L.A. Wrestle Reunion Four Convention Maybe the Best, Most Organized Ever

(random, possible unreported fun stuff)

By Mike Lano

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* Iron Sheik’s relatives apparently have replaced the less-than-stellar E Sims as primary manager or event booker for Kos and were watching out for him at his booth this past weekend.  They said they actually care about him and won’t be taking the alleged 70% of his cut at signings, etc.

Two great t-shirts sold at his booth appear to be instant classics and everyone including Jimmy Hart, Koko, RVD, etc. cracked up when shown to the guys.   They basically reference Kos’ rantings on the Howard Stern Sirius radio show, in our world, etc.   The first shirt has Helwig’s head superimposed onto a classic shot of Iron Sheik with the slogan “Ultimate Warrior Is a No Good M—F—er!”   The other has a shot of Sheiky behind Brian Blair with “F Your A, and Make You Humble!”    Took pix of them if they’re not already on his website if anyone needs them. They have to be seen to be appreciated.  Everyone was cracking up at them.

Actually before he even went off on Helwig, Blair, Randy Savage, Hogan and others (all a work) on an RF tape,  he was doing it at signings.  At least 6 years ago, Evan Ginzburg and I were at the Florida Fields Family movie/tv star autograph big event at the Burbank Hilton, and it was the first time wrestlers were there (Sheik, Albano, Greg Val, Nicolai and Lanny Poffo).   Sheik hadn’t even had a brewski,  just stood up for no reason at all, and went off on Brian Blair for his perception of disrespect, claiming Blair “went behind me in front of 93,000 at Wrestlemania 3.”  And then he did his yelling rant and sat back down. The boys, let alone the room of celebs from Vern Troyer to Traci Lords all hushed and were looking at him.  I looked at Lanny and the others and we all cracked up, not knowing what to make of this.  A year or two later the RF video thing capitalized on it, then Howard Stern and Opie and Anthony, and before you knew it,  Kos was part of the Stern Wack Pack tour events I covered (called the Killers of Comedy national tours) that sold out in most cities.

* The first person Terri Runnells ran to say hello to and sit down with Saturday afternoon was Kosrow.  She was given the mike by those filming Sheik’s documentary (they say it’s not a reality show) there, and began talking to him about the time she came to visit him near the Atlanta area where he lives. “Remember the Baba Ganoosh and the other food you had me try Sheiky?”  They went over their history with a growing crowd of the boys and fans, and then she said “where’s that creep Eric Sims?  Remember how I kicked his butt?!”   The crowd began an ever-growing, loud, long and fun “F Eric Sims” chant.  Well, he is pretty despised and the butt of jokes on the Stern show whenever Kos appears on it. Totally hilarious!  Do yourself a treat and see the WrestleReunion 4 video that hopefully caught this.

* Daffney is one of the few who look fabulous without any makeup, and may be the sweetest person in wrestling.  The ROH and PWG crew all flocked around her, as did Terri Runnells, RVD and others.  She had her own booth next to, of all people, Iron Sheik’s and benefitted from the constant crowds coming to hear what he’d say next.  She said she brought her own pro Sony camera and mike to film goings on for a possible reality show for her, and I began feeding her Kosrow’s trigger points to bring up when she started filming him.  “Just bring up Brian Blair, Helwig, Hogan and Savage and watch him go!”  She did, or rather some of us helped by giving various audibles, and it was off to the races.

“I’ve never seen anything like this.  Why’d you have me get him started?” she said smiling.  She, like all of us, thought he was a hoot as usual.  She’s selling her own Daffney Uncensored DVD – think it’s a shoot tape. She couldn’t believe and was sad about the news of TNA letting Melissa and some of the others go.  No telling what is happening with Nikki and her (they said they don’t have anything for me, Stevie and Raven right now).  She was happy to be remembered during her Palin and hardcore wrestling, etc. segments last year; she often drew the top ratings for iMPACT.  Here’s hoping they smarten up and she stays in TNA.

(As I’m writing this, the Howard Stern radio show just called Kosrow “The Ayatollah of Outrage” — claiming that Russell Simmons and Jamie Foxx are fans and came up to his little cordoned-off interview area Sunday at the Grammy’s and they allowed him to thrust a mike in their faces.  “Craptactular” indeed.  Well, Kos already was in Los Angeles!   What a treasure and it’s fun seeing how he’s connected with a total non-wrestling audience on Stern and Opie and Anthony.  They may not know any of the wrestling references he shouts hysterically, but they do know funny.  He’s actually the main event wackpacker at the Stern comedy crew tour shows.)

* Tammy Sytch looked great and is working hard actually writing her own autobio ala Mick.  “No ghost writers, I’m doing it the right way.  Just me typing away whenever I can.”  Her book along with LOD Animal Joe’s are the very first wrestling ones for a respected publisher.  She was criss-crossing the country, then leaves this Thursday to work at a big movie/tv star convention in Paris thru Tuesday.

She was devastated by Georgie’s passing as we all were.  Which brings us to another great aspect of the convention.  It was not only dedicated en-total to the memory of Georgie (she loved these events), but Saturday morning, Bruno dedicated the wrestler q/a  breakfast to her and told some great stories including how he first met her, how she alone got him to pose with Rogers in 1991, and more.  Most were touched hearing she was buried with that very picture of her in between her two favorites who really didn’t want to pose with one another.  Now she’s forever linked with wrestling, which she would’ve wanted.  Bruno’s doctors warned him it would be a health risk if he flew this past weekend, wanting him instead to simply stay home and rest after his recent hospital stay.  “My main doctor even called me here at the hotel this morning (Saturday) to see how I was holding up.  When I make a committment to attend something and be part of it, I give my word.”    He’s incredible, and thankfully other than a little pain,  he did fine.

Many like Bill Apter and Koko had horrendous flights coming out because of all the ice and snow.  Koko, sitting at the autograph table with Bruno is equally a trouper.  “Most didn’t know how I’d be able to get out of TN and make it here with all the flights cancelled.  Some creative schedule shifting, and I somehow made it on time.”  The promoters were grateful Koko did his best and showed, despite the non-cooperative weather, because they were getting ready to possibly tell fans he might not make it.  He said this was the best-run, organized convention he’d ever seen, and he loved seeing old friends in Bret, Jimmy Hart, Demolition, Animal, Sheik and more.  “This was worth all the trouble making it here!”

At Saturday’s breakfast, highlighted by Bruno doing the great q/a with two of his better nemesis’ in Stan Hansen (usually shy) and Larry Z (usually isn’t) were Animal, Bill Eadie and Barry Darsow, Jimmy Hart, JJ Dillon, Iron Sheik (got the shot of Sheik and Bruno) and some of the ROH stars.  Cary Silken was shown love wherever he went.   Jonny Fairplay (not at the breakfast) was a scream in his ever-changing Boyd Pierce tribute outfits and “my shoestring Vader mask.”  Van Dam laughed bigtime at the “mask.”   Fairplay was to take some other Survivor CBS stars, Arquette and some TMZ photographers with him from the convention site Hilton Hotel Saturday night to a pre-Grammy Adam Lambert party in HWood.

* Everyone was blown away by a fantastic ROH show Friday night.  It was one of the huge crowd draws (which translated well into people attending the convention itself during Saturday and Sunday).  The crowd even had fun, or made the Larry Z/Scottie 2 Hotty match fun, popping for Larry’s first stall, hanging out from the ropes before a lockup.  “I never knew that was my top highspot,” Larry told me. They cracked up at celeb ref Jonny Fairplay trotting out tv reality show transexual Christina Arquette as his valet.  Both did some mike work putting over “the greatest world champion ever in my brother David Arquette” and other schpiel.  The ever-present Colt Cabana came out and destroyed Scotty 2H when he was about to do the worm on Fairplay after JF’s fast count for LZ.  Colt was the MVP Friday, which is saying something, with an incredible Lyger/Aries non-title match.  And when Jesse Hernandez’ ring broke soon after intermission,  the crowd entertained themselves chanting “Best Match Ever” repeatedly when all they were doing was trying to fix the ring!

ROH’s booker Adam Pierce, the ring announcer, Colt, and “clueless ref” all took turns dancing in the ring to try to entertain the crowd, while Jesse and his wrestler crew (including the female wrestler who does Bull Nakano as her “Young Nakano” gimmick) feverishly tried to repair the ring.   As great as ROH was, the next night for PWG’s card was out of this world too.  The Young Bucks transforming from the night before at ROH to become “Generation Me” the next night at PWG was something.  London’s fully realized Apollo 11 spacesuit outfit complete with laser shooting toy ray gun has to be seen.  Muta and Lyger were the whole f’ing show this night.  And how many good things can be said about Davey Richards (Dynamite Pegasus anyone?), the Briscoes, Roderick Strong, Chris Hero, Claudio, Human Tornado (best entrance music ever and he almost wrestles in a suit and sportcoat!), Scott Lost and Joey Ryan, and everyone who worked both nights.  There’s a reason we call PWG the ROH of the Left Coast.

* The great, enduring love story that remains Sonia and Rob “Van Dam.”   I’ve seen a lot of couples in the biz, some of whom actually make it,  but one can always see the 24/7 love in their eyes for each other.  It’s truly heart-warming. The “Inseparables” are also the best of friends, obviously there for each other in health and sickness, plus helping lend their credibility to various causes.  We need more Robs and Sonias.  Teased Rob about his live band playing one too many riffs of “Rob Van Dam – Whole F’ing Show” before, during and after his main event win at Saturday’s PWG show.

– Dr. Mike Lano, DDS