Jim Cornette on The History Of Wrestling On Thanksgiving

From Episode 156 of the Jim Cornette Experience
Artwork by Travis Heckel!
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[@MichaelSmith-fq6hz]

You can tell this is an old clip because Jim doesn't sound disappointed while saying Meltzer's name.

[@roelzavala8014]

I notice he didnt call him shit stain😂

[@PlayzieBum]

@@roelzavala8014 shit stain is usually russo

[@Andrew-wt1oq]

The audio is pretty poor too from Jim's end

[@adificationss]

Uncle Dave

[@MilMaska]

"The wrestling business is dead. I can not bring it back single handedly. Nobody can bring it back. Because its dead" - Jim Cornette

[@jonahtexhex2835]

Sadly, because there's no territories where the wrestlers ,(after wrestling school with the ol'school wrestlers from the 50s & 60s {Terry Bolea aka Hulk Hogan learned after the wrestler teaching got tired of Hogan's attitude & broke his leg "Come back when you figure this out"{the cleanest way I could put what was said to Terry}), could learn to polish their skills,(Persona, Wrestling, Business etc), across the country.

[@markoutwithmark]

Wrestling is here. Jim just doesn't like how it's evolved. A lot of us don't.

[@PhilKenSebben1984]

It will be reborn when Vince dies or gets slapped with an anti-trust lawsuit or labor organization effort and it's not worth all the trouble anymore. Then it will be a scramble for talent and all the sudden there's competition again. It's cyclical. And like the banks and companies that screw us all over, WWE became too big to fail. They'll get broken up in 10 or 20 years.

[@marcoparada6652]

@@markoutwithmark, it's starting to change. This virus shit is choking the life out of WWE. AEW is actually featuring crowds. The only PC shit I see on their promotion, and a sore spot for the business overall, is Nyla dominating the women's division. This could get twisted to be a grand feature, if they can do this right.

[@stinkypinkeee5085]

@@marcoparada6652 I hate that AEW has a drag queen for their Women's Champion...disgusting...

[@midwestmonster9886]

After Thanksgiving Dinner last night, I watched Survivor Series '93. It wasn't the best show, but I found it amusing that Lex Luger was chilling out with Santa Claus. So that's how Thanksgiving ended and the Christmas season began for me.

[@justafanofnerdculture7602]

Love to hear Jim Cornette talkin' wrestling history!! This was awesome to hear!!

[@DMS-pq8]

It was Christmas star wars 82 at Reunion arena where the Von Erich - Freebird feud started

[@sgtblackrock4997]

Had a blast going to NWA shows on Thanksgiving and Christmas when I was a kid.

[@BrandanTheBroker]

Wish NWA would buy the Starrcade name and put it to use

[@dwade6322]

Jim makes a great point about the payoffs for Holiday shows..

[@lage1984]

it's the same with soap operas

[@ChrisFactor]

It was always a big money night and great events!

[@treviaunmidgett6888]

Right I never I thought 💭 about like that

[@LuchadorMasque]

I dont think 16k people are gathering to watch anything anytime soon

[@1MarvinHagler]

@@LuchadorMasque unless it’s a riot of course

[@scorptarget]

Great Video Corny! Used to love watching The classic Survivor Series on Thanksgiving Night! 🍁🦃

[@vanzammerz]

Survivor Series ran thanksgiving eve. And focused on the teams so you didn’t get a one on one. And it prolonged a feud or created.

[@mr.perksy]

Yes and ran on thanksgiving night the first 4 years

[@shanebagin]

I would rather watch a great wrestling show during the holiday with my dad because that's what I got to do when I was a kid in the 80s.

[@director7685]

My dad took me and my brother to the Richmond coliseum on closed circuit screen for Starrcade 87. Probably 8,000-10,000 in attendance. Great times!

[@NickyJamesTV]

Just so everyone knows, this is an old clip. That's why Jim sounds like butt.

[@tobiasfarragut292]

I knew..that and it being episode 156 lol he has that same tone of voice he had when telling the Tim Horner story

[@RickJW-OSM]

Yeah that's his old mic.

[@NickyJamesTV]

@@InfamousNyro you need to make an appointment with an ENT.

[@newersify]

@@InfamousNyro sounds way better now, thats crazy talk ramvinyro

[@Gravydog316]

LOL this is his old shit mic

[@LoganSewell83]

Corny's voice sounds terrible after waking from a fever dream in which he was trapped in an elevator with Jim Herd, Shitstain, and Bucky Beaver.

[@davey3884]

Mark

[@fuzebout2blow271]

Jim is full of knowledge and mucus from sever irritation to the respiratory tract extremely funny and quick with his comebacks LOL

[@mbadiou]

This was fucking excellent. Thank you Jim, this was so cool to hear

[@michaelmares3452]

I will never forgive my parents n I t taking me to see an AWA Andre battle royal on Thanksgiving at the Cow Palace circa 1981.

[@BrandanTheBroker]

I would LOVE to have a Christmas or Thanksgiving wrestling show again, we had them in Chicago but they died out

[@Bearwolf13]

I'm glad I grew in the Carolina's on Mid-Atlantic, I always liked how for the most part the N.W.A presented Wrestling as an actual sporting event and the WWE always felt like more of a show....

[@maxxdahl6062]

Didn't grow up there myself, but my grandparents house got it when Crockett inherited Georgia's TV. It was amazing.

[@maldini883]

Depends on your priorities, some people might value spending time with the family after so long away even at the detriment of 27,000. Money isn't everything and neither is wrestling.

[@michaeladams6913]

Thankful ALL YEAR for Jim Cornette, tellin' stories like super TALK RADIO and making his listeners "feel like a part of things"...... 🍂🦃🍻

[@SpiralOfWhite]

Man, I've listened much bad quality fast talking Jim, this felt like home. I think I like it better! Lol

[@Negajoe]

I guess this artwork means that Jim eventually ended up catching the Gobbledy Gooker in that trap of his...

[@toddwebb7521]

Taker debuted at a Thanksgiving survivor series show, as did the Gobblety Gooker

[@akrondabsfordays7107]

Thanks captain obvious!

[@BrandonReckonedForce]

I remember a Smackdown on Thanksgiving one night when they were having a food fight. I think the Big Show was there

[@Dakatari]

Jim a true historian of pro wrestling

[@davey3884]

No shit Sherlock

[@guardianofchaosBD]

Happy Thanksgiving Corny!

[@IanSane]

On a holiday I could see myself going to a wrestling show if it was truly local, in that it's at a local hall or hockey arena that's a short drive from my house. But something like the WWE would do a show at an NHL/NBA arena which means I have to go to the closest major city. That's only an hour away but that's still a bit of a hassle with all the traffic and such. The effort to get to the show would kill the impulse buy that would be necessary for me to go somewhere on a holiday where I already have plans for earlier in the day. Now an indy could do the smaller local venue but that has no star power. In the territory days you would probably get something more local and it would have the big stars that you saw on TV. Though Christmas and Thanksgiving are much busier holidays than something like the 4th of July or Labor Day. Those are really just days off work for a lot of people so why not put a wrestling show on those days?

[@Sargebri]

The same night as Starrcade 83 in Greensboro Georgia had a tag tournament and they had a huge house.

[@RoastedPheasant]

I remember the first wrestling I ever saw was a Royal Rumble where Rey Mysterio did a 619 to a guy named Thanksgiving. I can’t find the clip anywhere.

[@zachbalon4027]

Such a gimmicky move

[@stephenrogers4537]

The NWA seems to have the best way of promoting wrestling, it's a shame they can't reproduce that magic today. Of course with the covid-19 I guess the wrestling is going to be dormant for quite a while😪😷

[@PhilKenSebben1984]

I was really getting into Powerrr before Covid messed everything up. I hope they can come back.

[@stephenrogers4537]

@@PhilKenSebben1984 YES ,I agree that's a very good show but the idea of having it without fans water's it down a bit but the NWA has always been kind of grassroots WRESTLING I hope it comes back have a good day and stay safe😷😉🧐" that's all the people need to know"-( I quote the BARON 🧐🧐🧐🧐🧐🧐🥂😉

[@williammitchell4695]

Verne in the AWA had battle royals on Thanksgiving. That's when I first saw Andre.

[@662chillin]

I figured that this was an older clip. Still a good listen

[@joearijr1]

The Mexican Angel was none other than future promoter Francisco Flores who would go on to establish the UWA at the famous El Toreo where he would bring foreigners to battle El Canek.

[@mbrannon]

I wish Jim was this enjoyable to listen to today. He readily admits that its impossible today and even gives good reasons why without going on a tirade that makes no sense and has nothing to do with it. He isn't screaming or saying stupid shit. He's just talking about wrestling history. I loved these episodes. He even sounds happy.. I hate the new episodes. Even when he gets away from the modern wrestling ranting on the new episodes to talk a little history, he still sounds miserable and randomly circles back to get in an extra rant for the audience. It's mostly the fans who are to blame. They feed on this stupid shit and they like the toxicity so he plays it up.

[@insupportofjunhado]

It's like Solomonster said. People sent Jim videos of stupid shit on Twitter just to laugh at the inevitable explosion of anger. They don't consider that things from which Cornette draws happiness might bring just as much enjoyment.

[@Cavillier1970]

I can tell you all Corny is right about the markets and everything being closed. I live in Buffalo, NY and as a kid Nothing was open on Thanksgiving and Christmas. We never had WWF shows up here on those nights & part of the problem back in the 70s & 80s our winters were a lot more brutal. TRUST ME LOL

[@doylemurphy152]

They come out. I was bored on Thanksgiving Night and everything was closed.

[@nealfeldpausch715]

Oldie but Goodie right here...

[@gilfredohernandez5048]

Back in the day WWE original Survivor Series went on Thanksgiving evening. Three or four 5 man aside tag match heels v babyfaces

[@davidholzer4155]

This is from 2016 so he was still on good terms with Unca Dave

[@gbvoul]

Why is Jim bragging that they only filled the super dome to 25% capacity... that’s embarrassing

[@scottbarclay4630]

Ah back at a time when Meltzer and Cornette got along

[@piperar2014]

People born after 1980 don't understand that the world back then was REGIONAL, not national. TV was broadcast and there were 4 channels. 100 miles was a long way to travel and many highways were two lane and passed through every town. People who want to understand that era need to know that drawing 5000 people has to be considered in light of how many people live within 20 miles or so. A crowd of 5000 in a market of 100,000 is a bigger deal than a crowd of 20,000 in a market of a million.

[@thekidfromiowa]

Oh it's a rerun. I was wondering why the sound quality was off.

[@Bandana_Boi]

I'd like to say I'm regards to WWE's schedule. Yeah you may only wrestle 4 or 5 times a week. But you'll be in Buffalo then Miami then Denver then LA then Boston.

[@rosemaryfarell5264]

The old skl days seem just legitimately AWESOME. Old skl travellers putting on a show whatever the day or weather. BRILLIANT. Today its a joke,idiots diving about everywhere with no story or build.

[@robinblake5054]

Even though this is an older clip, I miss the Experience and Drive-Thru having old wrestling stories. Now they're mostly AEW and WWE PPV reviews that are always samey week in week out and debating about modern wrestling. Personally I would rather hear more about the "good old days" of pro wrestling.

[@insupportofjunhado]

What's that about reestablishing a habit once it's broken and other things are found? Fans wanted him to review NXT, then AEW...

[@bubbiesdad]

94, they hyped up Abdullah the Butcher for months, yet he never showed up.

[@Allaloneisallweare]

Corny 5-6 years ago still had the quickness when he talks..

[@sumobowler3790]

Ernie Ladd wrestled twice that night?

[@alexpayne5914]

Yeah Jim, you made an adjusted $27,000 for SC86. But then the doc charged you $50,000 for new knees after jumping off a scaffold. Well, at least he didn't end up like Grasshopper Man a couple weeks ago. So it could have cost more.

[@allancove4483]

Well that's OK, because I still have a big card on Thanksgiving with my NWA tabletop wrestling game. Take last night which was Thanksgiving 2020, my big PPV was Locked In The Rock where Ric Flair won over Chris Benoit. Plus it marked the return of Steve Austin MONSTER TRUCK n all. Two titles changed hands & the next big card will be on Christmas night with Gloom In The Doom the return of the triple steel cage TOWER OF DOOM!!! And in between now & then will be plenty of house shows & NWA shows on WTBS on the weekends just like old times & of course all the non stop touring. Mix in a world tour at the start of the new year & the return of the Jim Crockett Cup tag team tournament & add my wrestling game forum where we all can post at & we have all the ingredients of some old school rassling just the way we all remember it & it'll be like old times! And as for my NWA talent roster put it this way, I have EVERYBODY. Even Bobo Brazil. I'm the boss & I'll have & sign anybody I want so there! lol Been on this non stop tour now for some 36 years & it never gets old. Hell, I'm getting started. See ya on tour!!! Or on my forum!!!

[@78bcat]

Corny really is stuck in a time warp on this topic: For him, the world stopped in 1986...cable in its infancy, no internet, Nintendo just making it's post-Atari splash, the local fair a "draw", the labor day parades an "event".

[@mrg8581]

I thought cable TV started in the 1970s. HBO, TBS, etc

[@jayehrlich1046]

Did SMW ever have a show on Thanksgiving?

[@MrRwk314]

He says on this clip they did it in 1992 and 1994

[@bigroy38]

Thanksgiving Star Wars WCCW.

[@chadkuffert]

The audio on this video sounds sped up. Jim sounds different.

[@TheMagnificentMongoSlade]

Meltzer released a free article on this same subject. Meltzer might be shitty in terms of opinion and "news" but his historical stuff is really interesting: www.f4wonline.com/other-wrestling/history-pro-wrestling-thanksgiving-dave-meltzer-326076?.it& Interestingly enough, football took over as the Thanksgiving Day sporting event. I'm sure wrestling could get SOME people to come out for a show (or get people to watch the show on TV) but you're competing with NFL and Black Friday prepations for Christmas. Very different world.

[@walterspencer7524]

It’s old because of the audio

[@Mister_Phafanapolis]

The difference in audio was jarring

[@nathan_the_barbarian7974]

Make the money, invest it wisely and be able to spend holidays at home when you want to later in life

[@TheoONLIous]

He sounds like he is losing his voice

[@jokergregory6762]

All of wrestling now is a cornucopia of, "Who gives a fuck?!!"

[@larryvisco9674]

WWE killed the business

[@dannyfonseca8275]

Was Drew McIntyre that fake phony!

[@benzion8885]

Wwe had the saviour series in the 80s and 90s made more money than the NWA, WCW Thanksgiving shows

[@jpowers55]

In the first minute he says starcade 1986 was 30 years ago. Do the math, people.

[@mr.perksy]

This episode is from 2016

[@Elias6233]

What the hell happened to Jim's voice? New mic, maybe? Thought it was an editing thing but Brian sounds the same

[@stevebragg4256]

Different Mic in older clip

[@williammitchell4695]

Your favorite movie "Paradise Alley" was to take place Christmas night

[@n0m4nic]

Wow, Jim sounds terrible all of a sudden. Did something happen during the podcast?

[@n0m4nic]

@Nathaniel Baxter Ah, good. Kind of sounded like he got hit with the covid.

[@tobiasfarragut292]

@@n0m4nic nah just the Shitmic-19

[@phillipstankey8881]

Yes, because Thanksgiving Night wrestling is the sole barometer for measuring the health and popularity of the industry

[@director7685]

Vince is the devil.

[@carloslozada470]

30 year's ago another Trip down memory lame

[@DolFan316]

Commenting on how one doesn't care about a video one took the time and energy to watch is way lamer.

[@jessewahwah]

Trump 2020.

[@phillipjones8976]

you lost get over it

[@Mr.BeastFacts]

#RidinwithBiden 🇺🇸🗽

[@Vagajammer]

I agree. He should spend that many years in prison

[@tbx59]

Trump 2020: The year we fired his ass.

[@tobiasfarragut292]

Oh look everyone the official mating call of the (trump voice) Lo-SER!...

[@anthonydaro4134]

#nokikes