PODCAST · sports
Not About Wrestling
by Not About Wrestling
The only interview show that features the biggest names in professional wrestling that's not actually about professional wrestling. Hosted by Chris Illuminati.
Episodes
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Episode 46: "The Badstreet Beauty" Miranda Gordy
Our guest this week is a second-generation wrestler and current SWE Women’s TV Champion - “The Badstreet Beauty,” Miranda Gordy. Miranda is the daughter of wrestling legend, Terry “Bam Bam” Gordy. In this episode, Miranda talks about growing up with her dad, living on “Badstreet” as a kid - she...
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Episode 45: Danny Limelight
Our guest on the show this week is Danny Limelight. Danny truly is a jack-of-all-trades and not just in the wrestling business. A Marine Veteran and former drill instructor, Danny served our country for 10 years and made over three hundred and fifty Marines. After his military service concluded,...
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Episode 44: Sami Callihan
AND WE'RE BACK! This week, a mini-episode with "The Draw" of IMPACT WRESTLING, Sami Callihan. Calling himself "the real reason fans tune in" to IMPACT, the former World Champion will square off against Kenny Omega at Slammiversary 2021 on July 17th with the IMPACT belt once again on the line. In...
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Episode 43: Hal Haney
On this week’s show, we’re talking to artist, cartoonist, and father, Hal Haney. If you’re a fan of wrestling and pop culture, you’ve probably seen Hal’s drawings online. There are so many things to love about Hal’s artwork but we’re sure you’ll love his pieces even more when you hear Hal’s…
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Episode 42: Tony Schiavone & Dirk Manning
This week, we're talking to a legendary voice in the world of professional wrestling, Tony Schiavone, and writer and comic creator, Dirk Manning. The dynamic duo joined us to talk about "Butts In Seats: The Tony Schiavone Story", Tony's forthcoming graphic novel about his life and career in...
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Episode 41: James Ellsworth
James Ellsworth’s rise to WWE stardom was 14 long years in the making. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Ellsworth trained under Axl Rotten and made a living on the independent wrestling scene under the ring name "Pretty" Jimmy Dream. He worked for various promotions over the years - usually in a tag...
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Not About Dark Side Of The Ring: Dynamite Kid
Welcome to another installment of “Not About Dark Side of the Ring” – a humorous weekly review & recap of “Dark Side of the Ring” on Vice. This week, Steph, Chris, and Don discuss the influential but volatile life and career of Tom Billington, known to fans worldwide as The Dynamite Kid. The...
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Episode 40: Justin Schlegel
Our guest on the show this week is comedian and radio show host, Justin Schlegel. Justin is the co-host of Baltimore's number one morning show, the Justin, Scott & Spiegel Morning Show on 98 Rock, and part of Die Laughing Productions popular murder mysteries. A lifelong wrestling fan, Justin also...
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Not About Dark Side Of The Ring: In the Shadow of Grizzly Smith
Welcome to episode 5 of “Not About Dark Side of the Ring” - a humorous weekly review & recap of "Dark Side of the Ring" on Vice. This week, Chris, Don and Steph try to make sense of the horrific family dynamic of the Smith family, led by patriarch and all-around awful human, Grizzly Smith. Even...
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Episode 39: Rocky Romero
This week, we are absolutely pumped to talk to the amazing Rocky Romero. Rocky is a NJPW star and 1/3 of the self-proclaimed “Worst Podcast In The World” - Talk'n Shop - along with Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson. Rocky has wrestled for over two decades, debuting back in 1997 after being trained by...
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Not About Dark Side Of The Ring: Ultimate Warrior
Welcome to episode 4 of “Not About Dark Side of the Ring” - a humorous weekly review & recap of "Dark Side of the Ring" on Vice. This week, Steph, Chris, and Don discuss the legacy of The Ultimate Warrior. The episode dove into Warrior breaking into the business, his lack of ability in the ring,...
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Episode 38: Tim Disbrow, Director of "Card Subject To Change"
Our guest on the show this week is director and producer, Tim Disbrow. A New Jersey native, Disbrow’s work includes feature-length and short subject documentaries, narrative short films, non-scripted television and branded content. He's done several wrestling-focused films and shows over the…
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Not About Dark Side Of The Ring: Collision In Korea
Welcome to episode 3 of “Not About Dark Side of the Ring” - a humorous weekly review & recap of "Dark Side of the Ring" on Vice. This week, Steph, Chris, and Don discuss "Collision in Korea." The professional wrestling event - officially known as the Pyongyang International Sports and Culture...
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Episode 37: Kenny Casanova
Kenny Casanova has done just about everything in wrestling. He’s performed inside the squared circle, done ring announcing, promoted, created original theme music, provided color-commentary and managed some of the biggest names in professional wrestling. Casanova helped guide the careers of names...
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Not About Dark Side Of The Ring: Nick Gage
Welcome to episode 2 of “Not About Dark Side of the Ring” - a humorous weekly review & recap of "Dark Side of the Ring" on Vice. This week, Steph, Chris, and Don Povia of Transition Sports & Entertainment discuss episode 2 of the show which focuses on Nick Gage. Nick Gage is the self-proclaimed...
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Not About Dark Side Of The Ring: Brian Pillman
Welcome to the debut episode of “Not About Dark Side of the Ring” - a humorous weekly review and recap of Dark Side of the Ring on Vice. This week, Steph, Chris, and special co-host Don Povia of Transition Sports & Entertainment discuss the season 3 premiere focused on the “Flyin” Brian Pillman....
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Episode 36: Evan Husney, Co-Creator of "Dark Side of the Ring"
This week, we're joined by Evan Husney, co-creator of the popular and controversial "Dark Side of the Ring" series on Vice. Evan discussing the upcoming season - premiering this week - with the two-part episode on Brian Pillman. The producer and director of "Dark Side" talks about the process...
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Episode 35: Roy Lucier
Roy Lucier is a collector of not just old wrestling tapes and Lucha Libre figures but of memories. During our interview, he held up numerous stacks of DVDs, all containing legendary wrestling moments from the last thirty years or more. All of those shows were converted off VHS tapes, Lucier’s...
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Episode 34: The NBA in WCW with author Pete Croatto
On this week’s show, we take a deep dive into the year 1998 to discuss Karl Malone and Dennis Rodman’s involvement in Bash at the Beach ’98. At the time, Malone and Rodman were arguably two of the biggest stars in the NBA and were slugging it out on the court in the most-watched NBA Finals to…
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Episode 33: "Piledriver: The Wrestling Album II" with Rob Naylor
On this week's show, we discuss the musical legacy of Piledriver: The Wrestling Album II. Hot on the heels of the surprising success of the original Wrestling Album in 1985, the WWF released this 10 song album in September 1987. In addition to the album, a VHS videotape version was also issued in...
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Episode 32: Wrestling With Romance with Tara Clark
This week's show is all about romance and wrestling and why wrestling promotions think fans give a crap. Chris is joined by author and social media star, Tara Clark (@modernmomprobs). Tara runs a hilarious Instagram account chronicling her struggles with being a parent and her new book - "Modern...
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Episode 31: Nikita Koloff
"The Russian Nightmare," Nikita Koloff, was one of the biggest heels in professional wrestling in the mid-1980s. A member of both the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and the National Wrestling Alliance Hall of Fame, Nikita's feud with Magnum TA is legendary, culminating with their classic…
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Episode 30: Eric Gargiulo
On this week's show, we're joined by wrestling announcer, commentator, radio show host, and writer, Eric Gargiulo. Gargiulo is best known for his time as ring announcer for ECW and announcer and commentator for Combat Zone Wrestling. He’s also the host of the longest running wrestling radio show…
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Episode 29: Chris Van Vliet
This week on "Not About Wrestling", our guest is interviewer, podcast host, and 4-time Emmy winner, Chris Van Vliet. Chris Van Vliet looks like an overnight success when in reality, the Canada-born host has been working in entertainment for over 15 years. An interview with actresses Leslie Mann…
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Episode 28: A Look Back At "The Bobby Heenan Show"
On a very special episode of "Not About Wrestling", Chris and Stephanie take a trip back to 1989 to revisit a failed idea that might have been way ahead of its time. The best way to describe “The Bobby Heenan Show” would be to take parts of “The Larry Sanders Show” and “The Howard Stern Show” and...
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Episode 27: Sean Oliver of Kayfabe Commentaries
This week on Not About Wrestling, we’re joined by author, actor, and wrestling shoot interview host, Sean Oliver. During Sean’s introduction, Chris jokes that he’s the “godfather of the wrestling shoot interview” but it’s hard to argue the title. In fact, Sean’s production company and wrestling...
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Episode 26: Scorpio Sky & James Willems
Our guests on the show this week are All Elite Wrestling’s Scorpio Sky and Funhaus creator James Willems. Sky and James are the hosts of "Wrestling With The Week", a podcast dedicated to wrestling, pop culture, sports, music, movies, and more. In this episode, Sky and James talk about the idea...
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Episode 25: Rhett Titus
Our guest today on the 47th most popular wrestling podcast on iTunes is Ring of Honor star, Rhett Titus. After graduating from the ROH Dojo, Titus debuted in Ring of Honor in 2006. He teamed with Kenny King to form "The All Night Express" in 2009 and captured the ROH World Tag Team Titles in…
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Episode 24: Rey Mysterio
My guest on “Not About Wrestling this week is future WWE Hall of Famer, Rey Mysterio. Rey Mysterio is arguably the greatest cruiserweight in pro wrestling history. He made his American wrestling debut in ECW in 1995 before jumping over to WCW and helped make the cruiserweight matches one of the...
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Episode 23: Rob Van Dam
My guest on the show this week is “Mr. Monday Night” and “The Whole F’n Show,” Rob Van Dam. Rob Van Dam has won a total of 21 championships in his career and he’s the only wrestler in history to hold the WWE Championship, the ECW World Heavyweight Championship, and the TNA World Heavyweight...
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Episode 22: Dan Barry
My guest on the show today is comedian, wrestler, and adopted son of Ireland, Dan Barry. THE Dan Barry. Dan has wrestled for a slew of different indie promotions including the New York Wrestling Connection, Combat Zone Wrestling, Beyond Wrestling, and the House of Hardcore. He's also the good…
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Episode 21: Jamie Hemmings of Slam Wrestling
My guest on the show today is the self-proclaimed "Queen of the Book Nerds," the incredibly engaging Jamie Hemmings. Encouraged to watch and write about wrestling by her neighbor and mentor, Bob Leonard, a famous Canadian professional wrestling promoter, photographer, and author, Jamie went to...
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Episode 20: Deonna Purrazzo
On this episode of Not About Wrestling, I'm talking to "The Virtuosa" Deonna Purrazzo. Deonna Purrazzo made a statement when she signed with IMPACT Wrestling and almost immediately dethroned Jordynne Grace at Slammiversary to become the new Knockouts Champion. Deonna and I talk about our love for...
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Episode 19: Joel Gertner
My guest today is former ECW announcer, commentator, manager, and the "Quintessential Studmuffin," Joel Gertner. As a rabid ECW fan, I don’t remember the company without Joel Gertner. He joined ECW in 1995 - at the age of 20 - to work as a part-time ring announcer and official timekeeper....
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Episode 18: Nick Aldis
Welcome to season two of Not About Wrestling! This year kicks off NWA World's Heavyweight Champion, Nick Aldis. During this discussion, Aldis and I covered a vast array of topics including bodybuilding and fitness, life on other planets, the NWA world’s heavyweight belt, his HEAT with Planet...
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Episode 17: Best Of Season One
Relive some of the best, funniest, and most inspiring moments of season one of Not About Wrestling.
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Episode 16: Tom Green
This week, I’m talking to Tom Green. No, not that Tom Green. This Tom Green is a former wrestling promoter. Green started booking shows at the insanely young age of 18 and he got into the business in an incredibly odd way. Green’s friend somehow stumbled upon the home phone number of former New...
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Episode 15: PCO
The career resurgence of Pierre Carl Ouellet - now christened PCO in Ring of Honor - has been nothing short of remarkable. Longtime wrestling fans will remember Ouellet from his run in the WWF as one-half of the tag team, The Quebecers. Along with partner Jacques Rougeau, the Quebecers captured…
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Episode 14: Danhausen
This week on the Not About Wrestling podcast, my guest is Ring of Honor star, Danhausen. Donovan Danhausen got his start in the Michigan indies, working at a local wrestling school while training. Donovan bounced around to different indie scenes and the character of Danhausen slowly emerged along...
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Episode 13: Ian Douglass
This week, I’m talking to prolific writer, former on-air reporter, and admitted “overrated athlete,” Ian Douglass. Douglass is a journalist and co-author of three wrestling biographies. His first book, The Realest Guy in the Room: The Life and Times of Dan Severn, chronicles the life and career…
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Episode 12: Shane Taylor
This week, I’m talking to Ring of Honor star, Shane Taylor. Taylor is known for his violent demeanor and survive-at-all-costs mentality. Since his 2016 debut with Ring of Honor, the 6' 1", 350-pound has positioned himself as the "problem solver" on the roster and "the baddest of all time." Taylor...
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Episode 11: Oliver Bateman
This week, I’m talking to journalist, lawyer, historian, and strength athlete, Oliver Bateman. Oliver has produced content for a wide range of publications, including VICE, Vox, and The Atlantic, as well as wrestling-focused content for The Ringer. When he’s not covering professional wrestling,...
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BONUS: Tribute To The Undertaker
On this bonus episode of the show, writer Kenny Herzog returns to discuss all things Undertaker. We take a look back at his early days in wrestling, his WWE debut, the fact that he's supposed to be dead, the character making a scary impression on my life at a young age, the different phases of…
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Episode #10: Keith Elliot Greenberg
Keith Elliot Greenberg is a writer and TV producer, and New York Times bestselling author. He’s co-authored biographies on some of the biggest names in wrestling history, including Ric Flair, Superstar Billy Graham, and Classy Freddie Blassie. His latest book - Too Sweet: Inside the Indie…
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Episode 9: Ken Anderson
In this episode of “Not About Wrestling“, I’m talking to wrestler, trainer, actor, and the man with the perfect pipes, Ken Anderson. Most fans will recognize Ken from his run in the WWE as Mr. Kennedy but Anderson has worked for several major wrestling promotions over the last two decades. During...
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Episode 8: Kenny Herzog
In this episode, Chris talks to writer and lifelong wrestling fan Kenny Herzog. Kenny Herzog is currently the Digital Content Director at Entrepreneur Media but he’s written about professional wrestling for countless outlets including Rolling Stone, New York Magazine, Vulture, and The Ringer.…
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Episode 7: Dalton Castle
On the show today, I’m talking to Ring of Honor star, Dalton Castle. The self-proclaimed peacock is a former Ring of Honor world champion and world six-man champion. Dalton and I talk about his love of professional wrestling at an early age, not being allowed to watch wrestling in his house, a...
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Episode 6: Shaul Guerrero
On the show today, I’m talking to Shaul Guerrero. A member of the legendary Guerrero family, Shaul has done just about everything in the business. She’s wrestled for FCW, WWE, NXT, and served as ring announcer for the AEW Women's Tag Team Cup Tournament. When she’s not performing in the ring…
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Episode 5: Scorpio Sky
This week, Chris talks to AEW star Scorpio Sky. Sky has appeared in just about major wrestling company in the world. A member of SoCal Uncensored, Sky is also an accomplished mixed martial artist and appeared in several TV shows and even a Super Bowl commercial. In this episode, Sky and I discuss...
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Episode 4: MJF
In this episode, MJF joins Not About Wrestling to discuss dating apps, the only holiday that matters, his distaste for the Yacht Rock music genre, his thoughts on why social distancing rules should stay in effect forever, and why AEW will be much better off with him as world champion. Entering…
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Not About Wrestling have?
Not About Wrestling currently has 54 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Not About Wrestling about?
The only interview show that features the biggest names in professional wrestling that's not actually about professional wrestling. Hosted by Chris Illuminati.
How often does Not About Wrestling release new episodes?
Not About Wrestling has 54 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Not About Wrestling?
You can listen to Not About Wrestling on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Not About Wrestling?
Not About Wrestling is created and hosted by Not About Wrestling.
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