Saturday, February 27, 2016

Boom Boom

I started to listen to podcasts in the summer of 2012. I'm not sure why I avoided them, but they became  keen interest of mine very quickly after that. The podcast episode that popped my cherry was an interview with Colt Cabana done by CM Punk for the 100th episode of Cabana's podcast The Art of Wrestling. At the time I was at the peak of Punk markdom, which is what drove me to check it out. I guess I went in expecting a typical interview between the two, but got something completely unexpected in the greatest way. Cabana is a wonderful interviewer and the hour or so episode was instead a fun conversation that showed the close friendship between the two. This wasn't a typical press interview. It was two friends speaking with each other the way that only friends do.

This is what can be so great about podcasts. At their worst, a podcast is a typical interview or a lengthy editorial. At their best, they're an engaging, singular thing that tells you great stories and things you didn't know and completely engrosses you in a small world.

The Art of Wrestling is a conversational podcast in which independent wrestler Colt Cabana hosts a guest and talks about their experience in the world of professional wrestling. I guess it's sort of an interview, but it's very informal and sounds a lot more like two people shooting the shit than an interview. Cabana started it after being let go by WWE as a way to work through losing a job with the biggest wrestling promotion in the world, so that is a theme that returns often. It also focuses on what the performers think of their craft, how they got into professional wrestling in the first place and the ups and downs of life on the road. Cabana was early to the podcast game and as a result The Art of Wrestling is the most popular and significant podcast about professional wrestling.

Though the show is obviously made for wrestlers and wrestling fans, it contains amazing life stories that are sometimes funny and sometimes sad. If you aren't into pro wrestling, you might not recognize the names, but you will definitely love the stories. I thought that I would give a few examples of the type of episodes that occur on The Art of Wrestling and what makes them so interesting and special.

Allow Me to "Shoot From the Hip"

Episode 226 CM Punk

This is the most significant episode of the podcast and made a pretty big stir in entertainment news when it was released. In pro wrestling, the terms "shoot" means to speak candidly about backstage goings-on in the pro-wrestling world and break character. This is what's referred to as a "shoot interview", where CM Punk opened up about the various factors that lead to him quitting WWE. WWE seems to be one of the weirdest companies that exists in the world, and Punk tells a ton of ridiculous stories that almost impossible to believe. Due to its nature, The Art of Wrestling is sort of a "shoot" podcast and this episode is the best example of that. It also is also the best representation of a huge story at a particular time in the wrestling  world.

Personal Interest Stories

Episode 138 Tamasso Ciampa, Episode 255 Justin Gabriel

These two episodes are examples of the amazing human interest stories that come out through conversation on the show. Both of the wrestlers open up about struggles they've had in their personal live, Ciampa with mental health and Gabriel's experience growing up in apartheid South Africa. It can be very hard to speak about problems you've had in your life, let alone bringing it up somewhere where it will then be heard by millions of people. Both of these episodes are instances of pro wrestlers making themselves vulnerable and stuff like this is evidence of the great humanizing aspect that is often present in the show. It's crazy the shit that happens in the world.

Wrestling Comedy

Episodes 263-266 Live at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival

Something that Cabana often speaks about in his podcast is his keen interest in stand-up comedy, as it's something that he sort of works into his wrestling. He's created a niche in entertainment that hones in on the intersection of stand-up and wrestling and that crossover is a lot bigger than you might actually think. Every year he records episodes live from the Fringe Stand-Up Comedy Festival in Edinburgh and invites an assortment of wrestlers and comedians up on stage with him. There's an atmosphere of excitement and eagerness that comes across in the recordings which are a non-stop celebrating of the sillier and dumber parts of professional wrestling.

Guys You Wouldn't Like Otherwise 

Episode 206 Mason Ryan, Episode 160 The Miz

I listen to the podcast more or less every week when it comes out on Thursday, which leads me to hearing about guys that A. I don't know anything about to begin with or B. I do know and don't like. Both of these episodes fall into the latter category, as I was familiar with the two of them from seeing them on TV, but thought they were both big-time knobs. However, through both of their interviews the guys come off as fun and endearing when they're just being themselves and relaxed and not all oiled up and serious on TV. Again, this is that great humanizing element that is present on the show. My opinion on a person did a complete 180 in the span of 40 minutes just because someone is being honest and I can relate to that.

Premier Indie Cred

Episode 145 Prince Devitt

Cabana is known as the unofficial "king of the indies" because he has wrestled almost his entire career on the independent wrestling circuit, covering more shitty venues than you can probably imagine. One cool thing about this though is that he has his finger on the pulse of the underground wrestling world and knows about the next big thing well before anyone else does. Case-in-point, this episode. This wrestler is now known as Finn Balor, who seems to be primed to be the next biggest thing in the world and is part of the hottest thing in pro wrestling right now, NXT. This interview takes place well before that, with Cabana singing his praises and telling the listener to watch out, because he knows that, before long, Prince Devitt will be on top of the world. Low and behold, he was right.

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