American Gladiators HANG TOUGH

The old show from the 80's is back, and you know there is one competition that we all can't wait to see: the "Hang Tough." Two hot muscle guys swing and dangle from rings to try to cross to the other side, but they usually end up in the middle to see who can get their legs wrapped around the other guy's body first. Then they squeeze and throttle their opponent to try to shake them loose--the other way to win. A mid-air body scissor. I bet everyone who watches that competition gets a little twitch in their pants as they anticipate the lock up. I know I will. The show premieres on Sunday, Jan. 6, at 9pm EST on NBC.

Troy and Randy Make Cameo in STRONGHOLD

This JUST in! Troy and Randy have signed a deal to appear in the STRONGHOLD wrestling documentary (in their new improved form). Here is a production still from one of their scenes. Hmmm, what will they do in the film? It's a secret! If you aren't familiar with Troy and Randy, they are the guys that I started the site with in 1996. You can view the cartoons here.

"TIME TO WRESTLE" WALL CLOCK

Any time is a good time to wrestle. Buy this wall clock featuring detailed wrestling positions every hour on the hour, the way life should be. Check it out in the WrestleMen Gift Store.

CNN, Youtube, Anderson Cooper, and Homophobic Republican Candidates

I know this has nothing to do with wrestling, but if anyone happened to catch the CNN Youtube Debate last night, former Military General Kerr, who served in the military for 43 years, asked the candidates if they believe whether or not the personnel in our military are professional enough to work along with openly gay men and women. Oh course they all stood by their "Don't ask, don't tell" policy, but at the same time admitted that openly gay men and women serve in other countries sucessfully. Apparently they don't think American troops are professional enough (or too homophobic).

But what really got me irrate is that they now say that this gentleman is a Clinton supporter and "should not have been allowed to ask his question." What the fuck? Shouldn't any voter be able to ask ANY candidate any question regardless of who they sway too? Even the closeted anchor, Anderson Cooper, made the statement after "had we known, we probably would not have allowed the question." Here is the email I sent to CNN as a followup to their debate:

"Why are you making a fuss about General Kerr being in favor of Clinton, but asking his question on "Don't ask, don't tell" in the Republican debate? Shouldn't anyone in the U.S. be able to ask ANY presidential candidate a question, regardless of what party they sway toward? After all, they will be OUR president. Even though I detest the homophobia exuded by those Republican candidates, I did watch it as a citizen whose vote counts. And so should anyone's question.

Victor, Virginia"

DAMN, THIS FILM IS EXPENSIVE!

Yes, it is indeed expensive to make a film. And doing it as an independent with no financial backing makes it even harder. Aside from travel expensives, which are the biggest cost, you have to pay for music, and what may seem like little things in the film. For instance, this picture of wrestlers at a 1913 Montana county fair that I wanted in the history part of the film cost me $53.79 on ebay. Of course it will zoom out from the wrestlers Ken Burns-style in the documentary, but that will last a mere 5 seconds. $53.79 for 5 seconds. That's why, and I hate to beg, I ask people to buy videos on the site, or watch them on WrestleMen TV. Your purchases help me fund this all-important film. I wish I could share more than a few clips online, but that would spoil it if I did. Believe me, it's amazing! So, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for any purchases you make on the site to help me fund this documentary. SQUEEEEEEEZE, Vic

Lew "Bodywrecker" Clip from STRONGHOLD

Corporate Homophobia and Wrestling

When it comes to wrestling and homophobia, corporations and online entities are some of the biggest and most prolific offenders.

For instance, over the years I've heard countless stories of wrestlers having their member profiles yanked from AOL and other service providers because pictures of themselves in wrestling gear were deemed "inappropriate." I even experienced that myself one time. On January 9, 2007, I received an email from AOL stating "Profile contains see-through/tight-fitting clothing that clearly outlines or displays male genitalia." My garb of choice—a standard wrestling singlet you can buy at a store.

In the Summer of 2006, Ebay, the largest online auction site, implemented a new policy stating that all amateur-made, non-syndicated TV wrestling videos (i.e., everything but WWE and UFC) must be listed in the mature audiences section along with porn—even if they contained no sexual content whatsoever—because, as they stated, they are "designed to arouse." However, a year after this policy was implemented, I could still find hundreds of titillating female catfight wrestling videos being sold to the general audiences. Apparently two women wrestling in lingerie with breasts hanging half out is not considered as arousing as guys grappling in a homemade jiu-jitsu video. Well, I'd have to agree with that one. Grrrrr.

Recently I had an interesting experience with upstart ad service provider. We had chosen them to supply ads for two of our wrestling websites. Although they approved our sites months before, we later received an email from one of their account managers stating that one of our sites contained erotic images of "male strangulation." I described to him by email and phone that what he was seeing was the common sleeperhold, used for centuries in wrestling, and is one of the most common finishing holds on UFC fights. However, he was not going to have it—it was too "violent."

This set me abuzz of course, because now I could document yet another one of those corporate offenders who allow their personal homophobia toward wrestling to get in the way of business. And so I set up the camera, started the recorder, and captured his bullying techniques, and lies. In that four-minute phone conversation, he accused one of their vertical ad providers of being the ones who had complained about the site. But an email from the Network Director of that ad provider refuted the accusation. "I can assure you that we do not have a problem with wrestling sites and, if we had suitable campaigns come live, then we would offer them to you. It sounds to me like a bit of buck passing."

Certainly wrestling toes the line of homoeroticism by its close physical nature; I would be the last person to deny that. Not only do I not deny it, we've constantly had fun with it on our site for over a decade now.

But when corporations send a message to men, over and over again, that they should be ashamed of wrestling, of being in tight-fitting clothing, or even sporting a bulge (it's kinda hard not to, we're men), then we all lose. This vicious cycle of homophobia designed to keep men in line does the exact opposite, it holds all men back from exploring who we are. And, of course, the best way to do that is through wrestling.

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Have you had your profile removed or been bullied by an online entity for a picture that was of you in gear? Send us the picture and your story of what happened to be included in the STRONGHOLD wrestling documentary. Email wrestlervic@aol.com

Roosevelt Rassled

Check out this great chapter from President Theodore Roosevelt's Autobiography talking about how he wrestled and boxed.

"When obliged to live in cities, I for a long time found that boxing and wrestling enabled me to get a good deal of exercise in condensed and attractive form. I was reluctantly obliged to abandon both as I grew older. I dropped the wrestling earliest. When I became Governor, the champion middleweight wrestler of America happened to be in Albany, and I got him to come round three or four afternoons a week. Incidentally I may mention that his presence caused me a difficulty with the Comptroller, who refused to audit a bill I put in for a wrestling-mat, explaining that I could have a billiard-table, billiards being recognized as a proper Gubernatorial amusement, but that a wrestling-mat symbolized something unusual and unheard of and could not be permitted. "

Read Full Chapter:
http://ejmas.com/jmanly/articles/2002/jmanlyart_roosevelt_0102.htm

Available without a Prescription

Wrestling Memory Scrapbook

I would like to offer my most sincere appreciation to Allen from Florida who gave me a wonderful collection of pro wrestling memorabilia from the 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's. The collection includes nice color and B&W photos of hot wrestlers like Hans Schmidt, Carl Engstrom, Angelo Poffo, and more; original wrestling programs, post cards, and detailed news articles from the time. I will be able to make good use of some of these items within the STRONGHOLD wrestling documentary.

Vic

Naked Pro Wrestler

Even pro wrestler, John Cena, has no problem getting a little naked now and then. Watch this Youtube clip of him in a thong and gold boots.

The Rose

Listen to my night out filming a pro indy wrestling show, and how I got the rose above. What a wild and crazy world.

Vic

Big Brother, Come Wrestle!

Oh my, take a load, I mean look, at this guy. Nick is a contestant on the Big Brother 8 reality series. If you have Showtime 2, they air live feeds of the house from midnight to 3:00 am. So if you're bored, you might see video like this. God I hope they wrestle sometime!

Ranch Hand Re-creation

Every good film is filled with great stories, and the STRONGHOLD wrestling documentary will be no exception. One gentleman talks about growing up on a ranch and riling up the ranch hands to get them to wrestle him. Sometimes photos that show off what happened are unobtainable or non-existent, so you have to do your best to recreate the memory. Above it just one of five pictures that I've worked on that will be used to tell his wonderful story. I feel like I am right there with them and ready to rassle!

Making Miniature Money

This is how I spent part of my day today, making miniature $5 bills for an animation for the STRONGHOLD wrestling documentary. How will they be used, you ask? Hmmmm, I can tell you that the animation will probably last about 4 seconds. I might do two or more animations with it, we'll see.

Back to the drawing.....eh, cutting board.

Vic

Wrestling or the War?

As you know if you follow this blog, I have talked to tons of guys at bars about wrestling, and even got some of them to go outside and wrestle for the documentary. Recently I went to a bar and spoke with an army recruiter about wrestling, and the war. You can listen to the audio clip I recorded the next day detailing what happened.

So, which topic is safer to talk about with a stranger at a bar: wrestling, or the war?

Click Here to Listen

Vic

Gay Straight Guys

This has got to be one of the funniest comedy skits I have ever seen, and is right in line with the guys that I speak to at local redneck bars. You'll love this!

LEECHES, SWIMMERS, and WRESTLERS, Oh MY!

If you ever want to see one of the most homoerotic movies with guys that all look like wrestlers, (though they are swimmers in the movie), get "Leeches!". The camera pans along tons of guys showering, sleeping, taking off their shirts, literally all throughout the film, and most of the time they slow the camera down. The premise of the movie is guys on a swim team taking steroids which ends up creating super large sucking leeches that even crawl and attack them on land. One of the main stars is Josh Henderson, who played a hunky teen neighbor and love interest of one of the wive's daughters on Desperate Housewives.

What does this have to do with wrestling? Probably nothing, except they all look like wrestlers!

Vic

Bit by Bit, Piece by Piece

That is how a film is made. And boy do I have lots of bits! Here is a picture of me in front of a large cork board I put up in my back room, now referred to as STRONGHOLD central, where I review parts of the script. Each page can last anywhere from 1 minute to 5 minutes. One of the most difficult tasks over the past few months has been how to best present all of the interviews and footage and materials I've acquired. How and when is the time right to introduce this topic or person, etc, etc. I recenly had a breakthrough in the script to help facilitate some of those issues. I'm being so secretive here. Smile. You can watch a little video tour I put together of the script room here.

Anyways, now you know why I've been so busy. It really sucks though, I have not wrestled in like 5 months, but right now my allergies are killing me so. If I'm going to be sleepered, I at least want to start out breathing! Vic

Making Music

Tonight I spent three hours with Justin, the guy that I've chosen to sing the theme song for the STRONGHOLD wrestling documentary. We got together to work on the melody of the song. What a great voice he has! Here are a few pictures of us working together. You can listen to some of his other songs that inspired me to write the theme song here.