STW #23: The Million Dollar Man

[@sbz88]

Ted's theme will never go out of style. Fit him perfectly

[@daveofthematthews]

Ted DiBiase vs Bret Hart were my favorite matches back in the day. Ted made it look like he had a great chemistry with everyone, What a legend. Great episode.

[@ansonemmitt4404]

i know it is pretty off topic but do anybody know of a good website to stream newly released series online?

[@user-ri3vg6kf4p]

😂😂

[@ronmower]

I met DiBiase and got his autograph in August of 2012 when he gave his testimony at a local church. It was one of the coolest moments of my life getting an autograph from someone I watched on TV when I was a kid. I never thought I would see The Million Dollar Man take on Jake The Snake Roberts at Wrestlemania 6 on my TV then some 20 years later meet him in person. It was great to hear his testimony and it was a pleasure meeting him. Good to see him turning his life around.

[@michaelscofield31]

Ronmower that's awesome bro.🏆 he was one of my favorite wrestlers. I liked the bad guys, heels. so of course I liked mr.perfect and ravishing rick rude, macho man when he was a bad guy with Zeus aka deebo from the movie Friday. those were some great times.

[@PickledEggs4]

I absolutely loved this dude. Ever since I was a little boy I rooted for the bad guy in every walk of life fathomable. And I still do to this day. And DiBiase was the ultimate heel. Was refreshing to keep him way. The constant face/heel turning quickly became tiresome.

[@HereIsWisdom1318]

@@PickledEggs4 I always used to root for Skeletor on He-Man! My mom said I used to cry when Skeletor lost, and she was afraid I was gonna grow to be evil. Lol

[@scotiwilkerson9384]

Do you live in Statesboro, Ga?

[@MichaelWilliams-so1pq]

You do know he embezzled from his own church?

[@JackB733]

Ted's laugh was, and always will be, second to none!

[@user-ri3vg6kf4p]

The best

[@SilverWealth_Draper_Mint]

Conrad & Bruce! You guys are #1. Best Wrestling podcast out there.

[@rajdhiman1153]

Good lord, Bruce's Vince impression cracks me up everytime. They got to do a "best of compilation" of all Vince impressions 😂😂😂

[@Lee81uk]

Raj Dhiman “hey pal, give you $100 dollars to put that cigarette out”

[@the80sguy80]

Me too,His Mcmahon kills me...

[@NikateeN]

Bruce’s Vince impression got me hooked on this show. I can perfectly picture Vince every time!

[@rustykuntz94]

“Hogan must POOOOSSSEEE”

[@HereIsWisdom1318]

@@Lee81uk Im just now getting to this story! 9/22/2021@2035

[@toma.4808]

One of wrestlings greatest heels. Wwe today embraces heel champs, if only that same philosophy was applied during the golden era. Dibiasi had all the makings of a great heel/heat seeking champ.

[@rayp4050]

Got nuclear heat when he kicked the basketball away from that kid. My mom wanted to kill him. Lol

[@i.r.s9494]

Money Inc. had a great run as Tag-Team Champs and you are right: Heel Champs were great and allowed for some feuds with top card guys. Ted as Champ had many possibilities. As would have Yours Truly as IC Champ for a bit.

[@hw5091]

Maybe for a little bit. Hogan was way too over. Plus Dibiase just wasn't in that great of shape. There was even more emphasis back the non it.

[@toma.4808]

​@h w which is why it makes sense to crown ted.he was evil and fans hated him Ted would've made a great controversial heel transitional champ.the fan pop of hogan recapturing the title would've been explosive

[@thencb41]

Starts at around 12-13:00 minute mark.

[@HipsterEatinShark]

You the man

[@RichMitch]

Doing the Lord's work

[@Super122291]

Rich Mitch thanks babe

[@PickledEggs4]

I just ranted about that. Ridiculously long introductions on most of these podcasts. Conrad is in like Flynn with Flair. We get it. You're a mortgage dude. Check. Noted. On with the show.

[@kamikazekrush3758]

Yeah it's long, but these shows are so good I dont mind listening at all

[@palaceofwisdom9448]

I would make jokes around Ted as often as possible just to hear that laugh.

[@davem1212]

1:03:00. Is what I love about podcast and the ones that give us the behind the scenes that we never heard and always wanted to know. Great story and yes I was watching back then and way before Ted came to the WWF. I don’t watch today’s product but back then we as kids were glued to the programming

[@iamnottim.]

Thanks boys - I loved the Million Dollar Man when I was a kid!

[@Difrentstyles]

Its great having these some grow up watching more of football, baseball for me it was Pro Wrestling all these podcasts videos are good for the new and older fans

[@AWrestlingHistorian]

I don't give a shit what WWE says. Ted Dibiase is a former WWF Champion.

[@HereIsWisdom1318]

Is the Genius a former WWF Champion?

[@sjlegend4259]

one of the top 3 underrated WWF in ring talent of all time...

[@gregpelfrey9506]

sj legend - completely agree - if you listen to the show, they slowed him down after a ridiculous hot start. I think backstage politics got in the way and Bruce just isn’t going to say that. He should have been champion at some point. I think he was always on the edge of being a megastar heel and the WWF never pulled the trigger.

[@onevillageincolor608]

Was his money stolen or real? -Igor

[@cretinousjester3475]

sj legend: I always wondered if Milburn Drysdale from the Beverly Hillbillies was DiBiase's banker. It makes sense. Both men faint at financial crisis but rise from unconsciousness when you wave a $50 bill under their nose. Greg Pelfrey: I'd say you're right Greg. Vince just never did see the value of heels as champions and the chance to build young, new, exciting babyfaces who was white hot with the fans. It may have been too late with DiBiase but imagine Bret chasing him for the title to win it at Wrestlemania 9 or 10.

[@1981bigdee]

everyone loves Ted and his praises are always being sung. Do you even know what underrated means?

[@1981bigdee]

@@gregpelfrey9506 Not everyone gets to be champ, dude. Well everyone gets a go these days but back then the title had prestige because it wasn't swapped every couple of hours. DiBiase was great but I'm glad Randy Savage got the belt because let's face facts, Savage's title reign was hot af.

[@TheDaveKrueger]

"Why was my father hanging out with a man in a cape?" ~George Costanza

[@IrishCarney]

Still have my Million Dollar Man piggy bank that I ordered from the WWF catalog when I was a kid. Probably a big reason I'm not a millionaire today is that I opened up the lid to get to my money before the bank was filled up, thereby defeating the purpose of a piggy bank.

[@SleptOnTheCouch]

You son of a bitch stay the fuck out of my driveway

[@ryangarvey9325]

When I was 11 I met Ted backstage in Springfield, ma in 1992. He was super cool and funny, he signed autographs did my friend and me, and he counted the $100 bills that were stuffed in his wallet

[@HereIsWisdom1318]

How were you able to go backstage?

[@Zonedout420]

Was it all at once or did you guys go in order after the autographs?

[@johnzeegler8641]

Love Ted's theme song. The best ever.

[@cryptozoomauler5505]

It's the laugh. Best in the business.

[@toma.4808]

It's my ringtone! 🤣

[@Kayfabe-226]

Two things you failed to mention is that part of Slater's heat from fans was because he had the Dark Journey as his first black female mgr in Wrestling...The second thing was you need to see the match on mid south tv with Flair vs Dibiase...this match was one of bloodiest tv bouts I've ever seen and Watts even did an on screen disclaimer warning viewers...to me on that night Dibiase showed what great talent he was...that whole angle turned Dibiase from heel to Babyface...must see this match!!!

[@SeanRankin2]

That was the best face turn ever in my opinion

[@Mcfly88]

yeeaaah... Conrad's mic got cut off when he asked about Patterson liking Virgil's "gimmick"...

[@troysmith4507]

Great episode. This is a great podcast. Can't miss podcasts.

[@rustykuntz94]

Bruce dancing around the Virgil question being a rib on Dusty was inevitable

[@yltcraxe]

I'm interested but I don't know if I have 3 hours to listen to this... I'm trying to harmonize the accounts that clearly say Bobby Heenan came up with the idea- with the intention of ribbing Dusty- and Vince loving it for that reason. but I just read in an article that this podcast suggested it's just basic brainstorming with no specific intent (or Heenan?). The renaming the character Vincent later clearly shows someone read into it.

[@PabloLaConecta]

The Vince smoker/plane story is great!

[@MrMotoflou]

Starts at 13:16

[@pyllywaltteri]

@Flatulence Pile Eat shit, Im happy I could skip all the bullshit.

[@PickledEggs4]

Which is a tad absurd. Eliminate the daily 10+ minutes of self-glossing; I married Flair's daughter, I'm the best mortgage guy out there and here's how to obtain my services, blah blah blah. On with the fuckin show already

[@Lee81uk]

1:00:30 the story with Vince and the smoker in first class 👍

[@Goldnfoxx]

This discussion about what the belt was actually made of and how much it cost is the funniest damn thing I've heard from these two, ever.

[@goldteethpoohproductions2707]

THIS PODCAST IS 🔥🔥🔥

[@josephboza7448]

this was a great episode. Ted left a mark in the business as the Million Dollar Man. He was a great mouthpiece for the Million Dollar Corporation. My favorite stuff was when he was feuding with Paul Bearer over who had the real Undertaker.

[@lukemcinerny8220]

Never made any sense to me why the million dollar man would team with IRS, wouldn't a rich guy hate the tax man lol

[@johnnyslic]

The Rich don't pay taxes in America. That's the problem in America.

[@lukemcinerny8220]

lol Sir that isn't true at all, depending on what state it can be way over 50% (at the very least) of earnings when all said and done which is outrageous.

[@johnnyslic]

I'm talking the super rich. Even Warren Buffet admits he is woefully under taxed.

[@KamalaToe]

That’s what made it over! The presumption was that he made a deal with Irwin R. Schyster to NOT pay taxes in their partnership.

[@Super122291]

Geoff Adam that’s what made it over !!

[@jomama900]

@ 18:20 or so I love it when people know my all-time favorite line from Blues Brothers "we got BOTH kinds of music. Country AND Western!" LOL!

[@i.r.s9494]

I may be biased, but I can honestly say that Ted DiBiase was absolutely the greatest heel of the era and a Top 3 talent when all was said and done. It isn't just about the technical skills, but charisma and sheer camera presence. That is where Ted had the advantage over some of the guys that Vince really pushed. All due respect to that tax cheat Bret Hart, and fake tough guy tax cheat Shawn Michaels, but Ted was light years better than them on camera and in creating heat. Cheers, Ted! Always pays his fair share on time!

[@jonfranks6902]

Definitely the greatest heel.

[@cscola4824]

Loved the way Conrad stopped the podcast to acknowledge the smoking on the plane story in pure homage of Bruce’s brilliant story telling about Vince actually being the real Million Dollar Man, I was listening to that thinking that’s actually a brilliant story but didn’t expect anyone else to have the same opinion. Conrad is us, a massive old school wrestling nut!

[@jaronzennaiter]

Mr Perfect would have been a great million dollar man too

[@rackballjones6585]

Prove it

[@scotiasid]

​@@rackballjones6585how can he prove it? Build a time machine & turn himself into Vince MaMahon?

[@matthewlangdale]

Such a great episode. My mother's maiden name is DiBiase. I used to tell people that Ted was my Uncle. Shit, he coulda been.

[@HereIsWisdom1318]

Thats so awesome! And youre, he could have been!

[@deepblue8143]

Thats awesome!

[@keithcrockett9539]

Bruce should throw a curve ball and do a episode on VIRGIL

[@scoonman]

Be about 10 minutes 😂😂

[@The495marauder]

Yeah Virgil Runnels

[@Number1WuFan]

More interesting life than the rest of you I bet. God forbid former wrestlers (people in general) don't go through hard times.

[@cmonhitme419]

best match , my #1 DiBiase and Roberts. Great filming- great match.

[@standardofexcellence]

My fave heel ever and vinces heel side dream persona

[@dachronicalalittlebitofeve6630]

Ted could sell like no one else in the wwf, the looks on his face his psychology, he was amazing

[@louisdibella6776]

Just got into this podcast, along with 83 weeks, but man, Conrad sometimes really takes issues with such dumb things. Hogan (who I’m not a fan of) is face of company, stays on top. Ted is a heel, they give him a run, then move him over for someone else to take the heel spot. I don’t see anything wrong with that, yet Conrad flips out like he can’t fathom such a business decision.

[@nickm393]

Yeah. Did Conrad think Ted would keep main eventing from '87 on or something? Conrad does nitpick the dumbest shit sometimes.

[@PickledEggs4]

He's enough to make me hit mute. He makes everything a pissing battle. I think marrying Flair's daughter really got to his head. You're not that important, dude. #Treadmill #Situps

[@hw5091]

He thinks he's crying for "smarks". Fucking nerd.

[@darthbigred22]

At least with the other big channels they are too young or not American so when some Brit or Irishmen tries to tell you about how the US was in 1992 and you lived it, you just roll your eyes and skip that part of their video because they honestly have no idea. The amount of times OSW review thinks we all hated Hogan and just wanted HBK and Hart is completely drunk Irish nonsense. So many of these guys including Conrad are repeating the talking points of WWE documentaries from the early 2010s, Cornette, Shoot interviews, and the smark inner circle of IWC stuff like Meltzer and so on. I don't know how Conrad can be the right age and not have his own true opinions about the time other than complete lock step agreement with Meltzer. Especially since Meltzer was so out of touch he hated the Attitude era.

[@joshuabowen6919]

It's because he is the ultimate Meltzer fanboy/smart mark.

[@johnselwitz5362]

1:00:35 one of my favorite stories ever from this podcast

[@chrisgibbs1053]

“It’s been slaughtered more times than Auburn In a bowl game”. 😂🤣😂🤣😅🤣😂🤣😂🤣

[@KamalaToe]

Chris gibbs ROLL TIDE! 🤣🤣🤣

[@HereIsWisdom1318]

HUH?

[@rashadcampbell8233]

Great plug btw Conrad😂😂😂got me to subscribe “Gah damn,pal!”😂😂😂

[@randyheaven1962]

I have my own $$$ title! It's one of my favorite titles, one of my prides! It's official WWF!

[@PickledEggs4]

I just farted.

[@leonleon3267]

these are very interesting, thanks for doing these bruce

[@HereIsWisdom1318]

1:40:35-This is what i was lead to believe as kid. I remember reading it in a “dirt sheet”-wrestling mag.

[@nickshane9314]

54:30 the current product needs more long term storylines that are allowed some natural progression

[@nickshane9314]

I messed up the time stamp go back another 2 minutes

[@markmenning1804]

I was there at the tournament for the intercontinental title in brazil

[@rackballjones6585]

Prove it

[@scoonman]

Mark Menning 😂😂

[@7trainQbnyc]

I enjoy Bruce better than the rest (wwf fan since the 80s…my cuz was a fan of wcw since the 80’s…. We lived thru most of brother loves time in the WWF👍🏾💯 I enjoy the show during work and downtime before bed(we’re inner city kids who had cable lol growing up in New York City)

[@MrWhitewolf7]

Barry Windham went to West Texas State too.

[@mrwednesdaynight]

Ted and Pat Patterson had some good matches for the North American Title in WWF. They gloss over it but if you look up the matches, they are quite good for the time.

[@adamsmoseley]

The smoking story is absolute gold

[@chrisburns8562]

Dibiase has maybe the next entrance song all time

[@blazerocker1734]

Heat between Bruce and Conrad. Now that's good. : )

[@blazerocker1734]

I love Bruce's Dusty impression. : D

[@josephjohnroe3678]

This guy should have had a program with Hogan where he won the belt.

[@DaHandDatFeeds]

EVERYBODYS got a price!

[@TheCastellan]

Is there any video, or pictures, of DiBiase without his trademark beard? I am trying to figure out how he'd look, because I never seen him without it.

[@AcidRayne100]

TheCastellan Yes, there is. He debuted in the WWF as a clean shaven babyface and held the short-lived North American Championship until it was merged into the Intercontinental Title in a fake tournament.

[@johnjandoh6732]

it was real

[@hattorihanzo2275]

Google images can be your friend.

[@danielrobinson9270]

This is the reatest channel. I love these stories. Please keep em coming.

[@Dizzy1980]

2:36:50 Actually, it was 2/7/92 that Money Inc won the WWF tag team titles.

[@bluejackgirlyx]

that studd win was GREAT

[@stevepmg9202]

Not sure why Bruce has a hard time understanding why they were building Studd to go on the road with Andre, since he always seems to have the results to hand.

[@richrocks1516]

50:21 Terry Funk lol

[@morganjacob1195]

I love the million dollar man. He was my first heel. F the Tide. But I love listening to Connie and Bruce.

[@jimbackus3172]

“Hey, pal...”

[@TheTEAMBUTLER]

I thought in the back of the main dollar sign on the belt there is a real diamond worth 10k?

[@danielhamby9448]

I’m pretty sure I remember him saying that on another podcast

[@MarkoAnzio]

I think that Rick Rude would have made an excellent Million Dollar Man.

[@moonswan7587]

Although that was a great stroy about vince and the smoker on the plane, it was out done by that slick Auburn bowl game burn lol

[@kreamkorn420]

that plane story was sweet

[@jerryleelewis4719]

Wow isn't this a coincidence. I'm Jerry Lee Lewis and my cousin is Mickey Gilley. Gilley's is my cousin's bar. Great Balls Of Fire is a far better song than The Woman All Get Prettier At Closing Time. So I win! Think about it Mickey

[@AnthonyGreen1993]

1:01:56 best Vince story ever

[@Super122291]

Chat me up

[@tnadrg1982]

He's a heel! Goddamn

[@gregjohnson2824]

Can’t find a pic of the FTD florist online.

[@richardh5485]

This wasnt the first Millionare gimmick. Watch some of Andy Kaufman's stuff. He put a Bounty on Lawler, and would buy assasins to take to take him out, he also even had vinettes at his"Hollywood Mansion". Shows you what a natural Kaufman was.

[@blkcowboy9070]

I actually thought he was rich 🤑 like the character he played when I was a kid 🤣🤣

[@HereIsWisdom1318]

MeToo

[@blkcowboy9070]

@@HereIsWisdom1318 🤣🤣

[@stevea6192]

How did Vince coexist with Pat Patterson? Pat smokes like a chimney.

[@PickledEggs4]

Smoke em if you got em 🚬

[@sukmykrok3388]

...uh, we kinda lost the million dollar belt... ...well WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU WANT ME TO DO ABOUT IT??? Haha, pure gold!

[@Gadtattack]

Best f'n show in the world

[@yltcraxe]

According to Ted DiBiase himself The skit with the basketball was rehearsed the family likely knew how it was going to go but the boy did cry or get a little scared because Ted got a little more forcefully into the character with his voice inflections and it legitimately startled him. But I don't think the reaction was because they were surprised the basketball was kicked away. At least according to Ted that was rehearsed.

[@yltcraxe]

TD: Number one, it was all planned and rehearsed. When we did it live he was a little boy, my voice was very deep and carried and when I told him, “You don’t get the job!” He got scared and he ran to his mother but you can be assured they got the money. They got the money and they knew they were going to get the money from the get go. It was all just a part of the show.

[@yltcraxe]

I'm interested but I don't know if I have 3 hours to listen to this... I'm trying to harmonize the accounts that clearly say Bobby Heenan came up with the idea- with the intention of ribbing Dusty- and Vince loving it for that reason. but I just read in an article that this podcast suggested it's just basic brainstorming with no specific intent (or Heenan?). The renaming the character Vincent/Shane later clearly shows *someone* read into, or else ran with the idea

[@yltcraxe]

Okay now that I actually did find the part where they're talking about this I actually think he's being very tongue-in-cheek or just find something amusing about denying what is likely what everybody knows to be true ... for whatever reason

[@paulgreco8407]

Kinda disappointed that they didn't touch on Ted's finisher.

[@misternewman1576]

Cobra clutch, aka "million dollar dream".

[@nanobluelectrobuzz9227]

Ted stole his finishers from Sargent Slaughter which he used in the AWA.

[@darthbigred22]

Wasn't that when Sarge left to do GI Joe?

[@delbertprince5302]

10 years ago I saw Virgil signing autographs and he was charging people including kids 25.00,i felt like it was disrespectful for Virgil to charge 20.00 for an autograph.

[@SeanRankin2]

Ted actually "won" the 1982 PWI Most Hated Award (kayfabe of course)

[@hmsdefiant]

Best wrestler imo, perhaps after Terry

[@mrrvc6950]

Pat the pizza maker

[@kingdjack6]

So the thing where Vince hated smoking is legit.

[@marknorth8904]

He doesn't like people to touch or sneeze on him, either...

[@jonfranks6902]

Even though I’m an avid Hulkamaniac and loved the faces back in the day I bet it would’ve been a big draw if Dibiase would’ve had a title reign. Ppl would’ve packed arenas just to see him lose.

[@mheiseus]

1:20 Ted liked to dip it in other men’s wells back in the day

[@MrRwk314]

This my man servant Big LeRoy!

[@HereIsWisdom1318]

48:00-Bruce is gonna say “that’s all coincidence.” I say BULL-FCKN-SHT!

[@whidoineedthis]

How does a belt cost more than a car?

[@frednichols9851]

The belt is in the WWE wearhouse.

[@rackballjones6585]

Prove it

[@southernohio3541]

BEST SKIT EVER I REMEMBER IT LIVE,THAT AT 12YRS OLD..I ABOUT SHIT AND LAUGHED OUT LOUD #MILLIONDOLLARMANRULES

[@whitecloak11]

I'm 41 and my dad wanted my brother love shirt, the most famous athlete besides ali lol

[@The_Sage_of_Six_Paths]

This episode was definitely one of my top five favorites of this podcast. Great storytelling and impressions from Bruce, but it just is really refreshing that Conrad isn't being so argumentative and constantly going to The observer just to piss Bruce off.

[@anthonychobotdoespopcultur7762]

I meet him super nice guy

[@vernrussell99]

The plane story? im sure Vince has a private plane, doesnt he? Or is that just storyline

[@daleharris3809]

Vince bought a corporate plane sometime in the late 90s, prior to that he flew commercial like everyone else

[@MattBrzozowski]

1:16:24 f’n hilarious 😂!!!

[@HereIsWisdom1318]

Man! I remember when this happened thinking, “theres no way he cant dribble the ball 10 times! Theres no way Million $ Man is gonna get out of paying this kid.” When Ted Dibiase kicked the ball after, i wanted to go through the tv and get Ted Dibiase! 🤣😂😂

[@JonathanHassingerChannel]

“CZs” ya know.

[@bradvestby]

Ted Dibiase never won a one on one singles match by pinfall on pay per view.

[@dalehulen369]

Everybody has a price

[@NYGiants5680]

Jake the Snake promo was THE SHIZNIT!

[@KamalaToe]

NYGiants5680 greatest promo in history... challenge me on that!!

[@thejmc4074]

The main issue I have with Conrad's line of questioning about Ted is that he is way too tedcentric. He makes it seem like he HAD to be in the main event on every major card. He does this with everyone. He always focuses on one and forgets that there is a whole roster.

[@darthbigred22]

I get the Zoomers and Young Millennials repeating Meltzer nonsense but who actually live through that time as a kid and wanted Bret Hart over Hogan? Or let the Million Dollar Man stay in with Hogan forever? Hell by that logic Andre should have stayed a heel forever.