Hello WWE.com fans. WWE sources tell me this book is a must read written by my friend, Bruno.
Current WWE employee Bruno Lauer (aka Downtown Bruno, aka Harvey Wippleman) has released his hilarious autbiography, "Wrestling with the Truth," was launched at the recent Cauliflower Ally Club reunion and can be purchased exclusively at: http://www.1wrestlinglegends.com/crowbarpress/bruno/index.html
"Entertaining, visual, and vicious. A memorable memoir by a veteran performer who has seen and done it all in sports entertainment." - Chris Jericho , New York Times best-selling author
"A unique perspective from one of the most unique characters in the history of the wrestling business." - Mick Foley , New York Times best-selling author
"Wrestling with the Truth" is the title of this book, but it doesn't mean what you think it does. Bruno Lauer has no problem telling the truth. He believes in telling it like it is, and after spending 29 years as a manager in the business of professional wrestling, he has a lot of stories to tell.
The story of Bruno Lauer, known professionally as Downtown Bruno and Harvey Wippleman, relates the fascinating, and often hilarious, story of his life. Direct and opinionated, he doesn't hold back anything, sharing both the good and the bad things that happened to him. Even his close friends aren't safe from his scrutiny. Take it from Mick Foley, who read the first draft of the book and found himself on the receiving end of a few barbs thrown by Bruno: "Bruno's honesty can be, at times, a little painful."
As he retraces every step of his career, Bruno's account of his life as a "sports entertainment" performer begins at age 13, when he joins a traveling wrestling troupe at a carnival, and ends when he wins the WWF "Women's" world championship wrestling title on prime-time national television.
This autobiography, complemented by 94 photos culled from Bruno's personal scrapbooks, is a fresh glimpse of life behind the curtain of professional sports entertainment. As full of action, entertainment, heartbreak, and drama as anything that takes place inside a professional wrestling ring, "Wrestling with the Truth" is the story of a man who struggled to find his place in the wrestling business, and the success that came through his perseverance.
If you didn't know know Mr. McMahon was eccentric, you do now. I use the word "eccentric rather than "crazy" because wealthy people are "eccentric". Our beloved Chairman gave away $1,000,000 million dollars OF HIS OWN PERSONAL MONEY on live televison.
As the head of WWE.com's content, your struly had the pleasure of interviewing the winners immediately after they spoke to Mr. McMahon and I have to tell you, it was one of the most wonderful experiences of my life. One of the winners was a stockboy at a local supermarket, another works at WalMart and told me he made 10 years worth of his salary thanks to Mr. McMahon's Million Dollar Mania and finally, another has one year old twins and her husband does not work because he is blind. I never thought that I would say this but God Bless Vincent Kennedy McMahon.
Here's the best part, we get to do it all over again this Monday.
By the way, we will soon debut two more exclusive weekly programs on WWE.com in addition to our current lineup:
RAW QUICK CUT
ECW QUICK CUT
SANTINO'S CASA
WEEKLY TOP FIVE HOSTED BY JOSH MATHEWS
THE DIRT SHEET PRESENTED BY JOHN MORRISON AND THE MIZ
Once again, I am trying to keep to my Friday blogging schedule but unfortunately, my work scheduke is not the same every week. For example, this week I am back in California on Saturday, Sunday and Monday which is of course, the night that Mr. McMahon will call WWE fans who have registered on wwe.com and give away ONE MILLION DOLLARS of his own money. This is truly unprecedented in the history of television and could only come the eccentric mind of one man, our beloved Chairman.
In other news, on SmackDown, Batista earned a future WWE World Heavyweight Championship against Edge. SmackDown General Manager, Vickie Guerrero and now five- time World Champion, The Rated R Superstar had other plans which didn't pan out.
Just when Edge has banished The Undertaker from WWE (which I still have not mentally processed), here comes the animal gunning for Edge's newly won title. In no more of an enviable position is RAW's WWE Champion, Triple H who must now defend his title against a Superstar who seems seemingly unstoppable, John Cena. Just to off on a tangent here, with the execption of Mark Henry, John Cena may be the strongest man in WWE...John is freakishly powerful!
WWE Extreme Rules may now be my favorite pay-per-view, exceeding even WrestleMania. Could there be something in my past that makes Extreme stipulations warm my hardcore heart? :)
I am very much looking forward to Night of Champions, at which every match will be contested for a WWE Championship. Thus far, we know John Cena will be challenging Triple H for the WWE Championship and Big Show should be medically cleared in time to challenge Kane for the ECW Championship. I'm sure more matches will take shape of this week's RAW, ECW and SmackDown.
Until next week, good luck in McMahon's Million Dollar Mania. As the Chairman says, "It's all about the Monaaay."
I plan to post a blog every Friday from the WWE.com offices but this week I had meetings all day. On Saturday, I spent some quality family time with Mrs. Styles and five year old, Joseph Styles and then I flew through the night from New York to arrive in San Diego at approximately 3:00 Eastern. I am now ready for a busy three days of WWE.com coverage of tonight's One Night Stand, RAW, ECW and SmackDown.
Tonight, WWE Fan Nation is excited to present a live chat featuring Michelle McCool. Michelle's level of online popularity is staggering. Not that Michelle is not worthy of such adulation, but to be the number 1 searched term on Yahoo! the day of the NFL Draft makes the wrestling announcer in me say "Oh My God!" Then the marketer in me says, "hey dummy, you're retired. Stop acting like a wrestling announcer and schedule Michelle for WWE Fan Nation's first live pre pay-per-view chat."
After tonight's chat, it is time for WWE One Night Stand: Extreme Rules. Something about an entire pay-per-view dedicated to Extreme matches makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
Tonight, I am most looking forward to two matches:
Edge vs. The Undertaker. Can Edge become a five time World Champion and banish The Phenom from WWE or will The Deadman will back the title that he never lost?
Surprisingly, the other match that has my interest peaked is the "I Quit" match featuring former WWE Womens Champions, Melina and Beth Phoenix. I have always been a fan of quality womens wrestling and Melina and Beth never disappoint. I am not nearly the historian that my WWE.com comerade, The Fink is but I cannot recall another "I Quit" match pitting two women against each other. I am not expecting Flair vs. Funk but I am expecting these two Divas to raise the bar yet again in WWE's Womens Division. I will make sure to get a WWE.com exclusive interview from the winning Diva.
Greetings from WWE.com headquarters in my hometown in Stamford, CT
Did Mike Adamle actually say CW Punk on "the ECW" while he was flanked by my former broadcast partner, "the Tazz"?
Don't miss The Dirt Sheet this Saturday. I have previewed what is currently the most watched show on WWE.com and I am now ready to nominate Mike Adamle as RAW's General Manager. If that happens, who will call ECW? Hmmmm.
I spend so much time running around the back relaying information back to Stamford and getting exclusive interviews, I don't get to see much of RAW, ECW or SmackDown. Luckily, I can get completely caught up by watching WWE.com's new RAW, ECW and SmackDown Quick Cuts (cheap plug for me).
My new position with WWE.com has helped me lose weight as I spend less time preparing to announce while sitting in catering and more time running around the arena. I sleep very well, but not for very long once I check into my hotel. I usually hit the bed at 2 AM and my internal clock wakes me up at 6 AM to hit the gym at 7. Thank heavens for energy drinks available at mamajuanaextreme.com (cheap plug for a friend).
I have to commend the entire hard working, well oiled machine that is the WWE.com staff. We now have eight exclusive weekly video featues online with more to come. In fact, we are launching a new exclusive show in July that will rock the wrestling world!
