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Post by Aceorton on Sept 1, 2009 20:53:30 GMT -5
I know the Undertaker has been deemed uninductable because of what he's been able to do for 20 years with an outlandish gimmick, and I don't argue with that. But ... Paul Bearer? Surely this character doesn't deserve a pass, right?
Paul Bearer brought us ... - A Heymanesque name to roll your eyes at right from the get-go - Six years of Gomez Addams makeup and a ridiculous "spooky" voice - Near-constant urn fondling - The Funeral Parlor, one of the very worst of the "talk show" segments - The most ear-raking promos of the Attitude Era (until Stephanie McMahon) - A number of retch-worthy Coliseum Video segments - Uncomfortable backstage conversations about doing the Undertaker's mom on the kitchen floor - A lack of storyline payoff, especially in the later years, because his obesity prevented him from being able to take the finishers/beatings his character had coming - His on-camera "murder" via cement bath
And you can easily argue that the Undertaker became an industry icon in spite of Paul Bearer and not in any way because of him.
Has his induction ever been discussed? I mean, if Double J gets an induction, then surely ...
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Post by The Tank on Sept 1, 2009 21:21:16 GMT -5
Nope, Bearer's probably off-limits purely on the basis that he's part of The Undertaker's gimmick.
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Post by Aceorton on Sept 1, 2009 21:30:53 GMT -5
Nope, Bearer's probably off-limits purely on the basis that he's part of The Undertaker's gimmick. But by that argument, so are the Druids. At some point we ought to be able to separate "good Undertaker-related stuff" from "crappy Undertaker-related stuff."
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Triple Kelly
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Post by Triple Kelly on Sept 1, 2009 22:46:12 GMT -5
I like Paul Bearer. He was a good mouthpiece for early Undertaker and a fun character. *I* wouldn't induct him.
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Post by Aceorton on Sept 1, 2009 22:59:44 GMT -5
I'll throw one last bit of persuasion into my dying campaign here:
Paul Bearer, more than any other character EVER in wrestling, is the one I most hated to be on the TV whenever one of my parents happened by. More than the Bushwhackers, more than the Berserker, more than Tugboat, etc., etc. You simply cannot look a non-wrestling fan in the face and maintain credibility when a 300-pound man in white makeup is petting a copper bucket and moaning "Ohhhhhhh, yesssssssssssss!"
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Post by thesam07 on Sept 1, 2009 23:26:19 GMT -5
Percy is the man.
OOOOOOOH YESSSSSS!!!!
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Post by Evilution E5150 on Sept 2, 2009 1:53:49 GMT -5
i have a bret hart vhs hosted by him, hes so annoying between matches, why is he even there, what has he got to do with bret? i mean sure if it was a taker vhs i could accept it but bret, it doesnt make any sense
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Post by Bubble Lead on Sept 2, 2009 2:57:32 GMT -5
The Paul Bearer cement bath thing, yeah. Thats if it hasn't already been inducted...I have a vague feeling/memory that it was.
The character, no. It was over the top and silly to a point but so was everything else back then for the most part. When the Attitude Era rolled around he transitioned it into a more modern take pretty seamlessly.
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Post by Evilution E5150 on Sept 2, 2009 3:13:16 GMT -5
yeah that was inducted along with the video showing the rehersal exposing how they did it
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Post by Cactus Jack on Sept 2, 2009 5:16:13 GMT -5
No way. He fit his era, and, like Bubble Lead said, got "Attitude" in the late '90s, and fit in there too.
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Raging_Demons
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Post by Raging_Demons on Sept 2, 2009 9:57:09 GMT -5
Adding to it. When Undertaker was heel then it was appropriate for Paul Bearer to be annoying. That was the point.
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Bo Rida
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Post by Bo Rida on Sept 2, 2009 17:57:36 GMT -5
Paul Bearer, more than any other character EVER in wrestling, is the one I most hated to be on the TV whenever one of my parents happened by. My Mum did an impression of Paul Bearer's voice every time she saw the Undertaker for years, even after they parted ways, hell even during the biker years, therefore I was leaning towards your argument until... Nope, Bearer's probably off-limits purely on the basis that he's part of The Undertaker's gimmick. But by that argument, so are the Druids. At some point we ought to be able to separate "good Undertaker-related stuff" from "crappy Undertaker-related stuff." I hope you are not suggesting the druids are crappy, I love those guys.
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Post by whatamaneuver on Sept 2, 2009 18:12:03 GMT -5
I definitely don't think the character itself deserves to be inducted. Paul Bearer is a huge part of wrestling in the 1990s and to pass his hugely successful run between 1991-1998 off as 'Wrestlecrap' would be a great disservice. He added to the product, having an excellent presence, an interesting look and ability to get solid face or heel reactions from the crowd.
However, a decent argument could be put forward to inducting many of the angles he was a part of. Certainly the cement burial, which was absolute nonsense. But to say the Paul Bearer character is Wrestlecrap is extremely harsh on the performer.
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Post by evilbazz on Sept 3, 2009 5:03:59 GMT -5
i remember going to watch Oldham Athletic when i was younger and my dad talking me in to a pub before the match, its was packed and was really loud lots of people talking, drinking etc etc, anyway the landlord put the wrestling on for me and i was watching i think superstars or primetime one of the two, anyway taker and Bearer came on and from the minute he opened his mouth til the moment the segment stopped the whole of the pub was silent! no one said a word everyone was watching Paul Bearer talk. one of the strangest things iVe ever seen anyway. Hell no he shouldn't be inducted!
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livetowin
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Post by livetowin on Sept 5, 2009 22:08:09 GMT -5
Not as much as a big 20 page Wrestlecrap tribute to KANE needs to be inducted.
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bob
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Post by bob on Sept 5, 2009 22:54:46 GMT -5
the Concreate Crypt match, which Paul was killed ....errr "severly injuried" in was inducted already
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Post by thesam07 on Sept 6, 2009 7:08:03 GMT -5
Paul Bearer, more than any other character EVER in wrestling, is the one I most hated to be on the TV whenever one of my parents happened by. My Mum did an impression of Paul Bearer's voice every time she saw the Undertaker for years, even after they parted ways, hell even during the biker years, therefore I was leaning towards your argument until... But by that argument, so are the Druids. At some point we ought to be able to separate "good Undertaker-related stuff" from "crappy Undertaker-related stuff." I hope you are not suggesting the druids are crappy, I love those guys. Wasn't Colt Cabana one of the druids at WM20?
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Bo Rida
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Post by Bo Rida on Sept 8, 2009 7:38:06 GMT -5
i remember going to watch Oldham Athletic when i was younger and my dad talking me in to a pub before the match, its was packed and was really loud lots of people talking, drinking etc etc, anyway the landlord put the wrestling on for me and i was watching i think superstars or primetime one of the two, anyway taker and Bearer came on and from the minute he opened his mouth til the moment the segment stopped the whole of the pub was silent! no one said a word everyone was watching Paul Bearer talk. one of the strangest things iVe ever seen anyway. Hell no he shouldn't be inducted! *sniff* That may be the greatest post I've ever read on these boards.
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Post by neal on Sept 8, 2009 13:54:49 GMT -5
Good grief, leave Percy alone. I was never a fan of the Paul Bearer persona, but it wasn't wrestlecrap.
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Post by quantum on Sept 8, 2009 16:51:25 GMT -5
I think it was wrestlecrap and agree with the poster. It wasn't wrestlecrap in a 'turn off the tv' type way but it was an idea (like The Undertaker) which worked and really it shouldn't have and was cringe worthy when a non wrestling fan came into the room and you had to expalin to them why wrestling wasn't just 'for kids and geeks'. I think Undertaker as much a legend as he has been should be inducted for 'fun but cringy' reasons also.
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