Episode #32 – WWF Prime Time Wrestling Christmas 1986
We dig up an obscure episode of Prime Time Wrestling for a holiday treat as we discuss such WWF legends as SD Jones, Iron Mike Sharpe, and Jimmy Jack Funk. Black Cat also goes crazy with his special holiday montage at the end. This podcast is totally unsanctioned and I have never seen anything like it before.
Iron Mike Sharpe! I loved that guy! Me, my brother and a couple of friends of mine went to the Palace of Auburn Hills to see a house show and while the Ultimate Warrior vs. Rick Rude was the main event, the opened was Dino Bravo vs. Iron Mike Sharpe. My little group cheered on Iron Mike and I managed to fool a few people around us because I cheered for ‘Uncle’ Mike! People believed when I said he was my uncle!
I can see how the hairless chest came to popularity, with the bodybuilding craze taking hold at this time. Guys like Luger and the Warrior made it tough for guys who just let themselves be hair, wild men that they were, gave way to a bit of metro-sexuality before the term even was known. I’m glad most of that has lessened, somewhat. I did kinda grump slightly at CM Punk’s recent chest shaving, but he’s also covered himself in more tattoos, which i think is another overdone trope in current wrestling.
I was also heartbroken by the hair-less chest of Punk. Greasy chest hair reeks of heelness.
I agree with Dean about tattoos in wrestling. These days, you’re more unique if you don’t have any.
Besides Gordon Solie, who was cutting that promo in the beginning of the show?
Prime Time Wrestling was on Monday nights where I grew up. We had one TV and Mom usually didn’t want to spend her Monday nights with Prime Time on.
Black Cat’s home is NOT the Chicagoland area. How dare you, sir!
My favorite venue name is the KFC YUM! Arena. I believe it’s in Louisville, KY.
Gorilla-isms – Miscarriage of Justice, Exterior Occipital Protuberance.
Jook, you should know something about losing to a backslide 🙂
I love Princess Bride, I love Fesik, I love Andre the Giant, and now I love Dre’s Andre impression.
I loved how Harley Race would bump. After being knocked down, he’d always quickly sit straight up, wince in pain, and outstretch his arms.
I agree that the U.S. Express of Spivey and Rotunda were the worst “Express Team”. However, the Barry Windham and Rotunda U.S. Express was better than the Orient Express. I love Barry Windham.
I used to have the S.D. Jones big rubber action figure. My uncle got me that and King Kong Bundy the same Christmas so their Wrestlemania match was reinacted several times over.
When you guys said Johnny Valentine did you mean Johnny Valiant? I can’t imagine a tough guy like Greg The Hammer’s dad wearing “Apple Pie” tights. Lucious Johnny V., however, would certainly have worn those tights.
While John Cena’s latest T-shirts are pretty ugly, that 8-bit Nintendo shirt he had a couple years ago was pretty cool.
If there had to be a reason for me not to receive my Nacho Barrera hug, I’m glad it’s because I’m considered to be employed by you guys.
What promotion was that Rocky Johnson & Family Christmas promo? I heard them say it was in Memphis.
I don’t know who that was with Gordon. I’ll post the video.
And I felt uncomfortable when he described me as a Chicagolander. I am certainly not, as we don’t have a Portillos.
I was referring to my backslide loss!
Orient Express is now #1 worst express. Any other contenders, people?
As a fan of the 2nd incarnation of the Orient Express I’m glad to nominate “The New Midnight Express” with Bob Holly (Bombastic Bob) and Bart Gunn (Bodacious Bart). A big insult to the Midnight Express legacy of course, but at least it takes Orient Express out the “Worst Express Team” race in a hurry.
I thought of a few more Express teams, but unfortunately they are too good to get the Orient Express out of the danger zone – The Viet Cong Express (I’ve never seen them but since Hiroshi Hase was in it I assume they were very good) and the Can-Am Express (Dan Kroffat and the best “world’s strongest man” I’ve seen, Doug Furnas). Damn, surely there must be an express team that was distinctly worse than the Orient Express but I’m drawing a blank. They need someone like Hardcore Badass to save them now.
Thanks for casting the spotlight on the golden age of Gorilla Monsoon and The Brain, guys. It’s so nice to think about the endless supply of entertainment that they’ve provided together during the hundreds of hours of Prime Time and Challenge. There will never be duo like them again.
I love when you throw out observations like the line in the sand for hairy chests in WWF, and speculate on how it came about 🙂 And yes, not only did the Hulkster sport a hairy chest in his early days. He even shaved it in the shape of a mushroom cloud. I wonder how many fans wondered what was up with that, because it must have been pretty hard to see what it was supposed to be.
The Andre The Giant impression might be the funniest impersonation so far. You’ve had so many already, but I’m laughing as I’m writing this. My wife’s asking what I’m laughing about, and I can’t really explain it to her.
I posted a review on iTunes some time ago, and was wondering why Nacho Barrera didn’t show up. I figured maybe you were just kidding, or maybe he couldn’t find the time in his busy schedule to go to Europe. Well, today I received a package in the mail and he sent an autographed action figure, a picture of his car, and a DYI instruction for growing awesome sideburns. He also hinted that some exciting things were coming up for him, but it was apparently too early to go into details. Still very nice of him, and another great reason for all Flairchop fans to write something nice on iTunes.
Cheers, and if this was the last podcast before christmas – Merry Christmas to both of you, and thanks for all the entertainment this year. I hope Santa finds all the action figures you can think of.
I never thought of Hogan’s chest hair as the shape of a mushroom. Very interesting.
And if you’re wife doesn’t understand how funny Dre’s Andre impression is, it sounds like she needs to be subjected to a few dozen hours of Andre matches so she understands.
So you’re iTunes comment…were you “Kevin Nash”? If so, I’ll see if we can waive the “No International Hugs” Nacho Barrera rule.
No, I was plain old Uncle Soda. But it looks like the reviews are exclusive for each country, so my review looks very lonely in the Danish iTunes. You should mention this to your Board of Directors. Maybe they will send you on a tour to gain more fans here.
Jim Herd has discussed doing live podcast recordings, so you may see us in Denmark sooner than later.
Can I hug Uncle Soda through the computer?
I think there’s a Facebook app for computer hugs. You should look into that.
I’m still trying to find an AWA tag team with the “Express” name.
Black Cat, the Rock N’ Roll Express had a stint in the AWA
in the late 80s I believe it was. As far as having any other
Express teams that got their start there, I am not sure there is
one. Also guys, love the show, just discovered it the other night,
and have listened to many episodes already. Prime Time Wrestling
was one of my favorite shows as a kid. And as far as your comment
about the grown men applauding Hogan, and suspension of disbelief,
it was just the times. Im in the my late 30s, and I remember as a
kid and teenager attending matches, grown men DID believe it was
real. In 1997 or 98 perhaps, one of my friends had his GRANDFATHER
over to watch NWO Souled Out. We were sitting there talking about
how the NWO is making WCW so much monney. Herb, the grandfather,
shot off at the mouth, “NWO ain’t makin’ WCW shit… they the bad
guys.. they trying to run WCW off”. We all looked at eachother. My
friend told his grandfather then that wrestling was scripted, and
asked him did he get the memo. Herb looked at him, and said, “you
stupid son of a bitch… don’t bring that shit in my house… you
just ignorant”.
RBBF –
Somehow with two days left in the year you’ve managed to sweep in and get the post of the year. Herb sounds awesome and I want him on the show.
I suspected there wasn’t another Express in AWA, but hoped maybe something flew under the radar that I didn’t see.
Also curious how you found the show?
Black Cat, thank you for your kind words. Unofortunately,
Herb is no longer with us. We lost him to a stroke about 2 years
ago. Herb was as kind a man as you would ever want to know. He
would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it. But make no
mistake.. Herb loved his wrasslin’, and you best recognize the shit
is real. How did I find your podcast. Well, I wanted to find a
podcast about old school wrestling, so I typed into Google, “old
school wrestling podcast”, and the rest is history.
Black cat, you can thank me later for insisting we use a
simple title for our podcast. #letgoogleworkforyou
Pure speculation. You have no idea how popular we’d be if we went with my idea – “Forward Rolling Leg Scissor Podcast.”
Sorry to hear that. We’ll consider Grandpa Herb an honorary member of the OSWP Hall of Fame.
Thanks for your condolences. Herb was very sick the last few years of his life, and didn’t watch much wrestling in his final days. It’s just as well.. I doubt Herb would appreciate Miz, Cena, or Orton. Actually, I *know* Herb wouldn’t have appreciated them. Herb wouldn’t have stood for the PG Era.