Between the Sheets

It's belated as we feared it might be, but the latest Patreon show is out, this time examining how heavyweight pro boxer Tommy Morrison's purported 1996 diagnosis of being HIV positive influenced the wrestling world among other sporting endeavors. Topics of discussion include: Yes, we know in 2026 that you probably can't get HIV from, a double juice match unless you're sharing sharp bloody objects. The timing of blood suddenly no-go for wrestling, as WCW was hyping blood, the WWF was hyping an "accidental" bloody match, and ECW was ECW. Guess who drops the blade first: Yes, it's ECW. All sprts of reflections on the value of the blade. David's own reporting from 2016 revealing that Morrison was HIV+ since 1989 and hid it from regulators for years. All that and much more on the new Patreon show! Next time: Kris decided we need to go down the entire Jerry Lawler/Stacy Carter roller coaster from 2001. That'll take a few weeks...

New @btsheetspod.bsky.social Patreon special looks at the fallout that boxer Tommy Morrison's HIV+ test result had on pro wrestling and sports in general. (All while Magic Johnson started his return...)

You can grab this and so much more exclusive audio at Patreon.com/BetweenTheSheets!

Ep. #543: February 13-19, 1999 Listen to Between The Sheets on RedCircle

New belated ep covering 1999 — a Patreon pick — is up! redcircle.com/shows/f0ecb9...

Ep. #542: February 2-7, 1996 Listen to Between The Sheets on RedCircle

Show #542 is up covering 1996: redcircle.com/shows/f0ecb9...

Show will be up later.

Please keep in mind though that overnight has never been the official release window. It's always been "Monday." And when the real world intervenes in various ways, that pushes it further into Monday.

Show will be up later.

Patreon Ep. #112B: Konnan Does the News — Televisa Drama Edition It's Friday, and you know what that means: Our latest mini deep dive, this time covering all of the drama around Televisa (almost) buying back into AAA in late 1995-early 1996. Topics of discussion include: How blatant it was that the Observer coverage leaned on Konnan as Dave Meltzer's primary source (even more than usual, that is), including using the exact same verbiage that Konnan used in direct quotes. The early reports basically reading as if they were Konnan fantasy booking reality and projecting his hopes and dreams for Televisa's handling of CMLL into the Observer. How it's not exactly difficult to determine who in CMLL would be talking to Dave, as well. Konnan's decades of complaints about the Televisa announcers, focusing at this time on Dr. Alfonso Morales. Just how dirty the AAA vs. CMLL war could get. Dave Meltzer actually gets a mid-'90s Juan Herrera story right for once. Konnan's comments on the state of AAA in his otherwise ECW and WCW-heavy January 1996 Torch Talk. ...and much more.

New @btsheetspod.bsky.social Patreon show looks at Televisa's late 1995-early 1996 flirtation w/ buying back into AAA...and how obvious it is that most of the Observer coverage was from Konnan's POV. Plus Konnan's state of AAA address!

Just $5.00/month or $50.40/year at Patreon.com/BetweenTheSheets

Between The Sheets Listen to Between The Sheets on RedCircle

Show is up covering 2010! redcircle.com/shows/f0ecb9...

Squeeze Andre Squeeze

Renegades Rampage

Shawn Michaels Is Fucking High As Hell

Naitch & 80's hot Linda Roufa

@btsheetspod.bsky.social IS BACK!!!!!!

We go back to 1988 to talk about Andre & Hogan shooting a big angle, Jerry Jarrett hooking up with Renegades Tobacco, Shawn Michaels in a wild way on Memphis TV, Ric Flair putting the moves on Linda Roufa and so much more!!

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I’m only 90 minutes into this and it’s one of the most insane things I’ve ever heard. You gotta listen to this!

Between The Sheets Listen to Between The Sheets on RedCircle

Show is up! redcircle.com/shows/f0ecb9...

Too long for alt-text. See link for screen reader-compatible description.

Belated free @btsheetspod.bsky.social gap-filler: A supercut of our Patreon deep dives into the legendary disaster that was John Collins' MECW startup promotion in 2001! We're joined by Beau James since he was in the thick of things and it's a WILD roller coaster ride. redcircle.com/shows/f0ecb9...

Patreon Ep. #112A: Vince McMahon Playboy Interview (Part 1) Content warning: This episode includes Vince's descriptions and discussions of being physically and sexually abused as a child, mostly in the latter part of the episode. There are in-episode warnings each time the topic shifts. It's been 25 years since the "February 2001" issue of Playboy featuring the magazine's interview with Vince McMahon hit newsstands, so now is as good a time as any to talk about it. This week, we cover roughly the first half of the interview, including: • Vince's vision for the XFL. • The creative process for the WWF and how that could transfer to the XFL. • How most of the WWF's female characters at the time were portrayed as conniving and manipulative. • The decision to keep the show going after Owen Hart fell to his death. • Vince's childhood and young adult years, including the abuse at the hands of his mother, stepfather, and even other children. • All sorts of obvious bullshit about Vince's time in military school. ...and more. Next week: The rest of the interview, including topics like WCW being up for sale, Vince's affairs, his marriage to Linda, and much

New on @btsheetspod.bsky.social's Patreon: The 1st of back to back weeks covering Vince McMahon's 2001 Playboy interview. XFL plans, Vince's awful childhood & heavily fabricated young adulthood, the WWF's presentation of women, & more.

Just $5.00/month or $50.40/year at Patreon.com/BetweenTheSheets

Ric Flair as the Black Scorpion

Center Stage Chronicles Ep. #20: December 1990 Kris Zellner is joined by Rob Naylor and Our Good Buddy Charles as we discuss the month of December 1990 in the world of the newly-renamed World Championship Wrestling and pop culture in general. Topics of discussion include: Ole Anderson's last TV as booker of the NWA/WCW scoring surprisingly very good Nielsen ratings. Ty Detmer winning the Heisman Trophy. The TV shows all dropping the NWA name and becoming WCW-branded shows. Konnan, The Minotaur, and Larry Cameron make their debuts working TV tapings. The power of The Simpsons as Christmas rolls around. Ric Flair being attacked by Teddy Long's hired goons when Long served as Flair’s “chauffeur for a day.” The best WCW Family Feud segment. An in-depth look at Starrcade ’90, featuring the Pat O'Connor Memorial Tag Team Tournament and Ric Flair being revealed as The Black Scorpion. Kindergarten Cop and how that changed the game for Arnold Schwarzenegger. Will Dusty Rhodes actually become WCW’s head booker? The WCW TV Title consuming the lives of Arn Anderson, Bobby Eaton, Terry Taylor, and Tom Zenk. Jim Cornette's legendary Christmas poem in the Observer. …and much more. This was a great show and a great close to a wild 1990!

New Center Stage Chronicles is up on the @btsheetspod.bsky.social feed covering December 1990! Starrcade '90 in detail, all of the TV shows finally get rebranded as WCW instead of NWA, new booker sweepstakes...or is the fix in for Dusty Rhodes?, DO THE BARTMAN, & more. redcircle.com/shows/f0ecb9...

Ken Resnick and Paul Alperstein

Patreon Ep. #111C: Paul Alperstein Torch Talk December 1996 It's over a week late because David's still getting over that horrible flu that's been going around everywhere, and you know what that means: We close out what was supposed to be December by going back 29 years to Wade Keller's Torch Talk interview with AWF Warriors of Wrestling promoter/producer Paul Alperstein. "Deluded startup promoter" is arguably its own genre of Torch Talk, and in that context, this one doesn't disappoint, although it takes some twists and turns that we didn't expect at all. Topics of discussion include: The many ways that it quickly becomes apparent that it was television syndicators and consultants who saw Alperstein as a money mark and managed to fleece him, not the wrestlers. Alperstein being surprisingly forward-thinking about the future of internet distribution. In 1996. Seriously, there are far too many examples of Alperstein getting taken for a ride by his syndicator to list here. The AWF's surprisingly first-class production values. Alperstein's unexplained grudge against Eric Bischoff. The argument that there was a place for something like the AWF in 1996 as a low-key, family-friendly alternative to the big two. Is Koko B. Ware more merchandisable than Dean Malenko? The Torch readers' reactions to the interview. ..and much more. Enjoy!

New on the @btsheetspod.bsky.social Patreon: An in-depth look at the December 1996 Torch Talk with AWF promoter Paul Alperstein! A fascinating entry in the startup promoter genre where it's not the WRESTLERS fleecing the money mark.

Just $5.00/month or $50.40/year at Patreon.com/BetweenTheSheets!

Current plan is to try to get the pending shows up within the next day or two and then get back to a normal schedule over the course of the next week.

FYI: David has had the flu all week. CSC, new Patreon show, etc. will all be up as soon as he's able to consistently able to actually sit at this computer.

Show will be up in a little while.

Get more from Between the Sheets on Patreon creating podcasts about classic pro wrestling

Our look at the downfall of the Newborn UWF (UWF 2.0) in 1990 is now up on the @btsheetspod.bsky.social Patreon

I really enjoyed doing this show as this was one of my favorite promotions of all-time and going into why it fell apart was quite interesting

www.patreon.com/betweenthesh...

In which Gene Okerlund and Hulk Hogan close No Holds Barred: The Match, The Movie w/ Oscar-worthy acting skills when they get a telegram alerting them to the possibility that many fans won't have access to Royal Rumble '90 or WrestleMania VI if their local cable companies don't get with the program.

Patreon Ep. #111A: The Most Unprofessional Thing This week's deep dive looks at the WWF's impasse with pay-per-view syndicator Viewers Choice in late 1989-early 1990 over the split of PPV revenue and Titan's desire to distribute the shows themselves to individual cable operators. Topics of discussion include: Titan losing an important PPV executive right before the dispute...sort of. The overall state of wrestling on PPV at the time. No Holds Barred: The Match, The Movie blowing up the dispute in the public consciousness when the WWF uses a not insignificant portion of the PPV to push fans to call their local cable operators to make sure they carry the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania, which were the big bargaining chips. The show-closing Hulk Hogan/Gene Okerlund that pushed the phone call campaign hardest. Continental Cable's Robert Stengel going back and forth with Basil DeVito about how unprofessional he thought this was. How the WWF was making a completely legitimate move...albeit a very puzzling one because a similar power play had just failed. How much was Titan self-distributing to non-Viewers Choice cable companies, anyway? At the end of the day, was Titan willing to use the Rumble as a loss leader to try to make this plan work? How the newsletter community probably would have rallied around the promotion in question in this scenario if it was WCW and not the WWF. ...and more. Enjoy! Next week: The Fall of the Newborn UWF.

Newest @btsheetspod.bsky.social Patreon show takes a look at the WWF's 1989-1990 impasse with Viewers Choice over PPV revenue splits! All hell breaks loose when the WWF takes the fight to the airwaves, making the dispute very public.

Just $5.00/month or $50.40/year at Patreon.com/BetweenTheSheets!

Next week on @btsheetspod.bsky.social:

Bert Prentice ROCKS THE HOUSE at the WMC TV-5 studio by doing a full scale Dolly Parton-themed drag show for the reveal that he's going to counteract evil heel valet Toni Adams at ringside for the babyfaces.

Michael Cole interviews notorious HARD MAN Vinnie Jones at WWF Capital Carnage on December 6, 1998.

Shane McMahon makes air quotes when calling Vinnie Jones a "hard man" at WWF Capital Carnage.

The Undertaker SYMBOLIFIES Steve Austin on the December 7, 1998 episode of Raw.

Ep. #535: December 4-8, 1998 Kris and David are back to discuss the (almost-)week that was December 4-8, 1998. Topics of discussion include: The WWF running their second UK-only PPV. Capital Carnage, featuring crazy promos from the McMahons, special ringside enforcer Vinnie Jones being A Hard Man, and evem some nudity. Jim Ross finding out about his mother’s death while in England, stressing him to such a degree that he suffered his second attack of Bell's Palsy during the PPV. Steve Austin getting "crucified" (symbolified?) by The Undertaker on a wild episode of Raw. AJPW and NJPW finishing off their annual tag league tours. The WCW vs. WWF promotional war ventures down to Mexico as WCW talent begin working at Arena Mexico just as WWF Super Astros launches on Univision in the U.S. Another WCW talent raid of ECW. Roller Jam taping their first shows, which feature quite a bit of pro wrestling influence. Nitro does major business at the Astrodome in Houston…and puts on one of the worst episodes of the show in its history. Terrible skits and short matches featuring horrendous booking abound on that Nitro, so yes, this is a definite MUST-LISTEN WCW section. This was a thoroughly entertaining show, so please take a listen!!!! Timestamps: 0:00:00 WWF 1:56:55 Eurasia: AJPW, NJPW, BJPW, FMW, IWA Kokusai, Michinoku Pro, MUGA, SPWF, Wrestle Yume Factory, Arsion, & CWA 2:24:49 Classic Commercial Break 2:29:31 Halftime 3:05:44 Mexico: AAA & CMLL 3:23:55 Other USA: USA Pro, IWF (NJ), ECW, MarylandCW, MEWF, NWA Mid-Atlantic, OMEGA, Don Fargo, OVW, Music City, Power Pro, Wrestling Superstars 2000, & Roller Jam 4:04:21 WCW

New @btsheetspod.bsky.social covering 1998! WWF Capital Carnage PPV in the UK featuring HARD MAN Vinnie Jones, some gratuitous nudity, & much more seriously, Jim Ross's 2nd Bell's Palsy attack, Steve Austin gets...symbolified? on Raw, WCW's a fucking mess, & much more. redcircle.com/shows/f0ecb9...

Corny Hanging Around

New Zealand Death Box

London Calling Andre

The Body Wants None Of Danny Spivey

The most recent @btsheetspod.bsky.social dropped a few days ago and we cover Thanksgiving 1986 featuring STARRCADE 86 and so much more.....

Lots of great clips in this one as well!

redcircle.com/shows/betwee...

Ep. #534: November 27-December 1, 1986 Listen to Between The Sheets on RedCircle

Show is up: redcircle.com/shows/f0ecb9...

Show will be up later.

Paul Heyman talking during his "Rise and Fall of ECW" talking head interview, his mouth borderline agape.

Patreon Ep. #110C: “The Rise and Fall of ECW" — The DVD, That Is (Part 1) It's still November, and you know what that means: Part 1 of a 2-part deep dive that's going to carry over into the first week of December, this time looking at the November 2004 release of WWE Home Videos "The Rise and Fall of ECW" documentary on DVD. Topics of discussion include: The DVD rapidly selling out everywhere. Important names who got shortchanged because they weren't available for interviews. Paul Heyman's amazing media tour to promote the DVD, including on WWE.com's own "Byte This, all of which we cover in extreme (pun intended) detail. Why is Paul kissing up to Jerry Jarrett? Wade Keller's review of the DVD in the Torch, which is full of suspiciously Heymanesque verbiage. The possibility that a comment by Heyman on the DVD got him removed from the WWE creative team. Next week: More Heyman media tour, plus Dave Meltzer's very extensive review of the DVD.

The latest @btsheetspod.bsky.social Patreon deep dive is the 1st of 2 back to back weeks covering the DVD release of "The Rise and Fall of ECW." Shockingly high DVD sales, Paul Heyman media tour, Torch review of the DVD, & MUCH more.

Just $5.00/month or $50.40/year at Patreon.com/BetweenTheSheets!

See link for screen reader-capable description.

New @btsheetspod.bsky.social covering 2004! The infamous Shelton Benjamin/Trish Stratus parody of the controversial Terrell Owens/Nicolette Sheridan Monday Night nFootball skit, lots of power games & drama in TNA, CM Punk cuts shoot promo on Rob Feinstein, & much more. redcircle.com/shows/f0ecb9...

Patreon Ep. #110B: Leonard vs. Lalonde Our latest deep dive looks into Titan Sports’ involvement in the boxing industry, mainly in the form of the Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Donny Lalonde fight from November 1988. Topics of discussion include: How Titan’s role in the event is often misunderstood. SummerSlam featuring a seemingly unending intermission built around hyping the Lalonde fight. How the Leonard-Lalonde card was ahead of its time in terms of effectively being self-promoted by Leonard without one of the usual middlemen like Bob Arum involved. Speaking of which, Bob Arum constantly shit-talks the Titan/Caesar’s Palace/Mike Trainer joint in the lead-up to the event. Exactly how much did Vince McMahon pay for the PPV rights to the fight, anyway? Vince McMahon getting surprisingly candid in the days leading up to the fight about how he should have realized this was a bad idea. How unusually big a cash outlay this project was compared to everything else that Titan Sports did at the time. Titan requesting confidentiality from cable companies to get them to carry the card. Jim Troy’s very rich claims about the success of the show in the mainstream media. The mixed success of the PPV proper and Leonard lamping Lalonde in the fight itself. How the action promoter and the fighters ended up as the big winners coming out of the fight. How Survivor Series a few weeks later did in comparison to the boxing PPV. Rumors of a Bob Arum-led wrestling promotion?!?!? Titan and Leonard reuniting in March 1997 for his PPV fight against Hector Camacho and how it turned out to be a surprise success. …and much more. No surprise that Kris is in his element here, and we learned a lot doing this one.

New @btsheetspod.bsky.social Patreon deep dive is up, covering Sugar Ray Leonard-Donny Lalonde & Titan Sports' flirtation w/ boxing! How Titan's role in the PPV is misunderstood, how their OTHER Leonard PPV was a surprise hit, & more.

Just $5.00/month or $50.40/year at Patreon.com/BetweenTheSheets!

In case it wasn't obvious, some non life or death real world stuff is messing with that release schedule. Will keep you posted.

Hulk Hogan in the Funeral Parlor

THE SUPER TEAM

SPIRIT OF AMERICA cleaning up our country

MAX ANDREWS IS THE BOSS

This week's @btsheetspod.bsky.social was a helluva show as we went back to 1991 to discuss the WWF finally testing for steroids as ET & Inside Edition are on their ass, Billy Joe Travis' SUPER TEAM, SPIRIT OF AMERICA, GRAVE DIGGER, and The Saga of The Boss in GWF!!!!

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