(Gayle): Good Morning everyone and welcome to CBS Mornings. I’m Gayle King and we’re going to kick today’s show off with something a little different than usual. Many around the world by now have heard the blockbuster announcement from CBS earlier this week on the return of the Hardcore Wrestling Alliance. Joining me in the studio today is Co-Owner Wisdom Parker. Wisdom, thank you for joining us and allow me to welcome you to the CBS family.
Wisdom smiles broadly nodding.
(Wisdom): Thank you Gayle, it’s such a pleasure to be here. I’d like to congratulate you as well for celebrating your 11 year anniversary at CBS News this year from what I hear.
(Gayle): Awww, you’re too kind, Thank You.
She looks at Wisdom with a sense of disbelief as she almost undetectably glances at her notecard.
(Gayle): Seven years Wisdom? Can you believe it’s been seven years since you’ve been on broadcast television?
(Wisdom): Actually, it’s a little surreal to be honest.
(Gayle): 2015, HWA goes under…what changed for you?
(Wisdom): Everything, everything changed. Things happened in such rapid succession; it was hard to keep up at first. Everywhere we turned the walls were crumbling and caving in.
(Gayle): But you survived! You Co-own HWA with your husband Butch Parker, one of the most decorated professional wrestlers in history. Did the two of you think during all of this that you were fighting an uphill battle, that it wasn’t sustainable anymore?
(Wisdom): Oh God yes! But you know, when you’re passionate about something, your first instinct is preservation. We had gone back and forth on a few things and early on determined that financing things on our own was just not a viable or even wise thing to do.
(Gayle): That passion carried your through these past years and it paid off, to close out 2022 you reached a $1 billion dollar agreement with CBS, but that is just for programming, I imagine operation costs have to be immense for a company that size.
(Wisdom): In 2015, little did we know at the time that we had just inherited a disaster waiting to happen.
(Gayle): The company’s woes had been brewing for years am I right?
(Wisdom): Absolutely, but it’s all about perspective. Until you have access to the backend of the business you really don’t know how bad or even how good things are. Looking back, we should have seen it coming. We’d been in courts for years over various things, trouble with the law, the list goes on. These are things that happen in wrestling, you move on and you don’t think too much about it, its part of the business. We take hits, we get up and we look for the next fight.
(Gayle): Lets talk about that next fight, your next fight would in fact be not only trimming and streamlining operations, but aggressively attempting to rebuild the severely damaged reputation. How was that process for you both?
(Wisdom): Embarrassing at first. As owners of the company, we had to take responsibility for a lot of things we did not do. It’s not easy for me to apologize for anything to being with let alone things we largely had no part of.
(Gayle): But you stood the course, took your lumps and you’ve come out on the other side of things, enough to catch the attention of CBS executives. Do you think wrestling fans will be as eager to jump back on board with HWA?
(Wisdom): I have to be honest Gayle and say we lost a lot of fans. They left when regrettably…our superstars left, of course at no fault of their own. People need to be paid and we didn’t have the capital to expense six and seven figure payroll incomes. They had to leave for their own wellbeing and their fans followed. We brought in all new talent that no one had ever heard of, we started training newcomers to the business and just trying to build the future. I think through the viewership we established on our Youtube channel at the time…we will surely have that core group of fans continuing our journey. We of course hope and welcome old fans to return.
(Gayle): On the subject of returns, and the departed superstars, can you tell us who might be returning from HWA illustrious list of former talent?
(Wisdom): I wish I could, but I don’t know. The invitation is out there for all, but its time that will tell. Butch and I agreed not to worry ourselves over who may make a return or who may not. We have had a steady course these past years and it is this path we continue to follow.
(Gayle): Anyone you personally would like to see return?
Wisdom laughs at the question.
(Wisdom): It might be easier to ask me who I don’t want to see. No, but seriously…I’d like to see a lot of people really. I’d love to see Callisto, even ICE, Blush, women that despite our long past differences had a major impact on the industry. Guys like David Hollis, Xtreme Jay who I never got to work with much and were largely before my time. Then there’s legends like Buff Bridges, and Ronnie McNeil. I don’t know if we’ll see any of them again, maybe they’ll come to the Reunion, maybe they’ve already said their goodbyes and HWA is the rearview mirror, like I said…time will tell.
(Gayle): But you have some familiar faces still with you and others that have already returned over the last few years.
(Wisdom): Absolutely, Jason Thatcher who has done commentary for many years is back with his old partner and my dear friend Vanessa von Richtoven who returned to the company a few years back. They’ve always made a great team, they’re like brother and sister. Matt Miller is still with HWA, he had just signed with us at the end of 2015. He had his debut match against Stu-E price just two weeks before the plug was pulled on us. He’s really been a mainstay and has grown into an amazing competitor.
(Gayle): And you’re brining Havoc back, your flagship show?
(Wisdom): Havoc is definitely making its return. We’re working on dates, and securing venues but we have something very special planned for Havoc, it’s going to be an HWA as you’ve never seen. Butch and I couldn’t be prouder of the work our team all across the board has put in to make this a reality. This is going to be a time to really showcase what HWA is today, and give the wrestling world everything we think its missing.
Gayle shifts her cards in her hand, looking back at Wisdom.
(Gayle): Lets talk about your family, this has to be a major shift for you and your husband, now with two children. Tell us about them and their expected transition into this new lifestyle.
(Wisdom): Our daughter Evina started her life in Wrestling. She was about 4 years old when things went south. As she started school around the same time, Butch and I, and HWA were still all household names…the company’s past was widely in the news for a while still as you know and she definitely had her challenges having “known” parents. When David came along it was a different ballgame. We were not in front of cameras, we could go about our day just like anyone else, and we really wanted that normalcy for them, it was great. Evina is the least interested in the business, whereas David is increasingly curious. As parents we’re very mindful of what is about to take place, how it will affect our family dynamics even from just a time standpoint. We get to spend a lot of time together as a family, and about to go full throttle with HWA again is going to cut some of that we know, but everything we do with our kids will be well crafted, safe, and impactful for them so that we can maintain their stable development. We have a great group of counselors and parenting coaches helping to keep us on track.
(Gayle): Any regrets, second guesses?
(Wisdom): It’s too late for all that now, but no, not really. I look back at my own growth in the business, the things I went through and my God…the things Butch has been through. This is who we are, this is what we do, and we intend to continue doing it without compromising the integrity of our family, or our own values. I think we’re both ready for this. I know I am and I hope the wrestling world is too because its going to be an amazing ride.
(Gayle): Wisdom, thank you for joining us, I think you’ve made a convert out of me…I can’t wait for HWA to hit the ring again. I’ll be watching, I’m sure the world will be watching. Best of luck to you, to your husband and to your entire promotion.
(Wisdom): Thank You so much Gayle, it’s been a real pleasure.
Gayle turns to the camera.
(Gayle): HWA returns soon on CBS, and further announcements will be announced shortly. When we come back, we’re going to talk with doctors who are discovering some new affects from Long Covid following a yearlong study. They’ll offer some advice on how you can manage symptoms. We’ll be right back!
Gayle turns back to Wisdom as they go to commercial. They both stand and hug before Wisdom is assisted from the stage area back to her dressing room. Over the next 15-minutes her mic is removed, she goes to the restroom, is given a CBS swag bag and is making her way back to the parking lot. Just as she gets in and starts the car her phone rings, she smiles seeing Vanessa’s name on the caller ID, and presses the answer button on her dashboard display.
(Vanessa): Damn, girl…you still looking good on live TV.
(Wisdom): How did I do?
(Vanessa): You were great. She was great. Everything was great. I think they did right by you guys. This isn’t about drudging up the dark and dirty past, this is about all the ass-busting work you’ve put in the past few years and the future. I think everybody realizes that.
(Wisdom): Girl, believe me…I couldn’t be more grateful for it too.
(Vanessa): So where are you off to now?
(Wisdom): Well, I’ve got to battle this LA traffic and head back home. Wait…are you guys back in town?
(Vanessa): No, not yet. Hans has some things he’s working on and I’m trying to finish these last paintings before things start picking up.
(Wisdom): Oh right! I was going to see if you wanted to go dress shopping with me if you hadn’t got yours already. I still need to find something to wear to the reunion.
(Vanessa): Oh My God…I have no idea what I’ll wear. You’ll look great in anything…wear something black, Oh, or that gray one I borrowed from you that one time.
(Wisdom): I don’t think so! We’re going all out bitch, we need some new shit.
(Vanessa): I guess you’re right huh? This is going to be huge, the entire world is going to be watching this show. Have you heard from anyone yet?
(Wisdom): A few RSVP’s have come in, but I gave explicit instructions not to be notified yet.
(Vanessa): Why? What if someone comes you really don’t feel comfortable being there? Or hell, me…you know who I don’t want to see.
Pulling out of the lot, Wisdom waves to the guard who first greeted her and makes her way towards the freeway.
(Wisdom): Don’t worry, even if he does come…Butch is taking care of all that. Believe me, other than the likelihood of a few boozed-up wrestlers reminiscing by the end of the night…he intends to have a dram free evening. No bullshit, I can guarantee you that.
(Vanessa): I’m looking forward to it either way. Look, let me let you go chica, I just wanted to give you a quick congrats call. I’m gonna work on this a bit more and I think we’re going for sushi tonight.
(Wisdom): Alright Van, I’ll catch ya later. Bye!
(Vanessa): Bye!
They hang up and Wisdom puts her audio book back on for the drive home. The next hour and 15 minutes pass uneventfully. She’s admittedly tired from the long morning and recognizes that she has time to shower and take a quick nap before the kids get home from school. Deciding to skip the nap after her shower, she slips into a white Ramy Brook jumpsuit and heads to the home office. It’s a large room where she and Butch have setup their own personally designed offices on opposite sides of the room facing one another. She goes over to her desk to do a little work. About 47 emails are in her inbox, the most recent from her assistant catches her eye telling her to login to he company portal and see the site traffic from their website. It’s flooded with fan mail that she begins to go through and read.
“Best News Ever! Let’s Go HWA” – Bronson Green, - Madison, Wisconsin
“HWA 4-Life” – Jerome Garcia – Trenton, New Jersey
“How is this even legal? I don’t care what you people do, you’re hands will always be dirty. Let the boycott begin!” – Melissa Beckette, Morgan, Utah”
“Pinch Me…I must be dreaming and wake me when Havoc comes on!” – Sal Gutierrez, Phoenix, Arizona
“Please tell me Talon Wilkinson coming back. This is gonna be epic!” – Jason Floyd, New York, New York.
“Long time HWA fan here across the pond, have loved the last few years and will love the next…welcome back to the spotlight. Come to Bristol!” – Jonathan Smith
“Raised my two boys on HWA, now a first-time grandad…and the tradition continues. Thank you HWA!” – Philip Bowers, St. Louis, Missouri
“I’m sorry but it’s been seven years, this better be about the new generation. Reunion…fine, but no one wants to see those old fukers come back to the ring, can any of them even wrestle anymore?” – Kevin Fowler,
“MJF to HWA…that’s all I have to say!!!” – Sadie McKinley, Los Angeles, California
“ICE, ICE, Baby!” – Everett Olson, Durham, North Carolina
There’s probably a few hundred messages yet to go and Wisdom easily decides she doesn’t have the stamina to go through all of them. She leans back in her chair thinking about the fan responses from the positive to the negative. A smile comes across her face regardless.
(Wisdom): And so it begins!
The scene fades out as he carries on with other tasks.
Message Thread
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