Jim Cornette on Jim Crockett's Contracts For Jim & The Midnight Express

From Episode 160 of Jim Cornette's Drive Thru
Artwork by Travis Heckel!
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I was one day hoping by some miracle that Jim would bring up the Midnight Express in conversation again.

[@jdoncbus]

I prefer "The Midnights."

[@JRRTOKIN420]

"Grab him by the honker" 😂

[@SachaBaronCorbin65]

Does Jim not understand if you had wrestling figures as a kid, you need heel figures to fight your babyface figures?

[@moonsaves]

Right? It's like asking why anyone would want a Skeletor figure.

[@justoneguy2487]

Plus what happens when the heels turn babyface? Or vice versa?

[@horrorfan4-life689]

If you had face figures fighting other face's Jim would you say you're running an outlaw mud show imaginary event.

[@NorthJerseyJabroni]

Exactly. EVERY major toy line had heel figures they sold - Transformers sold Decepticons, GI Joe sold Cobra figures, etc.

[@michaelmarino7391]

@@moonsaves Correct! I had He-Man, Man at Arm's & Ramman to go along with Skelator and Trap Jaw.

[@KayFabe87]

JC did a nice job here of laying out the qualitative factors that went into the decision to stay with Crockett as opposed to jumping to the WWF. Too often, people just do the simplistic salary comparison without factoring in considerations such as the cost of living, quality of life, work environment, etc. $225K in Charlotte, NC goes a lot farther than $225K in the NY metro area. Even more so back in the 80's

[@mrg8581]

Jim Cornette and Midnight Express should have signed with the WWF. Would have been great to see them against Hart Foundation, British Bulldogs and Demolition.

[@theyinkaquadri]

And with Killer Bees and Cam-Am Connection

[@tcbobb1613]

Then Jim Cornette would be more bitcher about Travel.

[@tempestfennac9687]

@@tcbobb1613 I can't say I blame him for not wanting any part of that; wrestlecrap.com/inductions/induction-titofiesta/ mentions a month of Tito Santana's IC Title defences and he was all over the place with no apparent rhyme or reason to where the events are (presumably it was due to arenas being booked at relatively short notice).

[@DolFan316]

@nw 45 As much as I hate Cornette turning down having Midnight Express action figures, you're absolutely right.

[@gregorylevi1826]

I agree, but Vince really wouldn't guarantee anything. I understand why Corny & The Midnight Express turned him down.

[@GimletBoy]

The comment on the UWF building a distribution network hit home. I grew up in Seattle and never saw anything outside of Portland, NWA/WCW and WWF. The UWF appeared on my local station when none of the others ever did. We didn't have cable so I didn't see the old TBS shows unless I was at my sister's place. I know AWA was on ESPN at one point, but I didn't get that either. All I had were the magazines to know about the other territories.

[@Tcup1982]

Same bro I live in Georgia so I really depended on the mags to keep up with everything that was outside my territory

[@BronzeAgeBryon]

That cartoon sketch of Crockett is spot on.

[@DJB1PlanetFunksville]

That Ernie Ladd impression

[@mercoid]

👁🔩💡 Oh!! That feels good!!!

[@jfaria4043]

Sitting in my car before work listening. Good way to start my Friday.

[@87654321j]

We don't get juice up here anymore Funny Vince thought that's what the feds were after you for lol 😂

[@MikeGriffThePoet]

Getting juiced meant bleeding in the matches in this era

[@gregorylevi1826]

@@MikeGriffThePoet yeah I couldn't remember when the last time a wrestler was bleeding in a match in the The WWF after the 70's.

[@87654321j]

@@MikeGriffThePoet I know I was meaning juice as in being on the juice aka steroids

[@emperortrevornorton3119]

Late, early, or on time always fun listening to these stories of Jim Cornette's long running history of pro wrestling

[@MilMaska]

"Be nice to me or you wount get a future XFL franchise" - Vince McMahon

[@davey3884]

I bet Vince can spell "won't"

[@chperezjr]

I miss the territory days, thank God Corny didn't accept anything from WWE The Midnight would be an after though, look at the Junkyard Dog, Dino Bravo, The Rougeah Brothers (if I misspelled sorry) and many other superstars from other territories becoming jokes on WWE.

[@shanepleasants6280]

They failed because there accountant sucked it’s their job to not allow you to over spend and it’s there job to write off as many business expenses as possible

[@DolFan316]

Yeah, *somebody* in accounting needed to let Crockett know on a regular basis how much money he actually had and what he was spending it on. I always thought that was the whole point of having accountants.

[@gregorylevi1826]

Yes their accountant never should have let that happen. He was an old friend of the family and like Jim had said, The Crocketts ran The NWA like it was a Ma & Pa business. Instead of a nationwide business like they should have.

[@connordripps1480]

Jimmy Crockett Sr would be looking down from heaven basically thinking "Jimmy boy what did you do to my company"

[@TombstoneChris]

Just imagine this matchup for a moment. The Midnight Express vs The Hart Foundation. That would have been one of the greatest tag team feuds ever. What a fucking dream match that we never got and I never had any idea that they had even talked to Vince McMahon. Oh I wish it would have happened.

[@CraigSmithII]

I got one better: Imagine if the Hart Foundation went to Crockett in 1988 & feuded with the Midnights instead of Paul Heyman & his Midnight Express. Those matches would've been money too

[@Donjkoontz]

Vince would’ve F’ d that up

[@DolFan316]

Not to mention all the kids who could've recreated that feud with their Midnight Express action figures (sighs).

[@rayperez1325]

Tag teams in the 80's WWF were the best ever.

[@rayperez1325]

@MemphoWrasslin1 no kidding. They could've done so much more with what they had

[@TheSportsfan35]

Thank God Corny & The Express didn't go work for Vince. I mean, can you imagine how a good worker like Bobby Eaton would've been booked by Vince?

[@TravJam317]

I'm not sure I would be running to the TV to watch a program between the Midnight Express and the Killer Bees anyway.

[@danielwilson9724]

Hart Foundation, Rockers, Brainbusters,British Bulldogs, Demolition ,Fabulous Rougeau Brothers,even Powers of Pain.. They had great teams in that era. Killer Bees were dark match fillers. 😂

[@razorblaid]

Now I want gravy

[@ericfaz1427]

Hilarious. Going from "let's buy another jet" to "you're 2 million in the red."

[@piperar2014]

I'm an accountant. I have no idea what accounting was like before spreadsheets (although primitive computers existed) and I get that cash is hard to keep track of (it's supposed to be). But being six months behind and losing two million dollars? Inconceivable! At some point you have to say, time to hire an assistant.

[@jimmyv.495]

Agree!!!! The Crockett story is BS. They had an accountant and several female bookkeepers in that office. Over this period (Cornette said business was down for over a year). They would be getting weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements. Every night they would get the gross gate and would know the expenses. Crockett spent $5-7 million on territories, was buying local tv time, syndicated tv, had 2 jets, and 2 offices (Tx and GA). House shows were 1/2 full for the year and they were renting the LA Forum, Boston Garden, and MSG. Everyone knew they had to be losing money with ZERO PPV and ZERO merchandise and getting no revenue from being on TBS. This wasn't rocket science. Balance the books each night. Revenue minus the expenses of the rent, wrestlers, setup, and transportation costs. Pretty basic stuff. Jim Crockett was a spend thrift and had to know he was burning thru cash. He likely hid this fact from his family as they were partners. He thought he could turn it around. A key tell is that Jim Crockett moved to Texas the last year of the business. He was away from GA and NC and his family. Cornette knows better than to believe Jim Crocketts story. Crockett has blamed the accountant, they blamed Dusty, and they blamed Vince for blocking them from PPV. No way. They were bleeding cash and would easily know this fact.

[@nealfeldpausch715]

No way. As a kid I wanted the heel action figures.... So my babyface figures could beat them up. The WWF ones could move and were painted so well. And WCW figures were more stiff and didn't look quite as sharp. Sting and Hogan always beat up Savage and Flair. Etc.

[@DolFan316]

In the federation my friend and I ran we had our heels do some REALLY dastardly things and they pretty much ran the yard except for Hogan, who was the unbeatable world champ just like IRL. We would use dice to determine the matches (which wrestler got in offense and who got the pin) and even with what should've been random dice rolls NOBODY could beat Hogan, it was literally unreal.

[@danielwilson9724]

My OG WWF action figures were huge and heavy and stiff.. But they all looked pretty great. And were cool for like sitting on a shelf for looks type of collectibles. My Andre the Giant was so heavy tht he broke my OG ring 😂 had to fix it up with a piece of wood put up under it to fix and reassure it wouldn't break again. King Kong Bundy was heavy as hell too but not like Andre. Lmao

[@nealfeldpausch715]

@@danielwilson9724 oh yea. I remember. Big heavy rubber material. I had Terry funk. Bob Orton. And Hogan I think?

[@danielwilson9724]

@@nealfeldpausch715 Damn I would've loved a Terry Funk. I didn't even know there was one, and I had lots of them, well I HAVE lots of them cause I always kept them. They're in a clothes baaket now, lol but yeah my grandma had to special order my Andre for me. I had Bob Orton too. Iron Sheik( Sheiky Baby) doing a lil strange arm flex and their limbs didn't know so he wrestled and flexed all at the same time 😂 I had Hogan but I remember always wanting Warrior. I attempted to turn a least favorite into him with some kind pen or sharpie lmao. I remember Demolition Smash being hard to get too for whatever reason. I had Ax but wasnt EVER able to find Demolition Smash and they were my favorite tag team. I need to look at them again refresh my memory on who and how many I had.

[@danielwilson9724]

@@nealfeldpausch715 but those smaller moveable figures tht came after are still some of my favorites! They were a perfect size to put in the rings they made with them. I had Ax and Smash in tht set of action figures and I loved them , but I don't recall wht I did with them one's but they didn't remain like the Notorious B.I.G action figures set did

[@tomschoening2210]

Great segment..

[@Villion77]

So it does not matter if you are heels not when it comes to merch sells. Even if they they buy toys to destroy them they bough the toy. If a kid buys a baby face toy guess what they need a heel to pit them against. Every one makes more money.

[@keithcrockett7838]

Hart foundation/british bulldogs/ rugeau bros. VS midnight express would've been AWESOME

[@Timmyk5150]

I could imagine Bobby Eaton in the WWF teaming with Paul Roma and them and Cornette riding in a car, lol. Between Cornette and Roma, it would be like a Quentin Tarantino or Martin Scorsese movie on 4 wheels with all the cuss words!!!!!! Watch Paul Roman's RF Video shoot interview, you'll know what I mean.

[@AFCole-uu3rv]

86 would have been too early for the Rockers Pretty sure Midnights / Bulldogs would have been fun matches though

[@JBar]

but they probably would have had to deal with the Killer Bees, Can-Am Connection and Islanders first

[@AFCole-uu3rv]

@@JBar If the Rougeaus were in by then, that might have been their opening program. Midnights / Rougeaus would have been fine too.

[@chrisingram5777]

You'd think action figures would be a no brainer and good guys need bad guys to fight!

[@tomstewartdrums]

‘They looked at me like I had turds hanging out of my mouth” !!!Thanks Jim….I almost just ran off the road lol

[@shanepleasants6280]

I disagree with Jim on the Action figures yes of course we want the Stone Colds The Rocks and all the Baby faces but it’s no different than playing with comic book action figures why would I want to have nothing but the good guys those good guy figures need someone to fight

[@emperortrevornorton3119]

Iron Sheik is still one of my favorite pro wrestling action figures granted I still see what Jim is saying there heel work was to good back when I was like 12 or 10 is about the age I loathed Cornette only to get to the age of 13 and I was hooked

[@gregorylevi1826]

That's how the wrestling organizations thought downsouth. Im not surprised that's how Corny thought

[@kurtvanderbogarde8402]

2:24 If you were a heel, people would buy your action figure and the babyface action figure and use the babyface figure to beat up on the heel action figure.

[@DMS-pq8]

I would love for Jim to talk about what plan B would have been if Stan had been unwilling or unable to replace Dennis

[@travisheckel5576]

Tom Prichard

[@gregorylevi1826]

Shoot wouldn't that have been Plan C? I think Stan was Plan B.

[@colonelrobertsjr.7882]

@@travisheckel5576 keep up the good work!! These thumbnails are so hilarious and entertaining, even better than the commentary at times!!

[@theoelliott4649]

How about Brad Armstrong and Bobby Eaton .

[@joec2704]

Jim learned so much from his mother, I knew back in the day he was one of a kind special

[@WSK9002]

It's crazy to think, if Tully & Arn saw and met with Crockett Junior first, The Brainbusters may have never been a thing and Arn Anderson's may have not gotten damaged which ultimately lead to his retirement.

[@JBar]

Everything I ever heard about the neck injury that ultimately led to him retiring was against the Steiners when he went over the top rope bad one time

[@Dakatari]

Jim would do cartwheels in his sleep if Jim Crockett Productions were still around.

[@daedaethomas47]

Yeah, paying millions for jobbers.

[@michaeladderley5180]

18:15....Oh no!!!...Fans!!!...We gotta go!!!....🤣🤣🤣...Tony!!! Tony!!! Tony!!! We're out of money!!!

[@MilkmanC]

yes bc fans should only have babyface figures lol

[@andresabucco475]

I guess jim only had baby face matches with his action figures

[@dus1009]

i am glad the midnight express never went to the Vince Mcmahon WWF circus garbage wrestling

[@hitman19861]

How does Cornette as a manager get paid the same as two guys who bump around the ring every night and put their lives in other guys hands?

[@KOHoxton]

Cornertte was their main source of heat, plus promos, commentary. Booking, he was doing a lot of different shit.

[@danielwilson9724]

He was as important to the team as the wrestlers themselves. He drew heat, built up the matches, did heel manager sneak tactics at ringside.

[@DarksaberForce]

Also he acted as a real manager in negotiating contracts for the team.

[@MaxxCoyote]

Because one for all, and all for one. Cornette was the mouthpiece, a major component of their heat. Bobby and Dennis stood up for Cornette with Fritz, and that continued with Bobby and Stan. Cornette made the same money because Bobby and Dennis felt he should. Because they were a team. They stand together. 3 on the same page are stronger than 1 after all.

[@adambryant9963]

Midnight express vs Rock and roll express or British bulldogs vs Hart foundation. Which would be a better match?

[@timothywelch2999]

Express vs Express nuff said.

[@adambryant9963]

@@timothywelch2999 I probably agree with u, but only because tag teams were treated better where they was. HF vs BB could put on something special too if allowed.

[@timothywelch2999]

@@adambryant9963 I agree Vince Jr. wouldn't have done it.

[@adambryant9963]

@@timothywelch2999 are u traditionally a tag team fan? When I got into WWF as a kid I was a big fan of the tag division. Rockers, demolition, hart foundation, bulldogs, rougeous and brain busters etc. As a kid that's what I liked and embarrassingly Ultimate Warrior

[@KOHoxton]

I think tag team wrestling is by far the best part of wrestling, I grew up watching the dudleyz in ECW and WWF, that was my first tag team. And I've been a tag team fan ever since.

[@andrebdd5818]

Just think midnight express vs rockers, hart foundation, British bulldogs and strike force, killer bees. Hell even baby face rougeaus at the time

[@philaman1972]

Cornette should host episodes of "World Wide Wrestling" on the WWE Network.

[@OmegaRedFan]

Why?

[@YokozunaNumber1]

I thought Trump was in the thumbnail, and that Jim was going to do another political rant. Then I realized that Trump doesn't like balloons, so it could only be Crockett.

[@YorrB]

😂😂

[@rahowherox1177]

Trump hasn't had hair that good since the 60s.

[@tobiasfarragut292]

Hey monsoon... LOOK OUT!! PEARL HARBOR JOB!!!

[@tomr3422]

knew it wasnt trump - he would be orange and look like a lawn sprinkler of disease

[@DolFan316]

I've actually been avoiding most of Jim's videos lately because I just KNEW he'd be talking about Trump getting the virus.

[@danielwilson9724]

Cornettes Dusty impression is toooo good!!! Lmao

[@DarksaberForce]

"Major motion pictures and sitcoms"

[@stevenstark6104]

I remember having all the old ljn figures. Hogan always won.lol

[@kovulion7777]

I mean if you are Tony Khan, why bother with Wrestling toys when you can buy the wrestler themselves and put them on your own fantasy booking Tony: tomorrow i wanna make chris jericho fall on orange juice against orange cassidy hehe

[@donaldpaluga]

@Gjhammer Gjhammer and then you watched NWA PoweRRRR.....

[@marklogan8112]

Dolls 😂

[@DolFan316]

You've got to remember, Cornette grew up at a time when toys for boys really were just dolls. Action figures weren't really a thing until the mid-late '70s.

[@anticharlie1]

What did he mean at the end when he said he made his money back??

[@chriskaltofen2385]

He's saying he has the video archives. He made money selling copies of the videos.

[@danielwilson9724]

I don't agree with Cornette about the action figures. Cause one, we're wrestling fans, we wanted to collect figures no matter heel or face. Two, i started collecting as a kid playing with my figures so I needed heels and faces. Three, I have ALWAYS been a heel fan. I never in my life enjoyed a face more than the heels. Im kinda shocked that Cornette doesn't understand these things. Lol

[@HoustonIsImmortal]

Well Jim, you would buy heel action figures because otherwise, who are my Rock-N-Roll Express action figures gonna double-dropkick into oblivion???!!!

[@jeffreylenoir1447]

Farting thtough silk

[@andresabucco475]

Rockers vs the midnights wasn't the match we needed but it was the match we deserved. Dammit vince

[@tylerflemming7059]

wait so it didnt mean anything that people would buy your action figures just to break them or set them on fire........SO YOU DIDNT CARE ABOUT THAT MONEY? JIM YOU JUST EXPOSED THE BUSINESS

[@mercoid]

Vince

[@sugartbube]

Farting thru silk. Jim the man he just got a way with words

[@TheGookSnack]

Wow Mr wrestling guru thinks nobody wants action figures if not baby face? Wow

[@Zebojr2kool]

Proof that Jim Cornette is actually quite a bad business person.

[@andrebdd5818]

Jim would rather keep kayfabe to be a regional "world champ" for $200,000 than get$70,000 quarterly checks just in merch in the wwf

[@horrorfan4-life689]

Brian zane is in the thumbnail? Lol he has to be Cornette's illegitimate son.

[@1882Stu]

Jim slipped into everything he hates ‘we couldn’t do our 20 minute matches, we’d have to do 8 minutes and get out’ so u get paid money for doing much less work...

[@famousforever8556]

Which means less time to showcase your gimmick and gain more investment of the fans. What makes more money, a 30 minute TV show or a two hour movie? How much would people have gotten into Star Wars if it was only an hour long? More time = more opportunities to hook in the observers.

[@1882Stu]

Famous Forever nah. Jim is right today. Every match is a 30 minute war, when they could do half or a 1/4 of that and make the same impact. Plus he’s taking about house shows in the 80s, not tv. If a wrestler needs 30 mins to try to get over he’s not good enough.

[@danielwilson9724]

@@1882Stu if ur doing 30 mins u better be bringing down the house and a great feud

[@CaptainCock-Strong]

The WWF in the 80’s just didn’t satisfy me like the NWA did as a kid. It sucked, sorry all you hulkamania fans. Too popcorn, too colorful and too corny. No pun intended, Jimmy.

[@mybatteryisdying1001]

first comment... NICE!

[@staticcharm3808]

Not even 800 views in 3 hours. Talking about wrestling from 30-40 years ago and the Midnight Express doesn't quite bring out the viewers even though Cornette's audience are mostly in their 40s. I guess these old men rather just hate on AEW and WWE

[@tomr3422]

I guess some just like to complain.

[@TheMartinTD]

Good way to make yourself sound like a moron on the internet 👏

[@tomr3422]

@@TheMartinTD the internet is full of moron's waiting to be discovered - If I dont like something I dont watch/listen and dont complain, WOW the poor fools that listen to something so they can complain about it - what kind of life must they have IRL

[@tomr3422]

@Echo Sky White Noiseand that's just the Guinness book folks just trying to find out if they need to update the record for saying "bro"

[@TheMartinTD]

Tom R you are literally doing what you just said 🤦‍♂️