I can't believe I'm dedicating a whole Boo Blog to the Yeti, but I'm on the road and this will be short and sweet. That way it'll match the career of this odd ball gimmick.
It was WCW, mid 1990's and the company was gearing up for the Monday Night Wars with Vince McMahon and WWF. Hulk Hogan was still the dominate baby face in WCW, and Kevin Sullivan was waging a battle with the icon. Sullivan and the Master had a group of misfits, known as the Dungeon of Doom, hellbent on destroying Hulkamania. The group included a laundry list of ex-WWF Superstars like the Shark (Earthquake), the Zodiac (Brutus Beefcake), and Kamala.
Yeti love
One night on Nitro as Hogan was being attacked by the Dungeon and in the clutches of the Giant. Then all of a sudden a 7 foot tall creature wrapped in what appeared to be soiled toilet paper staggered to the ring. It was Ron Reis in the costume and the announcers referred to him as the Yeti.
What a Yeti looks like
For those who know their folklore, know that the Yeti is actually the Abominable Snowman, covered in fur. Instead, Reis looked more like a mummy. He and the Giant humped Hogan that night in the middle of the ring, in the most comfortable situation to air on Nitro. (I'm probably exaggerating, but it was pretty bad)
I really can't remember whether he actually wrestled or how long the gimmick lasted. If it was really just that one night, kudos to him and WCW, because I'm still talking about it nearly 20 years later.
As I wrote about a few
months ago, thanks to Movie Pass, I have seen more movies this year in the
theater than ever before. I will see just about anything. Earlier this week
when I was looking at the schedules for the local theaters, I saw a movie I
wasn’t familiar with was playing at one of the Independent theaters, which has
become one of my favorites. I knew nothing about the movie besides the title: Big Ass Spider. Now, if one of my
friends had asked me if I wanted to see a movie called Big Ass Spider, the first words out of my mouth would have been,
when and where? There really are
no other words needed in that situation.
Big Ass Spider only had one showing for the night so there was no debate needed to
decide when to see the movie. I got to the theater around 9:40 for the 9:55
screening. Took my seat and was surprised at the turnout. Normally when I go
see an Indie film few people probably know about, there are only maybe 1-5
other people in the theater. Outside of a premiere screening of Free Samples and a screening of “The Package which included a post movie
Q&A with “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, the audience for Big Ass Spider was the biggest I’ve seen.
It is a big ass spider
The title pretty much tells
you all you need to know about the movie. There is literally a Big Ass Spider on the loose in Los
Angeles. An Army squadron led by Ray Wise, is trying to exterminate the spider,
but it’s professional exterminator Alex Mathis (played by Greg Grunberg) who
can predict where the spider will go next because Alex knows how to think like
a spider. Along with his sidekick Jose,
the “Hispanic Robin,” it’s up to Alex to save Los Angeles before the
spider can lay her eggs and unleash total havoc on the city of angels.
While one can look at the
title and watch the trailer for Big Ass Spider
and think it’s perfect fodder for Twitter jokes like SyFy’s recent hit Sharknado, Big Ass Spider actually shows a competent, genuinely entertaining
movie about abnormal animal behavior can be made.
I was pleasantly surprised
how much I enjoyed the first half of Big
Ass Spider. It had well crafted suspense when Alex was hunting for the
spider in the basement of a hospital and the comedic relief was actually funny
without relying on lowbrow humor.
Once the spider grew into Big Ass size, the movie was hindered by some
cheesy looking special effects and noticeable green-screen shots. However, Greg
Grunberg and Lombardo Boyar made such a good team that one can easily overlook
any shortcomings the film may have and simply enjoy the ride.
Big Ass Spider is now available on Video On Demand. If you’re looking for a fun movie
to watch during the Halloween season, Big
Ass Spider is a fun way to spend 90 minutes.
Fans who are just getting to know Mick Foley probably view him as a pretty fun loving guy. He loves Santa Claus and all things Christmas. He's a best selling author, including several children's books. He's a nice guy, who stands up for the little guy. But those of us who remember him from the early days of his career know that Mrs. Foley's Baby Boy has had quite a few intense personas.
I first learned of Mick Foley when he wrestled as Cactus Jack Manson in World Class Championship Wrestling. He was a part of Skandor Akbar's Devastation Incorporated. Jack was tough as nails and an early player in the hardcore wrestling movement. I really took notice of him when he headed to WCW and teamed with Abdullah the Butcher. The two tormented Sting, the Steiner Brothers, and Van Hammer.
He lost part of his ear in a battle with Big Van Vader, so even as a babyface, Jack was intense.
Of course, Jack wrestled in ECW too, the land of the hardcore movement. Barbed wire baseball bats, flaming tables, and thumbtacks ruled the world. He had legendary hardcore matches with his friend Terry Funk overseas as well. But it wasn't until his arrival in the WWF in 1996, that I really took notice.
Jack was repackaged as Mankind, a deranged individual who wore a brown leather mask. He kept that hardcore streak alive, but it was somewhat tamer than what we'd seen him do in ECW, obviously. I liked Mankind in those early days, but I'll be honest, I didn't think he'd be around long. I never expected him to excel past the mid-card, much less become a three time WWE champion.
Mankind's brutality made him the perfect opponent for the Undertaker. I believe he was one of Taker's greatest challenges in the Dead Man's long career. The two had many classic matches, including the Boiler Room Brawl at SummerSlam 96 in which Mankind and Paul Bearer joined forces.
Mankind & Socko
Photo by WWE
Eventually Mankind would turn face and adopt a sweat sock named Mr. Socko as his "sidekick." Foley's gimmick lightened up, but he stayed just as intense in the ring. I think my favorite Foley match from his WWE days was against Undertaker in the Hell in a Cell at King of the Ring 98. Within the first few minutes, Foley was tossed from the top of that cage and through the Spanish announce table. Jim Ross, the voice of the WWE, told such an amazing story with his commentary that night and the way Mankind just kept getting up to fight are remarkable. He was later chokeslammed through the roof of the cage and eventually pinned by Undertaker.
Foley has earned his spot in wrestling history and is now a member of the WWE Hall of Fame. I'm glad to say I was there (although late) when he got inducted into the HOF earlier this year. Foley is God (and Good too), thanks for the memories and putting it all on the line for us fans.
Less than a year into Jake "The Snake" Roberts' first run in the WWF, the company turned him from a cool, calculated heel to a baby face. I'm not going to say I didn't like it, as I was a huge fan of the Snake back in the day. I actually have a ton of respect for all the hard work he's putting in to stay sober and get back into shape, but that's a blog for another day.
Jake was one of those guys I liked no matter which side of the fence he was on. When he challenged "Macho Man" Randy Savage for the Intercontinental title on Saturday Night's Main Event, I wanted him to win, even though he had ruthlessly attacked another one of my favorite Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat. Jake just seemed at that time to be the lesser of two evils.
Anyway, after years of facing guys like the Honky Tonk Man, "Ravishing" Rick Rude, and even Andre the Giant, Jake's time as a face in WWF was getting somewhat predictable. The Ultimate Warrior was getting involved in a hot feud with a newcomer named The Undertaker. It all started after the dead man locked the former champ in a casket on TV. Warrior turned to Jake to help him walk on the dark side to better understand his new foe.
Each week on Superstars or Wrestling Challenge or maybe both, they showed vignettes of the two good guys going through some challenging stuff. Jake always pushed the Warrior, assuring him that the task at hand would only make him stronger in the end. I'm going from memory, but I believe one of the spots involved Warrior being buried in the dirt in a graveyard.
Help me!
The whole angle culminated with Jake taking Warrior to a room with a small coffin containing his snake Lucifer. When Warrior entered to grab the Snake's snake (not as perverted as it sounds), Roberts locked the door. He then turned on the lights, revealing hundreds (maybe) of snakes. The reptiles were all shapes, sizes, and types of snake and they were everywhere. The Warrior kicked them out of his way as he made his way to the coffin in the middle of the room. (I'm sure PETA had a cow over it) That's when Lucifer popped out and lunged at the Warrior, biting him.
Oh yeah, Lucifer by the way was a cobra. Warrior slurred his speech and sold the bite as only the Warrior could, while Jake talked trash to him. The Snake continued cutting a promo as the Warrior knocked down the and gurgled for what we thought would be his last breath. He managed to crawl a few feet before grabbing the black boots of the Undertaker. He and Paul Bearer gazed down as the Warrior tried to turn to Roberts for help, who then informed Warrior to "never trust a snake."
Never trust a snake....
The execution was cheesy, even back then, but it solidified Jake as a true heel once again as he united with Bearer and Taker. It lead him into his feud with Randy Savage and eventually the Undertaker himself. As I rewatched this bit, I asked myself, why didn't the camera man in the room with Warrior help him, but that's what happens when you blur the lines between the entertainment and reality portions of wrestling.
I have no idea where this feud was headed with the Undertaker and the Ultimate Warrior, as he split from the WWF shortly after this promo aired. Jake only stuck around a short time too, before losing to Taker at Wrestlemania VIII and heading south to WCW. I would have loved for Warrior and Snake to actually have a program, but I think the Savage-Roberts feud was outstanding, and included another snakebite from Lucifer.
I was 10 years old when Michael Jackson's Thriller album was released. I'm pretty sure it's the first non cartoon/Muppet/Sesame Street album I ever owned. I also believe it's one of the greatest albums of all time. I won't go into all those details, since this is a Halloween blog, I'm going to focus on the title track: Thriller.
The song is one that you can instantly start dancing to, but I think that has a lot to do with the video that went along with it. Back in the early 80's, the M in MTV stood for Music and there was lots of it on the cable network. Music videos were all the rage. In fact, at one time, that's about all you saw on MTV. Artists had to be creative and flashy to get their music over. Michael Jackson lead the way.
By now we've all seen the Thriller video, and if you haven't let's get that out of the way now...
Nice eyes
Nearly 30 years later, I'd have to say this is still one of the greatest music videos of all time. It's a mini-movie. Despite the path Michael Jackson's personal life took, I still love watching this. The music, the costumes, the dancing. Thriller has everything you could ask for in a music video. It truly defined an era. I think the work done here set the bar pretty high for everyone else in the music industry, but plenty of other artists released solid work as a result and tried to come close to what Thriller had produced.
I know I'm probably overselling Thriller, but I grew up on it. I'm old enough to remember watching the video time after time and doing that crazy zombie dance in front of the TV. I listened to the album until I wore out the vinyl on my turntable. All these years later, we still do it from time to time here at my house. Rest in peace Michael, and thanks for the memories.
I knew this day would come. After all, when I was in 7th, I made it my last year to go trick or treating until I was a senior and high school and it was somehow "cool" again. But our two oldest kids, ages 13 and 12 have opted out of Halloween fun this year. Kinda.
Our oldest (8th grade) will be marching with the junior high and high school marching band in our small town's Halloween parade. Traditionally, students wear some kind of Halloween garb as they make their way down the street playing haunting tunes before the official start of trick or treating. Our 12 year old, who is in 7th grade, didn't trick or treat last year, after we bought him a $50 costume because he made the basketball team and had a tournament that night.
Pumpkin Patch 2013
I can accept that our sons are too old to trick or treat. But recently I announced that I'd be heading to the pumpkin patch with their little sister (age 8), and was told by the boys they had no interest in going. Going to the pumpkin patch has become one my favorite fall past times, and this was the first year that we didn't do it as a family. My daughter and I made it a Daddy-Daughter Day and picked out a variety of gourds. My hope is that when we start carving them up later this week, the boys will want to be in on the design work, but I'm not holding my breath.
Pumpkin Patch 2005
I think my daughter knew I was missing the boys being out there with us and when we got into the car and started driving home she said, "Don't worry Daddy, I'll always come to the pumpkin patch with you." It melted my heart and made me feel about 10 feet tall, but in the back of my mind I knew instantly that her sentiments will eventually change too. It's all a part of growing up I suppose.
I'm still a big kid at heart. I love decorating the house for Halloween. I love dressing up in a costume. I love taking the kids trick or treating.
Pumpkin patch 2009
I'm the same about Christmas. It killed me when the boys finally figured things out and stopped believing. They've kept the legend of Santa alive for their sister, who I know is just a year or two away from figuring it out for herself too, but that's a blog for another day.
Long story short, I know we all get older. Kids don't find the things cool they did when they were little now that they're teenagers. Blah, blah, blah. It's a part of life, but I don't have to like it. I just hope their memories of the pumpkin patches, the jack-o-lanterns, and costumes stick with them like they've stuck with me. Okay, pity party over, time for a candy apple.
I got my first album when I
was five years old. I don’t remember exactly why I got this album. I’m sure I
didn’t really know the music. It was probably a decision made based on the
album artwork. Creating an album
cover to capture a potential fan’s interest is of the many things I think is
lost in the age of digital downloads. Anyway, I remember being five and looking
at this artwork of four mythical creatures dressed in black with platform boots
and full facial make up standing in the middle of some Roman coliseum with a
group of similarly made up females at their feet, and thinking, this has to be
the greatest album ever. The album was ‘Love Gun’ by KISS.
Looking back, I don’t know
why my parents thought this was an appropriate album for a five year old to own. It
didn’t actually fit in with my Sesame Street records. Though, I do think PBS is
partially responsible for introducing me to KISS in the first place. There used
to be a show called 3-2-1 Contact which, if memory serves, was the last show in
the after school block of weekday programming. How many people remember The
Bloodhound Gang? 3-2-1 Contact is where The Bloodhound Gang originated. I remember there being a segment on the
show where one of the hosts went behind the scenes of a KISS concert. Since
YouTube has everything, here’s the segment.
Back in the late ‘70s –
early ‘80s, KISS was THE band. At the local town festivals there were booths
where you could get your face painted like members of the band. I was always a
Peter Criss fan so I got the cat make up one year even though Eric Carr had
replaced Peter the year prior.
KISS sans makeup
Our cable system didn’t yet
have MTV when KISS went on there and removed the make up. I remember seeing the
video for Lick It Up several months later and thought Ace Frehley was a female,
not knowing Ace had been replaced by Vinnie Vincent in the band. For the
record, Vinnie isn’t a female.
KISS continued to be a dominant force during the ‘80s as glam rock got a
lot of radio and video airtime.
By the time the grunge scene
started taking over the early ‘90s, KISS needed to do something to regain their
popularity. In 1996, they got the band back together. Peter Criss and Ace
Frehley returned to the group and KISS put the makeup and costumes back on to
the delight of fans. Twenty-one years after buying my first album, I saw the
reunited KISS in 2000 at the Southern Illinois University Arena for the first
time. It was everything five year old me wanted.
The Kiss Demon Photo courtesy: WWE
Around this same time, KISS
had partnered with WCW to create a wrestler known at the KISS Demon who was
based on the identity of KISS bassist, Gene Simmons. The Demon never really
took off like I’m guessing KISS and WCW thought he would. Dale Torborg, the
wrestler who portrayed the Demon is currently a trainer for the Chicago White
Sox.
In August of 2013, KISS
founding members, Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley announced they had bought into
the Arena Football League and were bringing professional football back to Los
Angeles with the LA KISS joining the AFL for the 2014 season. However, someone should get them a map,
as the LA KISS will be playing their home games at the Honda Center in Anaheim.
Guess the LA-adjacent KISS was too long a name for the uniforms. I have purchased season tickets for the
LA KISS and am looking forward to donning KISS face paint and cheering for the
expansion team, especially against the Jon Bon Jovi owned Philadelphia Soul.
Here’s hoping Tim Tebow accepts Gene Simmons’ 3-Year contract offer.
Still rockin'
KISS has been around for 40
years and show no signs of slowing down. Say what you will about their trend of
slapping their name on any type of merchandise in order to make a buck. They’ve
heard it all before and Gene Simmons will gladly tell you he’s a firm believer
in capitalism. Heck, he signs his
name with the “S” looking like a dollar sign. Somehow four guys from New York
took a wild gimmick and turned it into one of the most popular rock-n-roll
bands in history.
