The Genius Cast with Lanny Poffo

In the final ever episode of The Genius Cast, we're doing something memorable and special for you all. If we’re going to take a bow here, we’re going to do so with a bang by putting out two versions of this episode that you will never forget!Version one: This is the version of the episode you're listening to right now. In this version of our finale, we go into full detail on why we’re calling it a day, JP plays a song he wrote entitled “Hope For Tomorrow”, Lanny shares one last song and poem, and we give tribute to Roddy Piper with guest Pete Rosen. Lanny was the final ever guest on Roddy’s podcast “Piper’s Pit” so we thought it would only be fitting to have Roddy be the focus of Lanny Poffo’s final ever show.Version two (3 hours, 45 minutes long): The unedited, uncut “Super Genius Cast” version of the show.What’s included in the “Super Genius Cast” finale:– Everything heard in version one of our final episode.– All of our unaired interviews including an interview with Outback Jack where he breaks down crying after singing a nostalgic song, plus he pours out his heart sharing stories of malicious ribbing and the Dynamite Kid that will make your jaws drop. This is not an interview to miss!– A conversation with Jason Mosher where he and Lanny talk wrestling in the Maritimes and the upcoming documentary Lanny is narrating.– Wrestling promotor Jason Gagne out of Winnipeg shares stories of which legends were the best and worst to work with over the years.– Former ICW announcer Tim Eppenstein (also known as Tim Tyler) share stories from his time in the Poffo family’s ICW promotion.– Michael William Braun, the man responsible for creating the amazing robes and ring attire for Randy and many other wrestlers. He also created outfits for Jimi Hendrix! Some really amazing stories here.– Nora Greenwald (aka Molly Holly) in a special interview where she shares her memories of Crash Holly, Eddie Guerrero and how she was one of the last people to see him alive, and more!– Plus, we include extra treats that haven’t been made available until now including the very first recording Lanny and JP had where in this conversation JP makes the pitch to Lanny about doing The Genius Cast. Believe us when we say this, you do not want to miss the “Super Genius Cast” version of our final show!As we’re making this version of the final episode chock-full of surprises, we’re going to make it available in a different way. We have had a lot of people helping us behind the scenes here that we would like to give thanks to in a monetary way as we close the door to this chapter in our lives. To help us with that, browse on over to tinyurl.com/thegeniuscast. This will lead you to a page where for a donation of your choice, a link will be e-mailed to you to hear the uncut version of our final episode.–> tinyurl.com/thegeniuscast <–From the bottom of our hearts, thank you all for coming along with us on this fun journey!– Lanny & JP--------- Lanny can continued to be reached at @LannyPoffo on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or on his Lanny "The Genius" Poffo Facebook page.JP can be reached on Twitter @JPZarka, his wrestling historical stories can be read on ProWrestlingStories.com or followed on Twitter @pws_official, Facebook or Instagram, or you can hear his music on YouTube at Sterling Avenue or JP Zarka.

In the penultimate episode of The Genius Cast, we honor our very dear, close, personal long-time friend, "Mean" Gene Okerlund.Sadly, Gene passed away on January 2nd, 2019 at the age of 76. It was a loss not only to the fans of professional wrestling, but to those who knew him well. "It was the voice. And not just any voice. It was a loud, yet smooth, tone that many grew up listening to for decades.” Mean Gene was THE voice to a generation of wrestling fans and it is our utmost privilege to pay tribute to him in this week's show.Tune in to hear JP and Lanny talk about Gene's lesser-known music career, what Gene was like as a person on and off camera, his relationship with Randy and of course, his greatest moments on camera and the few times he botched on air. Gene was meant to be a guest on our show back in November. Lanny had driven up to his home to see him and an interview took place, but regrettably, there was a hardware malfunction which caused the contents of the recording not to be saved. Sadly, it wasn't meant to be. At the end of this week's show, Lanny shares details from the conversation he had with Gene.Recommended article mentioned in this week's episode:Survivor Series 1990: WWE’s Memorable Thanksgiving MisfirePull back the curtain with The Genius Cast with Lanny Poffo and JP Zarka of ProWrestlingStories.com each Monday from 12 p.m. GMT / 7 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. CST / 4 a.m. PST.Got questions for our show? Use the #AskTheGenius hashtag or e-mail us at thegeniuscast@prowrestlingstories.com!Missed an episode? No worries! Watch hundreds of clips from The Genius Cast on our YouTube channel! Don't forget to hit subscribe!Follow us: @TheGeniusCast on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!

Welcome to the New Years Eve edition of The Genius Cast! We're very excited to have the stunning and talented, the “Interview Queen” herself, Alicia Atout, on our show this week! Alicia is a personality in the pro wrestling world who’s star is on the rise. You may know her from her website A Music Blog, Yea? (or AMBY for short) where for the past few years, she has had thousands of really great interviews with musicians and wrestlers alike. You may also have seen her as a Backstage TV Host...

Welcome to the New Years Eve edition of The Genius Cast! We're very excited to have the stunning and talented, the “Interview Queen” herself, Alicia Atout, on our show this week!Alicia is a personality in the pro wrestling world who’s star is on the rise. You may know her from her website A Music Blog, Yea? (or AMBY for short) where for the past few years, she has had thousands of really great interviews with musicians and wrestlers alike. You may also have seen her as a Backstage TV Host with IMPACT Wrestling or on September 1st’s All In broadcast. In Lanny's catch-up with Alicia, they talk meeting at All In, how she got into the business, she shares never-before-heard stories from her favorite interviews, how she's turned being bullied when young into a positive today, and so much more! Plus, she showcases a talent unbeknownst to some- singing! A fun interview you don't want to miss.Also discussed in this week’s episode: - Lanny and JP look back on meeting for the first time in July and the first 18 weeks of this show- 2019 wishes and resolutions for The Genius Cast- The typical New Years Eve celebration for The Genius and what JP and Lanny will be up to tonight- Thoughts on fans complaining about Vince McMahon pre-taping Raw and SmackDown these past two weeks to allow talent to be with their families over the holidays- What it was like to be on the road away from family so much, particularly during the holidays- Lanny shares stories of his friend, Roddy Piper (his movie career, being the final-ever guest on Piper's podcast, and more)- Was Randy jealous of the Saturday Night Main Event match Lanny had against Hulk Hogan? - Randy’s thoughts about WCW at the end of his run there - Randy always loved working with children for charity work etc. Did he ever want children of his own?- Were there ever consideration (or desire from Lanny and Randy) to acknowledge them as brothers in some form or another in the WWF? - When did Randy start using the Flying elbow off the top as his finisher and did he come up with it himself? - Stories of childhood heroes letting down Lanny and JP- A New Years poem...and more!Pull back the curtain with The Genius Cast with Lanny Poffo and JP Zarka of ProWrestlingStories.com each Monday from 12 p.m. GMT / 7 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. CST / 4 a.m. PST.Got questions for our show? Use the #AskTheGenius hashtag or e-mail us at thegeniuscast@prowrestlingstories.com!Missed an episode? No worries! Watch hundreds of clips from The Genius Cast on our YouTube channel! Don't forget to hit subscribe!Follow us: @TheGeniusCast on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!Do you want to advertise to thousands of dedicated listeners each week on our show? Reach out to us!

We’re coming at you this week with a two-for-one Christmas Eve Genius Cast special with interviews with “Hotshot” Danny Duggan and one of the greatest wrestlers to ever don a pair of tights, Terry Funk! You may have heard about the recent debacle Danny Duggan had where he called out Brutus the Barber Beefcake last month for being unprofessional and skipping dates on the CWE tour up in Canada. This was all over the wrestling news sites and it prompted a hefty response from Beefcake himself....

We’re coming at you this week with a two-for-one Christmas Eve Genius Cast special with interviews with “Hotshot” Danny Duggan and one of the greatest wrestlers to ever don a pair of tights, Terry Funk!You may have heard about the recent debacle Danny Duggan had where he called out Brutus the Barber Beefcake last month for being unprofessional and skipping dates on the CWE tour up in Canada. This was all over the wrestling news sites and it prompted a hefty response from Beefcake himself. We’re excited to have Danny on our show where he talks openly about what happened in detail. A lot of dirt is dished and you don't want to miss this portion of the show!In our conversation with Terry Funk, he updates us on how he is feeling, who he believes is really behind the booking of WWE (it's not who you think), which prominent McMahon is involved in MMA, memories of his feud with Lanny where he stripped him naked in front of a crowd and tried to make him wrestle a woman, the Poffo/Funk family connection, and so much more!Also discussed in this week’s episode: - Where in the world is Lanny? - Why in the world did Lanny travel from warm Florida to the arctic tundra of Nova Scotia, Canada last weekend?- Turning loss into a positive this Christmas- Lanny's memories of visiting Germany- Thoughts on whether or not Miss Elizabeth's will go into the WWE Hall of Fame- Lanny's dream opponent- Now that the WWE has the performance center, would Lanny consider coaching? And if Randy were still with us, would he have coached? - Was Hulk Hogan and Randy really trying to work things out near the end of his life? Or was Hogan seeking attention?- Memories of Phil Golden's All Star Wrestling in Paducah, Kentucky - Did Angelo and Judy Poffo have family connections in Kentucky leading them to bring the family there in the 1970s?- Randy's relationship with the Ultimate Warrior- Favorite memories of Scott Steiner- How the money worked back in the earlier days of WWF: How did Lanny decide what to save and what to spend?- The over-the-top-rope "Leaping" Lanny Botch against Jake Roberts at Madison Square Garden in 1987...and more!Pull back the curtain with The Genius Cast with Lanny Poffo and JP Zarka of ProWrestlingStories.com each Monday from 12 p.m. GMT / 7 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. CST / 4 a.m. PST.Got questions for our show? Use the #AskTheGenius hashtag or e-mail us at thegeniuscast@prowrestlingstories.com!Missed an episode? No worries! Watch hundreds of clips from The Genius Cast on our YouTube channel! Don't forget to hit subscribe!Follow us: @TheGeniusCast on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!Do you want to advertise to thousands of dedicated listeners each week on our show? Reach out to us!

It is our privilege to have Bill Apter on this week’s episode of The Genius Cast! You may know Bill for his editorial work as well as his exceptional photography over the past forty years in “Apter mags” such as Pro Wrestling Illustrated. You may also know him through his highly recommended podcast, The Apter Chat. Lanny and Bill laugh, joke, sing, and discuss a variety of topics in wrestling as well as dive into discussions about music, Broadway, and so much more. This is a fun show that you don’t want to miss!Also in this week’s episode: Lanny remembers “Dynamite Kid” Tom Billington and Larry “The Ax” Hennig, the Calgary Maybelle Rib, and so much more!Pull back the curtain with The Genius Cast with Lanny Poffo and JP Zarka of ProWrestlingStories.com each Monday from 12 p.m. GMT / 7 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. CST / 4 a.m. PST.Got questions for our show? Use the #AskTheGenius hashtag or e-mail us at thegeniuscast@prowrestlingstories.com!Missed an episode? No worries! Watch hundreds of clips from The Genius Cast on our YouTube channel! Don't forget to hit subscribe!Follow us: @TheGeniusCast on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!

It is our distinct honor to have Sean Waltman on our show this week!In our candid conversation, Waltman opens up about the traumatic brain injury he endured and being told by doctors that his wrestling career was over at age 20, what it felt like to be scoring an upset victory over Razor Ramon on national television as the 123 Kid six months later, the feud he's most thankful for, memories of Randy Savage, his feelings on the nickname "The Kliq", the biggest difference between working for WCW and WWE, his thoughts on being fired by Eric Bischoff via Fed-Ex telegram, the hypothetical match-up between nWo and DX, his favorite memories of being in DX, Chyna in the WWE Hall of Fame, thoughts on Marty Jannetty, hilarious stories of Butch Miller of The Bushwackers, how he found and rescued his adorable dog, Lula, whether he has another run left in him, the Hollywood wrestling fan who took him under her wing, his podcast X-Pac 1,2,360, and so much more!Also on this week's show: An interview with Jonathon Dobbs, a wrestler who once worked under Kentucky wrestling promotor, Dale Mann. He discusses the two murders Mann was involved in, including one of his referees.Plus: Iron Sheik's unreleased autobiography, why Randy ditched the trunks for a t-shirt and long tights in his last run as a babyface in the WWF, Lanny's first match in front of an audience, the biggest cause of the closure of the Poffo family's ICW promotion, whether or not Lanny plans on writing an autobiography, Randy training Shane McMahon, stories of James Harris (aka Kamala), and more!Pull back the curtain with The Genius Cast with Lanny Poffo and JP Zarka of ProWrestlingStories.com each Monday from 12 p.m. GMT / 7 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. CST / 4 a.m. PST.Got questions for our show? Use the #AskTheGenius hashtag or e-mail us at thegeniuscast@prowrestlingstories.com!Missed an episode? No worries! Watch hundreds of clips from The Genius Cast with Lanny Poffo on our YouTube channel! Don't forget to hit subscribe!Follow us: @TheGeniusCast on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!

This week, it is our privilege to bring you an interview with TV producer and New York Times bestseller, Keith Elliot Greenberg! You may know him from co-authoring Ric Flair’s, Freddie Blassie's, and "Superstar" Billy Graham's autobiographies (among many, many others). We talk memories of "Classy" Freddie Blassie and the man who had the largest penis in professional wrestling and how his misadventures shaped the WWE! An incredibly fun conversation you don't want to miss!Topics discussed: Keith’s memorable write-up on Randy after he passed away, Freddie Blassie’s knack for exaggerating the truth, Bruno Sammartino saving Freddie’s life from the mafia, vicious ribs played in the locker room and why Ric Flair (who was revered amongst the boys) would get ribbed but Randy would not, Angelo Poffo's thoughts on ribbing, which manager quit the WWF and threatened to burn down wrestlers’ homes with their children inside due to wrestlers leaving “treats” in his shoes, Lanny’s memories of Freddie from when he was younger and living in Hawaii, Freddie’s regret on being an absentee father and how he sadly died before making peace with his children, the love/hate relationship between Freddie and Lou Albano, the reason Freddie never drank, what stopped Freddie from partnering with Gorgeous George and Don Carson, the mental sickness of Dr. Jerry Graham and how he attempted to steal his dead mother from the hospital, who had the largest penis in professional wrestling and how his man part changed the wrestling landscape forever, how the autobiography of Iron Sheik was co-written by Greenberg but was deemed too colorful to ever be published, the time all the boys in the back sang in the tune of John Lennon about Iron Sheik’s umpteenth return to the WWF after one of his many drug charges, a deeper look on the story of Hacksaw Jim Duggan getting suspended after being caught in the car with Iron Sheik with marijuana and cocaine right before he was set to have a massive push, what makes a good heel according to Nikolai Volkoff, Lanny discusses going 20% heel on commentary for New Japan, and so much more!Also in this week's show: Lanny and JP discuss their friend "Mean" Gene Okerlund getting involved with The Genius Cast, Chicago winters, "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan's health, Jake "The Snake" Robert talking "bullshit" on a recent appearance on the Joe Rogan "Experience" podcast, Lanny's memories of Newfoundland and singing old traditional Newfoundlander folk songs, a fan writes a "thank you" card to Lanny, how Angelo Poffo's relationship was with Pat Patterson and Ray Stevens, the story behind Lanny's "Killer Bees-esque" trunks from old promo photos, why Lanny was once billed from Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, the content of an exchange between Randy Savage and Donald Trump at Trump Plaza, Lanny's thoughts on the Bushwackers' Jamison, Randy and Liz separating on screen but being together still in real life, Lanny's thoughts on Liz and Randy's breakup, whether or not there's an ICW tape library, and so much more! This is a jam-packed show you don't want to miss!Recommended reading to go along with this week's show:The Night Bruno Sammartino Saved Freddie Blassie’s LifeThe Time WWE Hall of Famer DR. JERRY GRAHAM Kidnapped His Mother’s Dead BodyMissed an episode? No worries! Watch hundreds of clips from The Genius Cast with Lanny Poffo on our YouTube channel! Don't forget to hit subscribe!Follow us: @TheGeniusCast

We are thrilled to have third generation wrestler and promoter, 2018 WWE Hall of Famer, J-E double F J-A double R, E double T, Jeff Jarrett on The Genius Cast today!Topics discussed: Training under Tojo Yamamoto, the yin and yang relationship between his father Jerry Jarrett and long-term business partner Jerry Lawler, memories of Randy Savage and the Poffo family, the Double J character, the resurgence in popularity of the song "With My Baby Tonight," why he and Road Dogg Jesse James walked out when they both seemed to be on the cusp of great things storyline wise in the WWF in 1995, memories of Owen Hart, "taking the WWE hostage" - his side of the story, what he's most proud of from his TNA/Impact years, the surprise of being asked to join the WWE Hall of Fame, the NWA 70th anniversary show, working with Billy Corgan, Global Force Entertainment, what's next for Jeff Jarrett, and so much more!Also in this week's show: A heartwarming story of Randy Savage playing wiffle ball with neighborhood kids in Lexington, Kentucky, Thanksgiving traditions, whether Vince McMahon ever did anything special for talent who worked on the holidays, the story of Kentucky promoter Dale Mann murdering one of his referees, Lanny's favorite vegetarian dish, Hacksaw Jim Duggan's bout with cancer while with the WWF, Lanny's thoughts on the rumors Randy was on drugs during his promos, Lanny's favorite kind of music, and more! Plus- Lanny and JP take turns singing at the end of the show. This is an episode you don't want to miss!Pull back the curtain with The Genius Cast with Lanny Poffo and JP Zarka of ProWrestlingStories.com each Monday from 12 p.m. GMT / 7 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. CST / 4 a.m. PST.Got questions for our show? Use the #AskTheGenius hashtag or e-mail us at thegeniuscast@prowrestlingstories.com!Missed an episode? No worries! Watch hundreds of clips from The Genius Cast with Lanny Poffo on our YouTube channel! Don't forget to hit subscribe!Follow us: @TheGeniusCast on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!

It is a pleasure to have our friend Evan Ginzburg this week on The Genius Cast! He was the associate producer for the films 'The Wrestler' and '350 Days,' he is the host of the Evan Ginzburg Show, a senior writer over on ProWrestlingStories.com, a published author, and an overall fantastic person.Evan has been a fan of professional wrestling since 1972 and has fascinating stories to share of a foregone era and what it was like to witness real-life superheroes in and out of the ring at Madison Square Garden when growing up in New York City. We talk John Tolos, Dick Slater, losing close loved ones in wrestling, heartwrenching personal stories with Eddie Guerrero, 'Sensational' Sherri Martel, Johnny Valiant, Nikolai Volkoff and Nicole Bass. Evan also shares all the details of his involvement with the films 'The Wrestler' and '350 Days.' Learn how Lanny almost got a role in 'The Wrestler' but was ultimately denied for a specific reason, what it was like to show Nicholas Cage around when he was auditioning to be in the movie, what Nicholas thought Ring of Honor was, and so much more, this conversation between three friends will leave you smiling and wanting more!Also in this week's show: JP recently visited Italy. Hear tales of his travels, handshake agreements in wrestling, the story of how Lanny and JP met, how this podcast became a reality, and so much more!Featured image (from left to right): Evan Ginzburg with hosts Lanny Poffo and JP Zarka.Pull back the curtain with The Genius Cast with Lanny Poffo and JP Zarka of ProWrestlingStories.com each Monday from 12 p.m. GMT / 7 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. CST / 4 a.m. PST.Got questions for our show? Use the #AskTheGenius hashtag or e-mail us at thegeniuscast@prowrestlingstories.com!Recommended reading to go along with this week's show:Wrestling at Madison Square Garden – Our Top 5 MomentsRemembering “Sensational” Sherri MartelMy Friend, Nicole Bass – A Loving Tribute One Year After Her Death350 Days: The StoryMissed an episode? No worries! Watch hundreds of clips from The Genius Cast with Lanny Poffo on our YouTube channel! Don't forget to hit subscribe!Follow us:twitter.com/thegeniuscastfacebook.com/thegeniuscastinstagram.com/thegeniuscast

We’re excited to have the head trainer of Ohio Valley Wrestling, Hustler Rip Rogers (@Hustler2754) on our show today! He’s a guest many listeners have been asking us to get on for a while now. Rip started off his time in Angelo, Randy and Lanny's ICW territory in 1977 and he has had a significant history with the Poffo family over the years. In this week's episode, Lanny and Rip look back on their time on the road together and let us take a peek behind the curtain to what it was really like to be a wrestler in the 70s and 80s! From wrestlers dodging their restaurant bills, to creatively saving money on the road by sleeping sixteen to a hotel room, the Iron Sheik, "smelly" ribs in the car, Ronnie Garvin crashing his car due to being "preoccupied", and more, this colorful conversation is one you don't want to miss!Also in this week's show: Lanny gives his thoughts on Japan, New Japan Pro Wrestling, how one of the most influential men in professional wrestling, Rikidōzan, was murdered by the Japanese mafia, wrestling his brother Randy and why it never happened in the WWF, wrestling in Hara Arena in Dayton, Ohio, Macho Man on the Arsenio Hall Show, wrestling Ciclón Negro in Venezuela, and so much more!Pull back the curtain with The Genius Cast with Lanny Poffo and JP Zarka of ProWrestlingStories.com each Monday from 12 p.m. GMT / 7 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. CST / 4 a.m. PST.Got questions for our show? Use the #AskTheGenius hashtag or e-mail us at thegeniuscast@prowrestlingstories.com!Follow us:https://twitter.com/thegeniuscasthttps://www.facebook.com/thegeniuscashttps://www.instagram.com/thegeniuscast

This week's episode of The Genius Cast is jam-packed with great content! We have two important guests, Kevin Kelly, the voice of New Japan Pro Wrestling, and Nick Dinsmore, formerly known as "Eugene" of WWE!In a special interview taped from Shibuya, Japan, Kevin Kelly opens up to Lanny about being taken to task by fans and how he handled the critics when he first started off as play-by-play announcer of New Japan back in October 2015. He talks reaching out to fans on social media to learn and understand NJPW more at a deeper level, the joy of watching the progression of Lanny and Mavs Gillis as commentators from their first shows up until now while also offering advice to Lanny to help him earn his spot to come back to New Japan as color commentator in the future. Over Kevin's 28-year plus career in wrestling, his work in New Japan is what he is most proud and he explains why and so much more.In our well-anticipated interview with Nick Dinsmore, he looks back on being a ten-time Heavyweight Champion and eleven-time Southern Tag Team Champion in OVW working alongside Jim Cornette and Rip Rogers while training Brock Lesnar, Randy Orton, John Cena, and Dave Batista, what it was like to wrestle in WCW when they were beating WWF in the Monday Night Wars, accidentally walking into the nWo locker room, wrestling as Doink the Clown and one half of the Los Conquistadores tag team, the lie he told that resulted in him getting called up to the main roster in WWE, sharing a ring with the likes of The Rock, Hulk Hogan, and Vince McMahon, road stories with Tajiri and William Regal, his feelings on how WWE handled the "Eugene" character, whether or not he thinks it would work in today's society, life after WWE, his Midwest All Pro Wrestling promotion in Sioux Falls, South Dakota (follow @midwestallpro), and so much more! Nick also sits in the interviewer chair and asks Lanny some hard-hitting questions with one particular question challenging Lanny's claim that his brother was an upstanding citizen who was never arrested!Two heartfelt and open conversations you do not want to miss!!Also in this week's show: Lanny's history with the NWA, the perks and pitfalls of running against NWA territories as opposed to being a member of the NWA when with ICW, who Lanny wishes he had the chance to hit between the eyes with a frisbee, unusual stories on Iron Mike Sharpe and his extreme OCD, records Lanny used to break in the gym, and so much more!Pull back the curtain with The Genius Cast with Lanny Poffo and JP Zarka of ProWrestlingStories.com each Monday from 12 p.m. GMT / 7 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. CST / 4 a.m. PST.Got questions for our show? Use the #AskTheGenius hashtag or e-mail us at thegeniuscast@prowrestlingstories.com!Recommended reading to go along with this week's show:Macho Man Randy Savage Taken Down by Police Dog at Waffle HouseFollow us:https://twitter.com/thegeniuscasthttps://www.facebook.com/thegeniuscasthttps://www.instagram.com/thegeniuscast

We are incredibly honored to have legend and WWE Hall of Famer, Hacksaw Jim Duggan on our show this week!In this week's episode of The Genius Cast, Duggan opens up about his time playing college and professional football, being discovered by and training under Fritz Von Erich, the Dallas Sportatorium, his time as a heel in Mid-South as part of the Rat Pack, bullies in professional wrestling and his enemy Matt Borne, debuting in WWF at WrestleMania 3, winning the first ever Royal Rumble in 1988, the differences between today's locker room and the past, fans who approach wrestlers during their time off, why he got heel heat at a recent WrestleMania Axxess event, how his drug arrest with Iron Sheik hurt his career, stories of Andre the Giant, Yokozuna, Bruiser Brody, Bill Watts, Haku/Meng bar fights, and so much more!Also in this week's show: Lanny gives an update from Tokyo about how things are going with his new role of commentating for New Japan Pro Wrestling, the downfalls of going to nudist beaches in Australia, and so much more! You don't want to miss this week's show!Pull back the curtain with The Genius Cast with Lanny Poffo and JP Zarka of ProWrestlingStories.com each Monday from 12 p.m. GMT / 7 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. CST / 4 a.m. PST.Got questions for our show? Use the #AskTheGenius hashtag on Twitter!Recommended reading to go along with this week's show:THE SPORTATORIUM – If Those Walls Could TalkAndre the Giant Documentary – 12 Things Learned (And Facts Left Out!)KAYFABE in Professional Wrestling – “You know wrestling is fake, right?”BRUISER BRODY – A Detailed Look at his Murder and Influence on Professional WrestlingFollow us:https://twitter.com/thegeniuscasthttps://www.facebook.com/thegeniuscasthttps://www.instagram.com/thegeniuscast

Our complete retrospective on Curt Hennig aka Mr. Perfect.

Welcome to the 7th edition of The Genius Cast where we have a must-listen interview with the Godfather of Shoot Interviews himself, Sean Oliver of Kayfabe Commentaries. Also, hear it here first -- breaking news about Lanny and New Japan!In our revealing conversation with Sean Oliver, he opens up about running a wrestling production company since 2007, who his favorite talent was to deal with while sharing some hilarious stories on those who were most difficult. Sean also exclusively reveals stories from his highly recommended book Kayfabe and new book, Fathers' Blood, released earlier this month (click links to purchase). Discussion leads to Lanny sharing intimate details about his upbringing and how it was like to be a father while on the road. You'll also learn how Sean was the inspiration behind a very important decision Lanny made about his brother, Randy, as well as hear a bit of gossip you don't want to miss!Plus: Lanny opens up about not using toilet paper, auditioning for America's Got Talent three times (don't worry, we include a clip of Lanny's third audition in all its glory!), Randy's WWE Hall of Fame ring, Randy shouting at a kid while at the concession stands, stories about the Poffo family dogs and their ridiculously unique names, and so much more. This is not an episode to miss!Pull back the curtain with The Genius Cast with Lanny Poffo and JP Zarka of ProWrestlingStories.com each Monday from 12 p.m. GMT / 7 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. CST / 4 a.m. PST.Follow us:https://twitter.com/thegeniuscasthttps://www.facebook.com/thegeniuscasthttps://www.instagram.com/thegeniuscast

It was our pleasure to have Fred Ottman aka Tugboat, Typhoon and THE SHOCKMASTER from his time in WWF and WCW on the line! In this deep and heartfelt interview, Fred opens up about training under the tutelage of “The Great Professor” Boris Malenko in Tampa, Florida, why he had to lie about being a wrestler on the road, concussions and his decision not to join the lawsuit against WWE, his thoughts on certain wrestlers who didn't take care of others in the ring, teaming with John Tenta (Earthquake) and being like brothers with him outside of the ring, his disdain for particular types of ribbers, advice for current and up-and-coming wrestlers, and of course, a detailed breakdown on the unforgettable debut of The Shockmaster- what went wrong, why it went wrong, and how his life changed as a result of his legendary, and infamous, botched debut at WCW Clash of the Champions 24. You'll be left loving Fred just as much as us by the end of the show.Plus: Lanny fires back at Bill Dundee after hearing the things he said about Randy and his father Angelo in a recent shoot interview, whether he agrees or disagrees with recent comments Undertaker made, he pulls back the curtain on how to hide an exposed razor in your mouth while wrestling, the rumor about what happened to the Hulk Hogan WWE Championship belt which Mr. Perfect destroyed on television, the song he wrote for Macho Man's rap album 'Be a Man', how the movie Coming To America inspired the design of his new 'Genius Glow' t-shirt on ProWrestlingTees.com, and more! This is not an episode to miss!Pull back the curtain with The Genius Cast with Lanny Poffo and JP Zarka of ProWrestlingStories.com each Monday from 12 p.m. GMT / 7 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. CST / 4 a.m. PST.Follow us:https://twitter.com/thegeniuscasthttps://www.facebook.com/thegeniuscasthttps://www.instagram.com/thegeniuscast

It’s hard to imagine a wrestler more memorable or larger than life than Andre the Giant. From stories of brute strength to drinking prowess, the "Eighth Wonder of the World" captivated people wherever he went. Standing at 6 feet 10 inches tall though billed at 7 feet 4 inches, he had a presence unlike no other and he really was a real life giant much like his in-ring moniker suggested. While there are countless stories and legends that have been rehashed over time, in this episode, Lanny Poffo shares stories about Andre that have never been heard before! He had a personal relationship with the Giant and what he unfolds cannot be heard or found anywhere else. This is not an episode to miss!Plus: Lanny opens up about his brother Randy's "cream of the crop" promo, why he and Bam Bam Bigelow almost got into a fight, the rumor about Brutus 'The Barber' Beefcake shaving his head against his wishes at WrestleMania 6, the origin of The Genius character, his Mount Rushmore of best wrestlers of all time, and so much more!Pull back the curtain with The Genius Cast with Lanny Poffo and JP Zarka of ProWrestlingStories.com each Monday from 12 p.m. GMT / 7 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. CST / 4 a.m. PST.Follow us:https://twitter.com/thegeniuscasthttps://www.facebook.com/thegeniuscasthttps://www.instagram.com/thegeniuscast

Welcome to the fourth edition of The Genius Cast with Lanny Poffo where we have one-half of The Killer Bees and current president of The Cauliflower Alley Club, B Brian Blair as a guest! In this candid discussion, Brian opens up about his dear friend Paul Orndorff, how he's doing today, the GoFundMe effort to save his home, Orndorff's time in football and how Orndorff adopted the "Brandon Bull" nickname, how he and Paul "took care of business" on the road, the assistance he's trying to provide through The Cauliflower Alley Club, hilarious never-before-told stories of ribs and practical jokes on the road, details on the five times he got into shoot fights with the likes of Matt Borne, Buzz Sawyer, Doug Somers, and so much more- you won't want to miss this!Plus: Lanny opens up about his brother Randy's 1980 promo in ICW where he broke down and cried on camera, Gorgeous George's demons, wrestling with a green (new to the business) Rick Rude in Mid-South against Jim Cornette and The Midnight Express, the Class Action Concussion Lawsuit against WWE being tossed out of court, and more!Become a member of The Cauliflower Alley Club: http://www.caulifloweralleyclub.org/Pull back the curtain with The Genius Cast with Lanny Poffo and JP Zarka of ProWrestlingStories.com each Monday from 12 p.m. GMT / 7 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. CST / 4 a.m. PST.Follow us:https://twitter.com/thegeniuscasthttps://www.facebook.com/thegeniuscasthttps://www.instagram.com/thegeniuscast

Welcome to the third edition of The Genius Cast with Lanny Poffo where we take a "deep drive" into brother Randy's 4-year minor league baseball career. Find out how Randy got the nickname "Macho Man" from his time in baseball and more!Plus: "Lost to History", Randy working with WWE in 2003 for a video game promo and whether WWE reached out to him before he died, if 2k Sports have reached out to use Lanny's likeness in a game, Sid Vicious going to Lanny for help to break into the business, Macho Man's charity work, impressions on the infamous match between the Poffos and the Rock n Roll Express with the unforgettable piledriver through the table in ’84 in Memphis, the locker room: then vs now, Jay Lethal playing the role of Bonesaw McGraw from Spiderman, and more! An entertaining episode as usual so don't miss out!Pull back the curtain with The Genius Cast with Lanny Poffo and JP Zarka of ProWrestlingStories.com each Monday from 12 p.m. GMT / 7 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. CST / 4 a.m. PST.Follow us: @thegeniuscast© A ProWrestlingStories.com Radio Network Production