The first thing any writer or reporter learns is the golden rule: “Write what you know.” Writers create with more enthusiasm and insight when they communicate about things they are passionate about, have a deep understanding of. That can be comic books or fatherhood, fixing your car or climatology. If you are a reporter investigating an event, subject matter you know nothing about you’d best do your homework, your research beforehand. If you don’t, you risk looking like a real jabroni like Brian Last and Jim Cornette often do on their podcast.
The concept, the Golden Rule I just described is as foreign to them as a good Orange Cassidy match. While they do offer insightful and often amusing takes on the Big Two, their knowledge of the modern scene beyond that scope is embarrassing bad. They aren’t as shameful as those who haven’t watched wrestling in two decades, haven’t had any interest in watching for two decades but still occasionally comment on today’s happenings and stars but there are scores of really awkward moments on their shows, such as not knowing who Kevin Knight is yet gushing over his potential in AEW.
KEVIN KNIGHT.
The former Young Lion who has been wrestling for NJPW and appearing in all manner of promotions here and there for the last five years or so.
Things often get much worse though especially when they occasionally swerve outside their lane and attempt to review an NXT or TNA show. That is where things get even more unintentionally comical. Why in the world would you feel obligated to cover and comment on special events like TNA’s debut on AMC when you aren’t a regular viewer, don’t know the talent or the current angles? You are just setting yourself up for failure and to be ridiculed when you persistently say…”What is happening and who the f—k are these people?”. That’s like being frustrated in English class at not knowing who Boo Radley is when you didn’t bother to start reading To Kill a Mocking Bird yet. If you are pelted with chuckles in the classroom when you speculate that Boo Radley is a spirit that haunts Maycomb, well, that’s your own fault. Do the work next time.
If you are having a bad day and need a laugh or two check out any of their segments on any kind of general wrestling awards like The Sports Illustrated Wrestling Awards, The Observer Awards or any of Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s lists or awards. How can anyone who doesn’t watch anything outside of AEW or WWE critique any such list when they don’t know any of the names or matches? It is a fool’s errand but Cornette and Last blunder on every time resorting to insults and name-calling to cover up their ignorance because they don’t know talent who have been wrestling for years like El Phantasmo, Tetsuya Naito, Effy, Atticus Cogar, Starlight Kid or Stephanie De Lander.
Last and Cornette are not wrestling fans. They are old school fans, WWE fans and AEW haters. They focus on the mainstream because that is what gets the views. Apart from that they know next to nothing about modern wrestling. Let me give some context to that observation. They can provide thoughtful comments on general topics like the production, the skills or lack thereof of any talent, the state of the industry, the booking but as far as being well-rounded analysts or pundits, they aren’t because they only watch the Big Two so therefore the scope of their understanding, experience is severely limited.
Some may say it is hard to follow every promotion. Well, many wrestling fans do. They are aware of personalities and promotions outside of what’s popular and what’s commercial. WWE or AEW only fans are not wrestling fans. They are WWE or AEW wrestling fans. And, if you are going to claim to be an authority on the modern pro-wrestling scene to the point that you give your opinion on notable happenings or events such as a joint TNA and NXT show, TNA’s debut on AMC, rankings or tier lists, you should have a strong knowledge base. If you don’t, perhaps stick to retro ramblings and whatever the Big Two are producing this week.
One more thing, regularly ridiculing the names of foreign personalities and also calling them “indie” talent because they don’t work for a North American promotion to cover up your own cluelessness the wider world of wrestling, especially in other countries, might be considered racist and cultural gate-keeping by some. To those who say Cornette makes fun of everyone’s name, you are right. He gives CERTAIN wrestlers nicknames like “Dick The Boozer”. Ignoring the fact that joking about someone’s addiction is inhuman, Cornette ridocules the names of OTHER wrestlers by joking about the pronunciation like Hechicero but we are talking about a guy who freely gives his thoughts on female talent without actually watching their matches or promos.
That brings me another reporter’s rule: “Information is only as good as its source.”
