Louis Theroux's Weird Weekends (1998) s02e06 Episode Script
Wrestling
- What are we filming? - How are you doing? - BBC2.
How's it going? Louis.
- BBC2? For what? - BBC2 for - I know what BBC2 is.
For what? For a documentary series on American sub-cultures.
- What sub-culture? - Wrestling.
- You're filming wrestling sub-culture? - Yeah, we are.
- Do you know who I am? - Um You're filming a documentary on wrestling and you have no idea who I am? We've only just started.
Didn't you do a little research before you started? No.
I was travelling through the American South, on a mission to find out about the most popular sport in America - which isn't really a sport.
I'm gonna kick the crap out of Scott Steiner.
Professional wrestling.
My first stop - the mega-bucks, high-end wrestling of the WCW here in Gainesville, Florida, where its touring show had Just touched down.
- Are you Alan Sharp? - I am.
- How are you doing? - Good.
- I'm Louis.
How's it going? - Louis.
- Welcome to World Championship Wrestling.
- Thank you! - You ready to take a look? - Yeah.
Can we? - This is where it's all gonna happen tonight.
- So this is it.
For the hottest show on Monday nights in America.
What is going on here exactly? We're in the preliminary stage of the setting up of a wrestling event? You bet.
But it's not just a wrestling event.
You need to think about this as rock 'n' roll with muscles.
You need to think about this as Melrose Place in spandex.
You know? - Seriously? - 0h, yeah.
We are drama.
Are there any wrestlers we could meet right now? - Right now? - Can we go backstage at all? Let me see if Roddy - What if you catch them at a bad time? - I don't want to find out.
First doorway there.
We're making a documentary for BBC2 in Britain about wrestling - Louis - Bad time? The Man Macho is busy.
He got no time to talk to you.
- He didn't want to talk.
- No.
He didn't want to talk.
Here, Louis.
- Rowdy Roddy Piper.
- Pleased to meet you.
Louis.
- Louis Theroux.
- Louis LaRue.
Theroux.
You can call me LaRue if you want, though, you being a wrestler.
- How's it going? - Good.
Real good.
I just came in the building and you shone a camera in my face.
I'm gonna fight some giant with hair coming out of his nose and green teeth tonight.
I'm 232lbs and he's gonna be seven foot two and 400lbs.
How am I doing? I'm doing terrible.
You're not your classic beefed-up guy.
You're a muscly guy but you're not super-duper muscly.
How does that work as a wrestler? - I've killed men for less than that.
- 0h, no.
May I ask how old you are now? - April 17th, I turn 45.
- Wow.
And they still can't beat me.
All right? So you should have caught my act when I was 29.
- Yeah.
- Wow.
That's fantastic.
- I would have made love to you! - Steady on.
You've been in the game for a while, can you run through a list of your injuries? Sure.
Right rotator cuff was torn in half, neck's busted in two places, right hip is titanium, this wrist here Get a good shot of that wrist.
That's been broken for seven years.
They want to screw-fuse it.
But I play the bagpipes - I came fifth in the world playing the bagpipes - and if they fuse it will disturb my bagpipe playing.
Is your bagpipe in there? Can we look in there? It's all my sexual detachments in there.
That would be exciting.
Here we go, folks.
Simple as this.
Underneath here you've got the kilt.
There's my boots, my sporran, my brush.
There's my toothbrush and all that kind of stuff.
My T-shirt, my towel's in my hand, here's my water.
That's it.
That's all I need.
Wrestling trunks, boots It's like a briefcase for a day in the office except you're going in the ring.
Listen, I gotta take a pee.
Goodbye.
Thank you very much.
Seriously, thank you.
- Have you got a second for an interview? - Sure.
Do you know about this evening? Who are you going to wrestle? I'm just starting tonight, so you've got a new character here.
This is your first night wrestling? I don't understand.
I used to be Alex Wright, WCW, and I used to dance techno.
But the American people are not familiar with techno, so I changed just to be a bad, mean guy.
I came up with my new look.
- So you're debuting a new persona? - Yes.
And is it a new name? What are you called now? Like I said before, I was Alex Wright.
Now I'm Alexander Wright.
Let's look at you because you're rocking a whole different look.
- This isn't my wrestling gear.
- No? In the ring, what will you be wearing? I have a leather jacket on - a long one, no sleeves high boots.
0f course, the glasses and the stick and "Achtung, achtung.
Here is Alexander Wright.
" - Excellent.
- Thank you very much.
- Das ist gut, ja? - Thank you, Alex.
Goldberg? - Goldberg, sir? How are you doing? - Fine, sir.
- Have you got one second? - I've got one second.
My name's Louis Theroux.
I'm from BBC2.
I'm making a documentary on what it takes to make it as a wrestler and I understand you're basically the top wrestler in the country.
- Thank you.
- Say I wanted to be a wrestler for WCW.
How would I go about it? - First you'd have to gain a lot of weight.
- Really? And then is there a school? Yeah.
The school's in Atlanta.
It's called the Power Plant.
Really? Power Plant.
There's someone I want you to meet.
This is Sarge.
- I'm Louis.
How's it going, Sarge? - It's going all right.
So how do you fit into the WCW? I'm the trainer at the Power Plant.
I train guys.
I've worked with guys like Bill Goldberg, Dallas Page, Kevin Nash, High Voltage, Wrath.
You must have seen a lot of people come and go.
Do I have what it takes? There's many ways I could tell you.
I mean, you could be the biggest muscle-head guy in the world, but that ain't what it takes.
You gotta have brains.
You gotta know where the cameras are - - you're playing to millions at home.
- Yeah.
This is a thinking man's game.
Gordon Solie used to say it's a human game of chess and that's true.
Would it be 0K if I came along to the Power Plant - to see how you qualify for the WCW? - Sure.
You're more than welcome.
I'll be glad to put you through the paces.
Sarge, thank you, it's been a real education.
- When will you be at the Power Plant? - Soon.
It was nearly show time.
My very first professional wrestling event.
It was the WCW's weekly televised special - Monday Nitro - with five million fans watching every week.
Pretty quickly it became clear it wasn't totally real - at least not in the Olympic sense.
At one point, my friend Rowdy Roddy Piper helped a seemingly inJured wrestler to an ambulance, which was then revealed to be bound for a mental hospital.
But amidst the melodrama, the athletic prowess of the wrestlers was undeniable.
In the end, what most intrigued me was the soap opera in spandex part and how exactly the fights were choreographed.
I thought Sarge would be the perfect person to shed some light.
- How's it going? - Busy.
We gotta get the truck loaded.
- Was that a good show? - Basically, overall, it was a good show.
0ne thing I don't totally understand is to what extent they know what's going to happen when they come out.
- Do you know what I mean? - No.
I understand there's an enormous amount of athletic and acrobatic ability and tremendous strength, but as far as what goes on in the ring itself - Yeah.
- How does that work? I don't have any idea.
Listen, guys.
I am real busy.
0h, 0K.
Shall we catch up? Get together with Alan Shaw.
- I've got to take care of my business.
- 0K.
See you later.
Sarge seemed slightly miffed at my question, but I was sure we could sort it out during my try-out at the Power Plant.
Awaiting my date with Sarge, a lead took me to North Carolina and a wrestling troupe called the AIWF who also had their own TV show.
Hey, look at that! Brian, we are back right here, live on the air.
Dean Puckett, the guy on the right, had offered to talk openly about how his fights were organised.
And, as an added incentive, he told me that the AIWF was the most extreme wrestling federation in America.
- Hey.
Are you Dean? - That's me.
- I'm Louis.
How are you doing? - I'm doing great.
So AIWF, that's your wrestling organisation? - Yes.
- What does that stand for? The American Independent Wrestling Federation.
- So you are the promoter, owner? - Uh-huh.
And wrestler.
We keep everything on here from speakers to concession stand, photos We travel round North Carolina, Virginia.
- Like a rock band.
- Yeah.
We're kinda like a - Scooby Doo? a really violent rock band! My first stop with Dean - a live radio promotional for the AIWF.
This is cool.
- So Dean's going on as Rick Diesel? - Yes.
The wrestling fans know me as Rick.
- So we're not allowed to call you Dean? - Yeah.
1300 WSYD and we are on the air right now with professional wrestler Rick Diesel.
We're here to promote a show in Westfield, North Carolina tonight.
This is Louis.
I want to introduce you to Louis.
I should get close to the mic.
How are you doing, Debbie? It's nice to meet you.
How did you get hooked up with Rick Diesel? Um We were looking for a community of wrestlers.
People who didn't just do it as a job, but people who lived it.
So we found out about the AIWF.
So do you only, then, Louis, investigate or do shows on the bizarre and the strange? - Excuse me?! - Basically I like meeting weirdos.
No.
- 0K.
- This is awesome.
- Have you seen the AIWF wrestle? - Yes, I have.
These guys do a great job.
Rick is quite a showman.
If you've seen any of his TV shows, he's very vocal And he puts on a show.
It's changed a lot back when you seen us.
- We didn't use fire and barbed wire - You use fire? Fire, barbed wire, thumbtacks, glass doors.
It sounds a little bit dangerous.
That's our claim to fame now.
The most hardcore, extreme wrestling federation anywhere.
You do a lot for shock value? Is that where you're going? It's so extreme that people will have blood coursing down their faces and their hair will be on fire as they run round the ring.
- Yeah! - Is any of that true? It has been true in the past.
Literally, it has been true.
A wrestler did get his hair caught on fire one time.
Yeah.
Westfield, Saturday.
Show time? Eight o'clock.
Bell time 8pm.
- You going to come, Debbie? - I've got to check my schedule.
- I'm so busy.
- Yeah! Thank you so much, guys.
It's been enjoyable.
Probably the highlight of my radio career, this morning.
Hello.
This is Prince Charles from Britain.
I always listen to Debbie Cochrane on 1300 WSYD.
- I appreciate you making the liners.
- How about this? Hi, this is Elton John and I always listen to Debbie Cochrane on 1300 WSYD.
- That's perfect.
Thank you so much.
- My pleasure.
My day with the AIWF had barely begun and I was rather enJoying it.
Next up, building the ring at the Westfield School gym.
0ops! Louis? I'd like to introduce you to someone.
- This is Brian Danzig.
- How are you doing? I'm Louis.
He's my number two man.
He helps a lot with the creative end of the When you say "creative", how do you mean exactly? - Story lines.
- Where do story lines come in exactly? Well, story lines is kind of like a It's like I've always said, professional wrestling is like a soap opera - for men.
And just like a soap opera has a story line of where everything's going, a story line is what we use so the fans can follow it to see what's going to happen the next week, what's going to happen when we build up to the big matches.
That's basically the story line.
So you know pretty much in advance who's going to win, basically? Yeah.
It's entertainment.
It's entertainment.
Which isn't to say that it's not athletic because there is a huge physical dimension, right? A lot people think wrestling's fake because of the story lines.
They say, "These guys know who's gonna win, who's gonna do this, so it's fake".
But that's not That may be one side of it, but this is not fake.
- Yeah.
What is that? - This is barbed wire.
And this right here is not fake.
Tell me how you got this exactly.
It looks like quite a lot of scars.
Some of it's from the barbed wire.
Some of it's blading.
Cut off a piece of a razor blade, put it in your forehead, put a little cut quite a bit of blood.
- He's very unique.
- Yeah.
He's a special person.
- I'm special.
- He's special.
I don't see nothing wrong with me.
I'm sure there is, but Yeah.
I dig it, though.
Yeah.
As long as you dig it.
Listen, I don't want to slow things down, so can I help at all? Mnnnhhh! Would you like one day to wrestle for the WCW, for one of the really big ones? No.
I wouldn't have as much control.
They would be his monster.
He wouldn't be his own monster.
Yeah.
I'd be a "made for TV" monster.
What do you do as your day job? I pair socks.
What I do Like that.
Check to make sure there's no holes.
I'll be listening to headphones and thinking about wrestling.
And if you're bored five days a week like that, then you can really let it all out on a Saturday night.
- Is it 0K to do that? - Yeah.
It's not so bad.
So what's the drill for this afternoon? We've got a new guy over here.
We're going to start working with him, work out some bumps.
Steve, the new guy, was about to take his very first lesson.
He's getting in.
- How are you feeling, Steve? - 0K.
- Yeah.
A little nervous? - No, not really.
Feet shoulder-width apart, knees bent and you want to push yourself down.
It's like this.
When's he gonna be ready for a four-point bump? - Whenever.
- What's a four-point bump? - Grab a leg.
Ready? - 0h, no.
0ne, two, three You all right? Catch your breath.
Catch your breath.
- That looked like it hurt.
- You get used to it.
You get used to it.
You ready? You ready for your turn? I'll teach you how to take bumps.
I wouldn't mind running back and forth and bouncing against the ropes.
So you want to lean back into them and they'll throw you back.
0K.
Let's try that.
0oh! You might wanna take a little less steps.
- Fewer steps? - Yeah.
You should be able to clear it in three.
Every time he does it he's getting better.
Would anyone pay to see that? While the group continued practising, Dean sent me to see one of his star wrestlers - Jody Rushbrook.
- I'm looking for Jody.
- That'll be me.
- How are you doing? - Fine.
- I'm Louis.
- Nice to meet you.
- Have you got a moment? - Yeah.
Dean basically sent me over.
He said you're one of his guys.
Right.
I'm one of the AIWF's finest.
- And who's your character? - Major Havoc.
Do you have to work yourself up to get into the character? Yeah.
Well, it's adrenaline.
When you're in the back, if you love the sport If you're in the back and you're putting your tights and your boots on, you're getting ready.
You can't help but have butterflies in your stomach.
Adrenaline levels go up and by the time you pop through that curtain you're just - What is that? - That's just getting ready.
- Nnnghh! - A lot of wrestlers do that.
Really? Nnnghh! Do you really do that? Yeah, I'll get in the ring and I'll - You know, get up in their face.
- That's excellent.
And I do this really wild laugh.
- It's pretty loud.
- We can take it.
Do it again.
Is there anything that we could do together right now for you to give me a flavour of what you go through to prepare for wrestling? 0oh! Again.
- 0h! - Yeah? 0oh! 0K, that's enough.
We slam harder than that, but you can get a feel that that hurts.
And you're taking it in the head like that.
A guy comes over, he Bang.
You see? And that does leave a red mark, by the way.
- I mean, that's the kind of thing - Be careful.
I'm fine.
I'm not going to hurt myself.
I'm not going to hurt myself.
I know my limits.
But, yeah, it makes a red mark and it hurts.
That sort of thing.
- Try it.
- Yeah.
That hurts.
I can take lots of little ones.
- Why would you even want to do that? - Well, it's all part of the show.
Wrestling as a whole has tended to get more violent.
As times get more violent, wrestling gets more violent.
Fans want to see more chairs involved.
- Chairs? - Tables, chairs, yeah.
We use chairs to hit each other in the head, across the back.
In the stomach All that stuff.
And you're really getting hit.
It hurts.
So do you just come down here and hit yourself with things? No, I don't.
No.
I save that for Saturday.
You can do lots of things.
I get up here and do pull-ups.
Deep stuff Lift 'em up God! So what's the dream scenario for you? I'd seriously like to move in to the WCW.
WCW? That's down at Atlanta.
I'm hoping to get involved, but I don't think To be honest, it's more as a way of discovering about the story.
I don't really consider myself physical enough to wrestle properly.
I mean, we'd be honoured if you'd come and try it.
Take a few slams.
It'd be pretty cool.
I should probably be making a move.
Will you see me out? Yeah, I'll see you out.
You're the assistant manager, so you've got a full-time job here.
Sometimes I work 16-hour days.
Like today.
I have a family, I have a wife and kids.
- You've got two jobs? - Two jobs.
- You also wrestle and work out.
- Wrestle and work out.
- That can't leave much spare time.
- It doesn't leave a lot of "me" time.
But that's how dedicated I am - and a lot of other people are - in wrestling today.
- All right, man.
See you later.
- Appreciate it.
Thanks a lot.
Back in Westfield, show time was drawing nigh.
So far, I'd liked the wrestlers, but was wondering how I'd react to the impending bloodbath.
Gather round.
We've got a good crowd out there.
They're a popping crowd.
This crowd is hot and they are geared up for it.
- So let's rock 'em.
Give 'em 110%.
- What's the key word? Insane crazy! That's our word for the day, as always.
- What's up, man? - So how, when? Who are those weird-looking guys over there? That's Weirdo Incorporated.
That's their name.
They'll go out when I go out.
They are the bodyguard Jim Bolan's entourage.
What's gonna happen I'm gonna get put through the bed of barbed wire.
I'm gonna super-kick off the apron As Brian gave the final polish to the story lines for the night, I checked in on Jody.
- How are you doing? - Great.
- How are you feeling? - I feel great.
I'm ready to go.
- You sure? - 0h, yes.
Are you going to win or lose this evening? - Win.
- You're gonna win? - It's in the script.
- Big.
Big win.
That's your partner I met, Robbie Evil.
How are you doing, Robbie? Pretty good.
I like how you said that.
I just wanted to say hi.
See you later.
Some of these wrestlers get off on the blood pouring down their face and rolling around in barbed wire.
Are you like that? - Yeah, seriously.
You'll see me later.
- Really? Barbed wire, chair, through a table.
- What about you? Not you.
- I don't like the barbed wire.
Get out.
Why? I've done it and it leaves permanent scars.
That's the only I got a bad scar back here from the barbed wire.
I had almost 30 holes in my back.
If this is a bad time I can come back later.
- It's 0K.
- Are you all right? - Yeah.
- What are you doing exactly? - I'm getting ready for the match.
- Really? - Getting psyched up for it.
- Yeah? Get the adrenaline flowing before.
If I can get it flowing before, when I go out there it'll be even more.
- More intense? - Mm-hm.
There's a lot of kids out there and so As much as I respect your commitment, I wouldn't want you to lose perspective.
- Do you know what I mean? - I think so.
I don't look at wrestling as family entertainment.
- Right.
- I do what I do.
And I'm usually at the end anyway, so if they don't want the kids to see it they can leave early.
- We gotta go, buddy.
Match time.
- All right.
From the dark side, Brian Danzig! That night's story line for Brian's fight Three non-wrestlers - kung-fu fighters from the local "school of hard knocks" - pitted against Brian and two AIWF colleagues - Dangerous Don and Steve Niles.
The wrestling started innocently enough, but I hadn't reckoned on Brian's infamous barbed-wire chair.
Well, the school of hard knocks had won, as planned, but there was so much blood around I wondered if one of the wrestlers was really hurt.
- Are you 0K? - Hell, yeah.
- You sure? - I'm beautiful.
At first I was like, "That's kinda cool" but towards the end, I was like, "That's disgusting.
" Well, that's what you get if you push it a little too far.
How did the bleeding start? - A blade right there.
- Fuck.
- Just the corner there - Shit.
- Did it hurt? - Not now.
- Well, as long as you're not really hurt.
- Right.
People, they're like Other wrestlers will be like, "Why do you go out and half kill yourself?" But I don't.
I don't half kill myself.
I'm fine.
I'm gonna go help tear the ring down and go to the waffle house.
What are you going to have? Ham and egg omelette.
It's Well, of course, egg.
A ham and cheese omelette.
That's what I always get.
You couldn't remember! - Cos you're still on a rush? - Yeah.
- Who is that? - That's Chris.
- He juiced himself.
I saw the gash - Are you 0K, Chris? - I'm fine.
- Are you sure? And had you done that before - juiced yourself? - Yeah.
I've practised a lot.
- Really? That was his first wrestling match ever.
That was amazing.
It was really amazing.
Congratulations.
Yeah.
Did you have fun? - Yeah, I did.
- We're glad you were here.
- I was a little shocked.
- Really? - Yeah.
A little bit shocked.
- You fit in well.
- Did I? - Yeah, you done good.
Well, I should be making a move.
But thank you so much.
It was very nice having you here.
I'd be curious to know, do you have any big events coming up? 0ur show that we call Extreme Content.
We call it that because no titles are on the line.
It's all about grudges.
The guys get in there and just It's the show when they see just how violent they can get.
I don't want to see a lot more blood sports.
Do you know what I mean? - I'm sorry.
- No.
- That's all we do.
- No, no.
He's not going to gash his face open? We hope it won't be too awful bad.
They are going to wrap the ring in barbed wire and wrap their arms in barbed wire.
- It is fairly controlled.
- Yes.
Little razors, you can make gashes Like cutting yourself shaving in a little bit of a way.
So it's not like they're slashing each other's faces open.
No, no.
Believe it or not, the cuts are not that bad.
- But it looks extremely strange.
- It was this guy's first match.
I know.
I talked to him.
He overdid it, apparently.
Did you hear about that? Got overexcited.
He seems happy with it, though.
That's all that matters.
You've got to get to work.
I should shove off.
You do it, yeah.
I've got my stuff.
- You guys have a safe trip.
- Thank you so much.
Yeah.
Food for thought, definitely.
See you later.
Thanks again.
- No problem.
Take care.
- See you.
Though I'd enJoyed the AIWF's company, I left feeling slightly worried about their romance with blood and barbed wire and hoping that nobody would get hurt at Extreme Content.
Meanwhile, the time had come for my try-outs at the WCW's Power Plant school.
I couldn't help wondering if Sarge was still upset about my questions from the week before.
I can't hear you! - Why are they chanting? - Morals.
Get the zap up.
See.
"Pain is temporary, pride is forever.
" We got pride in what we're doing.
- Are you one of the trainers as well? - I certainly am.
- Pistol Pez Whatley.
- Louis.
Louis Theroux.
- Nice to meet you, Louis Theroux.
- Pistol Louis Theroux.
You know why they call me Pistol, don't you? - No.
- This is why they call me Pistol.
- If I can do that - 0w! Don't do that.
That hurts.
That's right.
They call me Pistol because I can break you up.
Don't.
That's gonna hurt.
- I'm delicate.
I'm very delicate indeed.
- I won't hurt you.
It's hurting.
Aagh! Aagh! - Does that bother you? - Yes.
We've got a lot of little things to be able to give you a little extra Am I right in thinking people pay to attend this? - 0h, yes.
- How much do they pay? They got different We've got a $250 trial fee for three days.
Then, if they are able, there's a $3,000 fee set with the school which, I guess, is to pay for the 0h, yeah.
$3,000.
And that's chump change.
We're going to work on an interview here.
As a taster, Pistol gave me the wrestling name Waldo and invited me to sit in on a lesson in media technique with two other Power Plant trainees - Awesome Angry Alan and Hardbody Harrison.
The most important thing - subject matter, time, date and your opponent.
What happened was that he interfered in your business last week Now, this week you're gonna teach him about interfering in your business.
And we're gonna time you.
This means 30 seconds remaining.
- This is ten.
- 15.
15.
And then five, four, three, two, one.
Next Saturday night, April 24th, Georgia Dome.
Hardbody Harrison, last week in Florida you interfered in my business.
I had Prince laukea one, two, three in the ring.
Hardbody Harrison, you gave me a cheat shot.
Now I'm tired of you, son.
I'm gonna take you next Saturday.
The 24th of April this month.
When I meet you face-to-face, Hardbody, you better be scared, punk! I'm gonna rip your teeth out and I'm gonna knock your head off! I'm tired of you, Hardbody Harrison! You think you're gonna hit me in the back of the head, it's not gonna happen, boy! I'm gonna rip your head off! I thought it was on your hand.
It was close though.
He was close.
We narrowed it down to four seconds.
What happens is that you blow your wad in that 30 seconds.
You got a good story to tell.
It's just a minute interview.
Goodness gracious, if we had a minute and a half we'd really be straining, wouldn't we? - You ready? - Yeah, I'm ready.
0K.
And you are rolling.
Angry Awesome Alan, you came out here accusing me of interfering in your match last week down in Florida against Prince laukea.
Let me explain how it went down.
You just weren't good enough to cut the mustard, kid.
Let me tell you something.
At the Georgia Dome, on 24th April, I'm gonna take you down.
Not only am I gonna get a clean one, two, three, but I tell you exactly what gonna happen.
This what gonna happen.
I'm gonna blow you out and that's all that gonna be said.
You got 30 seconds remaining so you still gotta 0K, listen.
See, what happens is after you think of one thing to say about the guy, then you ain't got nothing else.
You recapped a little story about Yeah, you thought that I interfered in your match.
You had it good when you said, you just couldn't handle Prince laukea on that night.
You wasn't the man that you needed to be that night.
But when you come down to the Georgia Dome - that's right, I said the Georgia Dome - on the 24th, I'm gonna show you something that Prince laukea didn't show you.
I'm gonna take one of these neck bones here and this chitterling bean here and stuff it down your neck.
I'm gonna tell you, Awesome Alan, you won't think that you is mad, you is crazy, you ain't seen nothing yet! You wait till you get to me! You wait till Hardbody comes down there and string you out at the Georgia Dome! Sucker! You do it.
Whoo! - It's like telling a story, isn't it? - Exactly.
In our business, we were taught you get yourself into physical shape, you learn your craft in the ring and you learn how to do that because it's television.
Are you ready? Go.
Waldo's the name, London, England's the place of origin.
A new face on the block.
I'm gonna wrestle Pistol Pez Whatley - the one and only, the legendary.
Am I excited? Am I honoured? You better believe it.
Is he going down? I hope so.
He's good but he's been in the business a long time and it's time for a new face to take over.
Is it me? I hope so.
I'm gonna throw every move I know.
I've been practising.
I've been trying really hard.
I'm gonna get in the ring.
His time is over.
Maybe now it's time for a new face on the block.
Me, Waldo, the one and only, at the Georgia Dome this Saturday.
Tune in.
Pistol Pez Whatley, the legend - with the utmost respect - I'm afraid to tell you that I think you are going down.
He good with words already.
That's excellent.
- Ready? - Ready! - Ready? - Ready! So far, so good.
Time to Join the work-out.
By now I knew how sensitive wrestlers are about being taken seriously.
So, as a token of respect, I decided to push myself as far as I could.
Where's Waldo? - Waldo.
- Everybody down! Give him some room! - Get your ass out here.
- What? - Get your ass in the middle.
- Man in the middle.
Down Get up.
Down.
And up! - Back! - 0n your back.
- Shake it up.
I said back.
- 0h, sorry.
Belly! - Down! - Eight.
- Down! - Nine.
- Down! - Ten.
You're only about 400 squats behind.
Get up! 49, 50 - Down! - 11.
- Down! - 12.
- Down! - 13 just.
Push it, push it, push it! Push it, push it.
Get up! Get up there.
We've been doing this since 10 o'clock.
Where was you? - It's hurting my back.
- I was here yesterday doing this, I was here today doing it and I will be here tomorrow.
- Get up there.
- It's killing my back.
I don't care.
Get up.
Count out loud.
Push him, guys.
More! Come on, more! - Come on! - Come on! Don't stop! - You ain't quitting on us! - It's over! It's not over! Get your butt down there! I'd been trying my best - I Just couldn't keep up.
But dropping out wasn't an option.
Shut up! Everybody back! It seems Sarge was fuming over my questions at the Monday Nitro event.
Bend your arms! Move your legs! And say, "Sir, I'm a dying cockroach, sir.
" Sir, I'm a dying cockroach, sir.
These guys go through it every damn day and you got the nerve to ask me that bullshit down at Nitro.
What the hell? You don't think we're not athletes? Hell, we're the best athletes in the world.
We do this 365 days a fucking year.
- Finish them.
- I'm a dying cockroach.
I don't care.
You see that foot? It's gonna squash you.
- Come on.
- 17, 18 - 19, 20 - All right! - I'm a dying cockroach.
- Don't stop! - What did you say to me? - That I'm a cockroach.
- Why? - Because I haven't got the will to win.
Get your ass up.
In the ring! Arrrrr! Come on! Come on! Where the hell do you think you're going? You're watching everybody else.
I don't give a shit.
You're not sitting watching nothing.
No way.
- Get your ass in the ring.
- Seriously You get your ass back in the ring.
Everybody stand up.
You see how ridiculous the questions you're asking are? - Yes, I do, yes.
- Did you see I am the Sarge? - Yes.
- Speak up.
Say, "Sir, yes, sir"! Sir, yes, sir! Do you have any questions about our business that you want to know? Look at these guys.
They started at ten o'clock.
Now you see why this is the toughest sport in the fucking world.
Bar none.
And they gotta put up with my short, irritable ass every fucking day.
- Three lines.
- Whoo! I gotta take a break.
I give up.
You're not gonna give up.
You're not gonna give up.
- I can't do any more.
- Giving up is not an option here.
- Show some heart! - Get down.
- Come on.
- I'm gonna throw up.
Throw up, I don't care.
I got a bucket right here.
You sit your ass on that bucket.
Turn and face the wall.
You look at that wall and don't bring your head round.
0K.
Up and holding on! Get the rope.
You can make it through.
He's taking you to places you never thought you could go.
That's the key.
Just do it, you'll be all right.
Nothing's gonna happen to you.
Let's go.
Out of the corner.
Come on.
Come on, guys.
Push yourselves.
Push yourselves.
Be somebody.
- Where are you going? - He's gonna puke.
Waldo! Waldo! Waldo! - Come on.
Come over and watch.
- He can't do it.
Puke! That ain't nothing.
You ain't done nothing.
Blow chunks! Puke! Let's go.
I wasn't sure what I'd experienced, I was Just glad it was over.
Thanks.
That was really educational.
- Thank you.
- Really interesting.
- Am I going to ache tomorrow? - You'll ache some.
Sarge seemed a bit angry with me, do you think? He wanted you to be able - you, personally, to know - that when you went back across the pond and you talked to other people, you would have a different tone of respect for the business that you saw.
Actually, I thought that you showed a lot more respect to us by going out there when you knew yourself that you weren't able to be You wanted to see how far you could go and I thought that was complimentary.
Thank you very much.
That's how it was intended.
- Thanks a lot.
- That's what I thought.
Yeah, that was Thank you.
That was how it was meant.
0w! - See you later.
Good one.
- Bye-bye.
Achy and slightly shaken, I was taking my leave of the Power Plant.
More than anything, I'd been surprised at how undervalued wrestlers like Sarge seemed to feel as athletes and how far they'd go to prove their point.
Time for goodbyes to Brian and Dean.
I was hoping they were still in one piece following their latest AIWF gore-fest.
Hey.
Hello, hello.
How's it going? Good to see you, Brian, Dean.
- How's everything going? - Not too bad.
I just got back from the Power Plant.
- Really? - Yeah.
- How was that? - It was awful.
- Awful? - Yeah, it was really bad.
- They didn't beat you up or anything? - They didn't beat me up, but they They thought I was disrespecting them because I asked about how there was a planned element - a story lines element.
They thought I was saying they weren't athletes.
So they trained me really hard and they wouldn't let me stop until I threw up.
That's how they treat their normal trainees.
- Really? - Yeah.
They want to see if you have the heart to make it.
That's the way they do it down there.
So what have you been up to? Barbed Wire Death Match when we had the ring wrapped in barbed wire and Brian and Tony had barbed wire wrapped from their elbows to their all the way around their fists.
- He's got some on his arms.
- Yeah.
Terminator X is the one we're concerned with.
He got ripped open on the face.
- Seriously? - Yeah.
I was freaking out.
I mean, I thought he was just shredded.
He had a gash probably this long and about that wide down the side of his cheek and then another one on his neck.
So he got messed up pretty bad.
Had to take him and get stitches.
I haven't heard exactly how many stitches it took yet.
He was messed up pretty bad.
These things happen, you know, and Tony understands that.
Is that just one of the hazards of doing what you do, then, basically? Does that make you pause and think, "Maybe we should reassess"? - I done that for the first time last night.
- Really? For a minute, I was like, "We went too far this time.
" But then I heard Tony going, "Why can't I go back out and do more?" He was like, "Man, I messed it up.
" Come on.
I said, "You're standing with your face ripped half open.
"Let's just calm down.
Don't worry about the match, let's worry about you.
" I think one of the things that made it a little crazier is we bought a whole spool of new barbed wire last night And this was my fault, Brian.
I got the barbed wire.
- I got it with the barbs too long.
- Did you? This is the sharpest barbed wire I've ever worked in.
Are you going to not use that wire again? Goodness, we've got a whole spool.
We'll use it again.
We'll just use it in moderation.
We won't wrap people's arms in it.
We may staple it to a big board and use it as a bed of barbed wire.
Something we can control.
Don't you think it's a matter of time before someone? Maybe you should think about ways to minimise the accidents.
Well, that's why we're re-evaluating.
Like Brian said, what happened could be considered a freak accident.
Brian came out of it fine.
I look at it like this.
0K.
There's been guys who have had their neck broken from a clothes line or a body slam.
Thinking that blading's weird, I think if you look at it as a whole - beating each other up like that, you know in not even real competition, just for show - it is weird, but, I mean, it's something I like to do.
Thanks a lot.
See you around.
Look after yourself.
Good to see you, Brian.
Don't do anything too weird.
- All right.
- You know? Not for me anyway.
23, 24, 25 26, 27 - What have you been up to? - Me and my partner are now tag champs.
- How does that feel? - Great 37, 38 If you've never carried a belt, you're still a loser.
Those belts are like status quo.
45, 46 Give it.
Go.
Give it.
Yeah.
Again.
Don't get any harder, though.
He was hitting me that hard.
I mean - Careful.
- I can hit - Mm-mm.
- Yeah.
Mm.
0oh! Mm.
I think I'm breaking it.
Yeah.
Yeah.
0h, yeah.
That was almost like a real one.
How's it going? Louis.
- BBC2? For what? - BBC2 for - I know what BBC2 is.
For what? For a documentary series on American sub-cultures.
- What sub-culture? - Wrestling.
- You're filming wrestling sub-culture? - Yeah, we are.
- Do you know who I am? - Um You're filming a documentary on wrestling and you have no idea who I am? We've only just started.
Didn't you do a little research before you started? No.
I was travelling through the American South, on a mission to find out about the most popular sport in America - which isn't really a sport.
I'm gonna kick the crap out of Scott Steiner.
Professional wrestling.
My first stop - the mega-bucks, high-end wrestling of the WCW here in Gainesville, Florida, where its touring show had Just touched down.
- Are you Alan Sharp? - I am.
- How are you doing? - Good.
- I'm Louis.
How's it going? - Louis.
- Welcome to World Championship Wrestling.
- Thank you! - You ready to take a look? - Yeah.
Can we? - This is where it's all gonna happen tonight.
- So this is it.
For the hottest show on Monday nights in America.
What is going on here exactly? We're in the preliminary stage of the setting up of a wrestling event? You bet.
But it's not just a wrestling event.
You need to think about this as rock 'n' roll with muscles.
You need to think about this as Melrose Place in spandex.
You know? - Seriously? - 0h, yeah.
We are drama.
Are there any wrestlers we could meet right now? - Right now? - Can we go backstage at all? Let me see if Roddy - What if you catch them at a bad time? - I don't want to find out.
First doorway there.
We're making a documentary for BBC2 in Britain about wrestling - Louis - Bad time? The Man Macho is busy.
He got no time to talk to you.
- He didn't want to talk.
- No.
He didn't want to talk.
Here, Louis.
- Rowdy Roddy Piper.
- Pleased to meet you.
Louis.
- Louis Theroux.
- Louis LaRue.
Theroux.
You can call me LaRue if you want, though, you being a wrestler.
- How's it going? - Good.
Real good.
I just came in the building and you shone a camera in my face.
I'm gonna fight some giant with hair coming out of his nose and green teeth tonight.
I'm 232lbs and he's gonna be seven foot two and 400lbs.
How am I doing? I'm doing terrible.
You're not your classic beefed-up guy.
You're a muscly guy but you're not super-duper muscly.
How does that work as a wrestler? - I've killed men for less than that.
- 0h, no.
May I ask how old you are now? - April 17th, I turn 45.
- Wow.
And they still can't beat me.
All right? So you should have caught my act when I was 29.
- Yeah.
- Wow.
That's fantastic.
- I would have made love to you! - Steady on.
You've been in the game for a while, can you run through a list of your injuries? Sure.
Right rotator cuff was torn in half, neck's busted in two places, right hip is titanium, this wrist here Get a good shot of that wrist.
That's been broken for seven years.
They want to screw-fuse it.
But I play the bagpipes - I came fifth in the world playing the bagpipes - and if they fuse it will disturb my bagpipe playing.
Is your bagpipe in there? Can we look in there? It's all my sexual detachments in there.
That would be exciting.
Here we go, folks.
Simple as this.
Underneath here you've got the kilt.
There's my boots, my sporran, my brush.
There's my toothbrush and all that kind of stuff.
My T-shirt, my towel's in my hand, here's my water.
That's it.
That's all I need.
Wrestling trunks, boots It's like a briefcase for a day in the office except you're going in the ring.
Listen, I gotta take a pee.
Goodbye.
Thank you very much.
Seriously, thank you.
- Have you got a second for an interview? - Sure.
Do you know about this evening? Who are you going to wrestle? I'm just starting tonight, so you've got a new character here.
This is your first night wrestling? I don't understand.
I used to be Alex Wright, WCW, and I used to dance techno.
But the American people are not familiar with techno, so I changed just to be a bad, mean guy.
I came up with my new look.
- So you're debuting a new persona? - Yes.
And is it a new name? What are you called now? Like I said before, I was Alex Wright.
Now I'm Alexander Wright.
Let's look at you because you're rocking a whole different look.
- This isn't my wrestling gear.
- No? In the ring, what will you be wearing? I have a leather jacket on - a long one, no sleeves high boots.
0f course, the glasses and the stick and "Achtung, achtung.
Here is Alexander Wright.
" - Excellent.
- Thank you very much.
- Das ist gut, ja? - Thank you, Alex.
Goldberg? - Goldberg, sir? How are you doing? - Fine, sir.
- Have you got one second? - I've got one second.
My name's Louis Theroux.
I'm from BBC2.
I'm making a documentary on what it takes to make it as a wrestler and I understand you're basically the top wrestler in the country.
- Thank you.
- Say I wanted to be a wrestler for WCW.
How would I go about it? - First you'd have to gain a lot of weight.
- Really? And then is there a school? Yeah.
The school's in Atlanta.
It's called the Power Plant.
Really? Power Plant.
There's someone I want you to meet.
This is Sarge.
- I'm Louis.
How's it going, Sarge? - It's going all right.
So how do you fit into the WCW? I'm the trainer at the Power Plant.
I train guys.
I've worked with guys like Bill Goldberg, Dallas Page, Kevin Nash, High Voltage, Wrath.
You must have seen a lot of people come and go.
Do I have what it takes? There's many ways I could tell you.
I mean, you could be the biggest muscle-head guy in the world, but that ain't what it takes.
You gotta have brains.
You gotta know where the cameras are - - you're playing to millions at home.
- Yeah.
This is a thinking man's game.
Gordon Solie used to say it's a human game of chess and that's true.
Would it be 0K if I came along to the Power Plant - to see how you qualify for the WCW? - Sure.
You're more than welcome.
I'll be glad to put you through the paces.
Sarge, thank you, it's been a real education.
- When will you be at the Power Plant? - Soon.
It was nearly show time.
My very first professional wrestling event.
It was the WCW's weekly televised special - Monday Nitro - with five million fans watching every week.
Pretty quickly it became clear it wasn't totally real - at least not in the Olympic sense.
At one point, my friend Rowdy Roddy Piper helped a seemingly inJured wrestler to an ambulance, which was then revealed to be bound for a mental hospital.
But amidst the melodrama, the athletic prowess of the wrestlers was undeniable.
In the end, what most intrigued me was the soap opera in spandex part and how exactly the fights were choreographed.
I thought Sarge would be the perfect person to shed some light.
- How's it going? - Busy.
We gotta get the truck loaded.
- Was that a good show? - Basically, overall, it was a good show.
0ne thing I don't totally understand is to what extent they know what's going to happen when they come out.
- Do you know what I mean? - No.
I understand there's an enormous amount of athletic and acrobatic ability and tremendous strength, but as far as what goes on in the ring itself - Yeah.
- How does that work? I don't have any idea.
Listen, guys.
I am real busy.
0h, 0K.
Shall we catch up? Get together with Alan Shaw.
- I've got to take care of my business.
- 0K.
See you later.
Sarge seemed slightly miffed at my question, but I was sure we could sort it out during my try-out at the Power Plant.
Awaiting my date with Sarge, a lead took me to North Carolina and a wrestling troupe called the AIWF who also had their own TV show.
Hey, look at that! Brian, we are back right here, live on the air.
Dean Puckett, the guy on the right, had offered to talk openly about how his fights were organised.
And, as an added incentive, he told me that the AIWF was the most extreme wrestling federation in America.
- Hey.
Are you Dean? - That's me.
- I'm Louis.
How are you doing? - I'm doing great.
So AIWF, that's your wrestling organisation? - Yes.
- What does that stand for? The American Independent Wrestling Federation.
- So you are the promoter, owner? - Uh-huh.
And wrestler.
We keep everything on here from speakers to concession stand, photos We travel round North Carolina, Virginia.
- Like a rock band.
- Yeah.
We're kinda like a - Scooby Doo? a really violent rock band! My first stop with Dean - a live radio promotional for the AIWF.
This is cool.
- So Dean's going on as Rick Diesel? - Yes.
The wrestling fans know me as Rick.
- So we're not allowed to call you Dean? - Yeah.
1300 WSYD and we are on the air right now with professional wrestler Rick Diesel.
We're here to promote a show in Westfield, North Carolina tonight.
This is Louis.
I want to introduce you to Louis.
I should get close to the mic.
How are you doing, Debbie? It's nice to meet you.
How did you get hooked up with Rick Diesel? Um We were looking for a community of wrestlers.
People who didn't just do it as a job, but people who lived it.
So we found out about the AIWF.
So do you only, then, Louis, investigate or do shows on the bizarre and the strange? - Excuse me?! - Basically I like meeting weirdos.
No.
- 0K.
- This is awesome.
- Have you seen the AIWF wrestle? - Yes, I have.
These guys do a great job.
Rick is quite a showman.
If you've seen any of his TV shows, he's very vocal And he puts on a show.
It's changed a lot back when you seen us.
- We didn't use fire and barbed wire - You use fire? Fire, barbed wire, thumbtacks, glass doors.
It sounds a little bit dangerous.
That's our claim to fame now.
The most hardcore, extreme wrestling federation anywhere.
You do a lot for shock value? Is that where you're going? It's so extreme that people will have blood coursing down their faces and their hair will be on fire as they run round the ring.
- Yeah! - Is any of that true? It has been true in the past.
Literally, it has been true.
A wrestler did get his hair caught on fire one time.
Yeah.
Westfield, Saturday.
Show time? Eight o'clock.
Bell time 8pm.
- You going to come, Debbie? - I've got to check my schedule.
- I'm so busy.
- Yeah! Thank you so much, guys.
It's been enjoyable.
Probably the highlight of my radio career, this morning.
Hello.
This is Prince Charles from Britain.
I always listen to Debbie Cochrane on 1300 WSYD.
- I appreciate you making the liners.
- How about this? Hi, this is Elton John and I always listen to Debbie Cochrane on 1300 WSYD.
- That's perfect.
Thank you so much.
- My pleasure.
My day with the AIWF had barely begun and I was rather enJoying it.
Next up, building the ring at the Westfield School gym.
0ops! Louis? I'd like to introduce you to someone.
- This is Brian Danzig.
- How are you doing? I'm Louis.
He's my number two man.
He helps a lot with the creative end of the When you say "creative", how do you mean exactly? - Story lines.
- Where do story lines come in exactly? Well, story lines is kind of like a It's like I've always said, professional wrestling is like a soap opera - for men.
And just like a soap opera has a story line of where everything's going, a story line is what we use so the fans can follow it to see what's going to happen the next week, what's going to happen when we build up to the big matches.
That's basically the story line.
So you know pretty much in advance who's going to win, basically? Yeah.
It's entertainment.
It's entertainment.
Which isn't to say that it's not athletic because there is a huge physical dimension, right? A lot people think wrestling's fake because of the story lines.
They say, "These guys know who's gonna win, who's gonna do this, so it's fake".
But that's not That may be one side of it, but this is not fake.
- Yeah.
What is that? - This is barbed wire.
And this right here is not fake.
Tell me how you got this exactly.
It looks like quite a lot of scars.
Some of it's from the barbed wire.
Some of it's blading.
Cut off a piece of a razor blade, put it in your forehead, put a little cut quite a bit of blood.
- He's very unique.
- Yeah.
He's a special person.
- I'm special.
- He's special.
I don't see nothing wrong with me.
I'm sure there is, but Yeah.
I dig it, though.
Yeah.
As long as you dig it.
Listen, I don't want to slow things down, so can I help at all? Mnnnhhh! Would you like one day to wrestle for the WCW, for one of the really big ones? No.
I wouldn't have as much control.
They would be his monster.
He wouldn't be his own monster.
Yeah.
I'd be a "made for TV" monster.
What do you do as your day job? I pair socks.
What I do Like that.
Check to make sure there's no holes.
I'll be listening to headphones and thinking about wrestling.
And if you're bored five days a week like that, then you can really let it all out on a Saturday night.
- Is it 0K to do that? - Yeah.
It's not so bad.
So what's the drill for this afternoon? We've got a new guy over here.
We're going to start working with him, work out some bumps.
Steve, the new guy, was about to take his very first lesson.
He's getting in.
- How are you feeling, Steve? - 0K.
- Yeah.
A little nervous? - No, not really.
Feet shoulder-width apart, knees bent and you want to push yourself down.
It's like this.
When's he gonna be ready for a four-point bump? - Whenever.
- What's a four-point bump? - Grab a leg.
Ready? - 0h, no.
0ne, two, three You all right? Catch your breath.
Catch your breath.
- That looked like it hurt.
- You get used to it.
You get used to it.
You ready? You ready for your turn? I'll teach you how to take bumps.
I wouldn't mind running back and forth and bouncing against the ropes.
So you want to lean back into them and they'll throw you back.
0K.
Let's try that.
0oh! You might wanna take a little less steps.
- Fewer steps? - Yeah.
You should be able to clear it in three.
Every time he does it he's getting better.
Would anyone pay to see that? While the group continued practising, Dean sent me to see one of his star wrestlers - Jody Rushbrook.
- I'm looking for Jody.
- That'll be me.
- How are you doing? - Fine.
- I'm Louis.
- Nice to meet you.
- Have you got a moment? - Yeah.
Dean basically sent me over.
He said you're one of his guys.
Right.
I'm one of the AIWF's finest.
- And who's your character? - Major Havoc.
Do you have to work yourself up to get into the character? Yeah.
Well, it's adrenaline.
When you're in the back, if you love the sport If you're in the back and you're putting your tights and your boots on, you're getting ready.
You can't help but have butterflies in your stomach.
Adrenaline levels go up and by the time you pop through that curtain you're just - What is that? - That's just getting ready.
- Nnnghh! - A lot of wrestlers do that.
Really? Nnnghh! Do you really do that? Yeah, I'll get in the ring and I'll - You know, get up in their face.
- That's excellent.
And I do this really wild laugh.
- It's pretty loud.
- We can take it.
Do it again.
Is there anything that we could do together right now for you to give me a flavour of what you go through to prepare for wrestling? 0oh! Again.
- 0h! - Yeah? 0oh! 0K, that's enough.
We slam harder than that, but you can get a feel that that hurts.
And you're taking it in the head like that.
A guy comes over, he Bang.
You see? And that does leave a red mark, by the way.
- I mean, that's the kind of thing - Be careful.
I'm fine.
I'm not going to hurt myself.
I'm not going to hurt myself.
I know my limits.
But, yeah, it makes a red mark and it hurts.
That sort of thing.
- Try it.
- Yeah.
That hurts.
I can take lots of little ones.
- Why would you even want to do that? - Well, it's all part of the show.
Wrestling as a whole has tended to get more violent.
As times get more violent, wrestling gets more violent.
Fans want to see more chairs involved.
- Chairs? - Tables, chairs, yeah.
We use chairs to hit each other in the head, across the back.
In the stomach All that stuff.
And you're really getting hit.
It hurts.
So do you just come down here and hit yourself with things? No, I don't.
No.
I save that for Saturday.
You can do lots of things.
I get up here and do pull-ups.
Deep stuff Lift 'em up God! So what's the dream scenario for you? I'd seriously like to move in to the WCW.
WCW? That's down at Atlanta.
I'm hoping to get involved, but I don't think To be honest, it's more as a way of discovering about the story.
I don't really consider myself physical enough to wrestle properly.
I mean, we'd be honoured if you'd come and try it.
Take a few slams.
It'd be pretty cool.
I should probably be making a move.
Will you see me out? Yeah, I'll see you out.
You're the assistant manager, so you've got a full-time job here.
Sometimes I work 16-hour days.
Like today.
I have a family, I have a wife and kids.
- You've got two jobs? - Two jobs.
- You also wrestle and work out.
- Wrestle and work out.
- That can't leave much spare time.
- It doesn't leave a lot of "me" time.
But that's how dedicated I am - and a lot of other people are - in wrestling today.
- All right, man.
See you later.
- Appreciate it.
Thanks a lot.
Back in Westfield, show time was drawing nigh.
So far, I'd liked the wrestlers, but was wondering how I'd react to the impending bloodbath.
Gather round.
We've got a good crowd out there.
They're a popping crowd.
This crowd is hot and they are geared up for it.
- So let's rock 'em.
Give 'em 110%.
- What's the key word? Insane crazy! That's our word for the day, as always.
- What's up, man? - So how, when? Who are those weird-looking guys over there? That's Weirdo Incorporated.
That's their name.
They'll go out when I go out.
They are the bodyguard Jim Bolan's entourage.
What's gonna happen I'm gonna get put through the bed of barbed wire.
I'm gonna super-kick off the apron As Brian gave the final polish to the story lines for the night, I checked in on Jody.
- How are you doing? - Great.
- How are you feeling? - I feel great.
I'm ready to go.
- You sure? - 0h, yes.
Are you going to win or lose this evening? - Win.
- You're gonna win? - It's in the script.
- Big.
Big win.
That's your partner I met, Robbie Evil.
How are you doing, Robbie? Pretty good.
I like how you said that.
I just wanted to say hi.
See you later.
Some of these wrestlers get off on the blood pouring down their face and rolling around in barbed wire.
Are you like that? - Yeah, seriously.
You'll see me later.
- Really? Barbed wire, chair, through a table.
- What about you? Not you.
- I don't like the barbed wire.
Get out.
Why? I've done it and it leaves permanent scars.
That's the only I got a bad scar back here from the barbed wire.
I had almost 30 holes in my back.
If this is a bad time I can come back later.
- It's 0K.
- Are you all right? - Yeah.
- What are you doing exactly? - I'm getting ready for the match.
- Really? - Getting psyched up for it.
- Yeah? Get the adrenaline flowing before.
If I can get it flowing before, when I go out there it'll be even more.
- More intense? - Mm-hm.
There's a lot of kids out there and so As much as I respect your commitment, I wouldn't want you to lose perspective.
- Do you know what I mean? - I think so.
I don't look at wrestling as family entertainment.
- Right.
- I do what I do.
And I'm usually at the end anyway, so if they don't want the kids to see it they can leave early.
- We gotta go, buddy.
Match time.
- All right.
From the dark side, Brian Danzig! That night's story line for Brian's fight Three non-wrestlers - kung-fu fighters from the local "school of hard knocks" - pitted against Brian and two AIWF colleagues - Dangerous Don and Steve Niles.
The wrestling started innocently enough, but I hadn't reckoned on Brian's infamous barbed-wire chair.
Well, the school of hard knocks had won, as planned, but there was so much blood around I wondered if one of the wrestlers was really hurt.
- Are you 0K? - Hell, yeah.
- You sure? - I'm beautiful.
At first I was like, "That's kinda cool" but towards the end, I was like, "That's disgusting.
" Well, that's what you get if you push it a little too far.
How did the bleeding start? - A blade right there.
- Fuck.
- Just the corner there - Shit.
- Did it hurt? - Not now.
- Well, as long as you're not really hurt.
- Right.
People, they're like Other wrestlers will be like, "Why do you go out and half kill yourself?" But I don't.
I don't half kill myself.
I'm fine.
I'm gonna go help tear the ring down and go to the waffle house.
What are you going to have? Ham and egg omelette.
It's Well, of course, egg.
A ham and cheese omelette.
That's what I always get.
You couldn't remember! - Cos you're still on a rush? - Yeah.
- Who is that? - That's Chris.
- He juiced himself.
I saw the gash - Are you 0K, Chris? - I'm fine.
- Are you sure? And had you done that before - juiced yourself? - Yeah.
I've practised a lot.
- Really? That was his first wrestling match ever.
That was amazing.
It was really amazing.
Congratulations.
Yeah.
Did you have fun? - Yeah, I did.
- We're glad you were here.
- I was a little shocked.
- Really? - Yeah.
A little bit shocked.
- You fit in well.
- Did I? - Yeah, you done good.
Well, I should be making a move.
But thank you so much.
It was very nice having you here.
I'd be curious to know, do you have any big events coming up? 0ur show that we call Extreme Content.
We call it that because no titles are on the line.
It's all about grudges.
The guys get in there and just It's the show when they see just how violent they can get.
I don't want to see a lot more blood sports.
Do you know what I mean? - I'm sorry.
- No.
- That's all we do.
- No, no.
He's not going to gash his face open? We hope it won't be too awful bad.
They are going to wrap the ring in barbed wire and wrap their arms in barbed wire.
- It is fairly controlled.
- Yes.
Little razors, you can make gashes Like cutting yourself shaving in a little bit of a way.
So it's not like they're slashing each other's faces open.
No, no.
Believe it or not, the cuts are not that bad.
- But it looks extremely strange.
- It was this guy's first match.
I know.
I talked to him.
He overdid it, apparently.
Did you hear about that? Got overexcited.
He seems happy with it, though.
That's all that matters.
You've got to get to work.
I should shove off.
You do it, yeah.
I've got my stuff.
- You guys have a safe trip.
- Thank you so much.
Yeah.
Food for thought, definitely.
See you later.
Thanks again.
- No problem.
Take care.
- See you.
Though I'd enJoyed the AIWF's company, I left feeling slightly worried about their romance with blood and barbed wire and hoping that nobody would get hurt at Extreme Content.
Meanwhile, the time had come for my try-outs at the WCW's Power Plant school.
I couldn't help wondering if Sarge was still upset about my questions from the week before.
I can't hear you! - Why are they chanting? - Morals.
Get the zap up.
See.
"Pain is temporary, pride is forever.
" We got pride in what we're doing.
- Are you one of the trainers as well? - I certainly am.
- Pistol Pez Whatley.
- Louis.
Louis Theroux.
- Nice to meet you, Louis Theroux.
- Pistol Louis Theroux.
You know why they call me Pistol, don't you? - No.
- This is why they call me Pistol.
- If I can do that - 0w! Don't do that.
That hurts.
That's right.
They call me Pistol because I can break you up.
Don't.
That's gonna hurt.
- I'm delicate.
I'm very delicate indeed.
- I won't hurt you.
It's hurting.
Aagh! Aagh! - Does that bother you? - Yes.
We've got a lot of little things to be able to give you a little extra Am I right in thinking people pay to attend this? - 0h, yes.
- How much do they pay? They got different We've got a $250 trial fee for three days.
Then, if they are able, there's a $3,000 fee set with the school which, I guess, is to pay for the 0h, yeah.
$3,000.
And that's chump change.
We're going to work on an interview here.
As a taster, Pistol gave me the wrestling name Waldo and invited me to sit in on a lesson in media technique with two other Power Plant trainees - Awesome Angry Alan and Hardbody Harrison.
The most important thing - subject matter, time, date and your opponent.
What happened was that he interfered in your business last week Now, this week you're gonna teach him about interfering in your business.
And we're gonna time you.
This means 30 seconds remaining.
- This is ten.
- 15.
15.
And then five, four, three, two, one.
Next Saturday night, April 24th, Georgia Dome.
Hardbody Harrison, last week in Florida you interfered in my business.
I had Prince laukea one, two, three in the ring.
Hardbody Harrison, you gave me a cheat shot.
Now I'm tired of you, son.
I'm gonna take you next Saturday.
The 24th of April this month.
When I meet you face-to-face, Hardbody, you better be scared, punk! I'm gonna rip your teeth out and I'm gonna knock your head off! I'm tired of you, Hardbody Harrison! You think you're gonna hit me in the back of the head, it's not gonna happen, boy! I'm gonna rip your head off! I thought it was on your hand.
It was close though.
He was close.
We narrowed it down to four seconds.
What happens is that you blow your wad in that 30 seconds.
You got a good story to tell.
It's just a minute interview.
Goodness gracious, if we had a minute and a half we'd really be straining, wouldn't we? - You ready? - Yeah, I'm ready.
0K.
And you are rolling.
Angry Awesome Alan, you came out here accusing me of interfering in your match last week down in Florida against Prince laukea.
Let me explain how it went down.
You just weren't good enough to cut the mustard, kid.
Let me tell you something.
At the Georgia Dome, on 24th April, I'm gonna take you down.
Not only am I gonna get a clean one, two, three, but I tell you exactly what gonna happen.
This what gonna happen.
I'm gonna blow you out and that's all that gonna be said.
You got 30 seconds remaining so you still gotta 0K, listen.
See, what happens is after you think of one thing to say about the guy, then you ain't got nothing else.
You recapped a little story about Yeah, you thought that I interfered in your match.
You had it good when you said, you just couldn't handle Prince laukea on that night.
You wasn't the man that you needed to be that night.
But when you come down to the Georgia Dome - that's right, I said the Georgia Dome - on the 24th, I'm gonna show you something that Prince laukea didn't show you.
I'm gonna take one of these neck bones here and this chitterling bean here and stuff it down your neck.
I'm gonna tell you, Awesome Alan, you won't think that you is mad, you is crazy, you ain't seen nothing yet! You wait till you get to me! You wait till Hardbody comes down there and string you out at the Georgia Dome! Sucker! You do it.
Whoo! - It's like telling a story, isn't it? - Exactly.
In our business, we were taught you get yourself into physical shape, you learn your craft in the ring and you learn how to do that because it's television.
Are you ready? Go.
Waldo's the name, London, England's the place of origin.
A new face on the block.
I'm gonna wrestle Pistol Pez Whatley - the one and only, the legendary.
Am I excited? Am I honoured? You better believe it.
Is he going down? I hope so.
He's good but he's been in the business a long time and it's time for a new face to take over.
Is it me? I hope so.
I'm gonna throw every move I know.
I've been practising.
I've been trying really hard.
I'm gonna get in the ring.
His time is over.
Maybe now it's time for a new face on the block.
Me, Waldo, the one and only, at the Georgia Dome this Saturday.
Tune in.
Pistol Pez Whatley, the legend - with the utmost respect - I'm afraid to tell you that I think you are going down.
He good with words already.
That's excellent.
- Ready? - Ready! - Ready? - Ready! So far, so good.
Time to Join the work-out.
By now I knew how sensitive wrestlers are about being taken seriously.
So, as a token of respect, I decided to push myself as far as I could.
Where's Waldo? - Waldo.
- Everybody down! Give him some room! - Get your ass out here.
- What? - Get your ass in the middle.
- Man in the middle.
Down Get up.
Down.
And up! - Back! - 0n your back.
- Shake it up.
I said back.
- 0h, sorry.
Belly! - Down! - Eight.
- Down! - Nine.
- Down! - Ten.
You're only about 400 squats behind.
Get up! 49, 50 - Down! - 11.
- Down! - 12.
- Down! - 13 just.
Push it, push it, push it! Push it, push it.
Get up! Get up there.
We've been doing this since 10 o'clock.
Where was you? - It's hurting my back.
- I was here yesterday doing this, I was here today doing it and I will be here tomorrow.
- Get up there.
- It's killing my back.
I don't care.
Get up.
Count out loud.
Push him, guys.
More! Come on, more! - Come on! - Come on! Don't stop! - You ain't quitting on us! - It's over! It's not over! Get your butt down there! I'd been trying my best - I Just couldn't keep up.
But dropping out wasn't an option.
Shut up! Everybody back! It seems Sarge was fuming over my questions at the Monday Nitro event.
Bend your arms! Move your legs! And say, "Sir, I'm a dying cockroach, sir.
" Sir, I'm a dying cockroach, sir.
These guys go through it every damn day and you got the nerve to ask me that bullshit down at Nitro.
What the hell? You don't think we're not athletes? Hell, we're the best athletes in the world.
We do this 365 days a fucking year.
- Finish them.
- I'm a dying cockroach.
I don't care.
You see that foot? It's gonna squash you.
- Come on.
- 17, 18 - 19, 20 - All right! - I'm a dying cockroach.
- Don't stop! - What did you say to me? - That I'm a cockroach.
- Why? - Because I haven't got the will to win.
Get your ass up.
In the ring! Arrrrr! Come on! Come on! Where the hell do you think you're going? You're watching everybody else.
I don't give a shit.
You're not sitting watching nothing.
No way.
- Get your ass in the ring.
- Seriously You get your ass back in the ring.
Everybody stand up.
You see how ridiculous the questions you're asking are? - Yes, I do, yes.
- Did you see I am the Sarge? - Yes.
- Speak up.
Say, "Sir, yes, sir"! Sir, yes, sir! Do you have any questions about our business that you want to know? Look at these guys.
They started at ten o'clock.
Now you see why this is the toughest sport in the fucking world.
Bar none.
And they gotta put up with my short, irritable ass every fucking day.
- Three lines.
- Whoo! I gotta take a break.
I give up.
You're not gonna give up.
You're not gonna give up.
- I can't do any more.
- Giving up is not an option here.
- Show some heart! - Get down.
- Come on.
- I'm gonna throw up.
Throw up, I don't care.
I got a bucket right here.
You sit your ass on that bucket.
Turn and face the wall.
You look at that wall and don't bring your head round.
0K.
Up and holding on! Get the rope.
You can make it through.
He's taking you to places you never thought you could go.
That's the key.
Just do it, you'll be all right.
Nothing's gonna happen to you.
Let's go.
Out of the corner.
Come on.
Come on, guys.
Push yourselves.
Push yourselves.
Be somebody.
- Where are you going? - He's gonna puke.
Waldo! Waldo! Waldo! - Come on.
Come over and watch.
- He can't do it.
Puke! That ain't nothing.
You ain't done nothing.
Blow chunks! Puke! Let's go.
I wasn't sure what I'd experienced, I was Just glad it was over.
Thanks.
That was really educational.
- Thank you.
- Really interesting.
- Am I going to ache tomorrow? - You'll ache some.
Sarge seemed a bit angry with me, do you think? He wanted you to be able - you, personally, to know - that when you went back across the pond and you talked to other people, you would have a different tone of respect for the business that you saw.
Actually, I thought that you showed a lot more respect to us by going out there when you knew yourself that you weren't able to be You wanted to see how far you could go and I thought that was complimentary.
Thank you very much.
That's how it was intended.
- Thanks a lot.
- That's what I thought.
Yeah, that was Thank you.
That was how it was meant.
0w! - See you later.
Good one.
- Bye-bye.
Achy and slightly shaken, I was taking my leave of the Power Plant.
More than anything, I'd been surprised at how undervalued wrestlers like Sarge seemed to feel as athletes and how far they'd go to prove their point.
Time for goodbyes to Brian and Dean.
I was hoping they were still in one piece following their latest AIWF gore-fest.
Hey.
Hello, hello.
How's it going? Good to see you, Brian, Dean.
- How's everything going? - Not too bad.
I just got back from the Power Plant.
- Really? - Yeah.
- How was that? - It was awful.
- Awful? - Yeah, it was really bad.
- They didn't beat you up or anything? - They didn't beat me up, but they They thought I was disrespecting them because I asked about how there was a planned element - a story lines element.
They thought I was saying they weren't athletes.
So they trained me really hard and they wouldn't let me stop until I threw up.
That's how they treat their normal trainees.
- Really? - Yeah.
They want to see if you have the heart to make it.
That's the way they do it down there.
So what have you been up to? Barbed Wire Death Match when we had the ring wrapped in barbed wire and Brian and Tony had barbed wire wrapped from their elbows to their all the way around their fists.
- He's got some on his arms.
- Yeah.
Terminator X is the one we're concerned with.
He got ripped open on the face.
- Seriously? - Yeah.
I was freaking out.
I mean, I thought he was just shredded.
He had a gash probably this long and about that wide down the side of his cheek and then another one on his neck.
So he got messed up pretty bad.
Had to take him and get stitches.
I haven't heard exactly how many stitches it took yet.
He was messed up pretty bad.
These things happen, you know, and Tony understands that.
Is that just one of the hazards of doing what you do, then, basically? Does that make you pause and think, "Maybe we should reassess"? - I done that for the first time last night.
- Really? For a minute, I was like, "We went too far this time.
" But then I heard Tony going, "Why can't I go back out and do more?" He was like, "Man, I messed it up.
" Come on.
I said, "You're standing with your face ripped half open.
"Let's just calm down.
Don't worry about the match, let's worry about you.
" I think one of the things that made it a little crazier is we bought a whole spool of new barbed wire last night And this was my fault, Brian.
I got the barbed wire.
- I got it with the barbs too long.
- Did you? This is the sharpest barbed wire I've ever worked in.
Are you going to not use that wire again? Goodness, we've got a whole spool.
We'll use it again.
We'll just use it in moderation.
We won't wrap people's arms in it.
We may staple it to a big board and use it as a bed of barbed wire.
Something we can control.
Don't you think it's a matter of time before someone? Maybe you should think about ways to minimise the accidents.
Well, that's why we're re-evaluating.
Like Brian said, what happened could be considered a freak accident.
Brian came out of it fine.
I look at it like this.
0K.
There's been guys who have had their neck broken from a clothes line or a body slam.
Thinking that blading's weird, I think if you look at it as a whole - beating each other up like that, you know in not even real competition, just for show - it is weird, but, I mean, it's something I like to do.
Thanks a lot.
See you around.
Look after yourself.
Good to see you, Brian.
Don't do anything too weird.
- All right.
- You know? Not for me anyway.
23, 24, 25 26, 27 - What have you been up to? - Me and my partner are now tag champs.
- How does that feel? - Great 37, 38 If you've never carried a belt, you're still a loser.
Those belts are like status quo.
45, 46 Give it.
Go.
Give it.
Yeah.
Again.
Don't get any harder, though.
He was hitting me that hard.
I mean - Careful.
- I can hit - Mm-mm.
- Yeah.
Mm.
0oh! Mm.
I think I'm breaking it.
Yeah.
Yeah.
0h, yeah.
That was almost like a real one.