A mini-review and advert of sorts for a new channel on YouTube, courtesy of Steve Anderson, who was Bobby “The Brain” Heenan’s friend and co-writer of his two awesome books. They had a lot of phone conversations and chats that were recorded so that the book could be organised and written. I wanted to look at a few as a taster for other checking them out themselves. Bobby was so good that a lot of the time he didn’t need editing, they just put his stories in his books verbatim. Here’s a few for you.
The Brain’s Beginnings
Bobby knew a wrestler as a kid who lived in his neighbourhood who had been a local policeman and he was really impressed with his strength and rough look. Even though he was an underneath guy, Bobby didn’t register it and would wish him good luck in his match, which he’d turn around and say “Yeah, good luck that they don’t hurt me too much!”. He took him to the local arena and Bobby was mesmerised, particularly by a wrestler who was a heel but in his day job was a preeminent teacher in the area. He’d tell people to shut up and they’d make noise and if he told them to cheer they’d boo, and he loved that power of control he had over an audience.
The AWA
Bobby started as a manager but would wrestle also in six man tag main events as a partner of the heels he managed. He enjoyed the AWA as a place different to where he started in Indiana. It wasn’t daily work, so you had a life and could do things while still making money. It was regular big money. New York also offered bigger money, but you had something like a year to make it, with start and end dates given in the first conversation. Bobby got on with Verne fine (many didn’t).
The Violence of the Fans
Bobby recalls the Blackjack Mulligan/Pedro Morales match where the guy cut Mulligan across his leg and arm and special referee Gorilla Monsoon, who was blind as a bat, threw the guy out of the ring without any other challenge because he hadn’t registered the knife. Mulligan got over a hundred stitches but the cuts got infected because the fan had stuck the knife in pig fat.
Other fans would throw frozen hard-boiled eggs, pineapples and even a trumpet in the ring. The arena tried to block them with a net, so they switched to nails. The fans would beat on your car. While managing Paul Orndorff, Bobby noticed a guy with a SLEDGEHAMMER behind him and called a cop over to get rid of him quick. Turned out it was a guy there to take the ring down!
Lunch Hour with Jesse Ventura
A contemporary story from Steve, recalling Bobby taking him on a book promotion tour which took in Minnesota, where Jesse Ventura was the governor. He had a lunchtime radio show, so they got a meeting with him. Jesse and Bobby hugged and they signed a book for him. Bobby had referred to the Jesse/Hulk Hogan grudge, where Hulk informed Vince McMahon of Jesse’s plan to form a union, which created massive heat between them that still goes on to this day. Jesse managed to get them on his show and they told old stories and had fun. Hulk had actually written the foreword for the book, which led to Jesse plugging the book by its full title and names of the writers, as well as “foreword by Hu…” and he froze and refused to say his name. Didn’t make much difference, because they sold a lot of books regardless.
Weasel Tales, Episode 3
A full episode of Steve’s YouTube show, telling stories. He talks about the creative process and how Bobby really didn’t want to trash anyone, but did tell a few stories off tape about people he didn’t care as much for. A little meandering at first, with vague conversation about his main original nickname “Pretty Boy”. Actually, before that he was “Gorgeous” Bobby Heenan, then he became Bobby “The Brilliant One” Heenan as manager of Nick Bockwinkel and Ray Stevens.
This segues into Bobby’s appearance for Ring of Honor in New Jersey, which Steve was along for the ride on. This led to a lunch with Jim Cornette and lots of anecdotes and funny stories for both. Steve did the best thing he could: shut up and listen. Bobby managed a face team against Corny’s heel team on the show. For gimmicks, Steve stocked up on Polaroids pictures and cleaned up on it, which Bobby cut him in on.
Please do check the channel out. The Steve bits are a little dry, but the Bobby recordings, which you can see with the tape image, are awesome.