Post by HardcoreHeroes on Aug 27, 2005 2:56:16 GMT -5
And I don't even know if "saga" is the right word here, but it's truly a sad situation.
Most of you know that I posted here the Thursday before fanfest that Dory Funk Jr. would not be appearing as advertised. Here's the long story.
I booked Dory back in April. He and I on the phone. No middlemen. No wives.
8 days before fanfest is to start, I get an email from the Funks (Marti and Dory) alerting me to a problem, which was followed up by a phone call from me to them.
During the phone call, I was told that Dory would be in Charlotte to fulfill his obligation but that he needed to be paid the same as his brother Terry. Dory even asked me point blank what Terry was making.
Well, I have a long-standing rule that goes back to my days of promoting indy shows. I don't discuss another man's pay with anyone else. It's just not the right thing to do. And I explained this to Dory. No disrespect to him, but I didn't think I should be talking to him about someone else's pay.
By the end of the conversation (this was Thursday the 11th,) nothing was accomplished but Dory was to get back to me.
On Monday before fanfest, our second marathon phone call took place. Dory asked me again what Terry was making. I told him if he wanted to know the answer to that question, then he should ask Terry. In the end, Dory said he wasn't happy, but he'd be in Charlotte.
Folks, a deal is a deal. If Dory didn't want to live up to his end of the deal, he could've stayed at home, and I told him this. But I refuse to let anyone -- even a multi-time former world champion that until this point I had an unending amount of respect for -- hold me up for more money.
(At the time when these things were happening, I had consulted others about the situation and was told this was Dory's m.o. to wait until the last minute and then hold the promoter up for more money. This is coming from guys that booked (or had a hand in booking) territories 20+ years ago, and each of them said I was doing the right thing and I shouldn't be intimidated by it. So I stuck to my guns.)
Early Thursday morning before fanfest was to start on Friday, I received an email from Marti Funk, saying they would be in Charlotte and they WOULD be paid the same as Terry. The most disturbing part is when she also wrote that they didn't have to be pleasant about it and neither did I.
Folks, this infuriated me. Fanfest weekend is for everything that is good about wrestling. Leave your attitudes and bad vibes at home. I called the Funks an hour or so later and explained to Marti in no uncertain terms that her/their attitude was unwelcome at fanfest. When I ended that phone call, I was under the impression they'd stay in Ocala for the weekend. Hence, I posted on this forum that they would not be appearing.
I got word on Friday afternoon that they had arrived. The only thing for me to do at that point was to live up to my obligation. As soon as Dory finished his time on the Autograph Stage, he was paid the previously agreed upon fee and my obligation was done.
Never, ever have I instructed a talent NOT to sign an autograph or take a picture with a fan. The exact opposite; this is "fan-fest" and I want every fan to get everything they can out of this weekend.
On another message board, I read where Marti got the "Bitch of the Convention" award. I'm not making this up, you can see it for yourself at www.oldschool-wrestling.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=13446&sid=f720f3fce6f06ba6c9a2cfb62431d073. Well deserved, Marti. I'm glad folks finally see you for what you really are.
(On a side note, I have no doubt these two would have stayed home had it not been for Bret Hart being in Charlotte. At every point possible on Sunday, they made it a point to wait for Bret in the back service hallways as he made his way to his various scheduled events (Polaroids, signing, etc.,) causing him to be late to each.)
(Since Bret's 3-hour signing session on Sunday turned into 3 1/2 hours, I decided to cut his Q&A to 1 hour and allow Bret to take a breather between 3:30 and 5:00 on Sunday afternoon. After all, he'd busted his hump all day and, not that it was required, but in the back of my mind I'm thinking he is a stroke survivor and I need to allow him time to rest.)
(Needless to say the Funks (Marti/Dory) cornered him again and took every single second of his 1 1/2 hour break. The guy didn't have a moment to himself.)
Folks, I can assure you, these two will NEVER EVER be involved in another fanfest weekend.
Most of you know that I posted here the Thursday before fanfest that Dory Funk Jr. would not be appearing as advertised. Here's the long story.
I booked Dory back in April. He and I on the phone. No middlemen. No wives.
8 days before fanfest is to start, I get an email from the Funks (Marti and Dory) alerting me to a problem, which was followed up by a phone call from me to them.
During the phone call, I was told that Dory would be in Charlotte to fulfill his obligation but that he needed to be paid the same as his brother Terry. Dory even asked me point blank what Terry was making.
Well, I have a long-standing rule that goes back to my days of promoting indy shows. I don't discuss another man's pay with anyone else. It's just not the right thing to do. And I explained this to Dory. No disrespect to him, but I didn't think I should be talking to him about someone else's pay.
By the end of the conversation (this was Thursday the 11th,) nothing was accomplished but Dory was to get back to me.
On Monday before fanfest, our second marathon phone call took place. Dory asked me again what Terry was making. I told him if he wanted to know the answer to that question, then he should ask Terry. In the end, Dory said he wasn't happy, but he'd be in Charlotte.
Folks, a deal is a deal. If Dory didn't want to live up to his end of the deal, he could've stayed at home, and I told him this. But I refuse to let anyone -- even a multi-time former world champion that until this point I had an unending amount of respect for -- hold me up for more money.
(At the time when these things were happening, I had consulted others about the situation and was told this was Dory's m.o. to wait until the last minute and then hold the promoter up for more money. This is coming from guys that booked (or had a hand in booking) territories 20+ years ago, and each of them said I was doing the right thing and I shouldn't be intimidated by it. So I stuck to my guns.)
Early Thursday morning before fanfest was to start on Friday, I received an email from Marti Funk, saying they would be in Charlotte and they WOULD be paid the same as Terry. The most disturbing part is when she also wrote that they didn't have to be pleasant about it and neither did I.
Folks, this infuriated me. Fanfest weekend is for everything that is good about wrestling. Leave your attitudes and bad vibes at home. I called the Funks an hour or so later and explained to Marti in no uncertain terms that her/their attitude was unwelcome at fanfest. When I ended that phone call, I was under the impression they'd stay in Ocala for the weekend. Hence, I posted on this forum that they would not be appearing.
I got word on Friday afternoon that they had arrived. The only thing for me to do at that point was to live up to my obligation. As soon as Dory finished his time on the Autograph Stage, he was paid the previously agreed upon fee and my obligation was done.
Never, ever have I instructed a talent NOT to sign an autograph or take a picture with a fan. The exact opposite; this is "fan-fest" and I want every fan to get everything they can out of this weekend.
On another message board, I read where Marti got the "Bitch of the Convention" award. I'm not making this up, you can see it for yourself at www.oldschool-wrestling.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=13446&sid=f720f3fce6f06ba6c9a2cfb62431d073. Well deserved, Marti. I'm glad folks finally see you for what you really are.
(On a side note, I have no doubt these two would have stayed home had it not been for Bret Hart being in Charlotte. At every point possible on Sunday, they made it a point to wait for Bret in the back service hallways as he made his way to his various scheduled events (Polaroids, signing, etc.,) causing him to be late to each.)
(Since Bret's 3-hour signing session on Sunday turned into 3 1/2 hours, I decided to cut his Q&A to 1 hour and allow Bret to take a breather between 3:30 and 5:00 on Sunday afternoon. After all, he'd busted his hump all day and, not that it was required, but in the back of my mind I'm thinking he is a stroke survivor and I need to allow him time to rest.)
(Needless to say the Funks (Marti/Dory) cornered him again and took every single second of his 1 1/2 hour break. The guy didn't have a moment to himself.)
Folks, I can assure you, these two will NEVER EVER be involved in another fanfest weekend.
