PILLMAN: His Final Interviews

Description: Brian Pillman's true influence over the wrestling industry may never be fully appreciated by friends and fans; due mostly to the great efforts he took to blur the lines between what was real and what was not. Perhaps the one ingredient that is lacking in today's wrestling world is the one Mr. Pillman used to set himself apart and he was the last person to use this philosophy to his advantage. Just what impact Brian Pillman had on the industry varies from person-to-person, but there's no denying the fact that he left an indelible impression on all who knew him or saw him on TV.

This audio compact disc entitled "Pillman: His Final Interviews" is a totally surreal journey back in time and into the mind of someone I consider one of the few geniuses the world of professional wrestling has ever adopted. The CD contains 70-minutes of audio from four different live radio shows and if you find the time to purchase the CD you will end up completely hypnotized from beginning to end.

The first interview takes place right after his tragic hummer accident and he is out of character, talking like a normal person describing in full detail what had happened on that fateful night as well as the grizzly injuries he suffered as a result. Pillman talks about his goals of returning to the ring, his thoughts on Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart, his loyalty to the Hart Family, the supposed ECW/WWF alliance, and also shoots on Paul Heyman. Believe me when I tell you, his answers are as unpredictable as the man himself. Absolutely fascinating.

The second interview is side-tracked due to Brian feeling under the weather. Fortunately, his wife Melanie Pillman was happy to help fill the air-time with her insight. The hosts didn't hold back, asking Mrs. Pillman about her appearance in Penthouse Magazine, sitting down with Brian to make decisions together, their experiences negotiating with the WWF, and the forthcoming article about the Pillman Family in the National Inquirer. The one question Melanie dodged had to do with what connection she had with the wrestling business before Brian came along. The hosts, who truly did not know, begged for an answer but she wouldn't budge --- she actually dated the Ultimate Warrior, I wouldn't admit that either!

The next interview Brian Pillman conducted was in character, yelling at the hosts and calling them "smart marks", a term he lashed out at the fans with during his appearances with ECW. He spoke candidly about being a free agent and bragged about getting his release from WCW. He gave his thoughts on Shane Douglas, The Hart Family, Stu Hart, he took time to plug the famous Pillman Hotline and ran down the WCW hotline. Brian gave his opinions of the WCW Power Plant, the Hollywood Blondes with Steve Austin, Hall & Nash joining WCW, his controversial feud with Kevin "Bookerman" Sullivan, his feelings for Johnny B. Badd, what he thinks of the Ultimate Warrior, and last but certainly not least WCW owner Ted Turner.

The final conversation Brian F'n Pillman (in character) had was a brief encounter where he gave his very unexpected views on Mexican and Japanese wrestling compared to American wrestling. Pillman ran down the Smart Marks, and let his opinions of UFC known - specifically picking on Ken Shamrock and Dan Severn. Brian then talks about joining the WWE and his feelings for Vince McMahon.

What more can I say about this very entertaining CD. It literally speaks for itself. Whether you love him, or you hate him, Brian Pillman had everybody fooled. There will never be another one like him; God bless Brian F'n Pillman.

You can puchase your "Pillman: The Final Interviews" CD at WWW.PILLMANCD.COM -- Thank you!

Rating: 10 / 10

Reviewed by Brad Dykens on November 11, 2006.