10 Things You Didn't Know About Beyond The Mat

7. Blaustein's Channel-Changing Story

Vince McMahon Raw WCW
WWE.com

The negative response from some industry insiders to his film didn't dampen Barry's love of professional wrestling. He told IGN that he continued watching long after the doc's proper release in 2000...although he wasn't always that proud of it.

A few years after the hubbub had died down, Blaustein was shooting a movie in Austin, Texas. He fancied watching some wrasslin' in his room one Monday night, but noticed his TV didn't carry Spike TV (or UPN, meaning any chance of a SmackDown replay was also out of the question). So, Barry decided to go downstairs to the gym for some exercise.

When he got on one of the bikes, he was thrilled to find out it carried Spike. Raw was on, and Blaustein settled in to watch when a well-known (unnamed) actor rocked up to one of the machines next to him. Embarrassed at what he was watching, Barry changed the channel.

He's not sure why, because the actor knew he'd produced 'Beyond The Mat'. Just as well Mae Young wasn't giving birth to a hand!

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.