No, dick jokes do not always get over, as TNA proved during its infancy in 2002. Mike and Todd Shane were twin brothers who had experienced moderate success across the fledgling independent scene earlier in their careers but saw TNA as a launching pad for bigger and better things when the Jeff Jarrett-owned company debuted in June of '02. Unfortunately for them, their short stint in the young company effectively ended any chance they would ever have of being taken seriously in the industry. Donning tight skin-colored latex outfits specifically designed to make them look like walking penises, the real life brothers assumed the names "Dick" and "Rod," someone with authority in the company honestly believing it was a strong idea. It bombed, predictably, and the team was gone in short order. The weirdness of this one cannot be understated. Not because of the fact that the gimmick made it to air. Hell, considering the fact that Katie Vick came a few short months later, the walking dicks were hardly the most ridiculous thing to make it onto a wrestling show that year. What was weird is that the idea made it past the more traditionally minded Jeff Jarrett, original owner of TNA, and Dixie Carter, who came on bard shortly after the company's debut. In a way, the Johnsons were the perfect example of everything wrong with TNA in that those who should have known better either did not or did not do enough governing to ensure that bad ideas were weeded out in favor of good ones. The result was an in-your-face reference to male genitalia, which is putting it lightly. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iRdr4-MuHI
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.
