Friend Encounters: Billy Jack Haynes and Josh Watko

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends who have met celebrities. Today, we revisit an old pal who I have never met.

Josh Watko is the creator of JW's Wrestling Memorabilia, a great website featuring pictures, stories, product reviews and more from the world of wrestling. Among the other fun stuff on Josh's site is The Joshie, an award he gives out in various categories. I very proudly am the 2018 "Thanks for the Memories" Joshie award winner. Josh covers a lot of ground in wrestling, but he also meets celebrities from other areas.

Today, I am featuring Josh with Billy Jack Haynes from a convention last year. Haynes wrestled from 1982-'86, attaining his biggest success in the WWF in the mid-80s. He was the master of the full-nelson and had a memorable feud with Hercules Hernandez.

Haynes is one of those guys who had a memorable, but relatively short run in the WWF. While there were bigger names, men like Haynes should not be forgotten. I love meeting these types who formed the solid midcard for the WWF, but unfortunately, I have never met Haynes.

Someday I hope to meet Haynes. I also hope to meet Josh. Maybe we could even team up for some sort of coverage.

Josh Watko and Billy Jack Haynes in Princeton, NJ-September 2019.

Friend Encounters: Sgt. Slaughter and Josh Watko

This is a weekly series about friends who have met celebrities.

I first came across Josh Watko's JW's Wrestling Memorabilia site many years ago. Josh wrote about wrestling figures and other wrestling-related stuff. He also occasionally veered into other pop culture fun.

Josh was one of the first people I ever saw who consistently met and wrote about meeting wrestlers. He has met so many wrestlers past and present, including many that I haven't met. I am envious of that, but happy for him, because he is a great fan of the business. As evident in the picture below with Sgt. Slaughter, Josh started at a very early age. 

I have followed Josh's work over the years and took special note of his "Joshie" awards. At the end of every year, Josh presented his "Joshie" awards, including a "Thanks for the Memories" award, given to such luminaries as Lance Russell, Chyna, Dusty Rhodes, Roddy Piper and The Ultimate Warrior.

When I first read his "Joshie" awards presentation, I thought it was such a cool idea. His award categories and reasoning behind winning selections made the awards special. Anyone can just give out awards, but a "Joshie" had real meaning.

I write this in all honesty. Josh's site is so well written, that it stands out in a sea of sites on the internet. He is talented, clever, insightful and entertaining.

One year, I mentioned that my goal was to win a "Joshie" award. Was it fair of me to campaign for that honor? I wrote about my goal and I hope to legit earn the award. I figured Josh would get a laugh and maybe have some fun with it, but I never actually thought I would win the award.

As I made my regular stop on his site this morning, I saw "The Winds of Change" as his newest entry. I was surprised to see my picture with Gene Okerlund accompanying the story. As I read the piece, I was even more surprised to see Josh name me as the 2018 "Thanks for the Memories" Joshie award winner.

When I look back at the previous winners, I see wrestling Hall of Famers. While I never expected to win a "Joshie" award, this particular award is even more special. At best, I thought Josh might create some unofficial award for me, just for the fun of it. I never expected to win a legit and established "Joshie" award.

I sincerely appreciate this award and will do my best to continue to live up to it's legacy. Being recognized by one of the best internet writers is very cool.

As the title of his piece indicated, Josh is changing things a bit on his site. He is moving away from the weekly format, but he promises to continue to be an internet presence, as well as a familiar face on the wrestling scene. I'll miss his weekly offerings, but I look forward to his future musings whenever they appear. Josh promises more fun, just in a less structured format.

He also teased a book. Can that be a legit possibility? If anyone could do it, I'd say Josh would be the one. I'd buy his book in a heartbeat. Actually, I would wait for him to do a signing. Then Joshie and Johngy could finally meet.

Until then, Josh, thank you for the memories and looking forward to more Josh fun in the future.

Josh Watko and Sgt. Slaughter in Pennsylvania-1988.

Friendly Encounters: Jonathan Frakes and Josh Watko

Friendly Encounters is a weekly series featuring my friends who have met celebrities.

Josh Watko is the master behind JW's Wrestling Memorabilia, but he is not a one trick pony. Wrestling might be his strength, but it isn't his only passion.

Josh has gone several times to Steel City Con, a big comic con in Pennsylvania. At the 2017 Steel City Con, Josh met Jonathan Frakes. With a career spanning more than 30 years, Frakes has had a lot of great roles in successful projects, but he might be best remembered as Commander William Riker in the Star Trek franchise. Some folks might recognize him as the husband of longtime daytime actress Genie Francis. Either way, Josh made sure to meet Frakes.

You might not find Frakes on Josh's website, but you will find lots of fun stuff. He discusses wrestling memorabilia old and new, as well as all sorts of other wrestling-related topics. At the end of every year, he also presents his Joshie Awards. It has long been a goal of mine to win a Joshie. I don't even know if there would be a suitable category, but he is in charge and could create one. I don't want it to be a pity Joshie (although I would take that anyway). I do think I do enough wrestling coverage to merit some consideration. Certainly my occasional praise of Josh and his site must help my cause. Maybe I could be in a promotional category? Just a thought.

Anyway, check out Josh's site, especially if you are a wrestling fan. You can see his other pictures (like the one with Frakes) on his social media account or possibly here, as I occasionally feature him (even if I never win the long-desired Joshie!).

Josh Watko and Jonathan Frakes in Monroeville, PA-December 2017.

Friendly Encounters: Debbie Gibson and Josh Watko

This is a weekly series featuring friends who have met celebrities.

Josh Watko is the creative force behind JW's Wrestling Memorabilia, the best of wrestling memorabilia and memories.  The site is filled with great wrestling stuff, but Josh is not a one trick pony.
Josh attends a lot of comic con or celebrity appearances in his area.  At one such show, he met singer Debbie Gibson.  Josh's comment on his picture was "Debbie Gibson and I...two '80s icons and we're still hot as Hell."  He is quite the kidder.
I have to agree with him about Debbie.  She still looks great.  Even when I saw her up close at a different event, I thought she looked great.
Sorry Josh, I like you and all, but I can't compare you and Debbie.  On the other hand, Josh runs a much better website that she does.

Josh Watko and Debbie Gibson in Pittsburgh, PA-August 2015.

Friendly Encounters: Johnny Whitaker and Josh Watko

This is a weekly series featuring friends who have met celebrities.

Once again, we feature my friend Josh Watko from JW's Wrestling Memorabilia.  Josh is a great guy who meets lots of celebrities.  His website is full of great wrestling pictures, stories, reviews and more.  It is an entertaining romp through the world of wrestling.
Despite his site being focused on wrestling, Josh has met a lot of stars outside of wrestling.  One such celebrity was Johnny Whitaker, the lovable former childhood actor best known for his role as Jody on tv's Family Affair.  Whitaker also originated the role of Scotty Baldwin on tv's General Hospital and later starred on Sigmund and the Sea Monsters.  That's a pretty impressive resume for a young actor.
Unfortunately, his acting career did not flourish after that.  Fortunately, Whitaker seems to have avoided the pitfalls often associated with young actors.
I met Whitaker years ago and he was very fan-friendly and happy to discuss any of his roles.  He seemed proud of his past and content wth his present.
Josh's site is very cool, but I would love to see him expand it to include thse non-wrestling stars.  He's got plenty of pictures and interesting stories.
Despite knowing Josh for years, I ahve never met him.  I imagine that will happen at some event sometime.  That won't stop me from featring him here though.  He just has so many great pictures.

Josh Watko and Johnny Whitaker in Pittsburgh, PA-August 2015.

Friendly Encounters: Tiffany and Josh Watko

Friendly Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends who have met celebrities.

Another year is almost done and Josh Watko of JWsWrestlingMemorabliia has just announced his 2016 Joshie award winners.  Unfortunately, once again, I did not win a Joshie.  Technically, I am not even sure I would qualify for a Joshie, but it still remains my goal.
Josh is a celebrity fan, with a major focus on wrestling.  His site is full of great wrestling stories, pictures, reviews and more.  It's very well done and I am not just saying that to enhance my chances for a Joshie in 2017 (lthouh if that works, so be it).
Anyway, as you can see below, Josh meets more than just wrestlers.  He met former teen idol Tifffany a couple years back.  Does that mean that is a picture of two former teen idols?
Doesn't Tiffany still look great?  More importantly, she sings even better.  Yes, I admit, I am a fan of hers.
Of course, I am also a fan of Josh's.  Some day, maybe Johngy will win a Joshie.  I'm hoping to even meet Josh someday.

Tiffany and Josh Watko in Pittsburgh, PA-August 2015.

Friendly Encounters: Adam West, Burt Ward, Julie Newmar and Josh Watko

Friendly Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends who have met celebrities.

Joshie Watko is the genius behond JW's Wrestling Memorabilia, a fantastic site featuring a ton of awesome wrestling stuff, including many in=person encounters.  The site is a showcase of Josh's knowledge and respect for wrestling and its' history.
Josh also has met many celebrities outside of the worl d of wrestling.  At a Wizard World earlier this year, he met a legendary Batman trio consisting of Adam West, Burt Ward and Julie Newmar.
I'm not a curmudgeonly old man.  I like the new Batman movies, but I will always have a special place for the coolness of the old Batman television series.  Maybe it recalls my childhood.  Maybe it is romanticized over time.  Maybe it is just the simplicity of the series.  Whatever the case, that Batman will always be my favorite.
I have met Newmar and West, but not yet Ward.  A picture with all three is so cool.  While I have had a couple encounters with West which left me disappointed, I'd still love to be involved in such a group photo.
Josh is a great guy and I hope to meet him one day.  If this happens, I am sure it will be at a wrestling show or comic con.  Maybe it will happen in 2017.
In the meantime, I encourage everyone to check out JW's Wrestling Memorabilia.  There is just so much great stuff on his site.  He has new and old merchandise info, reviews, pictures, stories and more.  He even has his own awards, The Joshies.  I'm not going to lie.  I am dying to win a Joshie.  Dare I dream?

Burt Ward, Adam West, Josh Watko and Julie Newmar in Pittsburgh, PA-August 2015.

Friendly Encounters: Josh Watko Meets Pat Priest and Butch Patrick

This is a weekly feature which highlights friends who have met celebrities.

I first connected with Josh Watko when I stumbled upon JW's Wrestling Memorabilia, his outstanding website.  Josh's site has reviews, lists, pictures, memories and meetings with wrestlers.  He is a great fan and a very knowledgeable one, which makes his site so enjoyable.
Josh's site is about wrestling, but Josh is not limited to just meeting wrestlers.  He recently sent me his recap of meeting two stars of tv's The Munsters and I now share it with you.

I usually limit myself to traveling solely for wrestling conventions and fanfests.  That being said, if a classic television star is going to be nearby and the stars align, I often can't resist giving it a go.  This is what happened when Pat Priest and Butch Patrick of "The Munsters" appeared at the Monster Bash Conference in Cranberry Township, PA.
I grew up watching "The Munsters" as well as "The Addams Family."  Both goofy, typical '60s series, but still the kind of entertainment that will take your mind off of everything else for thirty minutes or so.  I'd heard of the Monster Bash Conference before, but none of the previous celebrity appearances that I knew of really interested me.  In December of 2012 I saw the flyer advertising the mini Munsters reunion and it did intrigue me.  Although I had met Mr. Patrick before, Pat Priest was completely new for me.  My mind also flew to the amazing Munsters action figures that had been released not long before.  While Herman, Lily, and Grandpa came packaged separately, Marilyn and Eddie were sold in a two-pack.  What better item to get signed?  After receiving the ghoulish figure twosome for Christmas, my mind was made up.
The show was only about forty minutes from my home, which didn't make it feel as if I was going out of my way for this meet.  Upon arrival, I could tell that the Monster Bash show is the kind of gathering that any fan of vintage sci-fi and horror (think '40s thru '70s) would love to find.  Though I really had no interest beyond meeting the Munsters, I appreciated how much effort went into the show for the attendees who look forward to these three days for the entire calendar year.  Film viewings, live entertainment, celebrity appearances, plenty of merchandise, and an overall "hands-on interactive" feeling seems to set it apart from the "Take-my-money-here's-your-autograph" feel of so many shows.  You could tell that the large majority of attendees at this event feel like family.  With the many warm greetings I received in my hour or so spent, I felt very welcome as well.
Conveniently, the celebrity tables were set up in the main hallway after turning the corner from registration.  Butch and Pat had yet to arrive, but their tables were fully set with their photos for sale, and a banana was also present on each.  Spotting the banana made me think that both would soon be making their way down, so I decided to check out the vendor room.  A short jaunt was all it took.  I popped my head out into the hallway to see the bananas being devoured by the Munster legends.  Pat Priest was first on my agenda.  I was greeted with a warm smile and handshake.  Pat may have been the second Marilyn Munster, but in my opinion the true Marilyn.  Beverley Owen played the character for the first few episodes, but most Munster Memories are filled with Miss Priest.  She is also the Marilyn as portrayed on the action figure.
Any autograph was just $20 from Pat, and photos with her were free.  I have a previous photo with Butch, so a photo with Pat was my goal.  The fact that it was included in the price of the autograph was even better.  She went to great pains to make sure that the photo came out perfect with good lighting.  It's the little things like that which prove that you have a celebrity that cares about the fan experience.  Pat was elated to see the figure and asked me if I had bought it at that show.  She does not have one of her own.  Sadly, the vendors at the show only had the other cast members for sale or a special boxed set of all five characters that are colored black and white.
Butch Patrick was next, and also charged $20.  Surprisingly, he informed me that he was also including a photo op with the price of the autograph, so I decided to ask for a "Munster sandwich" photo of the two with me in the middle.  Both were happy to oblige, and I almost look like Herman in the photo with how I towered over them.
Overall, it was a very satisfying experience.  If another star that I had an interest in meeting were to appear at a future show, I would definitely consider attending Monster Bash again...even if, to me, it's really "Munster Bash."

I really appreciate Josh sharing his celebrity encounters.  Some day, I hope to meet the man behind JW's Wrestling Memorabilia.  Now that would be a friendly encounter!

Pat Priest, Josh Watko and Butch Patrick in Cranberry Township, PA-December 2012.

Friendly Encounters: Josh Watko Meets CM Punk

This is a weekly series featuring my friends who have met celebrities.

Joshie Watko is one of my buds whom I have never met, but I feel like we have.  Maybe it is because I have been regularly following his site, WrestlingMemorabila.blogspot.com.
Josh is a great wrestling fan.  He is knowledgeable, respectful and interesting.  He puts all that together to produce very interesting pieces about meeting wrestlers, wrestling merchandise and other fun stuff.  He is also an occasional contributor here and he is always welcome.
Josh recently attended Ringside Fest and sent me his report.  He also sent an exclusive picture of him and CM Punk.  He sent it here without putting it on his own site.  How cool is that?
As always, I will let Joshie take it from here...

It took thirty years for me to visit The Big Apple, and what else would get me there but a wrestling autograph signing? This event happened to be Ringside Fest and featured appearances by CM Punk, Sin Cara, and A.J. Lee. While the latter two were suitable mid-card talent, it was clear that the true draw was "The Voice of the Voiceless" himself.
The irony is that for nearly a decade, CM Punk appeared almost monthly at events anywhere from 2 to 15 miles from my own home. IWC here in Pittsburgh was one of the first independent promotions to book Punk on a regular basis. The problem is that despite being a fan from the first time I saw him in the ring, back in those days I only ever bothered to obtain one autograph and completely skipped getting a photo op. I guess it was a blessing in disguise, as I thoroughly enjoyed the city that doesn't sleep and am glad that I finally had a "wrestling" reason to go.
Despite being the top heel in WWE right now, Punk largely ignored that in meeting his fans. From day one he has always had the ironic and somewhat wise attitude, but it's really what you expect from Punk. Perhaps because of an overabundance of children attending this event, he seemed to have less of that demeanor this time around.
Punk was signing everything from giant cardboard representations of his own cranium to all of the new action figures and promotional photos available. I chose to have his most recent magazine cover, the 2012 Pro Wrestling Illustrated "PWI 500" signed.
Despite a few hiccups over crowd control, Ringside Fest was a worthwhile event to get one of the top stars of the industry. Although it would take another very large name for me to attend another event under the banner, I don't know how long I'll be able to wait to return to NYC. It truly is everything I could've imagined and more.

I really appreciate Josh's contributions.  Some day, we will attend an event together and co-produce a report for both of our sites!  Until then, check out JW's Wrestling Memorabilia...I always do!

John Watko and CM Punk in New York, NY-October 2012.

Friendly Encounters

This is a weekly series about friends who have met celebs.

Josh Watko is one of the regular contributors to Friendly Encounters.  As the creative force behind JW's Wrestling Memorabilia site, Josh has sent many pictures and reports from meeting various wrestling legends.
Today, Josh is presenting a report from the NWA Fanfest, a great event for wrestling fans.  I'll let Josh take it from here:
NWA Fanfest is a yearly highlight for me as it is for any wrestling fan who attends. Although this year was a bit of a longer trek than normal being that the event was held in Atlanta, I knew that I couldn't pass it up. Dozens upon dozens of wrestling stars from all eras of the sport converged to meet the fans and reunite with one another. Although names such as Rowdy Roddy Piper, Rob Van Dam, Mr. Wrestling II, Stan Hansen, Nick Bockwinkel and many others highlighted fans "Must Meet" lists, it was the inclusion of female legend Leilani Kai that was my goal at the 2011 edition of Fanfest.
Meeting Leilani's partner Judy Martin at the 2009 Fanfest, I had already "completed" half of the Glamour Girls tag team. Many fans will remember the team's matches against the Japanese Jumping Bomb Angels in the WWF. Both Leilani and Judy had equally impressive singles careers with Leilani being The Fabulous Moolah's evil protege during the famous Rock 'n Wrestling era.  Leilani was kind enough to do an interview for my own blog leading up to her Fanfest appearance. For various reasons Leilani had not appeared in the wrestling scene for nearly a decade.
One of the highlights of Fanfest is the annual Hall of Heroes banquet. Each banquet table has a group of fans and one wrestling legend. To my surprise, I was seated with Leilani, Judy, and fellow legend Joyce Grable. Having dinner and discussing the wrestling business with these three wonderful ladies was an experience I'll never forget.
There are so many stories of fans finally getting to meet actors, musicians, and athletes only to be disappointed after all their years of fandom. I can honestly say that Leilani went above and beyond any expectation I may have had. Ms. Kai is a truly wonderful person who was surprised at the reaction of her many fans. I'm honored that Leilani and I have continued to stay in touch since Fanfest. I'm also happy to report that the wrestling world needs to be ready...Leilani Kai is back! 
I am always happy to run Josh's stuff.  He is an eager and knowledgeable fan.  If you like wrestling (past or present), check out JW's Wrestling Memorabilia site and the JW's Wrestling Memorabilia Facebook page.

Judy Martin, Josh Watko and Leilani Kai in Atlanta GA-Summer 2011.

Friendly Encounters

This is a regular series which features my friends who have met celebs.

I have featured Josh Watko several times in the past.  He is a great wrestling fan with a fascinating wrestling site called JW's Wrestling Memorabilia.  His site has everything including product reviews, commentaries, event reports and much more, all related to wrestling.
Josh has been very gracious by sharing some of his wrestling encounters here.  He tells a great story and I always like letting him tell it.  Here is his latest story:

For the past two years, Pittsburgh wrestling fans have had some incredible opportunities.  A half-dozen separate "Studio Wrestling Reunion" signings have been held in the area, including not only local hero Bruno Sammartino and other stars of the old Pittsburgh wrestling telecast, but also men such as George Steele, Greg Valentine and Larry Zbyszko who all had local ties.
Although the Studio Wrestling program ended in the early 70's, fans of all ages have taken advantage of meeting these men who are such a big part of Pittsburgh's heritage.  Blue collar workers and their families have always enjoyed a good wrestling match.
For the last two reunions, Tony Marino was included in the lineup.  A strongman remembered by fans around the country as a good hand in the ring, to Pittsburgh fans, Marino is simply known as "The Battman".

When the 1966 Adam West Batman tv series took over the nation, Pittsburgh wrestling fans were introduced to The Battman on the Studio Wrestling show.  Although an extra "T" was added to the name, the original costume was very close to the one used on the series.  While there was originally a "Boy Wonder" wrestler sidekick, Marino was able to successfully bring the character to life and continue using the gimmick for several years.
It was a thrill to meet this grappler who so many of my family members remember from their childhoods and get him to sign an iconic Wrestling Revue cover featuring the gimmick. 
Mr. Marino himself is an amazing man.  It is easy to see how this charismatic gentleman was able to make the character a success.  Hardly looking his actual age of almost 80, the hair on the back of Marino's head is shaved in the form of the Batsignal.  Holy Grappling Greats!
I love this story.It is wrestlers like Marino who helped carry the sport in its regional days.  As always, I appreciate Josh for sharing it and I encourage everyone to check out JW's Wrestling Memorabilia site.

Tony Marino and Josh Watko in Pittsburgh, PA-Mid-2011.

Friendly Encounters

This is a regular series featuring friends who have met celebs.

Previous to his recent reports on Legends of the Ring, when we last saw Josh Watko, he was meeting the Icon Sting.  Today, Josh is going to tell us about meeting the King, Jerry Lawler.  Before we get to that though, I'll give a little update on Josh.
Josh's website is JW's Wrestling Memorabilia. and it is full of great wrestling stuff.  Josh covers autograph signings, live events and products (new and old).  He also writes wrestling opinion pieces and other interesting posts.  Josh is gaining exposure and is already widely known within the wrestling circle.
I have asked him to share some wrestling stories and he has contributed one about meeting Mike McGuirk, Mae Young and the previously mentioned meeting with Sting.  Finally, here are Josh's thoughts on Jerry Lawler.
Back in 2001, it was Jerry Lawler's name on the marquee that got me to attend my first independent wrestling show.  Ten years and many meetings with The King later, I once again encountered the WWE Hall of Famer at a show for the very same promotion.  Although many stars fill IWC's annual Night of Legends show, it was clear that Jerry was the draw of the night.
The King, despite his often rotten in-ring character from years past, is one of the most fan-friendly wrestlers of all time.  He always has time for a word, a handshake and of course, photos and autographs.  A friend of mine even asked why his legendary piledriver did not come into play at his recent match at WrestleMania.  (The answer:It was discussed but ultimately shot down by the WWE.)

Lawler also has one of the most beautiful signatures I've ever seen.  I've always felt that this may be due to The King being an accomplished artist.  If you have paid attention to the announcer segments on Raw in recent years, you may have seen Jerry's shirt which includes a large facsimile of his exquisite John Hancock!
As always, I appreciate Josh sharing his experiences.  I like his insight.  As a longtime autograph collector, I can appreciate his insight about Lawler's signature.  If you have any interest in wrestling or even if you just want to check out some interesting things, give a look to Josh's site.

John Watko and Jerry Lawler in Elizabeth, PA-May 2011.

At Legends of the Ring

As promised yesterday, Josh Watko is presenting his report from the Legends of the Ring event yesterday.  I am excited about this, especially because Johngy's Beat is getting the story even before Josh puts it on his world famous site, JW's Wrestling Memorabilia!
Now I turn it over to Josh...
Legends of the Ring 12 was yet another great success from promoters Terrence and James. Early on in our journey to Jersey on Friday afternoon we learned of cancellations from both Dusty Rhodes and Terry Taylor. Rhodes was due to a death in the family and Taylor due to back surgery. The two were replaced on the superticket lineup by MVP and Carlito. Cancellations are an unfortunate reality in events such as these. It's no secret that despite meeting my all-time favorite wrestler a half a dozen times before, I was very much looking forward to seeing Dusty again. Taylor was also someone I was looking forward to meeting. The situation was handled very well, as always, and both names are said to have been rescheduled for the October Legends of the Ring event.
The show seemed to go off without a hitch with nearly every talent being top notch. Joanie "Chyna" Laurer was a total class act to the many fans who came out to meet her in a rare appearance. The extra special treat of being able to meet several top stars from New Japan Pro Wrestling was quite the thrill as well. Being a fan of his since his initial WCW appearances in 1991, Jushin "Thunder" Liger's appearance was very significant to me. He seemed just as enthusiastic to meet his fans as we were to meet him. "Once in a lifetime opportunity" is thrown around a lot on all convention scenes, however this is one case where the phrase may ring true.
From Ken Shamrock to Jim Ross to rare appearances by Bill Eadie and Barry Darsow (Demolition Ax and Smash) in their Masked Superstar and Krusher Kruschev gimmicks, respectively, LOTR 12 had something for everyone...and everyone went home with a smile.
I am quite sure Josh went home with a smile.  This is one of the best wrestling conventions and I am so glad that Josh gave us this report and picture and I promise to have more stuff from Josh in the future, especially around the next Legends of the Ring event.  Until then, check out his site for even more great wrestling stuff.

Josh Watko and Joanie "Chyna" Laurer in Monroe, NJ-May 2011.

At Legends of the Ring

I have featured Josh Watko several times on this site.  Josh is a fan of wrestling and runs his own site, JW's Wrestling Memorabilia, which is full of all sorts of wrestling fun.  Josh is my kind of wrestling fan.  He is knowledgeable and respectful, without being over-the-top.  He enjoys it and he likes writing and talking about it...and he knows his stuff.
This weekend, Josh is attending the Legends of the Ring event in Monroe, NJ.  As the East Coast Director of Wrestling for Johngy's Beat, Josh will be sending a report on this year's event.  At the top of Jason's 'want list" are Dusty Rhodes and Chyna (Joanie Laurer).  I look forward to his report, but for now I have a short Q and A with Josh.

Q-Why do you like wrestling?
JW-I guess it's just in my blood to be a wrestling fan. Growing up in Pittsburgh, my parents both watched Studio Wrestling with Bruno Sammartino and announcer Bill Cardille. I was learning to talk just as the "Rock n Wrestling" era was taking off and there is audio tape of me saying "Junkyard Dog" and "King Kong Bundy" at a young age. The marketing machine of that era gave me great items to collect and it took off from there.

Q-Which (active or retired) wrestler haven't you met but would most like to meet?
JW-I'd have to say Hulk Hogan. He's eluded me so far and it just feels like he's the one left that I really need to meet at least once. Other than him, I'd have to go with women's star Leilani Kai who is finally starting to hit the convention scene. I'm a big fan of classic women's wrestling and my fandom is something that developed after meeting some of the ladies. It seems to me that most of them adjust better to "life after wrestling" than their male counterparts. When they realize that fans are out there wanting to meet them and still enjoying their career work, it's a big surprise for them.

Q-Which wrestler whom you have met was the most pleasant surprise?
JW-This one, without a doubt, goes to Ole Anderson. Ole has quite the reputation out there but has been nothing but fan friendly every time I've met him. He has become a staple of the NWA Fanfests by holding court in the lobby telling stories, posing for photos, and signing autographs. He's like a gruff old uncle that, deep down, really cares about his family. He's not even in the best of health but continues to come in for Fanfest. When he's gone, a huge void will be left just like that left by the death of Oliver Humperdink earlier this year.

Below is a picture of Josh meeting two wrestling legends, Terry Funk and Mick Foley at Legends of the Ring IX.  I wonder if Josh was trying to talk them into reforming a tag team, with himself as their manager.
Josh is a great guy with a cool site.  Meeting people like Josh is one of the real pleasures of running this site.

Terry Funk, Josh and Mick Foley in Monroe, NJ-May 2008.

Friendly Encounters

This is a weekly feature highlighting friends who have met celebs.

I have written about Josh Watko a couple times. He runs JW's Wrestling Memorabilia, a website loaded with wrestling pictures, stories and nostalgia.
A couple weekends ago, Josh had a great experience at the NWA Fanfest in Charlotte. Much like his site, this weekend was full of wrestling nostalgia. I asked Josh to share a story and as always, he graciously agreed, but deciding which story to tell was challenging. Finally he settled on Sting, stating that he had the most appeal to fans young and old.
With so much to do at NWA Fanfest, it can sometimes get a little overwhelming. Between waiting in line to get autographs from the featured guests to perusing the vendor floor to trying to meet the extra "vendor guests" who only appear for a few hours, you rarely have time to catch your breath. One guest that fans young and old had to make time to meet was NWA/WCW Legend and current TNA headliner Sting (Steve Borden).
Sting was brought to Fanfest by the promoters of the northeast's premier wrestling convention Legends of the ring. Fans, who paid for a "Superfan" package, received a signed 8x10 TNA promo photo, one of their own items signed and a photo op with Sting, which was quickly printed as a beautiful 8x10, also signed by the legend.
The Stinger, who is known to be one of the more private and reserved wrestlers, was very friendly to his fans of all generations. Dressed in his current TNA attire and face paint, these particular photo ops were some of the most amazing to come out of Fanfest. While fans chose items from all eras of his career, I chose a 1990 WCW Wrestling Wrap-Up magazine from my collection. The entire run of this particular title, albeit short-lived, are extremely hard to find and rarely turn up for sale. This issue features a shot of Sting just after he won his first World Heavyweight Championship from Ric Flair at the 1990 Great American Bash.
It was great that Josh got to meet Sting. I just missed him at the Bound for Glory pre-show event a couple years ago. Josh also met Jim "JR" Ross, Tammy "Sunny" Sytch, Terry Funk, Harley Race, Mickie James and many others. You can check out all of the photos and stories on his site. Hopefully, in the future, he'll share more of his stories here.

Sting (Steve Borden) and Josh Watko in Charlotte, NC-August 2010.

Friendly Encounters

This is a weekly feature highlighting friends who have met celebs.

Josh Watko is the creative force behind JW's Wrestling Memorabilia. It's a great collection of wrestling stories, pictures and random info. About a month ago, I wrote about Josh meeting Mae Young. Today, I am featuring Josh with Mike McGuirk, a former ring announcer for the WWE.
McGuirk, who was with the WWE from 1987-1993, was known for wearing a tuxedo to the ring to perform her duties. Since she left the WWE, McGuirk has remained out of the spotlight.
Josh recently attended the Legends of the Ring X, where he met McGuirk, making a rare public appearance. As usual, I'll let Josh tell his story.
I think the winner of the nicest star at the Legends of the Ring X convention goes to Mike McGuirk. Mike seemed truly as happy to meet the fans as we were to meet her. She also seemed happily overwhelmed that people wanted to meet her.
Keeping a personal tradition anytime I meet a classic WWF announcer, I had her pose with the 1990 WWF Toy Microphone which is a great facsimile to the real deal. Like Mean Gene Okerlund and The Fink before her, she seemed to really like the idea.
Ms. McGuirk is a classy lady who is looking forward to doing more of these shows and meeting more fans.
Josh will be making more appearances here in the future. Until then, check out his site for continually interesting stories.

Josh Watko and Mike McGuirk in Monroe, NJ-May 2010.

Friendly Encounters

John Watko, This is a weekly feature highlighting friends who have met celebs.

I recently came across a great wrestling blog, JW's Wrestling Memorabilia. Josh is the creator and wrestling aficionado behind this site. Josh and his crew (dubbed the "Pittsburgh Posse" by other convention attendees) have been going to wrestling conventions since 2004.
Josh says that Roddy Piper was the best meeting. He was just far above and beyond all of them and a total thrill for all of us who grew up on 1980's wrestling. While that's the wrestling most fond in my memories, I actually enjoy watching, collecting and meeting the stars of the 60's and 70's the most. Maybe it's the mystique of being from before I was born or possibly because it was the last couple of decades before the national expansion of wrestling. That era has a true "wild west" feel of the grapplers traveling show to show, territory to territory, just doing what they could do to get by during the day and performing in the sport they loved at night. It's magical to me.
It's that type of passion and enthusiasm which comes across clearly on Josh's site. There's a lot of great stuff there and on his Facebook page, too.
So who is Josh's latest and greatest coupe? I'll let him answer that one, too.
Mae Young. Of the hundreds of wrestlers I have met over the years, The Fabulous Moolah passed away before I had the chance to meet her. Her longtime friend and trainer, Mae Young, was just as important to me and I finally got the chance to meet her at the K&S WrestleFest convention in New Jersey.
She was just as sweet as you picture in her many skits on WWE television. She even popped a few guys, including legendary wrestler Ox Baker, in the stomach. And along with a few autographs, I got my kiss!

Josh and Mae Young in Carteret, NJ-April 2010.