Click Here to Learn More About Scott Bowden
Brains and brawn: The King and I.
Born in Memphis, Tennessee, I was raised on a steady diet of pork bar-b-que, Elvis Presley, professional wrestling (pronounced rasslin’) and Coca-Cola (though everything in the South-including Pepsi-is referred to as a “Coke”). En route to earning my B.A. in journalism (news editorial concentration) at the University of Memphis, I juggled side jobs as a FedEx plane loader, University newspaper columnist/magazine writer and … TV bad-guy (heel) manager for my childhood rasslin’ hero, Jerry “the King” Lawler. (My parents were, of course, bursting with pride.)
Along the way, I was in the ring with the likes of The Rock and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin-I even scored a pinfall victory over Ms. Texas (a.k.a. Jacquelyn), a former WWE ladies (and I use that term loosely) champion. During my peak, there wasn’t a woman alive who could pin my shoulders in a rasslin’ match-though, admittedly, I often lost by disqualification when I would attack these wild wenches of wrestling with a steel chair. (Told you my parents were proud.)
My wrestling gimmick: I was a mild-mannered referee turned heel, thanks to some creative booking by the late Eddie Gilbert (see clip below). As the supposed nephew of famed Florida State University coach Bobby Bowden, I’d come the ring armed with a Seminoles football helmet, which I assaulted opponents with unmercifully. Nice work if you can get it.
For the past 10 years, I’ve lived in Los Angeles, pursuing a career as an actor and screenwriter. To give you an idea of how it’s going: I’ve had two speaking roles on two different TV shows-both of which have since been canceled, along with a few movie appearances. I’ve also written a screenplay loosely based on my experiences in the pro-wrestling business, “The Brothers Sweet Are Takin’ on the World.” For three years, I wrote a wrestling column for director Kevin Smith’s (“Clerks” and “Chasing Amy”) Website, www.moviepoopshoot.com. The column, “Kentucky Fried Rasslin,” detailed my experiences as college student/hated heel in my hometown, while also examining today’s wrestling scene. The column led to some wonderful milestones, including Miramax reading…and eventually passing on my script.
My column moved to www.comics101.com for a few years before I started in 2009 the Kentucky Fried Rasslin’ site you are now reading today.
Digg
Scott, please try to help me understand this angle…
Rowdie boys from NXT invade RAW and beat up good guys.
I love it GREAT!
NXT guys then are fired – ok I can go with that.
Then we find out it was all the plot of vince?
Why?
because he wanted to “hurt” his stars?
So of course, NXT beats vince up?!?
Then a mystery GM (who one might think was hired by the owners of WWE) says don’t hurt the NXT boys for trying to kill the SUPERSTARS?
And now the NXT crew beat up the Legends and no one helps because they were told not to help by the Mystery GM who we should think is “looking out” for the good of the company?
Sorry, but i just can’t follow this…..
I agree-too many plot holes. This is where a lack of real competition (beyond MMA) hurts Vince…because he’ll serve up whatever he personally likes ’cause he knows most casual fans view WWE as the only game (or is it The Game?) in town-good storytelling be damned.
Don’t know if you saw the TNA hardcore ppv last night or not. Biggest joke of a rasslin’ show I’ve ever seen. I know we’re all smart to the business, but good lord, that whole tag thing where everybody quit fightin’ and hugged … come on!
I don’t know what I’m supposed to cheer for anymore. Am I supposed to be content with high spots that take forever to set up and don’t do near the damage that a well-placed piledriver would? If I see RVD run around the ropes and flip around to fall on someone from 18 inches above and then roll around like he broke three ribs one more time, I’m gonna … well, I don’t know what I’m gonna do.
This whole mess makes me sick. Well, that and paying whatever I paid for that mess.
Scott,
what’s your take on Linda McMahon’s loss in yesterday’s U.S. Senate race? Love to hear your insight.
I was wondering if you caught the fact, or maybe you know already, that IPW’s Gorgeous JR was JR Alzado, who all I could find on him was a youtube clip from the USWA circa early 90’s I suppose. He took on Robert Fuller in WMC studio action. Just interesting. Gorgeous Jr is fast becoming my all time favorite promo guy. Thanks.
Bowden, I’m glad the interweb has pointed me in your misguided, Hollywood, left-coast misdirection. I stood by while you insulted the neckties of an undiscovered, underground fashion mogul/P.R. afficianado and certified member of the University of Memphis Journalism Alumni Hall of Fame. One Ronald S. “Butch” Alford. My hero and…my father. That’s right Scott, it’s me Sean Alford and quite frankly, I make two wrestling fans like you in the toilet every morning. I know wrestling (especially Memphis, old ECW, WCCW, WCW, and WWF when it actually offered wrestling. You, I’m sorry to say, know two things about wrestling…1.JACK and…2.SHIT
Sean, that might be my favorite post of all time.
Do you have any Adrian Street Storys?
my dad’s name is Scott Bowden. this is fantastic!