Truth B Told 4.10.08: Slim to None

Posted by Bayani Domingo on 04.10.2008

Will a Samoa Joe Title win re-shape the way we look at a wrestler’s shape? Fat chance, right? Well hold on to your Krispy Kreme folks, you might be surprised.

I hit a milestone last week, since October of last year I have lost 35 lbs. all I had to do was work out around 3 times more per week than I used to, wake up at 6:30 in the morning, and give up every delicious food that God ever put on this planet for us to deep fry, smother in cheese and bacon, and glaze with frosting. Is it really worth living another 10 or 15 years if those are chili cheese fries-less years? Living in LA finally got to me and I'm now one of the countless number of zombies who eschew carbs in favor of "lettuce wraps" and actually know the exact calorie count of ever item on the Wendy's Value Menu. Pity me. The worst part of all of this is that I'm not obsessed with watching all those reality shows about weight loss. Welcome to the wide (ass) world of "The Biggest Loser", wrestling style.

I usually don't pay too much attention to the comments section because there inevitably is someone who has something moronic to say or completely take one sentence out of my column and decide to focus their whole attention on one little insignificant detail. **coughbelthogcough** However, there was one comment that caught my attention:

As for Samoa Joe, I do think that there's probably some fatty watching a 285-lb man do planchas off the top rope thinking, "If he can do it I can do it."

That's why Samoa Joe winning the title could be the best thing to happen to TNA. Joe portrays an image that you don't have to be chisled with blond hair and can still be a bad ass.

So it got me thinking about the ramifications of Samoa Joe not only winning the TNA title, but a "fat guy" being a role model. Not that Joe isn't in pretty decent shape and has some pretty amazing cardio for a guy his size, but I think we can all agree that Samoa Joe is in fact "fat". The amazing thing is that Joe is both strong and agile, it's clear the man trains and he must work out but for some reason he just isn't in "great shape". I guess he must be mixing his protein shakes with "Wavy Gravy".

I think the comment from last week's column really brought up two different thoughts in my mind about this. The first was that Samoa Joe is a very polarizing figure when it comes to wrestling, some hate him for not looking like he's "in shape" and pretty much representing a total shift from what most people consider a real "athlete" or "wrestler" should look like. On the other hand some people laud him for being a bit "big boned" (or maybe he just has some extra bones) and still being able to perform at such a high level. He could be considered a real testament to "ability over looks". The second thought I had come to mind is that Joe really brings to light the fact that it seems that "fat" is almost it's own "race" now in that people are ostracized or associate themselves now with their girth. If you can be a "racist", then you can definitely be a "fatist".

Society generally tells us that it is not okay to be fat, the media especially let's us know that love handles, cellulite, and a turkey neck are just plain unacceptable. Then again these are the same people that laud Jared from Subway as some kind of a messiah since he decided to stop eating whole live chickens and eat an Italian BMT instead. Being morbidly obese is wrong, but being an androgynous and sexless semi-doughy geek is A-Ok. There are TV shows, info-mercials, and radio contests all aimed at getting Americans to get their fat asses off the couch and into a pair of two sizes too tight biker shorts for their spinning class as soon as humanly possible. It's a mixture of "vanity" and "healthy living" that has pretty much taken over our lives like Mario Kart Wii will surely take over mine in another month or so. "Yoshi…I'm coming for YOU N*gga!!"

Even in the world of wrestling we view fat guys as oddities, comedy acts, or heinous heels. Big Daddy V, Mark Henry, Umaga, and Yokozuna are examples of fat men who were to be both feared and ridiculed by their opponents. Rikishi was known for his ample backside and his pen chance for rubbing it in the faces of his opponents. Even in RoH the resident "Chubby Piggy" Bobby Dempsey is an object of ridicule and scorn from his manager and stable mates and is largely looked on as a comedy act. While he may be "over" with the fans, it is less a product of his ability and charisma as his gimmick and long running abuse he is levied by Hero, Sweeney, and Toland. The controversial angle of him being forced to "molest" Allison Danger underscores the notion that the only way a fat guy could get laid is to find an unconscious chick. Which takes me back to the 411 Homecoming Dance actually…whoops, that's right, whatever happens in Paducah, stays in Paducah.

There really aren't and haven't been any serious "face" fat guys. We've had the lovable lard asses and the goofy gargantuans but never a really popular fat guy who the company really pushed. I think the closest we have had in recent years was Mick Foley who was definitely fatter in the latter part of his career, but then again it never seemed to be a focus of his character. He was never billed as a "fatty", but during his face run he was still a comedy act and then later on a "suicidal maniac" bent on nearly killing himself in order to get the belt. His size was never played to like Umaga, Kamala, or Big Daddy V's. I think this has as much to do with the public perception of "fat people" as the "e's" perception of what a "role model" should be. Even now I find it hard to see people who are massively overweight as a ‘role model' in the same way I would see an alcoholic or a drug addict. Not to say that crack and chicken fried steak are close substitutes for each other, but both can be deadly when over consumed. Then again if crack came with biscuits and country gravy we'd probably have a hell of a lot more crack heads around.

Recently I read that there is a rumor that Big Daddy V was sent home to lose some weight. I don't think this has to do with any proposed gimmick, but rather the "e" doesn't want another wrestler dropping dead while under their employment. Be it suicide or drug overdose the last thing Vince McMahon needs now is "King Mabel" being found by FOX News dead in a hotel room clutching a Baconator while Matt Striker is waiting for him at brunch. I believe that the "e" understands now that there are ramifications on both spectrums for health problems with trying to maintain extreme physiques, whether it be 2% body fat, 275 lbs of pure muscle, or being a 500 lbs side show freak. I'm surprised that when it came to "Wellness" no one ever talked about the dangers of being overweight along side the issues of steroids and HGH.

In my mind the inevitable Samoa Joe title reign is really going to hit home for a lot of people. I know personally I associate myself on many different levels. I associate myself as being Filipino, then Korean, then Asian, then being from Seattle. So if a Filipino wrestler from Seattle every debuted I'd be the first guy in line to pick up his t-shirt and big foam finger. Or probably foam fork and spoon. Or some people I think they associate in a similar manner, only I do know some people who associate themselves with being "fat". I think they will look at a Samoa Joe who has some "extra pounds" on him and see him as a sign of inspiration that not being a super model or body builder doesn't mean you can't achieve success. I think Joe will provide inspiration for those who realize they'll never be gym rats or health nuts and they'll feel a little better about their own body image and more comfortable in their own skin as a result. Joe breaks down a lot of barriers when it comes to representing what a champion should look like.

When parents sits down with their kids to watch wrestling I bet you that a good 80% or so point to John Cena or Undertaker, Batista or even Randy Orton as to who their children should want to grow up to be like. You look at a John Cena and you see the good looking, charismatic, muscular "Superman" that looks like the all-American hero, he LOOKS the part of a role model. I think kids look at Cena and see the muscles, big smile, and all the ladies swooning for him and think that he really is the MAN to be. I read one of the new columns last week about "wacky wrestling theories" and how homophobia might play a part in why the IWC for the most part hates John Cena. Interesting theory...but wrong. If that was true then Randy Orton would get even more hate than Cena because Orton looks like a bigger stereotype of your typical gay man than Cena does. I'm not even going to link those pics that came out with Randy stepping out of the shower in nothing but a towel and a look in his eye that said, "I'm not only the legend killer...I'm a legend thriller...now it's time to SHINE boys". I think the hate for Cena comes more from the unrealistic Hogan-esque push he's been getting and also from the detachment a lot of wrestling fans (especially the IWC) feels towards him.

Look at your typical wrestling fan, they aren't toned, beefy, and movie star looking pretty boys. They are slightly (or more than slightly) overweight or out of shape, average (or below) looking guys, who just love wrestling and don't have a reputation for being such "ladies men". And you wonder why Samoa Joe is so popular? Samoa Joe is more or less a metaphor for what a lot of the IWC sees as the antithesis of John Cena and by proxy the WWE. The man does his job, doesn't try to be a model or actor and he does a damn good job. Samoa Joe is almost the physical manifestation of the IWC. I think the success that Samoa Joe achieves feels like an achievement for a good segment of wrestling fans, wrestling fans who might be a few pounds heavier than they should and don't get the kind of admiration and attention that they'd like. Sometimes a regular or a fat guy, just likes seeing a fat guy do good. Contrary to what the media, television, magazine ads, and movies want you to believe, the average guy is more of a Joe than a Cena any day of the week. Maybe with time the rest of the wrestling industry will come to realize that and start marketing to that....again.

Dusty Rhodes, the "American Dream" was the working class hero. He was Samoa Joe before we even had an Indy circuit. The main difference was that Dusty couldn't pull off half the moves Joe could in the ring. Then again if Joe ends his career with the kind of recognition, fan base, and success that Dusty had it would be quite an accomplishment. As much as we're conditioned to believe that wrestlers are supposed to be brick walls of tan muscles there seems to be an "everyman" that sneaks by and become the champion of the people. Not to be confused with the "People's Champion" who was clearly not your average...Joe. I truly believe that with all of the backlash from the Benoit tragedy and a greater emphasis on "Wellness" there may be a time when more champions look like Joe and less like Cena or Batista. Eventually it'll be up to the wrestling companies whether they are going to value physique over talent and in TNA's case it looks like they are starting to really move that direction. Kudos for them...and for those of you who are paying attention, this is ONE internet columnist who actually foresees a bright future for TNA if they keep making good decisions like this.

While Indy companies like RoH, PWG, and CHIKARA don't have the stigma of valuing a "look" over substance, the WWE has a history of grooming wrestlers with a good "look" into being champions. Sometimes it works out great (Cena, Orton, The Rock, etc) and sometimes it doesn't (Brock, Lashley, Khali, etc.). I think at some point I think the disparity between the "Main Event Physiques" and the "Mid-Card Physiques". You look at "top guys" like Cena, Batista, HHH, Orton, and Undertaker and wonder why they are so continually "jacked" while guys like Kane, Carlito, Kennedy, and MVP aren't quite so cut. Do you think those top guys don't travel as much, have as many appearances to make, or have simply superior genes? At some point someone "big" is going to get caught with their own shoebox in the crawl space and everyone is going to look more "normal". I really have to believe that the first step they can make in that direction depends on when and more importantly WHERE CM Punk cashes in his MitB shot. If they move him to the "B" or dare I say "A" show and let him take one of the big belts then perhaps a new renaissance in wrestling really will take place. The "everyman" will finally be "The Man".

Samoa Joe really does have the hopes and dreams of a lot of wrestling fans wrestling on his pudgy little shoulders. He represents more than just a nation of Indy wrestling fans, more than just a Samoan nation, he represents a nation of chubby kids with a "glandular problem" who one day dreams that they too can step inside a ring without having to be able to bench press it first. The average wrestling fans has so much access to a wrestler's background, history, and personal life that we no longer see them as super humans. We humanize them now and try to find anyway that we might be able to connect with them on that personal level. A guy like Samoa Joe makes it that much easier because we can look at him and see something of ourselves in him. The passion for the business...and chili cheese fries. Yeah, I miss those delicious little SOBs.

The Truth
If Samoa Joe doesn't win the title at Lockdown this weekend then I don't know what to think. It really comes down to him and to a lesser extent CM Punk to really revolutionize the industry when it comes to the "model of a champion". They represent something so much more compelling in my opinion than a Cena, Angle, or Undertaker. While I wish another "fatty" will walk away with the RoH title when Steen faces Nigel, I don't really believe it'll happen for a minute. Then again, stranger things have happened. None of which involves Bobby Dempsey actually losing any weight doing all those squats, but nonetheless, it's wrestling. You can always expect the unexpected.

Coming Up Short

You know what really bothered me this weekend? Eddie Kingston ‘No-showed' his PWG date once again. I have become a big Kingston fan after his first three shows and I was really looking forward to seeing him again and he just doesn't show up. There still isn't an explanation for him not showing up and I'm pretty pissed off. While I understand that Indy wrestling is a very unpredictable animal due to the nature of the business and not having "exclusivity" it still doesn't help that one of the men who is involved in the biggest storyline in the company missed the show. Not knowing if this was an unavoidable delinquency or not I can't judge too harshly, but you know I think that Indy wrestling's biggest issue right now is that they can't seem to regularly put on cards that they advertise. While that isn't the company's fault or sometimes even the wrestler's fault it is the truth. I think that's why the "e" and even TNA to some extent don't have to worry about companies like PWG or RoH coming after them, "exclusivity" is such a powerful tool and when "card subject to change" becomes a philosophy and not just a "disclaimer" then I think we need to figure out a better way. I got no answers for you this week, I just feel like my patience as a fan is coming up short this week.

6 Degrees of…



Don't look at me, this one is all on Tenchi Masaki:

And if you're still doing the winner picks one the next 6DO subjects and I somehow actually win...I'm gonna pick a hard one for a nice challenge and go with J-Rock star Gackt.

And this was the least…"questionable" picture I could find of the dude. Isn't Gackt that stuff you get in a tube that looks like slime? I seem to remember that stuff as a kid. Well this week we'll link "bishounen" to "bishounen" and keep it in Japan with Dragon Gate's resident "pretty boy"…



I forgot to find out if BxB Hulk brought his Harajuku girls to RoH with him or not. Hopefully we'll see them with Dragon Gate has their LA show in September. I'll even spring for one of them. I wonder what the down payment or deposit is on one of those?

Whatchu talkin' bout readers?

Dear Bayani,

Another enjoyable article. I really liked the subject this covered and I had to throw my two cents in.

The reason why Flair is maybe the last wrestling role model is because he is from another time. If we are going to define role model as what every wrestler would like to emulate and surpass then its never going to happen to be fair. Flair was of a time when feuds could go on for years due to the nature of a growing business. He could have 100 matches with Rick Steamboat in one year and people would still mark out for them. He could hold the title for ages and people would still not be bored all this due to lack of TV exposure and industry knowledge. Now with 7 hours plus of new wrestling a week things need to be constantly fresh and new. Wrestlers want to be the great entertainer that Flair was, the in ring master and the reputation to boot but this is too hard in this day and age to be as over as this man due to over exposure. Cena was so over in 04-05 and then the WWE ran with it and he was on our sets every week and by his third feud with Jericho he was getting booed. No wrestler can get respect by saying to another I wanna be Cena as he is todays Flair.

No person can match Flair in all those categories no matter how much they try because the fans will want it all the time and then once the WWE gives it to us on a constant basis we will start to reject it. Think about it if Flair was booked and presented the way he was 30 years ago today, the whole IWC would write hate columns about his politicking and hogging the title scene ala Triple H 2002. He would have been resented and rightfully so. There is no place for a Flair of 30 years ago anymore because of product exposure. No universal one guy all wrestlers would look up to for everything that is wrestling. Instead they will say i wanna move merch like Cena, be as gifted as HBK, cut a promo like Austin and be a Hollywood superstar like the Rock.

Also I think we are being very hypocritical saying how much we all are going to miss Flair. Nobody ever complained about him being left off a PPV since his return. There was no movement to get him on the title scene again and I read loads of articles about how he shouldn't be wrestling anymore coz his matches suck. Now I am a huge Flair mark and while his send off was emotional lets face it we aint gonna miss him in ring coz we all know he will be back as an on air personality e.g. GM or manager very soon. He will continue his stylin' profilin' and give great promos. But I think the whole he will be missed in ring sentiment is disingenuous. If he started gradually pulling back from matches and was HBK's corner man or H's and never wrestled again nobody would be yelling "One more match" from the stands or from home. The reason is because he would be on our televisions sets all the time. The reasons why we mark out for Hogan, Rock, Austin and couldnt care less about Foley is because if they come back for a match its a rare occasion to see them ply their trade and because we missed them so much just being on our screen. Maybe we lose something by not being able to see Flair be the man in a wrestling capacity again but he wrestled so many matches and lost to so many people and gave us so many great moments to look back on I think its time we let go.

The send off was great, Flair will be missed but not as much as we are saying. He will be back and i bet nobody will be marking out when he comes back and flirts with the idea of lacing up his boots one more time. If the Rock does it whoa we would be off our seats because he is rare to find these days. Flair will be found every week on our sets before the years is done.

Regards
Tarek

A lot of good points this week Tarek and for the most part I think Flair did get away with a lot more than he would have had he began his career 20 years after he did. I think the biggest reason Flair is getting so much love is the nostalgia of what he did in his career and how much he meant. The man had it all; looks, charisma, talent, and most importantly he connected so well with the fans. I think we miss that because rosters are so stacked that it's hard to really get to know any one wrestler as well as we used to. When people say they'll miss Ric Flair, they mean, "I'll miss the OLD Ric Flair" because Flair of the last 5 years was pretty darn good, but Ric Flair of the 80's and 90's?? Phenomenal. It's one thing to wish a man was still wrestling, but it's another to wish he was still wrestling like the man you wished he still was.

6 Degrees Results

‘Twas another sad week this week for entries. Hopefully the prospect of some young Asian men will get the old creative juices flowing. Wow…that sounded…yeah.

Honorable Mention

1) Dean Smith was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame on May 2nd, 1983, the same day that former Miss Switzerland Christa Rigozzi was born...

Okay, that is far as I got, but check out the pic of this Christa chick...

Louis

Okay, so it wasn't a full 6 links…or…2 for that matter, but it was a pic of a hot chick. Fair enough.

#2.

1. Ric Flair was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by the star of "Blade: Trinity" - Triple H.
2. Another star of "Blade: Trinity", Ryan Reynolds, was in the movie "Just Friends" with Anna Faris.
3. Anna Faris starred in "Scary Movie 3", which also featured George Carlin.
4. George Carlin once joked that even rape could be funny – just imagine Porky Pig raping Elmer Fudd.
5. Porky and Elmer were in the movie "Space Jam" with Michael Jordan.
6. Michael Jordan won a national title at UNC while being coached by Dean Smith.

Andy O'Connor

#1.

B, I love reading these and after watching Flair retire this week I just had to enter. First time, so here goes:

Ric Flair claims in his autobiography that he was born in Memphis, Tennessee, who's most famous wrestling star is one Jerry "The King" Lawler.
Lawler lost the AWA Championship in May 1988 to one Curt Henning.
Henning's original WWF Manager was none other than Lanny "The Genius" Poffo.
Poffo's brother is Randal Poffo, better known as Randy "Macho Man" Savage.
Randy Savage was a catcher in minor league baseball, a sport played by one Michael Jordan in 1994-1995.
Michael Jordan was the star guard at the University of North Carolina , coached by the legendary Dean Smith.

Thanks,

John Reid

I know it was a "default win" this week but that was pretty damn good. Seriously, the Savage link to Jordan was pretty well done. Wait…Savage Jordan…did I just come up with the greatest new gimmick for Orlando Jordan ever?? Or the name of an Alt rock band? Hmmm….okay John your turn to nominate a link next week.

Left Overs…

Now that the "e" is claiming Mike Knox had nothing to do with that box of ‘roids they are currently looking for the real culprit. They've already assembled a short list of names: 1) Derek Neikirk, 2) Ryan O'Riley, 3) the other unnamed developmental talent, and 4) The Littles. If you ever saw that episode where Grandpa was chewing out Dinky over his flying just one too many times and Dinky beat him with a toothpick into a coma…you know what I mean.

I would have loved to have had Ric Flair replace Jerry Lawler on RAW commentary. "You gotta sweat, you gotta bleed, you gotta PAY THE PRICE…to enjoy these fruity, fruity Skittles…WOOOOOO!!"

Austin Aries is off the upcoming RoH show due to an undisclosed "head injury". Wow, Tammy Sytch REALLY has to be more careful during those "recruiting sessions".

Hello Kitty was a dude. He was a chubby Japanese dude in a pink singlet and a pink bow on his pink mask. There are only 5 things that could have made that any more gay. I'll spot you the first 3: Pat Patterson scouting him for a "developmental deal", making it an ass-less singlet, and Joey Ryan. The last two are yours.

I guess HHH, Cena, and Jericho appeared on "American Idol Gives Back" this week. I didn't watch, but for some reason I could just see them trying to recruit Ryan Seacrest for the Diva's division.

I'm not all familiar with the All Japan Champion Carnival but after I read that Shwarma won it I was simply amazed. Is there anything that tasty little Armenian meat can't do?

Matt Bentley is getting a try out in the "e". I hope he's lost some weight because last I saw of him the "Bentley Bounce" had more to do with his tits than Traci's.

So there is a pilot being shot for the Kurt Angle reality show. Angle says that he wants the audience to experience his reality the way he sees it. Rumors have it that the directing gig is coming down to M. Night Shyamalan and Tim Burton.

The Great Booty Debate 2008

Tiana Ta snuck by with a rather puzzling 2 to 1 decision last week and the Asian bitches keep rolling. Like Teddy Hart at an RVD house party. This week we'll match Japanese Gravure model: Nina Minami vs Puerto Rican modeling newcomer Nikki DuBose.

Random Asian Bitch Lookin' Good Pic of the Week



I know I'm only here for an allergy shot...but how about I turn my head and cough anyways?

Random Latina Bitch Lookin' Good Pic of the Week



Trust me, most Puerto Rican women don't emanate light...mostly anger and swear words.

So maybe it's fucked up, but when the "News section" posted a bit that Sara Lee had died…I pictured Bobby Dempsey holding a candlelight vigil and a box of Pound Cake.

TNA is looking for more talent from RoH…to counteract the black hole effects of Kip and BG James. God speed them on their quest.

It's official the "Age of Orton" is…28.

Top 5 Test/DUI jokes I could think of in 3 minutes or less:

5. It's better he ends up at the Land O' Lakes Jail than the Country Crock Penitentiary. Because "spread" has a whole new meaning down there.
4. Test claims he wasn't drunk on alcohol at the time of his arrest but merely intoxicated by his own undeserved sense of superiority at remember he got to bang Stacy Keibler for a couple months.
3. In order to refute the claims that his "slurred speech and glassy eyes" were a sign of intoxication, Test plans on showing the court a tape of his ECW promos.
2. How long of a loop do you think this conversation ended up being: "I need you to take a urine test", "take it where?"
1. Clearly Test was bound to fail the sobrierty test administered at the scene, he had to hold his arms out, stand up straight with his head back, and touch his fingers to all his bacne scars. You try staying balanced during that.

Pimpin' In High Places

So what are we to obsess about now that Wrestlemania is in the books and Ric Flair is gone from TV for at least a few months? Well there is always the WWE Draft. I just hope that Kenny Dykstra improves his time in the 40 enough to secure a late 1st round or early 2nd round selection. Wait…is he even still on the roster?:

Ask 411 has the infamous "Crotch grab heard round the world" this week. No, not the HBK/Cena thing at the Rumble…the "HLA" kind. The funny thing is that Mickie used that to "stop" a finisher, where as most of us use it to work our way up to a "finisher".

Jules has his latest column on not hating TNA…wait a second… that's not Williams. That's Julian BOND. Weird how so many new guys have the same name as the older guys. If we debut a Bayani Steinberg or Bayani Abdul-Jabbar I am OUTTA here.

Shimmy details the original AC's idea of the upcoming draft. This time he doesn't show ECW as being penalized one pick for videotaping Smackdown illegally.

HH has the LIVE version as JP hit up virtually every wrestling company in the universe in the span of one week.

CoH touches off a very sensitive subject as to whether "Sweet n' Sour Inc." has failed in their quest to really take over RoH. While they haven't been able to secure much gold in the company they have been able to get Bobby Dempsey "over". Which is a hell of a lot harder if you ask me. I mean, the Carnage Crew held gold in RoH for Christ's sake…but Bobby Dempsey getting a solid reaction would usually require the combined forces of Baby Jesus, Buddha, and a Shiva forming some kind of a super God Squad with Bosley as their go-between.

Lansdell apologizes for writing….no, actually, that's about it.

Conventional wisdom says that since I ragged on Corke last week I should plug his column this week. unconventional wisdom says I should go by his cubicle and change the "c" in his name tag to "d" and continue to ride him like Lawler rides his "puppies" tag line. So a little from column "A" and a little from column "B" this week.

Holly Affirmative Actions Batman. We got ourselves another O-Re-N-tull in the wrasslin' zone. Mike Chin debuted with "The Importance of…" last week. I can only assume he's a yellow "brutha" by his last name. This is pretty cool since unlike JT, judging by Slimmer's picture of him, we now have 1 Chin in the zone. I also officially apologize to JT for making any innuendos of him being gay, because there is no way a gay man walks out of the house in that outfit. No self respecting one at least.

Sammy and the IMC feature Steen vs Danielson as a preview to Steen's impending RoH title shot. I was as surprised as anyone that Steen won and with a Sharpshooter no less. I guess that makes the Sharpshooter the official move of Canada. Mexico has the armdrag and hurricanrana, Japan as the "shining wizard" and that means that the Philippines has…half of a Batista Bomb. Hopefully the last half…not the first part that involves putting a man's head between your thighs. The Greeks can have that one.

Wrestling Dr. by W.S. Thomason debuts this week. W.S.? My guess is they used the same naming device as they did with Harry Smith. The first person who guesses what the W.S. stands for gets…well they apparently get a weekly column as well. Of course your name will be B.S. (insert last name).

PWG has officially announced the 8 teams for the DDT4 Tag Team Tournament on May 17th/18th. It appears that this year's show will have a decidedly local flavor and feature a lot of SoCal teams and some repeat teams from last year's tournament. The one new team to debut will be Kota Ibushi and KAGETORA. For those who aren't familiar with Ibushi he will be making his US debut in RoH very soon. For those unfamiliar with KAGETORA…we should probably all get together, hang out, and try to find some youtube stuff. Maybe we can potluck. I'll be the 2 liters of Shasta.

A crazy thing happened to me this week on the way to the Wrestling Zone last week, I was trying to find a strong WiFi signal on my iPhone to upload youporn and I accidentally stumbled into the Politics Zone instead. Crow asked me to take part in the first ever "Asian on Asian" Fact or Fiction. While I first thought this sounded like a sexy import model contest involving t-shirts, super soakers, and shots of Soju I quickly realized that this was not to be. I went one-on-one with a hardcore fundamentalist Christian, far right wing Republican….Chinese guy. Yeah, who knew? Weird fact, I actually worked in Aerospace like he did, I wonder if I knew him…I do remember a weird engineer who kept stealing all these paper clips and googling his own name to see if the government had a trace on him. Hmmm. Well if you want to see what happens when I take on the "Right Wing", then mosey on over to Politics: Fact or Fiction. Some seriously fucked up shit there kids. I think this week's column just set the race back another 30 years. On a lighter note check out my blog this week for DDP's thoughts on this year's ‘Mania and his real feelings about Ric Flair and Randy Orton. It may shock, surprise, and tickle you. Okay, not tickle you, but shock. Unless you have some weird fetish about DDP and Diamond Cutters. Perv.

Till then, the Truth will set you free.

-B