Tag: DragonKingKarl

DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: The death of Andrew ‘Test’ Martin

Posted on by Karl Stern

On this week’s DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show, we delve into the pages of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter as Dave Meltzer wrote about the passing of WWE star Andrew “Test” Martin at just 33 years old.

Starting in 1998 and for nearly a decade afterward, Test was a tall, muscular pro wrestler who seemed to have every ingredient WWE looked for in a pushed star. However, for a variety of reasons, he seemed to hit a glass ceiling in and combined with a serious substance abuse problem, the once promising star was found dead in 2009.

I discuss it all on this week’s show.

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DragonKing Dark: The Johnny Lewis ‘Sons of Anarchy’ tragedy

Posted on by Karl Stern

This week’s dip into the 100 darkest moments in pop culture history focuses on an actor from one of the more popular cable shows in recent memory.

Johnny Lewis played the fan-favorite character Half Sack on the popular Sons of Anarchy TV series, portraying the role of a motorcycle gang prospect in the first season and full member in the second.

Fans were stunned when he was killed off on the show in season two and no one seemed to know why. However, that was just the first example of the extremely erratic behavior that would plague Lewis until it finally ended in both murder and his own death at the age of 28.

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DragonKing Dark: The Michael Richards/Kramer comedy club scandal

Posted on by Karl Stern

On this week’s DragonKing Dark, my series on the 100 darkest moments in pop culture history continues with a very popular individual in pop culture.

Michael Richards played the quirky character Cosmo Kramer on the megahit TV sitcom Seinfeld. Kramer was a fan favorite character, eliciting cheers every time he popped in the door.

But after Seinfeld ended its run and while still an incredibly popular show in syndication, Richards took a try at stand-up comedy and it went wrong. Very, very, wrong.

Let’s get into it on this week’s DKD.

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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: July 1983 in pro wrestling

Posted on by Karl Stern

My longform history of pro wrestling series picks back up with a detailed look at every major event and news story from July 1983 including a shadow break-off NWA group threatening to form with Southwestern Wrestling, ICW, Georgia Championship Wrestling, Bill Watts, and more.

The feud between new NWA World Champion Harley Race and former champion Ric Flair heats up, plus Hulk Hogan wins the IWGP title tournament in Japan in that crazy “shoot but not really” match with Antonio Inoki.

Let’s look at this packed month in wrestling

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DragonKing Dark: The death of Edgar Allan Poe

Posted on by Karl Stern

My ongoing spin through the 100 darkest moments in pop culture history series continues and this week, it is dark in many ways.

The master of dark literature, Edgar Allan Poe, died under the most mysterious of circumstances. The famous writer was found wandering the streets of Baltimore, Maryland, in dire straits, mumbling and dressed in someone else’s clothing. 

There are a number of theories about the death of Edgar Poe and we will discuss a few of them on this week’s DragonKing Dark.

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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: MSG’s first Italian pro wrestling superstar

Posted on by Karl Stern

We continue our roll through the early 1900s in my deep dive look into the history of pro wrestling at Madison Square Garden.

From 1910 to around 1912, MSG found its first Italian superstar which drew heavily from the large Italian fanbase in the New York area: a phenomena that would greatly benefit Bruno Sammartino and others in the future.

Meet Giovanni Raicevich. Never heard of him? Few have, but in the 1910s he was the big draw at MSG until Stanislaus Zbyszko finally shut him down.

Also, I have more on Frank Gotch and his final match at MSG, an arena he never won a match in.

If you’ve missed any of the past shows, check them out in the archives.

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DragonKingKarl Greatest Kayfabe Tournament: The Rock vs. AJ Styles

Posted on by Karl Stern

The DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Audio Show returns with the latest installment in the Greatest Kayfabe Tournament where we discuss The Rock vs. AJ Styles in a battle of two surefire Hall of Famers.

Dwayne Johnson may be the far more famous of the two, but Styles is an incredible wrestler with tremendous longevity on his side. 

Of course, we discuss biographical information along the way, but remember: the listeners have voted to determine their winner.

Let’s get into it on the next DragonKingKarl show.

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DragonKing Dark: The death of Ernest Hemingway

Posted on by Karl Stern

Ernest Hemingway literally changed the entire genre of popular literature. Preceded by the flowery and verbose language of the previous era, Hemingway wrote in a more straightforward style, often holding back and allowing silence of action to speak loudly in a story. 

His novels are still read and reviewed in virtually every schoolroom in the United States. 

However, Hemingway battled mental demons throughout his life that ultimately they caught up to him in 1961. 

Join me on this week’s DragonKing Dark as I discuss the death of Hemingway on my run through the 100 darkest moments in pop culture history.

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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: The battle between Jim Wilson & Jim Barnett

Posted on by Karl Stern

This “From the Pages of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter” edition of the DragonKing Karl Classic Wrestling Show is less of an obituary for Jim Wilson, who was a rather minor footnote in wrestling history, and more of an extensive history of Jim Barnett-era pro wrestling. 

Wilson, a college football standout in Georgia, became a pro wrestler and claimed to have been considered as a future NWA World champion. However, he also claimed his career was derailed by Barnett with whom he would feud with and battle in court for the rest of his life. He even wrote a book called Chokehold detailing his experiences.

This story touches on tons of history from Australia to Georgia to WCW. This is an incredible history piece from Dave Meltzer of which I also had some personal involvement.

Hear that and more on this week’s DragonKing Karl show.

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DragonKing Dark: The story behind Eric Clapton’s ‘Tears in Heaven’

Posted on by Karl Stern

In this week’s installment of the 100 darkest moments in pop culture history, I take a look back at the March 20, 1991, death of classic rock legend Eric Clapton’s four-year-old son, who died from falling out a high-rise window in New York.

From this tragedy, Clapton penned one of his most famous and award winning songs “Tears in Heaven.” 

Hear the story on this week’s DragonKing Dark.

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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: PWI from January 1984

Posted on by Karl Stern

On this week’s DragonKing Karl, I return with another retro wrestling magazine review, this time looking at the January 1984 issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated — graced by cover boy Rick Martel and whether the AWA was too tough for him.

Also inside the magazine: Ted DiBiase, The Freebirds vs. The Von Erichs feud from World Class, Don Muraco, and Larry Zbyszko. NWA World Champion Harley Race is featured as the centerfold. 

Join me for another look at pro wrestling history fun.

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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: The 201 greatest pro wrestlers of all time

Posted on by Karl Stern

On this week’s DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show, I discuss my list of the 201 greatest pro wrestlers of all-time, so the debates can begin and spoilers can roam free.

On this episode, I discuss the top names on the list and then dive deeper to talk about the names that surprised me most: some overrated, some underrated, and why I think that is. 

Let’s discuss the greatest pro wrestlers of all time from Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, and Steve Austin through some of the names of long ago like Frank Gotch, Strangler Lewis, and Joe Stecher.

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DragonKing Dark: The Auburn University tree killings

Posted on by Karl Stern

The latest edition of my 100 darkest moments in pop culture history takes a look at a football rivalry gone too far in my home state of Alabama: the Auburn University tree killings.

Why does the killing of a set of trees in downtown Auburn rank as a dark moment in pop culture history? Because it was all about football fandom.

The trees, used to celebrate Auburn football victories, were poisoned to death by a crazed Alabama fan who confessed to it on a national radio show.

Hear this strange story on this week’s DragonKing Dark and be sure to check out the archives for all my past shows.

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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: A longform look at June 1983

Posted on by Karl Stern

On this week’s DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show, I take a longform look at the world of pro wrestling in June 1983 — an epic and historic month.

Among the things I talk about:

  • Southwest Wrestling is doing weird things
  • Hulk Hogan wins the inaugural IWGP tournament and championship in an odd, worked shoot thing with Antonio Inoki
  • Harley Race sets a record
  • The Road Warriors become a thing
  • Matt Borne almost gets in deep trouble

All that and more on this week’s DragonKingKarl Show:

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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: 1908-1911 Madison Square Garden history

Posted on by Karl Stern

This episode of the DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Audio Show continues my long series detailing pro wrestling at Madison Square Garden in New York City with this week’s focus on 1908 through 1911.

In this episode, George Hackenschmidt defeats the American champion Tom Jenkins to become recognized as the first true pro wrestling World heavyweight champion with a surprising lack of coverage.

Plus, Frank Gotch loses again at the Garden and much more.

All shows are available in the archive in case you missed them.

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