Inside the 50th Annual Cauliflower Alley Club Reunion
The Cauliflower Alley Club, it is a non-profit fraternal organization, comprising both retired and active professional wrestlers and boxers (and in some cases, Hollywood stars as well) in North America. It raises funds primarily to help those in need of medical assistance, especially since the older wrestlers did not have health insurance in their primes. It was with great anticipation that I headed to Las Vegas for their bicentennial celebration.
Cauliflower Alley Club 50th Anniversary Reunion – April 12-15th – Gold Coast Hotel & Casino – Las Vegas, NV
As a life-long fan of Professional Wrestling making my way to Las Vegas to attend the legendary Cauliflower Alley Club’s 50th Anniversary Reunion was something of a pilgrimage for me. I enjoy the current WWE product & have since the Wrestlemania era began, but at heart I’ll always be an old-school guy & that’s what this convention is all about. I grew up in Arkansas & Texas so for me, no matter what has transpired in the last 30 or so years when I think of wrestling my mind always immediately turns to territory days & Mid-South Wrestling in particular.
Arrival – Mon April 13th
The convention officially began the night before but I arrived early this morning – and got down to the old Gold Coast Casino around noon shortly after the doors opened.
This being my first year, I didn’t really know what to expect besides I knew their was going to be two banquets, one formal & the other informal honoring a list of wrestlers from my generation & before it. The contact for the club that I had been corresponding with, Morgan Dollar was as he put it “purposefully short on details” other than to reaffirm that “this isn’t a fanfest” and they keep the guest list close to their chests for this very reason.
When I arrived I saw a modest showroom with some wrestlers I recognized showcasing their merchandise & some other interesting wrestling related organizations that I was eager to check out.
Unable to find the press check-in I spoke with Ron Hutchinson – who I learned later is a bit of legend in Canada and is responsible for the early careers of a lot of wrestlers that later became stars in the U.S.
A bit disheartened at first as they couldn’t find my badge but Ron assured me they would have it tomorrow & that I wouldn’t have any problems accessing the areas I needed.
To that I thanked him and made my way around the showroom.
GLOW – The Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling:
If you are my age or even a bit younger you totally remember watching GLOW – The Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling on Saturday mornings right after the cartoons.
I was a HUGE fan and never missed it.
In fact, I have them to thank for why I was even here! Or even had heard about this organization.
In 2012, a fantastic documentary GLOW: The Story of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling was released but I didn’t hear about it till November 2014.
In the film it’s established that it was through the Cauliflower Alley Club that they were able to make a reunion possible and the footage of that is the most enjoyable of the film.
So I was then inspired to find out what the CAC was and then holy shit, the floodgates opened – I couldn’t believe this amazing organization has existed for 50 years and how am I just now hearing about it?!?! And then when I heard about the annual gathering & the upcoming one was going to be their bicentennial I had to be here.
During my planning for the trip I had scheduled an interview with one of my fave GLOW girls, Roxy Astor who has become the face of their brand, tirelessly organizing events & making appearances assuring current & future generations will have the opportunity to explore their amazing body of work.
Roxy was so nice, super welcoming and we hit it off instantly – She confirmed our interview for tomorrow & was excited as I was. In fact, her boyfriend was so cool he asked me if I would like to get Lisa Varon (Victoria in WWE) who was being honored this year, on my show to which I quickly gave him an emphatic YES.
As I was awaiting his return & having a nice chat with Roxy, she introduced me to another one of my GLOW faves, Hollywood, who still looks fantastic & was slaying each night with one fabulous outfit after the other.
Easily the most fun I had the entire time I was there was the time I spent with Roxy – We had a freaking blast & one of the most enjoyable interviews I’ve ever done.
You know those extremely rare occasions (especially if your a total weirdo like me) when you meet someone & instantly the volume goes to eleven?
That was Roxy & I –
It was (we thought) the perfect setting as GLOW was filmed here in Las Vegas & I can’t wait till everyone has a chance to hear this interview when it goes live in a few weeks via Itunes on my podcast TrickyKid Radio w/ Roy Turner.
Somewhere in the middle of the interview the staff of the hotel began LOUDLY loading the chairs & tables whose members were either non-English speaking or simply just chose to ignore my vigorously flailing arms in the universal language of STOP.
Others might have reacted differently but Roxy was so cool & we were both doubled-over in laughter.
As a follow-up to the GLOW documentary Roxy produced a live Q&A event via Kickstarter called AfterGlow: The Fan Party that she graciously gifted to me & you can (& should) order yours directly from Roxy here.
A few weeks later in Los Angeles, we had a follow-up where she took me to this ill little diner near her house that was so up my alley where the laughter & bonding continued. I heart you Roxy, your the best ?
Casino Royale 2015 Wrestling Card (Night 2)
Later that evening their was an actual wrestling show in the main banquet hall, the second of two has their had been one here the previous evening to welcome the convention. And as Mr. Hutchinson gurranteed, I had no problem getting in.
Here were the three matches I witnessed:
A fantastic women’s match w/
Team Canada: Kat Von Heez, Bambi Hall, & Bobby Sharp vs. Team USA: Kiara Dillon, Andrea the Giant, & Short Sleeve Sampson
Steve Anthony vs. Jushin “Thunder” Liger for the National Wrestling Alliance World Junior Heavyweight Championship
“War Pig” Jody Kristofferson vs. Martin Casaus
Jody’s father is Country Music legend & all-around Renassiance Man – Kris Kristofferson who was in attendance in support and was seen all over the convention during the week having a great time.
It was an indie-show naturally with alot of wrestlers I wasn’t familar with, but I love these little shows so much and their were tons of old-school legends in the crowd.
These kind of show usually go long so I knew even though I had other plans for later that I would still get to see plenty of action.
Jake the Snake Roberts Unspoken Word – Hooters Casino
After getting to see about 90 mins or so of the matches, I headed over to the Hooters Casino for Jake Roberts‘ one-man spoken word show – or in this case as he called it the Unspoken Word.
Opening the show was Jake’s protege & long-time friend Sinn Bodhi (who wrestled as Kizarny in WWE). I had met Jake & Sinn a few months prior in Park City, UT during the Slamdance/Sundance film festivals at a private Royal Rumble watching party at a loft they were staying at along with Scott Hall & Diamond Dallas Page while in town to screen a new documentary about Jake’s recovery The Resurrection of Jake The Snake. I spent time with the group the week I was there & became friendly with them & was invited me to come see this show.
Sparsely attended & fucking freezing inside, didn’t matter as this show was so freaking awesome.
I don’t know what the culprit for the super-low attendance (about 25 people) if it was due to competition, lack or promotion, or that it was just simply Monday & it’s a shame too because I’ve seen Jim Ross & Mick Foley’s one-man shows & though I enjoyed them, this was so much better.
Dressed in full Freak Show regala, Bodhi did a nice job warming the crowd with some hilarious tales with well-timed delivery before Jake took the stage.
Looking healthy & in good spirits Jake took to just simply being Jake, who is naturally very funny. As you can imagine this wasn’t a family-friendly environment & Jake took advantage of that to really cut loose, be himself and the results were gold. You’ve heard a million Randy Savage impressions in your life but none more spot-on and side-splitting funny as this, I was literally crying I was laughing so hard. He was honest, candid to the point of almost discomfort & funny as hell – in a word, he killed.
Day 2 – Tues April 14th
In Utah, Jake was somewhat distant, obviously feeling exposed & very vulnerable due to the graphic nature of his hardships that are documented in the film, but here he was home & on a roll & very busy.
The night before I arrived at the first of two wrestling cards he made an appearance
And then at the start of today’s activities, again with Sinn together they participated in a panel that was inspiring, informative & as equally funny & candid
as the show the night before at Hooters Casino.
He was also charged with presenting awards on both nights of the banquets –
Fittingly, later that evening to Sinn who gave a great humble speech, and then the next night he presented an award to Diamond Dallas Page, who produced the documentary at Slamdance that details his olive branch & friendship to Jake that got him back on the right path.
Diamond Dallas Page actually received awards on both nights at each banquet, being the first ever to do so. Being recognized for his wrestling career (presented by Jake) he talked about his heroes, like Jimmy Valiant: “I thought he was the coolest cat ever.” His first attempt at wrestling didn’t work out, so he went onto other things until being pulled back in. “I just can’t believe it happened,” of his WCW World title win, “You’ll never know if you don’t do this.”
On the previous night, he was rightfully recognized for his impressive body of work of helping others outside the ring by winning the Jason Sanderson Humanitarian Award, this time presented by Scott Hall, who is also profiled in the Ressurection of Jake The Snake.
DDP w/ daughters Kimberly & Brittany and fiance’ Brenda
Since retiring from in-ring compeitiion, as a second act, Dallas has built the fitness empire DDP Yoga, that as detailed in the film, was instrumental in not only Jake & Scott’s recovery & rehabilitation but also receiving wide-spread acclaim in testimonials from other current & former wrestlers as well as everyone from housewives to wounded veterans.
But also, if you know Dallas, he’s just a super swell dude that you would be hard pressed to find anyone to say anything cross about him.
On Day 2 I had the chance to sit down with Dallas for a poolside chat at the Hard Rock Hotel where he had hosted a DDP Yoga workshop the night before.
We had a great, extended talk (that you’ll also be able to hear soon in a future episode of my podcast TrickyKid Radio) about everything from health, to life lessons, our mutual love of the classic film It’s A Wonderful Life & everything in between. I had met & became friendly with Dallas & his equally cool fiance Brenda also back in Utah during Slamdance & was grateful he took the time to invite me over to hang & do my show.
The more informal banquet — now renamed the Bockwinkel Blowout — a number of other presentations were made: to Lisa Marie Varon, Len “The Grappler” Denton, Jimmy “The Mouth of the South” Hart & many others.
Lisa Marie Varon w/ Santana Garrett (left)
Len Denton & Jimmy Hart (right)
On (my) third & final day I made time to visit some of the exhibits in the showroom I hadn’t yet had the chance to as a prequel to a panel Dallas was hosting .
Sinn Bodhi & Chris Daniels (left)
Legends Kevin Sullivan & J.J. Dillion
Goldie Digger
& Greg “Oscar” Girard from Men on a Mission
(who did a great, impromptu rap at the first night of banquets that you can see here).
Unfortunately, Dallas had to cancel his panel as a reoccuring throat problem was giving him trouble & he wanted to rest it before the big formal banquet this evening.
The Grand Finale 50 Anniversary Banquet
Lots of the bigger stars & legends made it out to this one tonight. In the first 10 minutes I spotted several Hall-of Famers & many on that same trajectory themselves.
I look left I see Ricky Steamboat, I look left I see Sgt. Slaughter & countless others.
The first-ever Tag Team Award was presented to Demolition, Ax (Bill Eadie) and Smash (Barry Darsow), with Darsow in attendance. Introducing Demolition was Trevor Blanchard, Jimmy Blaze and Dakota Darsow, Barry’s son. “They’re genuine people,” praised Blaze. “Bill was like an uncle to me,” said Barry Darsow, calling up “my mentor, my hero.”
Appreciative of the emotional intro, Barry Darsow thanked his son, and the introduced an audio message from Bill Eadie.
Women’s Awards
Edge Adam Copeland was called upon to introduce his partner Beth Phoenix: “If I don’t get this right, I’m going to get my ass kicked in the hotel room tonight.” He praised her desire to be a pro wrestler and take a chance: “She wasn’t a model, she wasn’t a diva, she was a wrestler.”
The next women’s award went to Gail Kim (my girlfriend’s favorite wrestler) and this is where things get really interesting.
Presenting the award to Kim was Ron Hutchison, the gentlemen I spoke of in the first part of the blog when they didn’t have my badge in order.
I have to admit I took great exception to his introduction for Gail as it was ill-advised and at times downright painful.
Instead of presenting a prestigious award to one of the most gifted athletes the sport has ever seen (regardless of gender) in a room full of people intoxicated with superiority of technique over showmanship he reduces her to some eye candy he spotted in the paper one day.
Reminding everyone that she used to be a Toronto Sunshine Girl, he actually held up newspaper clippings as examples!
I really don’t think Ron thought he was being insensitive, he thought he was being clever but he put himself over instead of her & was attempting to take too much credit for my tastes.
Gail is a total bad ass and took it in stride – She has a reputation for being no-bullshit (which I love). The Knockouts Division was basically “created overnight,” she explained, and was kickstarted by her handing in her resignation out of frustration from not getting to wrestle in TNA. Though gracious and grateful for the award, she did the single coolest thing I saw the entire convention:
Terry Taylor, a former wrestler & Director of Talent Relations for TNA, currently signed to WWE as a trainer was sitting at the table closest to the stage.
I don’t know when the last time these two were in the same room but she slam dunks him by looking him right in the eye thanking him “for firing me all those years ago” as she mentioned her revenge was going on to great prosperity in the sport.
The last two awards were the most prestigious & presented to two men who have given their life to the sport of professional wrestling and let me tell you right now, Larry Henning stole this entire show. His speech for me was the highlight of the entire experience.
Larry Henning
Henning was presented with the Iron Mike Award, the top honor in all of professional wrestling, named after the CAC’s founder Mike Mazurki.
He was so unbelievably entertaining, his honesty so inspiring, his candidness so over the top.
Giving jabs where they were needed, & assessments to last a lifetime.
Calling his wife Irene up to the stage. But he couldn’t hold in another barb: “We’re going to do this today, are we?” as she winded her way up.
He was having so much fun (& so were we) than he just kept dropping pipebombs until co-emcee JJ Dillon whispered in his ear letting him know his time was up to which Henning shooed him away & said half terse “This is my night, I’m the star of this show so don’t give me no BULLSHIT!!” & fittingly a “Larry! Larry!” chant broke out from the crowd.
He kept us rolling in laughter for a few more minutes when it appeared he was done, he confidently said “I was promised a full house tonight & I am gonna use that as chance to sing to a packed house” and with that he he warbled his way through “Ghost Riders In The Sky.” (“Thank God you learned how to wrestle,” yelled Harley Race.)
Henning & wife were then presented by an original painting of his late son Curt Hennig by Kansas City artist Rob Schamberger.
Their son Kurt who wrested as Mr. Perfect in the WWE in the 1980s was one of my all-time favorites and sadly like a lot these guys, gone way too soon.
Jerry Brisco
Up next Dillion brought up Terry Funk to introduce Jim Ross to present Jerry Brisco with the Lou Thesz Lifetime Achievement Award.
However, after Henning’s fearlessness & this event had gone on so long now everyone was drunk & wanting to sing a tune of their own. Thankfully the sight of an intoxicated Funk trying to get HIS wife up there to sing HIS song was entertaining (for a minute).
Joining Ross was Wes Brisco, one of Jerry’s two sons.
There were drinking jokes, flatulence that leads to vomiting, colonoscopies on the recommendation of Pat Patterson, and his critique of the steak dinner (and it was more than just needing JR’s BBQ sauce).
“I love Jerry Brisco, your lucky to have five good friends at the end of your wrestling career. And Jerry is my closest friend.
Naturally the moment he got up there Brisco wanted to sing too, launching into a David Allen Coe song adopted to the wrestling business, a tribute in part to all the driving that wrestlers do and the need to stay entertained. He also cracked some jokes about last year’s Lou Thesz Lifetime Achievement Award winner, Michael Hayes, including Hayes’ wrestling skills and flashy attire.
“I’ve been in every high school gym I think in the United States of America,” said Brisco, who is 68 years of age, and been wrestling amateur since the age of eight. Now a talent scout for WWE.
“I’ve heard that term a lot tonight, giving back …” began Brisco, starting to cry as he talked about his late brother, Jack, and his son Wes, and their common love for wrestling.
“Jack was a hero to my son, to me, to many people,” he cried, regaining his composure to take a couple of light-hearted shots at new CAC president Brian Blair, and a story about Blair being ribbed and traveling in a trunk of a car, leading to Blair “dropping trou” and the “greatest moon” in history to a bunch of truckers.
He shared stories of breaking into the business, tagging with Thunderbolt Patterson, wrestling in Australia, turning heel, life in the Florida territory, including the long drives—“Never trust a booker; they don’t know their geography at all”—and stressed the importance of brotherhood and friendship of the wrestling business.
“It’s a journey and we’re fortunate to be on it,” ended Brisco.
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Closing out the event, CAC President Brian Blair promised big things for next year, and announced that Paul Orndorff, Abdullah the Butcher, the High Flyers (Greg Gagne & Jim Brunzell) would be honored, and that the first Charlie Smith Referee Award would be presented for the first time.
Now let me say this: I was happy to have been in attendance & I thank Dean Silverstone endlessly for making sure I was accommodated & being in the same room with all of these guys I grew up watching on a such a special night for them is something I’ll always cherish.
However, I do feel compelled to give a cautionary tale to any non-wrestler dreaming of attending someday. Like Morgan made clear in the beginning of this post, this is not a fanfest and it’s all the better for it because of that fact. Having said that, this at times can feel very much like your dad or granddad’s poker game that you are not invited to. This is a group of old school guys whose second nature is to protect the business & traditionally adopt a hazing period for newcomers.
It’s a wonderful organization that provides much needed support to wrestlers that I encourage you to support.
Having said that if your doing it just to rub elbows with the wrestlers it’s not gonna go down the way your thinking.
And I get it, it’s supposed to be a night with the boys, not a night with the fans. But as someone that was their in a professional capacity and could care less about autographs I still felt the exclusion, even from some of the other press people that had been covering this for years.
However I chose well for my dining partners. For the non-reserved tables it was first-come first served –
Night 1 I met Sergeant Hazard, a former Canadian wrestler from the old Stampede Wrestling days & his lovely wife.
On Night 2 I sat with Chris Ostrovosky, a Lifetime Member & huge Dodgers fan from Los Angeles who had won the Bowling Tournament that morning.
Thanks again to Dean Silverstone for taking care of me & to the Gold Coast Casino for hosting the event all these years.
Here’s to another 50 years!
Photos –
Roy Turner
Hard Body
Thomas J.Rude
S. Romer
D. Buckler
Brad McFarlin
