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Tales from the Attitude Era: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Tommy Blacha & Robert Pasbani
Pro wrestling shows dominate the top sports podcast charts, but none are from the perspective of the show's writer, until now. Tommy Blacha has written on Conan O'Brien, Da Ali G Show, The Eric Andre Show, and co-created Adult Swim's Metalocalypse. He was also the head writer of WWE (then WWF) during their big boom period, affectionately referred to as The Attitude Era. Tommy was a significant figure in the Attitude Era, primarily known for his work as a comedy writer and performer. He played a crucial role in shaping the entertainment aspect of the WWF product during this time. Joined by co-host Rob Pasbani (Metal Injection, Squared Circle Pit), the two look back on the unique moment in time, discussing the creative mindset behind some of the biggest stories of the Attitude Tales from the Attitude Era is a weekly one-hour podcast looking back at a specific famous moment or storyline from the period in WWE when Blacha was head writer, between 1999 and 2001, producing some of wrestling's most iconic personalities, both in front of and behind the camera. There was a sense of heightened sensationalism surrounding the industry during this time. Fans were eager to learn about the backstage politics, personal relationships, and locker room dynamics that fueled the drama on-screen. Every week, Rob Pasbani will lead the show offering a recap of events, and reactions from critics & fans of the time. Blacha will then offer his unique insider perspective explaining the hows and whys of famous moments involving larger-than-life figures like Vince McMahon, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, and Triple H, whose influence extended beyond the ring and into the boardroom. Fans were captivated by learning about their roles in shaping the direction of the company and the industry as a whole, further fueled fans' fascination with the backstage of the Attitude Era.
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- 6 days ago1h 7m
Foley Says "Or Else" & Former Writer Explains Why That's the Problem - WWF SmackDown 9/28/00 Review
SmackDown comes from Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh on September 28th, 2000. Before Tommy Blacha and Rob Pasbani get to the show, they read a listener comment that takes about two minutes to accurately diagnose every creative problem WWF is about to run into over the next two years. Tommy cannot disagree with a word of it.Foley opens the show warning Austin to play by his rules or else. Austin responds by hiding in a phone booth backstage and jumping Road Dog in the middle of a hardcore match. Raven gets his first WWF promo and it is immediately buried by a Jericho interruption, dragged into the Taz and Lawler comedy feud, and aimed at entirely the wrong people. Rock and Triple H team up against Angle and Benoit in a main event that works as a match and means nothing as a story. Stephanie pulls a chair away from Rock at the worst possible moment. Angle slam. Three count.Tommy, still occasionally sending in material but increasingly disconnected from the room, explains what is actually happening behind the scenes: not laziness, but too many voices, a soap opera decree from management, Hollywood writers who do not know the roster, and a company so financially successful it has stopped being hungry. The people there are working harder than ever. The output is getting worse.Please support the show, and join our brand new Patreon, featuring watch-alongs for classic matches. You also get these episodes uncensored and one day early!Please subscribe at https://patreon.com/talesfromtheattitudeeraOther major discussion points include:Lita introduces the new tag champions the Hardys before beating Jackie in a match that Edge and Christian have no business being ringside forSteve Blackman gets nothing from his SummerSlam moment; six weeks later he is in a throwaway hardcore match used as a vehicle for an Austin run-inTrish recruits Kane for a six-man by mentioning Rikishi; the hosts assume it leads somewhere; it does notRaven and Taz beat Jericho and Lawler after X-Pac interferes and Raven hits the DDT; the Dudleys run out after; Tommy says Raven and X-Pac should have been the teamChyna strips down mid-match to intimidate Steven Richards; the hosts note she looks exactly the same; she wins anywayStephanie pulls the chair away from Rock and hands Angle the win; Rob says the milk on the Triple H and Angle story is starting to turnChapter Marks0:00:00 Cold Open0:00:27 Welcome / SmackDown 9/28/000:03:06 Listener Feedback / YouTube Comments0:11:04 Foley Opens the Show0:19:16 Benoit / Angle / Main Event Booked0:22:40 Austin Finds Road Dog and X-Pac0:26:23 Lita vs Jackie / Hardy Tag Titles0:27:35 Road Dog vs Blackman / Austin Phone Booth0:32:32 Trish / Kane Backstage0:33:54 Taz / Raven Promo0:40:46 Jericho Interrupts / Tag Match Set Up0:42:37 Triple H / Rock Backstage0:43:15 Sunday Night Heat / MTV Discussion0:45:42 Too Cool & Rikishi vs Kane & T&A0:46:53 Jericho & Lawler vs Taz & Raven0:49:13 Rock Promo / Kevin Kelly0:50:01 Chyna vs Steven Richards0:54:42 Foley on Stage / Austin Stuns X-Pac0:58:38 Triple H / Rock Backstage0:59:48 Rock & Triple H vs Angle & Benoit1:06:23 Patreon / Sign-Off Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- 1 weeks ago1h 1m
WWF RAW 9/25/00 Review: The Hardys and Edge and Christian Have a Forgotten Ladder Classic on Free TV
Raw moves to TNN. Austin is back on Monday night for the first time in almost a year. The Viacom suits need to be impressed. Tommy Blacha and Rob Pasbani review WWF RAW from Penn State University on September 25th, 2000, a show that hotshots two pay-per-view quality matches in one night and still finds time for Tommy to notice that the machine is getting too big.Austin opens the show, stuns Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit in the same segment, visits Undertaker backstage in a scene that felt like a western, and walks in on William Regal reading Shakespeare before stunning him before he can finish a sentence. The Hardys and Edge and Christian have a ladder match that Rob calls forgotten and incredible in the same breath. Edge pulls off a spear from the top of a giant ladder onto a dangling Jeff Hardy, the same spot he will use six months later at WrestleMania 17, and nobody in the building even knows it yet.Tommy, still loosely working on things for the company at this point but feeling the ground shifting, talks about what it smells like when the writing staff gets too big, the synergy people start showing up, and creative gets convoluted. He also raises the question nobody on screen seems to be asking: every time Austin stuns someone, is there a next week?Please support the show, and join our brand new Patreon, featuring watch-alongs for classic matches. You also get these episodes uncensored and one day early!Please subscribe at https://patreon.com/talesfromtheattitudeeraOther major discussion points include:Kane vs Rikishi barely starts before Rikishi grabs a chair and the whole thing collapsesRaven DDTs Lawler and Bubba Ray Dudley in the same night; a Tazz and Raven alliance appears to be formingChyna cuts an emotional promo about her Playboy cover; Right to Censor immediately interrupts; Eddie Guerrero challenges them for the IC title on the spotKurt Angle reads the USA Today while Trish Stratus puts his gold medal somewhere he does not notice until he looks upX-Pac smashes a glass bottle over Jericho's face to win the first blood match; Jericho puts him in the Walls of Jericho on the announce table after the bellTriple H inadvertently helps Rock retain the title by throwing Benoit into a Rock Bottom; Benoit headbutts Stephanie on his way outChapter Marks0:00:00 Cold Open0:00:29 Welcome / RAW on TNN0:02:01 First RAW on TNN Overview0:06:40 Penn State / Show Context0:11:14 Austin / Foley / Benoit / Angle0:21:28 Kane vs Rikishi0:24:58 Austin Visits Undertaker0:26:11 Foley / E&C Backstage0:30:10 Tazz vs Bubba / Raven Returns0:36:22 Stephanie / Triple H Backstage0:38:24 Ladder Match: Hardys vs E&C0:42:58 Austin Interrogates the Stooges0:44:16 Chyna Playboy Promo / RTC / Eddie0:48:38 Angle / Trish Stratus Backstage0:49:56 X-Pac vs Jericho (First Blood)0:51:15 Austin / Triple H Locker Room0:53:20 Eddie vs Val Venis (IC Title)0:55:30 Crash at WWF New York / Regal Returns0:56:25 Rock vs Benoit (Main Event)1:00:53 Patreon / Sign-Off Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- 2 weeks ago1h 24m
WWF Unforgiven 2000 Review: The Main Event Everyone Built Toward Gets Eaten by Backstage Segments
Stone Cold Austin arrives at the First Union Center, attacks Kevin Kelly in the parking lot, and spends the entire night demanding answers that nobody gives him. Tommy Blacha and Rob Pasbani review WWF Unforgiven 2000 from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Their verdict: the first pay-per-view since WrestleMania that delivers good, but not great.Raven walks out during the Tazz and Lawler strap match, DDTs Lawler, Tazz wins, and Jim Ross says on commentary that Raven is not even on this roster. The ECW crowd pops accordingly. Jericho and X-Pac have the match of the night, it ends clean, no ref bump, X-Pac taps to the Walls of Jericho. Edge and Christian face the Hardys for the tag titles in a steel cage with convoluted rules, Jeff Hardy gets eliminated three minutes in, re-enters through a door, Lita does a hurricanrana from the top of the cage, and the Hardys win their first tag team championship.Triple H and Kurt Angle in a No DQ match with Foley as special referee is the most anticipated match on the card. It runs short because backstage segments ate the time. Stephanie low blows Angle. Triple H wins. The hosts describe the finish as sweaty. Tommy, who wrote for WWF during this period, observes that the writers' room was expanding, performers were becoming less empowered, and scripted lines were taking over. He ends with: "Boy, am I glad I don't work there anymore."Please support the show, and join our brand new Patreon, featuring watch-alongs for classic matches. You also get these episodes uncensored and one day early!Please subscribe at https://patreon.com/talesfromtheattitudeeraOther major discussion points include:RTC, the Dudley Boyz, and the Acolytes are thrown together into an 8-man tag with a Steven kick finish; everyone looks weakAl Snow represents Italy in the Hardcore Invitational with a Tony Danza portrait and a red cloth; Blackman wins; the 24/7 rule is suspended until RAW with no clear explanationAustin and Angle meet on screen for the first time; Angle offers him an honorary gold medal; Austin tells him where to put itShane McMahon presents "evidence" involving old footage of Blackman bumping into Shamrock; Austin stuns Blackman (the hosts say this badly herbs him for a pop), then stuns ShaneRock survives the Fatal Four-Way against Benoit, Undertaker, and Kane; Benoit "wins" the title but his foot is on the rope; Foley restarts; Rock retains via Rock Bottom; the hosts hate the fatal four-way formatChapter Marks0:00:00 Cold Open0:00:53 Welcome / Unforgiven 20000:02:03 Pay-Per-View Value / Black Box0:05:50 Card Overview / Show Impressions0:08:31 RTC 8-Man Tag0:14:29 Triple H / Stephanie Backstage0:15:41 Tazz vs Lawler / Raven Debuts0:26:34 Austin Arrives / Kevin Kelly0:27:23 Hardcore Invitational / Blackman Wins0:35:32 Austin Meets Angle0:36:32 Jericho vs X-Pac0:39:07 Foley's No DQ / Rock and Austin0:41:28 E&C vs Hardys Steel Cage0:50:17 Austin / Stephanie Locker Room0:53:36 Eddie vs Rikishi / Chyna0:57:13 Triple H vs Angle (No DQ)1:07:53 Shane McMahon's Evidence1:16:22 Tommy's Insider Take1:17:08 Fatal Four-Way / Rock Retains1:21:09 Overall Assessment1:23:45 Patreon / Sign-Off Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- 3 weeks ago59 min
Kurt Angle Has a Sledgehammer & a Kiss for Stephanie - WWE SmackDown 9/21/00 Review
Kurt Angle ends the main event with an Angle Slam, a sledgehammer, a surprise kiss on Stephanie McMahon, and the line "ask your wife if I kiss like a pansy." Stone Cold cuts a pre-tape from his house in Texas that sells both hosts on Unforgiven more than anything else on the show. Tommy Blacha and Rob Pasbani recap the September 21, 2000 edition of WWF SmackDown, live from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the final SmackDown before Unforgiven 2000.The opening segment puts the entire 40-man roster around the ring while Foley plays amateur detective. Rock denies running over Austin with a Swedish Chef impression. Triple H defends himself. Angle says maybe it was SA Rios. Xpac accuses Jericho. Undertaker arrives to a big pop. Brawl. The hosts agree this works. The gay panic jokes Triple H keeps making backstage do not.Eddie Guerrero comes out with roses, delivers a speech about how Chyna is a superstar and he is nothing, reveals her Playboy cover for the first time, and gets on one knee. The crowd chants "just say no." She says yes. The hosts discuss whether this storytelling decision serves Chyna or undermines her.Please support the show, and join our brand new Patreon, featuring watch-alongs for classic matches. You also get these episodes uncensored and one day early!Please subscribe at https://patreon.com/talesfromtheattitudeeraOther major discussion points include:Shane McMahon makes a surprise return two months after Blackman knocked him off a scaffold at SummerSlam and says he'll reveal who ran over Austin at Unforgiven; Triple H hears it, turns to Stephanie, and points out Shane said he was "all alone" in the hospitalJeff Hardy wore Sting facepaint as a kid and called himself the Wolverine; Edge and Christian found old footage and screened it in a dark room with a projector, then attacked the Hardys with chairsAl Snow represents Spain as European Champion with a Ricardo Montalban portrait, a pinata, and a red cloth; the Hardcore title match collapses under 247 rules and Blackman wins by kicking a garbage can into Taka's faceJericho and Lawler vs Xpac and Tazz ends in a DQ when Tazz chokes Lawler with a strap; the stipulation that those two couldn't touch before the pay-per-view is never acknowledged as liftedToo Cool forces a reluctant four-man dance on both the Acolytes and the Dudleys; Bradshaw holds out longestSmackDown Your Vote: 90,000 registered, and they give you the real number, not 100,000Chapter Marks00:00 Cold Open00:28 Welcome / Milwaukee / SmackDown 9/21/200001:55 Show Overview03:06 Opening Segment / Who Ran Over Austin?06:39 Triple H Defends Himself / Gay Panic Analysis09:08 Angle / Xpac Accuses Jericho / Stephanie Blamed11:32 Undertaker Arrives / Brawl14:18 Val Venis vs Scotty 2 Hotty17:20 Backstage: Triple H / Greg Luganis Jokes22:48 Hardys Promo / E&C Dark Room24:19 Al Snow (Spain) vs Steve Blackman27:54 Austin Up Next / SmackDown Your Vote32:34 Austin Pre-Tape33:23 Shane McMahon Returns35:09 Triple H Catches Stephanie in a Lie37:32 Jericho and Lawler vs Xpac and Tazz39:42 Chyna Confronts Eddie Backstage40:41 Eddie's Apology / Chyna's Playboy Cover44:16 Eddie Proposes / Chyna Says Yes48:10 Acolytes / RTC / Too Cool Dancing49:41 Main Event52:07 Gay Panic Spot / Undertaker's Motorcycle53:31 Angle Slam and Sledgehammer54:11 Angle Kisses Stephanie / "Who's Crying Now?"57:10 Final Thoughts / Patreon59:11 Sign-Off Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Aug 31, 20261h 11m
HHH Questions Kurt Angle's Lifestyle; Final Episode on USA - WWE RAW 9/18/00 Review
Triple H tells Kurt Angle he just wants to be friends with Stephanie, maybe go shopping for drapes. Kurt has never been more offended. Tommy Blacha and Rob Pasbani recap the September 18, 2000 edition of WWF Monday Night Raw, live from the Rosemont Horizon in Chicago, Illinois, six days before Unforgiven 2000. Also the last Raw on USA Network.The opening promo ends with Rob, as a gay man, explaining exactly why "shopping for drapes" works and why "batting on the other side of the plate than the rest of us" is the one line that doesn't. Foley books TNA and Trish against Triple H, Angle, and Stephanie, and the hosts are almost surprised it took this long to get here.William Regal makes his WWE debut at the Rosemont, which Tommy calls the single best venue to debut anyone who needs an immediate reaction. Regal sets up a dinner table, demonstrates proper napkin usage, and explains that American parents have clearly failed their children. Jericho interrupts with a fake British accent and a failed tablecloth magic trick. Xpac shows up with nunchucks.Undertaker pins the world champion in a non-title match six days before Unforgiven. The four challengers brawl to end the show. The hosts spend two minutes establishing the correct wrestling terminology for what just happened.Please support the show, and join our brand new Patreon, featuring watch-alongs for classic matches. You also get these episodes uncensored and one day early!Please subscribe at https://patreon.com/talesfromtheattitudeeraOther major discussion points include:Tazz arrives as substitute ring announcer in a thug'd up suit jacket with the arms ripped off, a bow tie, and Thug Life on the back, introduces Rikishi as "6,000 pounds from the waist down," and announces the result directly into Lawler's earHugh Hefner recorded a video for Chyna's Playboy issue and could not learn Eddie Guerrero's name in however many takes, referring to him only as "the boyfriend"Eddie fakes being sick to send Chyna in to wrestle Rikishi in his place, then sprays mace in Rikishi's eyes, and Rikishi gives Chyna a bonsai drop while staring directly at EddieThe USA vs Viacom lawsuit backstory: USA claimed first right of refusal, WWE argued they did not match the deal because Viacom included $5 million in advertising that USA could not offerTommy has a detailed memory of rooting for heels as a teenager at Cobo Arena, a drunk accountant in a suit who produced a small Soviet flag from his blazer pocket, and what his mom thought of all of itThe Rosemont Horizon: 15 straight sellouts, Tommy calls it a top five guaranteed hot show venue, and WWF chose this specific building to debut Regal and switch networks for good reasonChapter marks 00:00 Cold Open02:50 USA vs Viacom Lawsuit07:42 William Regal Debut Discussion09:47 Show Starts / Stephanie Opens19:47 Acolytes Attack RTC / Dudleys vs Goodfather and Bull Buchanan21:59 Rock Promo / "Lord of Monkey Piss" / Undertaker Responds24:44 Foley Books Rock vs Taker and Kane vs Benoit / Hugh Hefner Can't Say Eddie's Name27:04 Backstage: Eddie's "Sick" / Kane vs Benoit / Ring Bell Chaos30:10 European Championship Discussion / 2004 Dark Period31:28 Backstage: Triple H, Stephanie, and Angle / "Girls Room Is Down the Hall"38:32 TNA and Trish vs Triple H, Angle, and Stephanie44:42 Angle Hugs Stephanie Post-Match / Triple H Spears Angle46:01 Eddie Wrapped in a Blanket / Tazz as Ring Announcer48:49 Rikishi vs Eddie / Chyna Caught in the Middle54:13 William Regal Debuts / Table Manners Promo56:39 Tommy's House Show Story / The Drunk Accountant with the Soviet Flag1:01:36 Jericho Interrupts Regal / Xpac Attacks with Nunchucks1:03:07 Too Cool vs Edge and Christian / Austin Pay-Per-View Promo1:04:15 Foley: "Smackdown Your Vote"1:05:08 Main Event: Rock vs Undertaker (Non-Title) / Benoit on Commentary1:05:59 Undertaker Pins Rock / Four-Way Brawl to End the Show1:08:02 Final Thoughts / Patreon / Rosemont Wrestlemania History1:10:49 Sign-Off Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Aug 24, 20261h 6m
Edge and Christian Introduce the Hardys of the Future - WWE SmackDown 9/14/00 Review
Eddie Guerrero shows up at the Playboy Mansion demanding to speak to Hugh Hefner. The bodyguard thinks he means his actual mother. The door gets slammed in his face. He walks away cool. Tommy Blacha and Rob Pasbani recap the September 14, 2000 edition of WWF SmackDown, live from the America West Arena in Phoenix, Arizona.Foley books three tag matches to force the Unforgiven participants to coexist: Angle and Triple H vs T&A, Kane and Benoit vs the Acolytes, and Rock and Undertaker vs the Dudleys in a tables match. The stipulation is that if you attack your partner before the pay-per-view, your Unforgiven match is cancelled. The hosts count roughly six ways the stipulation gets broken before the night is over.Triple H and Angle team up and spend the entire match trying to outshine each other against T&A. Test takes advantage of the dysfunction, pins Triple H clean, and gets the biggest singles win of his career to that point. T&A are not given a moment to celebrate. The hosts have a lot to say about that.Edge and Christian, meanwhile, introduce the Hardys of the Future. Two elderly men dressed exactly like Matt and Jeff with the jinkos and the cutoff shirts come to the ring. Then Lita's music hits. It is a third old man. Edge says "dude, time travel rules" and he is not wrong.Please support the show, and join our brand new Patreon, featuring watch-alongs for classic matches. You also get these episodes uncensored and one day early!Please subscribe at https://patreon.com/talesfromtheattitudeeraOther major discussion points include:Tazz buys a front-row seat directly behind Cole and Lawler, brings a bucket of popcorn, gets mic'd up throughout the Blackman vs Saturn hardcore match, and pours the rest of the popcorn on Cole on his way outKane and Benoit have a dysfunction problem: Benoit walks out mid-match and leaves Kane in a two-on-one situation while the hosts puzzle over who technically broke the stipulation firstVal Venis joins Right to Censor in white pants while everyone else wears black, says "I wasn't brainwashed" and "selective censorship is not wrong," and the crowd responds with a "ho" chantRock asks Lillian "do you like pie?" and the hosts have a lot of questions about the internal logic of this new catchphraseListener of the week: MKJ Comics writes in about his grandma who thought wrestling was real her whole life, called upset every time Triple H used a sledgehammer, and was buried with a John Cena wall clockPMFG weighs in: we are already in the bad creative period, the problems of 2001 started in 2000, and the Radicals died months in with no storyChapter marks00:00 Cold Open00:22 Welcome / Phoenix / SmackDown 9/14/200003:18 Listener Comments / Jonathan on Kreski and Continuity11:25 MKJ Comics: The Grandma Who Thought Wrestling Was Real15:12 PMFG: "We're Already in the Bad Creative Period"16:00 Back to the Show / America West Arena18:29 Foley Opens / "I Answer to the Fans"18:51 Tangent: Paul Heyman 2025 / "We Don't Answer to the Fans"22:43 Opening Segment / Foley Books Unforgiven25:10 Triple H Out / Tag Matches and Stipulations Announced31:25 Kane and Benoit vs Acolytes36:39 Triple H in Foley's Office37:34 Eddie at the Playboy Mansion38:58 Chyna Packs Her Bags40:14 Val Venis / "I Wasn't Brainwashed"42:52 Rikishi and Too Cool vs Right to Censor / Eddie Interferes44:59 Test and Trish Backstage45:36 Triple H and Angle vs T&A / Test Pins Triple H50:46 Tazz Wants to Quit / Foley Books Tazz vs Lawler at Unforgiven51:27 Edge and Christian: The Hardys of the Future54:43 Blackman vs Saturn / Tazz Heckles from Front Row56:32 Edge, Christian, and X-Pac vs Jericho and the Hardys58:32 Rock Promo / Do You Like Pie?1:00:04 Main Event: Rock and Undertaker vs Dudleys (Tables Match)1:04:19 Final Thoughts and Sign-Off Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Aug 17, 20261h 17m
The HHH, Angle, and Stephanie Looney Tunes Segment Nobody Saw Coming - WWE RAW 9/11/00 Review
Eddie hears Chyna is going to be on the Playboy cover. The same Eddie who spent months praising his own security and confidence and pride in her. The reaction is immediate and completely inconsistent. Tommy Blacha and Rob Pasbani recap the September 11, 2000 edition of WWF Monday Night Raw, live from Phoenix, Arizona, two weeks before Unforgiven.Triple H draws Jericho as his surprise opponent and they run a fast, heated match before X-Pac runs in for the DQ. Triple H shoves him off and nobody explains anything. The DX dissolution continues, unaddressed. Later, in the Kurt Angle vs T&A match, Stephanie sneaks out despite Triple H's explicit instructions, and what follows is Tommy's unlikely standout of the night, a Looney Tunes sequence involving all three performers that works entirely because the execution is crisp and the performers are that good.Tazz, after getting knocked out by a David Hasselhoff portrait, grabs the mic and says exactly what everyone has been thinking. He can't compete with Lawler's political power. Nobody wants him here. The outsider is tapping out. Tazz has become just another victim of the WWF. The hosts find it oddly engaging.Please support the show, and join our brand new Patreon, featuring watch-alongs for classic matches. You also get these episodes uncensored and one day early!Please subscribe at https://patreon.com/talesfromtheattitudeeraOther major discussion points include:- Lita wins the Women's Title from Ivory after Midian's streaking run-in provides the distraction, with the hosts noting she has no angle heading into Unforgiven despite being champion- Hardy Boys become number one contenders after Edge's interference accidentally helps them beat the Dudleys, setting up Hardys vs Edge and Christian at Unforgiven- Mick Foley announces a Fatal Four Way for Unforgiven with Rock defending against Undertaker, Benoit, and Kane, and the hosts question why Undertaker earned a shot after just getting pinned- Val Venis appears completely fine after being abducted last week, hits the Acolytes with a chair, and joins Right to Censor with no conversion promo and no explanation- Tommy opens the episode with stories from behind the scenes at the 2000 MTV VMAs, held that same week at Radio City Music Hall, including what it was like to work on a live production that made wrestling look organized by comparison- Observer notes include William Regal's debut held for time, talks with Raven about joining the company, and K-Kwik ready to debut with a plan to pair him with Road DoggChapters:00:00 Cold Open02:27 Tommy at the 2000 MTV VMAs10:50 Back to the Show / RAW and SmackDown at the Same Venue11:59 Perry Saturn's Travel Nightmare12:33 Show Overview / JR Gives the Card13:29 Foley's Opening Promo / The Austin Investigation14:15 The Rock Comes Out15:36 Benoit Claims #1 Contendership16:09 WWF Name / World Wildlife Fund Lawsuit20:52 Foley Books the Main Event21:41 Hardys vs Dudleys / Edge and Christian on Commentary23:44 Lita vs Ivory / Women's Title25:22 Kurt Angle in Foley's Office26:57 Eddie and Chyna: Earlier Today30:52 Eddie and Chyna vs Too Cool32:34 Eddie Attacks Too Cool / Rikishi / Chyna's Decision35:21 Triple H Backstage36:12 Triple H's Entrance / Chyna Reveals Playboy40:25 Triple H vs Jericho43:33 X-Pac DQ / DX Implosion47:47 RTC vs Acolytes / Val Venis Joins Right to Censor50:24 Al Snow vs Tazz52:04 Tazz's "Tapping Out" Promo53:54 SmackDown Your Vote / Bush and Gore56:53 Kurt Angle vs T&A1:01:53 Foley Books Triple H vs Angle at Unforgiven1:02:23 Steve Blackman vs X-Pac / Jericho Interferes1:04:20 Benoit and Kane Backstage1:05:28 X-Pac Attacks Jericho Backstage1:06:38 Rock and Undertaker Backstage1:08:02 Main Event: Rock and Undertaker vs Benoit and Kane1:10:05 Benoit Pins Undertaker / Fatal Four Way Announced1:11:42 Observer Notes / Regal, Raven, K-Kwik1:15:47 Creative Direction / The Road Ahead1:16:34 Final Thoughts and Sign-Off Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Aug 10, 20261h 5m
Eddie Guerrero's Emmy Performance Saves a Mediocre Show - WWE SmackDown 9/7/00 Review
Chyna confronts Eddie backstage and tells him he used her, stepped on her, and only loves the title around his waist. Eddie turns it around completely. His family. His friends. His personal wants. You were on Jay Leno three times. Third Rock from the Sun. Your magazine. Not one page. Are you going to be behind me when I face Road Dog, or is the door right there? Tommy Blacha and Rob Pasbani recap the September 7, 2000 edition of WWF SmackDown, live from Louisville, Kentucky.With Jerry Lawler sidelined from Raw, Tazz joins Michael Cole on commentary in what Tommy and Rob call a preview of the future SmackDown announce team. He roots openly for heels, steals JR's catchphrases, and corrects Cole's move calls in character. Then Lawler returns mid-show, strap in hand, and chokes Tazz out in the middle of his Brooklyn catchphrase.Steve Austin cuts a pre-tape from home, back to camera, nine months out of action. He doesn't forget and he doesn't forgive. It's a good thing the next pay-per-view is called Unforgiven. The promo doesn't fully hang together but Tommy and Rob say it doesn't need to. Austin coming back on screen is enough to make a rough episode feel like must-see TV.Other major discussion points include:Triple H beats Test and Albert in a handicap match when Kurt Angle runs in uninvited, helps Triple H win, and does the you're-welcome look from the stage despite Triple H wanting nothing to do with himRock pins Christian in the main event after Edge is taken out by Rock's own chair, with Foley inserting Kane as Christian's partner in a decision neither host can explain, and Kane chokeslams Rock through the announce table on his way outBenoit pins Rikishi after RTC distraction, and Tazz corrects Cole's move calls in character, including the moment Cole calls a Northern Lights suplex a Sherman suplexAPA and Dudleys have a bloody, joyful barroom brawl at the Have a Nice Day Cafe, cap it with a handshake bit between Bubba and Farooq, and then Kaientai shows up wanting sakeToo Cool lose to the Goodfather and Bull Buchanan and the worm is blocked for the second straight weekTommy opens the episode discussing WWE Studios, the XFL, the WWF record label, and what it looked like from the inside as WWF expanded into every possible business at oncePlease support the show, and join our brand new Patreon, featuring watch-alongs for classic matches. New watch along added: Gorilla Monsoon Mixtape!Previous watch alongs include RVD/Sabu vs. Hayabusa/Hakushi, Verne Gagne vs. Dick the Bruiser, Rock vs Hogan and Buddy Rogers vs. Pat O'Connor.You also get these episodes one day early!Please subscribe at https://patreon.com/talesfromtheattitudeeraChapter Marks00:00 Intro00:32 Tommy's Consulting Role04:51 Too Much Soap Opera08:56 Rob on 40 Years of Fandom11:45 Show Overview / Tazz Replaces Lawler on Commentary17:01 X-Pac vs Jericho 18:49 Kurt Angle in Foley's Office / Angle vs Undertaker Booked19:34 Edge and Christian Promo / "Rocker Taker" / The Rock Comes Out22:11 The Rock Sets Up a Handicap Match for the WWF Title23:54 Backstage: Triple H and Stephanie25:35 Acolytes at the Have a Nice Day Cafe26:06 Benoit vs Rikishi / Tazz Corrects Cole's Move Calls28:09 Eddie and Chyna Backstage: "Where Was I When You Were on Jay Leno?"35:15 APA vs Dudleys Barroom Brawl / Lawler Returns and Chokes Tazz Mid-Catchphrase35:44 Triple H vs Test and Albert36:51 Angle Runs In / Saves Stephanie / Triple H Wins39:26 Chyna Backstage with Road Dog / Triple H and Stephanie Argue About Angle44:04 Eddie Guerrero vs Road Dog47:33 Eddie Attacks Road Dog Post-Match48:07 Too Cool vs Right to Censor51:21 APA and Dudleys at the Bar / Kaientai Wants Sake53:46 Kurt Angle vs Undertaker / Benoit Interferes54:56 Triple H and Stephanie Backstage55:44 Stone Cold Pre-Tape: "It's a Good Thing the Next PPV Is Called Unforgiven"57:40 Rock Ambushes Edge / Main Event Set58:31 Main Event: Rock vs Christian and Kane (WWF Title Handicap Match)1:01:43 Final Thoughts / Patreon Plug Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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About Tales from the Attitude Era
Pro wrestling shows dominate the top sports podcast charts, but none are from the perspective of the show's writer, until now. Tommy Blacha has written on Conan O'Brien, Da Ali G Show, The Eric Andre Show, and co-created Adult Swim's Metalocalypse. He was also the head writer of WWE (then WWF) during their big boom period, affectionately referred to as The Attitude Era. Tommy was a significant figure in the Attitude Era, primarily known for his work as a comedy writer and performer. He played a crucial role in shaping the entertainment aspect of the WWF product during this time. Joined by co-host Rob Pasbani (Metal Injection, Squared Circle Pit), the two look back on the unique moment in time, discussing the creative mindset behind some of the biggest stories of the Attitude Tales from the Attitude Era is a weekly one-hour podcast looking back at a specific famous moment or storyline from the period in WWE when Blacha was head writer, between 1999 and 2001, producing some of wrestling's most iconic personalities, both in front of and behind the camera. There was a sense of heightened sensationalism surrounding the industry during this time. Fans were eager to learn about the backstage politics, personal relationships, and locker room dynamics that fueled the drama on-screen. Every week, Rob Pasbani will lead the show offering a recap of events, and reactions from critics & fans of the time. Blacha will then offer his unique insider perspective explaining the hows and whys of famous moments involving larger-than-life figures like Vince McMahon, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, and Triple H, whose influence extended beyond the ring and into the boardroom. Fans were captivated by learning about their roles in shaping the direction of the company and the industry as a whole, further fueled fans' fascination with the backstage of the Attitude Era.
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