Any time Paul Heyman has the opportunity to talk, whether it is to tell his own story or to talk about wrestling in general, fans be assured that they are in for a treat. That is certainly the case as WWE Home Video released a documentary looking at the career of the most vocal and opinionated stars in the history of the sport. The brilliant mastermind behind extreme relives his time as a ringside photographer for Vincent J. McMahon's WWWF and his days as a manager prior to joining Eddie Gilbert and Todd Gordon in ECW. Whether he was guiding the likes of Steve Austin, Rick Rude, Arn Anderson, Austin Idol or Eddie Gilbert to the squared circle or creating stars out of Taz, Sandman and Sabu, Heyman details every major step of his career in the sports-entertainment industry in the superb documentary. His friendship with Brock Lesnar, which began in 2001 when he lobbied management to put him with the former NCAA champion, and his involvement with creative agency and production company Looking 4 Larry are two very interesting elements of Heyman's life away from the squared circle and both are covered in the main piece. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3n7WCOmAZmg There are two tidbits that really standout and cement the DVD's place on this list. The first sees Heyman address the rumors that he was on WWE's payroll throughout the 1990s. As he reveals, that was not the case. Rather, ECW was on the payroll due to an agreement between Heyman and Vince McMahon over the rights to 2 Cold Scorpio. Losing Scorpio meant ECW would lose the $1,000/week that their agreement with Tommy Boy Records for the use of 2 Cold Scorpio's entrance theme would provide. McMahon paid that amount, weekly, for the use of Scorpio and every penny went into sustaining payroll for ECW. The second of the controversial topics broached was Heyman's stint as lead writer of SmackDown. "SmackDown is the bitch of WWE." Heyman has no problem referring that way to the show he worked on because, as he states, "there's no way it'll make air." But it does and the fact that it does, followed by several minutes of in-depth discussion about his role on the creative staff and his determination to make the blue brand superior to flagship show Raw. It is incredibly thought provoking and, at the same time, somewhat depressing to take a stroll down memory lane and relive some of the incredible television Heyman was responsible for at the dawn of the new millennium in comparison to what we, as fans, are exposed to today. The DVD Extras are chocked full of great promos and segments that remind fans of just how talented and captivating a performer Heyman was, is and likely always will be.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
