- Peter
interviews Gerry Strauss.
-
- I managed to catch
up with one of the best commentators in the
business recently, probably known most for his
work for 3PW - Gerry Strauss.
- PETER) : Hi, and
thanks for your time in doing this. Can I start
by asking you a little about your childhood?
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- GERRY)
: You know, I don't know about everyone else, but
whenever I read an interview or an autobiography
or anything about someone's life that I'm
interested in; I tend to skip the stuff about
their childhood. Why? Because it has nothing to
do with the reason I am reading the thing in the
first place. I want dirt, inside info,
experiences from the time they are actually on
the public radar; and I don't care if they worked
as a paperboy at the tender age of thirteen. With
that said, I'll just say I was a smart little
kid, and kind of quiet. I wasn't out body
slamming people, nor did I make my own little
announcer headset out of tin foil and call
kickball games. I wasn't even part of the PA club
in high school, so I had no clue that I'd end up
doing any of the work I do now.
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- PETER) : The ironic
thing is that I'm the same in respect to
autobiographies, I tend to look more for the
details of what I want to know also.. and yet I
ended up doing this! When did you first watch
wrestling?
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- GERRY)
: I wish the memory was clearer, but to my
recollection it was at my grandparent's house;
1986-87 kind of time. I remember flipping
channels and landing on what I guess was a Killer
Bees match against some jobbers. I was taken in
by the fast action, but when the masks went on, I
was hooked. I had also been a fan of the Rock
& Wrestling cartoon, but was always
frustrated that there were no actual wrestling
matches on the show. So really, everyone who says
that there isn't enough actual wrestling on Raw
or Smackdown well, you should have seen this
coming.
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- PETER) : Did you
know you wanted to be in wrestling, or did it
just kind of happen by surprise?
-
- GERRY)
: It took me totally by surprise. I woke up one
morning, and was like "whoa, this isn't my
bed". I got my wits about me, I realized I
was in Viking Hall; there was a match going on,
and I was at a table with a microphone in front
of me. "Holy crap", I thought,
"I'm in wrestling". By the way, that
last story wasn't exactly true - everyone knows
that wrestling events are never in the morning.
-
- PETER) : So, how did
you get your first break in the business?
-
- GERRY)
: I was always a wrestling fan of sorts, and
always paid attention to the broadcasting aspect
of it all. I was never a "Hulkamaniac"
type, more of an observer of the general product;
as it always fascinated me. In college, I
discovered that I was interested in radio; and
became an on-air host at 91.3FM WTSR in Trenton.
I hosted my own weekly timeslot for my entire
college career, and for some time thereafter as
well. During that time, I had a local independent
wrestler come in for an in-studio interview.
Turns out, this guy also helped run a small
promotion/school up in North NJ; and they were
just getting ready to start producing a local TV
show. I was invited to be part of the broadcast
team and a co-host. Even though that show didn't
last long, that's how it started for me. As far
as ring announcing, it's not something I had
always actively considered. One weekend, I found
myself booked to do play-by-play for some tiny
promotion in the Philly area. The show was so
poorly organized that, at one point; I was asked
out of nowhere to run into the ring with the
house microphone to interview these two 350 plus
pound guys who had just won a tag match. I got in
there, and realized that I had never actually
been IN a ring before
it just never occurred
to me to do that. Even though that tag team
reacted to the ensuing chants of "kill
him" by getting in my face so hard that I
legitimately expected to be killed, the seeds
were planted. I ended up getting some
opportunities to try out ring announcing for some
NJ federations, and now I work in that capacity
on a fairly regular basis.
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- PETER) : Who did you
look up to in wrestling?
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- GERRY)
: In my younger days, I always liked pre-WWE Jim
Ross. I appreciated his realism, his knowledge,
and his ability to use stats to make the business
and the athletes in it; appear more
"legitimate". Now, of course, I respect
him in a totally different way; as he has totally
changed his game up to focus on pure emotion. In
other words, he used to make you think; and now
he makes you feel. He makes you want certain guys
to overcome others, and in my opinion was
instrumental in the success of Steve Austin's WWE
run. Some say he has lost a step or two, but I
think he has simply sacrificed one area of his
game to allow for another to come to the
forefront; one that caters more to the general
WWE fan base, and there's nothing wrong with
that.
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- PETER) : What was it
like commentating at first? Were you nervous, and
do you still get nervous?
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- GERRY) :
I was pretty nervous at first as a commentator,
simply because it was a whole new world for me.
Now, I rarely get nervous; just excited about
working. I think I've become pretty good at
analyzing any upcoming event or match and
figuring out it's main appeal - Why is it
important? Why is it going to be entertaining?
Why does a viewer need to watch it? It's my job
to figure out the answer and communicate it, and
doing so helps me get psyched for the show as
well. Ring announcing is a different kind of rush
because I am actually performing, albeit in tiny,
relatively insignificant doses; in front of a
live crowd. There are other pressures as well:
while commentating is mostly REACTING to the flow
of a show, ring announcing is a part of that
flow, so lag time must be minimized, cues must be
followed; and performance must be relatively
flawless or you could potentially hurt the show
for the live crowd. Last year, I was afforded the
opportunity to do some shows for WXW, a
super-professional company in PA run by Afa of
the Wild Samoans. WXW has a tremendous TV
product, tight organization, and live
broadcasting, all of which I participated in; and
all of which taught me that if you want to be a
part of something great, you have got to be on
the ball. It was a lot of fun.
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- PETER) : To those
who haven't heard you at work, how would you
describe yourself as a commentator?
-
- GERRY)
: Versatile. I try to tailor my style to the
product I am putting over and/or the person I am
working with. Mostly, I've settled into the
play-by-play role that usually requires me to
focus on the action itself, but I've also had fun
in the color position; where I was more focused
on being heelish or being funny or whatever. Lots
of times, the roles kind of bleed together, which
isn't always a great idea; but if it comes off
naturally and still gets the point across, it
works well.
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- PETER) : What has
been your favourite match or show that you were
involved in?
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- GERRY)
: I'll split this into categories
-
- As a ring announcer,
the best event I have worked so far is WXW
Sportsfest 2004. Sportsfest is an annual event
that WXW puts on as part of an outdoor fair in
the Allentown, PA area. Admission is free, and
part of the show is broadcast live in local TV.
This year, the cable company saw fit to allot two
entire hours to the broadcast, making it almost
equivalent to a "Clash of Champions"
type deal. Thousands are in the crowd at any
given time, and TV time is tight, so the pressure
was truly on from all sides. The WWE's Rosie,
Batista, Greg Valentine, Don Muraco, and many
more were a part of this one; and it all went
down without much of a hitch. I felt like a deer
in headlights for two hours, but afterwards; I
couldn't have felt happier with the event, and I
am grateful for the chance to do it.
-
- As a commentator,
it's so hard to say. Certain 3PW matches come to
mind, like Sabu vs. Syxx Pac, Terry Funk's stint,
the entire AJ Styles-Chris Daniels series. Of
course, the opportunities to work with guys like
Mike Tenay and Vince Russo in the CSWF are up
there. Co-hosting Dynamite Championship
Wrestling's UPN show for it's six month existence
was a lot of fun, my time in Phoenix Championship
Wrestling, being part of the broadcast team for
the tremendous "Haas Cup" Tourney, the
return to NJ of Diamond Dallas Page, the arrival
of Eddie Guerrero are all highlights. Personally,
I love long, marathon shows, especially
tournaments; so the Jersey J-Cups were also
great
I don't know, I guess I just like
working.
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- PETER) : Who do you
consider your better friends in the business?
-
- GERRY)
: Among others, definitely guys I work with in
the broadcast "booth", like Shawn
Credle, Mike Winner; and Doc Daniels. As
individuals who are important parts of the
business without being athletes, we announcer
types are in a unique position. In some ways,
it's easier for us than it is for wrestlers; and
in some ways it's harder. It's always good to
have people around that know the deal, it's
better if you actually like working with them;
and it's even better still if they are good guys
to boot.
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- PETER) : What would
you say has been your lowest point in wrestling
so far?
-
- GERRY) :
I haven't had too many. Sure, sometimes companies
close, and it's a downer; but it goes with the
territory. The wrestling landscape changes all
the time. You don't always realize it, but if I
step back, and think about who I do and do not
work for at any given time; and compare it to a
year prior, it's always a drastic change.
-
- PETER) : Away from
wrestling, what do you like to do in your spare
time?
-
- GERRY) :
I don't find myself having much of that,
actually. I currently hold a full-time position
in list management, and usually work at least one
wrestling event a weekend on average; if not
more. I do some copywriting/promotional work for
a couple of wrestling companies I am affiliated
with. I try to squeeze in regular research time
for upcoming events. Personal time goes to my
girlfriend, sleeping, and totally mindless
activity.
-
- PETER) : What five
words would you feel describe you best?
-
- GERRY)
: Dedicated, resourceful, intelligent, sarcastic,
and good-natured.
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- PETER) : What are
your main plans for the future?
-
- GERRY)
: I plan to continue doing what I do, whatever
that is. I plan to continue to work, improve and
learn; and look to expand my horizons by finding
more companies that I can contribute to. Of
course, I also want to focus on the companies I
already work for; and do my part to help them
thrive.
-
- PETER) : On a
broader scale, what are your thoughts on WWE and
TNA, and the indy's?
-
- GERRY) :
The WWE is the biggest wrestling-related company
in the world, by far. Anyone in the wrestling
business who outwardly does not want to work for
them is most likely resigning themselves to
part-time wrestling status, at best. Anyone who
says that the WWE is not a good representation of
what wrestling should be is wrong. Their status
dictates that they define what wrestling should
be, and that goes towards their announcers too.
Lots of people think that a guy like Todd Grisham
sucks because he doesn't seem to know much about
wrestling. Well, if you look at the past few
years, the WWE isn't even trying to hire
"wrestling" commentators. Grisham,
Coach, Michael Cole, Marc Lloyd
none of
these guys came from a wrestling background, so
obviously; to WWE management, they know as much
as they need to know. It's frustrating for many,
but it's the WWE's prerogative; just like it's
their prerogative to hire a Playboy model and put
her on Raw while trained workers are stuck in OVW
or go unsigned. In short, as crazy as it sounds;
if you work on the indy's as an announcer, you
may be in the wrong line of work to get into the
WWE. Personally, as someone who appreciates the
ability to put over any kind of product; I see
nothing wrong with adapting to that style for the
opportunity to work for the most renowned company
in the world.
- NWA TNA is an
interesting emergence in the business. Is it a
growing threat, or a money pit? Is it a company
that is here to stay, or is it going to suddenly
die one day like a common indy? It certainly is
getting more and more buzz, thanks to its TV
program, media exposure; and some well-received
pay-per views. Personally, I am (and have been)
really excited about TNA's relationship with the
CSWF; whom I am the play-by-play announcer for.
Not only has this situation brought some great
wrestling talent into the company, but it has
also given us a great deal of attention as a lot
of TNA talent cannot be seen anywhere on the East
Coast BUT the CSWF. Better still, Credle and I
have benefited even more directly at the
broadcast booth; as we have had the opportunity
to broadcast with the likes of Mike Tenay, Larry
Zybszko, Lex Luger, and even Vince Russo. These
men have been prominent voices not only in TNA,
but also during the heights of the popularity of
WCW, and it would be impossible for us NOT to
benefit from working with such time-tested
purveyors of the word.
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- The indy's are what
you make out of them. As a non-wrestler, it's a
very tough scene. Video/DVD production and TV
slots are often shafted by companies when
business is down, which is a shame. I know for a
fact that many promoters love the idea of using
these avenues to bring in more interest, but
simply cannot invest in anything but live shows.
It's up to guys like me to seek out, or even help
create situations where it will be mutually
beneficial to focus on these avenues as a
powerful promotional tool
that way, everyone
wins.
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- PETER) : Who do you
like to learn from?
-
- GERRY) :
Everyone. There's always a new way to say
something, to do something. Just like a wrestler
will watch a Ricky Steamboat tape to learn how to
perfect his arm drag, I'll watch some old tape
from twenty years ago specifically to see how a
given announcer calls a battle royal. I've
watched a lot of Joey Styles specifically to
analyze how he was able to call matches alone,
not always say that much; yet still get
everything over. I've watched Bobby Heenan to
note how was able to put over the action in his
heelish way while getting himself over as his own
character, yet never having the two conflict. I
try and check out everyone, all over the indy's;
because everyone has a different way of doing
something, and you can learn from that.
-
- PETER) : Very true.
So, to wrap things up; is there anything you'd
like to promote, or anyone you'd like to thank?
-
- GERRY)
: Well, I'd like to thank anyone and everyone who
has seen fit to allow me to work for your
wrestling promotion in any capacity; as well as
anyone who has helped me along the way with
advice, constructive criticism, website help,
etc. Speaking of which, check out my site,
www.gerrystrauss.com, for a better look at what
I've done. I know it needs to be updated, I'm
working on it! While you are at it, drop me a
line at my email address, [email protected]
for booking info or any other reason. As for
companies, I'm involved in, read below:
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- 3PW (Pro-Pain Pro
Wrestling) combines the very best in "Blood,
Brawls & Broads" with awesome five-star
matches featuring both legends and budding
superstars (www.3Pwrestling.com). I, along with
Mike Winner, call the action for every 3PW event;
which can be seen in a variety of ways. Smart
Mark Video (www.smartmarkvideo.com) produces
videos of each event, which are available for
ordering just a day or two after they take place.
3PW also produces DVD Compilations of some of our
best events and matches, complete with
re-digitized footage, promo's, menu's and bonus
matches. These awesome comps are available at
Suncoast Video, Sam Goody, Amazon.com,
Highspots.com, or wherever else wrestling DVD's
are sold. Finally, "3P-TV" is a
tightly-produced sixty minute TV show focusing on
the best action in 3PW history. It can be seen
several times a week on the UK's 24-7
"Wrestling Channel", and throughout the
United States on certain PAX network affiliates
and other cable channels.
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- The Cyber Space
Wrestling Federation (now NWA Cyberspace), brings
well-known superstars from throughout the
wrestling world right to their home in northern
NJ (CSWFOL.com). More recently, the company has
benefited from an ever-improving relationship
with NWA-TNA; allowing stars like Jeff Jarrett,
America's Most Wanted, Vince Russo, AJ Styles,
Ron Killings, Abyss, Michael Shane, Tracey
Brooks, and many more to join such megastars as
Lex Luger, Roddy Piper, Diamond Dallas Page, Al
Snow, etc, as well as a top-notch homegrown
talent base. Nowhere else in the area can boast
such an array of star power; so check out the
DVD's, featuring myself and Shawn Credle calling
all of the history-making action. All the DVD's
also feature promo's and bonus exclusives.
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- UXW (formerly USA
Pro Wrestling) in New York brings together a
seemingly limitless supply of big names and top
independent stars to put on super extended events
for fans that just can't get enough. Last year, I
debuted for the company as the play-by-play
announcer for it's huge anniversary show; working
alongside the likes of "M-Tizzle" Mike
Tobin and PWInsider.com's Matt Zylbert. In 2005,
the company looks to take a more hardcore tone,
and welcomes Mick Foley for a series of
appearances.
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- National Wrestling
Superstars (www.NWSWrestling.com) is definitely a
leader in family-oriented wrestling action,
featuring many legends and TV stars on a regular
basis; such as Dusty Rhodes, The Honky Tonk Man,
Chris Candido, King Kong Bundy and more. The NWS
runs more shows in the NJ area than any other
promotion, and is commissioned each year to run
events on the Wildwood boardwalk every week of
the summer season. I work for the NWS on occasion
as the evening's ring announcer. They have also
recently begun to produce DVD's of some of their
best recent matches, and you can catch me as a
backstage correspondent on some of those
productions as well.
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- New Millenium
Wrestling is a new company based in NJ, run by
Devon "Crowbar" Storm and Danny Doring.
The concept of the company is to provide
family-friendly entertainment, but without the
less-qualified workers flooding the area.
Everyone on an NMW event looks like a wrestler
(well, except for me) and knows how to not only
wrestle, but entertain as well; creating a high
quality event featuring top names on the
independent scene. I have served as a ring
announcer for the NMW's first two events, the
more recent of which was a benefit for the ailing
Sabu and featured appearances by Mick Foley,
Chris Candido, Simon Diamond, Electra, and Sabu
himself.
-
- Oh, and, thanks to
you, Pete!
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- PETER) : Hey, the
pleasure's mine. Thanks once again for the
interview, and all the best in all that you do
and continue to do.
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