Dangerous Conversations w/Doug Gilbert & Tommy Rich Episode #43: Doug talks Dark Side of the Ring & Eddie's Book

On this week's episode, Tommy had to step away to tend to some other business so Doug sits down with Gene to have his first in-depth discussion about Vice's Dark Side of the Ring episode on his brother Eddie that aired back in May, and they also tell the backstory on how the book on Eddie came together from the initial conception they worked on separately twenty years ago to getting together lastsummer and starting this podcast that led to them working together on completing the book about Eddie that was published in April of this year. These are two topics that have been frequently requested by listeners and we hopeeveryone enjoys this episode of Dangerous Conversations and it answers all your questions.  If not, feel free to sendthose in to be answered on a future episode.

 Send in your questions to [e-mail]

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
From titled belts to Hall of Fame Doug and Tommy.
Carved the name. This of fury and hearts of gold.
Every story, every fight retold tales of glory and laughs and
cry. 10 sea warriors with heartsopen wide.

(00:30):
In the rain, on the air, agents living without a care on the
mice, they roared on the map, they saw dangerous
conversations. Fans were in the moon, our gas

(00:50):
cans ruling away with this little race in the stage.
Hey everybody. Welcome back once again to
Dangerous Conversations with Dangerous Doug Gilbert.
And Doug, it's been a while since we've had a A1 on one
episode of Dangerous Conversations.

(01:12):
Jim, what did you tell me? How many, how many weeks did we
go straight with just me and you?
It was, maybe you remember. I think we did.
It's like 16 or something beforeTommy joined I think, something
like that. I have.
To go back and look, or maybe itwas more than that.
I don't know it all kind of it'sall a blur.

(01:34):
Like I, I can't believe like it popped up from a time out of the
day that it was been a year since we did the thing in
Jonesboro. We first announced that this
show was coming in August. And I can't believe it's, I
don't know, in some ways it's hard to believe it's a year.
But then again, in other ways, Idon't know, it feels like we've
done this a long time, so. And then we left Jonesboro.
You said Doug's not going to do this, dude.

(01:54):
I never thought that, but I had other people telling me that.
And then you told me about 6 or 8 weeks and you're like, I
didn't think I'd do this more than twice.
I was like hell. No, what I tell you, my wife
said. That yeah, yeah, she said that.
But at different times you said that you were shocked you've
made it this long. So, but anyway, I think it's
cool though, like I said, talking all that.

(02:16):
I like talking all the fans and everybody listening and
everything. But it's cool to kind of get to
get your story out and everything because everybody
else puts your story out, but it's not the right story.
Exactly, this is a chance peoplehear things about you and Tommy
and and different stories. That's their version.

(02:36):
So here if people want to know what really happened, they can
come here and listen. And we enjoy having Tommy with
us. But Tommy is off this week
taking care of some business, and we decided that it's finally
time to talk about some things. But before we get there, we got
something else we want to announce.
Right, well, and, and you also know Gene, that the storm just
hit at Myrtle Beach and everything and, and knock on

(02:58):
wood, Tommy didn't have any damage or anything and
everything but the storm come down through there and
everything. But we're glad he's doing good
and they aren't any damage for him.
So that's a good thing. Yes, absolutely.
So there's, there's quite a few things people have asked about,
but one of the things people have been asking about on the
Facebook page on the X and different emails, they're

(03:19):
wanting to know how they can geta signed copy of Hot Stuff.
Eddie Gilbert, the uncrowned king of professional wrestling.
So me and you have gotten together and figured out that we
are going to do a live virtual signing online Sunday, July the
27th. It'll be at 6:00 PM Central time

(03:40):
and we're going to live stream that across Facebook as well as
the Retro Wrestling Archive YouTube channel, so you'll be
able to watch it there. So what people will need to do
if you want to order a signed book, Doug is offering up a copy
of the book signed by him as well as a photo, an 8 by 10

(04:04):
photo of Doug signed by him of your choice.
And it's $50 ship, which is an amazing price for that whole
package deal there. So you can go on and from the
minute you hear this up until we'll say the, the day of, but
you'll need to get your, you'll need to get your order in before

(04:27):
noon on Sunday, July 27th. But the earlier you get it in,
the better. Doug's got quite a few copies of
the book, but still it's a limited amount.
So the first comes first serve. Whoever orders first, that's
who's going to get the books. And if he runs out before then,
if you wait until day of, you may not get one.
But you can go on Venmo and pay at Real Doug Gilbert on Venmo,

(04:51):
and that's how you can send yourpayment across, like we said,
$50. And that covers the book, the
picture and the shipping. If you have any questions about
it, of course, you can always send an e-mail to
[e-mail]. But what you'll be able to do
the day of the signing, you go to go on to the live signing.
You don't have to be there. If you pay ahead of time, it'll

(05:12):
get signed, it'll get shipped toyou as long as you include your
shipping address and everything.But if you choose to be on
there, you know you'll be able to get in the comment, ask Doug
your questions directly, and tryto interact with everybody as
he's signing your book and your picture.
And I know you love doing these things, Doug, and this kind of
opens it up. It's great to go meet people in

(05:34):
person, but this kind of opens up to anybody anywhere can can
take part in them. Yeah, genius likes to this cool
to to talk to fans and and from the past years and everything.
And man, I just it's and like I said, we get to tell our story.
You've heard everybody else's story.

(05:54):
That's not really correct. But anyway, you get to hear it
from us and and we get to talk to you and interact and
everything. I think that's real cool.
But like you said, there is a limited number of books.
So if you go ahead and place your order with Jean, you will
get your book, get it signed, get a picture.

(06:16):
If you want a picture of Dangerous Sub Gilbert, if you
want a picture of the Memphis Mafia, if you want a picture of
myself, my dad, and my brother together, you can get anyone
there. Yeah, we'll try to get some
samples up on on the Facebook page and the Twitter.
I still call it Twitter, but XI guess it is now of So what

(06:37):
pictures will be available. Of course it's a classic.
Memphis Mafia is 1 of. Them and you.
You better call it right that Elon Musk won't let you in on
his new America. That's right, we'll get booted
off there or I'll get booted offthere, not we.
Yeah, What is it? What is it now?
America the new, the Democrat Republicans, and America is

(07:00):
something I saw with that. Yeah, yeah, it's a big, it's a
big Newsday today as we as we record this earlier in the week
than what you're hearing it, butthis would be a whole different
podcast if we got it all that. But but yeah, a lot of a lot of
interesting news today. But yeah, you know, a lot of

(07:20):
people have been interested in getting a copy of the book and a
signed copy of the book. So this is a great opportunity
to do that along with a signed picture.
There's that really cool picturewhere it's it's Doug the Dark
Patriot and Freddie all on one picture there.
And I know that's been popular at the conventions as well.
They yeah, it's really cool. Also, they'd be a bunch of
different. Like you said, you put those up

(07:42):
and people can see them and everything.
But like I said, just interacting with the people and
like I said, I hope everybody enjoys the book as much as as we
did write and everything. I mean, it's cool book and I
think it's I think it's great and everything.
And like, like I said, I mean, it's, I hope everybody enjoys as

(08:04):
much as I did and then. Yeah, me too.
Like I've gotten the opportunitynow to go to some shows lately
and and then I've had some copies of the book to sell and
to be able to, you know, talk tosome people about it.
And people have had some really interesting questions.
And then some people have come up and said, Hey, I bought it.
You know, I ordered it and I've read it.

(08:24):
I've enjoyed it. I didn't know this about Eddie.
I didn't know this story. So people are are learning
things that they they didn't know, which is the whole point
of this. Right, Yeah, yeah.
I mean, you wouldn't know if it's stuff that happened in the
dressing room that that I'm telling and everything.
I mean, cool stories that happened on the road and
everything. I mean, that's that's stuff that

(08:45):
we only know. I mean, myself, my brother, and
you know, like when Tommy was with this stuff that that only
us from you and everything. I mean, it's, it's a cool, it's
just a cool deal. Absolutely.
And you know, I, I had always followed, you know, Eddie's
career and yours and your dad's and and kept up with everybody.

(09:06):
But I still, man, as we were getting prepared and writing
this book and I was doing research and I was going
through, you know, matches and results, I still learned a lot
of stuff, people that I didn't know Eddie Russell in places I
didn't know Eddie wrestled. And you know, me being a a super
fan of sorts, I still learned a lot in the process of work on

(09:27):
this book. So if you're, if you're a fan of
Eddie and want to learn more, orif you're a young fan that, hey,
you've heard the name, but you want to know more about him,
this is a great way to learn straight from his his very own
brother. And I dare say no one else on
earth knew Eddie Gilbert better than Doug Gilbert.

(09:49):
Is that a fair statement, Doug? That's definitely fair.
That was my best friend and everything.
He always had my back and I had his and man, it was, it was just
really cool, really cool friendship.
I mean, I mean, he was my brother and everything, but I
mean, we really, we really got along well and we, we traveled

(10:12):
together. We lived together a lot of time
and everything. I mean, we had, we had blasts on
the road. It's just, I mean, it was
involved. People just couldn't imagine.
I wish people could, could imagine and could have times
like that because it was just socool.
Gee. Yeah, it's, it's really great
you guys got that opportunity totravel together and, and spend

(10:34):
the the kind of time you did. And, and Speaking of that, you
know, I told you people have been asking about a virtual
signing, but the other thing that people have, I've gotten
emails, I've got messages on Facebook and X and different
places. Everybody's wanting to know,
hey, what did Doug think about the Dark side of the ring
episode about Eddie? And so, you know, we've kind of

(10:57):
put off doing this for a varietyof reasons.
And, you know, and usually when Tommy's sitting here, we usually
try to talk about things that, you know, it kind of involve
both of you as much as we can. But you know, we decided since
Tommy, you know, was away this week, this would be a perfect
opportunity to sit down. And before we get into, did you
like it? How did you feel the final
product came out? I want to talk and hear you, you

(11:20):
know, tell everybody more about how this came about, how you
were approached on the front endof this initially and and how
long back it was. It actually.
Was I was approached at Saint Louis at the SICW?

(11:43):
See what's the name? The Herb Simmons.
Herb Simmons show. Yeah, or it's actually his what
was his show and his signing deal that he had.
He brought myself and Tommy in to sign and everything at his at
his wrestle con deal and everything.
And I had a great time at that. And Herb is such a great guy.

(12:03):
I mean, he's a he's I think the last old school promoter.
I mean, you know, it was him andand our buddy Burt and was the
last two and Herb is the last one now.
Man, he's a great guy. He's good to the guys and and
takes care of them and he old school promotes and draws and
everything and he's just real good dude.

(12:24):
But anyway, I got approached up there at the SICW in Saint Louis
and the people that approached me said that Eddie was one of
the most requested guys that they've ever had, that they
hadn't been able to reach no agreement.
And they said, would I please think about it again?

(12:47):
And, you know, thinking about it, I told him I would I would
call when I touch base after I got home.
After I thought about it a little more, you know, I
thought, Gee, if there was a perfect time, you know, it was
30 years that my brother passed away.

(13:09):
If I was going to do it, that would be the time.
But the reason that I'd always told them no before was because
every a lot of stuff that had come out on there was bad and
was negative. I mean based on said now what do
we say 90% gene or? At least 85%.

(13:34):
Ninety is probably fair, honestly.
And but anyway, I mean, they wasreal nice people, but I mean, I
know what they're trying to do is get their writings and
everything. And I understand that and having
to do that and tell bad stories and everything.
But ma'am, my, my brother was such a good guy and everything.

(13:54):
I mean, people knew him like I did and everything.
I didn't want nothing to tarnishhis image and everything.
So I was always against it before, but I thought, it's been
30 years now and if people he's still one of the most requested
guys that that people that people get with them about.

(14:17):
I thought, well, maybe I do needto tell this story.
If there was ever a time, maybe it's now.
And I thought, and I wound up about sit down and talk to my
wife about it and everything because I, I just didn't want
anything bad to to come out of it and everything.
I thought like, I'm going to tell my side.

(14:38):
Like, I mean, you just said my side of the story.
Everybody's got their side and everything.
And I, I knew my brother better than anybody did and everything.
So that's when, like I said, what you asked was where did
they approach me? I know it was the SICW signing
in Saint Louis. And that's how we.

(14:59):
Yeah, yeah, They had called a bunch of times before, but I
just told them now that I wasn'tgoing to do it.
And I agreed to do it in September.
They came and filmed at my housefor about 12 to 14 hours now.
And this is a show that don't have.
But what is it, Gene? 40 minutes or 38 minutes after?
Yeah, it's like 42 minutes when you pull out the commercial. 18

(15:24):
right, 18 minutes, Commercials, 42 minutes.
And so there's been 1214 hours and I'm thinking you're filming
1214 hours. I won't be in this thing for two
minutes because they had the list of own and own that that,
you know, they was going to interview and everything.
And I thought I won't be in thisfor three minutes and it's going

(15:45):
to take 1412 to 14 hours. And that's what they say was
12/14 hours and everything, but I wouldn't have been in a lot
more than 2 minutes or three minutes or something.
I don't know how many minutes I was in it, but but I watched it
back the other night and actually we did interviews and

(16:11):
went through Eddie's pictures briefcase, a couple briefcases,
actually wrestling gear and wentto the cemetery.
I figured they would show about 10 minutes since they
interviewed so many others. I actually figured they'd show 5

(16:32):
minutes and everything, but theyshowed a lot more than that.
But that's how I how it all comeabout.
And and then I want to get with Jean.
I'm sure you got some questions and everything, but myself and
my mom had started a book in 1999 and, you know, it was still

(17:00):
hard on my mom that, you know, my brother's passing, still hard
on her for the day that she passed.
But we started writing it just, I think it didn't it, it wasn't
a good place, a good time for her and everything.
And but, but at first it was but, but then it wasn't.

(17:23):
So we stopped and everything. And then I've heard that you had
wrote a book about it. And I thought, and then when me
and you met up in Jonesboro and everything, we got everything in
motion about the book that we wrote.

(17:43):
So I thought, I think that's real, really cool.
Yeah, I not to get way deep in that, but like, I remember it's
probably around 2010 or 11 reaching out to your mom and dad
on Facebook about the idea of. I wanted to write a book about

(18:05):
Eddie and, and was very adamant about and I wanted to be a
positive book. Like my whole motivation for
writing this is like, I don't like a lot of the things that
are out there, a lot of the narratives that people give and
just the fact that some people are so misinformed about how he
passed and the details and those, you know, everything
that's surrounded it. Because I I doing the podcast, I

(18:28):
knew, you know, Ken Wayne at thetime and had heard his side of
that and then talked to a lot ofdifferent people, Bruno and
different people. And, and she told me then she's
like, yeah, me and Doug had, youknow, have worked on one and
she's like, I don't know if we'll ever get through it.
She said, But as long as in the end we can read it and approve

(18:50):
it before you put it out, you know, we'll work with you on it.
I said absolutely. That's, you know, like I said, I
wouldn't want anything out therethat you guys wouldn't approve
of. And at the time, you know, you
were traveling back and forth toJapan a lot.
You were doing a lot of wrestling and and then your mom
said, like, I don't know that Doug's really ready.

(19:10):
You know, that's why we started working on the look.
She's like, I don't know if he'sreally ready to do that right
now. So me and you never got a chance
to talk back then. And and so I had some things
going. I went through a divorce.
A lot of things happened in my life and I just kind of set it
aside. It was on a hard drive that got
lost and and I think that was meant to happen, man, I don't

(19:34):
think. Yeah, I, I think so too.
And like I said, Gene, I mean, it all started and I think when
me and you come together, we knew that the Dark Side of the
Ring wouldn't be able to cover Eddie's career in less than an
hour, so we decided to finish the book and everything.

(19:56):
So. So we got the book finished with
covering all the territories andtime to be released when the
episode came out in April. So that was actually
accomplished and we didn't, we didn't think we would be able
to, which was. Yeah, I was going to say, it was
quite the accomplishment, honestly.
Right, right. And I mean, because you don't
just, you know, I mean me and you went back and forth and

(20:20):
you'd send me this and I'd send you back what I'd write and
you'd send it back to me. And I want you to be happy with
it as well as myself and everything.
And but I, I think it wind up thank you.
I mean, you're a great guy, which you've done, like I said,
like me, you said I don't think I would be on here 2 weeks or I

(20:43):
think my wife said that and I think I've said it before also,
but man, I've actually enjoyed. I like interacting with the
fans. I was still fans and everything
and like I said, I was never a big guy to go out and take
pictures or Tommy or my brother have to drag me out all the time
and everything. But you know, I was, I was

(21:03):
brought up by that. You know, if you go out, you're
just kind of all the time. You're just kind of one of the
guys who stay away and everything.
But but it's cool. Like I said, I think us coming
together and getting this book done, I think this was a cool
thing. And like I said, and you know,
they want to be, they could do 6Dark Side of the Rings or 6

(21:28):
episodes of whatever you want tocall it and and they wouldn't be
able to get all Daddy's career stuff in.
No, no, I mean, so my like my dad got a copy and he said and
read it in a couple of days timeand he called me and he said,

(21:50):
man, I he's like, I thought I knew, you know, most of Eddie
Gilbert's career. He said, but man, there's a lot
of stuff I didn't know. But he said, he said, I didn't
realize how young he was when hepassed.
He said, when you read that bookand realized how much he
accomplished in that amount of time, he said, it's mind
blowing. And I said, yeah, it, it, it

(22:11):
really, really is. Like he, I mean, it's, it's such
a shame for so many reasons that, you know, he, he didn't
live longer than he did. But my goodness, he crammed a
couple of lifetime's worth of living into that time and.
So that's. Really great.
I think so and and like like me and you said Gina, I mean, Dark

(22:34):
side of the Ring is known for airing the bad side of the
rascals. So the book was a way to tell
the unedited side of it July to me that that's why I wanted to
do the book and everything because, you know, I mean, and I
thought I was just, you know, I was so leery and I I talked to
you about it, about the dark side of the rain.

(22:56):
I asked you a few times, what did you think?
Because I started to back out atthe last minute and I thought,
no, I'm going to I'm going to tell my side of it and
everything. But but I mean, it was like I
told you what was it? They would ask me issues.

(23:18):
They kept, they kept asking me those 12 to 14 hours.
Well, what about the issues? And I said what, what issues?
But before the guys got here on the phone with a couple of the
the people from them that they would say that issues and I said

(23:39):
what what issues are we talking about?
Which I want them to tell me what what they was saying, which
people say issues in professional wrestling.
They're they mean drugs or or out.
I mean drugs, alcohol, all the anything bad.
Devices. You're right exactly.
But maybe I looked at it wrong, Gene.

(23:59):
I said I didn't see issues. I said, when you, you have money
and, and you have nice cars and,and you get along well and you
live a good life, to me, that's not issues.
But I'll turn around and say this.

(24:19):
We wasn't perfect and we didn't do everything right.
But, but, but nobody was a bad guy and we didn't hurt anybody
else. And, and to me, I don't think we
hurt herself. And but, but like I said, they
wanted to talk about things and I told them, they asked me
questions about doctors and and drugs and and stuff like that.

(24:42):
And it's like I asked them back,which you didn't see this on
there, but I said, do y'all folks go to doctors?
You know, we're professional wrestlers.
We get thrown around every nightand two times some days with TV
and that night I mean, and we'resore and everything.
But I'm not making excuses. But like I told them and I said

(25:04):
this, I don't even know if it was in there or not.
I think it was. But I look back on that.
I don't like the word issues because me it wasn't issues, but
I mean, when our doctor would would give us a prescription, if
it said take one, we might take one, but we might take two.

(25:26):
But to me that was that isn't issues.
I mean, and looking back at it now, maybe I was looking at it
wrong then, but I'm still looking at it today and Gene, I
don't really think it think it'swrong.
The thing I've talked to people about that have asked me
privately, you know, I've said, you know, there's people who

(25:51):
experienced, you know, a car wreck the magnitude of what
Eddie was involved in and spend the rest of their lives not even
being able to go to work at 9:00to 5:00 job and on pain
medication just to function, just to go to the grocery store
and the walk around their house.I'm like, Eddie was told

(26:12):
initially that he might not walk.
Then he gets told he's definitely never going to
wrestle. The man went back and had a
wrestling career that rivaled anybody else's you can name
after having that car wreck. And I mean, so of course he he
had to, he was, he's going to have some pain medication just

(26:34):
to function with the pain that he suffered from having that
wreck. And then when you add in taking
bumps, the kind of bumps that Eddie would take because he
didn't half acid, he wasn't. In there you.
Know. I he, he worked hard every
night. I mean, he would go like with
Jerry Stubbs, go 60 minutes withdifferent guys.

(26:54):
He would go out and everything, I mean, and go hard, not not
laying around or walking and talking.
I mean, going hard with and all the big guys that he worked
with. Look, look at all the big guys
in Watson's territory in WCW. And I mean all around every
territory he went to. I mean, you know, he worked with
all the top guys and everything.I mean, he never took a night

(27:18):
off. I mean, you know, that was, I
mean, as far as in the rain, he he freaking went.
He'd go with the best of. But to circle back to something
you said, like, so we started recording this podcast last
August and it was around in thattime when, you know, you told me
we'd was about to record or finish recording.
You're like a dark vices coming next week to record.

(27:41):
And that's one of the first conversations we had about it.
And he kind of told me the the back story of everything.
And you asked me what I thought.And I was like, Doug, I've
watched every one of those episodes and I'm like, man, they
feed off negativity. Man.
I'm like, it's good exposure. It's good to, you know, put
Eddie's story in front of a new audience.

(28:04):
I was like, but man, that's, that's scary.
And you know, I was, you know, Iremember, you know, you like
they came to your house and you showed them all that, you know,
all of Eddie's stuff and recorded, you know, you invited
me there while we were working on the book and I got to see all
that and meant the world to me like this, the coolest thing
ever. But I remember sitting there

(28:26):
talking to you and like, I mean,it's it's the right thing to do.
I said, man, until this thing airs and we see every minute of
it, I was like, I'm going to be,I can't imagine.
I'm nervous. You are because it's me, you
know, being your friend and being a fan of Eddie, you know,
it made me nervous. But you being his brother and
then, you know, you'd being the one that used to do it, I knew

(28:47):
that put a lot of pressure on you.
But I thought, man, you know, these guys seem like nice guys
and they seem like they're coming from a good place.
But I was like, man, if they don't pull something here that
you're not expecting, it's goingto be surprising.
And and so, yeah, what shocked me, people told me that they
they would hit it like differentstuff you said to make it sound

(29:09):
like different stuff. But Gene, I can also say that
they didn't do that with me and on my end of the speaking.
And actually when it was all said and done after you know me
and you talked about it and I thought about it, like I said, I
about changed my mind at the last minute and everything.

(29:33):
But I thought, no, it's if there's a time, it's now, it's
30 years since my brother passedaway.
And I thought I wanted people tohear my side now.
And I thought if anybody says something negative or whatever,
then you know, I might see them later and everything but but I

(29:58):
mean, you know that that part was what it was.
But my brother was good to a lotof people and he made a lot of
people a lot of money. But now a lot of people don't
don't want to say that and they want I mean, the negative people
are not going to say that and everything.
But I mean we made a lot of money working for Watts and when

(30:20):
he was on the book comedian, basically he was the head Booker
when there was booked me nobody else come to the office in WCW
but Eddie and you know, so he was basically running that and
and that was really cool. And I thought, I mean, you know,
the angles like me and you've talked about before, like the
the they would have never been aTerry front first flare angle.

(30:41):
Everybody talks about that beingso cool.
I mean people don't know that was Eddie's doing.
I mean nobody would have done that.
I mean, and Eddie got flare to go along with it and everything.
And I I thought that was cool. Then that wind up getting a lot
of heat because the angle that you saw on TV on WCW with

(31:04):
painting the the yellow streak down the guy's back.
Flair's father-in-law got hot about it.
And I mean, So what, what does that mean?
Does that mean you're doing yourjob good, Gene, I mean.
Exactly. Players should have understood
that. Like, dude, if your
father-in-law adds that reaction, the reaction that
you're wanting fans to have, then you should know that this

(31:26):
is working and the people are going to be buying that Great
American bash pay-per-view to see him get his hands, you know,
on Terry Funk. And you know, and I know that
had to mean a lot for Eddie because it did so much for it
revitalized Terry Funk's career.He had a whole second-half of a
career that he might not have had if not for that feed.

(31:46):
I know that had to make Eddie feel good.
It did it. It really did.
And then, you know, I mean, you know, Eddie Broad also brought
him to ECW, Yeah. And everything.
And that was, you know, really cool too, and everything.
So that was all all a good a good deal.

(32:06):
Well, that was the one good thing knowing and and we talked
about this is like, all right, well, look, whatever this dark
side episode ends up being, if it's not what you want it to be,
if it's not what they're presenting it to be to you, you
knew on the other side, you had this podcast, you had the book
coming out. Like I mentioned before, there
was going to be a way to even itout.
But man, I got to tell you, I, I, I subscribed to a a certain

(32:32):
app on my Roku just so I could sit there and watch it that
Night Live. I usually see him a few days
later or wherever I can find them.
But I was like, I'm watching this one as it happens.
You know, when it went off, my phone started blowing up and I
had all kinds of people asking me, you know what I thought
about it, If I had talked to youand what you had thought about
it and if you had seen it prior to the airing, the live airing

(32:54):
of it. And, and I told him, I said, I
haven't, Doug didn't see it before tonight.
I do know that much. And I said, I don't know if he
watched it tonight or not. I said, for me, I said having
watched every episode they've done, this felt like one of the
most fair representations I've seen.
And there wasn't a lot of negative stuff in it.

(33:15):
I thought that, you know, it wasit for 42 minutes.
I thought it was as best as theycould have told his story.
And they used a lot of your stuff in there and it didn't
seem like they chopped up the things that you said.
Yeah, like I said earlier, they didn't think they used my words

(33:36):
exactly as I said them and everything until you had good
people in it. That was in Eddie's life, like
Darla, like Medusa. So I don't leave anybody out,
even throwing any more names that that was in there.
But they had a ton of people that that they could.

(33:59):
That's why I said I didn't thinkI would be on there very much at
all and everything, but I was onthere a lot more than I thought
I would. Then like I said, they was very
fair. They didn't try to chop my stuff
up or anything. But I told the guys when he was
here at the house and you know, I want wanted it to be done
right and everything. And I mean, I just want to be a
fair assessment and everything. Ricky Morton was on there and he

(34:23):
was close with Eddie and he. Had some good, right?
That was about the the Tupelo concession stand.
Eddie and Ricky together there. That was so cool and everything.
Like I said, I spent time and with Ricky and stayed like I do
with Tommy when I was a kid. I went out to Eddie and Ricky

(34:43):
was the tag team and I went out to Oklahoma and stayed the
summer and Eddie would go out with some of the guys some
nights and I'd go home with Ricky and his wife and stay with
them. And I mean, I had good times for
Ricky and Ricky's great guy. Oh yeah, absolutely.
I was proud to say they put him in there.
I wish, I wish they could have worked Tommy into it, but.

(35:05):
You can't have. Everybody on there.
Well, that's me too. And that was one of the things I
mean that I told him to that, you know, Tommy was supposed to
be on. Tommy was the one that actually
talked, wound up talking me. I don't know if they talked me

(35:25):
into it, but right before it wasgetting ready to air, I called
him and said, Tommy, I said this, this better be good.
And he says I think it will. And I said, well, you wasn't
even in it. And the deal at the get go was I
want Tommy in and I was going togo to Myrtle Beach and and do

(35:48):
parts of it there and everything.
And I wind up doing said everything up here and and and
done it here, which they told meI could do it wherever I wanted.
I mean, you know, but I didn't want to carry stuff places I
wanted people to see. I wanted people to see my
brother's stuff and some cool stuff that like as far as a book

(36:11):
or that he wrote and everything like for his crew and what to go
by. And you know, people thinks
there's no rules, but he had rules and stuff.
I mean, I mean, people thinks, you know, it's just the wild,
Wild West and and we're all justoutlaws.
And at some point, maybe we are.Kind of outlaws.

(36:32):
But there was rules to go by to draw money and, and my brother,
all he wanted you to do was be yourself, work hard and and and
draw money. Yeah, that was I mean, seeing a
lot of that stuff that I got to see of Eddie's that you have was

(36:53):
really cool. But like holding that briefcase,
you know, and and knowing, you know all the places he took that
and you know, all the great ideas that was carried around in
that, you know, that briefcase everything was.
Was super cool and see what was so cool, Jean, the one that I
carried with me to Japan for years was one that that he had

(37:18):
that he'd give me. It was like a ostrich skin or
some kind of freaking $1000 freaking something briefcase
that he just give me one day andeverything when he got him and
you one and everything. And that's where I kept all my
work visa stuff for all the different guys that I booked in

(37:39):
Japan and everything. And I thought just that, you
know, that still means the worldwith me and I've got it out
there. Also.
I meant to show you that way, you see if I can pull it out and
everything. But that was always just like I
said, me and my brother was so tired.
But like I said, you had, you know, friends and good people.

(38:01):
There was there was good people on there telling stories, you
know, about 80 and everything. And I mean, like I said, Ricky
Medusa, Darla, you can go on with the names.
We check good people. And it's like the deal when me
and you and Tommy was in went toPhiladelphia, Todd Gordon come

(38:21):
up to me and said, man, they just done that show on your
brother said they man, it was all good.
I said, well, my brother was a good dude, Todd.
He said, well, yeah, he he was. But I think Sandman's a good
dude and they made him look likecrap.

(38:43):
I see. Well, you know, I didn't really
know what to say about that. But but you know, I'm like, like
I told you though, after I watched it and it was over and I
walked around a little bit and everything, and my wife asked me

(39:04):
about it, asked me what I thought and everything.
And I said this is what I'm going to say if I think it's OK.
I don't see how anyone else can think it's bad.
Yeah. For sure.
And everything. But then I think I talked to you

(39:25):
about two days after you watchedit.
Is that fair or something like that?
And you asked me what I thought and I told you just what I said
right then. And I asked you what you thought
and you told me what you told Neil and everything.
So to me, I think that everything with it was good.

(39:49):
Like, so I'd like to have Tommy in it.
And you couldn't have everybody.But if they just knew Tommy was
actually the one that which I thought if there was ever going
to be a time, it was 30 years. But Tommy actually taught me and
said. Man, you know, be good for these
guys here about your brother's story.

(40:11):
I thought yes, it would. If there's every time that I'm
going to do it, now should be the time.
And they were telling the truth because I know like online on
like their on their different accounts.
Every year after a season would end, they go, OK, we got a new
season coming up. Who do you guys want to see?
And there'd be hundreds of comments and you could scroll
through there and you just see, you know, name, name, name,

(40:34):
Eddie Gilbert, Eddie Gilbert, Eddie.
It would be spread throughout, you know, it was every single
year from season 1 on, you know,every year people were lobbying,
you know, for Eddie to be on there.
So I'm glad that I'm glad that his story was able to be told on
there. I'm glad you was able to be a
part of it and that and if you're happy with it and I

(40:58):
because eventually his story would have been told somewhere
by somebody. And the fact that, you know,
this is, you know, dark side of the ring is considered a, a
pretty, you know, significant source for especially like for
younger fans to learn about people they may not know about.
The fact that you were able to be directly involved with it and
and have some influence over theshow.

(41:20):
It is good because eventually somebody would have got a hold
of somebody that maybe you don'twant tell them the story or you
know, and it it might have been a whole different show if the
wrong people who were there justto try to sensationalize things.
And because, you know, there's certain people that they plug
into episodes, they always seem to have a bad story about
everybody. You know.

(41:41):
Surprisingly enough, and luckily, a lot of those didn't
make it into this one. Yeah, that was I think I made
myself pretty clear with them and which they still I guess
somebody could do something. But also I do have some good
lawyers. But like I said, the cool deal

(42:03):
about the book was that with that coming out and us knowing
that they wouldn't get a, you know, I mean, like I said, you
could do 6 to 10 episodes and you still wouldn't get my
brother's career in in shows. But anyway, but in a book that

(42:23):
me and yourself wrote, we can get our my version and unedited,
everybody can read the life story as I know it and
everything. And that's that, that's what I
wanted to get out there and everything.
Like I said, Tommy, I don't knowif they talked me into it, but

(42:44):
he persuaded me. And but but I mean, and like you
said before, you know, it's coolfor the the people that that
didn't know my brother's story to, to know it and what he done
in his life. And like I, I told people,
people could literally be 70 years old and not do in their
life what what he did. No doubt about that.

(43:07):
Yeah, absolutely. Yeah.
It's, it's I'm, I'm so proud of that.
We've got that out there. And you know, I'm not one of
these people that's, you know, Idon't know.
I don't try to read too much into things, but I do believe
that sometimes that some things happen for a reason.

(43:28):
If you get too deep into that, then you start picking things
apart like, well, why did this happen?
Why did that happen? Why, you know, why did Eddie
pass away young? Why did my brother pass away
young? So that kind of thing, you can
pick it apart. But I do felt that it did kind
of happen for a reason that I started working on this thing 15
years ago. Circumstances made me stop.
And then we came together and got the opportunity to write

(43:50):
this together because having started back then, I had, I had
the time to interview your mom and your dad and have some
conversations with them that youmight not have had.
And in that context, I got a chance to reach out to Lance
Russell through his son Shane. And we got some good quotes from
Lance in there and Jerry, Jared and some people who weren't

(44:12):
around earlier this year when wewere writing the book, who had
some really great insight with Eddie.
And, you know, we're key parts of his story.
You know, that I love the fact that, you know, Eddie would
would carry, you know, make those books of his booking as a,
you know, as a young child and ateenager.

(44:33):
And they took those books to Jerry Jarrett.
And Jerry Jarrett was like, thisis good stuff.
And you know, Jerry, I think if Jerry Jarrett would have had his
way, he would have probably steered Eddie towards a life of
being a Booker and a promoter and and kept him out of the ring
if he could because he knew justhow talented that Eddie was.
And Eddie was a great wrestler. But you.

(44:55):
Know. But he had a unique mind.
Oh, he had a unique mind. But Eddie's love was for
wrestling. I mean, it was for booking also.
He loved booking. But he was, I mean, from when he
was a a a a 567 years old, he was going to be a wrestler.

(45:17):
I mean, that was, you know, thatwas his his goal.
And I mean, he watched my dad and like I said, he took, you
know, he'd go and take pictures and like he always for Pro
Wrestling Illustrated for Bill after and about three or four
other magazines. But really, for after more than
anybody else, he did write stories and take pictures and

(45:38):
and see people don't know that didn't know that part.
You know, about my brother and how he come up.
And I mean, he, like you were saying about writing his his
angles and and stuff when he wasa kid and showing Jared and
everything. And I mean, you know, knock on
wood, Eddie myself grew up a a different from most kids.

(46:02):
I mean, being in the back of theMid South Coliseum around all
the guys when we was just, I mean, 8 years old, you know,
from, from, from then on and, and live in the business and,
and having your dad there. And you know, I mean, Jerry,
Jerry, Jerry, Jerry's father-in-law being my dad's tag

(46:22):
team partner. I mean, you know, we was with
all of them our whole life. I mean, growing up to the
Jerry's and spending nights at Jerry's house with my dad and
them, them going out fishing on the lake and everything.
But it's just like I said this, just the timing of all this was
right. And I'm so glad.
And to me, if I can say this episode was was good, I don't

(46:49):
think anybody else should be able to say it wasn't.
I mean, and believe me, I was, Iwas leery and I think, you know,
you knew that as as it was coming up and everything.
And I thought because you know, how, how people can change
things and change what you say and, and cut out and then see, I

(47:10):
didn't really. Well, I thought about that
because I've heard people say it, but I told the guys when I
was here taping, I said there's not going to be any of this
because I've heard it like therewas 3 or 4 different stories
I've heard that, you know, they really messing people up as far
as cutting what they said and, and making it sound different
and everything. But like I said, I was, if I can

(47:32):
say I was pleased with it, I don't think anybody else can can
there. Because there's some audio.
I don't know what we'll ever do with this, but you know, your
wife was recording the interviews, you know, some of
the interviews while they were going on and they basically told
y'all beforehand like, look, don't do anything with any of

(47:53):
this until this airs. After it airs, So be it.
And so I had gotten the opportunity to hear some of that
and I remember telling my wife because I was nervous on for a
few different reasons. One thing was when they
interviewed Tommy and then told you like, we're not going to use
Tommy because we don't think he has anything real interesting

(48:15):
out of the story. And I thought interesting or
negative, like, man, that's kindof concerning.
I think I even told you that, you know, I was like, I don't
know, man, that's kind of odd. But the only thing I can compare
those interviews to and you and you kind of referenced this
earlier is, you know, they, theyreally kept pounding home the
issues, the issues, and they kept asking you the same

(48:39):
question in different ways over and over.
And the only thing I could compare it to, I told my wife
this. I said it reminded me, I don't
know if you ever saw that. All those documentaries about
the West Memphis 3, The ParadiseLost.
They. Took them kids and they
interrogated them for hours and hours and hours and hours and

(49:01):
finally they got the one kid. To.
Just finally just say basically just say yes to their questions
just to get him to leave him alone.
He'd been in there for like 14 hours or something and he
finally was just like, yeah, that's what happened.
And they're just leading him through it.
And I'm like, that's essentiallywhat this felt like almost as an
interrogation. Like we're going to keep asking

(49:21):
this question until we can get, and this is what I felt.
It didn't play out that way, butit felt like they were going to
keep asking that question so they could get 1 take where you
answered it in some kind of way where it could be construed in
the way that they wanted it to be.
And I guess because you never gave it to him, you the answer
wasn't fair to give that they kind of moved away from that.

(49:44):
And luckily that wasn't but I thought, man, that feels like
that was originally the narrative of the episode.
And I guess maybe after talking to you for all them hours are
like, all right, maybe that's, you know, maybe there's not as
much here as we think there is it boy, it wasn't from lack of
trying. I don't know.
They believe me. They asked and like I told you
would just me and you talking that, you know, I, I heard that

(50:07):
so much and that kind of turned me off on the phone calls before
they come. It was said three or four
different times. I said, I said, yeah, I want,
you know, you can ask me questions however you want.
You can change the words, whatever.
But my answers are going to be Doug's point of view and the way

(50:27):
things work. And, and that's just the way I
wanted to. I mean, Gene, I know how things
work. And I mean, everybody's got,
everybody's got their own story and everything.
And like I said on the thing I said, we weren't angels.
We weren't angels. I've never said that.
I just said people build a lot of things and want to say a lot

(50:53):
of things and a lot of people are a lot of people was really
jealous of me. And in his in his short life, he
done more than than most of themwould do in three lives.
And I mean, he was just so smartas far as mine wise booking and

(51:17):
the wrestling business and just just a smart.
Eddie was so intelligent and andlike I said, and I don't think
they said that played this part on there.
They asked me what was one thingthat people wouldn't think about
him. I said he's shy and people
wouldn't think that about Eddie.But as far as just us being out

(51:37):
as far as wrestling and everything, no, I'm not shy, but
just me and him out around He didn't, you know what wasn't
about people seeing him or or hehe'd rather people not, you know
what I'm saying, than just it was like a shy guy.
But that'd be something that youwould never think you would hear

(51:58):
that that was the way he was. And and you know, it's cool.
We're all one way or the other and different at different
aspects. But man, just like I said, my
brother was such a great dude. And like I said, I thought it
was time and if there was ever going to be a time to do it, it
was them. So they caught me at the right

(52:18):
time. That's why I told my wife.
I said before I've done the interview with them.
I said I didn't think I'd ever do this.
And she said, well, do you thinkyou don't need to?
But I was just a little, little leery like you said as far as
you know, because and actually Italked to you, you might be even

(52:40):
more leery when you said well. I kind of felt bad.
I felt like I should have been, you know, trying to put him at
ease, but I was just being honest, man, like I was.
It made me nervous. And I was pleasantly, very
pleasantly surprised because I'mnot going to lie, I was prepared
that night as I watched it, if in case you were watching it

(53:01):
live, because I had asked you, Isaid, did you get to see this
ahead of time? And you said, well, they're very
protective of it. Like they sent me a link that I
could watch like once on, you know, a computer.
And all. The jazz and you're like, I
don't think I'm going to do it. I remember us having we had that
conversation like the cigar store in Corinth before.
That show. There in Boonville or Corinth.

(53:23):
And I was like, yeah, I get that.
But I was prepared. Like if that show would have
been a double cross, for lack ofa better word, to get a phone
call and be like, turn the recorder on right now.
We're fixing to address this shit right now.
And, and you know, that call didn't come.
But then when I talked to you a couple days later, I realized

(53:43):
you really didn't watch it that night.
You know, you kind of waited a couple of days and already
gotten some feedback on it by the time you saw it, I'm sure.
And and, you know, like Darla, that would have broke her heart
if that if that thing would havebeen in the negative, you know,
some kind of slander of Eddie. I, you know, I don't think she
would have been absolutely as livid or, and, and more broken

(54:06):
hearted than than you probably maybe not as livid, but more
broken hearted. But yeah, I figured like, well,
we're going to be loading up driving somewhere.
If this is, you know, anything other than what they presented
to be. But again, pleasantly surprised,
you know? Yeah, and like I said, Jean,

(54:27):
man, I just like I said, if, if I'm pleased with what is out
there, I told my wife I didn't think anybody would have, you
know, I mean, as far as anybody's opinion, as long as
I'm happy with it and don't think it was anything negative.
And all I wanted was the story to be told and be positive and

(54:48):
everything. And I don't think, and they call
it whatever they want call it, but I don't think anything was
bad. I mean, and everything, that's
what I'd asked, you know, I said, guys, can you not do some
kind of positive show? And you know when the guys was
here recording with me and they said, Doug, it's about ratings
and positive don't do ratings, negative negativity does.

(55:12):
I mean, the thing that scared meand I think I told you this and
I was like, it's not called bright side of the Ring, man.
Like they call it that for a reason.
I don't know. But, you know, it really came
through how much Medusa cared about him.
And she had, I love the footage that she had of like for
Christmas and you know, in the letters, you know, like that was
a great aspect and showed you another side of, of Eddie and

(55:35):
and your whole family for that matter.
I thought that was really great.They had her on there.
And I'm gonna say this here and if you want me to cut it out,
I'll cut it out. But I feel it needs said address
somewhere. And I've done it.
I've said this in a couple of other interviews people have
done with me about the book. The only criticism I've heard
about the book is there's been like people that, and that's the
kind of people that knock. Everything was like, well,

(55:57):
there's no, there's no negative stories in there.
And it's like, do you really think Eddie's brother's book is
going to have negative stories in there?
Like why would it like you say in there like, Hey, I'm not
saying we were Saints. I'm not saying we were perfect,
but it I mean, why would you tell negative stories if you
had, even if you had any, why would you tell?
Why would your book be where somebody would find that?

(56:19):
If somebody wants to find negative stuff, it's out there
everywhere else and you can't stop that.
But you're not put it not put itin your book.
That's a tribute to your brother.
Why would? Anybody think that exactly,
Gene? And here's the thing.
Why don't we? I mean, don't get me wrong,
everybody wants to make money, right?
But but listen, I, I'm so sick of negativity that I mean, and

(56:47):
like I said, I want to get my brothers, people that, that the
generations that didn't see my brother get his story out there
and let them see his greatness as far as working wise, booking
wise and everything. And like I said, it's been 30
years. And if people tell you the

(57:09):
interest is the most requested, he's one of the most requested
guys ever to be on the show. I mean, to me that that said
something right there. And I thought, well, you know
what, this be a cool time to getit out.
And and I mean, but no, I mean, just, I mean, I'm not a

(57:32):
negative. I just I don't even like
negativity. I mean, why can't we be positive
and, and everything? And like I said, it's a great
story. I just wish my brother would
have lived a longer life. I wish he'd still been here with
us today. And I think he would have done
great things if we could ever got him to stop wrestling.

(57:52):
But but we would have never got him to stop wrestling because
that was that was it. But I mean, I thought in WCW at
the time, maybe he would slow down, but when he could have
just all he all he had to do wasbook and he was under the
contract. He was making a couple 100 grand

(58:13):
a year. And but no, he still wanted to
go on the road and wrestle. I mean, he wanted to earn his
money and wanted to work. I mean, not just work in the
office, but actually wrestle. And he he wouldn't go get that
out of it. And like I said, he worked hard
every night. There wasn't no taking, no
nights off or anything. Man, one of the most powerful

(58:33):
things that I've heard you say. And I don't know if we include
in the book, we probably weaved it in there somewhere.
But I remember a sitting like atyour dining room table talking
first about stuff about the book.
And I asked you, I said, Doug, we were talking about the wreck
and the aftermath of the wreck. And I said, Doug, if do you

(58:54):
think if those doctors would have went in there and told
Eddie, hey, if you never wrestleagain, there's a good chance you
could live to be, you know, longlife and live to be an old, you
know, an old man. But if you wrestle, we can tell
you right now you're probably not going to live past 1995.

(59:18):
I said, do you think he would have still chosen to wrestle?
And you kind of thought about itfor a minute and you looked me
right in the face and you said he absolutely would have.
It meant that. Much.
Yeah. And that, that's a powerful
statement, but I don't doubt youone bit.
For everything that book told us, that's 100% true, right?
That that that's exactly right, Gene.
I mean that that was I mean he he would have he he would

(59:40):
accepted that and that's what hewould have took.
He would have took that and wenton with it.
And I mean, that's like I said, it's just a, you know, we hate
what happened at the end and everything.
But I mean, he lived his life tothe fullest.
And I mean, like I said, he donemore in his life than than guys

(01:00:04):
in our profession, A lot of guysin our profession would do in
three lifetimes and. But that's why I think a lot of
times, and you hate to say it orwhatever, but there's a whole
lot of jealousy. And I mean, you know, there's so
many egos in this business and everybody wants to be the the
main Booker and, and everything when they don't get called to a

(01:00:26):
booking job. And my brother got called about
a dozen, you know, I mean, it gets heat with some people and
everything. And I mean, it's just, it is
what it is. And you know, we, we listened to
it And and you, you had people when, when my brother was alive
and booking, you had people thatwould knock him and this and

(01:00:46):
that. But why would the guys call and
want him to come and book their territories if you know?
You know, another thing too you think about is for him to be
able to accomplish all the things he did.
Think of what he could have accomplished if there wasn't so
many people standing in his way,blocking him from doing a lot of
things that he could have done. Those jealous types that had

(01:01:08):
positions of power who made sure, all right, we're going to
let him accomplish this much, but we're going to make sure he
he doesn't have the opportunities that he that he
deserves. Imagine what he could have done.
But you know, he he still, in spite of all that, you know.
That that's what I told you. And and cool thing to me is

(01:01:30):
small town boy growing up in town with 6000 people going on
to do what he done following my dad's footsteps.
And I also followed my dad's footsteps, but I mean,
accomplishing the goals that he set out to accomplish from when
he was a kid, writing those in those notebooks, those cards

(01:01:51):
with his friend's name on them and carrying and showing Jerry
Jarrett and everything. I mean, it's just, you know,
people, like I said, people didn't know that, didn't ever
hear that or anything. And I think that's like I said,
my brother was just a really, I mean, he was really intelligent
just as a person, but as, as booking and, and working.

(01:02:13):
I mean, his working style to me was just phenomenal.
I mean, just watch some of his matches and everything.
I mean, he with 95% of the guys,he'd be calling everything that
that that was going out and everything.
I mean, just phenomenal matches.I mean, you wouldn't see them

(01:02:34):
when you was a kid. Yeah, absolutely.
And if you're listening to us folks, 1 great thing about
Eddie's career is that it took place in a time where most of it
was on TV. Like there's you can go on
YouTube and you can see, I mean,there's every stage of his

(01:02:55):
career, the old Memphis stuff, there's still there's, you've
searched deep enough. There's stuff from Oklahoma,
there's stuff from UWF, Mid South Continental, WCW, It's
all, it's all there. You can go back and relive all
the great moments, things that he booked, things that he did
and and that'll keep his legacy alive forever.

(01:03:17):
That's exactly right, Gene. And I mean, like I said before,
there was a Ricky and Robert Rock'n'roll.
There was a Ricky and 80s and everything.
You're talking about two young, two young kids there together in
Oklahoma. That's some cool stuff to watch.
And there was tag champs out there.
Then they come back here and there was tag champs here.
And then they had the second version of the Tupelo concession

(01:03:39):
stand brawl with Onita and Fuji.And everybody knows Onita, who
wound up taking that back to Japan and it started the FMW and
SMW wound up being one of the biggest things they ever was in
Japan as far as starting like a different culture of hardcore
wrestling and everything. And I mean, Oneida, it was like

(01:04:01):
a rock star over there to this day still.
Yeah, huge influence over there.And I love that we've got that
picture of Eddie and Ricky on the back cover of the book.
And and I think it been a lot toRicky too.
He seems, you know, that he he really loves seeing that as
well. Oh yeah, that was that's really
cool. And like I said, all the

(01:04:22):
pictures, the cool pictures in the book team.
What about the picture of a young Eddie and Andre?
And there's just so many. There's so many different.
Tiger Mask them holding up the the the light heavyweight belt
and. What about spectrum?
I mean, there's so many different pictures.
What about the pictures of 80 when he was in high school and

(01:04:43):
and myself 80 and and the world heavyweight champion Doris Funk
Junior and. Danny Hodge and.
Right. Pictures of me, your dad, and
yeah, the pictures alone make itworthwhile, you know?
Oh man, I just think it's like Isaid, I'm like I said I was
pleased with the episode and I and I love the way the book

(01:05:07):
turned out. Like I said, I hope everyone of
y'all get the book. I hope y'all enjoy it as much as
as we did putting it together and everything.
And man, it's just really a likeI said it, all this kind of come
together, Like Jean said, I don't know.
And if you look into things too much and I scratch your head and
everything, but I think this allcome together at the right time

(01:05:30):
and the right place and everything just worked out. 100%
I love that you, I love that youwent through with the the dark
side episode. I love that you that we we got
the book done. And I love that you do this
podcast because I've, I've told people for a long, long time
that I truly believe in my heartthat Eddie would have been one
of the first people to take the podcast medium and use that to

(01:05:54):
continue to tell stories. And.
I think you'd have been all overit.
Hey, who? Who was the first guy ever done
a? Shoot Interview.
Shoot Interview. That's right, and we talk about
that in the book as well. And also, Gene, listen to all
these guys that you heard say right after you've done it.
Oh, I don't. Should nobody ever do this?

(01:06:17):
I don't know why anybody ever dothis.
Now everybody and their brother does it right.
No one hasn't. You name me somebody that hasn't
done multiples. Most people.
Most people went back to that well, as many times as they can
get paid. I don't care.
You take the most hardcore old school guys, they've all done

(01:06:39):
it. And Eddie was the 1st and all
those guys that want to string him up and all, he killed the
business. They all went and did it.
He just, he was smart enough to do it first and.
You know what, one of the funniest things, and I'll never
forget this in my life too, Funk.
Me and him were in Japan sittingin the lobby together and he
said, Dougie, Hank, we just going to take all the stories to

(01:07:04):
our grave, ain't we? I said, do what, Terry, He said.
I ain't nobody ever going to hear about anything that that
that we've done. We just want to take all these
stories to our grave. The next thing I know, he's
writing a book and he's doing shoot interviews and everything
else I pop that gets over me. And I mean he saw how things

(01:07:27):
change. Yes, and thank God he did
because of Terry Funk. Such great stories.
And it would have been a real shame if, you know, the legacy
of the Funk family had to be able to get told in some of
those books and some of those interviews that he did.
And Speaking of Terry, we haven't quite figured out how
we're going to get this out to people, but you sent me a great

(01:07:51):
collection of voicemails from the Funker to you and your
family over the years, which arejust I was, I was tremendous
getting to hear Terry's voice and him talking to you guys and,
and, you know, talking about hisaffection for, you know, your
family and your brother, your dad and everything.
And at some point we're going tofind a way to share those with

(01:08:13):
people because they they need tobe heard.
It's it's really great. And you can really tell how much
you know you guys meant to to Terry and those messages.
Is is that not some of the coolest stuff Gene?
And like I said, with the stuff till you told me about how much
my dad helped, you know, and everything when my dad went out
there damn well and my dad worked with him and he said,

(01:08:33):
Sonny, you just don't want that.We'll never know how much your
daddy really helped me. And you don't hear, you didn't
hear till your phone say that about about people.
That's that's so cool. And you know, and that's the
thing, you know, like I said that about Eddie's career,
unfortunately, you know, your dad came around at a time that,
you know, there's, there's stuffof his later stuff and you know,

(01:08:55):
like refereeing the Mid South and some of the later Memphis
stuff, man, we go through and read those results and like
that, some of those matches withLuther's and the Funks and stuff
he did in Texas and all like, man, if there was footage where
we could go back and see those matches, how great would that
be? But it's just, it just doesn't
exist. It just, they weren't, you know,
they didn't have the the technology back then.

(01:09:15):
But luckily, you know, with, with Eddie's career and your
career and a lot of Tommy's, Tommy bridges the gap.
Tommy's got a lot of matches back before they were taping
stuff, but he's got a lot of matches on tape too.
So he's docking a lot of Mr. Rich's career, but there was a
lot before, too. That mysterious Mr. R or what?

(01:09:37):
What he said. Yes, very mysterious Mr. R that
he swears was Brad Armstrong. I don't know.
We're going. We're going to get that.
We're going to solve that mystery one of these days.
But but man this has been a great episode.
Hey, it's your age Gene and, and, and when are we doing the
the 20? What are we doing this time?
That is going to be Sunday, July27th, 6:00 PM Central time.

(01:10:00):
And again go ahead and get thoseorders in you can Venmo at Real
Doug Gilbert. It's $50.00 for a sign book and
a picture. If you want multiple pictures,
e-mail [e-mail].
We can discuss, you know, addingon the extra 1.
If you won't like one of Doug and one of the Memphis Mafia,
whatever we can, we can sort that out.

(01:10:21):
But you got to get those orders in ahead of time because once
we're in the live, there's no way to to do the orders while
he's signing the books and everything.
So we need to get them in preferably, like I say by the,
you know, 26th, absolute latest noon on the 27th.
But let's get him in early, because he may run out of books.
And like Gene said, you will seeme sign actually the book and

(01:10:45):
you will know what's coming to you right then.
I mean, so it's not going to be a month or two months or three
months or nothing that's going to be in the mail the next day.
But anyway, Gene, hey, man, I loved this show and finally
being you getting to talk about this.
Like I said, I couldn't say a word about it before it come

(01:11:06):
out. They told me they was very, you
know, I had to sign a deal that said I wouldn't say nothing
actually, if the people saw me on Bradshaw and Brisco, I think.
Is that the name of the podcast you know?
Yeah, stories. Stories with Briscoe and
Bradshaw. Yeah, yeah, I couldn't.
They asked me about it on there,then I said I can't.
Really wish they might have cut that out.
I hadn't saw the podcast. I think they clipped that.

(01:11:28):
I don't remember it coming up during the show.
I think they were nice enough toclip that out for you.
OK, yeah, that they did ask about.
Well, I didn't say nothing aboutit, but I, yeah, they they asked
for how, so I can't talk about it.
So the, the week they put out that teaser video of the like
the day it came out on Twitter and everywhere it was sharing
that the season 6 and they put it a flashed Eddie up there and

(01:11:50):
you like you talking. I had at least two dozen people
message me within 5 minutes. Oh my gosh, did you know Eddie's
going to be on dark southern ring?
And I was like, Oh, yeah, I'm like, well, you didn't tell us
like that one's supposed to. Yeah, I was like kind of one of
them hush, hush deals. Exactly, man.

(01:12:11):
Hey, I've enjoyed this and I know we've kept it.
Like I said, we've got Tommy on here and myself and we try to
talk about both our our stuff. Like I said, Tommy having some
commitments this week and havingsome things he had to do.
So me and you finally got through answer some people's
questions. And I know, like I said, a lot
of people had asked, sent you stuff about it.

(01:12:33):
A lot of people have sent me stuff about it and everything.
But this gets to actually answerthe people's questions.
And if you've got any more questions that me and Gene
haven't, if Gene hadn't asked mesomething that you wanted to
know about it, just send the questions.
And and ring them on. And we'll sure answer
everything. But listen man, I sure

(01:12:54):
appreciate everybody listening and just follow us and
everything. And like I said, we'll talk
about whatever y'all want to talk about.
We love the the the wrestling fans, old school fans, new
school fans. We love everybody that loves us
and supported us and that hasn'tsupported us.
And maybe just be listening to see what they can hear.
But anyway, we love old school wrestling.

(01:13:18):
We love hardcore wrestling, which we think started down here
in the South where other people thinks it started other places.
But anyway, it's like I said, one of the cool things is my
brother and Ricky Morton and thewith the native Fuji and Tupula.
That's that's cool. Still cool highlight for me.
And to think that Oneida carriedthat back over to Japan to start

(01:13:41):
FMW. That's a a cool thing.
Like I said, he's a a big figureover there and he's in he was in
like third. What is Parliament or whatever
team. He was like a big one of a big
politician. I mean big.
He's big time everything as far as wrestler population,
everything. But anyway, all that I love
talking about all those stories and everything else for

(01:14:02):
listening to you and I've had a great time this week.
And and if, like I said, if you won't know anything else, just
send it to Gene and he will ask us and everything.
But listen, Gene, thanks for everything and peace everybody.
Be cool. Relive the glory days of Memphis

(01:14:30):
wrestling with the Retro Wrestling Review USWA podcast.
Each week we go back in time to review USWA Championship
Wrestling from the 1990s, episode by episode.
Join us for watch alongs, behindthe scenes stories, and
exclusive interviews with peoplewho were there and lived it.
Whether you grew up watching it or you're discovering it for the
first time, this podcast is yourringside seat to Memphis

(01:14:53):
wrestling history. It's all a part of the Wrestle
Copia Podcast Network. Listen now at wapodcast.com.
In the heart of Tennessee, Bone fry, Dug and Tommy taking rings
in stride. Memphis legends never backing

(01:15:17):
down. Wrestling warriors.
They wear the crown, you scurry away.
Glory in their face. Final legends break in chains in
the square circle. They made their name podcast

(01:15:38):
champions. It's their claim to fame on the
mind. They roar on the map.
They saw dangerous conversations.
Man swallowing bull. Our gas gains ruling the way if

(01:15:59):
it's wrestling the rays in the sea.
From titled belts to Hall of Fame, Doug and Tommy carved the
name Fists of fury and hearts ofgold.
Every story, every fight retold.Tales of glory left to cry. 10

(01:16:24):
sea warriors with hearts open wide in the rain, on the air.
They just living without a care.On the map they roared.
On the map, they saw dangerous conversations.

(01:16:46):
Friends wanna move.