Tag Archives: Randy Savage

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

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Episode 35: Close-Up on Union Avenue

KFR Pod #35 has dropped like Ricky Morton’s head through a table after a Macho Piledriver! Host Scott Bowden goes behind the camera to chat with longtime (and now retired) WMC-TV 5 engineer Ken Parnell, who reveals the crazy energy and the wild-and-wooly inner workings of the Memphis TV show in its heyday.

Ken recalls his rookie year of 1981, which resulted in some of the most entertaining Memphis TVs in history thanks to the red-hot feud between Jerry Lawler and the All the King’s Men vs. Jimmy Hart’s nefarious First Family.

Ken will also explain the details behind his ill-advised detour down Badstreet USA where he lost the Freebird version of Rock, Paper, Scissors in August 1985 as part of a bloody-good angle at the Mid-South Coliseum.

Plus, Ken breaks down what made Memphis wrestling so special and his thoughts on the show’s TV format that was as loose and flexible as any arena rat back in the day and just as action-packed.

Not only does Ken provide a unique perspective of the show working for both the station and the promotion, but he also shares inside stories such as a Macho Man promo that nearly made Ken quit the business and how that led to he and Randy Savage eventually becoming good friends. All this and more on an extra-crispy, not-so-late KFR Episode 35!

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 23: Tux Tales

Scott Bowden welcomes his Beverly Hills neighbor, the dapper-yet-diabolical Tux Newman (Jeff Walton), who orchestrated Randy “Macho Man” Savage’s return to the dark side of Memphis wrestling in late February 1985, guiding his star to memorable, brutal reign as the Southern heavyweight champion of the WORLD.

The twisted talent agent from Tinseltown will dish on how he got his macho client booked in the WWF and explains why Savage insisted on dropping the belt back to the King on his way out.

Tux will also reveal why bad timing may have been the only thing that prevented the Tux Man from having a legendary run under Vince McMahon’s ever-expanding ’80s circus tent.

In addition to sharing his thoughts on everyone from Lance Russell to the King to Jerry Jarrett, the Big T takes the stand to offer his expert analysis regarding the Mil Mascaras MondayNight Mystery. Is this the night Bowden unmasks the truth?!

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

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Episode 18: ICW Invasion

Freak out! Scott Bowden is back, right alongside ringside and ready to go with another BIG day of the KFR podcast! This week, KFR is invaded by one of the most infamous performers in the short-but-memorable history of International Championship Wrestling: the leader of the Slapowitz Syndicate, Izzy Slapowitz.

Over the course of nearly 90 minutes, Izzy will reveal how he went from being a boisterous wrestling fan backing the bad guys in Brooklyn to a heat magnet as a manager in the Bible Belt of Tennessee and Kentucky. Izzy will also share his memories of working in Memphis alongside the ICW band of outlaws, including his own “Devil’s Duo” as well as “The One Man Gang” Ronnie Garvin, ICW World champion Randy “Macho Man” Savage, “Hustler” Rip Rogers, Bob Orton Jr., and The Miser (Angelo Poffo).

The former braided pawnbroker will also share stories about Bill Dundee and The Dream Machine (Troy Graham), and Izzy explain why he felt uncomfortable with the shoot promos the ICW stars cut on Jerry Jarrett’s crew. You’ve heard the Jarrett side of the ICW invasion in Memphis—now you get the story from one of the men who lived it! Doing the thing!

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

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Episode 7: Seasons Beatings From Memphis

Scott Bowden and The Great Brian Last make a triumphant return right alongside ringside, coming to you from Memphis. This week, Germantown’s number-one son serves as the Ghost of Christmas Past, taking you on a wild and wooly journey back to heart-stopping holiday shows he attended at the Mid-South Coliseum—the home of the biggest bouts and most intense beatings of the seasons.

Bowden has also stuffed your proverbial stocking with his memories of the first-ever babyface appearance of Austin Idol in the territory, the Memphis debuts of Randy “Macho Man” Savage and The Road Warriors—on the same Monday night no less—and the best bout he ever saw between the King of Memphis and the King of the World, Nick Bockwinkel.

Bowden then travels back to the 1975 for Jerry Lawler’s first babyface promo as a challenger to the World throne—a bout so important, Sam Muchnick himself signed it at the behest of NWA kingpin Jack Brisco. Scott also asks legendary promoter Jerry Jarrett to rate Brisco against the other NWA World champions who defended their laurels in Memphis, most notably, Lou Thesz.

No matter if you’ve been a heel or a babyface (fine line there) this year.this action-packed episode is small-packaged, gift-wrapped and ready to go—so open it already, and experience the true meaning of the season in Memphis!

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