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Ask me your questions via e-mail by sending them to "patmcneill" @ "columnist.com" or just add it to the comment section at the end of this article. We'll keep doing this as long as we hear from you. More importantly, we're ready to believe you.
* * * Dear Pat,
I'm surprised that I don't read more praise for TNA backstage interviewer Lauren Brooke/Thompson from the Torch, columnists, and other readers in general. She is the only (female) interviewer in the modern era that actually shows some sort of personality. She gets annoyed, angry, frightened, amused, etc. by all the wrestlers she speaks to. Her facial expressions seem genuine and she has a great smile. But the real plus is the fact that she seems to really know the wrestlers and the storylines (like a real interviewer should), unlike robots Eve Torres or Lena Yada for example, who just look like models holding microphones without an ounce of emotion.
Whether she is a wresting fan or not, Lauren looks like she takes her job as an interviewer seriously and I've never seen her stumble on her lines. Basically, she can hang with the best of them. The fact that Lauren is also a model just makes those other backstage interviewers look even worse. Obviously, this is probably a stepping stone towards a career in acting or broadcasting, but TNA should consider giving her a bigger role (though not in the ring, of course). On a side note, Crystal Louthan had some of the same great qualities and Leticia Cline was at least better than the abovementioned WWE divas. It's too bad Crystal is nowhere to be seen. And it's too bad nobody watches TNA because it's so terrible.
Simon Wong
Vancouver, Canada
You make a good point, Simon. It's my understanding that Lauren was recommended by Spike TV. She had a difficult job, because she was replacing Crystal Louthan, who was doing good work and had friends on the roster. Lauren is much improved over the past several months. WWE has had some good interviewers in recent years, but they have also employed very attractive people who could double as microphone stands.. You also have to give credit to whoever is producing the backstage promos for TNA. Whoever it is, whether it's Russo, Terry Taylor or someone else, takes his or her job very seriously.
* * *
Hey Pat -
What can I expect from this "1970s style" booking that Adam Pearce is apparently bringing to ROH? What specific changes might this mean? Thanks!
"M2_Jay" on the Torch VIP Message Board
Now that Adam Pearce has a couple of shows under his belt, it is obvious that some people misunderstood the flippant reference to "70's style booking" one source made when talking about Pearce. Ring of Honor is not, I repeat, NOT trying to take us back to the era of Spiros Arion and Baron Mikel Scicluna. The action hasn't changed much. They are trying to go with simpler storylines, and clearly defined heels and faces. I see no problem with this. If Ring of Honor uses fewer wrestlers per show and relies on local wrestlers to fill up its undercard, as they are planning, that would also be "70's style booking." The bigger problem is that ROH is losing money. If these cost-cutting measures help Ring of Honor survive without changing what wrestling fans enjoy about Ring of Honor, that's not a problem.
One change I would like to see, both in ROH and in other promotions, is the fine art of building a longer match. Highspots are fun, but a match should be about telling a story and building to a definite conclusion. Nine times out of ten, the best looking, most exciting spot in the match should be the finish. We had a period in time where you'd see a dozen hgh impact moves in a row, and a match would end with a small package. Wrestling is moving away from that cliche, and that's a good thing.
Remember, that address is "patmcneill" @ "columnist.com" or just add it to our reader comments section a couple inches down. Ask questions about any wrestling subject current or past. Your comments on anything I've written are also welcome.
Pat McNeill has been a PWTorch columnist since 2000. He has promoted indy events and produced indy TV shows. His feature columns appear exclusively in PWTorch Newsletter most weeks. He also produces "The Real Deal with Pat McNeill" VIP audio show each week featuring breaking news, indy line-up of the week, listener mailbag, newsbreaker interviews, and more. He also participates in PWTorch's post-PPV VIP Audio Roundtables and VIP text roundtables with other Torch staff members. Pat is known for having a remarkable memory and a dry sense of humor. Try him. Send feedback on this article to pwtorch@gmail.com and we'll regularly publish reader feedback in the "Torch Feedback" category on the Main Listing.
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