Is Wrestling Fixed? I Didn't Know It Was Broken!

Bill Apter

Description

Bill Apter fell in love with pro wrestling as a kid and it wasn't long before he was rubbing shoulders with the greats as a reporter and photographer. Since then, he's become the world's best-known wrestling magazine personality, and he's had professional and personal relationships with major personalities like Triple H, Hulk Hogan, The Rock, Sting and Ric Flair. In his fun-loving memoir, Apter takes us from the dressing rooms of the Bruno Sammartino era through to today's WWE superstars. His behind-the-scenes stories rival no one else's!

Informations

• Publié par: Ecw Press
• Date de parution: 19 novembre 2015
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781770907522
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 3 Mo

Extrait

FOREWORD
by Jerry
“THE KING”
Lawler
D uring our time on Earth, there are people who come along and dramatically impact the course of our lives. Bill Apter is one of those people. He totally and positively changed the direction of my career—and changed my life for the better as well. I am flattered that he asked me to write the foreword of this book.
My career needed some fixing for sure, and Bill was quite the handyman, because he introduced me to “Andyman!” More about that below …
A lot of people don’t realize this, but I always keep it in the back of my mind: if it wasn’t for Bill, I would probably never have been part of WWE. I owe so much of my success and career to him.
At a time when our little Memphis-Nashville promotion was so obscure, so unknown, I would send Bill photos, trying to do some self-promotion to get me and the territory into the national magazines. He was kind enough, for some unknown reason, to take a personal interest in me and, along with the rest of the magazine staff, really helped to get my name out there.
The biggest thing that ever happened in my entire career, however, was the feud I had with Andy Kaufman. Bill was single-handedly responsible for hooking me up with Andy. If it were not for him, that entire classic adventure would never have happened. This incredible story became perhaps the most influential happening in the history of the business. It certainly changed the face of professional wrestling, and it really was the first time the sport experienced the involvement of a major celebrity. This was “Hollywood”—and the birth, even though no one knew it at the time, of sports entertainment. Our story revolutionized the business. Mainstream media couldn’t get enough, and the fans showed their approval by setting record attendance numbers. And all of this happened because Bill “handed” Andy to me (the entire story in Bill’s own words is in this book of course).
Back in the territorial days, whenever word got around that Bill Apter was coming to do interviews and shoot photos, the wrestlers upped their game, hoping that Bill would get a memorable picture or quote that would make it into a magazine. Remember there was no social media, no internet back then. If you were endorsed by Apter, you were something special, and you usually wound up somewhere in the magazines. He was the right guy to know.
Bill also knew how to play the game. He was smart in our business and quickly became accepted as one of us. If you confided in him or told him something that was to remain “kayfabe,” you could rest assured he would never tell a soul.
Whether you were an iconic wrestler or an opening-match player, Bill was—and still is—always a welcome sight. The same is true for the promoters, business people and, of course, the fans. He is part of our fraternity and respected the world over. It’s amazing that he has been doing his work with an undying passion for 50 years. That’s half his life … (A little age humor doesn’t hurt now, does it Bill?)
Bill, so many of us owe you so very much. I guess it’s now time to crown you “King” of the wrestling magazine glory days (and online—when you include me in your reports, of course).



THE DISCLAIMER APTER WAS FORCED TO WRITE
I am proud to say I have no enemies in the sports entertainment/pro-wrestling business. It’s amazing I can say that after a 45-year career in one of the most wonderful, colorful, intense, mad and unusual worlds around. Who else do you know has spent this much time reporting, photographing and befriending half-naked men in bathing suits who make like they’re beating each other up?
As I write this, I’m astonished that millions of people from all over the world now witness this genre in full glory on their TVs, computers, cell phones and iPads. You will read about the happiest times of my career, interacting with the wrestlers, promoters, fans and critics, as well as the ugly times that no business can avoid.
This book is not about the various publishing companies I’ve worked for. There are stories about my time at those places, but this is not a representation of their business in any way.
If you’re wondering why the “millions and millions” of photos I shot throughout my career are not in this book, the answer to that is quite simple: I was employed by the publishing companies—paid a weekly salary—and they own those photographs. I have no regrets. I was their employee and it’s the way their business operated.
To the people who were part of this ride, no matter if it was a segment of the good or the bad, I thank you for being there on my incredible journey that continues onward.

“ I learned valuable lessons that helped me make better choices. ”
In some stories, people may appear in an unfavorable light. During those periods, I didn’t quite understand that we just did business in different ways. However, from each of them I learned valuable lessons that helped me make better choices as my career progressed. I do not think poorly of these people now; it’s all a matter of history. But the stories do need to be told. I may have had heat with them in the past, but many are gone, and the others have settled peacefully on their perches and we are now in a friendly place.
Some of this book is about my relationship with WWE and the McMahon family. It was a fun yet sometimes troublesome roller coaster. Despite many challenging times that were purely business based—not personal—today, World Wrestling Entertainment and the McMahon/Levesque family and I have an excellent relationship, which makes me very proud. I am delighted to be regarded as a “family member of WWE” (as one of the McMahons recently told me).
If, by chance, I somehow left out anyone who believes they should have been included in this book—wrestlers, promoters, former coworkers—please forgive me and bring it to my attention. Know that it was not intentional, I just cannot recall every step of the 45-plus years spent plying my trade.
To the fans who have made me a part of their lives—and asked for this book—thank you for your years of support. I enjoy meeting you on my trips around the wrestling world and love chatting about the old days, as well as the current sports entertainment scene.
Two final notes: I want to thank Greg Oliver for pushing me to write this book, sparkling up the chapters and mentoring me throughout the process. Authoring a book is totally different than writing magazine columns and stories; I had no idea how much of a newbie I would be at this craft. I could not have done this without him! Secondly, most of this book does not follow the chronology of my career. I wanted to make a book that you could just pick up and dip into—because that’s the way I like to read. Yes, I am a “chapter jumper.”
Enjoy the “Apter chapter” jumps …



IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO START AGAIN

ONE
I was enjoying lunch with my wife and son at Philadelphia’s XFINITY Live! restaurant on a beautiful, sunny Wednesday afternoon in early September 2014. Halfway though the meal I felt nature calling and excused myself. Down a long corridor leading from my table, I bumped into an acquaintance I had not seen in years.
“Bill Apter, how the hell are you?” he said. Then, before I could reply he asked, “I guess you retired? It’s nice to see you again.” I followed him as he rushed away. When I caught up, I tapped him on the back. He politely turned, and I could tell he was in a hurry, but I had to tell him, “I’m not retired. As a matter of fact I’m doing more now in the wrestling business than I ever did. I’m still with 1Wrestling.com, doing appearances on the WWE Network, writing semi-regularly for WWE.com, appearing at wrestling conventions, helping persons with disabilities find quality employment and entertaining at senior homes. I am not retired, and I never want to be retired. I love what I do.”
“Really? You’re doing stuff for WWE? Cool!” Then he shook my hand, patted me on the back and left.
This scenario plays out a few times a month. People can’t fathom I’ve been in this business for 45 years. Even when I saw the Great Muta at a TNA show in New York City and did an interview with him, he asked, on camera , “You’re still alive?”
Thanks to a guy named Eric Paulen, and another guy named Paul Levesque, I feel like I’m just getting started again in the world of sports entertainment.
***
Let me explain.
In late 2012, I took a huge slap in the face. No one physically did anything to me, but it still hurt. I was backstage at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia at a WWE Raw show. Going up and down the corridors, I saw a few people coming out of a makeshift studio. One of them was Stu Saks, who is a dear friend and the publisher of my old home, Pro Wrestling Illustrated . Being curious, I asked what he was doing. Stu explained that WWE was producing a DVD that would chronicle and celebrate its 50th anniversary, and he was interviewed for the project. To say I was envious is an understatement. I was happy about Stu’s participation, yet deep down it really hurt that I wasn’t included. I had been out in the trenches since 1970, photographing matches, conducting interviews and making relationships that would last forever. I was there when Bruno Sammartino lost the World Wide Wrestling Federation title to Ivan Koloff. I was there when WWWF became WWE. I talked regularly with Vince McMahon Sr. I knew everyone, I had no enemies—or at least none that I was aware of—so why wasn’t I part of this historical DVD or even the book that came out to coincide with it? Hell, I’m a reporter—a journalist—so I decided to investigate.
I telephoned a few of my contacts in WWE, and one of them said he would contact the people who produced it and get back to me. In a matter of hours I had the answer. I was told whoever was working on th