THE Jake Roberts Promo....

[Spankymac is sick of the swiss]

Seriously, dear god, I saw this PPV live, and I don't remember it being this horrible. How much alcohol does it take to turn one of the best promo guys in the business into that?

["Playboy" Don Douglas]

I was expecting the one after he slapped Elizabeth.

"I can cultivate her into something even I could want."

[johnnyk9]

I know this took place in a casino, and of course they are full of alcohol and I'm sure all the wrestlers were comped so there is your answer

[Deleted]

Apr 3, 2010 18:07:00 GMT -5 "Playboy" Don Douglas said:

"I can cultivate her into something even I could want."

That line... just so creepy. Hannibal Lector level there.

["Playboy" Don Douglas]

Found it!

[WWHHHD]

The drunk promo and the Tuesday in Texas promo... They seem the same to me. I just never got Roberts. Warrior gets a bunch of crap on his promos but I think they are the same as Roberts only Warrior is yelling them.

[Alexander The So-so]

Apr 4, 2010 22:59:31 GMT -5 WWHHHD said:

The drunk promo and the Tuesday in Texas promo... They seem the same to me. I just never got Roberts. Warrior gets a bunch of crap on his promos but I think they are the same as Roberts only Warrior is yelling them.

Really? Jake always came off as eloquent and thought-provoking in his promos. He was harder to understand not because he was nonsensical, but because you had to think in order to truly grasp what he meant. I suppose in some obtuse way the same can be said of Warrior, but I don't know.

Anyway, regarding the OP, as much of a guilty pleasure it may be, that promo will always sadden me. Alcoholism is a terrible demon, and the embarassment and disgrace that it caused in that promo is only one embodiment of how destructive it is. Jake's one of the greatest promo men in the history of the business, and it's a shame to see someone like that fall so low because of his demons.

[smokinvokoun]

Yeah that promo is one of those things where you can't help but laugh...but you probably shouldn't. Jake is one of those wrestlers that I truly feel for.

[hooeylewis]

I feel guilty for laughing at that.

[Mighty Mouth]

Apr 4, 2010 22:59:31 GMT -5 WWHHHD said:

I just never got Roberts. Warrior gets a bunch of crap on his promos but I think they are the same as Roberts only Warrior is yelling them.

I couldn't disagree with you more.

[Threadkiller [Classic]]

That Roberts line about cultivating Elizabeth has always been one of my favorite lines in any promo ever.

(Strangely enough, one of my other favorite lines has been Pete Rose's delivery at WM 14:"I left tickets for Bill Buckner but he couldn't bend over to pick'em up." [CROWD BOOOOOS VOCIFEROUSLY] "How bout it?")

As far as Jake Roberts goes, he is, without question, one of the top ten promo guys in the history of the business. In fact, he might be on my personal Mt. Rushmore of Wrestling Talkers. And that This Tuesday In Texas promo is a big reason why.


EDIT: One more thing. Another reason that promo works so well is because of Mean Gene's indignation throughout the whole thing. He's disgusted and doesn't even want to be interviewing the man. Something small like that could really get a heel over, being so disgusting that even someone who's paid to talk to them doesn't want to.

Am I the only one who wishes we had more...well, older backstage interviewers?

Josh Mathews and Todd Grisham and all are decent, but they don't convey any sense of genuine, journalistic, sportscaster-like integrity. I know it's not fair to compare any backstage interviewer to the Howard Cosell of Professional Wrestling, but if any of the backstage interviewers imparted at least one ounce of Mean Gene's natural charisma, dignity, and intelligence - well, I feel like things would seem a whole lot more legitimate than they do. As it is now, you can't be a backstage interviewer unless you're a massive dork for the top babyface to pick on. This business needs more Mean Genes. We need a Mean Gene Pool.

Okay, rant + tortured analogies over.

[Enrico Palazzo]

Its the panting for me that makes that promo. It makes him come across as a real pyschopath, someone I would pay to see, get his ass handed to him.

[lennon]

Apr 4, 2010 22:59:31 GMT -5 WWHHHD said:

The drunk promo and the Tuesday in Texas promo... They seem the same to me. I just never got Roberts. Warrior gets a bunch of crap on his promos but I think they are the same as Roberts only Warrior is yelling them.

I'm sorry, i'm not trying to be a douche....but this makes no f***ing sense to me...

[Confused Mark Wahlberg]

I think Michael Cole lite there got drunk just from smelling Jake's breath there.

"DDT DDT DDT DDT...THINK ABOUT IT!"