JT Smith Shoot Interview

RF VIDEO conducted another shoot interview with local legend from the Philadelphia wrestling scene and this time JT Smith took the RF VIDEO hot seat.  JT Smith started wrestling during the wrestling boom here in Philadelphia for the TWA and Joel Goodhart.  He later played a role in ECW and of course was one of the first members of the FBI.JT has worked with every big name in the business that has passed thru the legendary Philadelphia based companies like Terry Funk, Abby, Kevin Sullivan, Cactus Jack, Original Sheik, Eddie Gilbert and of course everyone in ECW.   JT shares many locker room stories on what it was like in the TWA dressing room.  JT talks about what it was like to train with the Sandman when they both just broke in.  What were the politics like in the TWA locker room?  Jt talks about all of his major matches in TWA and what it was like to be apart of the TWA scene.  JT also talks about going to early NWA shows in the Philadelphia Civic Center and his memories as a fan.JT has some amazing locker room stories on what happened when Eddie Gilbert was booking Tod Gordons ECW.  JT also worked for Tod Gordon in his jewelry store and shares some insight on what might have happened when Paul Heyman took over the book for Eddie Gilbert and what really went down behind the scenes.  JT talks about his legendary bumps that he took when he wrestled Doug Gilbert.   We talk about all of the names that were apart of the ECW locker room.

 

JT also talks in detail about his tours of Japan and how he wound up working for those companies.  The best part of the interview is all of the ECW locker room stories that he shares.  Before teaming up with Little Guido, JT basically worked with every name in the ECW locker room and has some amazing stories to share about every name in ECW.

If you are a fan of ECW or any of the Philadelphia wrestling companies that were hot during the late 80’s and early 90’s your going to want to get this shoot.  His insight on ECW is awesome and since I was there for everything we knew what to ask him to get some of the most amazing stories from that era.

Memories of Goodhart’s radio show? Did you think it was effective to promote?
Memories of bar wars shows at TWA?
Did you think TWA would grow and be big or did you see it as just a stepping stone?
What did you do behind the scenes to promote/help TWA?
Were you surprised when you found out you were winning the TWA title?
Did you feel pressure being TWA champion?
What did you think when you found out Goodhart planned to run the philadelphia convention center?
Was it something special for the TWA crew to run the convention center?
Was there ever resentment when TWA would bring in bigger stars to take the spots on the convention center shows while the TWA talent got put in battle royals?
Is it true you helped Terry Funk put together a fight scene for a movie?
You did a lot of dangerous highspots back then, what was your influence?
Did you ever get any interest from WCW or WWE during TWA?
Were you trying to get into WCW or WWE at this time?
What did you think when you heard Goodhart was brining Buddy Rogers in?
Did you think Rogers would draw?
How did you find out the Buddy Rogers show was canceled and TWA was over?
Did you see it coming?
Do you think ECW would have been possible without TWA happening first?
Who were the most helpful veterans to you in TWA?
What veterans weren’t helpful or had attitudes?
Did you get a sense that the boys thought you got favoritism because of your job at Tod’s store?
What was Tod like to work for in the store compared to as a wrestling promoter?
Do you think Tod was a good promoter?
What led to you leaving Tod’s store?
Any wrestling memories from the store, like wrestlers coming into the store or Tod putting the family business aside for wrestling?
What was it like seeing a lot of the TWA crew faded out of ECW for new talent while you stuck around?
Memories of scaffold match vs. Dark Patriot (Doug Gilbert) at UltraClash?
What made you take the big bump off the scaffold at UltraClash?
Why did you take a walking bump off the scaffold instead of the much safer hanging bump that everyone else does?
What was the reaction backstage when Eddie Gilbert did his shoot run in at Ultraclash to thank the fans?
What happened with Paul Heyman and Doug Gilbert backstage at Ultraclash?
Do you think Heyman stabbed Gilbert in the back or was Tod ready to get rid of Gilbert?
You were known for taking unprotected chairshots to the head, did you have concussion problems?
Do you think Kevin Sullivan took advantage of younger wrestlers with the chairshots, he gave you a bunch at one of the early ECW shows?
When did you feel ECW was becoming somethign special?
Did you think you were one of Paul’s boys or was he pushing you aside for the NY guys?
Was there competition between you and Tommy Dreamer for the top babyface spot?
Memories of working Sabu at a house show in Harrisburg?
Memories of touring W*ing in Japan?
How did you get hooked up with the tour of Japan?
What did you think of the death match style?
Did you do any death matches there?
Who was and wasn’t helpful to you in Japan?
What were your favorite matches for W*ing?
Memories of D-Von Dudley’s debut in Queens, NY and how stiff he was with the crutch?
Memories of working Perry Saturn in Plymouth Meeting?
Were things getting bad between the NYC and Philly crew then?
Were there problems with you running a school in Philly while they were trying to get one started in NYC?
Memories of training Francine?
Why did you return at Barely Legal as a surprise?
Why didn’t you continue wrestling after that?
Did you think the FBI gimmick was insulting?
Did you enjoy the FBI gimmick?
Did you ever go to Paul about being a serious wrestler?
Did you think ECW would grow the way it did?
Did you think Paul Heyman could lead ECW to be as big as it did?
Was it hard watching ECW grow while you weren’t in wrestling?
What were your feelings when you found out ECW went out of business?
Were you a fan of wrestling growing up
Who were your favorite guys to watch
What are your early memories of Spectrum shows you used to go to
What are your early memories of the NWA Philly Civic Center shows
Did you like NWA or WWF better in the 80’s
How did you get started in the buiness.
Memories of Joel Goodhart
Who trained you
Who else was in your class
Memories of the early TWA shows that Joel used to put on
Memories of Sandman when he first got started for Joel
Did you ever experience racism in wrestling when you first started
Working Sandman at TWA Autumn Armageddon
Memories of working DC Drake at TWA Winter Challenge
What was it likee being in the locker room back then with guys like Funk, Lawler, Gilbert and Foley
Memories of the fall out with Tod Gordon and Joel and did it effect you
How did you meet Tod Gordon
What was it like to work at his store
How did you first meet Eddie Gilbert
Thoughts on Eddy as a booker
What was it like when you first met Paul Heyman
Thoughts when Heyman took over booking
What did you think of Paul Heyman compared to Eddie Gilbert
Did you get any promises that they would push you
Memories of the scaffold match with Dark Patriot
Did you feel pressure from the locker room to take the bump off the eagles nest
Memories of the six man with Briuse Brother against Shane and Public Enemy When Worlds Collid
Memories of working with Mike Awesome at Night the Line was Crossed when he did the dive and almost killed you on the guard rail
The ECW locker room was known for drugs how did you stay out of that circle
Memories of working Jimmy Snuka at Summer Sizzler 1993
When Paul E brought in the NY crew did you feel any tension between the Philly crew and the NY crew
Memories of beating Taz for the TV title March 6 1994
Memories of working with Stevie vs Pitbulls in Fairless HIlls pa  12/94
Memories of working Little Guido  Massacre on Queens Blvd
Memories of your program with Hack Myers
Memories of working Bubba at Big Apple Blizzard Blast
Memories of working Axl Rotten Bigg Ass Extreme Bash
Memories of working Louie Spicolli in 1996
Memories of working Mikey Whipwreck in Allentown
What was it like to work Dudleys when you teamed with Nova
Thoughts of when Original Sheik came into ECW
Memories of working Doug Furnas in Ma 10-11-96
Memories of working Raven in Jim Thorpe  7-27-96
Memories of Rock N Rebel
Memories of Pillman angle
How did the clumsy gimmick come about
What happened when you got the huge knott on your head
Memories when Arn and Eaton came into ECW for the angle and one match
Memories of your I quit match with Too Cold Scorpio in Nov 96
What was it like to work Barely Legal with Chetti vs Guido and Rick in a dark match
How did the FBI gimmick come about
Why did you return at Barely Legal as a surprise?
Why didn’t you continue wrestling after that?
Did you think the FBI gimmick was insulting?
Did you enjoy the FBI gimmick?
Did you ever go to Paul about being a serious wrestler?
Did you think ECW would grow the way it did?
Did you think Paul Heyman could lead ECW to be as big as it did?