Mick Foley
Potential 24/7 champion. Website: https://t.co/PV4HlD3NQO Bookings: gilbert@primetimeappearances
Book Recommendations:
Recommended by Mick Foley
“I have just finished reading #Unladylike by @Ranabitesback (Heather Bandenburg) and enjoyed it very much. I am sitting down now, to do some writing about the book, which I consider to be among the best wrestling memoirs ever published. https://t.co/IEUtwaVUf6” (from X)
by Cristen Conger, Caroline Ervin, Tyler Feder·You?
by Cristen Conger, Caroline Ervin, Tyler Feder·You?
A funny, fact-driven, and illustrated field guide to how to live a feminist life in today's world, from the hosts of the hit Unladylike podcast. Get ready to get unladylike with this field guide to the what's, why's, and how's of intersectional feminism and practical hell-raising. Through essential, inclusive, and illustrated explorations of what patriarchy looks like in the real world, authors and podcast hosts Cristen Conger and Caroline Ervin blend wild histories, astounding stats, social justice principles, and self-help advice to connect where the personal meets political in our bodies, brains, booty calls, bank accounts, and other confounding facets of modern woman-ing and nonbinary-ing. By laying out the uneven terrain of double-standards, head games, and handouts patriarchy has manspread across society for ages, Unladylike is here to unpack our gender baggage and map out the space that's ours to claim.
Recommended by Mick Foley
“Congratulations to @TitusONeilWWE on the release of this great book. It’s inspirationa, educational and enjoyable. I have been reading it each night....note the reading light! https://t.co/GNHTATDy0D” (from X)
by Titus O’Neil, Paul Guzzo·You?
by Titus O’Neil, Paul Guzzo·You?
An inspiring story from a humanitarian role model and WWE superstar, known to fans as Titus O’Neil One caring person can change the course of a child’s life ― Titus O’Neil knows that first-hand. Growing up, he was repeatedly confronted with negativity. By the time he was a teenager, he figured that he was the bad kid everyone said he was ― until an adult looked him in the eye and said, “There is no such thing as a bad kid.” Unfortunately, many children across North America are labeled “bad.” They may have short attention spans, unstable home environments, or learning difficulties. Often, these young people are diagnosed with an emotional or behavioral disorder and placed in special classes. They internalize these labels, and the imposed limitations affect their ability to learn, behave, and fit in. There’s No Such Thing as a Bad Kid chronicles Titus’s turbulent childhood years as he was helped to shed the label and realize his unique greatness, his value and potential. His remarkable story will provide hope and inspiration to children in similar circumstances and will help guide well-meaning adults in how to pay forward their successes to a generation of disadvantaged children.
Recommended by Mick Foley
“I simply could not put this tremendous book down, finishing it in two sittings within a single day—and lost count of how many times I laughed out loud along the way. Brian Gewirtz has an instant wrestling classic on his hands here; a very enjoyable romp down memory lane, with a unique perspective from a man who was either in the middle of, or very close to some of the greatest (and not so great) moments in WWE history. With unfettered access to WWE boss Vince McMahon, and as one of Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson’s closest confidants, Brian Gewirtz is the perfect person to chronicle the hectic and sometimes surreal behind-the-scenes chaos of the WWE creative process—and he delivers the goods in insightful and hilarious fashion.” (from Amazon)
by Brian Gewirtz·You?
Former WWE head writer Brian Gewirtz brings readers behind the scenes for an unprecedented look at the chaotic, surreal, unbelievable backstage world of the WWE. With untold stories from a career spanning over 15 years and featuring the biggest names and controversial moments in wrestling history, THERE'S JUST ONE PROBLEM is an honest, unflinching look on how an introverted life-long fan unexpectedly became one the most powerful men in all of professional wrestling. For decades wrestling was shrouded in secrecy. It had larger than life personalities, bone crunching physicality and jaw-dropping theatrics but backstage it was an industry devoid of outsiders. Then in 1999, after working together on a special for MTV, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson turned to 26-year old television writer Brian Gewirtz and asked “You ever consider writing for WWE?” That question, and its answer, would have a profound effect on both of their lives for years to come. THERE'S JUST ONE PROBLEM is a story about perseverance, tenacity, and steel chairs. Most writers in the WWE last for a matter of months; Gewirtz was there for over 15 years, writing some of most memorable and infamous storylines in WWE history (covering the “Attitude Era”, the “Ruthless Aggression Era” and into the “PG” and “Reality” eras). Throughout this journey Gewirtz found himself becoming both friend and antagonist to some of the biggest names in WWE history – Stone Cold Steve Austin, John Cena, Stephanie McMahon, Bill Goldberg, Paul Heyman, Chris Jericho, Shawn Michaels, and the two men who he worked the most closely with WWE Chairman Vince McMahon and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. These men not only shaped his life professionally but also personally, forcing him to grow and change both as a writer and a human being. So how does a lifelong fan and outsider break through to become the ultimate insider? How does a low-key personality deal directly with his boss, the most brash, unpredictable “alpha male” on the planet, WWE Chairman Vince McMahon? How does one gain respect in a locker room that wants nothing more than to see him disappear? Where does one go when every year in wrestling takes you further away from the writing career you always wanted? Taking advice from his idol, the late “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, when you’re so full of fear, there’s only one way to push through: become fearless.
Recommended by Mick Foley
“I literally read Jim Ross’ Under the Black Hat over the course of one day, and just two sittings. I even kept putting off much-needed restroom breaks so I could keep turning the pages. I found myself thinking “just one more chapter,” chapter after chapter… It’s an excellent book, and well worth your time. I definitely put it up there among the best memoirs in the business.” (from Amazon)
by Jim Ross, Paul O'Brien·You?
by Jim Ross, Paul O'Brien·You?
From legendary wrestling announcer Jim Ross, this candid, colorful memoir about the inner workings of the WWE and the personal crises he weathered at the height of his career is “a must-read for wrestling fans” (Charleston Post Courier). If you’ve caught a televised wrestling match anytime in the past thirty years, you’ve probably heard Jim Ross’s throaty Oklahoma twang. The beloved longtime announcer of the WWE “has been a driving force behind a generation of wrestling fans” (Mark Cuban), and he’s not slowing down, having signed on as the announcer of the starry new wrestling venture All Elite Wrestling. In this follow-up to his bestselling memoir Slobberknocker, he dishes out about not only his long career, which includes nurturing global stars like Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, and John Cena, but also about his challenges of aging and disability, his split from collaborator Vince McMahon, and the sudden death of his beloved wife, Jan. The result is a gruff, endearing, and remarkably human-scale portrait, set against the larger than life backdrop of professional wrestling. Ross’s ascent in WWE mirrors the rise of professional wrestling itself from a DIY sideshow to a billion-dollar business. Under the Black Hat traces all the highs and lows of that wild ride, in which Jim served not only as on-air commentator, but talent manager, payroll master, and even occasional in-ring foil to threats like Paul “Triple H” Levesque and Undertaker. While his role brought him riches and exposure he had never dreamed of, he chafed against the strictures of a fickle corporate culture and what he saw as a narrow vision of what makes great wrestlers—and great story lines. When suddenly stricken with Bell’s palsy, a form of facial paralysis that makes it impossible to smile, he started down his greatest fear—being cast out of the announcing booth for good. Picking up where Slobberknocker left off and ending on the cusp of a new career in a reimagined industry, Under the Black Hat is the triumphant tale of a country boy who made it to the top, took a few knocks, and stuck around—just where his fans like him. Not only being one of the greatest wrestlers of the WWE, Ross is also “a master storyteller, and this book is the perfect forum for his forty years’ worth of tales” (Chris Jericho, former WWE champion).