Pro wrestling shows dominate the top sports podcast charts, but none are from the perspective of the show's writer, until now. Tommy Blacha has written on Conan O'Brien, Da Ali G Show, The Eric Andre Show, and co-created Adult Swim's Metalocalypse. He was also the head writer of WWE (then WWF) during their big boom period, affectionately referred to as The Attitude Era.
Tommy was a significant figure in the Attitude Era, primarily known for his work as a comedy writer and performer. He played a crucial role in shaping the entertainment aspect of the WWF product during this time. Joined by co-host Rob Pasbani (Metal Injection, Squared Circle Pit), the two look back on the unique moment in time. discussing the creative mindset behind some of the biggest stories of the Attitude
Tales from the Attitude Era is a weekly one-hour podcast looking back at a specific famous moment or storyline from the period in WWE when Blacha was head writer, between 1999 and 2001, producing some of wrestling's most iconic personalities, both in front of and behind the camera. There was a sense of heightened sensationalism surrounding the industry during this time. Fans were eager to learn about the backstage politics, personal relationships, and locker room dynamics that fueled the drama on-screen.
Every week. Rob Pasbani will lead the show offering a recap of events, and reactions from critics & fans of the time. Blacha will then offer his unique insider perspective explaining the hows and whys of famous moments involving larger-than-life figures like Vince McMahon, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, and Triple H. whose influence extended beyond the ring and into the boardroom. Fans were captivated by learning about their roles in shaping the direction of the company and the industry as a whole further fueled fans' fascination with the backstage of the Attitude Era.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Pro wrestling shows dominate the top sports podcast charts, but none are from the perspective of the show's writer, until now. Tommy Blacha has written on Conan O'Brien, Da Ali G Show, The Eric Andre Show, and co-created Adult Swim's Metalocalypse. He was also the head writer of WWE (then WWF) during their big boom period, affectionately referred to as The Attitude Era.
Tommy was a significant figure in the Attitude Era, primarily known for his work as a comedy writer and performer. He played a crucial role in shaping the entertainment aspect of the WWF product during this time. Joined by co-host Rob Pasbani (Metal Injection, Squared Circle Pit), the two look back on the unique moment in time. discussing the creative mindset behind some of the biggest stories of the Attitude
Tales from the Attitude Era is a weekly one-hour podcast looking back at a specific famous moment or storyline from the period in WWE when Blacha was head writer, between 1999 and 2001, producing some of wrestling's most iconic personalities, both in front of and behind the camera. There was a sense of heightened sensationalism surrounding the industry during this time. Fans were eager to learn about the backstage politics, personal relationships, and locker room dynamics that fueled the drama on-screen.
Every week. Rob Pasbani will lead the show offering a recap of events, and reactions from critics & fans of the time. Blacha will then offer his unique insider perspective explaining the hows and whys of famous moments involving larger-than-life figures like Vince McMahon, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, and Triple H. whose influence extended beyond the ring and into the boardroom. Fans were captivated by learning about their roles in shaping the direction of the company and the industry as a whole further fueled fans' fascination with the backstage of the Attitude Era.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week on Tales from the Attitude Era, Rob Pasbani and former WWF writer Tommy Blacha head to the Ice Palace in Tampa for the April 13, 2000 episode of SmackDown! The road to Backlash is getting shorter, and we discuss the creative pressures of building a pay-per-view card with only a few weeks of TV.
With the roster in their home state of Florida, the show has a fun, house-show vibe. The Rock has secured his title shot, but the McMahon-Helmsley Faction isn't done with him yet, setting up a huge six-man tag team main event between The Rock & The Acolytes and Triple H, Big Boss Man, & Bull Buchanan.
We also dive into:
- A hot opening match for the European Championship between Eddie Guerrero and Rikishi.
- The Hardy Boyz taking on Chris Benoit & Dean Malenko in the work-rate match of the night.
- The debut of The Big Show's "Fat Bastard" impersonation from Austin Powers.
- Chris Jericho getting on Stephanie McMahon's bad side, leading to a handicap match against DX.
- The brief and bizarre introduction of Stephanie's personal trainer, Muffy.
Join us as we break down the matches, the backstage stories, and whether the Attitude Era was starting to feel a little repetitive at this point in its run.
0:00 - Intro
2:15 - Laying the Groundwork for Backlash
6:56 - Is The Attitude Era Getting Repetitive?
11:37 - Eddie Guerrero vs. Rikishi (European Championship)
17:11 - Are DQ and Count-Out Finishes Better?
23:02 - The McMahon-Helmsley Faction Kicks Off The Show
25:12 - Head Cheese at the Old Folks' Home
26:59 - The Hardy Boyz vs. Chris Benoit & Dean Malenko
28:49 - Kurt Angle gets Big Show as a Tag Team Partner
31:55 - Crash Holly vs. Perry Saturn (Hardcore Championship)
33:22 - The Big Show does his "Fat Bastard" gimmick
39:30 - Chris Jericho's Case of Mistaken Identity
42:03 - Bubba Ray Dudley vs. Albert
43:43 - Jericho is Booked in a Handicap Match
45:48 - Introducing... Muffy?
55:56 - Main Event: The Rock & The Acolytes vs. Triple H, Boss Man, & Buchanan
57:49 - The Observer Notes: Chyna/HHH Breakup & Undertaker's Return
1:00:05 - Behind the scenes interest in Brock Lesnar & Alexander Karelin
1:01:05 - Sunday Night Heat Results
Follow Tales from The Attitude Era on all social media
http://youtube.com/@TFTAttitudeEra
http://twitter.com/TFTAttitudeEra
http://instagram.com/TFTAttitudeEra
http://tiktok.com/@TFTAttitudeEra
Tommy Blacha made his name in Hollywood as a writer on Conan O'Brien, co-creator of Metalocalypse on Adult Swim, and a writer on shows like The Eric Andre Show and Da Ali G Show. But, a little-known fact about Tommy's career is that he was the head writer of WWE (WWF at the time)) during their most successful period, starting in 1999, taking over for Vince Russo, who left for the competition. This podcast, Tales from the Attitude Era will be a retrospective of Tommy's time in the head writer position and the roller coaster ride that is pro wrestling, co-hosted by Rob Pasbani.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.