Tag Archives: 1983

Episode 45: Andy Kaufman’s Gone Rasslin’

Finally—#KFRPod 45 has dropped like Andy Kaufman after a King-sized slap on Late Night With David Letterman! In their own totally original yet extra-crispy way, host Scott Bowden teams with wrestling’s song-and-dance man, Scott Cornish, to break down one of the most memorable feuds in Memphis Wrestling history: Andy Kaufman vs. Jerry Lawler.

Bowden recalls Andy’s very first appearance at the Mid-South Coliseum in 1981, the original plan and Andy’s audacious audibles, culminating with Lawler’s Slap Heard ‘Round the World on Letterman. Were Andy’s matches with women from the audience a shoot? How much did Letterman know ahead of time? What was the reaction from NBC, the public and the media? All these questions and more will be answered during this triumphant return of the KFR podcast!

Visit the Kentucky Fried Rasslin’ online store at http://kentuckyfriedrasslin.bigcartel.com/

Follow Scott Bowden on Twitter @TravScottBowden and on Facebook @KentuckyFriedRasslin.

Follow Brian on Twitter at @GreatBrianLast.

Kentucky Fried Rasslin’ is a production of the Arcadian Vanguard Podcast Network

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Episode 36: Merry Macho Christmas Special

Freak out—it’s a Merry Macho Crispy edition of the KFR Podcast with host Scott Bowden guiding his sleigh down memory lane to the biggest card of Memphis wrestling in 1983—Dec. 5 to be exact. The originally scheduled main event saw the Road Warriors make their post-apocolyptic debut in the territory in a rumble for the ages vs the Fabulous Ones—with more potatoes served than all area KFCs combined.

But it was the late addition to the main-event spot (along with smuggled booze) that had the Coliseum buzzing: ICW outlaw Randy “Macho Man” Savage finally invades Jerry “The Queen” Lawler’s kingdom, bringing his own brand of madness to Memphis for the first time under Jarrett’s banner.

Bowden was in attendance that night along with a little more than 8,000 other stinkin’ rednecks—not a bad house coming off the slow-dying feud between the King and Kaufman but not even close to the anticipated sellout.

Together with longtime fan John Keating and ICW co-founder “Hustler” Rip Rogers, Bowden speculates as to why the program between Macho and Kingfish fizzled after three weeks in Memphis but thrived in Louisville, Lexington and the surrounding areas.

All this and classic Savage audio make this a Merry Macho Crispy season to remember. So break out the confetti ’cause we’re doing the thing!

Visit the Kentucky Fried Rasslin’ online store at http://kentuckyfriedrasslin.bigcartel.com/

Follow Scott Bowden on Twitter @TravScottBowden and on Facebook @KentuckyFriedRasslin.

Follow Brian on Twitter at @GreatBrianLast.

Kentucky Fried Rasslin’ is a production of the Arcadian Vanguard Podcast Network

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Android | RSS

Episode 24: Men About Town w/ Guest Jim Cornette

KFR host Scott Bowden and his extra-crispy guest, Jim Cornette, honor the 35th anniversary of one of the best bouts ever held in Memphis, which also was featured around the territory’s loop, earning one of the biggest money weeks ever for promoter Jerry Jarret.

This series of bouts featured Jarrett’s two biggest
longtime handpicked stars who worked practically the same match with the same finish to huge crowds in Lexington, Memphis, Nashville and Louisville, June 2—June 7, 1983, with a loser-leaves-town stipulation and the AWA Southern heavyweight title hanging in the balance. They all came to witness Jerry “the King” Lawler defeat “Superstar” Bill Dundee to regain his belt and finally rid the
area of his perennial rival and former ally in what many fans declared the greatest match they ever saw in the territory.

Behind the scenes, Dundee’s departure also resulted in other key names leaving the area, including Cornette, who explains not only the reasons behind that but also why this ’83 series and the ’77 feud clicked with Memphis fans while the ‘79 program between the King
and the Superstar did not. It’s no-holds-barred, must-listen edition of the KFR podcast, complete with rare WHBQ audio you won’t hear anywhere else.

Visit the NEW Kentucky Fried Rasslin’ online store at http://kentuckyfriedrasslin.bigcartel.com/

Follow Scott Bowden on Twitter @TravScottBowden and on Facebook @KentuckyFriedRasslin.

Follow Brian on Twitter at @GreatBrianLast.

Kentucky Fried Rasslin’ is a production of the Arcadian Vanguard Podcast Network

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Android | RSS