THE RANT: Politics, TV, Music, & Wrestling... Oh My!

Submitted By James Walsh on 12/06/08

It has been a long time since I've written an article. I wouldn't say it is for lack of things to say so much as it is lack of time to say it in. I've started working full time over the past few months and with the hectic things that come from the Holiday season, I've just not really had time to type out some thoughts and/or concerns on here the way I would have in the past. So, if this seems more jumbled than usual... You now know why! I guess the first thing I have to address, as I've not since the election, is President Elect Obama. I do think it is amazing that the world we live in, especially the country we live in, elected a black man as President. But, I didn't vote for him.Before you ask, I didn't not vote for him because of his skin color but for the same reason that I feel is protected by the immortal words of Dr. King Jr. when he asked that we judge everyone not by the color f their skin but by the content of their character. It might have been alluring for people to vote for the first black nominee but for my family's security, both physical and financial, I don't think he was the best choice. Nevertheless, I will not complain or throw a childish hissy fit for the next 4 to 8 years the way certain people did over President George W. Bush. President Elect Obama will be the president and as a result, I respect and admire him and support him in the uphill battle he faces upon taking office. I wouldn't want that job! I didn't vote for him and won't be in 2012 barring a miracle to change my mind but I will support my president and my country.. To not do so would be unpatriotic. Yes, I said it. If it bothers you, you probably know in your heart of hearts what you were doing was exactly that, unpatriotic. Hulk Hogan's Celebrity Championship Wrestling came and has just about went in the time from my last article to this one. As you know from prior incoherent babbles I've written, I hate reality TV with a purple passion. To me, the purpose of reality TV is entirely to the benefit of the producers and network and not to the viewers. Why? The cast are happy to be on TV and don't get paid what actors do, the production is easier because it just is shot like a documentary, and no writers are required... It just exists. It is because it is and there's no real rhyme or reason to it. I just can't understand why people watch it... That said, I really enjoyed Hulk Hogan's CCW for a few reasons. I think the obvious one is, it is Hulk Hogan! But, with that said, I was not the biggest fan or viewer of Hogan Knows Best. I think as long as it isn't total pop culture BS, I can get enjoyment out of it. CCW was different enough in that they were learning wrestling - the bastard child of all entertainment. There were the celebrities on there who I think would admit were as much there for the publicity as they were for the good of the show and there were also wrestling greats like Brutus Beefcake, Brian Knobbs, Eric Bischoff, Jimmy Hart, and, as if it must be said, Hulk Hogan himself. So, it had its roots in wrestling... And, it delivered. What I found most enjoyable about the show is both how easy and yet how difficult the celebrities made the action look. I think it is telling that Dustin Diamond and Danny Bonaduce were able to have a hardcore match where all they did was hit each other with weapons, throw each other through walls, and brawl all over the arena and make that a believable match yet simple things like learning a body slam seemed to be virtually impossible for the celebrities to get the knack of. I rarely agree with Ric Flair but maybe it is just cheap and easy to do hardcore crap. Mind you, now that I've said that my next move won't be to jump off a ladder on to Edge or to take on Big Show in thumb tacks. Hypocrisy might be dandy but I find conviction to be more suited to my liking. I never really watched Tough Enough. I don't dislike it nor do I have any ill will towards those that did... I just never was captivated towards watching. But, I've always been interested in learning how to do wrestling moves the safe and easy way. Truth be told, I can probably do most of what was learned simply by learning the wrong way... By doing it with friends as I grew up. But, seeing celebrities try and do it and seeing how some are able to grasp it and others really aren't is interesting to me. I mean, I found the most impressive performer in there to be Dustin Diamond... I never would have guessed that going in to the show. Speaking of Tough Enough, I wouldn't compare this show to it. CCW is a reality show which serves the purpose of the usual celebreality show... To get celebrities names out there in some kind of competition different from what they've done before. Normally, I wouldn't watch. But, as it was wrestling, I gave it a shot and I am glad I did. But, Tough Enough was for young aspiring wrestlers to try and impress the WWE for a chance to be a wrestler... Wrestling is, in theory, in their blood. It clearly was not going to be that way for the celebrities. Why would they want to leave doing movies, TV, or radio to go on the road 300 days of the year and get themselves beaten up every night when they can do the forward and make the same amount of money? They're very different in that respect. I've ragged on the celebrities a little so far. I don't think that is fair. The celebrities I've spoken to about the show seem t have walked off the show with more respect for pro wrestling than they had originally. My hope is that the non wrestling fans that are watching at home do as well. Wrestling is, as I said before, the bastard child of entertanment and likely will be. But, it is not now nor was it ever an easy thing to do. Forget the road schedules, just knowing what you're doing is enough to break some people. So, kudos to Bischoff/Hervey Entertainment for maybe giving just a small shot in the arm to wrestling fans by making our chosen business seem a little less ridiculous today than it did yesterday. I've bought a few CD's over the past few months. I am glad to see some real good rock 'n' roll is coming out without an effort to fit in t any trend or an attempt to be contemporary. For a while there, there were only a few styles that people would play and I didn't like any of them. So, I just hated most new music because it was either too rappy, too folky, or just sounded like another bad Nirvana song by a band with a different name. As a rock 'n' roller, I just wanted some good songs that I can relate to that have a certain bite to them. I've gotten that with new albums by Tesla, Alice Cooper, Motley Crue, Whitesnake, Jesse James Dupree, Dokken, Animal, and AC/DC to name but a few. Here's hoping some young musicians take it upon themselves to rock appropriately in the coming years. Going off of the above, there is also something to be said about Tesla. Here is a band that, once upon a time, you couldn't turn the radio or TV on without hearing them. Like all musicians, they've had their peaks and valleys throughout the years. But, after their 2004 record didn't get the exposure they hoped for, they created their own record label so they could do their own promotion and also not be even slightly tweaked. In other words, Tesla decided to stand on their own two feet and do what they love despite the music industry's insisting upon conformation. Their new record, 'Forever More', is one of the best solid rock/metal CD's I've bought in a while. If you haven't, buy it. It has hard rockers, ballads, mid tempo tracks... A truthfully classy collection of rock 'n' roll. Support those who do what I, and I think mor eof you than let on, love. If I don't get the chance before Christmas or the New Year, MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone! Funny how with people having less money to spend, all the stores are now not trying to be pretentious and not say "Happy Holidays" but "Merry Christmas". I guess when the chips are down, you pick your battles. Regardless, it is how it should be. If you're offended by the word Christmas... Lighten up already. Have a great one, folks! :: DISCUSS THIS POST ON THE FORUMS! :: SEE MICKIE JAMES & THE DIVAS NUDE! :: BUY WRESTLING DVD'S THROUGH OUR STORE! :: GO BACK TO THE HOME PAGE WRESTLING EPICENTER STORE IS OPEN! THE HOTTEST WRESTLING DVD'S ARE NOW AVAILABLE! We've got hundreds of pro wrestling DVD's at your fingertips! 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