When the Wrestling Thread Got the Answers, HE Changed the Questions

[Dr. Evil]

Recent interview with Rocky Johnson, the Rock's dad:

[YT]Jn5tcEC-7E0[/YT]

 

[TX85]

Any highlights to that interview?

 

[Warhammer]

I bet the Rock has never been referred by the "n-word" before. It's one of the advantages he has to being mixed race.

Oh, I bet he has. Just look at Obama. He is mixed but many tend to forget that. In the media, unless you are ambiguous enough to not look black (Vin Diesel, Slash, Mariah Carey, Derek Jeter), somebody is going to call you the N-word.

 

[Wylie Times]

Yea he Rock doesn't talk about his father all that much. I assume they weren't that close sadly..

I think it's more that he's just much closer to his mom. His dad was on The Road most of his life. So in a lot of ways his mom raised him on her own.

Rock has always considered himself Samoan & Black. I've seen him speak before on the challenged he had to face being a black man in wrestling and Hollywood. He makes it a point to appear on the cover of black publications, he does black award shows, and all sorts of other things.

Sadly the only people that seem to distance the The Rock from his blackness are some black people that don't feel he's "Black enough".

 

[Wylie Times]

Oh, I bet he has. Just look at Obama. He is mixed but many tend to forget that. In the media, unless you are ambiguous enough to not look black (Vin Diesel, Slash, Mariah Carey, Derek Jeter), somebody is going to call you the N-word.

I can guarantee you that Diesel, Mariah Carey, and Derek Jeter have all had N-bombs dropped on them.

 

[TX85]

Those three are black/half black?

 

[Slushy]

So I just got back from a nice 11 hour drive from Los Angeles. My only gripes was the weather, which was excruciating thanks to the high humidity, and the mini-convention set-up. There were two lines, one for photo op and the other for autograph so after waiting a few hours to get your picture with somebody taken, you would have to wait a few more hours to get your stuff signed. Stupid format by the promoter for any Superstar who does a signing instead of having them both done simultaneously in order to not to waste everybody's time.


Despite having 2 surgeries recently, Kurt Angle still wanted to do his signing (Dude's hardcore!), but his doctor wouldn't medically clear him to travel so he was forced to cancel.


Chyna

This was my second time meeting her and poured my heart out to her because of all the drama she's been through. I basically cut a positive promo where I thanked her for her wrestling contributions and reminded her that while depression is rough, she still has countless fans. A lot who look up to her. She was touched and talked to me for like 5 minutes (including everybody else that came to see her) despite having a long line and gave me a hug before signing my copy of her book for me. She told me her favorite match was against Jarrett at No Mercy 1999.


The Genius

He remembered me from Wrestlemania 31 week (following his stand-up comedy attempt). That freaked me out since I'm used to being an afterthought to these guys despite meeting them on several occasions. He's great to talk to. He was engaged in conversation to the point where I ran out of stuff to talk to him about. And for that I'm guessing, he gave me a free copy of his book. It was $30 to get an autograph from him so I told him I would have him sign it next year in Dallas, but he said not to worry about it and he personalized it for me for free also! I was in disbelief as he really didn't have to do that for me nor did I asked for either freebie. He said his favorite match was against Hogan on Saturday's Night Main Event as he felt that was the pinnacle of his career. When he was taking pictures with fans, he would have them wear Savage's Hall Of Fame ring for the photo-op. Very cool!


Bret Hart

My main reason for going as he's my favorite wrestler of all-time and yet I didn't have an autograph from him up until this point. There were at least 300 fans in line and just like The Ultimate Warrior 3 years ago, he took his time with each person in line for pictures and autographs. I had him pose, sign my copy of his book, and he told me his favorite match was against Austin at Wrestlemania XIII. It was an honor to meet The Hitman again.

The highlight of the day though was that I got to witness Chyna's emotional reunion with Bret Hart, which got me misty eyed given both of their personal downs. I'm blessed to experience moments like this.

 

[Wylie Times]

Those three are black/half black?

In the case of Diesel it's largely assumed, he never met his biological father, but when you see photos of him as a kid with a full head of hair it's pretty obvious:

Mariah Carey's father was black and her mother is Irish.

Derek Jeter's father is black and his mother is Irish.

Despite having 2 surgeries recently, Kurt Angle still wanted to do his signing (Dude's hardcore!), but his doctor wouldn't medically clear him to travel so he was forced to cancel.

Thank god. I think Kurt would be better off if more people would just tell him "No". The guy is an amazing athletes and one of the greatest wrestlers ever, but he abuses his body.

Bret Hart

My main reason for going as he's my favorite wrestler of all-time and yet I didn't have an autograph from him up until this point. There were at least 300 fans in line and just like The Ultimate Warrior 3 years ago, he took his time with each person in line for pictures and autographs. I had him pose, sign my copy of his book, and he told me his favorite match was against Austin at Wrestlemania XIII. It was an honor to meet The Hitman again.

why is Bret holding Cena's spinning US title in that photo?

Sounds like you had a pretty awesome time. It's always cool when wrestlers take the time show they actually care about fans. sadly i think we've all heard stories of wrestlers doing signings and clearly not giving a damn. Glad you had such a great experience.

 

[Slushy]

why is Bret holding Cena's spinning US title in that photo?

Because its my belt and he's a former US Champion.

Sounds like you had a pretty awesome time. It's always cool when wrestlers take the time show they actually care about fans. sadly i think we've all heard stories of wrestlers doing signings and clearly not giving a damn. Glad you had such a great experience.

Thanks, man!

 

[Donnie Darko]

I am watching more of this week's SD, and I got to thinking...

I know it's only been around two years and some change, but I can't think of a title in WWF/E, WCW, or ECW history that has the consistency of great champions that the NXT women's championship does. I'd also put the NXT championship way up there, too.

 

[Donnie Darko]

Also, Bellas working face AGAIN in their match against Sasha and Naomi, even through their characters are clearly supposed to be heels. Who is to blame here? The agents putting the matches together?

 

[Donnie Darko]

Smackdown ends with Owens standing over an unconscious Cesaro. He may not be exactly where we would like him to be (US champ), but I don't see this as a burial of any kind.

 

[zeroapoc]

I LOLed.

http://www.kayfabenews.com/mr-america-returns-wwe/

 

[ShadowBoxer]

I think it's more that he's just much closer to his mom. His dad was on The Road most of his life. So in a lot of ways his mom raised him on her own.

Rock has always considered himself Samoan & Black. I've seen him speak before on the challenged he had to face being a black man in wrestling and Hollywood. He makes it a point to appear on the cover of black publications, he does black award shows, and all sorts of other things.

Sadly the only people that seem to distance the The Rock from his blackness are some black people that don't feel he's "Black enough".

I don't remember him being involved with anything that is considered black other than making a cameo in a Tyler Perry movie a few years ago and maybe appearing on Jet magazine one time. I am not sure if he ever attended the BET awards ( he may have). I only seen him mention his father only a few times but he talks about his mother soman side. Like o said, I like the Rock and am I a fan, but it seems HE distances himself from black culture and black people. Most of his movies have him as a race neutral dude or playing a white guy of sorts. Movies he has with a female lead are usually white. Like the Recent San Andreas movie. He had a pure white girl playing his biological daughter in that movie. I was like really?? But I will do some research and see if there are other things. I am sure he is cool with his black side and black people, but he doesn't identity with black people too much is all I am saying.

 

[Wylie Times]

I don't remember him being involved with anything that is considered black other than making a cameo in a Tyler Perry movie a few years ago and maybe appearing on Jet magazine one time. I am not sure if he ever attended the BET awards ( he may have). I only seen him mention his father only a few times but he talks about his mother soman side. Like o said, I like the Rock and am I a fan, but it seems HE distances himself from black culture and black people. Most of his movies have him as a race neutral dude or playing a white guy of sorts. Movies he has with a female lead are usually white. Like the Recent San Andreas movie. He had a pure white girl playing his biological daughter in that movie. I was like really?? But I will do some research and see if there are other things. I am sure he is cool with his black side and black people, but he doesn't identity with black people too much is all I am saying.

He's been to the BET awards and the image awards. He been on the cover of and done interviews with Essence and Ebony magazine.

There have been a lot of things he's done and said over the years that show he does accept and see himself as a part of black culture. It's just that those things don't get as much attention as when he celebrates Samoan culture.

 

[Donnie Darko]

I LOLed.

http://www.kayfabenews.com/mr-america-returns-wwe/

That is fantastic. I love when they do stuff like this, as opposed to the "Randy Orton takes a long time to walk to the ring" type articles they seem to love sometimes.

 

[TX85]

I don't remember him being involved with anything that is considered black other than making a cameo in a Tyler Perry movie a few years ago and maybe appearing on Jet magazine one time. I am not sure if he ever attended the BET awards ( he may have). I only seen him mention his father only a few times but he talks about his mother soman side. Like o said, I like the Rock and am I a fan, but it seems HE distances himself from black culture and black people. Most of his movies have him as a race neutral dude or playing a white guy of sorts. Movies he has with a female lead are usually white. Like the Recent San Andreas movie. He had a pure white girl playing his biological daughter in that movie. I was like really?? But I will do some research and see if there are other things. I am sure he is cool with his black side and black people, but he doesn't identity with black people too much is all I am saying.

He guest starred in That 70's Show as his dad, His family in Walking Tall were black, His daughters in The Game Plan and Furious 7 looked black or half black and he was possibly going to play the John Stewart Green Lantern in the DCU before going with Black Adam

 

[Tacit Ronin]

If nothing else, the vehement defense and skirting of Hogan's racism by so many fans certainly demonstrate that the old stereotype of wrestling fans being hicks and racists is certainly not groundless.

 

[TX85]

Are people actually defending what he said and saying it was no big deal or what? Because many such are myself have been defending his career and legacy but agree he's definitely a racist..to an extent

 

[cabel]

And now a bit of Dragon Gate news:

In some shocking and unprecedented news, the Open the Dream Gate title belt was lost in the late hours of 07/21. The title belts are stored in duralumin cases for safe keeping when not in use. They were loaded onto the ring truck after the conclusion of Kobe World. The truck then traveled to the Sanctuary office building. At about 2 AM, the truck departed for the dojo, which is about 10 kilometers from the office building. While stopped at a traffic light about 2km from the office, the driver of another car informed the truck drivers that the back doors were open. The duralumin cases for the Dream & Brave Gate title belts were found to be missing. Management was contacted and a frantic search of the road ensued. The Brave Gate was found by a nearby telephone pole, safe and sound inside the case. However, the Dream Gate case was found in the garbage next to a nearby apartment building. The belt was not inside. Dream Gate champion Masato Yoshino was contacted by telephone, prompting him to get out of bed and conduct his own search of the area. After his tear-filled search proved fruitless, a report was filed with the local police. There are security cameras around the apartment building that could be helpful, and police are in the process of trying to obtain the recordings.

The title belt is valued at around 2,000,000 yen, or approximately $20,000 USD. Plans are for a Dream Gate title defense on 08/16 in Ota-ku, so an order has been placed with the America based belt manufacturer for a replacement. There are concerns that the title will not arrive in time. Yoshino is taking this news very hard, and apologized profusely to fans for his upcoming belt-less appearances. He hopes fans will cheer him as loudly as they usually do, despite this indignance.

President Takashi Okamura has placed finding the missing belt as the #1 priority right now.

iheartdg.com

 

[TX85]

Damn that sucks and I bet the truck drivers got fired. Why don't they let wrestlers keep the belts like other promotions?

I used to watch Dragon Gate when I would have my monthly wrestling update on YouTube,Was a huge fan but just stopped doing the marathons

 

[PyroChamber]

Also, Bellas working face AGAIN in their match against Sasha and Naomi, even through their characters are clearly supposed to be heels. Who is to blame here? The agents putting the matches together?

At this point I don't think the Bellas even know what they're suppose to be.

 

[ShadowBoxer]

He's been to the BET awards and the image awards. He been on the cover of and done interviews with Essence and Ebony magazine.

There have been a lot of things he's done and said over the years that show he does accept and see himself as a part of black culture. It's just that those things don't get as much attention as when he celebrates Samoan culture.

Thanks for clearing it up!

 

[ShadowBoxer]

He guest starred in That 70's Show as his dad, His family in Walking Tall were black, His daughters in The Game Plan and Furious 7 looked black or half black and he was possibly going to play the John Stewart Green Lantern in the DCU before going with Black Adam

I forgot about that.

 

[runawayboulder]

I really don't think there is that much of a face/heel thing going on in the Divas angle. They took 3 NXT women that people are ultimately going to cheer for pit them on opposite sides.

Perhaps in principle the Bellas are supposed to be the heels the other two groups are gunning for but they have their fans, so people are going to cheer for who they want to. The writers would have devise a way to make the Bellas look very villainous (like jumping and kayfabe injuring someone beloved like Becky).