Month: March 2015

March 31, 2015 /

Hello My Friends! The time has come again for me to take a hiatus from Notes on the Spectacle of Excess. I got a paying translation gig this morning that will take me most of April to crank out, plus I’m doing a reading in Fairbanks this weekend, and also I’m trying to get The Book Proposal finished once and for all. (What’s that? A book proposal? Stay tuned, it’s getting close…) Don’t worry, I’ll…

March 24, 2015 /

Tim Kail reads from my piece On Mankind vs. the Undertaker on the Work of Wrestling podcast this week! When Tim reads my words, I hear ideas in them I hadn’t noticed before. Have a listen to this truly stellar podcast: RT the alll-new #WorkOfWrestling #podcast w/music from @KyleandOliver & a story from @AndreaGregovich! http://t.co/D6KmWLpC6Y #WrestleMania — MAX WWE (@MaximusWrestler) March 23, 2015 Also on the podcast is Kyle & Oliver’s latest parody, a song…

March 24, 2015 /

I’m fascinated by the way Bray Wyatt’s promos cycle through periods of stagnation in which he’s mumbling the tedious nonsense of a nutjob cult leader, and then suddenly out of the blue he is delivering a profound theatrical monologue with undertones of Dostoyevsky, Tennessee Williams, maybe even Dante or the Bible, that cuts right to the heart of humanity’s existential angst. I find that once a wrestling narrative tanks I get really jaded and have…

March 13, 2015 /

I’ve been checking out TNA Impact and am finding it captivating. TNA is not what I remember from a decade ago and not what I have heard from so many. I thought surely I would be a hater, but no, not at all. It’s unapologetically violent, the crowds roar like they’re at an old world gladiator match, and I’m somehow finding the whole thing to be a breath of fresh air as I contemplate not…

March 12, 2015 /

It’s not that I think Connor Michalek isn’t deserving of the WWE Hall of Fame Warrior Award. As a mother of two, pediatric brain cancer is a darkness I can hardly bring myself to focus my eyes upon. I choked up this week when I watched the recap of his struggle when they announced that he would receive the Warrior Award; that kid fought an epic battle. Part of me also has great respect for…

March 8, 2015 /

And then there appeared a curious GIF on my Twitter timeline: Greatest heel tactic. #WWEBrooklyn pic.twitter.com/GOS7NcvUB4 — Trask (@TraskVancity) March 8, 2015 Seth Rollins waving the Russian flag. And over John Cena at that! Think of the thematic implications! Look, I know there’s deep thinking to be done about this one. I’ll update this post when and if it comes to me. 🙂

March 5, 2015 /

I grew up in a carny-friendly household and I married a corporate executive. My dad was on a first name basis with a local midget wrestler named Dirty Dan and my aunt and uncle were itinerant sellers of cowboy hats at fairs, festivals, and rodeos across the country. I have met some interesting folks — there’s a certain ethos that is distinctly different from the vibe coming off the corporate set. I grew up around…