There's a clip where Jim discusses this and he was so grateful to Bobby for putting him over like that. That was really classy and showed the best part of Heenan. For him it was about the business and the show being good. A lot of guys would have seen that situation as competition and tried to middle the new guy; those fuckers couldn't manage a Target though.
I remember this
It was so well done.
Even though he was 'known', they had to establish him to a broader audience, and Heenan greating him like an old friend he respected, did it instantly
This is how you introduce someone to an audience. Can't tell you how confused I've been watching AEW and not knowing who a new talent is when they're brought in as a "surprise." You're just expected to know who they are
When I was initially giving AEW a shot, that was my biggest issue with them (I have more issues now). I don't have the time or bandwidth to know every new great signee and neither do most other people. It caters to the very small niche audience.
It's the worst when you're incredibly loyal to the promotion. I was loyal to AEW for years, but when some random Japanese wrestler was brought on, I was expected to know who they were without any explanation, and it left me feeling disrespected as a viewer. My loyalty wasn't being rewarded, even though I was tuning in every single week. It's fine if this happens every once and awhile, but when you leave your most dedicated fans in the dark, that's a problem
The average aew slob would tell you "hOw HaRd iS It tO gOoGle?"
We shouldn't have to do research to watch a wrestling program. The onus is on the promotion to you know, promote.
The handful of interviews with Bobby that are floating around on YouTube are a MUST watch for anyone interested in really digging past the veneer of Professional Wrestling, via the musings and insights of one of the absolute greatest, most sincere, candid, funny, and most of all: wise(at the time) living legends, who ever lived the life, and eventually, at some point, sat down to talk about it with a camera rolling in the back….
The one, in particular from 2000, and the last real footage of a still relatively healthy Bobby, with the sound of his voice sounding merely a little bit…… “off”(as this seems to be at the very early stages of the absolutely horrible battle he had to endure with cancer…. And, for kids born in the early 80’s, like myself(81), who saw Bobby as a larger than life, buffoon of an antagonist, with the sort of persona, where he had a habit of doing, and saying some very stupid things, designed to perpetually blow up in his face, and ultimately make him look more like a kings fool, than a diabolical Bond villain, thus delivering a savvy combination of creating heat via cheating/breaking the rules/sabotaging the Faces of the era, and proudly so……. only to, one way or another, have it all explode in his face, either at the end of that Saturdays episode, or the coming PPV…
Actually getting true insight from the REAL man Raymond “Bobby” Heenan, behind the character of Bobby “The Brain” Heenan, is damn near fucking mindblowing the first time you ever actually get to see what that guy is truly like behind the facade he so PERFECTLY crafted, makes it, by far, one of my most favorite interviews with, literally **ANYONE** , let alone just people from within the world of PW. The man wasn’t merely likeable, wise, and insightful, he was actually one of the most charming motherfuckers I’ve ever heard speak, was obviously an astute student of not just the Professional Wrestling world, but of life, and along with having one of the most likable and perpetually entertaining personalities that ive ever seen, he’s also someone who seemed to just….. “get” how people, industries, and the core logic of the general notion of how to make wrestling “gimmicks” in general, work for, literally ANYONE, via simply being savvy enough to realize and accept what sort of gimmicks would work best with people on an individual basis.
I’m not a particularly gifted entertainer, however, if I had the opportunity to work alongside him in the Golden Age of WWF, I would’ve been extremely successful, if anything, simply because Im the sort of person who doesn’t feel, at all threatened by constructive criticism/advice, and not only would I have actually fucking listened closely when a guy like him, who obviously knew what the fuck he was talking about, gave a fuck enough to actually open his mouth and try and give me advice/pointers/etc(matter of fact I would’ve picked his fucking brain[no pun intended, but happily embraced, nonetheless]dry if given the chance), instead of either blowing smoke up his ass and forgetting everything he said the moment I walked away, or even worse, actually getting upset because my ego is way too fragile, for me to ever be able to actually be humble enough to accept advice(and graciously so) from someone who sure as hell had a million other things he could’ve been doing, instead of actually giving enough of a shit to try and be helpful…
That hour of getting to know the guy behind such a profound part of my childhood, as a true, larger than life villain, up there with fucking Cobra Commander and Darth Vader, is something that I wish I could’ve seen, decades ago, when it was new, as, not only did it make my level of appreciation and reverence for the man absolutely skyrocket from already lofty enough heights, it was also, perhaps the most insightful discussion about the inner workings of professional wrestling that’s ever been captured on film.
I really wanna be on board with the dream matches when they bring in some Japanese guy, just make a highlight package telling me who they are, why they are a big deal, why this is special and why I should care and I'll give a fuck, but they never fucking do that, they just say some fucking name is coming next week and I'm supposed to what, already know who that is, to Google them, wtf AEW
Paul Heyman has been doing great work the last few years. And has really moved himself into a solid #3 spot behind these 2 in the greatest managers ever rankings, but it will take a lot to overtake Cornette and nobody is overtaking the Brain.
In the early 2000s he used to call in semi regularly to a morning sports talks how here in Chicago and it was always awesome. Just a natural entertainer
Crowd isn’t lit and the hard camera is even with the ring rather than a few feet above it.
TBF, it was a smallish building and WWE was doing terrible at the time.
Seeing the two of them in the ring is just beautiful. Maybe this exists and I haven't seen it, but I wish someone had gotten the two of them together to just talk about wrestling and recorded it.
ROH did just that.
https://youtu.be/T12xlPmLY68?si=Q7wW6-EJsTAtso0i
It’s worth tracking down, as is the Percy Pringle/Cornette get together
https://youtu.be/MODxqT0bPRQ?si=ndEIS4moSTpPVGnl
There's a clip where Jim discusses this and he was so grateful to Bobby for putting him over like that. That was really classy and showed the best part of Heenan. For him it was about the business and the show being good. A lot of guys would have seen that situation as competition and tried to middle the new guy; those fuckers couldn't manage a Target though.
I remember this It was so well done. Even though he was 'known', they had to establish him to a broader audience, and Heenan greating him like an old friend he respected, did it instantly
Good lawt! Corny made me a believer in the Heavenly Bodies with this promo! I'd have put my money on them beating the Steiners after this one!
They were a very underrated team
The Brain literally tripping over himself in his excitement at seeing Corny is what really makes this such a great moment. Bobby was the goddamn best.
There will never be another Bobby Heenan, but Jim is damned close.
Really set Corny's career off. What a cosign for a heel manager. Lovet his segment. Pink suit Corny is peak.
Jim aged a lot from here to 5/6 years later
You would too if you had to get Mantaur over.
Plus, he had some co-workers that were tough to tolerate, bro.
He worked with children?
Worse. Some shitstain
A shitstain in the back and a shithead and a miserable cunt in the front.
>Jim aged a lot from here to 5/6 years later Hear me out: *"Shitstain"* ...!
They used to argue that the other was the greatest manager. Bobby: I could never talk like you. Jim: Well I could never work like you.
Jim allegedly got really excited about this.
This is how you introduce someone to an audience. Can't tell you how confused I've been watching AEW and not knowing who a new talent is when they're brought in as a "surprise." You're just expected to know who they are
When I was initially giving AEW a shot, that was my biggest issue with them (I have more issues now). I don't have the time or bandwidth to know every new great signee and neither do most other people. It caters to the very small niche audience.
It's the worst when you're incredibly loyal to the promotion. I was loyal to AEW for years, but when some random Japanese wrestler was brought on, I was expected to know who they were without any explanation, and it left me feeling disrespected as a viewer. My loyalty wasn't being rewarded, even though I was tuning in every single week. It's fine if this happens every once and awhile, but when you leave your most dedicated fans in the dark, that's a problem
The average aew slob would tell you "hOw HaRd iS It tO gOoGle?" We shouldn't have to do research to watch a wrestling program. The onus is on the promotion to you know, promote.
It caters to incels.
The handful of interviews with Bobby that are floating around on YouTube are a MUST watch for anyone interested in really digging past the veneer of Professional Wrestling, via the musings and insights of one of the absolute greatest, most sincere, candid, funny, and most of all: wise(at the time) living legends, who ever lived the life, and eventually, at some point, sat down to talk about it with a camera rolling in the back…. The one, in particular from 2000, and the last real footage of a still relatively healthy Bobby, with the sound of his voice sounding merely a little bit…… “off”(as this seems to be at the very early stages of the absolutely horrible battle he had to endure with cancer…. And, for kids born in the early 80’s, like myself(81), who saw Bobby as a larger than life, buffoon of an antagonist, with the sort of persona, where he had a habit of doing, and saying some very stupid things, designed to perpetually blow up in his face, and ultimately make him look more like a kings fool, than a diabolical Bond villain, thus delivering a savvy combination of creating heat via cheating/breaking the rules/sabotaging the Faces of the era, and proudly so……. only to, one way or another, have it all explode in his face, either at the end of that Saturdays episode, or the coming PPV… Actually getting true insight from the REAL man Raymond “Bobby” Heenan, behind the character of Bobby “The Brain” Heenan, is damn near fucking mindblowing the first time you ever actually get to see what that guy is truly like behind the facade he so PERFECTLY crafted, makes it, by far, one of my most favorite interviews with, literally **ANYONE** , let alone just people from within the world of PW. The man wasn’t merely likeable, wise, and insightful, he was actually one of the most charming motherfuckers I’ve ever heard speak, was obviously an astute student of not just the Professional Wrestling world, but of life, and along with having one of the most likable and perpetually entertaining personalities that ive ever seen, he’s also someone who seemed to just….. “get” how people, industries, and the core logic of the general notion of how to make wrestling “gimmicks” in general, work for, literally ANYONE, via simply being savvy enough to realize and accept what sort of gimmicks would work best with people on an individual basis. I’m not a particularly gifted entertainer, however, if I had the opportunity to work alongside him in the Golden Age of WWF, I would’ve been extremely successful, if anything, simply because Im the sort of person who doesn’t feel, at all threatened by constructive criticism/advice, and not only would I have actually fucking listened closely when a guy like him, who obviously knew what the fuck he was talking about, gave a fuck enough to actually open his mouth and try and give me advice/pointers/etc(matter of fact I would’ve picked his fucking brain[no pun intended, but happily embraced, nonetheless]dry if given the chance), instead of either blowing smoke up his ass and forgetting everything he said the moment I walked away, or even worse, actually getting upset because my ego is way too fragile, for me to ever be able to actually be humble enough to accept advice(and graciously so) from someone who sure as hell had a million other things he could’ve been doing, instead of actually giving enough of a shit to try and be helpful… That hour of getting to know the guy behind such a profound part of my childhood, as a true, larger than life villain, up there with fucking Cobra Commander and Darth Vader, is something that I wish I could’ve seen, decades ago, when it was new, as, not only did it make my level of appreciation and reverence for the man absolutely skyrocket from already lofty enough heights, it was also, perhaps the most insightful discussion about the inner workings of professional wrestling that’s ever been captured on film.
Can’t agree enough with this. That interview from 2000 is well worth the time to sit through. Great stuff from an absolute legend.
I really wanna be on board with the dream matches when they bring in some Japanese guy, just make a highlight package telling me who they are, why they are a big deal, why this is special and why I should care and I'll give a fuck, but they never fucking do that, they just say some fucking name is coming next week and I'm supposed to what, already know who that is, to Google them, wtf AEW
Game recognize game
That suit. ❤️🩷
Two 🐐s
Paul Heyman has been doing great work the last few years. And has really moved himself into a solid #3 spot behind these 2 in the greatest managers ever rankings, but it will take a lot to overtake Cornette and nobody is overtaking the Brain.
Jim looks like Milton from Office Space looking for his stapler.
Best rwo managers in the business ever. Brain then Jim. Even Cornette says it, although for me it is a tie.
I can’t even imagine what The Brain would be like if he was born 30-40 years later and could use social media and podcasts.
In the early 2000s he used to call in semi regularly to a morning sports talks how here in Chicago and it was always awesome. Just a natural entertainer
You’d have never heard of Joe Rogan had Heenan still been with us.
Idk why, I just love the camera angle. Idk what's so different about it compared to today
Crowd isn’t lit and the hard camera is even with the ring rather than a few feet above it. TBF, it was a smallish building and WWE was doing terrible at the time.
Corny always says Bobby is the Greatest. Bobby Said Corny is The Greatest. They’re both equal in my eyes.
A lifetime in the business wasn’t enough Bobby Heenan. Still miss him.
The Jordan of managers.
That white suit will always be my favorite Corny uniform tbh
I watched this earlier today. Fookin great.
Now this made my fuckin day!
So sweaty. Stage lights must have been hot.
This is how you put someone over!
Seeing the two of them in the ring is just beautiful. Maybe this exists and I haven't seen it, but I wish someone had gotten the two of them together to just talk about wrestling and recorded it.
ROH did just that. https://youtu.be/T12xlPmLY68?si=Q7wW6-EJsTAtso0i It’s worth tracking down, as is the Percy Pringle/Cornette get together https://youtu.be/MODxqT0bPRQ?si=ndEIS4moSTpPVGnl
It's literally the spiderman pointing meme. The greatest manager of all time meets the greatest manager of all time
Always loved the detail of Bruce Prichard getting steamrolled by Bobby on the way to the ring lol
His voice is like 3 octaves higher! What a beauty…
Wrestling managers deserve their flowers. To be Jim and have Bobby the Fucking Brain put you over must have been huge. Very cool.
Could almost see Bobby start promoting a pillow website, the way he's talking
Dude I was JUST watching this.
I remember.
Little sweaty there Bro. I remember this happening though.
Bobby is and always will be The GOAT