"James-What does the phrase "Wrestlers Are Like Seagulls" mean? It's the title of JJ Dillon's book. Have you read it?" According to the late Vince McMahon Senior, it's because, "All they do is squawk and eat shit."
I own the book. It's excellent.
"So which one of the internet guys pissed you off? Meltzer or Keller?" I'm assuming you are referring to my blog from a few months ago. The answer is neither one of them or any other professional journalist. That blog was directed at some stupid kids on message boards and chat rooms who were hoping I would call them out by name so they could get a rub from me. They would write to me, using fictitious names, and "alert" me of some bullshit that they themselves had written. That's why I didn't mention anyone by name or address their specific insults or false rumors.
When they didn't get the name validation they were looking for, my mailbox ceased to be bombarded by their shit-disturbing.
"Where's your son Judas Messias and when are you coming back to TNA?" Judas Mesias is handling obligations in Mexico at the moment. If I revealed when I was coming back it wouldn't be a surprise, would it?
"Father James,What do you think about the civil suit that the family of Nancy Benoit is bringing against WWE? What are the odds of them winning? Thank you." I'm not that familiar with it. I believe they are claiming that Chris Benoit's employment by WWE was somehow responsible for his actions. With all due respect to both families, nobody held a gun to Chris Benoit's head and made him wrestle. He received concussions on a regular basis for years before he was employed by WWE. Wrestlers work with concussions all the time and don't alert management for fear of being taken off the road and losing their spot.
Can they win? Who knows. Stranger things have happened.
"Fuck YOU dickwad ASSHOLE!" Well, Mr. Potty Mouth, I guess you showed me who's boss.
"I bet people give you funny looks all the time! Do you have any good stories to share?" They all tend to be variations of the same theme. Usually somebody wearing a cross pendant or a Jesus t-shirt will walk up and ask, "Excuse me. What do those stars on your rings mean?"
"It means you couldn't ask for a more loyal and trustworthy friend."
"No it doesn't."
"Then why did you ask, since you obviously already know?"
"It means you're into paganism or wicca. It's a five pointed star!"
"That's not what I asked you, but sorry, you are wrong again. Actually, it means that I have the manners, common courtesy, and certainty of my beliefs to not attack complete strangers over their religion, which is certainly none of my business."
Shuts 'em up every time.
"The old WWWF had the managers known as The Three Wise Men of The East- Fread Blassie, Captain Lou Albano, and The Grand Wizard of Wrestling. Of the three, which did you prefer?" The Grand Wizard, hands down, although all three of them were entertaining, influential, and drew big money. Those were the days.
"1) Do you remember the days with the Undertaker utilizing a "clique", the Ministry of Darkness? My question goes like so: How difficult, in your opinion, does it get on a psychological level to "turn off" a character like Marks, expecially one of that form? I was wondering because I want to be a professional wrestler and was drawing up a character like that with a "sadistic streak" like Judas Mesias named "Genocide".
2) I have always heard that when you create a character that it is easier to spin it off of your actual personality to a degree, did you spin your manager characters, past and present, off your actual personality or childhood intrest?"
1.) Everyone handles things differently. Some people completely believe their own bullshit and are never out of character at work or at home, which is often as amusing as it is disasterous. Others only turn it on when they have to and go back to being normal human beings as soon as they walk behind the curtain, although an argument could be made that wrestlers aren't exactly "normal" to begin with.
The only time I have difficulty shutting it on or off immediately is when I have to spend hours whipping myself up into an emotional frenzy and "becoming" someone else in order to convincingly put across some outlandish scenario that is completely unlike anything I would ever say or do. Even then, it's just a matter of staying away from people beforehand so I don't lose the muse. When it's over, it's over.
In the event that you successfully develop an alter-ego named "Genocide" it would be wise to know how to shut it off on cue.
2.) My childhood inspirations like comic book super-villains, mad scientists, and horror show hosts had more to do with my onscreen character than any particular manager that came before me. Those things are filtered through my real personality.
"You've been quoted alot of times saying that wrestling is like high school. What do you mean? I didnt really like h.s. but I would love to train to be a wrestler."
I think that statement probably applies to many different types of professional entertainers, not just wrestlers. They are paid to be the center of attention and have people pay to fawn over them. If they fail to do either one, they usually aren't going to be successful. If you found high school to be unbearable, you'll hate the wrestling business.
Most wrestlers start in the business shortly after high school and walk into a closed culture that has it's own rules and accepted standards of behavior without having to first do responsible "adult" stuff.
You have a traveling carnival group of aspiring alpha males (and females) with too much free time on their hands who essentially get paid to play Cowboys and Indians like kids while their spouses handle the homemaking and day to day drudgery.
Because success in wrestling is dependent upon the amplification of one's unique personality, it makes the performers self-absorbed. They must keep up with or bypass the competition in their own rosters, on all levels, in order to keep their spots. Wrestlers are generally not allowed to age gracefully which breeds insecurity and causes an obsession with keeping a youthful appearance by any available means. This often results in drama queens, causes a diva mentality, and quite a bit of two-faced bullshit. If you experienced something stupid in high school and moved beyond it, rest assured it probably still goes on in wrestling, only with higher stakes.
From what I've seen, most wrestlers retain the same personality traits and places in the food chain that they did in high school. Because they seldom operate outside of the insular wrestling world, many full-time wrestlers don't get to be around non-carny adults. This causes problems when the business passes them by because they don't know how to function in the real world. Telling a prospective employer outside of wrestling that you used to make six figures and be a world champion is like saying you were the captain of the football team or the head cheerleader. It usually has no bearing whatsoever on the potential job at hand.
The old axiom still applies- Have something to fall back on.
Does all this mean that I am grumbling? Nope. I walked into the business willingly, knew beforehand what I was getting into, and adapted to my environment. I wouldn't trade the experience for anything in the world. However, it's not for everyone. I have young, disillusioned guys come to me for advice on an almost daily basis because they think they aren't being treated fairly. I always tell them- "If you don't want to get bitten by sharks, stay out of the shark tank."
"James- Please list your all time favorite good and bad guy wrestler, maksed wrestler, tag-team, manager, and announcer. Thanks."
These answers are based purely upon sentimental childhood favorites-
1.) "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes 2.) A tie between the original Sheik and Abdullah the Butcher 3.)The Spoiler a.k.a. The Super Destroyer 4.) "The Minnesota Wrecking Crew" Ole and Gene Anderson 5.) The Grand Wizard a.k.a. Abdullah Farouk 6.) Gordon Solie
"Dear Jim, I am a great fan of your character on television, and have been since the days of the Sinister Minister during the final years of ECW. Some of my favorite footage (which I am happy to say I still have) involves your promos and work with Yoshohiro Tajiri and Mikey Whipwreck. I have three questions for you in that regard, and hope that you can answer them for me at your convenience
1) How did the basis of the Sinister Minister character come to be? Was it something Paul Heyman suggested, did you come up with it, or is either guess completely off the mark?
2) Do you keep in touch with either Tajiri or Whipwreck?
3) Do you think either or both of them would translate well into the TNA product?
Finally, I would appreciate it if you accepted my friend request, also at your convenience."
Thanks for the kind words.
1) I had been playing devilish characters from day one and my three year run as James Vandenberg in WCW had ended. Not long after that I did a promo on spec for ECW essentially making fun of my involvement in WCW and was wearing a clerical collar just to be silly. Under Paul Heyman's direction I performed an amalgamation of the Catholic funeral mass in Latin and a Jewish toast to live long and prosper. I did nothing for a couple months following. I had discussed possibly doing a sleazy televangelist gimmick with Paul and he seemed animated by the notion, but nothing came of it.
During my sabbatical I began cultivating the devilish appearance I now have. Desperately needing a gig and giving it one more shot before retiring from wrestling, I flew myself into an ECW show in Minnesota a couple of months later wearing a bright red suit and red clerical collar. Paul popped for it and laughed out loud. He immediately put me in a main event angle that night and followed it with a wrap around segment to close the TV show, ala, the Crypt Keeper or Augustus Hill from "Oz".
The campy, comedy aspect of the Sinister Minister character, as well as the name, came from Paul Heyman. He was very specific in his directions while producing my segments that I used an oily Jack Nicholson type of delivery. He was also responsible for the seemingly never ending manical laughter that ended every segment I did.
That character was the exact opposite of an ECW hardcore gimmick and it somehow got over. I've always been of the opinion that Paul made the Sinister Minister character so over the top and featured it so much as a rib on the impossible to please, smart-ass, Philadelphia crowd. They always thought they dictated the direction of the product. Paul force fed them their least favorite kind of dish and convinced them that it was delicious. Moreover, he's always been an excellent judge of talent.
2) I haven't been in contact with Tajiri since I did the ECW One Night Stand show that WWE presented in Manhattan during 2005. I hear from Mikey a couple of times a year.
3) Mikey has no interest in wrestling full time after a career filled with dozens of concussions and a broken down body, so I couldn't see him there unless it was in a behind the scenes role. I think Tajiri would get over like crazy.
"James, What is your opinion of backyard wrestling and do you ever watch any tapes of it?"
1) As a kid in elementary school I was involved in neighborhood wrestling federations. Looking back, I'm surprised nobody was ever crippled or killed. We obviously didn't know what we were doing and we were getting dropped on our heads on asphalt all the time. I think backyard wrestling is extremely dangerous and a stupid thing to do, but kids are going to do it anyway. Unlike those kids who do various "extreme sports" that are equally if not more dangerous, backyard wrestlers usually have no protective gear.
2) I watched a few of the early backyard wrestling tapes that were floating around about ten years ago. There were insanely dangerous things being done. It's gotten even worse Unlike when I was a kid, backyard wrestlers now use barbed wire, flourescent light tubes, fire, and other stuff that can cause serious injury and have criminal ramifications.
I ignore emails, letters, and videos that come in the mail from backyard wrestlers. Too many kids these days send wrestlers and legitimate promoters backyard tapes and risk killing themselves in an effort to impress their heroes. Professional wrestling is dangerous as hell and everyone involved pays a lifetime price for their involvement, but at least it's a career choice made by adults. Parents who let their children jump off of roofs into burning mattresses covered in barbed wire should be prosecuted for child endangerment.
I giggled tonight when I found this gem from 1993. It's from Smoky Mountain Wrestling where legendary manager and owner Jim Cornette gave me my first big break as "Daryl Van Horn".
Some folks looking for a break into showbiz by do porn. Some do soap operas. Some do infomercials. I made my first notable and feculent stain on the wrestling world by attempting to convince people that I had resurrected the mummy Prince Kharis from a 3,000 year slumber. Somehow I avoided addressing the issue of his 3,000 year old sneakers.
Once a carny, always a carny.
As you can see from this rare clip, I've always been the designated "go to guy" when it comes to managing monsters and freaks.
"James- Over the years you worked with lots of my favorite wrestlers and managers like Ric Flair, Sabu, and Paul Heyman. Why do you think they lost their skillz in WWE? Vince ruined ECW and WCW. "
The short answer is that they had to pay the rent. In other words, they didn't lose their skills. They were doing what they were paid very well to do, even if they didn't agree with it. They are only following orders. I suppose their other option would be to act insubordinate, get fired, and try to make six-figures doing something else. Some guys compromise for the dough, others do it because they are team players. Some, like Heyman and Sabu, walk.
In another time, wrestlers were hired for the unique and often eccentric personalities they brought to the table, allowed to run with them, and react to the situation at hand accordingly. That is no longer the case. There are rare exceptions which are usually reserved for iconic mega-stars. If the promotion needs you more than you need them you can write your own ticket, but those folks are few and far between.
Vince McMahon doesn't care how hot somebody is on the independent scene or in a previous major promotion. He will strip them down and rebuild them in his own image so that he can put his brand on them, insuring that no one else can take credit for their success. That's neither bad or good. It's just the way it is. Nobody is forced into the wrestling business at gunpoint.
Some guys' innate talent and charisma is such that it can transcend bad booking and they will still get over. If you admire Ric Flair, instead of focusing on your negative perceptions, look at it from the perspective of watching him try to make chicken salad out of what you feel to be chicken shit. You'll gain a whole new respect for him on a different level. That's where the true artistry comes in.
"James,Dude, how come you don't answer your messages? I wrote you three times."
I do answer thoughtful messages that are worth my time when I have the opportunity to do so. A stranger's message asking, "Yo, wazzup?", and I get hundreds of those, is pretty damned low on my list of priorities.
"Mr. Mitchell, I heard you were a singer. Who is your favorite vocalist?"
I like several singers. It's all contextual. I guess, if I had to choose only one singer to listen to on a desert island for the rest of my life, I would pick Ray Charles. He can cover all of the bases for me. Nobody emotes as well as he did, in my opinion.
Honorable mention would go to Joe Cocker before he totally blew out his voice. Watching and listening a to him doing "A Little Help From My Friends" on the Woodstock documentary is damned near a religious experience. That's an example of somebody totally possessed by his muse.
I also enjoy "song stylists" like Louis Prima and David Lee Roth where it's not the technique so much as the sense of fun that comes across in their delivery.
I almost fell out of my chair when I found this tonight.
Growing up in New Jersey circa 1970, this guy was my hero.
Dr. Shock's campy shtick was a direct inspiration for the Sinister Minister character I played in ECW. The next time some idiot tells you I stole my act from Kevin Sullivan or Paul Bearer, direct them to this clip.
As Paul Harvey would say, "..And now you know the rest of the story."
"U suk larry sweeney is the future of wrestling mangers what do you think of him aren't u jellus? U r a Paul Bare rip-off! ADD ME 2 ur page!!"
1.)You are entitled to your malformed opinion. I will continue to listen to the opinions of money-drawing legends in the business that have no reason to kiss my ass. Perhaps you can convince them that you are more qualified to assess my skills than they are. If you do, I will reexamine your critique's validity.
2.)I've never heard of Larry Sweeney, but I looked him up on YouTube after you wrote and found that he was not an anthropomorphic trough that holds feed for either livestock or wrestlers as you described him to me. He is actually an upcoming manager for the ROH promotion. He has promise and if he continues to refine his raw talent he could potentially be a player in a national promotion. I've never been jealous of anyone more successful than myself and certainly not of somebody I've never heard of, so to answer your question, I'm not jealous of Mr. Sweeney.
3.)I assume you mean Paul Bearer. If you had done your homework you would know that I have been playing variations of the same character I do now since the then yet to be Paul Bearer was known as Percival Pringle and Undertaker was still known as Mean Mark Callous. Therefore, I disagree.
4.)It is generally considered proper etiquette to not insult someone before asking them to impart their knowledge.
5.)No, I will not add you "2" my page.
"Magister Mitchell- What is your opinion of Konnan? Do you get along with him? What's your take on his issues with TNA?"
I think he is an outstanding talent. Very good on the microphone and one of the few folks in the business that won't say anything behind your back that he wouldn't say to your face. I've always gotten along with him very well. I think he's made one hell of a comeback from what I've seen on AAA. His personal issues with TNA are just that. It's none of my business and I certainly won't comment on them in public.
"Minister- What advice do you have for a 17 y/o who wants to follow in your footsteps and become a wrestling manager?"
First and foremost, hone some skill you enjoy that will enable you to be your own boss outside of wrestling. Wrestling has an ebb and flow. You can make six figures one year and virtually nothing the next. If you get a taste of making money in wrestling and the freedom that comes with it you will find it damned near impossible to go back to punching a clock for someone else.
Find a reputable wrestling school, bust your ass, and then work every show you possibly can. Keep your mouth shut and your eyes and ears open. Also, be prepared for the fact that you may never get a spot. I believe there are maybe five or less people in the U.S. who make a living wage as wrestling managers on TV.
Statistically, the odds are better that you will be bitten by a ratllesnake or struck by lightning than making a living as a wrestling manager. It's what I call "breathing rarefied air".
"What do you think Ring of Honor's chances are of getting on televsion? What do you think the future holds for them?"
I don't know. Right now Gabe and Carey seem to be playing it smart and catering to their niche audience in such a way that they don't lose money and I applaud them for that. They have good talent and Gabe has a bright mind for booking.
If they do get onto the national radar screen in terms of TV I think they will have a problem keeping their talent expenses in line if they plan on keeping their stars. Paul Heyman had to raise his payroll drastically in ECW once the major leagues took notice and started luring talent away with big money offers.
As long as they are more interested in being profitable than being on televsion, I think they will do just fine.
My Thoughts On Self-Appointed Internet Wrestling Critics
I get numerous emails and MySpace messages from both well meaning drama queens and shit-disturbers who want to know how I feel about various negative critiques written on the internet about myself, wrestlers I have worked with, and the wrestling companies I have worked for over the years. Whether their motives are pure or malicious, they are wasting their time if they think I am bothered by it.
Although I will follow them up with some additional thoughts, there are three quotes which sum up my view on critics of all stripes.
Read the following quotes carefully.
Walk away from the keyboard and think about them for a while.
Come back and read them again.
If they make you stop worrying about my feelings being hurt you are one of the well meaning drama queens.
If they make you angry or bother you on some level you are one of the shit-disturbers.
Either way, I'm a big boy. I can handle myself. The same goes for any successful member of my industry.
"Music critics hate Van Halen and love Elvis Costello because they look like Elvis Costello." David Lee Roth
"Everybody wants to get in on da act." Jimmy Durante
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." Theodore Roosevelt
In my view, most critics and pundits are just that because they long to be part of a pursuit they may genuinely enjoy but, for various reasons, can't. It gives them a sense of being connected and playing a role in something greater than themselves, whether they are conscious of it or not. They get a "rub". This includes 95% of all unemployed, disgruntled wrestlers who lash out at former colleagues on the internet.
It strikes me as unrewardingly masochistic for people to spend time obsessing and bitching about something they despise instead of productively pursuing an interest that brings them pleasure. Such behavior is no different than an angry ex-lover who can't get beyond telling everyone that their former mate was an asshole.
I've never met a critic of mine in person who didn't immediately start back-peddling on their negative opinions and I've never brought their opinions up, either. Why would I validate their existence? They just nervously tremble, look mesmerized, and offer to buy me a beer or a meal while I politely smile.
I've never met an internet wrestling critic who possessed my charisma and screen presence or one that would have the balls to go toe to toe with me in an ad-lib, "shoot" promo contest. Perhaps such a person exists, but I believe there is a greater likelihood of discovering Big Foot, The Loch Ness Monster, and a chupacabra all flying in a UFO over the Devil's Triangle on their way to Atlantis with a cure for both cancer and AIDS.
I think it's safe to say that my internet reviews over the years have been 85% positive, anyway. That's because, unlike most internet wrestling critics, I'm damned good at what I do. That's why I get paid. That's why I am constantly cyclically winding up as the only nationally televised wrestling manager when the others fall by the wayside.
Some folks may not like my stylistic approach or be offended by my devilish persona and that's fine with me, but anyone who claims that I am not exceptionally skilled at what I uniquely do is showing how little they know about my job description.
The only negative criticism I seriously consider is that which is made by the person who signs my check or people more successful than myself because I have something to learn from them. Unlike self-appointed internet wrestling experts, I've never stopped learning and I've been in the industry nearly twenty years.
As long as they continue to watch me on television in order to write their rants, critics keep my Neilsen ratings consistent. In their zealous quest to harm me, they wind up helping me.
Ratings affect my career. Message boards don't. That's why I would like to say to the minority that constitutes my personal critics, by all means, continue to watch and bitch about me in your blogs and message boards. Please accept my sincere thanks for your support.
I just finished watching the Freaks and Geeks DVD set. It is amazing.
That's right, I just wrote those words. I was thoroughly enthralled by a TV series concerning two things I strongly dislike- kids and high school.
People had recommended the show to me for years, dating back to it's short lived existence in the 99-00 season during which it ran on NBC. I blew them off, having visions of shit like Saved By The Bell, Facts of Life, and whatever that show was called that featured Howard Hessman as a teacher. I had no interest in watching thirty year-olds playing teenagers, ala Happy Days, or shitty child actors in stupid, contrived, unrealistic, sit-com scenarios.
I now stand corrected.
Freaks and Geeks, set in suburban Detroit circa 1980, is the only show that gets it right. The acting is astounding. The stories are utterly realistic. It captures what it feels like to be an outsider in an environment full of shallow assholes. One reviewer accurately described it as "achingly familiar". This isn't John Hughes territory.
You will see yourself as well as many people you knew along the way. You will also be glad that you were able to put that high school nonsense behind you- unless you fucked up and got into the professional wrestling business because THE PRO WRESTLING BUSINESS IS HIGH SCHOOL ALL OVER AGAIN!
The video promoting the debut of Judas Mesias was well done and Jim Mitchell was tremendous as usual. I have always enjoyed Mitchell's sinister character and thought that he should have been a bigger star. Here's a quick story about Mitchell:
A month after WCW was sold in 2001, I was invited to Chris Kanyon's place in Atlanta along with a bunch of former WCW wrestlers and office employees to watch WWE's Backlash pay-per-view. Mitchell was there, and I took the opportunity to introduce myself and tell him that I enjoyed his work in ECW as The Sinister Minister. My wife, who is not a wrestling fan, accompanied me to the party, and I introduced her to Mitchell. Imagine the look on her face when she met eyes with this guy who had a long goatee, demonic-looking eyebrows, fingernails like a werewolf and a satanic ring. Not exactly your typical office party guest. What made it really creepy – or campy, depending on how you look at it – was that instead of wearing his usual ring garb, Mitchell was wearing a Hawaiian shirt, shorts and sandals.
When I introduced Mitchell to her, I asked him if he went by Jim, James or something else, as those in the wrestling business frequently go by their gimmick names rather than their real names. "Any of those will do. Devil is also fine," he said with a straight face. The only other time my wife has been that creeped out at an office party was the night she witnessed Sun columnist Peter Schmuck performing a karaoke version of "My Way." Must be something about guys in Hawaiian shirts. …
