10 Comments
Aug 11, 2022Liked by Mithen

You are a genius artist and storyteller yourself. This was so enjoyable and somehow educational, bravo.

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Thank you so much! My day job is as a teacher and I can’t quite get away from that tone in writing, haha! I’m glad it worked for you…

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You know, I hate Jackass and similar prank-style mayhem shows. Just not my bag. So when I also quickly realized Sami was heading down this road, I too groaned.

I should have known better, really

There are very few wrestlers who could have pulled off this live action Tom and Jerry cartoon with any greater skill, and more importantly full-throated gusto, than our pal Sami. He understands the logic of Sideshow Bob stepping on a rake 20 straight times. The first time, it's funny. Then it's repetitive. Then eventually, it comes back round to funny, and then finally to sublime.

It's a lot of responsibility, guiding a group of non-wrestlers, putting in the Andre/Hogan gag that not everyone will get, and doing it all in a way that was somehow absolutely flawless. In a match filled with potential mishaps (like any prop-based-comedy will have), they pulled off every bit.

And it got me to thinking: with Sami and Kevin, how often do those guys actually ever botch? Like, really and truly? It's a testament to their intense preparation, of course, but it's also almost like a kind of physical intelligence, a kinetic awareness of their surroundings that gives them a slight edge.

Anyway, thanks as always, JJ. Hope you're enjoying the G1!

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Oh God, your description of that connection to Sideshow Bob and the rake is absolutely spot-on! It’s that commitment to seeing the bit through that makes him so sublime.

Literally one of the only things I can think of that could be considered a “botch” with them was in their Battleground match where Sami goes for I think an Arabian Press and slips and Kevin has to jump forward and get between Sami’s head and the ring apron. And it’s a testament to how rare any kind of botch is that I’ve seen a lot of people argue that was also intentional! With these two you really never know…

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I haven´t seen the match with Sami and Johny Knoxville. I had almost gave up with wrestling for a while: nothing *good" has happened with Sami and Kevin in a while, or i was tired of hoping, anyway. Sami was stripped of the belt. Wwe wasn´t really fun for me anymore. Work had been awful during pandemic, i was exhausted too. And i had my litle one which was the most wonderful thing ever, but of course, she stole almost all my time. So i was just glancing wwe. When i knew about the match, i totally got angry, and felt somehow vindicated i was right about giving up. I read some of the reviews after WM: most of them good, a couple not as good. But i couldnt. I started seeing wwe regularly summer 2022 again. And i guess i pretended that hasn´t happened. But let me tell you: i´ll see later tonight. Im sure its a good one. Thank you.

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I hope you got to see it and that you liked it! At the fictional level of course it's just AWFUL for poor Sami. But he and the Jackass crew are having so much fun, and you can just tell how proud he is of crafting this match and getting all these non-wrestlers through it... it's one of those matches that I feel like Sami loves as a craftsman, and seeing how much the audience loved it, I had to love it too. I really hope work and life is kinder to you (and your little one!) now and you're in a better place, and I hope Sami and Kevin can keep making you happy!

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May 3, 2023Liked by Mithen

I saw it, and i liked it. It was fun (just btw you and me...just i dont think i´ll see it again :p) But i agree it was a fun, different match and the audience, everyone seemed to enjoy it. Thank you so much. Yes, life is good these days. And the litle one knows Sami and Kevin, so far she´s not really into wrestling but who knows ;) There´s time. Thank you, really.

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If the match was even half as fun to watch as this was to read, that'd be saying something!

Chekhov’s Mousetrap-Covered Table {snort}. Hey, wasn't there a Chekhov's port-a-potty at one point??? I can see how wrestling would be loaded with these. So funny!

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You remember Chekhov's Port-a-Potty! One of my favorite phrases... :)

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Aug 13, 2022·edited Aug 13, 2022

As a fan of both stage magic and pro-wrestling, this was an amazing write up. I see many of the similarities, but you’ve put words, gifs, and a fantastically told story worthy of it’s subject matter together here in an amazing way I have never been able to. Seriously, major kudos.

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