Okerlund's deadpan reactions to Orndorff's outrageous lies are almost as funny as the interview. The straight man is really a lost art in promos these days because everyone has to be either totally useless (Josh Matthews etc.) or scripted to be as "witty" and cutesy as the wrestlers (Michael Cole, Lawler).
Okerlund's deadpan reactions to Orndorff's outrageous lies are almost as funny as the interview. The straight man is really a lost art in promos these days because everyone has to be either totally useless (Josh Matthews etc.) or scripted to be as "witty" and cutesy as the wrestlers (Michael Cole, Lawler).
Great stuff.
ReplyDeleteGene is FANTASTiC here! Is Santino doing anything right now, get him to do the backstage interviews? Hell, at least he has some comedic chops to pull some of this off.
ReplyDeleteI love this interview a lot. I sent the link to Scott. I actually reviewed this show a few weeks ago and my recap could not do this any justice.
ReplyDeleteThe portion with the pilot is my favorite part.
ReplyDeleteOkerlund playing along is greatness. "You have no private life!". No one can cut a promo anymore. These 20 minute segments on RAW between Punk/Heyman, or Cena/Bryan --- these are long, drawn out yawnfests. All a guy needs is 5 minutes, like this clip, stay in character, and have an interviewer with some personality feed the character lines that the character can react to. That's it. The writing has become so focused on getting their story over, and no one in the midcard can get their personality over. Can you imagine Antonio Cesaro, with his European accent, taking 5 minutes out to tell a story about the time he sat next to a fat, out-of-shape wheezing American on a 12 hour flight?
ReplyDeleteI miss these custom promos for each city and show. Made them seem really important. Both guys played their parts well here.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea those ring robes were so expensive until I heard Ric Flair talking about buying his on the Steve Austin podcast.
Holy shit you read my mind. I can't watch wrestling's talk fests anymore. You spelled it out
ReplyDeleteSo much so that when Raw DOESN'T start with a long, drawn out promo segment people are shocked.
ReplyDeleteWWE actually HAD some great youtube footage of Cesaro going around the country making fun of Americans right to their faces. If they had shown those on TV for a few weeks the guy would have probably been way over.. but instead they made him yodel..
ReplyDeleteAgreed on Gene. Santino would be something different, but I think he's too goofy to really pull it off. Gene plays the straight man; the best Santino can do without changing his character is play a naive guy who keeps insulting the heels (see: Santino's stuff with Sheamus). Not saying that can't be funny, just don't think his style lends itself well to a Gene type of interview.
ReplyDeleteStrange that you say that. Considering that Orndorff's delivery was (wonderfully) awful.
ReplyDeletePoaching Hulk from Verne will always be Vince's biggest free-agent signing but taking Mean Gene and Bobby Heenan isn't far behind. Those 2 guys helped get over so much talent and draw so much money for Vince it's unreal.
ReplyDeleteIt's pretty crazy. You'd think in wrestling of all things, they'd gimmick the robes with plastic diamonds and cheap materials from a home ec classroom.
ReplyDeleteThe blond lady from NXT who moved up to the main shows too recently... think her name starts with an R, she's a pretty good straight (wo)man.
ReplyDeleteI think Santino has one run left in him as a weasely Jimmy Hart-style, obnoxious heel manager. He could pull together a goon squad and torment the midcard faces so they actually have something to do, and then you've allowed Santino to do what he does best (talk) while avoiding what he's not very good at (wrestling).
ReplyDelete20 minute promos CAN be awesome when they are relevant and tell a good story. Looking back to when they started with HBK, Hart, and Austin they would work more often or not. But they were much more focused and relevant than many are now.
ReplyDelete