had never heard this before.
Flair doesn't understand why he and Hogan were wrestling untelevised matches when it would have drawn huge numbers and did good business.
Bobby Heenan was paired with Flair for about six months before he took himself off the road. Bobby needed neck surgery and was in a ton of pain all the time, so partying every night with Flair wasn't helping. When Heenan had enough, he told Ric, "You're killing me, you hear that? You're killing me, I can't keep track of time. I hope all your hair falls out and comes back red. I hate you!" I have no idea how serious Bobby was being here.
Earl Hebner was put on the road with Ric next, and he says it took 4 or 5 years off his life from partying every night. He talks about Flair paying for "happy ending" massages for them and how it eventually led to Earl getting divorced because he was cheating on his wife all the time. He says it's not all Flair's fault, but Ric definitely played a part in his divorce.
Flair says he first heard he was winning the WWF title from Jake Roberts, who heard locker room gossip about it. Reminds me of how Bret Hart heard he was losing his tag titles from Dino Bravo due to locker room gossip.
Bobby Heenan says the 1992 Royal Rumble is the best match he ever called and the only match he ever called that he believed to be 100% while calling it.
Flair says his Mania match with Hogan was changed to Randy Savage because Hogan's relationship with Vince had deteriorated, and he was on his way out the door to become a full-time movie star.
Flair says he was originally planned to retain against Savage at Mania before Savage "pitched and mounded until it was changed."
Flair says he can't call Randy Savage great because of how pre-planned out his matches are. He hated practicing the match at Savage's home weeks prior to the show.
Flair says that while at Savage's home, he "realized there was real terror between Randy and Miss Elizabeth."
Flair says Savage is the one who asked him to blade during their match, knowing it was banned at that time in the WWF. He says Vince was furious backstage and scolded Flair as he came back through the curtain. Bret Hart's book touched on this a bit because Hart also bled but worked everyone on it so that he wasn't fined. Flair doesn't mention the fine in his book, but Hart says Flair was fined $500. Bret says no one ever said anything to him, so he got away with it.
Flair says he was with Savage when Savage was freaking out because alledgedly, Elizabeth went to a club and never came back. Savage was on the phone frantically trying to find his wife.
Flair says Savage wasn't much without Elizabeth in the picture and again reiterates that he can't call Savage great.
Flair says Savage's heart wasn't in it anymore after Elizabeth left, and that's why Vince decided to put the title back on Flair.
Flair says Randy Savage didn't like Scott Hall personally.
On September 1st, 1992, Ric Flair wrestled Savage at a tv taping in Hershey Pennsylvania for the WWF Championship. Ric calls the match terrible and again says it's because Savage just didn't care about anything anymore. Scott Hall was supposed to do a run-in, but because of their heat, things got bad quickly. In fact, Vince had sent Bobby Heenan out there making the cut sign on his throat, so literally everyone in the ring had to stop and head to the back because Vince hated what he was seeing on the monitor. Flair notes how confused the fans were at this taping. Pretty wild story.
Flair says they talked the match over for half an hour before heading back out to the ring to try again and again and again. He said the crowd hated everything, and Savage was overselling his leg too much and that Flair couldn't do a fall to light up the crowd at all. Eventually Savage just passed out during the figure 4 leg lock to a dead crowd.
Flair says that he was just a transitional champion as Vince wanted to spearhead Bret Hart as the face of his New Generation idea.
Flair says Ultimate Warrior botched a suplex, resulting in Flair dislodging a chip in his inner ear, and he could get his balance back. Earl Hebner had to call off the match when Flaor tried to do his corner spot and fell out of the ring. Flair notes how Charles Barkley was sitting in the front row, and Flair was trying to show off.
He says this injury made him immediately drop the title to Bret, and that's why it happened at the house show in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. I could be wrong, but I don't remember Bret mentioning any injury in his book and just tried to paint Flair as uncooperative in the series of matches they had. Flair called his title loss match to Bret awful.
Flair says he went to the Mayo Clinic with his dad, who was a doctor, and was told he had "benign paroxysmal position vertigo" as a result or the dislodged chip. He was told he couldn't lean forward or backward without losing his equilibrium. He says he saw 3 specialists between the Mayo Clinic and Duke Univeristy before applying for Loyds of London benefits. He says he was all set up to receive $30,000 a month for 3 years to just not wrestle.
He day before filing his claim, Flair says he woke up completely fine with no dizziness. He even smacked his head against the wall a few times to prove to himself for some reason. As a result, he didn't get his Loyds of London payday but says he has no regrets, noting how he wouldn't exchange his good health for money.
Flair says when he came back, his rematches with Bret were also not great, and the fans didn't care. In Bret's book, he tells a story about Flair was sabotaging their return matches since he said Flair was already planning to return to WCW. He says at one point, Pat Patterson got them alone together in a room and told Flair to stop screwing up the matches every night. Flair apologized to Bret and confessed that he just didn't have his head in the game since he was leaving back to WCW soon.
Okay, so this is a weird one. I'm torn on who is closer to the truth here between Hart's story and Flair's story. Flair makes no mention of the meeting, but Pat Patterson was alive when Bret wrote his book, so this could have been refuted if untrue. Bret insisting on Flair sabatoging the matches and making no mention of the potential injury is odd. Though I do question the validity of the injury, since it was so convenient a timing for Flair. Looking up Flair's match history online, you can find the no contest match he mentioned having prior to the title change. But he wrestled Bret 2 times before the Saskatoon title change bout, and 1 of which was nearly half an hour long! After the title change, he wrestled Warrior a few more times before having zero matches for nearly a month. That would coincide with his multiple specialist visits. It's a fantastic tale that isn't impossible, so I'm inclined to side with Flair here. I love Bret, but he and his family are a bunch of paranoid crazies half the time.
Flair says he was pulled aside by Vince and basically told that he wasn't a priority anymore. Vince said, "I don't know what we're gonna do with you next." Flair saw the New Generation campaign and looked back over at WCW, which was now being overseen by Bill Shaw. Shaw hired Cowboy Bill Watts as the booker, and Flair had great respect for him, so the decision to go back was easy. Bill Watts called Vince on the obone to personally ask for Flair to come back. Vince was true to his word and let Flair leave since he wasn't gonna be featured in the main event anymore. Vince just asked Flair to put over Mr. Perfect on the way out since Perfect had spent the last several months in Flair's corner. Flair was happy to do so. Flair was proud to walk away without burning any bridges.
Flair knew there was trouble the second he got back to WCW. He was shocked to find Watts at the Turner offices wearing workout pants and t-shirts, putting Bill Shaw in a headlock, laughing at everyone else wearing suits and not taking it seriously.
Flair says Cowboy Bill Watts wasn't racist because of the black wrestlers he pushed in various places or promotions. Flair says it was Watts idea to make Ron Simmons the first African American Champion of any promotion ever.
Watts did an interview where he said, "If you own a business, why shouldn't you be able to discriminate? Why should I have to hire a fg if I don't like fgs? If I don't wanna sell fried chicken to blacks, I shouldn't have to. It's my restaurant." Watts resigned shortly after when Shaw questioned him on it
Flair says he was asked by WCW executives about Vince's operation, and Flair advised them to hire Bobby Heenan and Gene Oakerlund asap. He was shocked they did.
Flair says Bill Shaw asked him to take Watts' position and oversee the day to day operations. Flair immediately declined, so they hired someone named Bob Dhue. Flair says Bob was competent, but Bob knew he was in over his head managing the boys. Flair turned down a second offer this time from Bob to help oversee WCW.
Flair says Bob Dhue asked Flair what he thought about Eric Bishoff. He says Bill Shaw also asked him what he thought Bishoff and Flair pushed for Bishoff, saying he liked him because he is aggressive.
Flair says it was down to Eric Bishoff or Ole Anderson for the position and Flair says he wasn't impressed with Ole's personality as a leader or his idea's as a booker so he pushed for and helped get Eric Bishoff hired.
Flair says Bob and Eric were originally a team, but Eric quickly pushed him out. Flair then takes credit for that, too, saying Bill Shaw asked him about Bob and Flair said Bob was struggling. Flair notes how he did Bob a favor since he wasn't around for the collapse of WCW and still kept his original Turner position. Flair isn't considering that Bob also wasn't there for the rise of the company either, so it's a weird point to make, in my opinion.
With Eric overseeing the day-to-day operations of WCW, Dusty Rhodes was brought back as booker. Flair doesn't bring up his earlier claim of refusing to work for Dusty ever again.
Dusty remade the Four Horseman with Flair, Arn and Ole Anderson, and perennial under card talent, Paul Roma. Flair says Roma had a shitty work ethic and notes how at the Omni in Atlanta, the crowd went silent as Roma as announced with the team. Flair remembers thinking to himself, "It never ends, Dusty screwing with me again."
On July 18th, 1993, Flair beat Barry Windham for the NWA world title but notes how little the crowd cared because Vader was the WCW Champion at the time and the company was pushing him as a much bigger deal. In September, a few months later, the NWA finally withdrew from the WCW. Since Flair was the champion but wrestled for WCW contractually, the title was vacated.
Flair trashes Sid Vicious throughout the book as a poor wrestler with a poor work ethic. He remembers how Sid would call in sick but still go play in his local softball league. He tells a funny story of Jim Cornette voicing concerns in a meeting of putting Sid over, saying, "we have to go back to that town someday."
Flair notes how originally Sid Vicious was planned to go over Vader at Starcade that year and win the WCW title. But Sid would leave the company, and Dusty would go with Flair. Flair says a lot of guys like Rick Rude and Paul Orndorff were upset over this decision, thinking they deserved the spot while Flair was already a 10-time World champion.
Flair puts over Dusty a bit for the build to Flair vs. Vader at Starcade 1993. He still takes a few more shots at him but notes how sometimes he was a creative genius.
Flair says Vader got some flack backstage from some wrestlers for agreeing to drop the belt to Flair, so their was some heat there between them. Flair says that while Vader protected Flair like a professional when it comes to moves and slams and falls, Vader was throwing real punches. Flair says he had a cauliflower ear, swollen eye, and a busted open mouth. Flair remembers how, at one point, Vader told Flair to fight back for real. Harley Race was ringside as Vader's manager and noted how unprofessional Vader was being in the match, saying it was uncalled for. Harley does note how Vader loosened up a bit after Flair tagged him with a series of punches that buried Vader's eye.
Flair calls his Starcade 1993 match with Vader as one of his finest moments. He says Hulk Hogan called him the next day and told him the match with Vader made Hulk cry.
Eric Bishoff asked Flair for help in signing Hulk Hogan, and Flair started getting in Hulk's ear about it and made sure to arrange a face to face encounter between Hulk and Bishoff Flair says Hulk signed a ridiculous contract that gave him creative control and 25% of all ppv revenue. That means Hulk was making $600,000 to $1.2 million for every ppv match, while Flair was only making $500,000 for the whole year! Flair says he doesn't blame Hogan at all for exercising his creative control. He blames Eric.
The plan originally was for Sting to take the WCW title off Ric Flair, but with Hogan coming in, plans completely changed. Flair turned heel to accommodate Hogan's spot, and Sting was completely removed from title picture plans. Flair says Sting was furious.
Flair says that Vader and Rick Rude flat out refused to work with Hogan. Apparently, Vader hated Hogan's style of wrestling since Vader liked to be rough, and Rude was bitter because Hogan refused to drop the WWF title to Rude years prior.
Flair notes how Hogan was boo'd heavily for the first few months he was in WCW, and everyone worked really hard to get him over as a hero.
Flair says he and Hogan had agreed to Flaor dropping the title at the Bash at the Beach ppv in July 1994, then for Ric to win it back at the Clash of Champions ppv in August, only for Hogan to win the rubber match in a cage at Halloween Havoc. After Hogan won the title at the Bash ppv, he had a change of heart and said he didn't want to lose the title yet. Hogan told Flair the fans don't wanna see him lose the title yet, either.
Flair won their rematch at the Clash ppv by countout and didn't see a point in a rubber match since there was no heat. A few weeks before the Havoc ppv, Bishoff pulled Hogan and Fkair aside, Bishoff was upset that the Havoc ppv hadn't sold much tickets. Flair was annoyed at how that was an obvious outcome and was worried when Bishoff told Flair he wanted Flair's career on the line when he lost. He promised Flair an office gig for a year before coming back hotter than ever. Flair was nervous because his contract hadn't been extended yet.
Flair says, "Later on, I was accused of refusing to lose until I got a new contract." Flair never really disputes this, though, and just justifies his position, saying he had to stand his ground "to the very end." He says Bill Shaw showed up to the Halloween Havoc ppv with a new contract in hand for Flair. Flair signed it, then went out and lost his "retirement" match to Hogan.
Eric Bishoff approached Flair in early 1995 about wrestling in North Korea. Flair later found out he was the 4th person Eric Bishoff approached this to, saying both Hulk Hogan George Forman wanted too much money, and Sting just refused. Jimmy Carter, Ted Turner, and Jane Fonda were originally planned to go as well, but all backed out, leaving the only marquee names being Muhammed Ali and Ric Flair.
Flair says he only agreed to go to Korea for the chance to get to know Muhammed Ali in some way.
Flair says the second they all landed, their passports were confiscated.
Flair says each wrestler or performer got someone assigned to them as a "cultural attache" who never left their side.
Flair remembers seeing cameras in every corner and notes how when Scott Norton called home to his wife, the line was cut after Scott said, "This place sucks."
Flair says he and Ali were kept apart and in separate cars even.
Flair says that it was a sight to see over 300,000 spectators, remembering how he couldn't see where the people actually ended. But he says it was kinda creepy and that I felt like they were ordered to attend. Well, duh, Ric.
It was a 2 night show, and the first night, Ric didn't wrestle, so he sat with North Korean officials and remembers how confused they were by the matches. Ric reslized they were figuring out right then and there that it was predetermined. They thought they were getting real combat, it would seem.
It was supposed to be a 2 night trip with Flair losing to Inoki on the 2nd night. Flairnwas told that it wouldn't be broadcast to America and implies WCW tricked him because no one told him it would be shown on a WCW ppv.
For reasons Flair was never told, the w day trip turned into 5 with Flair and Ali getting dragged all over the place for various appearances.
Flair remebers how little Ali spoke and how out of it he seemed due to Parkinson disease he suffered from. But one night at a dinner with a bunch of North Korean officials, someone was talking loud and boisterous about North Korea's superiority and Ali randomly chimed in loudly saying, "No wonder we hate these motherfuckers!" Flair immediately panicked, telling him to stop talking and thinking.'Please don't start talking now!'
Flair was asked to make a speech before leaving and to praise North Korea, their leader, and trash the States. Flair says he just said some random diplomatic bs but was quoted as putting over North Korea and trashing the states. Flair says he kissed the ground when he got off the plane in America.
Flair says that Hogan made sure guys like Brutus Beefcake and EarthQuake were hired while trying to push out Arn Anderson.
Flair remembers how Bishoff and Hogan wanted The Renegade to squash Arn Anderson in 15 seconds for Arn's TV title.
Flair says Hogan was trying to groom The Renegade as the next Ultimate Warrior, so Hogan can beat him to avenge his Wrestlemania loss to Warrior 5 years later. Ric questions why anyone watching WCW would care about this at all. In 1999, 4 months after The Renegade was released from WCW, he shot himself in the head. Flair states he doesn't blame Hogan but says Hogan did inflate the kids' ego.
Flair again found himself on the creative committee and hated it, having to fly down to Hogan's house to plan angles that Hogan would just toss out the day of the show.
Flair talks about how guys like Hogan and Bret Hart were too obsessed with Dave Meltzer and his newsletter. Bret confirms this in his book, as he would trash Meltzer but routinely quote directly from the newsletter as if Dave's opinion really mattered to him. Flair says Hogan would spend more time talking about Dave than any wrestlers he worked with.
Flair says he helped Randy Savage get hired at WCW.
Flair says Hogan convinced Savage that the 2 of them were bigger than WCW, and both guys would go out drinking before the shows before coming back and changing things with Eric Bishoff's approval. Eventually, Eric was joining them for those drinks.
Flair was finally brought back to television in mid 1995, where he started a fued with Randy Savage. Savage was supposed to win their bout at the Slamboree ppv in May, but Ric says "enough is enough" and told Savage that he was winning, adding "take it or leave it" Savage agreed, and Flair won. Flair says he was surprised he finally put his foot down, but not surprised when he was immediately kicked off the booking committee after the show.
Ric Flair takes time in his book to say he couldn't call Scott Hall a "great" performer either.
Flair says he nearly walked out one day when Eric Bishoff told they whole locker room that the only people to draw money for the company were Hogan, Savage and Piper. Chris Jericho was there and remembers how everyone looked at Flair, who just sorta took it.
Flair says that when he wrestled Randy Savage at Starcade 1995 to win the WCW title, Savage wanted color, so he cut Flair open without asking or talking about it first. Flair says that's the only time in his career that happened to him.
Flair said he and Savage were having a series of good matches, trading the title back and forth, but it was abruptly ended so Flair could drop the title to The Giant. (The future Big Show)
Flair says the decision to drop the title to The Giant came after Flair missed a show when taking his son Reid to an amature wrestling tournament Reid was in.
Flair has high praise for the Four Horsman group that consisted of himself, Arn Anderson, Dean Melanko, and Chris Benoit. Arn had to have a vertibre removed from his neck in 1997 and could no longer wrestle, so he was replaced with Mr Perfect.
Flair said they weren't warned of NWO impersonating the Four Horseman and spoofing Arn's retirement speech. Flair also questions why he and the Horseman weren't allowed to go get even with them.
Arn Anderson actually knocked on Kevin Nash's dressing room door after the show because he was very offended by the NWO spoof. Arm says Nash genuinely didn't see how it was hurtful and that it was just business to him. Arn says that after they talked for a while, he came to see Nash was probably genuine.
Flair says later on it was revealed that the NWO spoof segment was thought up by Arn's good friend Terry Taylor, who genuinely meant no ill will and thought segment would be funny. Flair says Nash apologized for any issues, and later, when Arm wrote a book and expanded on his hurt feelings, Nash called him to apologize again. Nash is one guy who Flair really didn't have much bad to say about in the book.
Flair says the decision to have Mr. Perfect turn on Horseman a month after joining was designed to humilate Flair.
Earlier in the book, Flair spent several pages trashing Bret Hart for the Montreal screwjob, saying Vince was correct when he said, "Bret screwed Bret." Flair made fun of Bret for not wanting to lose in Canada, and sarcastically said that would be like me having a problem losing in the Carolina's. A couple hundred pages later and Flair is complaining constantly about losing in the Carolina's and how they were killing towns buy having the Horsemen lose so close to home. It's not quite the same, but I found it funny.
Flair says he was realizing in early 1998 that Shawn Michaels was starting to eclipse Flair as the best active wrestler in the world.
Ric Flair says 18 guys were making more than him in 1998 working for WCW and even lists several of them out. Of the names, you would expect to see Hogan and Goldberg and Nash, but there were also names like Booker T and even Rick Steiner, who were making more than Ric Flair at the time.
Late in the book, Flair says one of his agents was actually Barry Bloom, and Flair doesn't have much nice to say about him either. He says Bloom as negotiating a book deal for Flair that ended up going to Goldberg, and Bloom convinced him to re-sign with WCW in 1998 instead of going to WWF. Jim Cornette had told Flair that Vince would have loved to have Flair back. Flair says he wasn't a priority to Bloom or his other agent.
Flair says he was technically operating without a contract in early 1998, when he went to a wrestling tournament his son was in. WCW offered to charter a plane to get him to a show asap, but only if Flair paid for half of it. Flair knew they wouldn't make Hogan pay, so he said no. Bishoff tried to fire him and sue him for a breach of contract, but Flair wasn't on one at that time.
Eric gathered all the WCW wrestlers together and badmouthed Flair to them. Chris Jericho remembers Eric saying he was going to sue Flair into bankruptcy and starve his family.
Flair doesn't say it, but implies it was his absence that led to the 80+ week win streak Nitro had in the ratings, coming to an end.
Flair says he sat out 5 months without pay as the lawyers settled things. Flair says he wanted to go to WWF but felt an obligation towards Arn and the rest of the Horsemen still trying to get that over, so Flair re-signed his contract for extra years and got no extra pay.
Flair takes pride in the fact that he didn't take liberties in his match with Eric Bishoff at Starcade 1998 and that he was always professional. Flair says Bishoff asked him the day of the show to lose.
Flair says the angle where Hogan whipped David Flair with a weight belt wasn't discussed beforehand. David says Hogan said not to worry, and he would hit him a couple of times, but Hogan hit him over a dozen times, and David says it was excruciatingly painful. Flair was pissed, obviously, since David wasn't trained, and this wasn't talked about. David remembers how Scott Norton was holding him for the lashes and kept asking him, "Are you okay, kid?"
Flair says David was too nice to be a wrestler and tried to talk him out of it and have him go home and take the State Trooper exam he had been preparing for.
Flair takes a couple of paragraphs to shade Diamond Dallas Page as an average at best wrestler, whose climb to the top was a "joke," as Flair put it.
Flair calls Page pinning him for the WCW title as an "insult to everything I've learned from men like Verne Gagne and Wahoo McDaniel."
Flair says the mental patient storyline was a Kevin Nash idea, who was not booking. Charles Robinson says it was disgrace to Flair.
Flair says it bothered him that Bret was so angry at WWF and Vince after Owen died and talked about how Bret was trashing Vince publicly and said it should have been a private conversation. Ric didn't know at the time that Bret and Vince spoke privately shortly after Owen died, I guess. Flair says Bret seemed more upset with the Montreal Screwjob than the death of Owen.
Flair says Vince Russo didn't say a word to him when he came to WCW, and after seeing all the boys kissing his ass, Flair refused to talk to Russo or even introduce himself.
Flair remembers the first real conversation he and Russo had, where Russo randomly said, "You must really hate my guts?" Flair said he doesn't even know Russo to hate him, and Russo responds with "Well your friend Jim Cornette hates me, so I figure you would too." Flair said."What makes you think you're even important enough for Jim to mention your name to me? He's a busy guy."
Flair didn't like the way Scott Steiner would insult people's personal lives on the mic and noted how he never said anything about Kevin Nash or Scott Hall or Scott Norton.
Flair was very heated over Scott Steiner's random shoot promo, where he buried Flair as an ass kisser and failure. Flair spends several paragraphs burying Scott, saying Scott meant nothing as a talent, drew no money, and has no legacy.
Flair spends a couple of paragraphs to shade Shane Dougles as a forgettable talent who couldn't rise above bad booking like any quality wrestler could, according to Flair. He says that despite how much Dougles trashed him online and in interviews, when they met in 2000, Douglas shook Flair's hand and told him all those interviews were just a work.
Flair has nice things to say about David Arquette, who won the WCW title in 2000. Flair advised David to buy everyone drinks the night he won, and David obliged. He also notes how Arquette donated his WCW paydays to the families of deceased wrestlers like Owen Hart and Brian Pilman. Flair says Arquette had more character than most.
Flair heavily criticizes the booking of WCW in 2000, notably the month of July, when the WCW title changed hands 5 times.
Flair was upset when his son David moved in with Stacey Kiebler without talking to him first. He was worried that David wasn't putting his own needs ahead.
Flair notes how, at one point, Russo wanted to reveal that Stacey Kiebler was Ric Flair's daughter or that David Flair was Russo's son? No wonder Vince liked Russo so much.
Flair says he didn't make it to Wahoo McDaniel's funeral in 2002, or Mr Perfects, or Andre the Giant's, or Road Warrior Hawk's. He felt great shame for missing Wahoo's and said he had "prior commitments." Not everyone can do funerals, though. Actor David Spade famously refused to go to Chris Farley's funeral, saying, "I couldn't have gone into a room where Chris was in a box." Not everyone can face that, and poor Flair is so torn up over being one of those guys, it seems.
Flair says at the end of the book that he isn't missing any more funerals and already told guys like Triple H and Vince McMahon to throw the biggest party when Flair passes. Flair says if he goes first, his wife Beth promised to buy a boat and lower his body into the sea as everyone parties. Flair has been remarried 3 times since then, though, so I don't know if his current wife has the same idea.
Flair had to have rotator cuff surgery in 2000 but agreed to shave his head in a match before going away. It was clear that Russo and Bishoff wanted to humiliate Flair, but he got to share the ring with both his sons that night, and he said he enjoyed it more than he expected.
Flair said he really lost his passion in 2000, and for the first time ever, he stopped working out, and the fans heckled him for it.
Flair says he was shocked at how little Vince McMahon paid for WCW and says if he knew it would go that low, he would have gotten a couple of investors together to buy it himself. He is confident with himself and Sting on board. They could have kept it going.
Flair says he had to be talked into wrestling Sting at the final Nitro episode because he was so beaten down. He was embarked by his physique and wore a t-shirt. He calls the match terrible and tales all the credit for it being so bad.
Flair says Jim Ross (head of WWF talent relations at the time) called him in mid-2001 shortly after Nitro went off the air and asked Flair to come wrestle for the WWF. Flair was apprehensive but said yes, then sat around for 6 months before he heard back from the WWF.
Flair says that during that 6 months, he was contacted several times a week by various independent groups offering 5 or 10 grand for appearances or to wrestle. Flair refused, believing if he wanted to fix his image and legacy, it would be with Vince McMahon.
Flair remembers how Eric Bishoff called him after 9/11 because Eric wanted to "check on his friends." Ric was and Is still confused by this because they weren't friends. Flair spent many years angry about not beating the shit out of Bishoff. He legitimately regretted not doing it at WCW.
Flair was horrified when he was asked to wrestle Vince at Royal Rumble ppv in 2002. He broke down crying in front of Vince and Vince's kids, Shane and Stephanie, admitting to them that he isn't the same as he used to and his confidence was shot. Vince hugged him, assured him that everyone gets to that point and that Vince has confidence in Flair.
Flair remembers how, right before his match with Vince, Vince pulled Flair aside and assured him that this was all about making Flair look great. Flair was floored by this after years of dealing with Bishoff.
Flair says Undertaker hand picked Ric Flair as his opponent for Wrestlemania in 2002.
Flair remembers how Undertake beat up David Flair in the build-up to Mania and notes how Undertaker called Flair up after the beat down to ask about David and put him over to Ric. Flair compares this to Hogan whipping David and not caring at all about hurting the kid.
During the Mania match, Flair botched a flip over the top rope, but before he could panic, Undertaker set it back up and asked Flair, "You ready to try this again, kid?" Flair doesn't care that he's older than Taker or that he was called "kid" because he was just grateful for the support.
When Flair fueded with Chris Jericho in the summer of 2002, he told Chris that he didn't feel good enough to share the ring with him. Flair says he felt the same way when he started a program with Rob Van Dam as well.
With Bishoff in WWE, Flair couldn't handle it and actually cornered him in a dressing room. Flair had Arn watch the door and slapped Bishoff across the face. He ended up backing up and challenging Eric to a real fight, threatening to rip his eyes out. Eventually, road agent Sargent Slaughter broke things up. Vince was pissed at Flair for this incident. Vince told Flair he couldn't ever do that again and asked if there was anyone else he wanted to assault. Flair half jokingly said, "Yeah, Hogan." Vince got all bug eyed and told Flair "No you can't do that!"
Flair says Eric Bishoff has repeatedly tried to bury the hatchet, but Flair says "fuck no, fuck him."
Flair says multiple guys came up to him to praise Flair for his attack on Eric, so that made Flair feel better.
Flair says Triple H started talking about forming the Evolution group in early 2002 and Flair wanted to be part of it from the start. He liked how full circle it felt with the Horsemen in the past.
Ric Flair credits his May 2003 match with Triple H as being significant in getting his confidence back. I watched that match as it aired when I was 14 and it was one of the best matches all year. Bubba Ray Dudley remembers how everyone in the back couldn't tale their eyes off the monitor for that match and he told Vince McMahon afterward that this was an example of everything good in their buisness.
Shawn Michaels says Tommy Dreamer organized all the wrestlers coming out after the match to celebrate Flair.
Flair says when he want to a Smackdown taping the next day, Roddy Piper made sure to reconnect with Flair, but Hogan didn't say a word to him at all. This would be during the Mr America program with Piper and Hogan on Smackdown in 2003.
Flair was disappointed when David was released from OVW because he felt there were a lot more guys who were worse than Davis who weren't let go.
He ends the book putting over Evolution and how they were all champions on the RAW brand when he wrote the book.
That's the end of Flair's book and I found most of it fascinating, probably because I was a WWF kid growing up and am not familiar with the details of other promotions.
I have Dynamite Kid's book I'll be reading next after a non-wrestling related autobiography I'm reading right now. Then I have a bunch to chose from, if anyone has any suggestions between JR's 1st book, Foley's 1st book, Jericho's 1st book or that random Rock book that came out like 20 years ago, let me know?
2024.03.24 06:00 OShaunesssy Book report guy here, just read Ric Flair book from 2004 and it had so much good stories that I had to cut my report in half. Here are some interesting Ric Flair stories up until he jumps to WWF in 1991
Ric Flair met Ken Patera while he was in Portland, Oregon, training for the 1972 Olympics, and they started living together. It was living with Ken when Ric started getting into body building.
After the Olympics, Verne Gagne was looking to train up a group of pro wrestlers and wanted Ken Patera in that group. Verne had to be talked into taking Ric into the group as well. Verne even tried talking Ric out of the wrestling business altogether.
The group consisted of Verne's son Greg, Ric Flair, Ken Patera, Jim Bunzell (who would later team with Ken in AWA and be one half of the Killer Bee's in the WWE), Bob Bruggers (a former Miami Dophins linebacker), and Hossien Khosrow Vaziri (the future Iron Shiek). They were primarily trained by Billy Robinson, whom I've yet to hear a positive story about in literally any wrestling book.
Two days into training, and Ric tried to quit. Ken Patera says that the training was basically abuse, where they took more bumps and falls in a few days than they would in 25 years of genuinely wrestling. Ric says Verne refused to let him quit and screamed at him for hours until Ric reluctantly agreed to come back. A few days later, Ric was present when Billy Robinson fucked up Iron Shiek's leg during an amature sparing bout, and Ric quit again. He was terrified that he would be assaulted next by Billy and told Greg that he wasn't coming back. Ric said he got a call later that day from Verne, who simply asked Ric if they needed to speak face to face again. This was all Ric needed to hear, he was back at training the next day.
Ric acted as a drive gofer for the AWA while training under Verne, getting to drive around or run errands for guys like Billy Graham and Dusty Rhodes.
Prior to his first ever match, Ric asked Verne if he could be "Ramblin' Ricky Rhodes" and be billed as Dusty Rhodes brother. A disgusted Verne said "No! Your name is Rick Flierhr. Change a few letters and it's Ric Flair. It's a good name!" Flair often wonders "what if Verne had said yes here?"
Back in the day, they didn't smarten you up to the buisness until they were sure you could be trusted and so Ric wasn't explained anything until minutes before his first ever match.
On December 10th, 1972, Ric Flair made his debut, against George "Scrap Iron" Gadaski. Right before he stepped through the curtain, Flair was grabbed by Verne and told "just do whatever George says. You guys are going to go through" Ric was confused and asked "What does go through mean?" So Verne explained that means nobody wins, they wrestle to a draw. Ric and George said nothing before the bell, so Ric did every move and bump George called on the fly until the bell ran after 10 minutes, announcing it was over. Wild debut imo but that wasn't uncommon back then
Someone backed out of a Japan tour in mid-1973, so Verne asked Ric if he wanted to go with Dusty Rhodes and Dick Murdoch. Ric immediately said yes and found out he was essentially their bell hop. He would carry their bags and get them whatever they needed. Ric explains the ribs they Rhodes and Murdoch pulled on him that trip, including spraying his hotel room with a fire extinguisher and tossing all his clothes out the 10 story window, and abandoning him at shows with no ride or idea where to go in Japan.
On June 26th, 1973, Ric was booked in his first ever cage match, against Rusher Kimura. Murdoch and Rhodes gave the ref a razor blade and told him to give Ric some color during the match, and so that was the first cage match and first time Ric bled. After the match he foolishly asked Rhodes and Murdoch to take a picture of his bloody face. They just laughed at him, for thinking he was a big shot.
Flair talks about a plane ride he took with Wahoo McDaniel, Red Bastion and Lars Anderson. Lars could fly but didn't have a liscence, and he foolishly smoked a joint before taking off. Flair also suggests Lars may have been drinking along with the rest of them as well, but never says it outright. A blizzard would force them to land in a high school football field instead of the airport. Close call for Flair, who says he was happy to be on the ground. Scary real life foreshadowing here.
Flair became close to Wahoo McDaniel and said he would have done anything Wahoo asked. It was Wahoo who would get Flair his first booking in Charlotte, North Carolina, under George Scott. Flair left for Charlotte in 1974, and he has been there ever since.
Verne Gagne asked Flair to sign a contract on his way out of the AWA that would give Verne 10% of all Ric's future earnings, saying its only fair since he trained Ric. Jim Crockett had advised Flair to rip up the contract and told Flair to "send him (Verne) a check for what ever you think he deserves." Flair sent him $2,500 and says he and Verne always remained on friendly terms. Flair thinks that Shiek tore up a similar deal, but heard that Ken Patera must have signed it since he was sending 10% of his earnings back to Verne.
Flair says he had to leave his wife and daughter behind as he went to Charlotte, only leaving them with $200. He remembers how disappointed his parents were in his decision to leave his family behind, but he knew he was making the right call.
Flair didn't have a car in Charlotte, so the office asked 20 year vet Johnny Valentine if Ric could ride shotgun to shows. Johnny never picked Flair up, instead meeting him at some spot Flair would have to hitchhike to, and after the shows Johnny wouldn't drive Flair home, only taking him as far as his own route convienenced him. Flair also says Johnny would blast loud orchestral opera music the whole ride and never say a word.
Flair picked up his patented "Flair Flop" from watching how Johnny Valentine would sell in the ring, trying to make it look real with a quick fall after a few hits. Flair added the couple of steps before the flop though.
Flair's first big check in Charlotte came out to $1000, and when he told Jim Crocket Jr how he needed more money to get his family out here with him, Jimmy gave him a 3 grand advance to help him.
George Scott paired Ric up with Rip Hawk, a well dressed older wrestler who was a good talker. Ric and Hawk would win the Mid Atlantic Tag Team Championships on July 4th, 1974, and it was Ric's first taste of gold. Rip Hawk was a good painting for Flair, since Hawk was getting older, the painting helped him stay contemporary, and Hawk was able to help mold Flair into a better wrestler.
Flair heard Jerry Lee Lewis on the radio singing "Great Balls of Fire" and liked how Jerry would scream "WOOOOO!" Ric liked it and started doing it in the ring and during interviews.
Flair was actually booked and promoted in Charlotte as a cousin to Ole and Gene Anderson early on in his career.
Flair said he started blading in Charlotte. In the back when you saw the rundown sheet with the list of matches, if your name had a little check mark next to it, it meant you had to get juice. Compared to his contemporaries like Dusty Rhodes or Carlos Colon, Ric barely has any scars from years of blading and he attributes that to his use of Neosporin and luck.
George Scott was the one who decided to rename Ric Flair with the "Nature Boy" moniker. George was a friend and admirer of Buddy Rogers and thought Ric could pull off the same demeanor. Ric said he adapted his own "Ric Flair strut" from the way Buddy Rogers would strut to the ring and when he heard that Rogers would smoke cigars, Ric started to smoke them too. He even started doing the figure four leg lock just like Buddy Rogers used to.
On Feb 8th, 1975, he won his first singles title, the Mid-Atlantic TV Championship off Paul Jones. Around this time is when Flair would start cutting boisterous promos about how he was put on this earth for one purpose, to be a World Champion one day.
David Crockett remembers how Ric would sometimes come out of his dressing room completely naked, walk up to a woman who was sitting down talking to someone, and he would tap her on the shoulder to say hello. "But he wouldn't tap her with his finger..." Jesus Ric
Flair would be the one to meet Mark Farkas, the pilot who would later crash the plane which ended the career of Johnny Valentine and severly injuring others. Flair said he introduced himself as a Vietnam vet who was a pilot in the war, though Flair notes how no one bothered to check his credentials. Flair said it was his idea to fly 5 or 6 guys in a small plane together as a way to save costs, and how Johnny Valentine loved it.
Flair didn't have much positive to say on the pilot, Mark Farkas. Mark did not survive and I've heard others tell the story of how Mark was preassured by the wrestlers to take more people than the plane's weight limit could handle. Flair says Mark didn't disclose this information to any of the guys that night though, and offloaded fuel behind their backs. Flair and David Crockett maintain that the pilot kept them all in the dark, with David saying he even jokingly told him before take off to make sure they had enough fuel.
On October 4th, 1975, Ric Flair, David Crockett, Johnny Valentine, Tim Woods and Bob Bruggers and the pilot Mark Farkas all loaded into a small plane that was 1400 pounds over weight. Wahoo McDaniel was originally going with them, but opted to drive at the last minute and gave his seat to Bruggers. Valentine would laugh to Mark, pointing at the empty fuel gage, telling him they're out of gas. Flair said he expected the reserve fuel to kick in but it never did, and eventually Mark was freaking out screaming something into his headset that Flair couldn't make out. After some time, Valentine attempted to calm Mark down by repeatedly smacking him but that only made things more chaotic.
The plane was close to the runway, but unfortunately skidded across several trees and a power pole of some kind before nosediving hard into a railway encampment. All the seats came loose, with David Crockett's head crashing through the seat in front of him and into Tim Woods. David would have a concussion and Tim would have bruised ribs. Tim was the only one who didn't lose consciousness. When Ric woke up he heard EMT's panicking over Bob Brugges who was going into shock, and the next thing Ric remembers is waking up in the hospital to Wahoo McDaniel looking after him. Wahoo was a heel who had just lost a title to Flair, so when he barged into the hospital a bunch of folks actually thought the was there to finish Flair off and had to fight through several orderleys to get to his friend.
Flair is very greatful that Wahoo wasn't on the plane, not just because they were friends, but because they were fueding in the ring and if both men had been injured in the same plane crash, it could have killed the territory. The only babyface on the plane was Tim Woods, who actually used a fake name at the hospital to keep kayfabe alive and checked out quickly the next day before any reporters showed up. Woods had to literally be propt up by 2 other men in order to walk out of the hospital. When the venue that night announced Flair and Valentine were hurt in a plane crash, they also casually said Tim. Woods was "lost and couldn't make the show."
When I read Billy Graham's book, he detailed the fallout a bit, because he was actually brought into Charlotte to wrestle Tim Woods 2 weeks after the crash. Fans had started to suspect that Woods was on the plane too, so despite his injured state, Woods wrestled a quick match with Billy Graham so no one would take the rumor seriously. Billy was as gentle as can be with the very hurt Woods. But it worked, the rumor if Woods being on the plane disappeared when he wrestled 2 weeks later.
Bob Bruggers and Johnny Valentine both broke their backs. Brugges could still walk and possibly wrestle, but he took a $70,000 insurance payout and happily retired. Valentine was never able to walk again though, and his career was over while he was still selling out arenas. Flair notes how many boys in the back didn't feel too sorry for him due to all the mean spirited jokes Valentine was known for. One time, Valentine fell out of his wheelchair in front of his wife, and instead of helping him up, Red Bastien actually started urinating on him! He taunted the poor cripple on the ground saying "this is for all the years you pissed on me!" Valentine just sat there and chuckled as he was pissed on and his wife stood by watching.
Ric Flair also broke his back, though not as severe as Valentine or Brugges. His dad and other doctors told him he would never wrestle again, but Flair was 24 years old and insisted on it. The first time he wore a back brace to the office, George Scott yelled at him to take it off because it "would slow down your recovery!" Flair stupidly believed him.
The pilot, Mark Farkas lingered in a coma for nearly a year after the crash before ultimately dying of his injuries. Though Flair says he felt bad for him and that he visited him once or twice, he still called Mark "beyond negligent and incompetent."
Flair was able to make an official comeback just a few months later on Jan 31st, 1976, where he resumed his rivalry with Wahoo McDaniel. Flair assaulted him with a table leg one night but didn't notice the nail sticking out of it. Wahoo would need over 40 stitches to cover up Flair's attack.
Flair started picking up some of his patented moves, like the corner spot where he would flip over or the top ropenspot where someone would grab him and toss him to the mat. Flair says he picked up his knife edge chops from Wahoo McDaniel and Terry Funk.
Greg Valentine was brought in to replace his father, and did a good job doing so, Ric felt. Ric and Greg would reign as NWA Tag Team champions twice over the next several years.
Flair takes up several pages in his book to complain about how bad a worker Bruno Sammartino was and how he didn't understand why magazines would rank him number 1 in America over a guy like Harley Race. He called Sammartino a "bitter old man who spends his retirement complaining about the buisness that made him all his money." Flair said he wouldn't even call him "great" and went on to name a couple dozen guys, past and present, who he felt were much better. When he mentions Shawn Michaels, Flair takes a moment to say Shawn was much better than Bret Hart. Flair goes onto say that if Angle can stay healthy, he will be the best of all time. This book was written in 2002.
Flair would routinely do 500 free squats every single day from 1974 to 1986 when he finally bought a stairmaster to use instead. He had some wild cardio that Bret Hart even put over in his own book.
Ricky Steamboat was also trained by Verne Gagne, starting off Flair and Steamboat's relationship with a strong common ground. On June 15th, 1977, Ricky Steamboat made his NWA debut upsetting Ric Flair clean for his Mid-Atlantic title!
Flair would win the NWA United States Heavyweight title from Bobo Brazil on July 29th, 1977.
Flair and Steamboat would trade the US title over the next several months, with one notable night on April 8th, 1978, when Flair assaulted Steamboat and even gave him a swollen eye using actual sandpaper on his face. Flair wanted to add color but ended up just bruising the shit out of Steamboats orbital bone.
Their rivalry really helped put over Steamboat and even Flair. Steamboat remembers David Crockett asking them to go 30 or 40 minutes, but they would always go 60 and only go into the finish when the ring announcer made the 1 minute left call to the crowd.
In 1978, Flair did his 2nd tour of Japan, where he actually got a rare pin on Giant Baba in a tag match. While this "made Flair in Japan" Flair would return home after a few weeks vowing to never go back. He just hated how much traveling it required to go to Japan.
When Flair's son David was born in 1979, Ric asked George Scott for a night off to be at the hospital, George Saud "sure if that's what you wanna do." But George made it clear that if Ric took that night off he would have to find a new territory to work in. Guys didn't get a night off back then just because their kid was born. Wild.
To Ric's credit, he didn't fight his first wife Leslie at all on any divorce request. He gave her the house and $3000 a month in alimony. That was a lot of money in 1979, but Ric knows he failed as a husband and father and doesn't shy away from it. He says he was wrong to put the character Ric Flair ahead of his family. He was heartbroken when Leslie sold the house and told Flair she was taking the kids to Minneapolis. Flair wishes he could get those years back and be a real father to David. Say what you will about Ric Flair, but he doesn't hide from the truth here and paints himself in a terrible light as a husband and father.
Jimmy Crockett was the one who suggested Flair's memorable entrance music to him, the music he still uses to this day. He started using it in 1979.
Buddy Rogers came out of retirement to feud with Ric Flair over the Nature Boy gimmick. Many old timers warned Ric to not take a loss because Rogers was known to double cross people and refuse to give their wins back. Regardless though, on July 21st, 1979, Ric Flair not only submitted Buddy Rogers clean in the ring, Rogers even bladed for him to put him over more.
Roddy Piper came down from Oregon and started feuding with Flair, and while Flair says he loved wrestling Piper, he enjoyed their back and forth promo work even more, with David Crockett in the middle and often times cracking up over how off the cuff funny they both were. At the time most promos or interviews went about 40 seconds long, but Crockett would let Piper and Flair go back and forth ad libbing for several minutes. Unheard of and wild promo work for the early 1980's.
In early 1980's, Flair and Blackjack Mulligan got together and purchased a territory in Knoxville, Tennessee for $150k from Ron Fuller. Jim Barnette, who ran a territory in Georgia, and was the NWA treasurer, said he used to run Knoxville I'm the past and that the local TV stations made it very difficult for them. Flair and Blackjack had no idea what they were getting into and mostly lost money on it.
Flair says that the decision to put the NWA World title on him was a political nightmare, because several on the board didn't think Flair looked the part and the current champ Dusty Rhodes was under the impression that he would be champion for life. That's what Flair says, Dusty thought he would be champion for the rest of his life. They convinced Dusty by doing it in a town where he wasn't popular and with the promise that he would win it back soon after. Spoiler, he didn't win it back soon after.
On September 17th, 1981, Ric Flair beat Dusty Rhodes to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship in Kansas City, where neither man was well known to the casual fan. Lou Thesz was the guest referee and the finish happened when Dusty slipped off the ropes and Ric quickly covered him. Flair calls the match "terrible" and says Dusty was very unhappy losing the title. Flair felt awful because he was a big Dusty fan and while they would repair their relationship, it really made it hard for Flair to celebrate this big moment.
New NWA Champion Ric Flair was scheduled to do a tour down in Florida for Eddie Graham, but Eddie stopped coming into work. Florida was Dusty Rhodes territory, so according to Flair, he and Graham fucked off with hopes to tank the territory so Flair's first tour as champion would go badly. JJ Dillon filled in as booker but couldn't come up with any opponents for Flair, so they stuck him with perennial mid-carder Charlie Cook. Flair called it "a horror to watch."
With Flair as NWA Champion, he was only able to wrestle in his Knoxville territory a couple times a year, which left Blackjack Mulligan as the only draw. This strained their relationship as they would have to shut down the whole promotion. Mulligan believed that Ron Fuller had set them up to fail and wanted Flair to join him in animosity. But Fuller was on the NWA board so Flair couldn't, and Flair says he regrets how he and Mulligan never fixed their relationship.
Flair made just over $200,000 his first year as NWA Champion, though he told the fans it was much more than that. He was also spending more than he could make, always staying at the best hotels and spending more on room service than he could ever make in a week.
Flair defended the NWA World title in Puerto Rico against local hero Jack Veneno in a match that ended in a time limit draw as Veneno had Flair in a sleeper hold. The local fans stormed the ring thinking they saw a title change. Flair was so scared for his life he not only left the NWA title in the ring, he flew back home without it.
Hugo Savinovich was working in that promotion and remembers how someone broke the real ringside time clock with a hammer so no one local would know it was a work. He described it as hiding the evidence. Promoter Carlos Colon was so thrilled he invited Flair back, and Flair brought Piper with him. In Piper's book he spoke about Flair taking them to Puerto Rico and causing more riots. When Flair returned for the rematch with Piper, Veneno entered the ring wearing the title and they did a finish that was designed to let Flair safely take it back home, but the fans still reacted poorly and Flair screamed at Veneno to "put the fucking belt on!" There were legit military soldiers with guns ringside in anticipation of something going wrong and Flair wanted to avoid a riot.
Flair's second wife thought he was a pimp when she first met him at a club, with 6 or 7 women on his arms and dressed to the nines. They married in 1983 after a long courtship. The way Flair talks about her ex boyfriends makes him sound very jealous. He sarcastically asks "how many DVD's have they sold?"
Jimmy Crocket was Flair's best man at his wedding. Flair makes a point to say not Wahoo, or Piper or anyone else. He says Jimmy took care of him since he came to Charlotte and Flair believed he and Jimmy would he close forever. Spoiler, they aren't friends forever.
In 1983 Flair lost his drivers liscence after he and Piper drunkenly raced down the street. He says Piper was let go but he was arrested and had ti call his wife from jail. She thought he was making up excuses as to why he wasn't home and didn't believe he was arrested.
Ric was served a $130,000 tax bill on his way to Japan as NWA Champion and he sorta snapped. He got super drunk on the plane and when he landed in Tokyo he immediately hopped on another flight back to the States. When he got home Jimmy Crocket was there to take him right back to Japan, and Jimmy would help him out with his tax problems.
When Flair defended the NWA World title against Jumbo Tsurta in Japan, in 1983, Harley Race was sent over with him as his manager to ensure no double cross could happen.
Flair literally sold a percentage of himself and assets to Jimmy Crocket, David Crockett and George Scott as a way out of him tax problems. Flair would pay back everything plus 10% interest.
When George Scott left Crockett Promotions to go work for the WWF, Flair convinced Jimmy Crocket to hire Dusty Rhodes as the booker to replace Scott.
In June 1983, the decision was made to put the NWA title back on Harley Race because Vince and the WWF had started expanding into other territories. Harley Race says the NWA board wanted their best guy to face off with WWF. Flair dropped the title to him on June 10th, 1983.
Flair would win the title back later that year at the first ever Starcade event. He remembers how Harley Race didn't want to lose but Harley Race himself says he knew it was time and he wanted off the road.
Ric Flair would insist on 60 minute draws when he was wrestling a territories top star who couldn't lose, like Dusty in Florida or one of Fritz Von Erichs kids in Dallas. If the wrestler couldn't go 60 minutes, Flair insisted on winning. Flair remembers how NWA President Bob Geigel never had his back in confrontations with local promoters, so it fell on Flair to keep to NWA policies.
When Flair was touring out of country in New Zealand, Harley Race pushed Flair to drop the title to Race so Race could drop it back a few days later in Singapore. They didn't tell anyone on the NWA board, so it's not an officially recognized one. Flair says he felt uncomfortable doing this.
Flair has nothing positive to say on Kerry Von Erich, the man whom he'd drop the title to officially. Flair says Kerry was drugged out all the time, wether it was 8am or 8pm and suggests that Fritz Von Erich used David Von Erich's death in early 1984 as a way to get the title on Kerry.
Kerry Von Erich won the NWA World title off Ric Flair on May 6th, 1984, at the David Von Erich Memorial Show in Texas. Flair didn't trust him to remember a complicated finish so Kerry won with a backslide. Flair remembers how sad Kerry was to be a transitional champion when Flair won it back a few weeks later.
Ric says the worst match of his career was against Kerry Von Erich in Texas in 1985 when they went for an hour. He says Kerry was messed up and asking the ref about some girl, then spent a third of the match wandering around ringside looking for her. After the match, Flair marched backstage and threw the NWA title at World Class booker Ken Mantell. Fritz Von Erich had a local newspapers do up a story the following day saying Kerry was wrestling with a 100 degree fever.
Flair says he wasn't threatened by Wrestlemania or the WWF marketing strategies. He viewed it pretty plainly, in WWF, one guy picked you to be champion, whereas in the NWA, you needed 9 different men from different territories to agree with one another on their champion and if you didn't pull your weight, they would get rid of you. He saw more value in being NWA World Champion than anywhere else and saw NWA as the leader of pro wrestling for that reason.
Flair, Tully Blanchard along with Ole and Arn Anderson started ganging up on people in 1985, with one notable night in Atlanta where they locked Dusty Rhodes in a cage for a beat down. When the babyfaces poured out of the locker room to help, the fans did as well so the heels had to legitimately fight civilians off the side of the cage as they tried to climb over. Flair remembers Ole legitimately beating the shit out of one fan who made it over, with Ole explaining that he wanted to send a message to anyone else thinking of coming over.
Arn Anderson came up with the Four Horseman name, when he randomly blurted it out in an interview, referring to his group as something on par with the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse. He said he didn't think of it beforehand but the second he said it, everyone knew it was the perfect name.
Flair tells a horror story I'm hoping isn't true. They worked some poor limo driver named Dave so hard that after 3 days of driving and picking up and dropping off, that Dave had a heart attack in his sleep and died. Flair says they didn't "literally kill him" but says that the hours didn't help.
Flair said he paid for all those limo's and estimates that he spent $60,000 annually on just limo's.
Flair tells a story of one time when he invited girls "ages 18 - 28" to party at his hotel but said "No boyfriends or husbands" and had a door man to let the ladies in and keep the dates out. He laughs about how there was a dozen guys angrily waiting in the lobby all night.
It wasn't uncommon for the girls to try and steal from them on those night too. Arn Anderson once caught a girl leaving the hotel room with Flair's robe on and when he got it back he found she also had Tully's wallet! Flair says in his career he only lost 3 rolexes, 2 diamond rings and some kid of gold jewelry thing. He openly suspects the ladies as making off with the goods.
One time while driving with Arn, they spotted a club that was advertising "Ladies Night Tonight with Ric Flair and Arn Anderson" on the marquee. Arn was pissed and told Flair to keep his name out of shit like that and that the only marquee he wants to see his name on is at an arena. Both Flair and Arn were married at the time.
Again, to Flair's immense credit, he isn't proud of any of these stories. He acknowledges that he failed as a father and dad. He knows his kids will read this book and wants them to know taht family should always come first. It's refreshing to read one of these wrestler autobiographies and see someone hold themselves accountable.
Just like Gorgeous Gorge, Billy Graham, Andre the Giant and Roddy Piper before him, Flair did a tour in Hawaii working for the Mavia clan. He was in Hawaii when his wife Beth went into labor with their daughter Ashley (Charlotte Flair) and Beth had already suffered several miscarriages so they didn't think this would happen. Flair notes how the promoter he worked for next Bob Geigel, couldn't care less about Flair's wife or his daughter being born. Flair laughs at the idea of anyone in wrestling having any sort or genuine integrity.
Flair says that Ricky Morton of the Rock n Roll Express could have been as big or successful as Shawn Michaels if he ever tried being a singles star full time.
Flair doesn't outright say it, but the way he talks about it, I get the feeling that his favorite version of the Horsemen was himself, Tully, Arn and Barry Windham. This book was written in 2002 and he says if all 4 men were in their primes now, they would be running the WWE and selling out everywhere they go.
By early 1988 Dusty Rhodes was booking quite poorly in Crockett Promotions and getting closer and closer to Jimmy Crocket. David Crockett says that Dusty based all his idea's on the movie True Grit and he lacked originality. Flair says this is when his relationship with Jimmy started to fall apart. Flair was hurt that this man who was once the best man at his wedding, was now giving him the cold shoulder. Flair says "I couldn't understanding how Dusty could step in and con Jimmy out of that friendship."
Flair said the fans got tired of the same "Dusty Finish" every single night, with even Jim Cornette chiming in to say that the Dusty Finish used back to back didn't work on tv and the comparison of NWA World Champion Ric Flair getting his ass kicked every night to WWF Champion Hulk Hogan pinning monsters every night wasn't good. Jim says Ric should have stood up to Dusty.
Ric notes that although he wasn't offended when Dusty gave the "Nature Boy" moniker to Buddy Landel as a way to kick-start Landel/ Flair fued, he says that Dusty would never give someone else "The American Dream" title.
In 1987 Arn and Tully started getting tiny paychecks. It took Ric literally walking out to get them a little more money, but even then it was still less than someone like Paul Ellering, who was just a manager. Dusty and Jimmy Crocket didn't see value in Arn and Tully and were fine without them on their roster.
In 1988 Vince McMahon called Ric Flair to pitch him coming to WWF where Arn and Tully were heading in the fall. Vince wanted Ric to main event the inaugural Summer Slam ppv challenging Randy Savage for the WWF Championship. When Ric told Dusty of the offer, instead if countering it, Dusty just told Ric that maybe he should drop the title to Lex Luger that night. Flair would turn down the WWF offer out of loyalty to NWA and Crocket Promotions.
Ric says he was suprised when Turner bought Crocket Promotions just a few months later. He says his new contract was for $730,000 per year. According to Flair, he later found out that Turner only agreed to buy the company if Ric Flair was there and that his contract should have been in the millions. But neither Dusty nor Jimmy let Ric in on how vital he was to the deal. He let (newly renamed) WCW officials know that he would be a team player, but he absolutely would not work for Dusty Rhodes.
Flair convinced WCW to hire Ricky Steamboat in early 1989, and on February 20th that year, Steamboat beat Flair for the NWA title. Steamboat remembers how booker George Scott didn't decide who was winning until an hour before the match.
Ricky Steamboat's wife Bonnie would accompany him to the ring and most agreed that she was hurting Ricky's image and making him look too soft. Because Flair brought him in, George Scott told Flair he had to get rid of Bonnie. Flair remembers telling Ricky but seeing him not listen, saying that Bonnie had a gold on him. Flair says the fallout from this conversation turned he and Bonnie into "mortal enemies."
George Scott was relieved of his booking duties in April 1989, when he refused to advertise an NWA World title match between Flair and champion Steamboat. George Scott thought that fans wouldn't buy house show tickets if they knew a world title match was coming up on TV. George Scott was replaced by a booking committee consisting of Flair, Kevin Sullivan, Jim Barnett, Jim Herd and Eddie Gilbert.
Flair says originally he and Steamboat were supposed to draw for a finish. Flair said with his new booking position he insisted on Steamboat winning clean to help keep him over. Flair says that he refused to be like Dusty as a booker and said "What's best for buisness is best for Ric Flair."
Flair says TV and PPV restraints made it difficult to have a great match because it was unlikely to get more than 10 or 15 minutes and Flair says he needed at least 30 for a great match.
When Flair won his 6th NWA World title on May 7th, 1989, off Steamboat, Flair turned face for the first time since becoming a main eventer. Terry Funk was a guest judge for the match and actually turned heel in a post-match angle to set up a Flai Funk fued. Terry Funk would memorably Piledrive Flair through a table which Flair says fucked up his neck legit for weeks. Bubba-Ray Dudley says this spot is the inception of him being obsessed with table spots.
Steamboat says he wasn't told about the post-match angle or the Funk/ Flair fued and was clearly upset by this. He said he didn't think he would win the title back but was hoping for a couple high profile rematches.
Funnily enough, Flair says the show went off the air with him laying in the table wreckage. But they weren't the main event that night, they were 3rd to last on the card. The main event was the NWA United States Tag Team Championship match. It wasnt uncommon for the world title to be in the middle of the show back then, it's just funny how Flair remembers it.
In late 1989, Flair convinced Jim Herd to hire back Arn and Tully for $250,000 a year each! Unfortunately, while finishing up in the WWF, Tully tested positive for cocaine and so WCW didn't want him and didn't see value in Arn so offered him $100,000 less per year. Flair says he had to break that news to Arn. Arn and Tully already gave their notice to WWF and were stuck.
Flair obviously has nothing nice to say about Jim Herd and says that because of Herd's background managing a pizza hut, the boys backstage mockingly called him "Pizza King."
Jim Cornette says Ric Flair got him a spot on the booking committee for an extra $300 a week, and Cornette says he hated working with Jim Herd, calling him unsuited, unprepared and uneducated to the wrestling buisness.
Jim Ross says he despised Herd's management style and his lack of wrestling knowledge. Ross says Herd would change his mind based off the last person he spoke to so the long term plans were always in Flux. Ross says Herd would even listen to people who aren't in WCW like Sam Muchnick or Lou Thesz. Ross jokingly says "Lou would have us go back to wool tights."
Herd believed the Nature Boy gimmick was outdated, and wanted to change Flair into a Roman Gladiator named Sparticas. He wanted to put him in a silly getup and have him pierce his ears, but Ric refused. He regrets letting Herd cut his hair though, calling it a "humiliation."
Flair stresses in this book that while he was on the booking committee, he didn't have the sway he was accused of. Flair specifically calls out Mick Foley for what Foley said in his own book about Flair being a terrible booker.
Flair says Foley took a shot at him in Foley's book, so Flair spends several pages here giving him his "receipt." Flair calls Foley a glorified stuntman and compares him to Brutus Beefcake or Ultimate Warrior, as guys who only got somewhere because they worked for Vince. Flair says there would have never been a demand for Foley without Vince and says Foley would spend all day at the tv tapings sucking up to writers or bookers for a better spot.
Sting was being built up as the future of WCW since mid-1988 and Flair promised to drop the title to him. On Feb 6th 1990, Sting blew out his knee and needed time off. Jim Herd was furious and wanted Flair to drop the title to Luger instead. Flair refused and was kicked off the booking committee. But Flair kept his promise to Sting and in June of that year, Flair dropped the belt to Sting at the Great American Bash ppv.
Flair says Herd "knew what he was doing" when it came to booking the Black Scorpion angle for Sting's title reign. He says that they never really had a plan as to who it was and that Herd did it to humiliate Flair. He says Sting hated it for ruining his first title reign, and it really did. In January 1991, the title was put back on Flair.
The title change didn't help WCW and the rematch drew less than 2000 fans. The blame for the current state of the company was quickly switched from Sting to Ric Flair with TBS officials talking about how Ric at 42 was too old to carry the company.
This was when Ric noticed the company calling the NWA title the WCW Championship.
Ric noticed a lot of guys taking advantage of WCW's disorganization. One night in Greensboro, 16 of the 24 scheduled wrestlers didn't even show up because they knew they would still be paid and there would be no consequences. Ric calls this Jim Herds doing as a poor manger.
When it came time to renegotiate Flair's contract, he was significantly low balled from $750,000 a year down to $350,000 and he knew Sid Vicious was making over a million per year.
Flair had never dealt with not being wanted by a wrestling company and started suffering terrible anxiety and eventually went to see a shrink. Though he prefaced it by saying "I know it's not very manly to see a shrink."
Ric was NWA Champion and wrestling without a contract. Eventually he recieved his termination notice via fax machine. Then Herd called him up and said "Fuck it, your fired! You want your release, well your fired!" Herd then tried arranging a pickup of the NWA title but Flair demanded his $25,000 deposit back. In those days the NWA Champion had to put a $25,000 deposit to hold the title and they would get it back when they dropped it. Flair refused to give back the title with out getting paid first. Flair says he literally mailed the title to WWF.
"We Want Flair" chants rang out at the next WCW ppv where Luger defended Barry Windham for the vacant WCW Championship. The public outcry and calls to boycott in certain regions made the NWA release a statement saying that Ric Flair is still their recognized Champion.
Flair took his lawyers advice and laid low for a month and ignored all calls from Herd and Jimmy Crockett before making a handshake deal with Vince McMahon. Vince even told Flair that if Flair wasn't being used as a main eventer in WWF, he was free to leave and go anywhere he wants, including WCW. I think this is what Flair cared most about, being valued in a wrestling company again after spending a decade as the top guy down south.
Flair turned down $800,000 a year offer from WCW and a contract claus that would protect him as the "Babe Ruth of WCW" for Vince's handshake deal. He says Jim Herd was fired shortly after he jumped ship to the WWF.
I'm out of room to post more. His stories from WWF and WCW through the 90s are a good read, I'll post those tomorrow.
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After the Olympics, Verne Gagne was looking to train up a group of pro wrestlers and wanted Ken Patera in that group. Verne had to be talked into taking Ric into the group as well. Verne even tried talking Ric out of the wrestling business altogether.
The group consisted of Verne's son Greg, Ric Flair, Ken Patera, Jim Bunzell (who would later team with Ken in AWA and be one half of the Killer Bee's in the WWE), Bob Bruggers (a former Miami Dophins linebacker), and Hossien Khosrow Vaziri (the future Iron Shiek). They were primarily trained by Billy Robinson, whom I've yet to hear a positive story about in literally any wrestling book.
Two days into training, and Ric tried to quit. Ken Patera says that the training was basically abuse, where they took more bumps and falls in a few days than they would in 25 years of genuinely wrestling. Ric says Verne refused to let him quit and screamed at him for hours until Ric reluctantly agreed to come back. A few days later, Ric was present when Billy Robinson fucked up Iron Shiek's leg during an amature sparing bout, and Ric quit again. He was terrified that he would be assaulted next by Billy and told Greg that he wasn't coming back. Ric said he got a call later that day from Verne, who simply asked Ric if they needed to speak face to face again. This was all Ric needed to hear, he was back at training the next day.
Ric acted as a drive gofer for the AWA while training under Verne, getting to drive around or run errands for guys like Billy Graham and Dusty Rhodes.
Prior to his first ever match, Ric asked Verne if he could be "Ramblin' Ricky Rhodes" and be billed as Dusty Rhodes brother. A disgusted Verne said "No! Your name is Rick Flierhr. Change a few letters and it's Ric Flair. It's a good name!" Flair often wonders "what if Verne had said yes here?"
Back in the day, they didn't smarten you up to the buisness until they were sure you could be trusted and so Ric wasn't explained anything until minutes before his first ever match.
On December 10th, 1972, Ric Flair made his debut, against George "Scrap Iron" Gadaski. Right before he stepped through the curtain, Flair was grabbed by Verne and told "just do whatever George says. You guys are going to go through" Ric was confused and asked "What does go through mean?" So Verne explained that means nobody wins, they wrestle to a draw. Ric and George said nothing before the bell, so Ric did every move and bump George called on the fly until the bell ran after 10 minutes, announcing it was over. Wild debut imo but that wasn't uncommon back then
Someone backed out of a Japan tour in mid-1973, so Verne asked Ric if he wanted to go with Dusty Rhodes and Dick Murdoch. Ric immediately said yes and found out he was essentially their bell hop. He would carry their bags and get them whatever they needed. Ric explains the ribs they Rhodes and Murdoch pulled on him that trip, including spraying his hotel room with a fire extinguisher and tossing all his clothes out the 10 story window, and abandoning him at shows with no ride or idea where to go in Japan.
On June 26th, 1973, Ric was booked in his first ever cage match, against Rusher Kimura. Murdoch and Rhodes gave the ref a razor blade and told him to give Ric some color during the match, and so that was the first cage match and first time Ric bled. After the match he foolishly asked Rhodes and Murdoch to take a picture of his bloody face. They just laughed at him, for thinking he was a big shot.
Flair talks about a plane ride he took with Wahoo McDaniel, Red Bastion and Lars Anderson. Lars could fly but didn't have a liscence, and he foolishly smoked a joint before taking off. Flair also suggests Lars may have been drinking along with the rest of them as well, but never says it outright. A blizzard would force them to land in a high school football field instead of the airport. Close call for Flair, who says he was happy to be on the ground. Scary real life foreshadowing here.
Flair became close to Wahoo McDaniel and said he would have done anything Wahoo asked. It was Wahoo who would get Flair his first booking in Charlotte, North Carolina, under George Scott. Flair left for Charlotte in 1974, and he has been there ever since.
Verne Gagne asked Flair to sign a contract on his way out of the AWA that would give Verne 10% of all Ric's future earnings, saying its only fair since he trained Ric. Jim Crockett had advised Flair to rip up the contract and told Flair to "send him (Verne) a check for what ever you think he deserves." Flair sent him $2,500 and says he and Verne always remained on friendly terms. Flair thinks that Shiek tore up a similar deal, but heard that Ken Patera must have signed it since he was sending 10% of his earnings back to Verne.
Flair says he had to leave his wife and daughter behind as he went to Charlotte, only leaving them with $200. He remembers how disappointed his parents were in his decision to leave his family behind, but he knew he was making the right call.
Flair didn't have a car in Charlotte, so the office asked 20 year vet Johnny Valentine if Ric could ride shotgun to shows. Johnny never picked Flair up, instead meeting him at some spot Flair would have to hitchhike to, and after the shows Johnny wouldn't drive Flair home, only taking him as far as his own route convienenced him. Flair also says Johnny would blast loud orchestral opera music the whole ride and never say a word.
Flair picked up his patented "Flair Flop" from watching how Johnny Valentine would sell in the ring, trying to make it look real with a quick fall after a few hits. Flair added the couple of steps before the flop though.
Flair's first big check in Charlotte came out to $1000, and when he told Jim Crocket Jr how he needed more money to get his family out here with him, Jimmy gave him a 3 grand advance to help him.
George Scott paired Ric up with Rip Hawk, a well dressed older wrestler who was a good talker. Ric and Hawk would win the Mid Atlantic Tag Team Championships on July 4th, 1974, and it was Ric's first taste of gold. Rip Hawk was a good painting for Flair, since Hawk was getting older, the painting helped him stay contemporary, and Hawk was able to help mold Flair into a better wrestler.
Flair heard Jerry Lee Lewis on the radio singing "Great Balls of Fire" and liked how Jerry would scream "WOOOOO!" Ric liked it and started doing it in the ring and during interviews.
Flair was actually booked and promoted in Charlotte as a cousin to Ole and Gene Anderson early on in his career.
Flair said he started blading in Charlotte. In the back when you saw the rundown sheet with the list of matches, if your name had a little check mark next to it, it meant you had to get juice. Compared to his contemporaries like Dusty Rhodes or Carlos Colon, Ric barely has any scars from years of blading and he attributes that to his use of Neosporin and luck.
George Scott was the one who decided to rename Ric Flair with the "Nature Boy" moniker. George was a friend and admirer of Buddy Rogers and thought Ric could pull off the same demeanor. Ric said he adapted his own "Ric Flair strut" from the way Buddy Rogers would strut to the ring and when he heard that Rogers would smoke cigars, Ric started to smoke them too. He even started doing the figure four leg lock just like Buddy Rogers used to.
On Feb 8th, 1975, he won his first singles title, the Mid-Atlantic TV Championship off Paul Jones. Around this time is when Flair would start cutting boisterous promos about how he was put on this earth for one purpose, to be a World Champion one day.
David Crockett remembers how Ric would sometimes come out of his dressing room completely naked, walk up to a woman who was sitting down talking to someone, and he would tap her on the shoulder to say hello. "But he wouldn't tap her with his finger..." Jesus Ric
Flair would be the one to meet Mark Farkas, the pilot who would later crash the plane which ended the career of Johnny Valentine and severly injuring others. Flair said he introduced himself as a Vietnam vet who was a pilot in the war, though Flair notes how no one bothered to check his credentials. Flair said it was his idea to fly 5 or 6 guys in a small plane together as a way to save costs, and how Johnny Valentine loved it.
Flair didn't have much positive to say on the pilot, Mark Farkas. Mark did not survive and I've heard others tell the story of how Mark was preassured by the wrestlers to take more people than the plane's weight limit could handle. Flair says Mark didn't disclose this information to any of the guys that night though, and offloaded fuel behind their backs. Flair and David Crockett maintain that the pilot kept them all in the dark, with David saying he even jokingly told him before take off to make sure they had enough fuel.
On October 4th, 1975, Ric Flair, David Crockett, Johnny Valentine, Tim Woods and Bob Bruggers and the pilot Mark Farkas all loaded into a small plane that was 1400 pounds over weight. Wahoo McDaniel was originally going with them, but opted to drive at the last minute and gave his seat to Bruggers. Valentine would laugh to Mark, pointing at the empty fuel gage, telling him they're out of gas. Flair said he expected the reserve fuel to kick in but it never did, and eventually Mark was freaking out screaming something into his headset that Flair couldn't make out. After some time, Valentine attempted to calm Mark down by repeatedly smacking him but that only made things more chaotic.
The plane was close to the runway, but unfortunately skidded across several trees and a power pole of some kind before nosediving hard into a railway encampment. All the seats came loose, with David Crockett's head crashing through the seat in front of him and into Tim Woods. David would have a concussion and Tim would have bruised ribs. Tim was the only one who didn't lose consciousness. When Ric woke up he heard EMT's panicking over Bob Brugges who was going into shock, and the next thing Ric remembers is waking up in the hospital to Wahoo McDaniel looking after him. Wahoo was a heel who had just lost a title to Flair, so when he barged into the hospital a bunch of folks actually thought the was there to finish Flair off and had to fight through several orderleys to get to his friend.
Flair is very greatful that Wahoo wasn't on the plane, not just because they were friends, but because they were fueding in the ring and if both men had been injured in the same plane crash, it could have killed the territory. The only babyface on the plane was Tim Woods, who actually used a fake name at the hospital to keep kayfabe alive and checked out quickly the next day before any reporters showed up. Woods had to literally be propt up by 2 other men in order to walk out of the hospital. When the venue that night announced Flair and Valentine were hurt in a plane crash, they also casually said Tim. Woods was "lost and couldn't make the show."
When I read Billy Graham's book, he detailed the fallout a bit, because he was actually brought into Charlotte to wrestle Tim Woods 2 weeks after the crash. Fans had started to suspect that Woods was on the plane too, so despite his injured state, Woods wrestled a quick match with Billy Graham so no one would take the rumor seriously. Billy was as gentle as can be with the very hurt Woods. But it worked, the rumor if Woods being on the plane disappeared when he wrestled 2 weeks later.
Bob Bruggers and Johnny Valentine both broke their backs. Brugges could still walk and possibly wrestle, but he took a $70,000 insurance payout and happily retired. Valentine was never able to walk again though, and his career was over while he was still selling out arenas. Flair notes how many boys in the back didn't feel too sorry for him due to all the mean spirited jokes Valentine was known for. One time, Valentine fell out of his wheelchair in front of his wife, and instead of helping him up, Red Bastien actually started urinating on him! He taunted the poor cripple on the ground saying "this is for all the years you pissed on me!" Valentine just sat there and chuckled as he was pissed on and his wife stood by watching.
Ric Flair also broke his back, though not as severe as Valentine or Brugges. His dad and other doctors told him he would never wrestle again, but Flair was 24 years old and insisted on it. The first time he wore a back brace to the office, George Scott yelled at him to take it off because it "would slow down your recovery!" Flair stupidly believed him.
The pilot, Mark Farkas lingered in a coma for nearly a year after the crash before ultimately dying of his injuries. Though Flair says he felt bad for him and that he visited him once or twice, he still called Mark "beyond negligent and incompetent."
Flair was able to make an official comeback just a few months later on Jan 31st, 1976, where he resumed his rivalry with Wahoo McDaniel. Flair assaulted him with a table leg one night but didn't notice the nail sticking out of it. Wahoo would need over 40 stitches to cover up Flair's attack.
Flair started picking up some of his patented moves, like the corner spot where he would flip over or the top ropenspot where someone would grab him and toss him to the mat. Flair says he picked up his knife edge chops from Wahoo McDaniel and Terry Funk.
Greg Valentine was brought in to replace his father, and did a good job doing so, Ric felt. Ric and Greg would reign as NWA Tag Team champions twice over the next several years.
Flair takes up several pages in his book to complain about how bad a worker Bruno Sammartino was and how he didn't understand why magazines would rank him number 1 in America over a guy like Harley Race. He called Sammartino a "bitter old man who spends his retirement complaining about the buisness that made him all his money." Flair said he wouldn't even call him "great" and went on to name a couple dozen guys, past and present, who he felt were much better. When he mentions Shawn Michaels, Flair takes a moment to say Shawn was much better than Bret Hart. Flair goes onto say that if Angle can stay healthy, he will be the best of all time. This book was written in 2002.
Flair would routinely do 500 free squats every single day from 1974 to 1986 when he finally bought a stairmaster to use instead. He had some wild cardio that Bret Hart even put over in his own book.
Ricky Steamboat was also trained by Verne Gagne, starting off Flair and Steamboat's relationship with a strong common ground. On June 15th, 1977, Ricky Steamboat made his NWA debut upsetting Ric Flair clean for his Mid-Atlantic title!
Flair would win the NWA United States Heavyweight title from Bobo Brazil on July 29th, 1977.
Flair and Steamboat would trade the US title over the next several months, with one notable night on April 8th, 1978, when Flair assaulted Steamboat and even gave him a swollen eye using actual sandpaper on his face. Flair wanted to add color but ended up just bruising the shit out of Steamboats orbital bone.
Their rivalry really helped put over Steamboat and even Flair. Steamboat remembers David Crockett asking them to go 30 or 40 minutes, but they would always go 60 and only go into the finish when the ring announcer made the 1 minute left call to the crowd.
In 1978, Flair did his 2nd tour of Japan, where he actually got a rare pin on Giant Baba in a tag match. While this "made Flair in Japan" Flair would return home after a few weeks vowing to never go back. He just hated how much traveling it required to go to Japan.
When Flair's son David was born in 1979, Ric asked George Scott for a night off to be at the hospital, George Saud "sure if that's what you wanna do." But George made it clear that if Ric took that night off he would have to find a new territory to work in. Guys didn't get a night off back then just because their kid was born. Wild.
To Ric's credit, he didn't fight his first wife Leslie at all on any divorce request. He gave her the house and $3000 a month in alimony. That was a lot of money in 1979, but Ric knows he failed as a husband and father and doesn't shy away from it. He says he was wrong to put the character Ric Flair ahead of his family. He was heartbroken when Leslie sold the house and told Flair she was taking the kids to Minneapolis. Flair wishes he could get those years back and be a real father to David. Say what you will about Ric Flair, but he doesn't hide from the truth here and paints himself in a terrible light as a husband and father.
Jimmy Crockett was the one who suggested Flair's memorable entrance music to him, the music he still uses to this day. He started using it in 1979.
Buddy Rogers came out of retirement to feud with Ric Flair over the Nature Boy gimmick. Many old timers warned Ric to not take a loss because Rogers was known to double cross people and refuse to give their wins back. Regardless though, on July 21st, 1979, Ric Flair not only submitted Buddy Rogers clean in the ring, Rogers even bladed for him to put him over more.
Roddy Piper came down from Oregon and started feuding with Flair, and while Flair says he loved wrestling Piper, he enjoyed their back and forth promo work even more, with David Crockett in the middle and often times cracking up over how off the cuff funny they both were. At the time most promos or interviews went about 40 seconds long, but Crockett would let Piper and Flair go back and forth ad libbing for several minutes. Unheard of and wild promo work for the early 1980's.
In early 1980's, Flair and Blackjack Mulligan got together and purchased a territory in Knoxville, Tennessee for $150k from Ron Fuller. Jim Barnette, who ran a territory in Georgia, and was the NWA treasurer, said he used to run Knoxville I'm the past and that the local TV stations made it very difficult for them. Flair and Blackjack had no idea what they were getting into and mostly lost money on it.
Flair says that the decision to put the NWA World title on him was a political nightmare, because several on the board didn't think Flair looked the part and the current champ Dusty Rhodes was under the impression that he would be champion for life. That's what Flair says, Dusty thought he would be champion for the rest of his life. They convinced Dusty by doing it in a town where he wasn't popular and with the promise that he would win it back soon after. Spoiler, he didn't win it back soon after.
On September 17th, 1981, Ric Flair beat Dusty Rhodes to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship in Kansas City, where neither man was well known to the casual fan. Lou Thesz was the guest referee and the finish happened when Dusty slipped off the ropes and Ric quickly covered him. Flair calls the match "terrible" and says Dusty was very unhappy losing the title. Flair felt awful because he was a big Dusty fan and while they would repair their relationship, it really made it hard for Flair to celebrate this big moment.
New NWA Champion Ric Flair was scheduled to do a tour down in Florida for Eddie Graham, but Eddie stopped coming into work. Florida was Dusty Rhodes territory, so according to Flair, he and Graham fucked off with hopes to tank the territory so Flair's first tour as champion would go badly. JJ Dillon filled in as booker but couldn't come up with any opponents for Flair, so they stuck him with perennial mid-carder Charlie Cook. Flair called it "a horror to watch."
With Flair as NWA Champion, he was only able to wrestle in his Knoxville territory a couple times a year, which left Blackjack Mulligan as the only draw. This strained their relationship as they would have to shut down the whole promotion. Mulligan believed that Ron Fuller had set them up to fail and wanted Flair to join him in animosity. But Fuller was on the NWA board so Flair couldn't, and Flair says he regrets how he and Mulligan never fixed their relationship.
Flair made just over $200,000 his first year as NWA Champion, though he told the fans it was much more than that. He was also spending more than he could make, always staying at the best hotels and spending more on room service than he could ever make in a week.
Flair defended the NWA World title in Puerto Rico against local hero Jack Veneno in a match that ended in a time limit draw as Veneno had Flair in a sleeper hold. The local fans stormed the ring thinking they saw a title change. Flair was so scared for his life he not only left the NWA title in the ring, he flew back home without it.
Hugo Savinovich was working in that promotion and remembers how someone broke the real ringside time clock with a hammer so no one local would know it was a work. He described it as hiding the evidence. Promoter Carlos Colon was so thrilled he invited Flair back, and Flair brought Piper with him. In Piper's book he spoke about Flair taking them to Puerto Rico and causing more riots. When Flair returned for the rematch with Piper, Veneno entered the ring wearing the title and they did a finish that was designed to let Flair safely take it back home, but the fans still reacted poorly and Flair screamed at Veneno to "put the fucking belt on!" There were legit military soldiers with guns ringside in anticipation of something going wrong and Flair wanted to avoid a riot.
Flair's second wife thought he was a pimp when she first met him at a club, with 6 or 7 women on his arms and dressed to the nines. They married in 1983 after a long courtship. The way Flair talks about her ex boyfriends makes him sound very jealous. He sarcastically asks "how many DVD's have they sold?"
Jimmy Crocket was Flair's best man at his wedding. Flair makes a point to say not Wahoo, or Piper or anyone else. He says Jimmy took care of him since he came to Charlotte and Flair believed he and Jimmy would he close forever. Spoiler, they aren't friends forever.
In 1983 Flair lost his drivers liscence after he and Piper drunkenly raced down the street. He says Piper was let go but he was arrested and had ti call his wife from jail. She thought he was making up excuses as to why he wasn't home and didn't believe he was arrested.
Ric was served a $130,000 tax bill on his way to Japan as NWA Champion and he sorta snapped. He got super drunk on the plane and when he landed in Tokyo he immediately hopped on another flight back to the States. When he got home Jimmy Crocket was there to take him right back to Japan, and Jimmy would help him out with his tax problems.
When Flair defended the NWA World title against Jumbo Tsurta in Japan, in 1983, Harley Race was sent over with him as his manager to ensure no double cross could happen.
Flair literally sold a percentage of himself and assets to Jimmy Crocket, David Crockett and George Scott as a way out of him tax problems. Flair would pay back everything plus 10% interest.
When George Scott left Crockett Promotions to go work for the WWF, Flair convinced Jimmy Crocket to hire Dusty Rhodes as the booker to replace Scott.
In June 1983, the decision was made to put the NWA title back on Harley Race because Vince and the WWF had started expanding into other territories. Harley Race says the NWA board wanted their best guy to face off with WWF. Flair dropped the title to him on June 10th, 1983.
Flair would win the title back later that year at the first ever Starcade event. He remembers how Harley Race didn't want to lose but Harley Race himself says he knew it was time and he wanted off the road.
Ric Flair would insist on 60 minute draws when he was wrestling a territories top star who couldn't lose, like Dusty in Florida or one of Fritz Von Erichs kids in Dallas. If the wrestler couldn't go 60 minutes, Flair insisted on winning. Flair remembers how NWA President Bob Geigel never had his back in confrontations with local promoters, so it fell on Flair to keep to NWA policies.
When Flair was touring out of country in New Zealand, Harley Race pushed Flair to drop the title to Race so Race could drop it back a few days later in Singapore. They didn't tell anyone on the NWA board, so it's not an officially recognized one. Flair says he felt uncomfortable doing this.
Flair has nothing positive to say on Kerry Von Erich, the man whom he'd drop the title to officially. Flair says Kerry was drugged out all the time, wether it was 8am or 8pm and suggests that Fritz Von Erich used David Von Erich's death in early 1984 as a way to get the title on Kerry.
Kerry Von Erich won the NWA World title off Ric Flair on May 6th, 1984, at the David Von Erich Memorial Show in Texas. Flair didn't trust him to remember a complicated finish so Kerry won with a backslide. Flair remembers how sad Kerry was to be a transitional champion when Flair won it back a few weeks later.
Ric says the worst match of his career was against Kerry Von Erich in Texas in 1985 when they went for an hour. He says Kerry was messed up and asking the ref about some girl, then spent a third of the match wandering around ringside looking for her. After the match, Flair marched backstage and threw the NWA title at World Class booker Ken Mantell. Fritz Von Erich had a local newspapers do up a story the following day saying Kerry was wrestling with a 100 degree fever.
Flair says he wasn't threatened by Wrestlemania or the WWF marketing strategies. He viewed it pretty plainly, in WWF, one guy picked you to be champion, whereas in the NWA, you needed 9 different men from different territories to agree with one another on their champion and if you didn't pull your weight, they would get rid of you. He saw more value in being NWA World Champion than anywhere else and saw NWA as the leader of pro wrestling for that reason.
Flair, Tully Blanchard along with Ole and Arn Anderson started ganging up on people in 1985, with one notable night in Atlanta where they locked Dusty Rhodes in a cage for a beat down. When the babyfaces poured out of the locker room to help, the fans did as well so the heels had to legitimately fight civilians off the side of the cage as they tried to climb over. Flair remembers Ole legitimately beating the shit out of one fan who made it over, with Ole explaining that he wanted to send a message to anyone else thinking of coming over.
Arn Anderson came up with the Four Horseman name, when he randomly blurted it out in an interview, referring to his group as something on par with the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse. He said he didn't think of it beforehand but the second he said it, everyone knew it was the perfect name.
Flair tells a horror story I'm hoping isn't true. They worked some poor limo driver named Dave so hard that after 3 days of driving and picking up and dropping off, that Dave had a heart attack in his sleep and died. Flair says they didn't "literally kill him" but says that the hours didn't help.
Flair said he paid for all those limo's and estimates that he spent $60,000 annually on just limo's.
Flair tells a story of one time when he invited girls "ages 18 - 28" to party at his hotel but said "No boyfriends or husbands" and had a door man to let the ladies in and keep the dates out. He laughs about how there was a dozen guys angrily waiting in the lobby all night.
It wasn't uncommon for the girls to try and steal from them on those night too. Arn Anderson once caught a girl leaving the hotel room with Flair's robe on and when he got it back he found she also had Tully's wallet! Flair says in his career he only lost 3 rolexes, 2 diamond rings and some kid of gold jewelry thing. He openly suspects the ladies as making off with the goods.
One time while driving with Arn, they spotted a club that was advertising "Ladies Night Tonight with Ric Flair and Arn Anderson" on the marquee. Arn was pissed and told Flair to keep his name out of shit like that and that the only marquee he wants to see his name on is at an arena. Both Flair and Arn were married at the time.
Again, to Flair's immense credit, he isn't proud of any of these stories. He acknowledges that he failed as a father and dad. He knows his kids will read this book and wants them to know taht family should always come first. It's refreshing to read one of these wrestler autobiographies and see someone hold themselves accountable.
Just like Gorgeous Gorge, Billy Graham, Andre the Giant and Roddy Piper before him, Flair did a tour in Hawaii working for the Mavia clan. He was in Hawaii when his wife Beth went into labor with their daughter Ashley (Charlotte Flair) and Beth had already suffered several miscarriages so they didn't think this would happen. Flair notes how the promoter he worked for next Bob Geigel, couldn't care less about Flair's wife or his daughter being born. Flair laughs at the idea of anyone in wrestling having any sort or genuine integrity.
Flair says that Ricky Morton of the Rock n Roll Express could have been as big or successful as Shawn Michaels if he ever tried being a singles star full time.
Flair doesn't outright say it, but the way he talks about it, I get the feeling that his favorite version of the Horsemen was himself, Tully, Arn and Barry Windham. This book was written in 2002 and he says if all 4 men were in their primes now, they would be running the WWE and selling out everywhere they go.
By early 1988 Dusty Rhodes was booking quite poorly in Crockett Promotions and getting closer and closer to Jimmy Crocket. David Crockett says that Dusty based all his idea's on the movie True Grit and he lacked originality. Flair says this is when his relationship with Jimmy started to fall apart. Flair was hurt that this man who was once the best man at his wedding, was now giving him the cold shoulder. Flair says "I couldn't understanding how Dusty could step in and con Jimmy out of that friendship."
Flair said the fans got tired of the same "Dusty Finish" every single night, with even Jim Cornette chiming in to say that the Dusty Finish used back to back didn't work on tv and the comparison of NWA World Champion Ric Flair getting his ass kicked every night to WWF Champion Hulk Hogan pinning monsters every night wasn't good. Jim says Ric should have stood up to Dusty.
Ric notes that although he wasn't offended when Dusty gave the "Nature Boy" moniker to Buddy Landel as a way to kick-start Landel/ Flair fued, he says that Dusty would never give someone else "The American Dream" title.
In 1987 Arn and Tully started getting tiny paychecks. It took Ric literally walking out to get them a little more money, but even then it was still less than someone like Paul Ellering, who was just a manager. Dusty and Jimmy Crocket didn't see value in Arn and Tully and were fine without them on their roster.
In 1988 Vince McMahon called Ric Flair to pitch him coming to WWF where Arn and Tully were heading in the fall. Vince wanted Ric to main event the inaugural Summer Slam ppv challenging Randy Savage for the WWF Championship. When Ric told Dusty of the offer, instead if countering it, Dusty just told Ric that maybe he should drop the title to Lex Luger that night. Flair would turn down the WWF offer out of loyalty to NWA and Crocket Promotions.
Ric says he was suprised when Turner bought Crocket Promotions just a few months later. He says his new contract was for $730,000 per year. According to Flair, he later found out that Turner only agreed to buy the company if Ric Flair was there and that his contract should have been in the millions. But neither Dusty nor Jimmy let Ric in on how vital he was to the deal. He let (newly renamed) WCW officials know that he would be a team player, but he absolutely would not work for Dusty Rhodes.
Flair convinced WCW to hire Ricky Steamboat in early 1989, and on February 20th that year, Steamboat beat Flair for the NWA title. Steamboat remembers how booker George Scott didn't decide who was winning until an hour before the match.
Ricky Steamboat's wife Bonnie would accompany him to the ring and most agreed that she was hurting Ricky's image and making him look too soft. Because Flair brought him in, George Scott told Flair he had to get rid of Bonnie. Flair remembers telling Ricky but seeing him not listen, saying that Bonnie had a gold on him. Flair says the fallout from this conversation turned he and Bonnie into "mortal enemies."
George Scott was relieved of his booking duties in April 1989, when he refused to advertise an NWA World title match between Flair and champion Steamboat. George Scott thought that fans wouldn't buy house show tickets if they knew a world title match was coming up on TV. George Scott was replaced by a booking committee consisting of Flair, Kevin Sullivan, Jim Barnett, Jim Herd and Eddie Gilbert.
Flair says originally he and Steamboat were supposed to draw for a finish. Flair said with his new booking position he insisted on Steamboat winning clean to help keep him over. Flair says that he refused to be like Dusty as a booker and said "What's best for buisness is best for Ric Flair."
Flair says TV and PPV restraints made it difficult to have a great match because it was unlikely to get more than 10 or 15 minutes and Flair says he needed at least 30 for a great match.
When Flair won his 6th NWA World title on May 7th, 1989, off Steamboat, Flair turned face for the first time since becoming a main eventer. Terry Funk was a guest judge for the match and actually turned heel in a post-match angle to set up a Flai Funk fued. Terry Funk would memorably Piledrive Flair through a table which Flair says fucked up his neck legit for weeks. Bubba-Ray Dudley says this spot is the inception of him being obsessed with table spots.
Steamboat says he wasn't told about the post-match angle or the Funk/ Flair fued and was clearly upset by this. He said he didn't think he would win the title back but was hoping for a couple high profile rematches.
Funnily enough, Flair says the show went off the air with him laying in the table wreckage. But they weren't the main event that night, they were 3rd to last on the card. The main event was the NWA United States Tag Team Championship match. It wasnt uncommon for the world title to be in the middle of the show back then, it's just funny how Flair remembers it.
In late 1989, Flair convinced Jim Herd to hire back Arn and Tully for $250,000 a year each! Unfortunately, while finishing up in the WWF, Tully tested positive for cocaine and so WCW didn't want him and didn't see value in Arn so offered him $100,000 less per year. Flair says he had to break that news to Arn. Arn and Tully already gave their notice to WWF and were stuck.
Flair obviously has nothing nice to say about Jim Herd and says that because of Herd's background managing a pizza hut, the boys backstage mockingly called him "Pizza King."
Jim Cornette says Ric Flair got him a spot on the booking committee for an extra $300 a week, and Cornette says he hated working with Jim Herd, calling him unsuited, unprepared and uneducated to the wrestling buisness.
Jim Ross says he despised Herd's management style and his lack of wrestling knowledge. Ross says Herd would change his mind based off the last person he spoke to so the long term plans were always in Flux. Ross says Herd would even listen to people who aren't in WCW like Sam Muchnick or Lou Thesz. Ross jokingly says "Lou would have us go back to wool tights."
Herd believed the Nature Boy gimmick was outdated, and wanted to change Flair into a Roman Gladiator named Sparticas. He wanted to put him in a silly getup and have him pierce his ears, but Ric refused. He regrets letting Herd cut his hair though, calling it a "humiliation."
Flair stresses in this book that while he was on the booking committee, he didn't have the sway he was accused of. Flair specifically calls out Mick Foley for what Foley said in his own book about Flair being a terrible booker.
Flair says Foley took a shot at him in Foley's book, so Flair spends several pages here giving him his "receipt." Flair calls Foley a glorified stuntman and compares him to Brutus Beefcake or Ultimate Warrior, as guys who only got somewhere because they worked for Vince. Flair says there would have never been a demand for Foley without Vince and says Foley would spend all day at the tv tapings sucking up to writers or bookers for a better spot.
Sting was being built up as the future of WCW since mid-1988 and Flair promised to drop the title to him. On Feb 6th 1990, Sting blew out his knee and needed time off. Jim Herd was furious and wanted Flair to drop the title to Luger instead. Flair refused and was kicked off the booking committee. But Flair kept his promise to Sting and in June of that year, Flair dropped the belt to Sting at the Great American Bash ppv.
Flair says Herd "knew what he was doing" when it came to booking the Black Scorpion angle for Sting's title reign. He says that they never really had a plan as to who it was and that Herd did it to humiliate Flair. He says Sting hated it for ruining his first title reign, and it really did. In January 1991, the title was put back on Flair.
The title change didn't help WCW and the rematch drew less than 2000 fans. The blame for the current state of the company was quickly switched from Sting to Ric Flair with TBS officials talking about how Ric at 42 was too old to carry the company.
This was when Ric noticed the company calling the NWA title the WCW Championship.
Ric noticed a lot of guys taking advantage of WCW's disorganization. One night in Greensboro, 16 of the 24 scheduled wrestlers didn't even show up because they knew they would still be paid and there would be no consequences. Ric calls this Jim Herds doing as a poor manger.
When it came time to renegotiate Flair's contract, he was significantly low balled from $750,000 a year down to $350,000 and he knew Sid Vicious was making over a million per year.
Flair had never dealt with not being wanted by a wrestling company and started suffering terrible anxiety and eventually went to see a shrink. Though he prefaced it by saying "I know it's not very manly to see a shrink."
Ric was NWA Champion and wrestling without a contract. Eventually he recieved his termination notice via fax machine. Then Herd called him up and said "Fuck it, your fired! You want your release, well your fired!" Herd then tried arranging a pickup of the NWA title but Flair demanded his $25,000 deposit back. In those days the NWA Champion had to put a $25,000 deposit to hold the title and they would get it back when they dropped it. Flair refused to give back the title with out getting paid first. Flair says he literally mailed the title to WWF.
"We Want Flair" chants rang out at the next WCW ppv where Luger defended Barry Windham for the vacant WCW Championship. The public outcry and calls to boycott in certain regions made the NWA release a statement saying that Ric Flair is still their recognized Champion.
Flair took his lawyers advice and laid low for a month and ignored all calls from Herd and Jimmy Crockett before making a handshake deal with Vince McMahon. Vince even told Flair that if Flair wasn't being used as a main eventer in WWF, he was free to leave and go anywhere he wants, including WCW. I think this is what Flair cared most about, being valued in a wrestling company again after spending a decade as the top guy down south.
Flair turned down $800,000 a year offer from WCW and a contract claus that would protect him as the "Babe Ruth of WCW" for Vince's handshake deal. He says Jim Herd was fired shortly after he jumped ship to the WWF.
I'm out of room to post more. His stories from WWF and WCW through the 90s are a good read, I'll post those tomorrow.
2024.03.23 04:27 a-username-for-me 2023 Fantasy Bingo Write-Up Oops, All Sequels!
SEQUELS BINGO
Coming back in with my second bingo of the 2023 Book Bingo! My first card is here. This is my third year participating in bingo and my fourth completed card!
Last bingo, I desperately wanted a “sequels” square, but even though I got my wish this year, I decided that would not be enough. I finish a good many series, but there are also so many that have gone unfinished. Bingo was also encouraging me to seek out new books, sub-genres and authors which was keeping me from finishing previous series... and makes me start new series that then go unfinished.
As for my reviews, I find most books, in general, a 3/5 (I enjoyed it, it was fine), a 2/5 (I wasn't a huge fan, but it didn't actively appall me) and a 4/5 (I really really enjoyed it). I rarely award 5/5 (these are change-my-life level books) and 1/5 (I hated it and regret reading it).
THE BINGO
Title With a Title - Witness for the Dead by Katherine Addison (Hard Mode)
Summary: Murder mystery is solved by a Sad BoyTM in the complex, hierarchical society you know from The Goblin Emperor.
Summary: Remember how you learned in The Extraordinaries that Nicky didn’t have powers and it was ok and he was still special and valid? Yeah, maybe rethink that.
Summary: Tenar is a farm widow who adopts a burned girl and Ged is sad about losing his magic.
Summary: A seat in a cafe will magically transport you into the past or future.... though the seat has incredibly strict rules and should only be used to have overwrought emotional revelations of little actual consequence.
Summary: In a fantasy Wild West Manifest Destiny-style colonialist universe, Eff learns more about the communities across the magical Great Barrier and has a new magical beast to contend with.
Mundane Jobs – Children of God by Maria Doria Russell
Summary: A new mission to Rakhat is being organized and Emilio Sandoz is forced to deal with what happened to him there..
Summary: Tally is now a Pretty, but rebels against her society.
Summary: Alex has to figure out to how to get Darlington back from Hell while also dealing with all sorts of nonsense being a student at Yale.
Summary: A few charming and impish fairy stories.
Summary: On a rescue mission to the wilds of Canada, Will Henry has to contend with whether wendigos are real or just an excuse for human depravity.
Self Published or Indie Publisher – Sweet Berries by C.M. Nacosta / also counts for: mythical beasts
Summary: In the multi-species community of Cambric Creek, Grace, sad and divorced, has an voyeuristic experience and falls in love and lust with a mothman.
Summary: Lady Trent is engaged to go the desert country of Akhia to create a dragon breeding program.
Summary: Magical documents are messing up Susan's life again and it's up to the booksellers and her to solve a series of murders with help from mythical creatures of England.
Summary: Rory Thorne finds an abandoned ship that has a WMD on it and her crew all whine about it.
Summary: The Kauls and their clan No Peak battle the Mountain clan for supremacy in magical-jade-possessing Kekon.
Book Club or Readalong Book – Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett
Summary: Terry Pratchett's Macbeth in Discworld.
Summary: Learn how Jack and Jill from Every Heart A Doorway get so twisted and disturbed.
Summary: Lawrence, disgraced and a traitor, is begrudingly allowed to ride Temeraire to combat an invasion of Britain by Napoleon while Temeraire incites dragons to fight for their rights.
Summary: The GAANG searches for Zuko's mom, Ursa.
Summary: Hades and Persephone porn, but what if they spent a lot of time angry and not fucking.
Queernorm – A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers – audiobook / Also counts for: robots
Summary: Jane, a worker clone child goes feral and Lovey/Sidra, a former ship AI, tries to get used to the intricacies of having a body.
Summary: Joron will do anything to get Meas back and the series wraps up beautifully.
Summary: Jack gets blamed when a water fae both steals his sister and all the water in a town and has to journey into Fairy with friends new and old to get both back.
Summary: Murderbot tries to learn how that time he went rogue and murdered a whole bunch of people.
Summary: Ender has to solve how not to get exterminated by either the descolada virus or by the Fleet that was sent to kill them or a genetically obsessed genius girl bent on destroying him.
Other sequels read:
General thoughts on the Bingo:
I was usually pretty shocked by my recall of most of the series. I didn't reread almost any of the preceding books and I usually either remembered what had happened or could use some judiciously placed summaries and context clues to get up to speed on where the series was. It also sometimes didn't really matter what had happened in more episodic series like Lady Trent.
I did read some books to series I was happy leaving unfinished at book 1, but I was so happy to have the impetus to finish some books that elevated their whole series to some of my top all-time (Bone Ship's Wake and Children of God, for example).
While it was fun to do two bingos and I'm very proud of finishing so many series, I think I might have overdone it on SFF this year and I think I will just do one bingo next year... but who knows? :)
Thanks for reading!
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Coming back in with my second bingo of the 2023 Book Bingo! My first card is here. This is my third year participating in bingo and my fourth completed card!
Last bingo, I desperately wanted a “sequels” square, but even though I got my wish this year, I decided that would not be enough. I finish a good many series, but there are also so many that have gone unfinished. Bingo was also encouraging me to seek out new books, sub-genres and authors which was keeping me from finishing previous series... and makes me start new series that then go unfinished.
As for my reviews, I find most books, in general, a 3/5 (I enjoyed it, it was fine), a 2/5 (I wasn't a huge fan, but it didn't actively appall me) and a 4/5 (I really really enjoyed it). I rarely award 5/5 (these are change-my-life level books) and 1/5 (I hated it and regret reading it).
THE BINGO
Title With a Title - Witness for the Dead by Katherine Addison (Hard Mode)
Summary: Murder mystery is solved by a Sad BoyTM in the complex, hierarchical society you know from The Goblin Emperor.
- Very fun little murder mystery. I liked the little side quests Thara had to go on to put down the dead. The new characters introduced where all fun and the setting of the opera made everything very grand and theatrical. 4/5
Summary: Remember how you learned in The Extraordinaries that Nicky didn’t have powers and it was ok and he was still special and valid? Yeah, maybe rethink that.
- This was the only square that I had to read a new book 1 to then be able to read the sequel. The audiobook version realy helped highlight; what a fun, youthful and smarmy voice Klune is able to capture. Nicky is a joy and the other side characters are also nicely fleshed out. However, I think this sequel severly undercuts the premise of book 1. I was also not expecting a somewhat fluffy gay romance to delve into the ethics of police brutality? 3/5
Summary: Tenar is a farm widow who adopts a burned girl and Ged is sad about losing his magic.
- I love the first three Earthsea books (literally to the point of tears), but this feel incredibly flat for me. Nothing happened? Perhaps it succeeds as a meditation on having a quiet life and not defining yourself through more masculine flashy styles of success, but I found it boring. Tenar's viewpoint on life was interesting, but I wish it had been paired with actual events of consequence. 2/5
Summary: A seat in a cafe will magically transport you into the past or future.... though the seat has incredibly strict rules and should only be used to have overwrought emotional revelations of little actual consequence.
- I didn't like the first one and I didn't like this one. I didn't feel like the stories made you actually invest in the characters or feel the deep pathos and melodrama the book thought it was evoking. My main complaint, as with the first book, is repetition. You don't need to repeat every single rule about going back to the past FOUR TIMES. Sometimes the rules were repeated multiple times in the same story! . 2/5
Summary: In a fantasy Wild West Manifest Destiny-style colonialist universe, Eff learns more about the communities across the magical Great Barrier and has a new magical beast to contend with.
- This book is essentially a rehash of book 1. Eff, with slightly more self confidence, assists with magical naturalism near the Great Barrier, there is another magical creature threat, and she saves the day. It also really foregrounded the problematic issues in the series for me, namely the utter absence of any Native Americans in a book about settler culture in the West. 2/5
Summary: A new mission to Rakhat is being organized and Emilio Sandoz is forced to deal with what happened to him there..
- I find the Rakhat books some of the most compelling discussions of faith, aging, and the meaning of life. This book really explored what it means to live life in the face of tragedy and understand that we are not masters of the universe and cannot understand things as they occur and sometimes not even with hindsight. It was beautiful and made you re-examine old characters and fall in love with new ones. 4/5
Summary: Tally is now a Pretty, but rebels against her society.
- I only read this for bingo and am thankful that it wasn't worse. It was simply very dated and mentioned what feel to me like hot-button issues of the 2000s like cutting, anorexia and self-image issues. For a dystopia, it simply didn't feel as tense or as morally and ethically horrifying. It introduced some interesting elements like the woods civilization and her friend Shay becoming a Special, but little resolved in this installment beyond removing Tally from the city (again) and her getting captured (again). 2/5
Summary: Alex has to figure out to how to get Darlington back from Hell while also dealing with all sorts of nonsense being a student at Yale.
- The quest adventure of this book was really fun and extends Alex's trauma backstory. It had some fun twists that caught me by surprise. The writing was really engaging and I just liked hanging out in the story. 3/5
Summary: A few charming and impish fairy stories.
- It doesn’t add much lore-wise, but vibes-wise, it is exactly on point. These stories feel like playful little games and are just fun nuggets. I think my favorite story was Mrs Mabb. It almost had the feel of fan fiction, a fun stylistic experiment in a world already created and with no pretensions to needing to invent a new narrative of signifcance. 3/5
Summary: On a rescue mission to the wilds of Canada, Will Henry has to contend with whether wendigos are real or just an excuse for human depravity.
- Though this book is still targeted towards middle grade/YA, I was shocked at how viscerally violent it was with graphic dismemberments and a lot of shit smeared on walls and such. There was also a pretty affecting and realistic sequence of slow starvation and getting lost in a snowstorm. It was the point of the point, but I didn't like the tension between imagined monsters and real ones. Book 1 made such a point that monsters can and are real, despite how improbable it seems. I did like the juxtaposition of the desolation of the Canadian prairie to the madhouse of New York City. 3/5
Summary: In the multi-species community of Cambric Creek, Grace, sad and divorced, has an voyeuristic experience and falls in love and lust with a mothman.
- Since smut is so subjective, I just happened to like this one more than the first book. I appreciate the “same universe, completely different characters and story” approach. The sex was well-described and fun and lots of descriptions of the mothman's soft furry body. 3/5
Summary: Lady Trent is engaged to go the desert country of Akhia to create a dragon breeding program.
- This book is a variation on a formula I find to be very successful and thus I enjoyed it. Brennan takes different global climate condition, different cultural group and invents a style of dragon to go with and writes a fantasy travelogue. The allusions to real life are so close as to be obvious, but the stories she tells have a very swashbuckling old-school feel that I find so captivating. I am also happy Lady Trent has some good things happen to her in this book as well as many bad obviously. 3/5
Summary: Magical documents are messing up Susan's life again and it's up to the booksellers and her to solve a series of murders with help from mythical creatures of England.
- I'm a Nix girlie and this was a disappointment. As always, there is incredible ideas that are very visual and evocative (a garden of moving stone statues that you access via a map, an ancient deity in the Roman baths of Bath, swoon). However, the plot around that revolved around it just felt tiresome. I wasn't happy to be back with the characters from book 1. It also didn't have as much of the deepcut UK mythological figures which was what I liked about book 1. 2/5
Summary: Rory Thorne finds an abandoned ship that has a WMD on it and her crew all whine about it.
- The first book was already pretty bad, but this one was worse. So little of consequence happened and the author spent so long belaboring the little that did. The pseudo-historical tone of the narrator’s voice was grating. Everyone’s choices were so predictable, except when the plot just had to invent tension for no reason. The only interesting thing is that in this book, the concept of a multiverse, rather than being “wide” (parallel universes, etc), is instead “deep” (like D&D planes, deeper levels of the same reality). I also liked the concept of magic as algorithms and math, but it’s never explained well enough . 1/5
Summary: The Kauls and their clan No Peak battle the Mountain clan for supremacy in magical-jade-possessing Kekon.
- I read this and immediately followed it with Jade Legacy, so it is hard for me to distinguish my feelings about this one in particular. The writing is beautiful, transporative and lush with a real cinematic feeling. I liked getting to spend a lot of time in Espenia with Anden and getting to explore how diasporas interact with their home culture. I also liked other broadening of the world map. The ending to this book had me absolutely floored and was perfect and painful. 4/5
Summary: Terry Pratchett's Macbeth in Discworld.
- Pratchett is like a easy, delicious snack. The writing in this struck me as especially funny and I highlighted several instances of wordplay that struck me as particularly clever. The character portraits were so deftly drawn and precise in their nature. I liked all of the scenes the witches found themselves thrust into and I liked the inventive magics they had to concoct. There is plenty that Pratchett bring to the story that makes it more than a variant Macbeth. 3/5
Summary: Learn how Jack and Jill from Every Heart A Doorway get so twisted and disturbed.
- It was a little odd to read multiple years after the first book, but I think this would be a great Every Heart A Doorway chaser. I really liked this as a prequel and I liked getting to spend time in one of the fantasy worlds. It also made me think a lot about what it is to be a parent and how a person becomes who they are. I also just like Jack and Jill as characters.3/5
Summary: Lawrence, disgraced and a traitor, is begrudingly allowed to ride Temeraire to combat an invasion of Britain by Napoleon while Temeraire incites dragons to fight for their rights.
- This book is mostly functional as the middle book in a nine book series. After the character turn of the betrayal of the previous book, it lets Lawrence really revel in his feelings, but he doesn't wallow enough to be a SadBoiTM which was sad for me. It is also small book in scope and doesn't have any of the fun journeying and exotica of the previous books. The best part was Temeraire and his interactions with non-battle dragons. 3/5
Summary: The GAANG searches for Zuko's mom, Ursa.
- I had high hopes for this, but the story felt very slight and yet simulatenously too long. I couldn't help feeling that this simply might just have worked better as an episode of TV. There is also a point of tension that I think is not effectively deployed and ultimately turns out not to be true, which feels like a real let down. The new charactes introduced feel incidental and even a character who is called back to doesn't make as much of an impression. 2/5
Summary: Hades and Persephone porn, but what if they spent a lot of time angry and not fucking.
- I was already pretty peeved at the first book with the outlandish “New Athens” plot framework and having Persephone as a journalist and all of the silly modernization of the Greek gods into celebrities. However, at least in that book, there was getting to know you tension, will-they-won’t-they and lots of hot sex. In this book, Persephone gets into a bad situation at work which she lets herself remained trapped in for the entire book (despite literally being a goddess) and then gets mad at a woman Hades used to fuck. She also does a really reckless thing with life and death. I was mad at her almost the whole book and there wasn’t enough creative boning to make me forget that. 1/5
Summary: Jane, a worker clone child goes feral and Lovey/Sidra, a former ship AI, tries to get used to the intricacies of having a body.
- I didn't like the first Wayfarers book and I didn't like this one. It also felt like a real departure for book 1 which was all about a very diverse found family and each going on their own individual hijinks and learning to love each other. I guess you get some of that with Lovey's friends. I also found the narrative structure INCREDIBLY confusing. Maybe Chambers is just not for me. 2/5
Summary: Joron will do anything to get Meas back and the series wraps up beautifully.
- This book effectively clinches the whole series as one of my all-time new favorites. In this book specifically, Joron serves as an interesting examination of whether the ends justify the means and who gets to decide what matters, especially for whole groups of people. This book also hits you with some new information that makes you drastically reconsider certain characters and basic pieces of worldbuilding like place names. The ship crew grow and evolve and reach a logical end for their roles, sadly some by dying. 4/5
Summary: Jack gets blamed when a water fae both steals his sister and all the water in a town and has to journey into Fairy with friends new and old to get both back.
- I was simultaneously impressed by how much I remembered of the general arc of the story while also having forgotten almost all of the details. Pegga is an exceptional new character and the book does a great job of keeping characters you know and forcing them to grow in new circumstances and adding new characters to broaden the world and the mythology. Great escalation and no second book slump. 3/5
Summary: Murderbot tries to learn how that time he went rogue and murdered a whole bunch of people.
- Not as memorable for a distinct plot, but Murderbot is ALWAYS memorable for his phenomenal voice and characterization. I really liked his interactions with the ship bot. It was also interesting to see Murderbot in the aftermath of getting so close to humans in book 1 and needing to figure out what that means for them and their future and their dark past. 3/5
Summary: Ender has to solve how not to get exterminated by either the descolada virus or by the Fleet that was sent to kill them or a genetically obsessed genius girl bent on destroying him.
- Strong beginning and middle that felt to me like it went completely off the rails at the end. The ending just felt a little too fantastical for what has been established as a relatively scientific series. I really liked the descriptions of the obessesive planet of Path and found myself growing increasingly uncomfortable as I was put into their point of view. I also liked the arguments for trying to be radically empathetic and understand the descolada virus and a form of life. 3/5
Other sequels read:
- The Fork, The Witch and the Worm by Christopher Paolini
- Avatar: The Rift by Gene Luen Yang
- The Grief of Stones by Katherine Addision (finished all published)
- Redemptor by Jordan Ifueko (finished series)
- Heat Wave by TJ Klune (finished series)
- The Far West by Patricia Wrede (finished series)
- Jade Legacy by Fonda Lee (finished series)
- Exit Strategy by Martha Wells
- Network Effect by Martha Wells
- Bookshops and Bonedust by Travis Baldree (finished all published)
- He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-Chan (finished series)
- Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros (finished all published)
- The Hidden Palace by Helen Wecker (finished all published) – in my women/NB bingo card
- When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain by Nghi Vo – in my women/NB bingo card
- Deathless Divide by Justina Ireland (finished series) – in my women/NB bingo card
General thoughts on the Bingo:
I was usually pretty shocked by my recall of most of the series. I didn't reread almost any of the preceding books and I usually either remembered what had happened or could use some judiciously placed summaries and context clues to get up to speed on where the series was. It also sometimes didn't really matter what had happened in more episodic series like Lady Trent.
I did read some books to series I was happy leaving unfinished at book 1, but I was so happy to have the impetus to finish some books that elevated their whole series to some of my top all-time (Bone Ship's Wake and Children of God, for example).
While it was fun to do two bingos and I'm very proud of finishing so many series, I think I might have overdone it on SFF this year and I think I will just do one bingo next year... but who knows? :)
Thanks for reading!