There aren’t many Holy Grails left in the shoot interview world, but RF VIDEO is proud to exclusively give wrestling fans the very first shoot DVD with Jerry Jarrett! One of the most elusive men in the wrestling business, Jarrett was the “get” of all “gets” as he has literally been everywhere on the wrestling map and was an integral part in many of the biggest, most successful, and controversial companies. WWE. WCW. Memphis. TNA. Jarrett was a key member of management in four of the most newsworthy companies in wrestling history, and for the first time EVER he talks about his experiences to RF VIDEO!
Wrestling historians are going to love all the time that Jarrett spends talking about what it took to turn the Memphis territory into one of the most significant wrestling promotions of the 20th century that drew television numbers that dwarfed even the best Raw and Nitro ratings. Jerry Lawler. Nick Gulas. Jackie Fargo. Andy Kaufman. Bill Dundee. Eddie Graham. Lance Russell. Roy Welch. Working with the NWA. You won’t believe all the wonderful stories involving Memphis. But that wasn’t the only territory Jarrett worked for, so you’ll also be getting a ton of stories involving Bill Watts, Junkyard Dog, the Von Erichs, Rock N Roll Express, Paul Heyman, Hulk Hogan, and every single big name you can think of.
Working high up in both WWE and WCW, Jarrett has a unique perspective on the two biggest wrestling companies of all time. He saw first hand the highs and lows and has a lot to talk about. Jarrett also gives his side to the creation of TNA, one that is wildly different from the History of TNA DVD which TNA put out. Jarrett walked us through the first year of TNA and all the pitfalls, including Jay Hassman, Ultimate Warrior, Randy Savage, The Johnsons, and of course the delusional Vince Russo. TNA fans are going to be mesmerized by this section as it is truly much watch material.
On a personal note, this interview was emotional to be a part of as Jarrett explained what happened to his family and how they have become divided. Wrestling has given Jarrett so much in life, yet it has also taken an equal amount away. Each and every viewer will come away from this incredible interview with a new understanding of the man that is Jerry Jarrett. You’ve heard the second hand stories. You’ve read all the third hand reports. Now hear it all, everything, straight from the man himself.
Howd you break into the business
How much of the business were you exposed to when your mom took tickets
Early memories of Nick Gulas
Early memories of Roy Welch
Is it true that you started promoting when you were 14
How successful were you
Was it hard to do business with the boys being so young
Was it hard to leave the business when you went to college
What kind of advice would you give someone trying to get into the business
How did you wind up refereeing
Can you talk about the night a riot broke out when you were refereeing
Was it more difficult than you thought
Can you talk about how you worked your way up promoting shows
Why did you want to start wrestling
Memories training with Tojo and Sailor Moran
How difficult did they make it on you
Memories of Tojo
Was it hard to pick up
What was your first major program
Why do you think you were such a successful wrestler
Did Roy Welch take it hard when you opened up your own company
Memories of wrestling a scaffold match
How crazy was the party scene back then
Could a territory be successful today
Memories of Jackie Fargo
What made Jackie so successful
Early memories of Jerry Lawler
Early memories of Bill Dundee
Do you think Memphis was the first hardcore area
Memories of a young Hulk Hogan
How tense was the promotional war with you and the Poffos
Was it frustrating being a part of the NWA
Could something like that work today
Were you surprised when Vince went national
Did you think it would work
Did you attempt to get cable
Why do you think the Pro Wrestling USA partnership didn’t work
Did you ever petition the NWA to give Lawler a run
Who was the most successful drawing NWA champion
Memories of Bruiser Brody
Who were some of the more difficult wrestlers to work with
Can you talk about your relationship with Eddie Graham
Any good Sputnik Monroe stories
Any good Jimmy Valiant stories
How old was Jeff when he told you he wanted to get into the business
Did you think he would become as successful as he did
Memories of Fritz Von Erich
Do you think he made a mistake not going national when the Freebirds and Von Erichs were hot
What made Lance Russell so good
Was there an angle you booked in the 80s that failed and made you realize the territory was in trouble
Was Austin Idol hard to work with, he had a bad reputation holding promoters up, etc
Can you talk about working with Jerry Lawler
What made him so good
How did the idea to do music videos come about
Why do you think Nick Gulas let George wrestle
How did the split with you and Nick come about
Why do you think his son Brian never reached Lawler’s lengths of popularity.
Was it harder to compete with Vince when he started using bigger, muscle headed guys
Why did you guys send the Rock N Roll Express to Bill Watts
Why did you give Sylvester Ritter to Bill
How did you discover Paul Orndorff
What do you remember about the promo where Jos LeDuc cut his arm
Is it true you tried to buy the AWA
How frustrated were you when Lawler broke his leg in a football game and what kind of changes did you make
Who was someone you are surprised never got over
Gary Hart called you a thief, what was the fallout between you guys about
How did you wind up booking Georgia
Memories of the territory
Thoughts on Jim Barnett
Who’s idea was the empty arena match
Did Flair and Mulligan try and buy a territory in opposition to you
Is it true that Lawler and Lance Russell thought about opening a territory
How did the whole Andy Kaufman deal come about
Was he difficult to work with
Did he try and stay in character
How did you guys all get on Letterman
How accurate was Man on the Moon
Was Lawler’s title run over Hennig too late for business
What made the angle work so well
How did the sale of World Class come about
Was it hard to book the Von Erichs because of their reputation
Do you think Eric Embry was a good booker
Did you regret the decision to buy Fritz’s territory
Was it hard to travel back and forth
Do you think Fritz was bitter over the sale
How did you wind up actually working for Vince McMahon
Do you get along with him
Is it hard to have to answer to someone
Was there an adjustment period for you
Do you think Vince has done more to help or hurt the business
What did you learn from Vince as a promoter/booker
Were you surprised when Jerry Lawler went to work there
How did you wind up working in WCW
Was it as disorganized as they say
What made you finally get out of the business
Did you miss it
Did you feel like you still had it in you
Why do you think Memphis folded after you sold it
How close were you to buying WCW
Are you glad you didn’t buy it
Do you think Vince blew the invasion angle
How would you have booked it
What made you decide to start TNA
How do you answer critics who say Jeff started it so he could have a place to wrestle
As a promoter, can Jeff Jarrett still draw money
How difficult was it to get off of the ground
Did you have any conversations with Vince when you were getting TNA off the ground
When you started contacting guys, were you surprised as to how much things had changed when it came to booking guys
Can you talk about trying to book Warrior and Savage
Warrior called the things you wrote in his book about him lies, how do you respond
You called Vince Russo delusional in your book, can you expand on that
Are you shocked at how supportive Jeff is of him
Are you surprised he is still writing for TNA
Can you talk about Dusty Rhodes trying to hold you guys up for more money
You tell a story in your book about the heat between Sean Waltman and Ken Shamrock, can you talk about that
When you tried to book Dan Severn, did you know ahead a time he was unavailable thus you could make your own champion
How important to you was it to have the NWA name
What happened with Jay Hassman
Are you proud of TNA’s era that you booked
Was Bob Ryder in over his head
What was the whole idea behind the Dupp Cupp
You have taken shots at Dave Meltzer and newsletters over the years for hurting the business, yet in your book you talk a lot about constant communication with Wade Keller. Why Wade?
What was the idea behind the Johnsons
How did you meet Dixie Carter
Were you surprised they wanted to buy
Are you surprised TNA got on Spike
Do you regret selling
You have said that you would not let your grand children watch TNA. Why?
How would things have been different if you never brought Russo in to TNA
Were you shocked when Brian Lawler shot on his dad
Did you find the book you wrote therapeutic
Would you be paying Kurt Angle a rumored 500k a year if you still owned TNA
Can TNA ever compete with the WWE
Why do you think the business on a decline
Thoughts on the Benoit family tragedy
What are your thoughts on all of the deaths of the past few years and which in particular hit you hardest
Does the lack of kayfabe today surprise or bother you
Thoughts on newsletters
Have you been contacted over the last several years for an appearance here and there by the WWF
What do you think is the biggest missing ingredient from the wrestlers on the independents
Would you like to go into the WWF Hall of Fame
Do you still watch wrestling
Favorite road stories
Do you want to write another book
What advice do you have for aspiring bookers
Any regrets