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Open Mic 22: Matthew Goldberg
33 Plays2 years ago
After months of figuring out a time to sit down and chat, The MVP finally gets to the elusive Matthew Goldberg. Matthew has done a lot of work in the wrestling industry. You will learn about him working in Impact/TNA Wrestling with Eric Bischoff, writing articles, and being one of the founders of figure photography within the wrestling community. Also, we talk about him being the person behind the only source for figure news!
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Transcript
Introduction and Host Collaboration
00:00:21
Speaker
Who the hell told you tonight was open mic night
00:00:37
Speaker
Welcome back, everybody, to another episode of Open Mic with the MVP Marco. I am, of course, your host, the MVP Marco of the Chick Foley show. I mean, it's one of the greatest podcasts out there right now.
00:00:54
Speaker
We're rolling heavy with some new episodes. We've been a lot more consistent nowadays. Obviously, me with the open mic, Seth and Jordan, who's also a part
Pod Foundation and Creator Collective
00:01:05
Speaker
of the show. They have their The Goal Line podcast where they talk all things NFL. So yeah, we're just flooding the airwaves right now with podcasts. But
00:01:16
Speaker
But the main thing is we're brought to you by the Pod Foundation. The Pod Foundation is the collection of the greatest content creators and podcasters known to man. Obviously, that's myself, Sheena, Jordan, Seth of The Chick-Fully Show. We also have The Extra Cooler Show with Nick and his team.
00:01:35
Speaker
We also have the Turnbuckle Tavern. If you haven't heard of them by now, I'm not sure what you're doing. Definitely check them out. They're the ones that are throwing out podcasts every single day of the week. I'm actually a part of one of them. I'm pulling double duty. I'm on the Chick-fil-E show feed and the Turnbuckle Tavern feed. I do a show called The Raw Down.
00:01:55
Speaker
with my co-host J-Bone, who also has a podcast on the Pod Foundation Network, which is coming down the aisle with J-Bone. But yeah, definitely check out us. Check us out on the Rawdown, 8 o'clock on Thursdays, live on YouTube, and everywhere you get live streaming. You can hear our musings on the current product, the WWE, and some other stuff as well. So definitely check that out. But now that I got that out the way, I want to get to my next guest.
Guest Introduction: Matt Goldberg
00:02:24
Speaker
This gentleman here, I've only had one other person in his area, which is photography, specifically figure photography. His, definitely go check him out. His artwork is, his art is insane, like the pictures, how he
00:02:45
Speaker
To me, there's like a greediness to the way he does his photos and stuff like that. And everyone that's out there that I follow that does figure photography, everyone has a different type of style. And I put him in kind of like that. It looks real, like the scenes that he creates and stuff like that. So I'll stop hyping him up. I'll bring him on. So Matt.
00:03:13
Speaker
Let's see. Let's bring him in. Here we go. Matt Goldberg. How are you? How are you doing? Great. How are you? I'm doing fine. And I try to hype you up there. But yeah, I do. I do really enjoy your work on your Instagram page. And we'll definitely get to how you develop that type of style. And I mean, that's my own interpretation, obviously art. It's everyone's own interpretation. And mine is you have more like a realistic approach
00:03:42
Speaker
Um, to your, to your figure photography, not that everyone else looks cartoony or they look like action figures, but you said you have these scenes where they, you know, it almost looks like they're real and in action, which is, which is pretty insane. How did you like, how'd you come up with that? I mean, I'll give you my own interpretation. Is that, is that the interpretation that you're going for? Am I, or am I way off base with how you do your photography?
00:04:07
Speaker
Sure, no, first of all, thanks for the kind words and for having me on. I really appreciate it. But yeah, I strive for realism with my photography.
Matt's Photography Journey and Wrestling Connections
00:04:17
Speaker
I've been at this since I think it's like 2014, I want to say at the photography end of things. I've been in the community since 2006. Wow. Yeah, Jeremy from Jazz Words gave me my first opportunity with Jax when I was a teenager.
00:04:37
Speaker
Um, and I don't know if you're familiar with my whole story. It's really crazy around the industry, but, um, a really rapid, uh, path through it is, um, in 2008, Eric Bischoff found me on YouTube and wanted to work with me about just a teenager at the time. So my dad took me to ringside fest to meet him at the time was he was actually appearing there and, um,
00:05:03
Speaker
We had like a meeting and I really got to know him. I couldn't believe he reached out to me, of course, as a longtime fan. And I went to college in Florida to study film and television. And then him and Hogan went to Impact Wrestling in Orlando. I was in Tampa. So about an hour and a half away or so. And I, you know, call them up. He got me like an opportunity at Impact. So I got to
00:05:29
Speaker
Essentially, I have like an internship. I wish social media was really a thing more than because I probably would have loved to have done their social media and stuff back then. But but yeah, I got to hang with all the guys and stuff in the back and did that for about two years. It was very surreal.
00:05:47
Speaker
moment, especially as a lifelong fan to be walking around with Hogan and Sting and Rick's Claire, Kurt Angle, all that stuff. That was just insane. I became friends with Elijah Burke and Victoria or Tara there, of course. They're two of my really good friends. Still to this day, Matt Morgan was another one. So it was really, really cool and surreal. I made some film projects with them for
00:06:15
Speaker
film class, which is really fun. And then
00:06:20
Speaker
thing once I graduated college, I went on to work for the WWE for a year doing stop motion animation that's still on their YouTube now, because that's how I started with stop motion was really my thing back then. And then once I went to grad school, I was like, I don't have the time to do this anymore. Is there still time consuming? I loved it, built a nice following from it. So I'm like, what can I do that still kind of similar, but
00:06:49
Speaker
not as time consuming that was biography. So I taught myself essentially using my film knowledge and just my animation knowledge and just essentially taking a still out of an animation and that's like my picture sort of thing. Okay. Then
00:07:09
Speaker
Let's see. I went on to work for wrestle zone. I still work for them. I write for them just, I don't write as heavily anymore as it's, I'm just so busy these days, but, um, partnered with ringside collectibles in there too. So I do stuff for them. I don't do stuff for them as often, but I'm still partnered with them. Um, then I most recently worked for jazzwares shooting the AW toy line for them for two years or so.
00:07:48
Speaker
This is all literally just from my hobby of collecting these figures and making content with them is absolutely insane. I'm sure I'm leaving out a lot of other things. I can't even think of one spot right now. But yeah, it's like a really quick summary of a lot of my journey and just collabing with all the different licensees like Mattel and partnered with Power Town. I'm trying to think figures toy company ringside.
00:08:09
Speaker
I was in pro wrestling illustrated. I think it was earlier this year.
00:08:18
Speaker
Cheese.
00:08:19
Speaker
And I don't know. I'm probably drawing blanks to more. I'll try to bring you. I'll try to jog your memory a little bit because I want to go back for sure. To Jeremy, Jeremy Padour. Sure. Those that don't know out there, he's he's in these parts. He's called the godfather of figures because obviously with the Jax Jax line and stuff like that. And he's he he loves the he loves the Chick Foley show. He follows. He actually follows us on Twitter.
00:08:51
Speaker
We interact with him a lot and stuff like that. He he said he's awesome, dude. How did how did that how did that relationship come about?
Collaboration with Jeremy Padawer
00:08:59
Speaker
Sure, so I was 15, I think at the time and he had his own like blog site on jeremy.com. And I somehow I don't know if I stumbled on it through the W fig forum or something, but
00:09:18
Speaker
I just, as a teen, I was like, I'm going to send this guy an email with links to my YouTube videos where I had my own like animated wrestling show called crash collision wrestling. And it was really popular at the time. And I just was like, you know, I'm just going to send him these and see what he thinks. And he like loved it. And I don't remember exactly how it went down, but he wanted to, I was like an influencer before like influencers or a thing. Yep.
00:09:47
Speaker
Really. And, uh, so I like partnered with them and they would send me, I don't remember if I really got much WWE stuff from them back then, but, um, cause I think it was towards the end of their WWE relationship. Um, but I worked on the UFC stuff with them a little bit. And then of course, TNA once I was on like both sides of TNA, which was kind of cool. Um,
00:10:13
Speaker
And yeah, and I just got to know him throughout the years. And when he started wicked cool toys, like I partnered with him and wicked cool to promote the rings and, you know, the giant, I don't know, 20 inch tall figures. I forget how big those things were. Um, stuff like that, which is really fun. And then, uh, most recently jazzwares. And, uh, that happened during the pandemic as I lost my job.
00:10:42
Speaker
And I, and I do social media marketing for a living when I'm not working for everybody else in this community or myself. And, um, they had an opening for social media, which I was like, Oh, this would be perfect. So I went through the process with that with them, but because the pandemic was so like rampant at the time and it was so unknown. They like wanted me to relocate. I'm like, I don't like feel comfortable relocating now with all, you know, not knowing.
00:11:11
Speaker
how extreme or whatever with the pandemic. And we tried to work remotely and it like didn't work or whatever. They couldn't figure it out or something. So I was like really gutted by it and had to step away from it. And then I don't know if it was like a few weeks later, he's like, he like texted me. He's like, hey, do you want to shoot
Shooting the AEW Toy Line
00:11:30
Speaker
the AW toy line? I was like, hell yeah. And that's honestly much more exciting anyway because social media covered all their properties.
00:11:40
Speaker
when obviously I'm a huge wrestling fan. So just focusing on AEW. Um, it was a dream opportunity and it was a craft ton of work. Um, you know, working a full-time day job and then doing that essentially full-time too. Like I was just creatively wiped, but I pushed through it because it was a dream opportunity and, you know, having some of my photography on like the ringside, um, it's the rampage ring set. So like my works all over that ring.
00:12:09
Speaker
which is on the packaging. So that was a surreal moment and just like having my work, of course, living on Amazon and Target and Walmart and GameStop and then seeing it like on Comic Con displays and stuff. It was all very, very surreal, but it was just like so much work. And I just felt like I was kind of like losing myself a bit between doing that and
00:12:36
Speaker
my day job. And, you know, once I know the line like kind of took a hit this past year, whatever, everything kind of changed. So it was kind of a good time to to step away. And obviously the line isn't exactly the same as it used to be said. Yeah. So I felt like I was really at the peak of that line. And it was really cool. Very grateful for that opportunity and stuff, too. But
00:13:05
Speaker
Yeah, that's my relationship with Jeremy in a nutshell, pretty much. So, known him a long time. Yeah. I think with the strategy before with the AW line, it seemed like it was more like just putting a lot of lines out and stuff like that. And then obviously, like you said, that was during the pandemic and everything. And
00:13:29
Speaker
it actually coming out of it. And then, you know, now it's like it, like you said, it's a little bit different with, with a lot more, I think probably a lot more strategy now when it comes to releasing their figures. That's what I'm, that's what I'm assuming. They change, change the strategy up a little bit. Plus they're going to be opening up that, um, the vault website to next year. So that's probably going to help, help out a lot with like the, the figures that, you know, the, the exclusive figures. And you know, that like one thing I do trust about Jeremy Padour is
00:13:59
Speaker
the obviously he's a collector himself um and he understands like the exclusivity of a lot of things so i don't think you'll see like any like repeats and stuff like that when it comes to uh releases on that like vault site and stuff like that and obviously you're gonna get the roh line uh when that comes out but you know any like exclusives and stuff like that i don't see you'll see an exclusive on that vault site and then
00:14:25
Speaker
And it like the same exact one on ringside or Amazon or something like that. So that's the one thing I trust with with him. Anyway, when it comes to that, yeah, he was actually on on the turnbuckle tabber and they had him. They did an interview with him. They have a show called Fig Night. And they he's he's he's he answered all the questions. He talked about his past, how he got into collecting and all that type of stuff. And it was actually very interesting. He's an interesting
00:14:54
Speaker
Guy to say the least. But so how was it? What did you start your your love for like collecting in figures and things like that? I always typically say I started around. I like to say it started when I was like for my dad. My mom and dad were really into the trading card business when it was hot in the 90s, like the Michael Jordan cards and everything. And they were always like,
00:15:23
Speaker
in the sports memorabilia industry, essentially. And so they were already collecting and going to stores and hunting down cases of cards and stuff. And my mom and dad just got me into toys when I was a kid. And I had wrestling and Star Wars and whatever else back then. And just never really outgrew it, I guess, like a lot of people do.
00:15:53
Speaker
you know, my mom and dad would hunt down a lot of the figures for me as I got older. And then once I started creating content with the figures and like I developed like a nice following, I'm like, Oh, like, you know, I'm really onto something here. So I just, I like kept like the collecting going. I don't, honestly, I don't know if any of that didn't happen. If I would still heavily collect hard to say, but because of all the crazy,
00:16:22
Speaker
opportunity and things that have come from it like you know and I'm blessed to even be relevant in this community as long as I have been anymore but um you know it's just having such a dedicated and wonderful uh supportive audience that keeps me growing and collecting because now I feel like oh I gotta keep up with you know the latest figures that have for my photos and you know things that I have sponsors like ringside and stuff where
00:16:49
Speaker
I get a lot of that from them to shoot and stuff, which I'm very grateful for that.
Commitment to Realism in Photography
00:16:55
Speaker
Um, but yeah, I, I need to have everybody for my photos because I never know when I might need a certain look or, you know, or if someone's like, Hey, I really need you to shoot this for us or whatever. And okay. Um, but I just love doing it. You know, every week I push myself to release at least one photo a week. Yeah.
00:17:16
Speaker
You know, now I have prints that people buy and ask me for, which is very surreal. You know, I never thought anybody would ever want to own, like physically own my photography. And that's been such a thing in the last year. Um, are people like, Oh, will you sign it? I'm like, really? Like you want my.
00:17:34
Speaker
autograph and my family will laugh at it because it's like to them it's just so like even though they're super supportive but like yeah they just find it funny that someone wants my autograph of all things but yeah people like go crazy asking for prints and stuff and it's just very surreal and humbling that people want that stuff and like the most recent story I shared on Nick Storm's
00:18:01
Speaker
show is that Brody Lee's wife, Amanda Huber, messaged me a few weeks ago out of the blue and said that negative one is a obsessed of my photography and he has it like all over his iPad and he's always ranting and raving about it and stuff. And I thought it was like super amazing because I've always loved Brody Lee and you know, Luke Harper and the Wyatt family, everything like there. He was one of my all time favorites.
00:18:30
Speaker
And so that was like a really surreal moment for me to have heard us in my inbox like that, like, Hey, my son really loves your stuff. So it was really, really cool. So you just never know who's following you or who's watching your stuff. And it's just really motivating to keep going.
00:18:48
Speaker
Like I said, it's definitely, like you said, your work definitely is definitely our work if you are, if people are requesting prints and stuff like that for you to send to them. There are definitely few on there that, I mean, I didn't know you did that, but there are a few definitely on there that I've seen that they can definitely, are definitely like print worthy. There's one, I think it's old school sting.
00:19:12
Speaker
And he has like the the the bird on his arm. Yeah. That's a sick photo like that. That you could definitely that could be definitely framed somewhere in a game room or like, you know, like whatever room you have, like like an entertainment room. Yeah. Just that shot is awesome. It actually looks like it's really on it on it really. I was like, what the hell is that an actual photo? And that's where I got like the like I started looking at more of your photos and stuff. And I'm like, it looks.
00:19:38
Speaker
That's where I got the realism aspect of it. And now knowing that you did stop motion, that makes a lot of sense. Cause now you just having that skill of doing some motion. Now you have that, like, you have that insight to like, you know, do those poses and stuff like that and make it look more realistic, which is, which, I mean, I'm not sure if a lot of other, you know, figure photographers have that, um, that skillset or did that before, but that's, that's definitely an advantage on your part to have that, I think. I would think. Yeah.
00:20:06
Speaker
Yeah, no, for sure. Like, especially with, um, like aerial moves and stuff, you know, how to rig them up to pose them. It's still a challenge. Like I really love the challenge myself. Um, as you'll see, like this thing photo, like I'm always trying to outdo myself in my work. And I mean, there's a ton of amazing people in the community and there's a lot of wonderful artists, you know,
00:20:33
Speaker
pretty friendly with almost everybody. I would say, um, as you know, everybody should support each other, be cool sort of thing. And, um, but yeah, I just always try to compete with myself, like the one I'll be posting on Friday, um, which I wrapped up yesterday. Like you you'll see is a interesting approach. And like I had this vision in my head.
00:20:57
Speaker
for a good week or so now. And, you know, to actually see it come to life the way I wanted it to, like made me really happy. And like, I just really like to excited and fulfilled to like share it with you guys. Cause like people just eat it up, you know, they love it. And it made us feel really good that it's like, okay, like this picture that I just spent like four or five hours on or whatever, like is really resonating.
00:21:24
Speaker
with the community. What's your process look like when you're coming up with these ideas? Is it something that you're sitting there and you think about it and then you automatically put it out? Do you write things down?
00:21:44
Speaker
Do you put stuff in your like your iPhone or your Android, whatever, whatever device you have, your computer? Like, how do you do you keep all these notes and then come back to them later? What does that process look like when you're coming, you know, when you when you get ready to shoot a photo? Sure. So a lot of times these days. You know, when I'm watching the paper views in a raw AEW, whatever Smackdown, if I see something,
00:22:12
Speaker
I'm like, oh, that would be really cool to recreate. And then I get like really obsessed with almost matching their outfit and everything. So like, you know, like Christian with luchasaurus, I hunted down like a whole outfit to put him in his turtleneck and his brown jacket and his shoes. And like people don't necessarily really, sometimes how much money I spend on one shot, like, you know, but like,
00:22:41
Speaker
Um, I do have like in my notes and my iPhone, like I started, I, at least I was earlier this year. So I would like build out a calendar essentially of each month. So I do every Friday is usually my goal. Um, so that's like four shots a month. So I'll like start listing them and go down my list. Um, you know, sometimes I push one back or I like, you know, I don't really like this idea anymore. I'm going to go on to the next one.
00:23:11
Speaker
But I also follow a handful of the AEW photographers on Instagram because they post a lot of their work. And I'm like, oh, that would be really cool to recreate and figure form. And, you know, now some of them follow me and, you know, it's like they see their work recreated in toy form or whatever, which is just kind of cool for them.
00:23:36
Speaker
But yeah, that's usually watching, um, or I'll see pictures online or I'll just get a new figure. Like sometimes with ringside, of course, or if Mattel sends over something like, let's say like the Muhammad Ali or whatever they send over and say, okay, I need to do some research on Muhammad Ali and
00:23:57
Speaker
You know, there's wrestling, WrestleMania moment or whatever, and see if there's something that jumps out at me that would be fun to recreate.
Community Collaboration and Support
00:24:05
Speaker
Yeah. Um, not always easy. It's hard. Sometimes they, when you're given a figure that you're not as inspired by, um, yeah.
00:24:14
Speaker
Yeah, you know, but now like I love partnering a lot of the artists in the community to showcase their work within mine. I've just always loved giving people a platform. It's like a way to give back to the community because everybody's been super supportive of me, you know, and I wouldn't have gotten a majority of these opportunities without their support. So to me, it's like the least I can do and something I really enjoy is like, oh, this person makes a shirt or this person makes a belt.
00:24:42
Speaker
or like custom toy rings made that in your house stage and you say, hey, if I send you this, can you do a cool set with it? I'm like, okay. So then I said, all right, now I gotta do some homework and see what would be really fun to do with this sort of thing.
00:24:59
Speaker
It's really fun. It's a lot of work. And then, like, I have those giant projects. I don't know if you saw those like the Cody versus Rollins, Helen Estelle. Yeah, that was the animation and all that stuff. The video packaging. Yeah. Yeah. I said I was like a video package and then the project comes out and people collect those posters now, too, is like a thing where I do like a limited run.
00:25:22
Speaker
of posters and then people are like, Oh, I really want that. And so that's really fun too. But, um, but I did like punk versus MJF and the collar, the dog collar match and, um, a bunch of those. And those take a lot of prep and research and, uh, usually a bit of money too, to get those as accurate as possible. Just getting my customized or friends the parts to make them in the exact outfit they wore, you know, in that match and stuff. So it's like really fun.
00:25:53
Speaker
for me being super detail oriented. I'm like obsessed with detail, which is probably where the realism aspect of it comes out. Yeah. Okay. So it's, I like to make it as close to accurate if possible, but yeah.
00:26:08
Speaker
That definitely makes more sense now. Now that I'm now that I'm talking to you and now that like, you know, now I'm like putting the your words to how you're how they come out now. Now it's starting to make a lot more sense, like where that process comes from. I figure Kingdom when he was in our Chick-Fully. Well, he still is, but he used to do this like every Friday he would do like a behind the scenes like live. Yeah, Facebook.
00:26:35
Speaker
And he would like show like the process and like sure what he's doing and like show like you're obviously like the strings if he's like if it's like an area move like Did he like take us through the whole thing and it you are right? It is like just seeing that it is it definitely is a lot and it could come to a point where you like have everything set up and like you said you might be like
00:26:54
Speaker
Damn, I don't like this. I don't like how it looks. I'd like to start all over again. What is that like? Obviously, we talked about the pluses of photography. What are the downsides? Not downside in the sense where you don't want to do it anymore, but what are some of the setbacks you have when doing these types of shoots? Sure.
00:27:20
Speaker
That's a life of an artist, you know, or our biggest critic, essentially. And, you know, I could usually tell when a shot's not going well, where, you know, like the setup part shouldn't normally take me more than an hour. And, you know, then usually that night I will sit in bed and edit.
00:27:48
Speaker
And it'll be like some, it doesn't happen often, thankfully, but there are times where I'll be like editing it. I'm almost done or I'm done. And I look at, I'm like, something's off. I don't like this or whatever. And my wife will be like, where are you going? It's like, you know, 10, 30, 11 at night. I go back down to my table to go shoot everything again. Yeah. And I try, so every Friday I try to release something. So I try to typically shoot earlier in the week.
00:28:17
Speaker
to protect myself and that if I don't like it, I have at least another day or two to do it. If I want, like last night I was working on my shop for Friday and I must have re-edited it like six times. I didn't reshoot it, but I had to keep adjusting. I'd find like the tiniest little things. I'm sure if I go back and look at it again, I would be like, Oh, yeah, edit it again.
00:28:45
Speaker
But most of you guys won't even probably notice what the hell I'm like so hung up on. Mark on their shoe or like something's a little blurry and I want it to be, you know, a little more crisp or something and it's like just my OCD as an artist.
00:29:04
Speaker
You know, and like I said, like I am a perfectionist. I won't lie there. Like I really strive for professionalism with my work. And that's no knock on anybody else's. That's just how I am with my stuff. And I'm really obsessed with making it look really nice. God forbid someone noticed a little detail, which you probably wouldn't, but it bothers me, you know, so I wanted to look.
00:29:31
Speaker
Really nice. So, and it's really cool. Like when the wrestlers end up sharing it sometimes or they like it, you know, like that's really rewarding. Like Kenny Omega shared a shot of mine a long time ago and it's not often he shares stuff like that. So that was really cool. But, um,
00:29:47
Speaker
Yeah, it's awesome. That was going to be my next question actually, because I talked to a couple of artists, like I said, Nolanium, Extra Cooler, some cosplayers as well. And they all said at some point in time, like you said, wrestlers reach out to them and
00:30:08
Speaker
And they like, they'll see something that they posted and they'll like reach out and be like, Hey, can I post this on my thing? Does that, I mean, obviously that happens to you, right? And like you post something and someone reaches out, they DM you and say, Hey, this is sick. And I, you know, can I, like you say with Kenny Omega, has it been any other, um, wrestlers? Yeah. Um, I mean, we're lucky, I guess, if they do reach out, sometimes they just take it and post. Yeah. And that drives us crazy, which is why.
00:30:35
Speaker
I watermark a lot of my stuff these days because I know my stuff travels more often than not. Yeah, which is flattering, of course, but I wanted to come back to me in some capacity, you know. But yeah, I've had Paul Heyman shared my work a handful of times over the years, and I love Paul Heyman. So that was like really, really cool for me to see him do that. Kenny Omega was one.
00:31:05
Speaker
I think like no way Jose was one at one point. That's cool. I found a handful of people I'm trying to think.
00:31:15
Speaker
who else has really stood out. So like my shot for Fridays with Danhausen and I know he's a big collector, so I'm really hoping he sees it and loves it enough to want to even just retweet it or something would be really cool. But yeah, yeah. But yeah, there's more I'm just drawing a blank to at the moment, but it's always super cool to see that.
00:31:38
Speaker
Which so I want to skip. I want to kind of like go into the collecting part of it. So do you collect just wrestling figures or do you have other collections? Oh, my gosh. Yeah, no. People who are friends of me on Facebook probably laugh at you asking that.
00:31:57
Speaker
Well, I only asked because I interviewed Kyle Peterson, who's he's he's actually that episode is actually out now. But, you know, he talked about, you know, obviously he he on his YouTube page, he does unboxings of everything, not just wrestling figures. It's it's literally everything out there. G.I. Joe.
00:32:17
Speaker
the Transformers, NECA figures, pop, like literally every he does everything. So like there are people that just strictly like collect wrestling figures, like everything. Are you the everything person? Do you collect? Yeah, my wife would probably not probably, but she would wish that I just stuck to wrestling, I'm sure. But he just went in the background. It might be easier. Yeah.
00:32:45
Speaker
Um, but yeah, I mean, being, I've collected a long time and, you know, a big fan of film and television and pop culture, essentially. So obviously like all the Funko pops and stuff behind me here, but, um, and mainly, I mean, obviously wrestling, my number one, then I, you know, the Mandalorian got me into collecting Star Wars again. Um, I collect some Marvel legends. I collect a handful of the NECA.
00:33:14
Speaker
horror figures in their gargoyles line I really like now. If Uncle Pops, I wish I didn't collect, but I do. They are freaking wallpaper in my house.
00:33:29
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, I like I just have always loved like having a toy of like my favorite characters from movies and shows
Collecting Habits and Fandom Origins
00:33:36
Speaker
and stuff. And it gets out of hand, especially now as you get older, because now it's like everything's about nostalgia and they're like making toys of characters you never had as a kid. It's like, oh, sweet, I love it. I figured like SpongeBob or Pinky in the Brain or something, you know, it's like, do I really need that? No, but
00:33:54
Speaker
have or my favorite video game character or something, you know, so it's hard, you know, self control is really, really hard, but I'm thankful at least to have like a ringside that at least helps cover some of those bills for me. But, um, but yeah, I'm probably very similar to Kyle Peterson. I know he's always posting his reviews and everything about random stuff he gets, and I can definitely relate.
00:34:20
Speaker
Let's hear. Do you have a favorite line besides wrestling figures that you collect? Um, I'd say probably the Star Wars Black Series line is a line I really collect in full, which I don't for most, um, like Marvel, I used to collect them by the set a long time ago and then cut them off. But now I'm, you know, not they have all the movies in the shows and like, Oh,
00:34:50
Speaker
You know, I like having the figures of the people from the movies and shows versus like the comic book versions or whatever. So like, yeah, I kind of collect all that most of the MCU stuff. But yeah, I'd say Star Wars is probably my most similar line I collect to like all the WWE elites and ultimates and stuff. But I am really enjoying the NECA gargoyles line a lot because that reminds me of
00:35:18
Speaker
having the figures as a kid and stuff. So it's really cool. And they're pumping those out like crazy right now, which is annoying because they're expensive. And it's like, damn it, like I don't necessarily want to have all these coming out so fast with everything else constantly coming out. But but yeah.
00:35:37
Speaker
Well, that's like what the like with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, like that license is shared like with so many different companies and his figures like tons of different figures out. Obviously, neck is one of them. Playmates still still does and stuff like that. It's me like.
00:35:55
Speaker
like the nostalgia part of it. I want to go back and like start collecting or start grabbing all the Ninja Turtles figures, but I know that's probably not a smart thing to do. I try to live it myself if I am going to, you know, go with the Ninja Turtles. And I have to get all four. I can't just get one. I technically don't have a favorite Ninja Turtles, so all four of them.
00:36:15
Speaker
Right, of course. You gotta have all of them, you know. Yeah, of course. I had I had her name's Queen G on IG. She's a she collects Ninja Turtles, like literally all literally everything. But her favorite is Donatello. So like it's all Donatello, like every variation you can think of and stuff like that. So like I couldn't just do that. I have to have all four. So that would be very hard for me to jump into that, especially with NECA. Like they do such a great job with the
00:36:45
Speaker
with the figures with the with the cartoon line as well as like the movie line and then now the crossover the monsters crossover yeah they have two as well so uh yeah i definitely wouldn't be able to you know keep up with that like you said it is expensive it is
00:37:00
Speaker
We try to, with Chick Foley, what we try to preach is don't try to collect every single thing. Because you get FOMO, obviously, with figure collecting. Something comes out, and everyone's posting pictures. Hey, I just got this. Hey, I just got this. And you're sitting there like,
00:37:16
Speaker
I don't have any money. I can't get anything. But at the same time, it's like you that shouldn't be that that takes away the joy of collecting. If you're you know, you want to buy every single thing that comes out, like it should be things that you want to buy, like you want to collect. Like I had to really live with myself again at some point and be like, I'm just going to live myself to like, you know,
00:37:36
Speaker
just exclusives maybe on like Mattel Creations as to just get those. And then if something comes out on Ringside that I find interesting, if it's my favorite wrestler or something like that, I'll get it. Like the last figure I got was Edge from his recent one, The Judgment Day Edge. And I'm an Edge fan, so that's why. I'm sorry, Adam Copeland. I can't be called Edge anymore. But yeah, stuff like that. How was your philosophy with
00:38:05
Speaker
with with, you know, like collecting figures and stuff like that. Is it just like, do you do you try to limit yourself as well? Is it do you have like a process that you go through? Is it just like that? I'm just I'm getting just grabbing it. It's it's gotten bad, honestly, but my basement right now looks like a back room of a Wal-Mart or Target. That's my head, but like everything I buy, but like,
00:38:36
Speaker
The reason I do that really is because when I was younger and the classic superstar line was out, you know, like I really enjoyed collecting that line with my dad because he'd, you know, teach me about, Oh, this guy used to wrestle when I was younger or whatever. And you know, like I'd learn about people with him, which is fun, but I didn't collect everything like I do now. And, you know, before Mattel really took over, I would like regret not picking up
00:39:05
Speaker
like a mankind or something. I wasn't really on eBay and stuff as a kid. Obviously, you know, my parents didn't want to really create that monster, knowing everything's just available on the Internet. But, you know, I just had like FOMO regretting like not picking stuff up. So like when Mattel started, I think there's only like one elite I don't have, but
00:39:32
Speaker
You know, I just get everything now because, and especially with my art, like, you know, I might not need like the 15th undertaker, but there could be a moment with another figure. I'm like, Oh, he wore this outfit in that match. I need that figure for this moment because that's just how OCD I am. Like, I don't want it to use a random undertaker. I want that.
00:39:57
Speaker
undertaker so it looks accurate as possible you know so I try to not pass up on things and granted I'm fortunate enough to be able to to have the luxury to just pick up something when I see it um but like my mom and dad always joke is like I don't necessarily need to buy it in the first place sort of thing so
00:40:23
Speaker
But what's the fun in that, you know, like, oh, exactly. Yeah, it's like you could pay more money not buying it, but you know, I want to buy it. So.
00:40:33
Speaker
Yeah, I definitely want to bring bring that back. The the stuff of the day, because I was I was actually thinking of like, you know, with my father, you know, just, you know, I grew up watching more of the. South of wrestling, so Mid-South, that type of stuff, you know, the Von Eriks and all that. And then obviously I moved my way up to the, you know, WWF and and all that stuff. But.
00:40:59
Speaker
My thing was like, I would love to get like the Power Town figures, but they're like obviously super, super, like I'd want the whole set. I wouldn't want to just get like Harry Vaughn, Eric, or I guess I'd want to get like every, every single person and it's very expensive. So like those only ones I'll kind of like, you know, kind of be like, you know, have FOMO on, but, um, and I'm fine with that. Cause I have like, you know, my other means would be like, you know, junkyard dog, dog figures, which my, my father, that was his,
00:41:29
Speaker
favorite wrestler so i have i pretty much have all the elites that came out of the of his i have the ljn of it i have the uh the retro that came out and stuff like that so i got those at least um definitely waiting for hopefully they're you know they release some of the uh coliseum collection
00:41:45
Speaker
That's what I'm looking for. Sincerely and all the L J N's. Yeah. Can't wait for that to happen with the, you know, the ultimate edition, like chain, like an actual chain, which would be pretty cool and all that stuff. But, um, I want to go back because I want to talk about like with, with your, with your wrestling fandom. So did that, when did, did that start with your father? Did he bring you into, you know, wrestling and what wrestling were you introduced to fan?
00:42:12
Speaker
Um, yeah. So my dad grew up watching it with his brothers and his parents. Um, and then he got me into it. I'm sure around three or four, I would say, cause I had a lot of the bone crunchers and stuff as a kid in the old WCW LJN style. Those are like my first wrestling figures in the little Hasbro's and stuff. Yep. Um, and.
00:42:38
Speaker
You know, and honestly, I, I love wrestling is a huge part of my life, but I still think I enjoy collecting a lot more than the actual product of wrestling. Um, I, I love it though. Like I watch every week. That's all it's on in our house, but, uh, most cases. Um, but yeah, I got into it with him and like, as I got older, like, you know, my dad's really big into sports and stuff. You know, he's tried to get me into it as a kid and I played sports.
00:43:07
Speaker
as when I was really young, but I was always just really attracted to like drawing and art and stuff and, which is why I pursued videography and stuff. And, you know, so as I got older wrestling, it's always been a part of my life. So my dad keeps up with it.
00:43:28
Speaker
So he could share that with me and like, you know, I'll go with him to a lot of events and stuff. Um, cause it just, um, like it's such a strong bond that we share. So it's fun. Like I took my dad to all out, um, in Chicago last year, punk versus Moxley. And like, you know, being, I had that connection, like my old TNA family actually
00:43:53
Speaker
runs AW behind the scenes. So like my, one of my old like bosses or supervisors there, like he works there now. So he like got us right on the floor. Like, um, that's cool. A few seats behind like the gate, like the barrier or whatever, which I've, other than that TNA, like I've never sat that close at a wrestling show and that being like,
00:44:20
Speaker
one of my first AW shows, I think like it was very spoiling to be sitting that close and like with my dad was really cool. And, um, you know, and I know he's like, so proud of me, of course, but like seeing like all the relationships I've made in this industry that I love so much. And, um, you know, none of us ever expected my obsession with toys would ever lead to
00:44:49
Speaker
touching all the major brands and working with childhood heroes like Hulk Hogan and stuff. Like, you know, it's just really crazy and just kind of giving him that opportunity to see what I've accomplished essentially at my young age. Like it just means a lot to be able to like share that with my dad sort of thing. So, um, my mom.
00:45:12
Speaker
doesn't care for wrestling, really. I mean, she, it's always on in their house too, because my dad's watching it to talk to me about it. Yeah. And like my wife, um, you know, like she's met Eric and Victoria and stuff. And like Elijah was at our wedding or whatever, which is really awesome. And so like he stayed at our house. So she loves him because she's gotten to know him the best of the, you know, she did, she isn't really a fan of it, but you know, like,
00:45:41
Speaker
The other day she just named dropped like dusty roads and I was like, so proud of her for and then she was like kind of shy that I called her out on, on that and stuff. It was just cute and funny. And so it's like, she does notice a lot more than she admits to, but, um, it's just really fun to share that with my family. And honestly, like my interests are so like niche. Yeah. You know, you can't talk to me about wrestling or toys or
00:46:10
Speaker
I guess video games or movies or TV or something like you're probably not going to get along with me because I just don't like everything that most people do. You know, like I have such like a bubble of interest and stuff. So yeah. And that's also why I love the community so much is like I could really share in this with people who speak my language, you know.
00:46:34
Speaker
Yeah, it's fun. Yeah, that's what's one of the main reasons why I like I started like doing this show sure was because I you know, obviously, you know, just you know, do podcasting and stuff like that and meeting all these different, you know, personalities and different people and following all these different, you know, accounts and stuff like that.
00:46:53
Speaker
um in in just like the you know the embracing of of everybody in the community everyone's i mean everyone that i've run into so far has been really great i mean i've made a lot of friends definitely through through this and uh and i think that's that's like you said that's one of the main things about being in like the figure collecting community the wrestling community
00:47:14
Speaker
where obviously wrestling community can be a little a little crazy as you see on social media. But as far as overall, it's been it's been pretty great. And like I said, the reason why I started this, because I started seeing all these people and I'm like.
00:47:30
Speaker
man I'm really interested in like you know obviously like what they're doing but also like you know I met all these people I'm talking to all these people every single week like I want to know how like you know what what are their other interests besides like you know wrestling and you know figure collecting cosplaying whatever you're doing I wanted I want to know like the other things behind that and um and hopefully from this like you know obviously you know making friends and making connections and things like that so
00:47:57
Speaker
Um, and this that allowed me to do it. Like I haven't had like a bad reception yet from like, you know, reaching out to people and saying like, Hey, uh, can you, you, you want to mind coming on my show and being interviewed? And I haven't had one like negative reaction to it. Everyone's been pretty, uh, pretty decent. Um,
00:48:16
Speaker
My last one I had the wrestling class suggested. He was on a couple episodes before Kyle. I honestly didn't think he was gonna say yeah. I thought he was gonna be like nah I'm all set but no he's
00:48:30
Speaker
took the time and said, yeah, he actually did, um, you know, he has friends with Sheena chick Foley. Um, and, uh, they started around like the same time around 2014. And, uh, that was one of my questions. Would, were you aware, like, did you know of like those pages back around 2014? Cause I don't like, they weren't a lot of wrestling
00:48:51
Speaker
oriented pages on Instagram. The only ones I followed were Justin and Sheena, because I found Justin through her page, because she wore one of his wrestling classic shirts, and I clicked on the tag, and then I went to his page, and I see that he was posting wrestling stuff. I was like, oh, finally, a page where there's someone posting wrestling pictures and all this stuff. I can follow him. And then obviously, from then to now, almost 10 years later, it's like,
00:49:21
Speaker
communities like way bigger than it was before. Were you around that at that time? Like, were you you said around 2014 is when you started on social media? Is that correct? Or no, that was photography. So that's where you started. In 2006, I jumped on the YouTube. So OK, my cousin's friend, like because I used to make the animated videos for myself and like show my family or neighbors or friends, whoever it ever in.
00:49:49
Speaker
Thing is that my cousin's wedding, I was talking to his really good friend who's in the toy industry. He's like, you should share your stuff on YouTube. And I was like, what the hell is YouTube? And I did. And then like, you know, it was such an early time in YouTube. So I really took off at the time and, you know, changed my life, of course. But, um, as far as photography, like Instagram was around that time that I joined and I, I honestly, it's very,
00:50:19
Speaker
blurry to me of whose accounts and stuff I saw on there. I'm sure I saw some toy photography. I don't think there's really wrestling toy photography as much as I recall. And so I was inspired by the toy photography. There's like the articulated comic book art group on Facebook where they did like the Marvel and stuff. I was like,
00:50:45
Speaker
What if I did something like this, but around wrestling? So I started with some I found like friends in the ACBA group were doing wrestling toy photography like me. I say, hey, when we start our own thing called wrestling figure photography. And so we launched a group on there to teach people the craft and stuff. And then that I feel really like lit a fire under that side of the community because the photography side like wasn't heard of.
00:51:14
Speaker
that I recall back when the animation was really hot. So like now you see like all the toy companies always talking about the figure photographers and it's like really flattering that that is such like, what's the word I'm thinking of? Like a column or whatever, that's probably the wrong word.
00:51:39
Speaker
there's such like a key part of the figure community now. I think figure photography and you know, it's just really cool what it's turned into and like seeing so many new artists. There's so many amazing people that just keep coming into the community and you know, you try to build those people up or give them advice and teach them things and you know, there's just so many amazing artists out there all over the world now and stuff and
00:52:09
Speaker
It's just really, really cool to see that. And, you know, and then like, as I've gotten older, I've gotten to know like podcasters like yourself and Sheena and, you know, the fully postable guys and, you know, Tom and Mike from fig night and, you know, I could go on and on, but like, there's just so many amazing artists, you know, like what you guys do as an art as well, you know, it's a different type of media. And it's just so cool to see all the different aspects that people bring.
00:52:39
Speaker
to the table and I've always tried to not just be stuck in the photography realm, like, you know, like being on WrestleZone and, you know, like Wrestling Figure News source on Twitter is my baby. So that account like is really respected because of the community, you know, they helped make that account what it is. I made a lot of friends through the reporting side in that community. And, you know, like I partnered with wrestlingfigurenews.com.
00:53:07
Speaker
since we do the same thing, you know, say every should just like build each other up and work together. You know, there's drama, of course, in all aspects of the figure community to the shame, but it's just the competitive nature, I think, of everything. But I myself try to avoid all that as much as possible and just have fun and be a positive role model, I guess, sort of thing.
00:53:33
Speaker
Yeah, that's our that's that's what we use as our source and we do on a chick Foley when we do the the figure for segment we use the rest of it as our as our like, you know updates we want it we want to like kind of reference what we're like talking about it if there's anything new in a noteworthy we want to like bring to it we actually use it that's what I that's what I've always used I've always used that uh that page like you know keep up to date on all my figure news and stuff like that uh to see what's going on obviously
00:54:02
Speaker
There's other ones out there, but that's like, that's the main source. I mean, there's nowhere else to go for me anyway. That's really humbling. You know, because people don't really know that I'm behind that. And it's not important that people know that I'm behind it, because it's just me sharing my passion for sharing news and stuff, you know, have like
00:54:24
Speaker
Mattel or power tone or ringside or whatever, but hey, can you get this, help us get this message out or whatever, knowing like how obsessed people are at that account. You know, it's just really funny. Like people go nuts over it. It's the Bible, man. It's a bad figure news on, uh, on Twitter or X or whatever you want to call it nowadays.
00:54:47
Speaker
Uh, but definitely so, uh, have you, have you changed? Are you going to like, are you going to do like other aspects of social media with that page? Like are you going to do like, are you going to go to like threads? Maybe I created it on threads, but I have not posted on there because I just don't see enough traction on there with the way they design is kind of annoying to try and find anything. So.
00:55:14
Speaker
it's a backup because there's all the rumors of X going away or whatever. Yeah. I spent, I think it's like that account's been around for like 13 years or something.
00:55:26
Speaker
Um, but it started as an account with Jax. Like I made it just to help get Jax, like their TNA news out. And like a lot of the wrestlers would follow it and like ask questions like, yo, where's my figure? That was really funny. And then once the TNA line died, I was like, well, I don't want this account to go away. So I turned it into just full on figure reporting. And then that.
00:55:55
Speaker
Really took off and, you know, and I just love that people love it so much. Like it just, the community seriously is the main thing that just keeps me going because if I didn't have the love and support that I do, I don't know if I would still be doing it to be honest. So yeah.
00:56:13
Speaker
I think I brought that up with Figa Kingdom and I had him on the show and he did talk about figure photography when he first got into it. Like you said, it was competitive. You try to work with each other.
00:56:31
Speaker
you try to like, you know, get pointers and all that type of stuff and be kind of like an influence when you get to that level, which is what you're doing. And just speaking to, you know,
00:56:44
Speaker
They said, uh, new lineum, uh, or Nolan, who's a, who's an artist. He, he, he created like, uh, you know, like a thing where he can bring up up and coming artists and kind of put them on to different, uh, things like, Hey, if, you know, if you know, somebody wants to, you know, create a, you know, something for like chalk line or something like that.
00:57:05
Speaker
And he's not available to do it. He can reach, you know, reach back out and say, hey, you know, the chalk lines looking for this piece, I'm not able to do it. Do you think you can get it done? And then the people like, oh, yeah, I could do it. So like, I think like having that aspect with figure photography as well is definitely
00:57:21
Speaker
uh, definitely needed. I mean, with all aspects, even, even me, if someone ever came to me and like asked me, I'm not like the most professional, you know, podcasts that there is out there, but if someone came to me and asked me like for guidance or ask any questions, I'm definitely going to help them out. I'm not going to turn, turn them away and look at him as like competition or anything like that. Cause that's that's stupid. There's plenty of room for everybody to do everything. And I, like I said, the,
00:57:46
Speaker
Yeah, the show here is more like a, like, it's kind of like a break from what we do, essentially, because we're talking wrestling nonstop, like, seven days a week. So this show I wanted to create as I kind of have that, like, you know, that space in between, like, you know, we do follow these people, we watched it, we like their pictures, we watch their reels, their TikToks.
00:58:05
Speaker
now let's see like let's see who they like the actual person is because there are people behind these these accounts they don't just these pictures don't just magically appear on instagram and they they look the way they do there there is somebody doing some work behind it and uh i definitely want to try to highlight it as much as i could and you know have a good time doing it so that's that that was my idea behind this anyway and just just like going back to like the
00:58:31
Speaker
the community and, you know, being like an influencer for you anyway, because you said, I mean, you did mention earlier, you're kind of like an influencer before. Influencing was a thing. Do you take that on as a responsibility? Because I don't like some people think like influencers kind of like a dirty word. Like you're like trying to just sell people stuff and, you know,
00:58:54
Speaker
You know, get get everything you can. How do you see that word as, you know, influencer? And do you consider yourself just that? No, like I.
00:59:09
Speaker
can, well, I mean, I know my influence, like, for example, the sting photo, the vulture, whatever I can tell you, how many people said, Oh, where can I get a vulture for my sting? You know, it's like, just something funny, like, like, that's not intentional. It's just a prop I bought to use. But it's like, that just shows me like my influence.
00:59:32
Speaker
with my work. And, you know, I've never had a mindset that I'm like above anybody. Like when I first was very first starting, was inspired by some animator and W figs or something. Like I messaged them and they totally like blew me off one or anything. And it like killed me. I'm like, why can't you just be nice? You know, I don't understand. And then I, I made it like a pact with myself. Like if I ever.
00:59:58
Speaker
got to a point like that, where I'm inspiring somebody else, like, I'm gonna take the time to respond to them and stuff. And like, I'll respond to 99% of comments on my post, any message, I don't care. You're like a 12 year old kid or 50 year old guy or whatever. You know, if you're asking me, Hey, how do I do this with my figures? I don't tell you, like, it's not like, top secret news or anything. And yeah, you know, and but
01:00:27
Speaker
You know, like I get some people like to be an influencer to accumulate as much free stuff as you could get, but you know, nothing is technically free because you're working for it. Like you're doing work with it. Yeah. It's like your compensation essentially. Um.
01:00:44
Speaker
But I know people could tell like when I'm actively just trying to sell something versus genuinely just creating content with it. And I don't like to be like a salesman sort of thing. That's like, especially I don't want to sell someone on junk. Like I have to believe in what I am selling to you.
01:01:07
Speaker
to promote it like that's why I'm very fussy like what artists and stuff I work with because I have a set standard for myself and I want to work with people who in my opinion and it's not a knock on anybody I haven't worked with it's just whoever I've worked with on certain projects like you know their work has to meet a criteria in my eyes to be the type of product I want to deliver to
01:01:35
Speaker
my audience, you know, and, um, but I am very particular with who I partner with. Like, I don't want to just partner with every single brand or whatever. Um, cause it's a huge commitment on top of it. Like, in my opinion, it's not fun if you're always bogged down promoting everybody else's products and never doing your own thing. So I like to find ways to use their products in my content. So it's kind of a win-win for everybody.
01:02:05
Speaker
but that I also feel very fulfilled as an artist because I don't want to just turn into the person that just sells out essentially and just only sells people and crap and isn't actually genuinely in this for the art. And, you know, there are influencers out there who, you know, they will get stuff and then I'll see them flipping it or whatever. And it's like,
01:02:32
Speaker
you know, if you're really in this for the community, like why are you selling it? You know, like I don't part with anything. And I mean, my wife probably laugh hearing that, but yeah, I think I get because I am excited to have it in my collection, you know, like I value it. And it means something to me like getting all the sets from ringside and stuff like these are new characters or versions of people that have for my future content, you know, and
01:03:02
Speaker
Ringside's super supportive, of course, and very grateful for that. And I don't want to just come off like, oh, hey, I'm selling you this crappy figure or whatever that everybody thinks is junk. I think it's junk. I mean, unless they really want me to push it or something, which happens every once in a while. I want to at least find a way to make it look less salesy and more genuine of a post. But I do have some of my Lume Cube lights, which I love.
01:03:31
Speaker
their stuff, I use it, but they're like, oh, we really want you to make a video reel with them. Like, well, I don't usually make reels. It's like, now I have to make like this video of me showing me using it, which I know people like seeing that part, but then it comes off as like, oh, Matt's really just trying to sell us on this thing. And he doesn't actually like, like his heart's not necessarily behind this piece of content as much as like his pictures.
01:03:58
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, see that. Yeah, like a picture is like a figure. You know, it could be a thing for ringside, but it's actually just a really thought out piece of content that I'm proud of that just so happens to feature that figure and it versus like, hey, buy this figure if that makes sense. So yeah.
01:04:22
Speaker
It's not always easy to navigate that fine line, but I try when I can to make more genuine content and it obviously coming off is all he's just promoting this to promote it sort of. Yeah, but yeah, I think most people get the answer. Yeah, no, I think most people would be able to tell where you know where you're actually, you know, doing like a paid advertisement or.
01:04:45
Speaker
you know, or you actually, you know, like you said, genuinely putting something out. If they can't tell the difference, and that's obviously on them. I want to actually want to like, skip I kind of like way back. And I want to, because you did speak, you did mention that you did work for the WWE.
01:05:06
Speaker
Um, was it, did you work, was you like, were you like an employee? Cause obviously there's two ways that you could be an employee or you could be like, uh, kind of like a contractor type deal. Like, did you work with them or did you work for them? I worked for them as a contractor. Oh, nice. What did you, what did you do? So I did a stop motion, which is still on their page. So it was like recreating.
01:05:34
Speaker
Like if you go on the YouTube channel and type in MBG 1211 or whatever, it will come up with, I don't know, like five to eight video. I didn't remember how many I did for them, but, um, but it was like recreating moments, whatever I wanted. They were usually pretty lenient from what I remember. Okay.
01:05:53
Speaker
Um, so I just would recreate and that was in my like dorm room most times. So all that stuff to school with me is I'm like, I'm not going to pass up an opportunity with WWE, you know? Um, so I made it work from school and, um, it was really cool. I just like, I always loved the end product of animation. I don't really miss like making the animation. It was just so time consuming.
01:06:21
Speaker
Did you, did you get to like, was it as involved as your DNA? Um, no, you didn't like, you weren't like talking to like, you weren't sitting in a room with like Vince McMahon and he was giving you orders. I just worked with someone in their marketing team at the time. I think it was, um,
01:06:42
Speaker
No, TNA, I literally had like free reign of the arena, essentially.
Backstage Experiences at TNA
01:06:47
Speaker
So I, you know, because I was really good friend with Elijah and still am, of course. So like, yeah, I would, I was filming a documentary with him for class. So I would follow him into the locker rooms and stuff for like, I'd hear, you know, see all the guys like together, just shooting the shit and being goofy with each other and stuff. Like just really.
01:07:10
Speaker
crazy to pull back the curtain that much as a lifelong fan, you know, and, um, but you had to be really professional, of course. Like, I had to bury all my fandom, like, you know, I can't mark it out or anything because they wouldn't like that. But, you know, I remember like seeing Sting and his full makeup and trench coat and everything for the first time. I was like, I was like starstruck by him seeing him like that. Cause he was always a favorite of mine as a kid.
01:07:43
Speaker
But yeah, Elijah loves collecting, so him and I really bonded over that. I remember a fond memory I have was just sitting backstage and looking at ringside with him at the time. We were just looking at all the new figures coming, whatever year it was, and just going over stuff like that.
01:08:03
Speaker
but a handful of the wrestlers collect and it was just really cool getting to know some of them. You know, I was also disappointed by some of them just not being as warm or whatever as I had hoped. And I was in a segment with abyss one time. Oh, really? On TV? Yeah, they planted me in the crowd and I was like kidnapped by abyss. Actually, it was the one who saved me from him, which is ironic of all people.
01:08:30
Speaker
Um, but yeah, like my pants are kind of falling down a bit as abyss is dragging me out of the crowd. It's pretty funny, but yeah. Do you know what is it? So that's it. That was actually going to be one of my questions that I totally forgot. Now you reminded me. So I was going to say, cause you said when you went to AW, obviously you got to sit front row and all that stuff. And it wasn't as, you know, you were able to do it cause you know, you had like the former, the former coworkers and stuff, but for TNA.
01:09:00
Speaker
were you at most of the like the shows at all like the uh like the pay-per-views or like the TVs or anything like that where yeah i would go every week i think i would go down there um
01:09:17
Speaker
I wouldn't be with them when they traveled, of course, because I was in school. But yeah, when they were in Universal Studios, or I would go once a week, and then I would typically go to the paper views there too. Awesome.
01:09:34
Speaker
And it was, it was cool. You know, I could just walk anywhere. Like a camera guy said, obviously I didn't go like ringside. Cause I don't belong right there. Yeah. Until this is dragging you into the, uh, how was that? Like, how was that experience, uh, being like, kind of like a part of like, did you get, did, did you get hurt at all? Was he, it's a big dude. He is a big dude. No, I remember showing up that day.
01:10:04
Speaker
And they're like, do you want to be in like this segment or whatever? I was like, sure. You know, like what the hell are you going to do on TV? You know, I mean, skinny twig me, like I don't fit in with these guys.
01:10:18
Speaker
And, um, they're like, yeah, we're gonna have a BIS kidnap you. And there's this other girl who's like an intern with spike TV or something at the time. I think it was there. So they put the two of us like in the crowd and like the whole segment, I think is in my highlights on my Instagram page. If you look through, I think it's in there.
01:10:40
Speaker
but yeah like her and I are like scared in the crowd when abyss is like behind us and everybody else is like oh my god abyss is right here and we're like scared of him and he like tells Elijah like he's coming for everybody or something like that and he like grabs my arm and he just like starts pulling us back like up like bleachers and then like behind this curtain or whatever and there's like a ladder or something
01:11:29
Speaker
the fifth of the fifth
01:11:33
Speaker
What year was that? Were you in TNA? I was there. Excuse me, I was there 2010 through 2012 because I was like a sophomore in college and I graduated early in 2012. So was that around like?
01:11:51
Speaker
you around was that was like the main event mafia around that time or no was that after i think that was i was slightly after that i believe so was did you get right was that eight is an eights was the eight is an eights okay yeah was book a t there yet or no
01:12:09
Speaker
in T.N.A. I know. Right. Was that that might have been after because he was a part of the main event mafia. So you got to see, like, was Kurt Angle there to Kurt Angle? Did you get to be there? Oh, yeah. B.D. Kurt Angle, Larry D. Diles, the young bucks were there. And dude, Matt Hardy, Jeff Hardy. That's awesome. Jeff was always super nice to me. I really appreciated that.
01:12:33
Speaker
Matt Morgan, who I love. Yes, Stevie Richards, who's awesome. Jeff Jarrett, who is awesome. You know, Samoa Joe was there, the Dudley's were there. Lisa was there, like, you know, it's just Rick Flair, Hall, Nash, like Hogan.
01:12:53
Speaker
Staying like you can't like, when are you ever going to be in a locker room with all those people? That's, that's like, that's heaven for most wrestling fans. No one's ever going to be in that position as a wrestling fan. Like, unless you go to like, uh, obviously a, like a wrestle con or, you know, something like that, our convention, but just to like walk in and see like literally.
01:13:15
Speaker
all the people or majority of the people that you grew up watching, I would have been like, I don't even know how would I, I would've had to like, you know, and that experience like since like changed kind of how I watch wrestling. Like I love it. You know, I don't necessarily need to sit and watch every minute of something, but you know, now like when I was at AW, you know, like I know how to be super professional around all them. Yeah.
01:13:43
Speaker
you know, and stuff. And that, you know, is important to my, you know, professional relationship with those brands and things. And, you know, like, at TNA, Bubba Ray, or Bully Ray or whatever, his
01:13:59
Speaker
Gimmick is very spot on to how he could be as a person. He like flipped out on me because he thought I was like a kid who somehow snuck backstage. And I was like, oh, dude, like I've been here for months now, you know, you don't you know, he was he was really shitty to me. But part of my but.
01:14:20
Speaker
I understand because he didn't, you know, he wanted to like scare me if I was this kid who totally snuck backstage or whatever. But then he was cool to me after that, but I'll never forget that like first impression of him. You know, but uh, no, I've just learned to be a lot different about it. Like I'm not really big on meeting people as much anymore and stuff. Like I, I, it's just,
01:14:48
Speaker
I don't know, it's kind of sad in a way how it's changed me where it's like, I've had to like kind of bottle up that whole side of the fandom to a degree because of the professional. Yeah. Relationship I have with the industry. And obviously I'm still a fan of things, you know, like I was a huge Bray Wyatt fan. If I would have met him, you know, I'd be professional, but like, it would have been really, you know, hard of me to not like mark out a little bit to me. Yeah. And his, you know, but.
01:15:21
Speaker
Yeah, you know, and then of course being around Eric Bischoff and stuff, you know, I'm friends with him on Facebook and he'll like, and he's connected to my dad and stuff too. And like, he'll always like comment on my dad's posts about me and stuff. And it just, you know, means a lot that he like, you know, as I've known him for over 10 years now. That's crazy.
01:15:44
Speaker
You know, and for him to still be any part of my life, it just means a lot to me. And, you know, I've never like abused that relationship. You know, like I could text them right now if I wanted to. I'm not going to, you know, ever burn that bridge. Oh, yeah. Yeah, definitely. No. So being professional, it's just changed how I view the industry a lot. But yeah, I still love it. Obviously, like it's just such a part of my life. I don't know. Yeah.
01:16:12
Speaker
what I'd be like without it, but yeah, I never, you actually, you bring like a different like aspect to, to fandom as far as, you know, being a wrestling fan. Cause I never, obviously I've never spoken to anybody that's well, actually, no, that's a lie for Justin from the wrestling classic, but like he didn't really go into that, that aspect of it of being the, you know, like the professional, but obviously, you know, he, you know, he talked about how he interviewed Stone Cold Steve Austin and thought his,
01:16:38
Speaker
Instagram page. He said he had to hold it in because that's Stone Cold Steve Austin. Arguably, if you want to argue the biggest wrestler ever. So that right there, he had to bottle it in. But if you were in that situation, you're just going to be like, you already have that mental aptitude to be like, all right,
01:17:03
Speaker
I'm in business mode now. I'm not in fan mode. I can just go say hi and if I have to do an interview with Stone Cold, that's just what it's going to be, an interview. I never thought of that. If I was presented that opportunity, I'd probably mark out. But like you said, you weren't deprived of being able to express how you feel to them by
01:17:29
Speaker
It was like you said, it was kind of held back. So like, did that, like, like you said, did that diminish your kind of at all, like having to do that? Or was it just, you know, just like, oh, you just treat it as a job. And you know, I have, this is what I have to do that. I have to do it. Yeah, I think more of the job aspect, like Hulk Hogan's always been a favorite of mine since I was a kid. So like, I know Eric at times, like,
01:17:55
Speaker
would have Hulk come up to me and I was like, Oh my God, like Hulk's coming up to me and that sort of thing, you know, but like, you know, like when I was, I had my last day or whatever, and I was graduating college, like Eric.
01:18:07
Speaker
had must have prompted him at some point and Hulk just came up to me randomly and I was just like on my phone just hanging backstage and he like congratulated me on on college and stuff and like it just meant like the world to me that he just came up to me and but you know I'm like oh my god it's Hulk Hogan and I can't do that but
01:18:27
Speaker
It was just a really, really cool moment. And like, I took a really nice picture with Hulk that is just one of my favorite pictures with him. And, um, yeah, I don't know if he would necessarily remember me now, but I would see him at, I feel like I saw him at some like convention or something. And he, I think he kind of remembered me, which like meant a lot to me that he did.
01:18:55
Speaker
But that's like my favorite part of the whole thing is just having the relationships I do. Like Elijah and I, like I was just messaging him on Instagram today. It's like he's a, I mean, I could text him or whatever too, but like, um, you know, he's a huge Michael Jackson fan. So I'm always sending him like the Funko pop pictures. Like when they reveal coming and sharing those fandoms together. And it's just, I just love that. Um,
01:19:23
Speaker
We have that really close relationship and like, um, you know, and he's like live on Instagram or Facebook or whatever. I like to pop in and try and crack him with all these other people he's talking to. And he always gets like really excited and I pop in. So it's just like, that's like my favorite part of it is just that I've made those lifelong relationships with, um,
01:19:48
Speaker
These people I grew up watching, you know, like a million years thought I would be friends with some of them and, you know, and they appreciate me because I don't, you know, not drooling over them or whatever, and I see them.
01:20:04
Speaker
You know, I treat them as just normal people and that's what they want. Yeah. Yeah. That's yeah. I was actually going to say that. That's like, you know, that's one of the lessons that I would take from from you is basically like, you know, if you you're in a position where you're not you're not at a signing per se, you're not paying to see these people, you are granted an opportunity to be around, you know, these ladies or gentlemen.
01:20:31
Speaker
to, you know, take it as a take it as that, just an opportunity and show like because I think what what it was kind of it wasn't like outright that they said it to you. But I think how they did it was like it was like a test for you. It was almost like, you know, you earn you, you basically you're there. We're going to see how he acts basically like and we're going to earn and you earn their respect. That's basically what I hear. That's how most friendships are built on. It's is earning respect and earning
01:21:00
Speaker
earning that right to be around that person. And if you don't, I mean, obviously, if you're not going to treat that person the right way, you don't deserve to be around them. So, you know, just hearing you talk, I don't think it was, you know, like, it wasn't like you like, Oh, man, I'm a wrestling fan, and I'm not going to be able to, like, mark out and get autographs and all this stuff. The relationship is worth more than anything.
01:21:21
Speaker
Now you have these lifelong, like you said, you have these lifelong relationships now and that's worth more than an autograph or worth more than a picture. Like you have some, you have most of these people's like numbers
Professionalism in Wrestling Relationships
01:21:32
Speaker
in your phone. Like you can literally just like, like you said, text whenever you want, but you don't do that because that's your friend. You're not going to, I mean, I don't even text my friends every day. You treat them the same way every year. Any other friend in your life or family member.
01:21:47
Speaker
So, uh, no, that actually makes sense. That's actually, that's, I mean, that's actually a good lesson to anybody that like, uh, you know, wants to get into, you know, any type of like business surrounding wrestling, be it like podcasting, photography, artistry, however you want to do it. And just, just, just from doing the show and speaking to different people and everyone kind of has the same message, but yours is more in depth. Cause you actually were like working alongside with everyone, but.
01:22:14
Speaker
Um, a lot of the like artists and stuff that I interview, they work with like the wrestlers to reach out and say, Hey, can you do this for me? Could you, you know, can we like collaborate on this? And like with extra cooler, you know, he's working with, uh, FTR right now with, you know,
01:22:29
Speaker
Oh, like their merchant, their merch is literally his, his artwork. So like it, you know, that's worth more to him than, you know, just get in there. Like I said, getting an autograph or anything like that. Like he could say, like, my artwork is like on their shirts and possibly on an action figure at some point, you might buy enough, you might buy an FTR figure at some point and you'll see the, you know, his logo on it, which is actually, actually no. And he also works with, um,
01:22:56
Speaker
Matt Cardona to the, uh, the whole indie God thing. That's, that's on his designs, a skull with the hat and everything. That's, that's like, you know, he, uh, you know, just having that, like, you know, he has those relationships now and just, and just to bring it back to how we talked about seeing people grow and see, you know, helping other, helping others out, like being able to see, you know, him from like, when we, when we first, he was making our logos for the chick Foley show, um, and other wrestlers logos, but now it's like,
01:23:25
Speaker
that's
01:23:50
Speaker
you know, I just reached out to him when Jazzers had an opportunity and he helped me get my foot in the door and then I ran with it from there, you know, so it's like, it's just important to always be professional and kind to these people, you know, and I never like,
01:24:10
Speaker
asked for autographs, really, maybe once or twice or whatever. And they'd ask me, like, is this for you or are you selling it? I'm like, no, this is for me. I'm not one of those types of people. And and I still have all my autograph stuff. It's at my parents right now. But like, you know, I cherish the people I worked with and the relationships. And that's why I'm not like really big on meeting people. It's like that whole it's not that I like frown upon that side of it, but it's just like,
01:24:40
Speaker
I don't like that side of it sort of thing. I just want to meet the person and get to know them. I don't care to pay to meet them sort of thing. And obviously they deserve to be paid for conventions and things. So I'm not like knocking any of that. It's just like not my cup of tea after working in the industry. I just look at all that stuff a lot differently now, like, you know, it just,
01:25:07
Speaker
I don't know. I don't know where I'm trying to explain this. It's just different to me now, like it kind of changed my mind or how I like view.
01:25:17
Speaker
um the wrestlers and stuff to a degree now so yeah no that makes sense like what i was gonna say is kind of like to interpret what you said is more or less like if you're gonna meet somebody it should be like you're gonna be either like working with them or it should be more of a less like a genuine type of interaction not so much where you know if you're gonna get an autograph
01:25:38
Speaker
or something like that, it shouldn't be from you standing in line and get an autograph. Like it should just be out of a conversation you're having, you're hanging out one night. And then that person's like, you know what? Here, here you go. Or, hey, maybe, come meet me. I'm going to be at the show later on tonight. Here's a front row seat. That type of interaction. That's how I would want to go about stuff. Because I have friends that are like, or you said friends. I mean, we're a lot older now, but we used to go to like,
01:26:07
Speaker
wrestling shows and stuff like that and just try to beat the wrestlers after and get pictures and stuff like that. I was never like the person to do that. I'd rather just like have the interaction more than anything to be like, oh, yeah, I was able to, you know, shake someone's hand or have a quick, like five minute conversation with somebody. That's how I always was. I wasn't really like the autograph or, you know, get a picture with anyone. My friends have like photo albums of them with like literally like tons of different wrestlers like
01:26:36
Speaker
Which is which is cool because you get you obviously go back and look at it But I'd rather I'd rather like you be able to be like
01:26:42
Speaker
Oh,
Niche Interests Beyond Wrestling
01:26:43
Speaker
yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah, I know him. Oh, yeah. You want me to call him right now? I can call for you. That type of thing. It's just a different like relationship sort of like a different experience, I guess, sort of. Yeah. Yeah, definitely. Yeah. So before I let you go, a couple more questions. Yeah. Interests besides wrestling and photography. I know you said you're not really into sports and stuff like that, but are you into like a movie buff? Are you music?
01:27:12
Speaker
aficionado, like what else what else is out? What do you like to do besides being engulfed in the world of wrestling, wrestling and toys? Yeah. Not a whole lot, to be honest. I mean, I like to play video games a bit. I don't get as much anymore as I used to. I was younger just because I don't have the time. So I'm working on my art more times than not.
01:27:41
Speaker
But yeah, I game a little bit. I like I would say I love keeping up with the Disney plus shows a lot. Love movies ever since the pandemic, like it kind of died a bit because we weren't going like we used to. And just kind of it's like kind of out of your systems. You don't really think to do it anymore sort of thing. But as most of my friends don't ever want to go and say, OK, I'm not going to just go.
01:28:10
Speaker
Um, but yeah, I, like I said, like my interests are so like in a bubble that sometimes it's hard for me to, to bond with certain people who don't speak this whole language with me because that's, that is my language, you know?
01:28:29
Speaker
Yeah, I just have very niche interests, I guess. Yeah, no, that's what that's why. And that's another reason why I like, you know, I I did the show. So, you know, me like my like minded people like myself. So like, even with like video games, like what do you what when you were playing a lot, what type what type of games were you into? Sure. So I used to play like.
01:28:52
Speaker
Grand Theft Auto, Assassin's Creed, Red Dead. Now I just play like Fortnite a lot because I could play it for like a half hour and then go and do something else when I'm done or whatever. Yeah. I just picked up GTA 5 again from seeing too many videos on Facebook about like goofy things in the game. So. Yeah. The kind of thing to pick it up again is to goof around. Excited for the new one whenever that.
01:29:18
Speaker
comes out. Oh, man, I got a lifetime that is. But I've been reading up on that. I'm. Yeah, I got it as well. Me too. Probably won't have the time to play it, but exactly. Definitely pick it up and play it very slowly, slowly, but surely. Right. No, I'm I'm the same way. Like I picked up the AEW game. I have not even broken the seal on it, but I have it. You know, like.
01:29:45
Speaker
I just like to be artistic a lot more in my free time than or consuming content that's going to inspire my art is probably the best way to put it these days. But I'm just like a workaholic. I always have been and, you know, I put a lot of time obviously into
01:30:10
Speaker
My photography is that just fulfills me as an artist is so you know, it's like tracking down like little props or buying stuff online that I could use to mimic something else. You know, like
01:30:23
Speaker
That's where a lot of my time goes or just opening figures and of course online shopping. I guess it'd be a hobby twos. I'm really good at doing that. For for gaming, do you are you a console or PC? Council console console. I've always been a Sony guy, so I have nice PS5.
01:30:47
Speaker
in a four. I have a Nintendo Switch. I bought that just to play Fortnite like in bed or whatever. Yeah. It's not like lighting up the whole room. I could just play it and play if my wife is sleeping or something, but I haven't even done that in a while. But yeah, I just don't buy games as much.
01:31:07
Speaker
Yeah, I was gonna say yeah cuz I cuz I have the you know, I had the ps5 I have the Xbox one s I didn't get the X but uh, I like the Xbox because it has their what the their gaming library goes back to like I think the
01:31:25
Speaker
the original Xbox, like you can if you get the game pass in and they will they close the store down, I think next year because they had the gaming store was open still. So you can like literally purchase games that came out like freaking like 15 years ago. Like I bought like I bought a what was it? Max Payne three. I have from Xbox 360. I have a fight night. The last fight night game that came out ever that never came out ever again.
01:31:53
Speaker
My favorite game that I that I always go back to is Rory McIlroy golf from EA Sports. I don't know why I just I just love playing that game. It's like it's relaxing and I like and I'm not like, you know, I'm not like I can't get really in depth of like long term stories or anything like that. So I think I'm just a sports game and playing is fine with me. The only game. Yeah, the only game I'm really trying to play right now, which is taking me forever to do is
01:32:22
Speaker
the heck, uh, Batman Arkham Arkham Knight it's called. And, uh, yeah, it's, it's take it forever. It was like.
01:32:31
Speaker
It's like to see like the actual ending, you have to like, you have to beat every, you have to like put every like all the top 10 criminals in jail, which means like two face Riddler, all those guys. But then there's also like 244 Riddler, uh, riddles that you have to complete, which.
01:32:52
Speaker
Oh, I tried a few of them. I'm like, it hurts your brain trying to like figure out like how to because it's like an escape room on some of them. So you go in this room and you got to like try to figure out how the hell to get out. And it's so confusing. So I was like, you know, that's the only thing I've really played, like going back and playing from time to time when I have the time to. But no, I love gaming, too. That's that's one of my. Yeah, that's one of my things. My brain because I am very creative for living. So sometimes I need to like
01:33:22
Speaker
just brought my brain for like an hour just to kind of recharge a bit. Yeah. You know, I love that. So I say I use it to keep my like hand eye coordination as well to make sure I'm like, I can still like, you know, I saw the reflexes to like to play. Right. You don't definitely don't want to lose that at all. No.
01:33:46
Speaker
Alright, so my last question I always end the show with with this question here since you're a wrestling fan So it's it's basically the scenario is you have a friend family member or whatever you Not into wrestling really You know, they want to get into it, but they're like man
01:34:07
Speaker
um i'm old i don't want to watch it what's the what's the one match that you would show that person that would get them into watching wrestling it could be it could be from the past present um whatever golden era your attitude era now like whatever one match and you know
Favorite Wrestling Matches and Storytelling
01:34:29
Speaker
would you say all right i'm gonna this person's i'm gonna hook this person right in with this one match here um
01:34:41
Speaker
As far as like going back a bit, and I'm not always the best with history of the sport, but, um, you know, as far as like a WrestleMania match, it probably be like maybe Undertaker versus Sean WrestleMania 25 or something, but like a more modern day, like I definitely think, uh, a Will Ospreay versus like a Kenny Omega or something. That's a good one.
01:35:09
Speaker
Yeah, as I love, like I didn't really know of Will Ospreay until AW, because I love wrestling. I can't keep up with like every single brand and stuff. Oh, yeah. New Japan, GCW, NWA. Right. Too much wrestling after a while. But like when I saw Will Ospreay and AW, I like immediately like fell in love with him because he's just so fun to watch and
01:35:36
Speaker
You know, and that's how I know that I really like something is if I'm inspired by like someone, um, to recreate it in figure form. So like, I would always say, you know, someone should watch him. I mean, people would probably use the whole argument of all the spots and stuff with him, but I just think he's so fun to watch. Oh yeah. And day wrestling, like, you know, people don't like the slower stuff really anymore or like a, um,
01:36:07
Speaker
Zack Sabre Jr. is also really fun to watch, I think. I don't know. I'm trying to think who else. As far as like, I guess a character too, like Bray's Wyatt family stuff like made me fall in love with wrestling again. Yeah. Years ago.
01:36:30
Speaker
You know, I not like falling out of love with wrestling, but he just like really like I really got glued to him because he was just so like different and I loved everything he was
Impact of Wrestling Figure Photography
01:36:40
Speaker
about. But those would at least be some people, I guess I would. Yeah. But like a Sean versus Undertaker, I think would be a really good.
01:36:50
Speaker
match with good storytelling for someone to watch, but yeah, I think so. Yeah. That's a, cause it, it really encompasses like all the, you know, the, obviously the drama, the action, the, you know, like everything that a, a wrestling match without obviously the, you know, as they call it the Gaga, like the crazy spots, like, you know, right.
01:37:11
Speaker
chairs or you know going into the crowd or you know pull it out like a you know fire extinguisher that type of thing right yeah i've i've heard so many different uh you know options or different ways people would bring someone into wrestling
01:37:27
Speaker
Um, no one's ever brought up that batch though, that Undertaker, Shawn Michaels. No. And I thought that would always be like a go-to, like as far as storytelling, engaging, like it's, it brings you in. Like it's just a, it's just a story from beginning to the middle to the end.
01:37:46
Speaker
it's a
01:38:10
Speaker
you know, the rock, how Colgan at WrestleMania was at eight. That's a, that's a definitely a really good one. My choice, my choice is always, I was supposed to say Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart and Roddy Piper, WrestleMania, what was that?
01:38:30
Speaker
not was it nine i'm like forget myself like yeah like or eight i forget which one it was but anyway it was the intercontinental title match where uh ronnie piper the title and bread heart you know obviously took it off from that night but that match will do has like every aspect it has it has brawling in it because you know ronnie piper's on it really
01:38:51
Speaker
the the
01:39:15
Speaker
Yeah, I think hopefully they drop it soon. I want really bad. Yeah, I have is I have the NECA figure. I have that. I have the elite version of that as well. The Hollywood one. I was able to scoop that. That's one of my favorite movies of all time is The Great Z live. So I'm after I was anything that's they live. I try to pick it up if I can. The only thing I haven't been able to get was the
01:39:43
Speaker
What's his name? The, uh, his partner there, the bald dude. I forgot they even did that. Yeah, they did his figure too. It's hard to get, like it was on a website that sold it. You bought it with the movie, like the, the Blu-ray, but then if you didn't get it, like you obviously have to go on eBay and it's like.
01:40:03
Speaker
$500 for that. I'm not doing about buying that. But no aftermarket purchases for me. But definitely. But no, this is awesome. Thank you for thank you for for coming on. This is a this is this is a great show, man. I thank you so much. I guess it's really humbling to always be asked to do this and that people want to even hear me talk for an hour. So
01:40:26
Speaker
Yeah, no, I mean, like I said, it's it's like I said, it's it's a break from everything that they, you know, that they're listening to, especially if you're a wrestling fan, you listen to like every single wrestling podcast under the sun. But it's always good to, you know, these people follow you, the people that like listen to like our podcast and stuff like that. So like, you know, they definitely want to hear your story. And I think it's I mean, you had a very interesting story. I mean, you're like you're like pretty much like the
01:40:55
Speaker
I don't want to say it, but I mean, you probably don't want to say it, but you pretty much you pretty much created wrestling figure photography. If you put it that if you think about it, you pretty much like invented it. I mean, if you like I said, if you don't want to admit it, I'll say it for you. Yeah, go for it. You don't have to say it. Yeah. So so Matt Goldberg is the inventor of wrestling figure photography there. There's there it said, don't get mad, everybody. Everyone's flourishing in it.
01:41:21
Speaker
to a good thing that he brought it up and that he started it because now everyone's doing it. All your favorite wrestlers are reaching out to you and giving you thanks and stuff. So when you get a chance to thank Matt for for all your for all your hard work, I'm joking. But before we go, tell everyone where they can find you. Sure.
Social Media Promotion and Community Engagement
01:41:42
Speaker
So my main platform is Instagram. You could find me at MBG 1211. You could find my personal Twitter at Matt B Goldberg.
01:41:51
Speaker
Um, you can find me also on our Twitter on X, um, at wrestle fig news, probably a wrestling figure news. You can find me at wrestle zone. Um, not as exciting on theirs. I don't post as much as I do. Like, uh, the news source page. Um, Facebook is MBG films, or you could add me as a friend on Facebook too. I have a whole profile dedicated to the community where I share my pickups and photography and just talk wrestling with you guys. Um,
01:42:21
Speaker
YouTube, MBG 1211, even though I haven't posted on there in probably like two years or so now. And yeah, I think that's everything. I don't know if I left out something, but definitely follow me on Instagram for all my photography.
01:42:36
Speaker
Yeah, that's definitely the main place you want to go in. Obviously, the same here. Follow me everywhere at the MVP Marco. Get all your updates on the Pod Foundation and Pod Foundation on IG. Also, follow Chick Foley. That's where you get all the updates for the Chick Foley show and everything happening in the Chick Foley universe. And follow everyone else in the Pod Foundation. Turbuckle Tavern, extra cooler.
01:43:03
Speaker
Coming down the aisle with j-bone We're a nice group of people and we we're not negative We say pretty positive on these on the topic. So you might want to follow us and join us But other than that, I will talk to everyone soon peace