Tag: Dragon King
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DragonKing Dark: The Jackie Coogan Law
You know your life has taken a bad turn if the government has to name a law after you. That’s exactly what it was for child actor Jackie Coogan, who, after gaining huge success in various Charlie Chaplin films, went on to even greater notoriety as Uncle Fester from The Addams Family. So, what is…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: The continued history of wrestling at MSG
We close out the 1800s in my continued look at pro wrestling at Madison Square Garden by looking at the only pro wrestling show held there in 1898 before it resumed in 1900. Ernest Rober has returned and we find out that he is the hand-picked champion for William Muldoon. We also discover clues as…
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DragonKingKarl Greatest Kayfabe Tournament: Buddy Rogers vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi
The next match in the DragonKingKarl GKT, aka the Greatest Kayfabe Tournament, is here! I discuss the lives and careers of the original “Nature Boy” Buddy Rogers and New Japan legend Hiroshi Tanahashi. Both men were among the best wrestlers and most charismatic stars of their eras. It’s the figure four leg grapevine vs. the…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: Remembering Gary Albright
Gary Albright was a big, burly, legitimate amateur wrestler from Nebraska. He got his start working for Stu Hart out of the Stampede promotion and was married into the famous Anoa’i family of wrestlers. With those credentials, Albright naturally found success in Japan, especially with the early shoot/semi-shoot leagues and later with All-Japan. Unfortunately, Albright…
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DragonKing Dark: The Little Rascals/Our Gang curse
I continue our series of the 100 darkest moments in pop culture history by taking a look at the supposed curse of The Little Rascals/Our Gang group of actors. Did many of them meet an untimely demise? We will discuss. One thing is certain, however: Carl “Alfalfa” Switzer’s story does not end well. On this…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: Bill Dundee biography
On today’s show, Karl Stern is here to discuss the career of Memphis pro wrestling legend “Superstar” Bill Dundee. Was Dundee really from Scotland? Did he really join the circus and movie to Australia and become a pro wrestler? All of these questions and more are answered in this look at a man who did…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: Inside Wrestling December 1987 magazine review
I am back with another classic pro wrestling magazine review. On this episode, I take a look at a 1987 Weston family (Apter mag) magazine Inside Wrestling, which is among my favorites because of the extensive ratings and the Roll Call of Champions. Plus, there are stories on Lex Luger, Dusty Rhodes, Ted DiBiase, Randy…
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DragonKing Dark: The death of INXS’ Michael Hutchence
My ongoing look at the 100 darkest moments in pop culture continues. Michael Hutchence of INXS was found dead in his hotel room in 1997 and you may think you know the reason why. But did you know that most of what you think you know about his death is probably wrong and taken out…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: A long-form look at March 1983
I am back with another long-form look at a specific month in pro wrestling, highlighted by Ric Flair circling the globe in a single day. In this look at March 1983, I use notes from the early Wrestling Observer Newsletter plus tons of research by many wrestling historians via When It Was Cool’s Ultimate History…
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DragonKing Dark: The death of George Michael
We continue our series of 100 of the darkest moments in pop culture history by taking a look at the death of one of the greatest vocalist of the 1980s-2000s, George Michael. Starting his career with the duo Wham!, Michael rose to even greater success as a solo pop star during the late 1980s into…
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DragonKing Dark: The death of Prince
I continue the DragonKingDark look at 100 of the darkest moments in pop culture history with the death of pop music legend, Prince. He died just over six years ago of a fentanyl overdose. Since then, fentanyl has been a scourge in American society, responsible for numerous overdose deaths. He was one of the most…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: History of pro wrestling at MSG continues
My series on the history of pro wrestling in Madison Square Garden picks up in the new building in New York City: Madison Square Garden II. William Muldoon is promoting suspicious boxing, suspicious wrestling, and mostly himself. Then, we get the arrival of possibly the most instantly over pro wrestler in history. You think Goldberg…
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DragonKing Dark: The death of Chris Cornell
The series continues: 100 of the darkest moments in pop culture history, as we follow up on the story about Chester Bennington with the death of Soundgarden, Audioslave, and Temple of the Dog frontman Chris Cornell. The stories have a lot of similarities. Both battled depression, both were of the same era and musical genre.…
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DragonKingKarl Greatest Kayfabe Tournament: Lou Thesz vs. Bruiser Brody
The next match in the ongoing Greatest Kayfabe Tournament has been voted on by you, the listener. In this episode, we look at one of the greatest wrestlers in history in Lou Thesz and one of the greatest brawlers and wildmen in history in Bruiser Brody. The two have some history together, but Thesz was…
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DragonKing Dark: Death of Chester Bennington
Continuing our 100 darkest moments in pop culture series we take a look at the tragic death of Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington. Bennington was one of a series of high profile musicians who died very young after a life of battling mental illness and addiction. The tragic story of Chester Bennington touched many in…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: The Gorilla Monsoon WON obituary
My rotation of classic pro wrestling history topics continues on this week’s DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show. On a “From the Pages of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter” edition, we look back at Dave Meltzer’s biography on the death of Gorilla Monsoon which subscribers can read here. Not only was Monsoon a notable commentator during the Hulkamania era…
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DragonKing Dark: The death of Naomi Judd
We continue our series of 100 of the darkest moments in pop culture history by looking at the recent death of country music star Naomi Judd. Judd was 76 years old and all of The Judds’ hit songs were behind them, so in terms of affecting pop culture, one might argue that this one doesn’t…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: Pro Wrestling Illustrated from January 1983
In my rotation of retro pro wrestling podcasts on the DragonKingKarl Wrestling Show, I am adding old magazine reviews. The newsstand pro wrestling magazines were a staple of wrestling from the 1950s through the 1990s and especially peaked in the 1970-80s. Before the Internet and before newsletters were so widely distributed, the wrestling magazines are…
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DragonKing Dark: The death of John Denver
In my continuing series on the 100 darkest moments in pop culture history, I look back at the 1997 death of folk and country music star John Denver who was killed in an experimental aircraft crash at the age of 53. While Denver’s career as a hit maker was probably over, he was still a…
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DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: The Yeti biography
I bet you didn’t expect this. Yes, Karl Stern vs. The Yeti. I saw the debut of The Yeti in WCW and am also a fan of giant tall wrestlers. I may be the only one, but this gimmick was something that straight out of Memphis wrestling, only it was on national TV. Ron Reis…