EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted April 5, 2007 Discuss. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red Baron 0 Report post Posted April 5, 2007 Eh. I don't want to say it because I would probably get banned for it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hawk 34 0 Report post Posted April 5, 2007 This was a tremendous angle that truely merged Wrestling and Entertainment together in perfect synchronicity. I obviously wasn't alive to witness this first hand but of course, seen as much footage as possible and watched the documenturies and the Kaufman movie to get a good grasp of what it would have been like to actually witness this live. We had something similar to this with Federline and Cena and while it worked in that regard, it didn't have that impact on either the wrestling business or the entertainment world either. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
King Cucaracha 0 Report post Posted April 5, 2007 I've been re-reading Lawler's auto-biography recently and just passed the part regarding Kaufman. I only know of Kaufman by name from this, but the actual angle always intrigued me and I managed to catch footage of the match on one of the Classic Memphis shows they had produced over here for The Wrestling Channel in England. The two moves they actually did looked killer. Something that truly couldn't be pulled off anywhere near as well ever again, since the end of the 'Kayfabe Era'. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
razazteca 0 Report post Posted April 5, 2007 Its the greatest celebrity angle ever done in the history of pro wrestling. Andy Kaufman was a natural heel it didn't matter if it was in the wrestling ring or at the night club working as Tony Clifton the man was a genius he knew how to work the crowd. People loved him as Lauka on the tv series Taxi and his short stints on SNL got laughs but when he was in Memphis working with Lawler he got everybody in the arena to boo him and not because he was simply the bad guy but because he was a jerk. Pure genius. There will never be another one like him ever. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
spman 0 Report post Posted April 5, 2007 The Lawler / Kaufman feud was great, but the thing is that the contemporary version of the feud ends with David Letterman. In reality, Kaufman more then overstayed him welcome on TV in Memphis, appearing on and off continuously until his declining health made him no longer capale of doing so. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bob_barron 0 Report post Posted April 5, 2007 Eh. I don't want to say it because I would probably get banned for it. Go for it. One of the Classic SNLs showed footage of the whole incident- it was awesome. I also remember reading about Andy that he definetly wore out his welcome in Memphs Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
deancoles 0 Report post Posted April 6, 2007 "Just for the record, Lawler and Kaufman never sold out in Memphis. Their first show that got all the pub drew 8,000 at a time the promotion was averaging 6,000 per week. Andy's return engagements for a while drew a little above average, and eventually, well below average. Andy kept wanting to come back forever because he loved doing wrestling and Lawler loved him, but after some 2,500 houses, Lawler finally had to tell him the gig was over. It was an angle far more legendary ten years after it was over due to Comedy Central than it was when it took place." Quoted from Meltzer on Wrestling Classics Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted April 6, 2007 "Just for the record, Lawler and Kaufman never sold out in Memphis. Their first show that got all the pub drew 8,000 at a time the promotion was averaging 6,000 per week. Andy's return engagements for a while drew a little above average, and eventually, well below average. Andy kept wanting to come back forever because he loved doing wrestling and Lawler loved him, but after some 2,500 houses, Lawler finally had to tell him the gig was over. It was an angle far more legendary ten years after it was over due to Comedy Central than it was when it took place." Quoted from Meltzer on Wrestling Classics Out of curiosity, what programs did sell out Memphis? For my money, I'm tempted to say Cyndi Lauper was the best utilization of a celebrity in wrestling. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
deancoles 0 Report post Posted April 6, 2007 Lawler vs. The Dream Machine(Lawler's return from a broken leg) Lawler/Mantell vs. Dundee/Landell(Lawler's return after losing a loser-leaves-town match) Haven't seen figures for these but they look possibles Lawler/Idol vs. The Road Warriors Lawler vs. Bockwinkel(the 1 hour draw in 77) Lawler vs. Savage(their first meeting in 82) At it's peak Memphis averaged nearly 8,000 with about 9,000-10,000 for the cards with something special on them(loser-leaves-town, hair vs. hair or World Title) A sell out would have been 11,000 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
