Andre The Giant | He Was A God | HBO Teaser
- Thread starter PeterSidorkiewicz
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JackSlater
Registered User
- Apr 27, 2010
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Nice, Andre had a very interesting life. In addition to the legendary drinking stories, my favourite Andre story is that when he was in school his neighbour was Samuel Beckett, who used to drive Andre to school in his pickup truck.
Dr Pepper
Registered User
ColePens
RIP Fugu Buffaloed & parabola
I don't know too much about his life other than he was beloved. I'll watch, but the teaser didn't do a great job of selling me on anything. Calling him a god as he walked to the ring doesn't sell me on a single thing. Poor teaser. Give me a reason to tune in.
Kimi
Registered User
The best bits with things like this, is that you get to listen to Meltzer on his show telling you about the stuff that they've left out or glossed over.
Emperoreddy
Show Me What You Got!
Best anecdote I ever heard was courtesy of The Brain.
Something along the lines of Andre asking for a screwdriver (drink) on a plane, and the stewardess brought him an actual screwdriver. Something you probably shouldn't give to a man of his size especially if he's drunk.
I can't even imagine a screwdriver (the tool) being on a plane today.
is that the thing you have to pay, that you always advertize? (the newsleter thing)
i miss the LAW, i wish i had more access to meltzer talking. love his knowledge.
Kimi
Registered User
Yeah, his podcast is locked behind the paywall too. All the history why I keep paying him really, screw the current stuff I just want him to talk about the history of wrestling all the time.
JackSlater
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- Apr 27, 2010
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garnetpalmetto
Jerkministrator
Yup and addressed in the HBO doc - Hogan straight up says Andre could be a dick to Randy Savage and The Iron Sheik (PS, Hogan does an amazing Savage impersonation) and would work both of them pretty stiff, bellow at them to get out of his dressing room (I'm assuming based on how Hogan described this Andre had his own room), and would refer to Savage as "Baby Oil" for the amount of the stuff he'd put on. Essentially it'd go something like:
Savage: "Hey, Andre, big brother, what're we going to do out in the ring there?"
Andre: "NO BABY OIL! GET OUT!!!!"
There've been other interviews with Kamala and Bad News Brown where they've described Andre as being casually racist, as well.
Correct and correct. The concern was that Andre would go into business for himself there.
Kimi
Registered User
The problem with the idea of Andre going into business for himself is that he wouldn't. He was basically retiring at this point, with 'Mania probably being his last match. He had already lost to Canek in Mexcio and and Inoki in Japan, so it's not like he was against it or anything.
And it's not like Andre could really shoot on anyone at this point either. He already go shown up by Maeda in Japan, and he wasn't and younger or in better shape at this point.
And it's not like Andre could really shoot on anyone at this point either. He already go shown up by Maeda in Japan, and he wasn't and younger or in better shape at this point.
they could have brought that up. but i understand it was more of his american carreer.
but im pretty sure the canek lost was way before wrestlemania even existed.
so maybe he still had a little bit left in the tank.
not sure about antonio inoki's dates, but that was probably even farther away.
but im pretty sure the canek lost was way before wrestlemania even existed.
so maybe he still had a little bit left in the tank.
not sure about antonio inoki's dates, but that was probably even farther away.
Kimi
Registered User
Yeah, both matches were a little while before the 'Mania in question. It was just examples of him losing to the top guys already, showing he wasn't one to refuse to do so. Didn't mean to imply that he was doing a retirement loss tour.
For dates, the Inonki loss would be 1985, with Canek being 1984.
For dates, the Inonki loss would be 1985, with Canek being 1984.
garnetpalmetto
Jerkministrator
That isn't represented in the documentary and I don't think there was belief Wrestlemania III was going to be Andre's last match. The next two years alone he had over 320 WWF dates working programs with Jake Roberts, Big John Studd, Jim Duggan, and Ultimate Warrior.
Kimi
Registered User
At the time there was thought that is was his last match, especially given the poor shape he was in health wise. And while he did come back, he was still gone until the end of the year.
I'm going by Meltzer's notes on the show on things they skipped or ignored.
I'm going by Meltzer's notes on the show on things they skipped or ignored.
he lasted a little longer, but people and him knew he was done.
theres a recent interview with Bruce Prichard saying they discussed Andre winning the 1991 Royal rumble, but even at #30 would have been too rough, because of his health. they removed him completely from the match.
he did return for that years wrestlemania 7 and that would be his last wwf (televised?) match .
theres a recent interview with Bruce Prichard saying they discussed Andre winning the 1991 Royal rumble, but even at #30 would have been too rough, because of his health. they removed him completely from the match.
he did return for that years wrestlemania 7 and that would be his last wwf (televised?) match .
