Dark Side of the Ring S6 Episode 6
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00:00Eddie Gilbert knew what he needed to do to attract attention to himself get that camera
00:13up here on me just a second he was a sneaky conniving dirty backstabber he really thought
00:19he was hot stuff egotistical arrogant conceited self-confident he loved what the crowd
00:26Eddie himself was the complete opposite of that what he loved was creating born into professional
00:36wrestling Eddie Gilbert's vision and ambition had a profound impact on the business he loved
00:42he would see the shift before the shift
00:46he would have gone on to be one of the most influential minds in wrestling but it didn't
01:03happen that way a rising star with undeniable charisma Eddie's demons threatened his career
01:09from the start I've worked too hard and too long Eddie could burn a bridge better than anybody
01:14he has a history of going to territories and just leaving a small thing could set him off
01:20I have been run out of any wrestling organization I've ever been in
01:24for Eddie coping with the chronic pain from a life-threatening injury came at a devastating cost
01:31night after night of putting your body through that abuse
01:36I don't think that pain ever loved him we just want to take this opportunity to pay tribute
01:43to a real warrior you know Eddie passed away 30 years ago and he's still missed but this is a story
01:51of what if what if this didn't happen what of this didn't happen what if
02:06I think what the wrestling business lost was a great worker and a mind that was about a generation
02:24ahead of what anybody else's at the time but I look at what my brother did in his angles
02:31and pushing the limits and the guys that he helped in his short life
02:37you and me brother he lived 32 years he done more in that 32 than most people would do in 70
02:44he made the best out of all of them and to me that's where you tell the character of a person
02:50I'm Danger Stud Gilbert and I've been in the wrestling business about 36 years
02:54my brother is hot stuff Eddie Gilbert
02:57tell him hot stuff
02:58I looked up to Eddie I mean he was an idol of mine also
03:03he was a fun guy I mean he was my best friend
03:08and Eddie looked out for me and I was lucky enough to have that
03:12that's when we was partners in Memphis and everything
03:15to me that's really cool that's history
03:17it's like a museum his life and obsession was wrestling
03:21he thought about it all the time let's kick some ass and draw some money
03:26that was a big one when he was a kid he would make cards out with his friends names on it
03:31and I think that's when my dad realized he was actually really serious serious about the business
03:36Eddie's father Tommy Gilbert was one of the most popular wrestlers in the Tennessee territory
03:41from the late 60s through the early 80s
03:43Eddie grew up watching that and that was what Eddie had his sights set on
03:48I'm Jim Cornette and I was friends with Eddie Gilbert even before he began his pro wrestling career
03:54we started in wrestling in the same way
03:57Eddie began taking ringside pictures of the matches in Memphis at the Mid-South Coliseum
04:01and at the same age I started doing it in Louisville
04:05and we ran into each other at the matches and just instantly developed a friendship
04:10Eddie I think was 16
04:12instead of saying oh I'm Tommy Gilbert's son
04:15he would walk in with a tripod
04:17so that was how he was getting access to the dressing room
04:22he was slowly slowly working his way in
04:25he loved
04:26loved the wrestling business
04:29my name is Dutch Mantell commonly called Dirty Dutch
04:32and I've been in this wrestling business for over 50 years
04:35and I used to work with Eddie Gilbert
04:38you better watch your big fat lip Gilbert
04:40he would watch Memphis live television on Saturday morning at 11 o'clock
04:45he would study how it was produced
04:47he would study when the commercials came on
04:50when Eddie turned 18
04:53that's when he started his major league wrestling career
04:56as partners with his father Tommy
04:58from Lexington, Tennessee
05:00the Gilbert's Tommy and Eddie
05:02Tommy and Eddie Gilbert
05:03father and son champions
05:05my brother was thrilled any time to do anything like this with my dad
05:09my dad was both of our heroes
05:12and he wanted my dad to be proud of him
05:14what teamwork by the Gilbert's?
05:16I mean the real idol of my life was my dad
05:19so I got to have a lot of good matches with him
05:21what I still have on tape
05:22I really enjoy watching back forth
05:23and remember how it looks 10 years ago
05:26maybe 12 now
05:27when he was training Eddie
05:29it was for you to really be to say that you're great
05:32you've got to be able to work with any style
05:35now the bloody Tommy Gilbert in the ring right now
05:38Tommy Gilbert had been trained by the old timers
05:40the way that they laid the blows in
05:43you could hear the smack of the meat and the flesh
05:47from the chief seats in the arena
05:49Tennessee wrestling is about brawling
05:52fighting, blood and guts
05:54personal issues
05:55hatred
05:56rivalries
05:58animosity
05:59hey you guys save that for the ring
06:01and Eddie Gilbert fit right into that
06:04here comes Eddie
06:05look at that
06:06I just never got that chance
06:08even up to 81
06:09that I could show that I had any kind of character at all
06:11until Ricky Moore and I had this chance to go to Tupelo
06:13and they went into the concession stand
06:16of the Tupelo Sports Arena
06:17and had a knockdown drag out brawl
06:22involving furniture and concessions
06:24and hot dogs and mustard
06:26Gucci nails with mustard and blood all over
06:30it was a very believable fight
06:31because I think even the people involved in it believed it
06:34they were knocking the shit out of each other
06:37Anita's head busted wide open
06:39we was just hitting each other in the head
06:42with pots and pans and chairs
06:45Rick Morton hammered with a garbage can top
06:48I mean that shit hurts buddy
06:50I'm Ricky Morton
06:52one half of the Rock and Roll Express
06:54one of the greatest babyface tag teams ever
06:58and I was best friends with Eddie Gilbert
07:01you see it was a hardcore match really
07:05but at that time we didn't understand that
07:08as a matter of fact
07:09that night is where Atsushi Onita
07:12got the idea for hardcore wrestling
07:15that he took back to Japan
07:17and in the 90s made a fortune with
07:20it came from that night in Tupelo Mississippi
07:23what a ball
07:24yeah keep shooting it
07:26we're not going to be able to show a lot of it
07:28but just keep shooting it
07:29he was always on fire
07:33thank you very much
07:34I'd like to say hello to all my friends and family
07:35and everyone out there
07:36let's face it
07:38he was a good looking kid
07:39my name is Darla Staggs
07:42and I met Eddie Gilbert
07:43when he was 17 years old
07:45we were just good good friends
07:47he went on to work for WWE
07:51it was a dream for him
07:54and it was his road to stardom
07:57Memphis was great
07:59but WWF
08:00you know it's
08:02it's Madison Square Garden
08:04I mean what are you going to say
08:06no
08:06making his Madison Square Garden debut
08:10Eddie Gilbert
08:12my brother brought me with him to New York
08:15I guess I was 12 or 11
08:17Doug and Eddie were close
08:19very close
08:20Eddie was 18 years old
08:22and he's hanging out with his 11 year old brother
08:24that says something to me
08:27being two small town country boys
08:30seeing him in Madison Square Garden
08:32I was really proud of that
08:33Eddie wasn't a big guy
08:36and that actually helped him
08:38he had great timing
08:40you see that was Eddie getting his foot through the door
08:45right back on his feet
08:45you see that
08:46do you believe it
08:47fans are loving that
08:49en route to a meeting with WWF's patriarch
08:53a tragic series of events is triggered
08:56went to my room
08:58got a shower drip
08:59it was already like 12 o'clock
09:02so I was tired
09:03and I started driving
09:04and all of a sudden
09:06the room got out of the back of the truck
09:07we got a phone call at my house
09:14it was like 1 to 2 in the morning
09:16and they said
09:18Mr. Gilbert's your son Eddie
09:20and she said yes
09:21and they said he's been in an accident
09:22they didn't even know
09:24that they could keep him alive
09:26he's in critical condition
09:28and it broke his neck
09:29the steering wheel I think hit him
09:31right here in the solar plexus
09:33like right over his heart
09:34they said he will never wrestle again
09:37his heart was like jello
09:38it would never heal
09:40he wasn't even 22 years old yet
09:43and suddenly his career may be over
09:46that was not acceptable
09:48it wasn't an option for Eddie
09:50no matter how catastrophic the injury was
09:53he was going to get back in the ring
09:55when something like that happens to you
09:57it takes a long long time to get over that
10:00it takes years
10:01put yourself in that situation
10:04you still want that opportunity
10:06so that's why you keep going
10:09ladies and gentlemen
10:11let's welcome back
10:13the very popular
10:14Eddie Gilbert
10:16three months later
10:19he will start back wrestling again
10:21such is the tenacity
10:23of this young man
10:23Eddie Gilbert
10:24who has made it all the way back
10:25I can speak for myself
10:27you know
10:28it was a hard long road
10:29in our business
10:30you wonder
10:32if blows like that
10:33if it would affect the neck
10:34apparently not
10:35when you have a car wreck
10:36and break your neck
10:36they don't send you home
10:38with Tylenol Plus
10:40you understand me
10:42I'm sure
10:43he would be back in the ring
10:45if he was not ready
10:46it takes a tremendous amount of courage
10:53for a man
10:54that had a broken neck
10:56to come back into wrestling
10:58Eddie came back to wrestling
11:00probably too quick
11:01but he wanted to get back
11:02before he lost his spot
11:04they did an angle
11:06based on the fact
11:07that the fans knew
11:08that he'd had a serious neck injury
11:10and they used the masked superstar
11:12to allegedly
11:14re-injure the broken neck
11:17oh no
11:18oh
11:18oh
11:19now there's no need
11:20for anything like that
11:21oh
11:22see those scars there
11:23on the
11:23yeah
11:24on the throat
11:24that was from the automobile accident
11:26and unfortunately
11:27that is where
11:29Eddie met
11:29Dr. George Zahorian
11:31I'm presently evaluating
11:33Eddie Gilbert
11:33following a traumatic accident
11:36to the vertebrae of his neck
11:38Dr. George Zahorian
11:39was a doctor
11:40in Pennsylvania
11:41was also appointed
11:43by the Athletic Commission
11:44to be the doctor
11:45to give physicals
11:46and etc
11:46to all the wrestlers
11:47anything that the wrestlers wanted
11:49drugs
11:50substances
11:51whatever that he could prescribe
11:53there was your guy
11:55now you've got
11:57Eddie Gilbert
11:58who's had a severe neck injury
12:00what do you think
12:02is going to happen?
12:02he was in a lot of pain
12:04from the wreck
12:06but if the doctor's prescribed
12:07or something
12:08he would definitely take it
12:09when you was doing it
12:11to be able to work
12:12I guess that was
12:14our justification
12:15Eddie
12:15as Eddie steps back
12:18into the ring
12:18the WWF charts
12:20a new direction
12:21jeopardizing his climb
12:23to the top
12:23WWF at the time
12:25was like superheroes
12:26that was the Hulk Hogan
12:28starting there
12:29everybody that was up there
12:30got bigger
12:31oh look at that
12:32I didn't want to go
12:33that bodybuilder path
12:35and Eddie didn't want to either
12:36now
12:37we might have did a little
12:39something
12:39to tone you up
12:41but you get caught up
12:43in that circus act
12:45I think Eddie thought
12:47that some of the stuff
12:48they do in WWE
12:49was too much
12:50show business
12:51and not enough realism
12:52I knew that meant
12:54that I was probably
12:54going to be
12:55probably buried
12:57and I thought
12:59the best career move
13:00was to leave
13:01and go back home
13:02to Memphis
13:02to be a heel
13:03because I knew
13:05that when I started
13:05a business
13:06that's all I wanted to be
13:07and I thought
13:07that was my calling
13:08returning to the
13:10southern territories
13:11Eddie reinvents himself
13:13as a villain
13:13and creates his
13:15most iconic persona
13:16Eddie knew
13:22that in the 80's
13:23the people expected
13:25more excitement
13:26more action
13:26more life
13:27more talking
13:28I am
13:29the greatest wrestler
13:30the prettiest face
13:32and the greatest set of brains
13:33professional wrestling
13:33he had the flashy sequined jacket
13:35frosted the hair blonde
13:38and he was wearing sunglasses
13:39now he's this guy
13:41that looked like
13:41he just stepped off
13:42this new thing
13:43called MTV
13:44a cocky heel
13:47that really thought
13:49he was hot stuff
13:50and was better
13:51than everybody else
13:52listen to me boy
13:53when I'm talking to you
13:54he came up
13:55with a patter
13:56and a style
13:57that was all of his own
13:58heaven won't take me
14:00and hell's afraid
14:01I'll take over
14:02my grandmother
14:03said to me
14:03he's so mean and dirty
14:05I just hate him
14:06if you hate him
14:08that means he's doing
14:09his job well
14:10but you know what
14:12he's still the same
14:13sweet guy
14:14that he's always been
14:15no he's not either
14:16it was an amalgamation
14:19of all of the heels
14:21that Eddie had watched
14:22over the years
14:22and it worked
14:24one of his idols
14:25was Jerry the King Lawler
14:26who's the greatest wrestler
14:28in the world
14:28and why am I
14:29he was the undisputed
14:30king of Memphis wrestling
14:31I am in rare form
14:35and I guess you saw it
14:36right there didn't you
14:37the first chance he got
14:38he went to wrestle
14:39Jerry Lawler
14:40Lawler I want to tell you
14:41some brothers
14:42you're not hungry anymore
14:43I am
14:44he ultimately wanted
14:45to follow in Jerry Lawler's
14:46footsteps as the king
14:47of Memphis wrestling
14:48Jerry Lawler
14:51look what you've done to me
14:53when opportunity comes
14:55you gotta chase your dream
14:57stop Eddie Gilbert
14:58you're gonna be real hot brother
15:00Eddie had that
15:03in his mind
15:03he knew that
15:04that's why he was
15:05successful down south
15:07already a star in Memphis
15:09Eddie gets his first shot
15:11fulfilling his dream
15:12of becoming a company's booker
15:13in Louisiana
15:14working for Bill Watts
15:16Mid-South Wrestling
15:17the booker is basically
15:19the matchmaker
15:20even from the time
15:21he was a teenager
15:22Eddie already had that
15:23in his sights
15:23I knew he was 17
15:24and no one was gonna listen to me
15:27so I had to wait
15:27until I was 25
15:28which I was still
15:29one of the youngest
15:30ever to get a chance
15:31that's Eddie Gilbert
15:32doing out there
15:33they're getting ready
15:34to find out I think
15:35wrestling is more
15:36than just doing the moves
15:37wrestling is telling a story
15:39I really think
15:40I need to set the record
15:41straight because
15:41I am not a communist
15:42ladies and gentlemen
15:43and Eddie
15:44Eddie was very good
15:45at that
15:46you can do whatever
15:46you want to with this flag
15:47I'd like to give it to you
15:49and let's burn it
15:51everybody loved Bill Watts
15:53he's in the big cowboy
15:54babyface down there
15:55and everybody thought
15:57Eddie was gonna do
15:58something trickier
15:58low down
15:59hold on
16:00that's the Cole-offs
16:02the Cole-offs
16:03the Cole-offs
16:04and they've got
16:04washed down
16:05they've got that chain
16:06when a great heel
16:08has a great babyface
16:09they can tell a story
16:11that's unbelievable
16:12they put the flag
16:13over the cowboy
16:14look at that
16:14the fans are getting
16:16out of their seats
16:17but this place is mayhem
16:18really gotta work
16:19to get that feeling
16:20when you walk out
16:21that the people hate you
16:22what does the people
16:23want to pay to see
16:24they want to pay
16:25because they don't like you
16:27and they want to see
16:28the good guy
16:29eat the crap out of you
16:31if you had heat like that
16:35you was usually
16:36drawing good money
16:37listen to this crowd
16:38they love it
16:39Eddie had some
16:40great guys there
16:42that went on to be
16:43superstars
16:44like Steve
16:45Rick Steiner was there
16:47Ultimate Warrior
16:48Dr. Death Steve Williams
16:49all these guys
16:51were there
16:52under the guidance
16:52of Eddie Gilbert
16:53in his mind
16:54he was saying
16:55where can I take
16:56this guy
16:56who can I book
16:58this guy with
16:59because his mind
17:00never stopped
17:01and this is all
17:02of everyone
17:03I'm thinking
17:03things are finally
17:04falling in place here
17:05we were successful
17:06the gates were good
17:07and the TV
17:08was turned around
17:09but
17:10then the buyout
17:11came right after
17:12Bill Watts
17:14sold the company
17:15to Jim Crockett
17:16promotions
17:17and about a year
17:19and a half later
17:19Crockett promotions
17:20had sold to
17:21Turner Broadcasting
17:23they're kind of
17:24personal
17:24I love the UWF
17:25I hated seeing
17:26the people
17:26who had jobs
17:27they did
17:27and I never
17:29forgot it
17:30when we got
17:30to WCW
17:31Eddie's booking
17:33success lands him
17:34on WCW's
17:35creative team
17:36trading sole control
17:38for a seat
17:38on a committee
17:39weighing in
17:40220 pounds
17:41Eddie
17:42Hot Stuff
17:43Gilbert
17:44one of the worst
17:45things to be
17:46is be on
17:47a frigging
17:48booking committee
17:49because you have
17:50no control
17:51and that's when
17:52Ric Flair got involved
17:54Flair was the top star
17:56for world championship
17:58wrestling
17:59and he demanded
18:00to be made
18:02the booker
18:03Flair made the power
18:04play to get the
18:04booking job
18:05got it
18:05and it was real
18:06appreciate their attention
18:07I felt like it was
18:09being real
18:09really kind of a little bit
18:10Ric Flair didn't know
18:12that much about
18:12Tennessee wrestling
18:13Ric Flair didn't know
18:14that much about
18:15Eddie Gilbert
18:15he wanted people
18:17to carry out
18:18what he was asking
18:18them to do
18:19they go to Memphis
18:20one night
18:21Eddie Gilbert is
18:22booked to wrestle
18:23against Ron Simmons
18:24so Flair sends
18:26the finish
18:27Ron Simmons
18:27beat Eddie Gilbert
18:28there must be
18:30some mistake
18:30this is Memphis
18:31can't beat me
18:33in a preliminary
18:33match in Memphis
18:34so Eddie
18:35changed the finish
18:36within a week
18:41I got a phone call
18:42from Ric Flair
18:43so he changed
18:44the finish
18:44who the f***
18:46is this guy
18:47I'm going to have
18:48to move him out
18:49and that's when
18:51he told me
18:52I'm fixing to have
18:53an opening
18:53on the creative team
18:54would you like
18:56to fill it
18:56I had had aspirations
18:59of one day
18:59being a booker
19:00but here was an
19:01opportunity
19:02right in front of me
19:03to start doing
19:04what I'd always
19:05wanted to do
19:05but it was
19:07at the expense
19:07of Eddie
19:08losing the chance
19:09to do
19:09what he wanted
19:09to do
19:10after overriding
19:17Ric Flair's
19:18planned finish
19:19to a match
19:19Eddie is dismissed
19:21from the creative
19:21committee
19:22his spot
19:23taken by
19:24a childhood friend
19:25ladies and gentlemen
19:26Jim Cornette
19:27we'll have a lot
19:28to say
19:28we never had
19:29a face-to-face
19:30disagreement
19:31however
19:32Eddie told
19:34the story
19:34that well
19:35I showed up
19:37at the booking
19:37meeting
19:38and there was
19:38Jim Cornette
19:39sitting in my chair
19:40actually no
19:42Eddie never came
19:44in to see me there
19:45because he already
19:45knew he was done
19:46regardless of whether
19:47I got the job
19:48or not
19:48but I've heard
19:50it said by people
19:51close to him
19:52that that demotion
19:53pretty much
19:54broke his heart
19:55I just wanted
19:56to get out
19:56that Jim were
19:57letting me out
19:57on my contract
19:58and I came back
19:58in November
19:58it was 1990
19:59that's when I got
20:01my first full-time
20:02booking job
20:03in Memphis
20:03hot stop
20:05Eddie Gilbert
20:05surprise surprise
20:07surprise
20:07what a surprise
20:08yes indeed
20:09returning to his
20:11home territory
20:12in Memphis
20:12Eddie solidifies
20:14his legacy
20:14as an innovator
20:15pushing the boundaries
20:17between reality
20:18and fiction
20:18even further
20:19he knew
20:20the fans
20:21were getting smarter
20:22and he was trying
20:24to do
20:24cutting edge stuff
20:26but hey
20:27and the Lawler
20:29was shooting
20:29at an angle
20:30Jerry Jarrett said
20:31well what have
20:32y'all not done
20:32to him
20:33Eddie said
20:34well I hadn't
20:35run over him
20:36wait a minute
20:37Eddie you gonna
20:37do what
20:38now you may think
20:39I'm crazy
20:40if I came at you
20:41with a car
20:42you think you could
20:42jump and tie
20:43me all the way
20:43it looks good
20:45it looks good
20:45Lawler says
20:46man I love it
20:48dang he actually
20:49wants to do this
20:50the only problem
20:51was we was going
20:53way too fast
20:54hey look out
20:55whoa
20:56oh holy shit
20:58excuse my language
20:59and what I said
21:00to Doug is
21:01do you think
21:02he's okay
21:02thank goodness
21:03no I don't
21:04think he's okay
21:05calling for some
21:06help from
21:07well there's
21:07Jerry Calhoun
21:08the fans at home
21:10called the police
21:10department
21:11and said they had
21:12a hit and run
21:13they was gonna
21:14arrest us
21:15so Lawler had
21:16to come out
21:17and actually
21:18tell the police
21:19it's not their fault
21:20and I even said
21:21even if I had to
21:22go to jail
21:22for a week
21:23you didn't get
21:23a wrestling
21:24all over
21:24yeah
21:25just about doing
21:25anything
21:26to do this
21:26people hated
21:28us for that
21:28and I mean
21:29we wanted them
21:30not to like us
21:31but that goes
21:32into where you're
21:33getting to the
21:34point where
21:34it's almost
21:35went too far
21:35one night
21:36me and Eddie
21:37we went to
21:37get in the car
21:38and I heard Eddie
21:39say hurry up
21:40a guy's coming
21:40with a knife
21:41what
21:42he had a butcher
21:43knife
21:43and he's running
21:44and so I start
21:45trying to get
21:46the key in the car
21:46and I heard Eddie
21:48say hurry up
21:48hurry up
21:49and he got right
21:50almost to Eddie
21:51there was cops
21:53at the fence
21:54and a police
21:54officer saw that
21:55he got them
21:56before they got
21:57to us
21:57here's the thing
22:01a lot of people
22:02don't understand this
22:03look at your TV
22:04today
22:04and then go back
22:06and see what we did
22:06he was ahead of his
22:08time for so many
22:09years
22:10and it was stuff
22:12that he thought
22:12about all the time
22:13rotten despicable
22:15devious mind
22:15he's a perfectionist
22:16at work
22:17and he was a
22:18perfectionist at
22:19booking
22:19and a lot of
22:20people will say
22:21well that's why
22:22you wind up
22:22with burnout
22:23I don't think
22:26he was the booker
22:27at one spot
22:28more than six months
22:30at anywhere
22:30most time
22:31that I was
22:32successful
22:32I didn't really
22:33know what
22:33we saw Memphis
22:34jump back up
22:35again
22:36so went to
22:36Alabama
22:37changed everything
22:38but there's always
22:39those few
22:40that think
22:41they can do
22:41the job
22:42a little bit
22:42better
22:42the power stroke
22:43goes on
22:44from day one
22:45and the booker
22:45takes over
22:46and then after a while
22:47he's frustrating
22:47and it's not worth it
22:49yeah
22:50as Eddie
22:55bounces from
22:56promotion to
22:56promotion
22:57he enters a
22:58romantic relationship
22:59with WCW star
23:01Missy Hyatt
23:02meow
23:03Missy Hyatt
23:06was one of the
23:07first women
23:08in wrestling
23:08that was both
23:09attractive
23:10and used
23:11as the valet
23:12slash manager
23:13slash confidant
23:15of many of the
23:15top heels
23:16and then of course
23:17we got adorable
23:19Eddie Gilbert
23:20and then Eddie
23:21and Missy
23:21became a couple
23:22in real life
23:23after he got off
23:24the booking committee
23:25in WCW
23:26I bought him a boat
23:27hoping that
23:28you know
23:29maybe go fishing
23:30and relax
23:31he took it out
23:32maybe twice
23:33he didn't have a hobby
23:34his hobby
23:35and his work
23:36and everything
23:36was wrestling
23:37I remember my dad
23:38looking at him
23:38good luck
23:41how long did he last
23:42the whole marriage
23:43and everything
23:44maybe a year and a half
23:45or something like that
23:46I hate you
23:47and I hate everybody
23:48he liked beautiful ladies
23:51from Milan, Italy
23:53the AWA Ladies
23:55World Champion
23:57I got the opportunity
24:00to be in the ring
24:02with Eddie
24:02and that's when
24:03everything started
24:04between him and I
24:05Hi I'm Medusa
24:07M-A-D-U-S-A
24:08Made in the USA baby
24:10and I've been in this business
24:11hmm over 40 years
24:13and I was married
24:15to Eddie Gilbert
24:16it was Eddie
24:17and myself
24:18against Mick Foley
24:20and Luna Vachon
24:21right then and there
24:24I'm like
24:25God
24:26there's something about
24:27this guy
24:27and his cockiness
24:28we just hit it off
24:30one thing led to another
24:32and he's like
24:33do you want to get married
24:35and I'm like
24:35what?
24:36what?
24:38yeah
24:38let's just do it
24:39and we did
24:40his family was so loving
24:43and so open
24:45to me
24:46what do you got there?
24:47oh do you know how to do that?
24:49not at all
24:49and I felt welcomed
24:51his dad
24:53there's more action
24:56going on over there
24:57you know you're the only one
24:58that's opening them
24:58and his mom
24:59this is world
25:00and little Dougie
25:02at the time
25:03look what you got over
25:04yesterday
25:04my name or
25:06it's you got me
25:06oh he loved his family
25:08it was healthy
25:14that's how I felt
25:16I owe you a wiener
25:18my marriage overall
25:19was wonderful
25:20from the beginning
25:21and towards the end
25:23I knew it wasn't
25:24the Eddie
25:25that I
25:26grew to love
25:28and was in love with
25:29if it was
25:30because of the pain
25:31of the business
25:32physically
25:32and his choices
25:34to get rid of the pain
25:36then you know
25:37that's what he did
25:38and it just changed him
25:39I just got done
25:42making dinner
25:43we sat down to eat
25:44and he fell asleep
25:45at the dinner table
25:46and his food
25:47I did see him
25:50fall asleep
25:51at the table
25:51one time
25:52I mean
25:53I tried to talk
25:54to him about it
25:55he kind of shut it down
25:57like
25:57it's none of your business
25:59and it wasn't my business
26:01I didn't really see
26:03too much wrong with it
26:04which I look at it today
26:05and I can see
26:06that maybe
26:07it was
26:08a little bit wrong
26:09but now
26:09see so much other stuff
26:11so much worse
26:12than anything
26:14that was going on
26:15with Eddie
26:16so I guess
26:16I just took that
26:17as everything
26:19was kind of
26:19normal
26:20it wasn't
26:22just being a rock star
26:24that caused him
26:25to do this
26:26it was
26:26trying to overcome
26:27serious injuries
26:28to get back
26:30in the ring
26:30the pills
26:31taken over Eddie
26:33that wasn't
26:34who Eddie was though
26:35he wanted
26:38to get better
26:39it just
26:42didn't happen
26:43Cactus Jack
26:49and Eddie Gilbert
26:50they probably know
26:51what physical punishment
26:52they're both
26:53going to endure
26:54Eddie and I
26:55had the best feud
26:56of the independent scene
26:58oh
26:59almost ripped his head
27:00off of him
27:01the bulls and actions
27:02of Cactus
27:02were to sell and ever
27:03to make this legal
27:04we have to
27:05hurt each other
27:06we knew that
27:07we couldn't go out there
27:08and do any less
27:09it would take too much
27:10pride in what we do
27:11what he loved
27:13was bringing excitement
27:15to the television screen
27:16we just lay our bodies
27:18on the line for each other
27:19Cactus
27:20the barbed wire
27:21around his face
27:21gotta stop this match
27:22right now
27:23stop it now
27:24our business
27:25brings with it
27:26constant
27:28pain
27:29I did not know
27:31that he was having
27:32trouble with pills
27:33Eddie was part
27:35of an era
27:36where not as much
27:37was known about
27:38pain medication
27:39it wasn't really
27:41frowned upon
27:41at that time
27:42but it's easy
27:43to abuse
27:43he would say
27:48he was in pain
27:49but I never knew
27:50the severity
27:51he kept everything
27:54so inside
27:55the hardest thing
27:59he did was sign
28:00those divorce papers
28:01he told me straight out
28:02I need to fix this
28:04I need to
28:05get myself better
28:07and it was
28:09Eddie's choice
28:11I guess what I told myself
28:14at that time
28:14the only thing I could
28:15say is that
28:16I found my way
28:17to say okay
28:19and let go
28:20she's a really good person
28:23I think she deserves
28:25getting out of business
28:26when she can
28:27at that time
28:29you know
28:30the early 90's
28:31a lot of things
28:31were falling apart
28:33for Eddie
28:33almost all the territories
28:36had gone out of business
28:37so at that point
28:38he really didn't have
28:39a lot of options
28:40of the old fashioned
28:41territories
28:42places to go anymore
28:43here we are
28:44at the ECW arena
28:46in the heart of
28:46South Philadelphia
28:47it's June 19th
28:49facing setbacks
28:50in his personal
28:51and professional life
28:52Eddie Gilbert
28:53moves to Philadelphia
28:54betting on a new promotion
28:56led by a virtual
28:57unknown in the business
28:58we're ready to go
29:00tonight's the night
29:01I grew up watching
29:02the WWWF
29:04and there was
29:05something called
29:05believability
29:06what happened was
29:07as time went on
29:08it became a cartoon
29:09hi my name is
29:11Todd Gordon
29:11and I am the founder
29:13and originator
29:14of extreme
29:14championship wrestling
29:16ECW
29:17I worked side by side
29:19with Eddie Gilbert
29:20to get this promotion
29:21off the ground
29:22I just wanted to see
29:24something that I would
29:25enjoy
29:25so that I could believe it
29:26this is getting out of hand
29:28fellas
29:28my goal was
29:29to put on a believable
29:30hard hitting product
29:31a great night
29:32and it's going to get
29:32even better
29:33as we go on
29:34week to week
29:34stick with it
29:35Jay Sully
29:36you know
29:36Philadelphia
29:37they are the meanest
29:39people I ever seen
29:41these people
29:43don't even like
29:44ice cream
29:45I'm not bullshitting you
29:46so when you bring
29:48that part of
29:48Eddie being a heel
29:49to them
29:50well then you just
29:51eat that shit
29:52right up
29:52Eddie brought in
29:54a lot of big names
29:55and put together
29:56the matches
29:56he was very good at it
29:57I'm coming for you
29:58Eddie Gilbert
29:59he wanted to be
30:00the king of Philadelphia
30:01as Jerry was
30:02the king of Memphis
30:03yes
30:03me
30:04hot stuff
30:05Eddie Gilbert
30:05the king of Philadelphia
30:07we were doing
30:07that kind of
30:08hardcore stuff
30:09he took it to another level
30:10oh my heart
30:13somebody called
30:14and he would say
30:15this is wrestling
30:16you can do anything
30:17I carried that
30:18over years later
30:19so when Sam
30:20came out smoking a cigarette
30:21what are you crazy
30:23you can't do that
30:24who says you can't
30:26he did it
30:28he became an icon
30:30that was Eddie
30:31Eddie gave us
30:32that ground floor
30:33to build on
30:34without Eddie
30:35there's no ground floor
30:36without Eddie
30:37there's no ECW really
30:39the king
30:41hot stuff
30:42Eddie Gilbert
30:43Eddie brings ECW
30:46to new heights
30:46but it's his friend
30:47Paul Heyman
30:48who will have
30:49the biggest impact
30:50on wrestling's future
30:51ladies and gentlemen
30:54or you people
30:56of Philadelphia
30:56today Paul Heyman
30:58is the most brilliant
30:59manager
31:00on the professional
31:01wrestling scene
31:02in those days
31:03Paul Heyman
31:04always wanted
31:05to be the booker
31:06so he started
31:07shadowing
31:08Eddie Gilbert
31:09Paul was a photographer
31:10did interviews with me
31:11when he was like 13
31:12when I was in WWE
31:13you know Paul
31:14is like me
31:15a lot of times
31:15people say things
31:16that maybe he shouldn't
31:18but he does
31:19that's enough
31:20back then
31:21Eddie Gilbert
31:22and I were thick
31:22as thieves
31:23you know
31:23he was my brother
31:24he was
31:25he was my mentor
31:26he was my
31:27he was my best friend
31:28and he
31:29was so magnificent
31:31as a booker
31:32they were together
31:34in Alabama
31:34they were together
31:35in Georgia
31:35they were everywhere
31:36it was a good
31:37combination
31:38it worked
31:38it was probably
31:406-7 months in
31:41when all of a sudden
31:42it was
31:43you know
31:44where's Eddie
31:44he's going to be
31:46at 2 o'clock
31:47and he's rolling
31:47around 3-30
31:48he wasn't
31:50kidding around
31:50carrying on
31:51different change
31:53in his whole demeanor
31:55I wasn't that familiar
31:57with
31:58what drugs
31:59painkillers
32:00the effect they had
32:01on people's personalities
32:02you get in the ring
32:04with anybody
32:05and if he wasn't bleeding
32:06his opponent was
32:07those things don't just
32:09end when the show ends
32:10they all turn to painkillers
32:12for that
32:12it is very easy
32:14to fall into that trap
32:15he had lost
32:17he had lost that
32:17je de vie
32:18he had lost that
32:19fun side
32:20this was not
32:21the same Eddie
32:22that had contributed
32:23so much to the business
32:25so
32:26it was falling apart
32:27for Eddie
32:28bad
32:28as Eddie spirals
32:31into addiction
32:32Paul Heyman
32:33pushes forward
32:34with plans
32:34to take
32:35ECW National
32:36Paul was working
32:38with Jim Crockett
32:39and he was very
32:40excited about it
32:41Eddie thought that
32:42me, Paul, and Crockett
32:44were going to go off
32:44and leave him in the lurch
32:45at this point
32:46he was really in the depth
32:48of his despair
32:49paranoia
32:51and he said
32:51oh yeah
32:52well guess what
32:53we quit
32:54we had a huge show
32:57coming up
32:57Ultra Clash
32:58it's our big, big, big event
33:00it's going to be
33:00the biggest, hottest show
33:02in the history
33:02of Philadelphia wrestling
33:03that's right
33:04even though he's going
33:04to still be on the show
33:05but it didn't matter
33:06sometimes you're that high
33:08or that buzzed
33:09you think reality
33:10is completely different
33:11than what reality is
33:12and he had his own
33:13reality at that point
33:14welcome to a very special
33:21Ultra Clash preview
33:23edition of Eastern
33:24Championship Wrestling
33:25fearing that he's
33:26losing control
33:27of ECW
33:28Eddie Gilbert
33:29storms out of the company
33:30just days before
33:31a major show
33:32two days later
33:33Eddie called me up
33:34and he said
33:34hey boss
33:35I'm sorry
33:36I'm being stupid
33:37so I'll be there
33:39Saturday night
33:39I had to tell him
33:41Eddie
33:41at Ultra Clash
33:43there will be
33:44a major change
33:46that's correct
33:46you quit
33:47five days before the show
33:48I had to do something
33:50I had to replace you
33:50that man
33:51who will be the partner
33:52on September the 18th
33:54with Abdul the Butcher
33:55is none other than
33:56Kevin Sullivan
33:58he said okay
33:59can I come to the show
34:01Saturday night anyway
34:03and say goodbye to everybody
34:04I said sure
34:06he told me he was
34:07going to come
34:08and cut a promo
34:08which nobody else
34:10knew that
34:11what's this
34:12that's hot stuff
34:13Eddie Gilbert
34:14what's he doing here
34:16he's not scheduled to wrestle
34:17he told the people
34:18that he wanted to
34:19thank them
34:20for coming out
34:21supporting ECW
34:22and supporting him
34:23and everything
34:24and all of a sudden
34:25they started hollering
34:26in the back
34:26cut the mic
34:27cut the mic
34:28cut the mic
34:29Paul lost it
34:31in the locker
34:31he said he tried
34:33to screw me
34:34but it was such a long goodbye
34:35why would you want
34:36to cut the mic
34:37on a guy
34:38that's just
34:38telling the people
34:39thanks for supporting
34:40the company
34:41and him
34:41and that's what
34:42kind of pissed me off
34:44so there was a bat there
34:46so I thought
34:47I'd tell them
34:48what I had to say
34:49I just swung the bat
34:53and I hid everything
34:54in there
34:54and broke it
34:55a couple people
34:56come up
34:57that was my friends
34:58said
34:59man everything okay
35:00I said
35:01man everything's fine
35:03he left
35:05and Paul and Eddie
35:07really never spoke
35:08again after that
35:08that was the end
35:09of the relationship
35:09they were best friends
35:11made no sense
35:12it was uh
35:15I think in the end
35:17of Holly
35:18he learned too well
35:19Holly was that
35:22oh my goodness
35:23it's Eddie Gilbert
35:25after Eddie Gilbert's
35:27departure
35:27Paul Heyman
35:28propels ECW
35:29to heights
35:30few wrestling companies
35:31will ever reach
35:32this is wrestling
35:34the way it's gonna be
35:35and the way we know
35:37that you like it
35:38rebranding
35:39Eastern Championship Wrestling
35:40into the iconic
35:42Extreme Championship Wrestling
35:44with nothing left to lose
35:48Eddie taps into his fan base
35:50once again setting a trend
35:52that will influence the future
35:53Eddie wanted recognition
35:56he wanted to be able
35:57to plead his case
35:59Eddie had been
36:00especially popular
36:01with the hardcore
36:03smart fans
36:04the ones that knew
36:05the behind the scenes
36:05the ones that knew
36:06how everything worked
36:07a lot of the stuff
36:08is gonna be out of order
36:10and stuff
36:10because later on
36:11one of them
36:12basically sat Eddie down
36:14in a hotel room
36:15and shot the first
36:16shoot interview
36:18first off
36:19why don't you give
36:20where one of the
36:21personalities involved
36:23in wrestling
36:23sat there
36:24and told inside stories
36:26of how it was done
36:27I did a few angles
36:28with John
36:29I'd like to tell you
36:29in those days
36:30believability in the ring
36:32was the most important
36:33if the people know
36:34how they're being tricked
36:36it'll kill the business
36:37it got some people
36:39raising their eyes
36:40that you know
36:40Eddie Gilbert did that
36:42what's been your
36:43relationship with Waller
36:45yeah I think
36:45I think it's
36:46probably the best
36:47described looking
36:48it was about time
36:50that he did
36:50because everybody
36:52out there
36:52thought you think
36:53they know everything
36:54about our business
36:54and they don't
36:56when he saw an opportunity
36:57he took advantage of it
36:58before anybody else
37:00about 10 years
37:01after he done it
37:01everybody and their
37:03brother started doing it
37:05laid the Russian flag
37:07on Bill Watts
37:07Eddie hated Kevin Zoller
37:09bravo marker
37:10Eddie was the first one
37:13in the business
37:13to recognize that
37:15but this was 1994
37:17people in the business
37:19didn't do that
37:20but that was all
37:21that Eddie had left
37:22the smart fans
37:23loved his booking
37:24but the upper echelon
37:26in the major companies
37:27they didn't really
37:28know or care
37:29I was running
37:34Smokey Mountain Wrestling
37:35out of Knoxville, Tennessee
37:36I called Eddie
37:40I said Eddie
37:41you've got a great mind
37:43let's see if we can
37:44put this thing together
37:45I can't believe
37:46what I'm seeing here
37:47hot stuff Eddie Gilbert
37:49is here
37:49and what are you doing
37:52here in Smokey Mountain
37:53Wrestling
37:53I didn't know
37:53you were going to be here
37:54he came to the TV taping
37:57just to be honest
37:58I didn't really know
37:59I was going to be here either
38:00came out and had a match
38:02with Ricky Morton
38:03he looked great
38:07he was ready to go
38:09and he told me
38:11we're going to shoot
38:11this angle tonight
38:12we'll be right here
38:13next week
38:14show us what you got
38:15hot stuff
38:16maybe we won't go
38:17through with it
38:18because I have an opportunity
38:20in Puerto Rico
38:22to do what I love
38:24and that's booking
38:26I was proud for
38:27and I said
38:29go for it
38:30if you don't come back
38:31I'll cover it up
38:32and bless my heart
38:34he never came back
38:35after that first TV taping
38:37I never saw Eddie Gilbert again
38:39he was dead
38:41three months later
38:42looking to make a fresh start
38:50and leave his demons behind
38:51Eddie Gilbert heads to work
38:53in Puerto Rico
38:54he looked at it
38:56as a great opportunity
38:57to turn it around
38:59Carlos Colon
39:00had offered him a deal
39:01Carlos was wanting
39:03somebody with different ideas
39:04something fresh
39:05he was real excited
39:07this is the briefcase
39:13that my brother
39:14carried around
39:15all the way
39:16to his Puerto Rico days
39:17February 18, 95
39:20Eddie Gilbert
39:22versus Ted the Bear
39:24so that's the bear
39:25that my brother wrestled
39:26I'm going against
39:27a bear
39:28I'm going against
39:29I'm going against
39:30a bear
39:31I can't go against
39:33a bear
39:34he was trying
39:34to get it popped again
39:36and where everybody
39:36could make money
39:37and everybody
39:37would be happy
39:38he asked me
39:39he said
39:40you want to come
39:41I said
39:42give me a minute
39:43to think on it
39:43and I'm sure
39:44it won't be too long
39:45but
39:46it would be
39:49the last territory
39:51that he ever booked
39:52the next day
39:56somebody called
39:58and told me
39:59they found your brother
40:00in his apartment
40:02laying across the bed
40:04with earphones on
40:05and music
40:06just laying back
40:07like he'd
40:08laid back
40:09to go to sleep
40:09and rest
40:10really peaceful
40:12weeks after arriving
40:15in Puerto Rico
40:16tragic news
40:17arrives back home
40:18the wrestling world
40:19was saddened by the death
40:20this past week
40:21of Eddie Gilbert
40:22we were notified
40:23that on February
40:2418th in San Juan
40:26Puerto Rico
40:27Eddie had passed away
40:28of apparent heart failure
40:29when you know somebody
40:31in his early 30s
40:33the first thing
40:34you're going to think
40:35is
40:35was it drugs
40:36especially in Puerto Rico
40:38in Puerto Rico
40:39you don't have to have
40:40a script
40:41to do nothing
40:42all you have to do
40:43is walk into the drugstore
40:44get anything
40:46thing you want
40:47so the first thing
40:48they don't say
40:49oh you know
40:50what he was doing
40:51well no
40:52you don't know
40:52what he was doing
40:53of course there's
40:54speculation
40:55on drugs
40:56ODing
40:57but he had a bad heart too
40:58and they list
41:00the cause of death
41:00as the heart attack
41:01anybody could have
41:02made up anything
41:03and it spreads
41:04like it's gospel
41:05through the entire industry
41:06but I really learned
41:07take everything
41:08I hear like that
41:09with a grain of salt
41:10I'm there to protect
41:11Eddie first
41:12before I start believing
41:14rumors and speculations
41:15we ain't gonna say
41:17we was choir boys
41:18we probably did
41:19some things
41:19we shouldn't have done
41:21but
41:21I'm not making an excuse
41:23I'm just telling you
41:24he had the car wreck
41:26half of his heart
41:27it would never work
41:28again
41:29and if it wasn't
41:31working right
41:32it had to have
41:32a strain on it
41:33and that never quit
41:34until he passed away
41:37if Eddie was still alive
41:40he'd be one month
41:41older than I am
41:42sitting here right now
41:43we kept in contact
41:50we wrote letters
41:51to each other
41:52and this one here
41:53that I kept
41:54was probably
41:55one of the end ones
41:57he starts off
41:59with Deborah Ann
42:00Deborah you have
42:04been
42:05a terrific friend
42:07lover
42:08companion
42:09and most of all
42:11best and wonderful
42:13wife
42:13I just wish
42:15I had realized
42:16that before
42:18it got too
42:19out of hand
42:19I have nothing
42:22but the most
42:22respect for you
42:23as a person
42:24and your abilities
42:26in the ring
42:26and also in the
42:27if you need someone
42:33to talk to
42:34at any time
42:34night or day
42:36please don't
42:37hesitate to give
42:38me a call
42:39I mean that
42:41and that was
42:43one of the last
42:44letters that I
42:45received from Eddie
42:46he was a good
42:48person
42:49he meant well
42:52you know Eddie
42:55passed away
42:5530 years ago
42:56and he's still
42:57down
42:58he's one of the
42:59best
43:00and he died
43:02loving what he
43:04did
43:04so when you step
43:08in that ring
43:09it's like we're
43:10on Broadway
43:11and we can give
43:12you part of
43:13our soul
43:14he gave his
43:16heart and soul
43:17to you people
43:17remember him
43:20for that
43:21Eddie never
43:23really wanted
43:23much in return
43:25he just wanted
43:26this business
43:27I was born
43:29to be the king
43:30this year it
43:32would be 30
43:33years since my
43:34brother's passing
43:35I wish he could
43:37be here
43:37and I love him
43:39and I know
43:42how really proud
43:44he was of me
43:45and he had
43:47a huge heart
43:47he'd done
43:50what he loved
43:51to the last
43:53day of his life