PWTORCH.COM
VIP SIGN-UP JUMP TO VIP
CONTACT US VISIT MMA TORCH




Select Next Article by Category





TAKE PWTORCH
WITH YOU!

PWTORCH IPHONE APP
Get our iPhone App (FREE!): Click Here
Or enter "PWTorch.com" on your Blackberry or other Smart Phone browser for mobile-version of PWTorch.


MITCHELL'S TAKE
MITCHELL: Kayfabe Commentaries Owner Disputes My Characterization of Iron Sheik Roast DVD
Jan 3, 2009 - 2:27:08 PM


On the 12/29/08 Bruce Mitchell Audio Show I made the following comments during a discussion with Wade Keller about the movie, The Wrestler:

"Sean Radican and Derek Burgan loved that roast of the Iron Sheik. The Iron Sheik, what's happened to him, he fits into this category with Mickey Rourke's character. I hate how he's exploited. I hate how this damaged guy, who's damaged in so many ways, and he's out front about his drug use. People laugh at him and thinks that's funny, they think that's a good thing. The incident with Scott Hall, how that's exploited for people's entertainment, I'm not watching that thing. I hate how that's used. Those guys exploit themselves now, too, instead of cleaning up or trying to get healthier. "Oh, isn't that great, oh, they're just having a good time." Going out there and being a freak, a drug freak for people who don't give a damn about you, its "entertainment", the contempt back and forth. I really don't like that. "

Sean Oliver of Kayfabe Commentaries responded to these comments in my zone in the Torch VIP Forum with the following:

Recently Bruce Mitchell made some rather uneducated, disparaging remarks concerning our latest DVD release here at Kayfabe Commentaries, entitled "Ring Roasts I: A Comedic Tribute to The Iron Sheik." Mitchell's diatribe, made during a podcast, were not content-based reviews. Actually they couldn't be as Mitchell admits during the rant, that he's never even seen the program.

Bruce Mitchell: I wasn't reviewing the DVD. I was expressing my disgust at the basic concept of the DVD itself - the exploitation of the volatile nature of a damaged drug addict to make a buck or get a callous laugh. That I haven't seen the DVD is beside that point.

My public response concerning these comments comes not as a defense against a tepid review. I welcome well-shaped critiques of our work. Aside from Kayfabe Commentaries, I have been active in the entertainment industry for nearly 20 years on both sides of the camera. I don't fear criticism. And the brave team at Kayfabe Commentaries fears no one, much less Internet criticism.

However these comments need addressing for a few reasons. Mitchell suggests that our company and our DVD release "exploits" Kozrow Vaziri's known struggle with drugs and alcohol. Mitchell also throws Scott Hall's name into the mix as having been exploited by Kayfabe Commentaries. All of this, mind you, from someone who never saw the DVD.

BCM:Did Kayfabe Commentaries primarily film and market this project because of The Iron Sheik's in-ring career, one whose highlights came a quarter of a century ago, or because of the entertainment value of likely crackpot rants from a damaged drug addict? The answer is obvious.

Firstly, the show was a comedy roast. It was comedians and contemporaries of The Sheik's performing the roast tradition that has long been a staple of the entertainment world. As far as I know, none of the paid performers were intoxicated, nor were any weaknesses they might have in this area, "exploited." I know there are releases in the wrestling DVD market where The Iron Sheik is ordering cocaine on camera and dropping his pants. The Iron Sheik was the honoree of the roast. He's not bombed. He's not acting in any way inappropriately.

BCM:While it's that reputation that Kayfabe Commentaries exploits in marketing this project, I applaud their self-control in not showing footage of the Iron Sheik ordering cocaine on camera or dropping his pants on their DVD.

Very slowly.

But didn't Sheik slap Brian Blair in the face when he offered to shake his hand during the roast? I don't remember Dean Martin ever doing that. Aren't pictures of that incident used to sell the DVD on your company's site? Was it a work meant to exploit Sheik's infamous, likely drug-fueled comments about Blair, or is that what Kayfabe Commentaries characterizes as The Iron Sheik "not acting in any way inappropriately?"


Of course, this could not be reported because Mitchell never saw the DVD.

Secondly, Scott Hall was uninvited. He crashed the roast and hurled insults to the stage repeatedly, then finally charged the stage and attacked a comic. It made the wrestling news. I didn't ask for it to happen and wish it hadn't. But it did. I edited it out of the actual roast, as I felt it had no business within the credits of an entertainment show. We did include it on the special features disc as an addendum to the program.

Of course, the fact that this incident was presented in a factual, non-sensational documentary fashion could not be reported because Bruce Mitchell did not see the DVD.

BCM: You mean, "The Controversy – Everyone has heard of the vitriolic disruption of the evening's event. Now, you'll see the entire incident, including reactions after the event. Judge for yourself," as your company hypes it on the DVD cover and the Kayfabe Commentaries website? You market the incident to make a buck, because you think it makes the DVD more saleable, then try to have it both ways by editing it out of the actual roast - only to include it as a special feature, complete with "factual, non-sensational documentary fashion" commentary. It's a difference that makes no difference. As the man who called The Iron Sheik's most famous match would say, "Give me a break."

Where was your security when Scott Hall crashed the roast? What about the hired comedian's tasteless comment about Owen Hart's death that rightfully enraged his friend Scott Hall, even if he acted inappropriately? Those are part of your company's responsibilities in helping put together this project.

By the way, is Kayfabe Commentaries paying Scott Hall for his "Special Features" appearance on the DVD, or is he being exploited without compensation? Oh wait, you wrote, "none of the paid performers were intoxicated," (are you sure?) so I guess that answers that question.


Lastly, Mitchell's assertions, however irresponsible and uneducated, attack Kayfabe Commentaries at our very core. Our reputation in this business in two short years has been impeccable. From the talent we employ, to the vendors we do business with, to the amazing reviews that we are humbled to receive time and time again, we are lauded for our professionalism and creativity in a business that is sometimes accepting of very low acceptable standards. Even our wildest, most untamed series "YouShoot" is carefully crafted to achieve maximum entertainment and unpredictability while still preserving the dignity of the talent that participate as our guests.

Yes, you should actually believe there is a pro wrestling production company that strives to maximize entertainment value for fans and protect our talent. So as an owner of a company that has always strived to uplift the wrestling market beyond the sometimes low standard of acceptable practice I am disappointed. I am disappointed when an irresponsible individual's actions further demote the business to that low standard by committing the egregious amateur journalist's error of publicly waxing philosophic about something they never saw and know nothing about. All for the prize of self aggrandizement I suppose.

And once again, I cringe and shield my ears from the cacophonous "It's wrestling, what do you expect?" Me, the team at Kayfabe Commentaries, and all of our fans and customers know the answer to that question.

"More."

Thank you for listening.

Sean Oliver
Kayfabe Commentaries LLC


Comment on this Article Below

(CLICK FOR COMMENTS RULES OR TO REPORT ABUSE)

Chris Molina
03 Jan 2009, 12:59
I did not listen to the original podcast but Mitchell's rebuttal to this letter from Sean Oliver is spot on. Kayfabe Commentaries can make all the claims that they want in regards to Hall "crashing" the roast, but at the end of the day, if you are advertising it on the back of your
DVD, than you are trying to make a buck off of it. Whether you removed it and put it on the special features means nothing. While Kayfabe Commentaries does put out some very quality material, it seems a little ridiculous of Oliver to say they were not exploiting the Hall situation when they make it one of their main selling points on the DVD itself.
1-Stu-3 Kidd
03 Jan 2009, 15:21
Yeah, too bad all wrestling companies and websites couldn't be as honest and caring towards the business as this one. PWTorch would NEVER use a talents misfortune, addiction, or a negative personal incident to lure veiwers or sell a subscription, right Mitchell??
You need to quit being so self righteous, as you are nothing but the pot calling the kettle black....
Jason
04 Jan 2009, 03:52
Yeah 1 Stu-3 Kidd is right. All the wrestling sites including this one would never use a headline highlighting a wrestler's misfortune, addiction or personal tragedy to sell subscriptions to the site. The wrestling sites are to wrestling what vultures are to the nature world. I can't help but laugh when wrestling writers refer to themselves as journalists. Mitchell...when did you become a saint?
Mike
05 Jan 2009, 11:18
Grow up Mitchell. Your rebuttal comes off as childish. You had your say, why are you going back and forth about this? If I recall this site has "exclusive for members" interviews with Scott Hall, Sean Waltman and other notorious drug users. The whole appeal of those interviews is the controversy surrounding their addictions, particularly Waltman's. Aren't you guys "exploiting" their faults for personal gain? I was offended a great deal by some of the things on the DVD but I don't blame anyone for trying to sell it. I blame the people that made those comments or acted inappriately. They roasted a public figure for his public and personal shortcomings (with his consent), that's well within the relm of commentaries protected if not applauded by free speach. The Scott Hall icnident was newsworthly and diserved inclusion.
NYJ
14 Jan 2009, 05:30
Hall charged the stage after the comic made a joke about Owen Hart...you ask me, he deserved it
*Name:
Email:
Notify me about new comments on this page
Hide my email
*Text:
Security Image:

Visual CAPTCHA


 

(CLICK FOR COMMENTS RULES OR TO REPORT ABUSE)

ALSO DISCUSS MORE SUBJECTS IN OUR PWTORCH FREE FORUM

For more BREAKING NEWS on WWE, TNA!
VISIT OUR AFFILIATE - PROWRESTLING.NET


For UFC NEWS & BLOGS:
VISIT OUR SISTER SITE - MMATORCH.COM

Upgrade to PWTORCH VIP: DETAILS & SIGN-UP INFO


MORE "MITCHELL'S TAKE" ARTICLES
MITCHELL SHORT: WWE Proving Once Again That Life is Easy...
MOJO MITCHELL'S 6/29 Raw Stream Of Randy Orton Faces ECW and Loses and That's The Main Event
Mitchell Short: Your Thank-You Note to WWE
MOJO MITCHELL'S WWE RAW 6/22: Commercial Free Stream of Freeloaders, Free Main Events, Miz Favorites, Trump Doubles His Imaginary Money, and McMahon Fires Trump Even Though He Never Worked for Him
MITCHELL's TAKE: Mojo Mitchell's Smackdown Stream of WWE, C.M. Punk, Edge, Rey Mysterio, and Chris Jericho
MITCHELL: Vickie Guerrero got what she deserved
MOJO MITCHELL'S Three Hour Raw Stream of Vince Has A Friend To Play With, New World Champions and Old World Champions, and Some Baby Oil
MITCHELL: Notes on the Life and Death Of Mitsuhara Misawa
MITCHELL SHORT: Notes on Umaga's Release and Batista
MITCHELL: The Denver Debacle Scorecard - Vince McMahon Takes His Eye Off The Ball
MOJO MITCHELL'S RAW 5/25: Stream of Vince McMahon Got His Feelings Hurt
Mitchell Short: WWE and The NBA - Locked Inside a Steel Cage
MOJO MITCHELL'S RAW 5/11: Stream of What Wasn't Contrived and Camp, Was Contrived Camp
MITCHELL: Requiem For A Heavyweight (or watching Cactus Jack go splat in 2009)
MOJO MITCHELL'S RAW 4/20: Stream of The Boat Floats Again, Everybody Says Goodbye, Rey Gets Punched Out, and Legacy kicks Team Triple H All Over The Ring
MOJO MITCHELL'S Superstar Stream of Three Separate announcing Teams For One Hour Sets Some Kind Of TV Record
MITCHELL SHORT: On Hulk Hogan, Linda Hogan, and O.J. Simpson
MOJO MITCHELL'S RAW 4/13: Stream of What Amounts To Rigged Coin Flipping
Mitchell Short: Ric Flair Does The Coolest NASCAR Commercial Ever
MOJO MITCHELL'S WWE RAW 4/6: Stream of What Becomes a Legend Most, Some Consolation Prizes, A Couple Of Random Stipulations, Some Truculence, and a Candidate Emerges

(c) 1999-2009 TDH Communications Inc. - All rights reserved.

QUICK CLICK REFERENCE LISTING
-CLICK TO FOLLOW PWTORCH ON TWITTER!
-CLICK FOR OUR FREE PWTORCH IPHONE APP

-CLICK FOR OUR FREE PODCAST (#1 in iTunes!)
-CLICK TO GET INFO ON BECOMING A VIP MEMBER
-CLICK TO VISIT MMATORCH.COM
-CLICK TO VISIT PROWRESTLING.NET

-CLICK TO EMAIL PWTORCH EDITORS


PWTORCH READER POLL

7/3 SMACKDOWN MICROSCOPE POLL: What related topic from tonight's Smackdown do you want to see analyzed Under the Microscope?
Patriotic wrestlers
Fireworks
Maria's love life
The Microscope Under The Microscope
  

VOTE IN OR SEE RESULTS OF PREVIOUS POLLS


ARE YOU VIP? SIGN UP NOW FOR $7.50 A MONTH FOR INSTANT ACCESS TO AD-FREE, BENEFIT-PACKED VIP VERSION OF PWTORCH.COM (see screen capture)
PWTORCH VIP HOME PAGE

INFO ON SUBSCRIPTION TO AD-FREE VIP SITE

INCREDIBLE BENEFITS!
Over 50 full-length audio updates per month (iPod compatible)... New weekly award-winning Pro Wrestling Torch Newsletter (text and printable pdf versions) with latest exclusive insider news, new Torch Talks, great columns, Keller's cover story, much more... Hundreds of full-length back issues of PWTorch Newsletter from late-'80s to today... Ad-free access to PWTorch.com's Main Listing... VIP Forum with interaction with other subscribers and Torch staff... Torch Talk Library with text and audio of hundreds of interview installments from last 20 years... Great layout... Deepest archives on pro wrestling history anywhere... Keller's PWTorch Today PDF Bulletins with email alerts... VIP Email reports on major PPVs and TV shows... Staff Roundtable Reviews (text and audio) followiing major events... The best staff of writers and world class reporting since 1987... We'd love for you to join us and experience the most entertaining, authoritative, experienced staff of professional reporters and commentators in the business...

SIGN ME UP NOW!

Compare the value of four or five months of PWTorch VIP content to the price of just one PPV. Can you cut 25 cents a day from your budget to make room for PWTorch VIP?

AND NEW FOR 2009!
Monthly "Vintage Audio Torch Talks." We are releasing for the first time ever audio versions of our text Torch Talk updates, the historical first series of insider interviews ever. Wade Keller's newsmaking in-depth interviews with wrestling's biggest names are now being made available exclusively to VIP members. But you must be a member each month, as these are not archived, so they are replaced with a new one each month! This debuted in January 2009 with a 68 minute interview with the late "British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith. Who's next? Hulk Hogan? Eric Bischoff? The Rock? Goldberg? Jeff Hardy?

SIGN ME UP NOW!


UPCOMING EVENTS LISTING

Articles Grouped by Category
Torch Today
TORCH MONTHLY AWARD VOTING: Polls OPEN for best/worst in pro wrestling from the month of June (Part 2 of 2)
TORCH MONTHLY AWARD VOTING: Polls OPEN for best/worst in pro wrestling from the month of June (Part 1 of 2)
TORCH MONTHLY AWARD VOTING: Nominate best and worst in pro wrestling from the month of June
WWE News
WWE News: Updated line-up for "Night of Champions" PPV after Smackdown last night
WWE News: WWE TV programming pulled from key international market this weekend
WWE News: Report Wanted from Friday night house show in San Diego on reported injury to Edge
TNA News
TNA News: Sting talks Shockmaster with Jeff Jarrett, Jim Cornette (w/VIDEOS)
TNA News: Preview for tonight's Impact - TNA World Title match, Mafia vs. Team 3D, Young vs. Rhino (w/VIDEO)
TNA News: Homicide says he has more freedom to wrestle on independent shows compared to TNA, describes character differences
ROH News
ROH News: Lance Storm's first match out of retirement announced, details on second match against Chris Hero
ROH News: Notes on Toronto Gauntlet match, Nigel McGuinness below-average performances into storyline, ROH selling PWG DVDs
TOP FIVE STORIES - Weekend edition: Three WWE PPV title changes, WWE announcer leaving, Lashley blasts Sapp, Jerry Lawler's son arrested, "State of TNA" address
Other News
Other News: Torch Talk All-Star Lanny Poffo Video interview, great poem on taking out Hulk Hogan
Other News: Brian Blair denies hitting his children in Father's Day Fight; local news runs 911 call leading to arrest (w/VIDEO)
Other News: New clip of Rob Van Dam doing a stunt for his upcoming movie (w/VIDEO)
PPV Reports
THE BASH PPV COVERAGE: Listing of the Torch's WWE PPV coverage - Title changes, Jericho writes on Rey match, Miz on Cena match
RADICAN'S WWE THE BASH PPV BLOG 6/28: Ongoing "virtual time" coverage of Orton vs. Hunter PPV
CALDWELL'S WWE THE BASH PPV REPORT 6/28: Ongoing "virtual time" coverage of Orton vs. Triple H, Punk vs. Hardy
TV Reports
PARKS' WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT 7/3: Ongoing "virtual time" coverage of the show, including Punk & Jeff Hardy vs. Jericho & Edge
WWE News: Preview for tonight's Smackdown - Mysterio vs. Kane and Edge & Jericho vs. Punk & Jeff Hardy
PARKS' TNA IMPACT REPORT 7/2: Ongoing "virtual time" coverage of the show, including Team 3D vs. Booker & Steiner
Arena Reports
7/3 WWE in San Diego, Calif.: First-hand report on Edge's apparent injury, Punk vs. Rey Mysterio, Ricky Steamboat in action
6/27 ROH in Chicago: Austin Aries vs. Nigel McGuinness, KENTA vs. Black, Petey Williams looks odd, Crowd eats up Flair's generic promo
6/28 PWG in California: Joey Ryan vs. Necro Butcher, Davey Richards vs. Young Buck, Michael Jackson entrance themes
MMA / UFC Coverage
UFC News: Kimbo Slice, Rampage Jackson, Rashad Evans plus rest of cast of TUF 10 to be revealed...
UFC - ENNIS COLUMN: The Lay of the Lane - A look at MMA's top heavyweights from Brock to Mir to Carwin to Fedor to...
MMA: Plan a week of UFC and other MMA viewing with the Torch's viewer's guide including Liddell vs. Wanderlei Silva
KELLER'S TAKE
KELLER: How bookers, like Jeff Jarrett last night, show that they're the toughest SOBs in the world
KELLER'S TNA IMPACT TAKE 7/2: Thoughts, observations, nitpicks, and quotebook
KELLER'S ECW ON SCI-FI REPORT 6/30: Results, star ratings, thoughts, observations, nitpicks, and quotebook
MITCHELL'S TAKE
MITCHELL SHORT: WWE Proving Once Again That Life is Easy...
MOJO MITCHELL'S 6/29 Raw Stream Of Randy Orton Faces ECW and Loses and That's The Main Event
Mitchell Short: Your Thank-You Note to WWE
MCNEILL'S TAKE
The Names Have Been Changed To Protect The Buyrates: McNEILL Previews WWE Bash 2009!
Redemption: McNEILL previews TNA Slammiversary 7!
MCNEILL BLOG: A Modest Proposal For Monday Night Trump
CALDWELL'S TAKE
CALDWELL: Analysis of WWE's roster shuffle from the 15-person trade - who benefited, which brand needs help
CALDWELL: Instant Reaction to key storylines on Raw and post-PPV developments
CALDWELL: WWE Smackdown/The Bash PPV analysis - Don't Mess with C.M. Punk's dynamic character
RADICAN'S TAKE
RADICAN: Torch readers sounds off on Mark Henry's shining moment on Raw (w/Radican Reax)
RADICAN: Mark Henry's shining moment on Raw leaves a bad smell in the room
RADICAN: A follow up on the Death Before Dishonor audio with Feinstein with notes on Special K angle, Punk-Raven feud, where's Misawa now?
The Specialists
CHARACTER MATTERS: Why The Game Doesn't Play with Me - The Flaws of Triple H's On-Air Persona
ABSURDITY OF IT ALL - 7/2 TNA Impact: Kurt Angle saw "The Hangover," Stacker2, A.J. Styles Eats a Lot of Cookies, Stacker2, Jeff Jarrett Has the Power of Flight
HITS & MISSES - TNA IMPACT 7/2: Kevin Nash's sit-down, Kurt Angle Plays the Game, Matt Morgan a Hit?, Samoa Joe muted, Bad acting, Raven MIA
Guest Editorials
EDITORIAL: Historical perspective on Austin Aries's ROH Title victory - his journey from main event to mid-card back to main event
EDITORIAL: TNA needs to K.I.S.S. the King of the Mountain match to make it more appealing to TNA viewers
EDITORIAL: How WWE could have better handled the Vickie-Edge segment on Raw and caught up with the year 2009
Torch Feedback
ECW TV Reax #2: "Yoshi is already on the road to being the next Funaki at this point"
ECW TV Reax #1: "I think Abraham Washington has some charisma, but dear Lord, that was the most pointless segment in pro wrestling history"
WWE Raw Reax #4: "I'm not sure how WWE could have made it any clearer that MVP isn't in Triple H's league"
Ask the Editor
Ask the Editor: Wouldn't incorporating MMA-style holds into pro wrestling matches just be trying to be something it's not?
ASK THE EDITOR: Have the Michaels-Batista promos crossed a line with use of insider terms, references to "jobs"?
ASK THE EDITOR: Why do wrestlers in WWE refer to wrestling as "the business" and not "the sport"?
DVDs - VGames - Books
RADICAN'S ROH DVD REVIEW SERIES: 2/7 "Proving Ground: Night 2" (Danielson-Generico, Steen-Richards)
RADICAN'S TORCH DVD REVIEW SERIES: YouShoot with Sabu: Sabu opens up about working in WWE, incident with Kurt Angle, negotions with TNA, more...
RADICAN'S PWTorch DVD review: The Best of RVD TV Vol. 1: RVD trains MMA with a UFC fighter, talks the power of the mind with The Ultimate Warrior, discusses love on a beach with Samoa Joe
Torch Flashbacks
KELLER'S TNA IMPACT REPORT (5 Yrs. Ago): Eric Young headlines, Jerry Lynn, R-Truth, Dusty Rhodes, Sabu, A.J. Styles, Jarrett, D-Ray 3000!
OWEN HART 10 YRS. AGO: Bruce Mitchell Feature Column - The Fluke Death of Owen Hart - May 23, 1999
OWEN HART 10 YRS. AGO: Torch Newsletter #550 cover story on Owen Hart's death (PART TWO) - May 23, 1999
VIP Exclusive Features
7/3 TORCH DAILY BLITZ: Burgan and Lipinski look back at ECW: One Night Stand 2005 (43 min.)
7/3 Radican Audio Showcase w/Burgan (pt. 2): Radican and Burgan discuss the excellent Cabana shoot interview, DGUSA PPV and DVD differences, ROH must-see matches just released, more (54 min.)
7/3 Bruce Mitchell Audio Show, part one: Breaking down the 15 talent trades, new-look ECW (62 min.)
Torch Trivia
TORCH TRIVIA 2/28: Which wrestler backed out of a WWA PPV in February 2002?
TORCH TRIVIA 2/27: Who said this quote about Hulk Hogan's athleticism 11 years ago?
TORCH TRIVIA 2/25: What said this quote about WWE's mid-1990s drug testing policy?
Torch Instant Polls
7/3 SMACKDOWN MICROSCOPE POLL: What related topic from tonight's Smackdown do you want to see analyzed Under the Microscope?
TNA IMPACT POLL: Who was the MVP of the 7/2 episode if you saw the show?
TORCH MORNING POLL: If TNA decides to compete head-to-head with WWE, what should they do?
PWTorch Free Podcast
6/23 Nostalgia Audio with Brian Hoops: Former WCW rapmaster PN News joins Brian Hoops to preview upcoming Midwest shows (10 min.)
FREE AUDIO: Keller & Mitchell Discuss Randy Savage's Place in WWE History, Elizabeth's Strengths and Weaknesses
FREE FOR ALL TODAY - 5/31 Keller Hotline: Tons of info on Kennedy situation, immediate future, plus what top star's days in TNA are numbered, what's working against Kennedy getting big push in TNA, much more
Annual Obituaries
SPECIALIST: List of Deceased Wrestlers for 1999 - Muchnick, Rick Rude, Owen Hart, Renegade...
SPECIALIST: List of Deceased Wrestlers for 2000 - Solie, Albright, Duncum, Tsuruta, Blue Demon, Al Costello
SPECIALIST: List of Deceased Wrestlers for 2001: Johnny Valentine, Terry Gordy, Chris Adams, Bertha Faye, Helen Hart