Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
Suplexes and Scots: A Conversation with Scottish Wrestling Network
21 Plays36 minutes ago
In this episode, Satsunami is joined by Billy from the Scottish Wrestling Network! After deep diving into the world of Scottish Wrestling, just how popular is it in 2026? What Spider-Man film do the duo dislike? And how did Billy's debut at Comic Con go in Aberdeen?! All of this and more in this latest episode?
This podcast is a member of the PodPack Collective, an indie podcasting group dedicated to spreading positivity within the podcast community. For further information, please follow the link: https://linktr.ee/podpackcollective
Where to find us:
Check out all of our content here!
Support Us:
Patrons:
Super Pandalorian Tier:
- Battle Toaster
- Ghostie
- Cryptic1991
Red Panda Tier:
- Greenshield95
- Danny Brown
- Aaron Huggett
Free Members:
- Sonia
- Middle-aged Bodcast
- IRIDYSCENZIA
- Rob Harvey
- Aaron (Super Pod Saga)
- Billy Strachan
Use my special link zen.ai/chatsunami and use chatsunami to save 30% off your first three months of Zencastr professional. #madeonzencastr
Create your podcast today! #madeonzencastr
Stay safe, stay awesome and most importantly, stay hydrated!
Recommended![[Announcement] What to Expect at Fan Frontier's Power Con in 2026! image](https://media.zencastr.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=112,quality=85/image-files/6184f404ff8e31006d3165c2/7977cf98-aa61-461e-8262-d39c7cd73705.png)
Transcript
Introduction to Chatsunami Podcast
00:00:00
Speaker
Welcome to Chatsunami, a Scottish variety podcast that discusses topics from gaming and films to anime in general interest. Join me, your host, Satsunami, as well as the rest of our Chatsunami team for our takes on these very important pop culture topics. Sir, it's clearly a trap. I accept copyright! That happens three times in the film. Every time that general goes, don't do this one thing, he goes, do you know what I'ma do? That's the exact thing.
00:00:27
Speaker
Does it well? She had the pointy teeth? What was that about? She looked like Bilbo when he wants the ring back. but She turned into it. I just want the lightsaber one more time. Parasite says, no, you will get back into your office and work. No, says the man in Zoom. yeah Trousers are for the working man. You're bursting into your hotel room. Honey, we need to go.
00:00:50
Speaker
Leave the kids. We can milk an odysh. Oh.
00:00:58
Speaker
That's the worst thing you've ever said on any of the episodes. If that sounds like your cup of tea, then you can check us out at our website, chattsunami.com, as well as all good podcast apps. As always, stay safe, stay awesome, and most importantly, stay hydrated.
00:01:14
Speaker
Stay classy and have a... This has been chattsunami. I'm sorry.
Meet Billy: From Wrestling Fan to Podcasting Pro
00:01:24
Speaker
Hello everybody and welcome to another episode of Chatsunami. My name's Chatsunami and joining me today is none other than the one and only wrestling expert himself. is Billy from the Scottish Wrestling Network.
00:01:38
Speaker
Billy, welcome to Chatsunami. How are you doing tonight? You know what, I've listened to quite a lot Chatsunami in the past and it's weird seeing the sausage getting made. I'm here in real life, I'm actually speaking to you voice to voice, it's great. Do you know, that is the best description I think any guest has said on Honestly, yeah.
00:01:57
Speaker
Can't top that. Let's end the episode. No, I'm only joking. I know, I didn't think 30 seconds in I'd be talking about sausages. Here we are. I mean, to be fair, it's like an innate Scottish thing, isn't it? It's like we can't go through one episode without talking about them, you know? yeah Well, I mean, it's like just before we record. No, that's absolutely
00:02:31
Speaker
but So, yeah, as I was saying there, you're, of course, the host of the Scottish Wrestling Network, which I have to say, I think initially when I started the podcast, I saw you popping up here, there and everywhere. And then it wasn't until you and I had that very strange Venn diagram crossing over where, of course...
00:02:51
Speaker
My very good friend and co-host of the podcast, Martin McAllister, appeared in your podcast, which I was like, wow, that is fantastic. So before we get into, but I don't want to say the sausage making of your podcast. Yeah, now I've got sausages on the mind. Well, that's the effect I have on people. They see me and go, sausage. Sausage.
00:03:13
Speaker
But yeah, what sparked your interest in starting a podcast like this? Because am I right in saying you were one of the many, myself included, of course, who decided to start it during the 2020 pandemic? Yeah, pretty much this iteration anyway. I tried other ones, but didn't really know where to start. I did a radio course with Murray Firth Radio and I got home like a wee microphone to do Fox Pops and all that kind of stuff. And I thought, well, while I've got this, I'm to a passion doing podcasting. So there's a couple old episodes on
Podcast Production Challenges and Strategies
00:03:45
Speaker
our YouTube channel. And I've also got older. I did a wrestling radio show on their student radio thing was called Monster, Monster FM. So I dabbled. I did a couple of things at the B3L shows as well because they appeared in Elgin a couple of times. Again, with this little microphone. I did one. Oh, man. Wait, this is the first one I ever did was with a wrestler called Marty Jones who wrestled for World of Sport. He was a legend, legendary British wrestler. And I got offered to do it. And I was like, OK, cool. We'll do this. I'll figure out how do it along the way. All I had with me was eight pounds Chinese hooky tablet. And that was it. That was only equipment I had. And it broke. So you see the video, it was like 15 years ago, I think, and it's the worst. It's still got loads of thousands of views, but it is terrible. I can't hear anything. It's like it's been filmed underwater. It's terrible. But to answer question, yes, it was pandemic. June was the first one I ever did with Omar Muhammad. Initially, it was supposed to be wrestling only. And that was it. It was just going to be half an hour wrestling chat done because I had Zoom on my work PC, which I probably shouldn't admit, but that's what used initially. Eventually, by episode three, I broke that format and we ended speaking about dinosaurs with Kevin Williams for about half an hour. And since then, this will be what episode I've tabled up to episode 469. I've done about 460 at this point, including road trips and quizzes. And we also have spinoff shows as well. We show previews and watch alongs. And I kind of got obsessed with it. And that's where I am. What's that? Six years later? Six years come June?
00:05:11
Speaker
It's crazy how time flies, isn't it? Oh, yeah. And at the same time, it's not enough. because yeah So I say at the start of every season, I'm doing one episode a week. Every time, I'm doing one episode a week that'll go out. Done. That's never happened. I've been putting out three episodes a week for the last two years. Because I want things to go out in time. I want things to go out so it doesn't clash with maybe a talking point that I could talk about in the episode. So if I'm speaking to somebody and... Sorry, I've just rambled on now. No, not at all. That's what the podcast is for, Gene. You know what?
00:05:38
Speaker
I think I told you I was going to do this. I'll also plug in my Patreon, patreon.com slash scotterisnet. But the thing that I do is, yeah, I want to get things out in a timely manner. So if somebody's got a show on, say, two weeks' time, and I won't make sure that episode goes out before it. But then I get somebody else on, and it's the same thing. They've got a show in a week's time, so I need to make sure it goes out before then. And then eventually, I'm just like, three episodes a week. Here we are. This is what's happening now. So... Yeah, I spend a lot of time in this room where I work and I seemingly play as well. That's my little box room where everything is, all my toys and rubbish and computer screens, like some sort of Batman, man in the chair. So many screens in this room, it's ridiculous. No, I'm totally with you there because I'd like to say that I'm sitting in in the grand Chatsunami studio, which, yeah, for the audience imagination and all the Pandalodians listening, yeah, it's like a big studio. There's a big neon light. It's totally not a cupboard that I've converted. it and put some foam pads up and everything you know i mean it's a cozy cupboard that's all i'll say but at the same time but it's cool seeing those evolutions though isn't it think yourself when listen to those first few episodes when i do well my first ever episode was in my kitchen with a one pound pair of headphones and a laptop that is still remarkably alive and it was dying in 2020 and it still works i don't know how it's the only thing i have in this house that's got a cd ripper Nothing else has. New PC doesn't. Newer laptops don't. They just don't have to come with them anymore. So it's somehow still alive. And then seeing the absolute tat I have built in my room since, because when I moved upstairs, I had three Funko Pops. That was it. That was my collection. couple of wrestling belts because I'm a big nerd. And then now anyone watches the video versions of our podcast, it's just a wall of stuff behind me now. I've somehow started amassing a collection of Blue Power Ranger. It wasn't even my favorite at the time. I don't know how I've ended up with a collection of Blue Power Rangers. stuff because his name is billy but i've
Hobbies and Childhood Influences
00:07:25
Speaker
amassed collection of several blue power ranger toys from again i'm still confused how that's happened oh yeah it's amazing what you collect over the years when you're like oh just get this i'll just get that and now you're like have i got so many things
00:07:37
Speaker
yeah Because, I mean, that's what I was doing. think it was sometime at the beginning of last year, i really got into Resident Evil. And when I got my PlayStation, I was like, you know what, because digital media is a bit kind of iffy, I'll try and collect a couple of the other ones in physical media. So i was like, okay, I'll get them, I'll get that. As of recording this episode today, the original Resident Evil 2 came through my door. And I'm like, okay, I think i have a problem here.
00:08:02
Speaker
I get that. CEX is an absolute goldmine and at the same time a terrifying place because you just go, right, I'm going go in for one thing and we look for one thing and then you come out with a pile of stuff. But I'm the same. Obviously wrestling games, if I spot Smackdown game, I got a PS2 for Christmas, which is, well, am I 35 now? I think I got my first PS2 for Christmas when I was 10, 11, something like that. When did the PS2 come out? You'll know this offhand, I'm sure. Ooh.
00:08:26
Speaker
Oh, that's a good question. Was it 2002? Yeah, it would have been 2002-3, because that's, I think 2003 was when the GameCube came out, or 2002. Oh, I can tell you. Yeah, it was 2002, because I got FIFA 2003, and I think they were always a year ahead initially with the games. You're right, yeah. was 11 when I got a PS2, and then here am, 25 years later, getting a PS2 for Christmas again. It was great. But yeah, Smackdown games and if I spot a wrestling game that's like under a fiver, I'll probably end up taking it home with me. And also because I have a terrible memory, I have several copies of games because I forget if I bought them or not. Oh no, I'm the same.
00:09:01
Speaker
It's awful. Not even that, same with Blu-rays. I think I have three copies of Spider-Man 2 on Blu-ray because I forgot I bought it. i was like, oh great, Spider-Man 2. I'll pick that up, take it home. I've already got Spider-Man 2. It's amazing Spider-Man 2 as well.
00:09:12
Speaker
I wasn't even like, I felt disappointed in myself that bought it three times to be honest because it's not the best Spider-Man film. Anyway, sorry. What, the Sam Raimi one? No, no, the Amazing Spider-Man. Oh, the Amazing. Oh, right. Okay, okay. Sam Raimi one's great. You sound like ready to fight me there. Yeah, I was like, you know, Martin McAllister is a bad influence, by the way. It's just like you're forgetting the right... No, no, that's fine. Because I was trying to remember, i'm like, did we review it? Yeah, we did Spider-Man Month. We did the Raimi trilogy. We did the Amazing Spider-Man. Yeah, no, I can totally understand. That was definitely when my friend Andrew and I, when we reviewed them, we were like, yeah, this is when it dips. when it gets really hard to get through these films. I mean, really, we're here to talk about my stuff and all that kind of stuff, and we'll get into it, but I'm really here just to sell a copy of Maze Spider-Man 2, if anyone wants to buy one off me. I have several copies, apparently, because I'm an idiot, so, you know. Do you know what you should do, actually? You should include it in your Patreon. It's like a reward. You know, a gold tier for the SWN. You know. What a terrible prize to get. The worst Spider-Man film. Here you go. Or you could say a mystery film. And you'll get one person. Oh, surely. I just want to point out for legal reasons I'm distancing myself from this project. but Sponsored by Chat Tsunami.
00:10:27
Speaker
Yeah, the Red Panda lawyer is not going to be happy in the morning. That's all we'll see. Between that and the Kit Kat fiasco, that's another thing I'm denying, of course. Oh, man, what time. Honestly, that'll date the episode, apologies.
00:10:43
Speaker
So
Wrestling's Influence in Pop Culture
00:10:44
Speaker
out curiosity, when you were saying there that you got into the wrestling games quite young as well, has wrestling always been a part of your life, would you say? So I started watching wrestling when I was about nine. It was by chance. I went over to a friend's house. I don't think he'll ever listen, or if he does listen to this, it would be amazing. It would blow his mind. I went over to Greg Thompson's house. It was his actually his granny's because it was just along with the road from the school, from primary school. And they had Raw on, I think was on a repeat. And my first memory, nine years old or eight, I can't remember nine by that time was The Undertaker versus Kane in an inferno match. Say that five times fast. And I watched a big goth set a big scary mask dude on fire. I had nightmares that night.
00:11:23
Speaker
But for some reason, that's just I couldn't stop watching. My next memory from that is the cover for Royal Rumble 98. It was like Stone Cold Steve Austin's back of his head and had nails. in his head and I'm not really of the macabre or horror stuff it's never been my thing but something about that kind of gruesome imagery I was still just so enamoured by and so just I wanted to know more about it and then WWF was on Channel 4 for a year which I think everyone my age that's when they got into WWF because it was on free TV it was on terrestrial television so you got Royal Rumble didn't get WrestleMania that year it got fully loaded I think you might have SummerSlam as well maybe Unforgiven so would get my dad to set the tape recorder because i was 10 at this point he would set the tape recorder take out the tab
00:12:01
Speaker
of course and just record the wrestling and i wore out a tape with raw rumble 2000 on it and then I've never been the kind that's had that dip and layoff of wrestling I've always found it somehow so whether it's sky one when I had ITV digital I would watch smackdown or I would run home from Sunday school and watch metal or I'd get the magazines or I would get an action figure or we get a VHS tape I was just always wanting to find wrestling in some of the most strangest places if i was on holiday i'd go to a shop and find a vhs or a ken shamrock action figure i would just want something wrestling related so it's never really left me in the 20 oh that i've watched wrestling for there's just something about it it's just never It's a comfort zone. that You see Resident Evil and things that you find as a comfort watch in a franchise. Wrestling's got such a lineage and history and so varied and it expands so far. There's always something new to find. And that's a really exciting thing.
00:12:58
Speaker
Because that is the amazing thing. about wrestling and honestly you brought back so many memories for myself as well while i wasn't the biggest wrestling fan growing up i was kind of on the edges of it so i would see for example the rock on tv and wwf oh god i do remember those days because i always remember the big kickback from the was it the world wildlife federation Oh, the World Wildlife Fund, yeah. The whole Get the F Out campaign in 2002. You know what, I barely remember what i did this morning, but I could tell you everything I i knew about wrestling in 2000. It's insane how much it stuck to my brain. It's probably spawned one of my favourite images of all time, and it's, you know, the panda from the WWF. He's holding the steel chair ready to smack down. Have you commissioned that yet for Chatsunami? Surely that has to be, you've done that already. After this episode, I'm going to go straight The artist would be like, hey, Roz, do you want to do this for me? And they'll probably be like, yeah, why not? That is merch. A red panda smashing or another red panda, I'm guessing, from the context of the meme. Well, I don't think Martin McAllister would be too happy if I did.
00:14:05
Speaker
Well, mean, it's panda on panda violence. Surely that's okay. Well, yeah, true. Hold on, let me just check. Yeah, the red panda, sorry, he's in the corner. He's just giving the nod of approval there. You know, I'll send it to the legal department. I'm sure I'll be fine. Honestly, that's actually a great idea. But I always remember how, whether you were a wrestling fan even if you just knew about wrestling, because remember my brother, he had, think it was some of the action figures, you know, like Hulk Hogan and, as I said, The Rock, Triple H, those kind of figures. I'm trying to, I think he had he had a bretthart one and then i learned about what happened to him that was really tragic as i said even if you weren't a wrestling fan somehow the whole industry and i'm sure you can agree on this it grew arms and legs and it started going into other forms of media and i think the main one of course was the entertainment industry with hollywood films and really just films in general because you had hulk hogan and was it like three ninjas and things like that so her Commando Honestly I'll need to get you back on Gremlins Gremlins Yeah There was just so many of them You had The Rock of course Who was in Doom The Tooth Fairy Probably not one of his finest mind you Still not his worst I mean I fell asleep during Gridiron Gang Really? That terrible film Was it? Oh god It was so boring I got that as a gift for my birthday. I can tell you now, that friend went down in my estimations because that was an awful film. But yeah, most importantly, Stone Cold Steve Austin and the Celebrity Deathmatch. That is the big thing. Claymation Stone Cold Steve Austin, Baton folks. That is the height of 2000s
Experiencing Wrestling Live vs. On TV
00:15:35
Speaker
media. Yeah, honestly, I can see it.
00:15:38
Speaker
Was there not a lot of Claymation action stuff then? Which I can't believe that's a mastermind niche subject. It's like, how many wrestlers have been turned into Claymation? Probably more than you think.
00:15:50
Speaker
well mean uh bret hart and the simpsons as well of course yeah it's insane how my wife laughs about this because she was never a wrestling fan she knew again like yourself outskirts she bits and pieces she knew things like edge's wrestling theme was metalingus by all the bridge you know things like just little bits and pieces here and there but the more she watches anything that i enjoy watching or she enjoys watching there's nearly always a wrestling reference somewhere even in things like we watch scrubs love scrubs oh that's great i there's an episode where think Turk and JD have walkie-talkies. have wrist walkie-talkies. And JD speaks to Turk. He's got a high-pitched voice and asks me if he's naked. And he goes, yeah, how do you know? And what's covering his front is a Goldberg alarm clock. There's wrestling everywhere. Even I think it's second or third episode, JD does a Bret Hart impression or a wrestler impression. He's got the singlet and the WWF winged eagle belt and all that kind of stuff. Do you know, I watched that episode the other night. And I was so taken aback when he's like, I'll tell you, what the hell? And tonight at the Mega Slam, I'm going to stretch you because the intern. You know, it's just there's references everywhere. But I think unless you're kind in the bubble, you never notice them. But they are. There's just everything's got wrestling. Everything's wrestling. And is. It's so subtle as well. You know, you might say, that's the thing from that wrestling or, oh, it's this and that. And I have to say, it's definitely different, say when you're watching wrestling on TV, because I remember for the longest time, you know, I'd seen these wrestlers go at it, and don't get me wrong, it looked painful when they're getting bubbled and everything, and they're just lying there unconscious. And everyone's like, woo, give him the chair. Which is the only place you probably hear that sentence when you're looking at someone ungorgeous. But yeah, when you're watching it, you think, yeah, okay, it's a bit theatrical and I'm sure they're fine. You know, they're trained professionals, etc. I remember it wasn't until, I want to say, 2019, think. Martin and I got the chance to go over Sweden because we're visiting a friend and then somehow it ended up we went to a WWE match and I was like hell yeah let's just go let's see it I have never gone from look at how theatric this is to oh my god is that man okay and Like a split second. Because weren't ringside. We were fairly further back in the stadium. But it was just, you were sitting there going, oh my god. You could hear the canvas under them just crack. Because I think it was the New Day that we're fighting in that one. Which, fantastic team of wrestlers. But I'm trying to remember who else. There was one who had a, and trust me, Martin will definitely be able to explain this better. But there was like an eco-friendly one or something. Oh, Daniel Bryan. He had the eco-friendly belt. It was made of hemp. Yeah, I'm sure it was. Was that 2019? Yeah, it must have been. Jeez, yeah. I just remember seeing that for the first time, and I could see how enraptured everyone was watching all of these wrestlers just absolutely go at it. And they are honestly so talented. And I'm not just saying that because I know they would find me and beat me up, but... No, genuinely, they really
Building the Scottish Wrestling Network
00:18:47
Speaker
are, aren't they? Oh yeah, I mean, we're talking about the thing people getting involved outside of a tribute show, which I think needs to come back in 2026 because they are so bad. But my first actual wrestling show was WWE Show 2006 in AACC in Aberdeen and my mum and dad took me for my 16th birthday. birthday was July, but I got the tickets. The show was in November. It was the second night of a two leg in Aberdeen which I don't think they've done since which hurts me to this day because I would love to go two nights of wrestling and P&J or whatever well technically did for the Comic Con but we'll get to that so my mum called it Redneck Panto and we meant it with all sincerity because that's what it was because it was the entertainment it was the spectacle and yet we were going yeah kick his ass kick him in the crotch hey with a chair you know it was just it was literally redneck panto but no it was a mad night because it's my favorite wrestler all time is jeff hardy and uh he was in a match so i got to see jeff hardy wrestle live main event was dx versus rated rko which is mad at the time didn't get see roddy piper but we found out why in the coming weeks afterwards they got diagnosed with leukemia i think around about that time he was supposed to be on the show but we got to see just it was so amazing to see them so up close and personal and so I mean, I love live wrestling. I would go every weekend if I could. Because seeing it live is so much more intimate than seeing it on television. The television's got the glitz and the glamour, but if you're in a venue surrounded by people wanting to see the same thing, they're just here to enjoy the moment and be involved and... a bit too involved but they just want to be part of the show and just enjoy themselves there's nothing like it in any form of entertainment or spectacle and that's why i kind of started the whole website into the podcast because need to let people know that this is a good fun it's affordable if you have show near you pay 15 quid for a ticket go in and just go shout at somebody for half an hour it's gonna be great because i have to say
00:20:28
Speaker
whether it's a big show like WWE or one of the professional companies or as you said whether it's one of the local ones because i think I've probably seen more i wouldn't say local ones but you know more Scottish based and one yeah ahha that's a great word thank you Yeah, more independent ones. It's amazing to see how enraptured, I think especially the kids as well, honestly, it never fails to amaze me how invested they get. You know, it's like their favourite wrestler gets hit to the ground and their tears on their eyes yelling, get it! come on and everything and you can just see the passion and the inspiration they're getting well hopefully not to go home and then wrestle their sub on you but it is just amazing to see how much joy that entertainment brings and out curiosity of touching back in your podcast of course and can I just say as well for your website before this episode I was looking through because I knew you had a website and everything and you've got reviews and your episodes and things I did not realize how extensive it is by the way it is incredibly Yeah, how do you do it? I've got to ask because it's just amazing. WordPress is very good on mobile. That is what I will say. And templates are great. So if a match is announced and I'm in the kitchen or something like that, it doesn't take me that long to just edit what need to edit and put out. But the site started because I needed the place to put stuff. It was initially on Facebook way back when, when it was under an old name, OSW TV, which is a whole other story of why it was called that. So... I got an interview somebody iron Andrew drew Marshall was named he offered to do an interview with me and I was like all right I've never done this before and I'm very socially anxious anyway so this is a very weird situation to be in so i sent him like 10 questions he answered them I put it on the Facebook and i was like yeah I'm gonna lose that really quickly so I need a place for it to go so I put it on I did have Google and because I'm Scottish I was like I'm not paying much if anything for anything here so WordPress was free Zeppa WordPress stuck on there then I was like I'm going to show down Dundee I'll do a preview of it I'll stick that out on the website too I went down to I quite liked it. I'll put that on the website. And then was how long has it been? I do have the date when I started on the site itself. I think was 2012 maybe. It's just grown. And it's been a case of where I do my own thing on it. I've invited people to do bits and pieces and I've had guest reviews and all that kind of stuff. And initially I started it with OSW TV meet series, which is like five questions to a wrestler. You know, they have a little bit of time. They can just fire me. Five answers. Sweet. And then got a good relationship with the guys at WrestleRopes, who were pretty much the place for Scottish or British wrestling results at the time. And so they were handling quite a lot of the companies. And I was like, right, it's OK if I do the ones you don't handle in Scotland. Cool. That's fine. eventually they closed because andy was wise enough when he started a family to go i don't need this website anymore because i've got a family i clearly have not learned that lesson but i was like right do you mind if i take the results then and merge them into my site you was like that's fine that's what i did so there a lot of the back catalog is stuff i merged from um wrestle ropes but things like reviews i just do when i can i mean one i did last night i've been putting off for about when was the show went to it was the 21st i went to the show and it's one of those things where i'm writing reviews it's a show i've been to i need to kind of just get in the zone and it takes a few days to get me in the zone to do it and i just started that about seven o'clock at night and i finished it at midnight and it was done it was gone i rarely proofread and that's very evident at times but i put out there into the world and i'll proofread it in the morning it'll be fine But yeah, I just find time. It's if i're processing an episode of the podcast, I've got an hour, maybe I'll do some updates. I'll out some results. I'll start something and never finish it. It's just finding the time to do it. And again, crazy can see. I used to do it during work hours, but I moved jobs and I can't do that anymore because I'm ridiculously busy. So even then I find my time around my nine to five to do it. But you know I just, I don't know. I don't really think about it. I think if I do think about it, my brain might explode going crazy. How you fitting all this in? don't know. just I'm. I'm just doing it. Don't ask questions you don't want the answer to because i don't know the answer either. I mean, see when you started podcasting and, you know, especially doing the reviews, did you think it would take as much time? Because the amount of podcasters, content creators that i've talked to in the past and they've gone, oh, yeah, it's going to be this really fun thing. And then you actually get into the weeds and everything and you're like, oh, yeah. There's a lot to do with marketing, to do with editing. You know, it's like a one-man show, really, for the most part. I you very much took the thought of, and this is just very lazy, that if I'm doing an interview, if I'm doing the podcast, I'm not editing it As in, if we chat for an hour and a half, that's what's going out. That's just something specific. There's a big dropout of signal and it goes all to pot. yeah I will try and chop it and get it all linked together. But if there's pauses or M's and A's and all that kind of stuff, and it doesn't really bother me because it's a natural conversation. So what I really did for, and I still do really for the podcast, I've kind of leveled up a little bit by getting an old Canva subscription. Thank you, Patreon. What's your Patreon again? I mean, I don't like to shout it out, but it's scar, isn't it? Less than £2 a month, you get hard free content. But I've added logos pretty much into the episodes, which is not something I did until this season, because I really just topped and taled it. I make everything myself. I made the logos myself. I made the intros myself. All the graphics I do myself. Now I use Canva. All the kind of layouts.
00:25:25
Speaker
There's probably so much easier way to do a lot of the stuff that I do, but I've just not learned how to do it. So I just do everything myself, really. It's a control thing, I think. I know how I want it to look. yeah but I can't explain how I want it to look. So I'm just like, I'm just going to myself, easiest way. I've only very recently let somebody edit an episode and that's that.
Editing Techniques and Software Challenges
00:25:43
Speaker
Six years has took me to actually let somebody else do it and it's because I've spoken to them that much on episodes and I trust their vision to match mine. But I think I'm just at a control point where I just i know how want it done I'm just going to do it myself. But yeah, editing wise, I just top and tail it. I take the silence at the start and it's the awkwardness at the end when where I try to hit stop record and put the intro and outro on. That's about all I do for the mainline episodes. The spin-offs and that, I kind of do the bulk of it on Canva. I've already pre-made the templates at some five minutes I've got during a day. So I've got the actual overlay done. i just need to record the episode, throw it in there, take it off. This may shock you as somebody who probably has such a wide, vast array of editing knowledge and equipment. I use Windows Movie Maker for quite a lot of the editing side of it. Ah! which is older than me I think because it's all I need it for I just need it to stitch a couple videos together I'll make the video myself on Canva or whatever put it into Movie Maker it stitches all together one button done I'll probably overcomplicate things but in my mind it's really simple I'm too scared to change at this point at six years end like it's working somebody was going speaking to somebody they're like why don't you StreamYard or anything like that I'm like I don't know if that works i'm six years in i know how zoom works just almost so you know i'll just use that instead i don't like change we're just going with it but yeah in answer to your actual question 10 minutes ago i just find the time i just do i don't know how i just do well would you believe not windows movie maker although i was upset because i couldn't find windows movie maker on my pc at the time i was like where the hell is it but during season one and this is how bad i was editing back then i used to use i can't even remember what the software was, but it was a video editing software. And for some weird reason, and I think this was before, I could totally be wrong, maybe I missed the boat on it, but I remember I would edit the episode so I could upload it into what was formerly Anchor, but now it's Spotify for podcasters now. And it was terrible. It used to be okay, but it was like, you know the way it just got worse and worse as time went on, and then it's like, oh, we've got Spotify for podcasters, and you're like no, no, go away. I like the old system. But I used to basically edit the whole podcast in a video editing software. I have no idea why, because my thought was, if I do it in the software, then I'll be able to upload the video version onto YouTube, even though it's a static image, so... There's no video as such to upload. So I was like, right, okay, because the majority of episodes were streamed live on Twitch for season one. So right that's why I thought, okay, I'm going to download the VOD from that and then I'm just going to edit around it and... That'll be absolutely fine. Thank God the software conked out on me and then I was forced to use Audacity because otherwise, I don't think it sounds perfect now, but I think it sounds a heck of a little better than it used to.
Handling Podcast Guests and Networking
00:28:27
Speaker
I just had to learn how to use Audacity and Audacity, again, maybe it's at Anna Scott and me where I'm like, okay, it's free, it's good. But genuinely, it has been an absolute lifesaver of editing software, except one patch, but that's a whole other rant where it just would not work for me. And I don't know why, but it was like one specific update that everyone else seemed to be like, oh, this is wonderful. And then when I used it, it's like, like no, I know who you are. You used to edit on the video editing software. a But no, that's totally valid, you know, because you do a lot of video interviews as well, don't you, for the podcast? All my interviews are video. It's all Zoom. I did a couple in person, most recently at Comic-Con in Aberdeen. I did a couple backstage at WrestleZone show. I was very kindly asked by the guys to do an in-person one just at the hotel. We were staying over in Aberdeen a night, so we just did it in the hotel lobby, which was somebody, again, very socially anxious. It was very weird for me because like, what if the hotel tells me to get out i mean i've got the room for the night so we could go back to the hotel room but feel it's very weird to go listen gentlemen would you like to come back to my room and we can video you i've got a tripod and everything it's not weird what tripod it's okay my wife will hide in the bathroom it's fine it's okay so yeah everything i do in my head i mean i know my video numbers aren't great the algorithm has not found me again they found me initially but it's not found me again but i feel like if I get at least 30 views I know at least 30 people want a video version and I feel like it's enough for me to keep doing the video version and because I'm not great with gauging reactions and emotions with people the video helps me so if I've got the video I've already got it so be as well just put out you know and be as well use it because then I can tell from people's faces what they're thinking because otherwise this is fine I've listed to your podcast I kind of get your emotional range if I'm speaking to somebody for the first time they don't know me I don't know them and we're just kind of muddling away if I see their face at least I'm like okay they're smiling so it must be But yeah, I genuinely don't know how I'm still doing it because I am the most awkward person to meet in real life. It's incredible. And I still do this three times a week. Oh, no, same. Well, other than the three times a week, because I tried doing it two times a week. And then I was like, you know what? Maybe one time a week isn't that bad. But I totally get you because the amount of interviews that I've done in the past, and as many of the Pandalurians out there listening will know in yourself, that I usually do these an audio-only format. And I feel as if on the one hand people are comfortable with doing that because they don't have to worry about appearance or... If they've got a messy background or whatever, they just pop on. and But on the other hand, you're completely right. I've had a lot of interviews where I'm sitting there going, oh, and what do you think of this? Haha, joke. And then either it'll be silence or they'll go, yeah, yeah, yeah, that's fine. And then, you know, you have to keep the interview going. And you're like, oh, right, so what about this and that? And in your head, you're like, oh, God, I've messed it up.
00:31:09
Speaker
Oh, no, what's going on? Oh, without naming names, what's been the worst moment for you doing that then? Oh, Need names if you want. It's your platform. Okay. Okay. There was X. There was Y. That Martin McCallister, you know, shucking. Oh, I know. I don't know why I keep inviting them back, you For legal reasons, Martin. I know you know where I live. Please don't come and beat me up for that. But for the most part, I think the majority of podcasters have been, and in general, content creators have been relatively nice. There was only one or two instances. There was one where there was a person who asked very inappropriate hypothetical question. And without going into that, because I will definitely identify them. But yeah, I had to cut that out of the episode. And don't worry, I'll tell you after the podcast, There was that there was also another one which ironically enough it didn't even get to the interview stage where I was talking to podcaster saying oh thank you for the follow you know the usual networking stuff and then I said you want to come on the podcast and they said oh yeah sure but let me ask my co-host. And long story short, the co-host was very unpleasant towards me because they only did their podcast live on stream and everything. And they were like, oh, I don't think you have anything to offer us. And really, really rude. And granted, I don't think I handled it too well. I got really angry because I was like, excuse you. It's like, again, that's not why I do these interviews. I don't do them to be like, oh, what amazing guests can I get on? Because I just love having a gab. Let's face it, we're Scottish. We love chatting that way. But that was probably one of the worst experiences where I was like, Honestly, that's the only time that's happened. The only other time was there was a person. I remember it was someone I said that I was going to interview and this was genuinely at the very beginning of the podcast. I completely forgot that we were supposed to be doing it. But instead of them reaching out saying, and granted it was my fault as well, but instead of them reaching out saying, hey, sorry, were we supposed to be, you know, recording tonight? Are we supposed to be doing that? They sent a really passive aggressive message saying, I guess we're not recording tonight. And was like, oh, okay, right. In case I'm not inviting you back onto the podcast. Yeah, you do get those quite awkward moments, don't you? Flipping it back onto you, because honestly, that is a great question. I can see why you're a great interviewer. I'm very good at not being a host. It seems I'm terrible at actually being a guest. I'm just going, what do you think? No, but have you had any similar experiences? Again, not naming names, because, I mean, the Red Panda lawyer is in the corner just in case. I can tell you, for the first about 14 episodes, the first episodes, I didn't have notes. I did it off the top my head, which was fine. But, I mean, I can what the episode was, because I'm still ashamed by it. was episode with Sarah Marie Taylor. And I just got giddy because I'd seen Sarah wrestle for years. And it's the first one I've tried went, I forgot everything. I knew nothing. My brain went blank straight away. And I felt embarrassed as a host. So from that point onwards, I always kept notes, even if it's like five bullet points. So I have something to kind just draw myself back to if I need to. As far as a guest goes, I've been very lucky with guests. I mean, some have asked me to pull episodes for whatever reason. I mean, they've always been nice about it. If they're nice about it, I don't have a problem pulling episodes. That's fine. Or taking stuff out. If they go, oh, can you shave this bit out? Absolutely fine. It'll look terrible in the video because a terrible editor. But you've asked me nicely.
00:34:33
Speaker
We'll get it done. One guest, if I tell who is, you won't know. But if you tell Maren, he'll know. So i had a gap. Somebody pulled out. I needed a guest on because it was weekly at that point, just once a week. And they went, oh oh, come on. Cool. That's fine. Let's get you on I started asking a question and I watched them zone out during the question. And I was furious because I was like, you asked to come on. And I have asked you a question. It wasn't a particularly boring question. It was a question about them because it's what the podcast is for. but And I watched them literally just start. I go to the side slowly and my head's going, you don't doubt me. You have not listened to that question. And it was possible whether shorter interviews are done because I was fizzing at that point. i was like, no, we're just going to get into some cliche questions, round this up and you can get my sight. so i've been no generally everyone's been nice i mean of course when i'm doing little networking and trying get guests on most of the time it's just no answers which is fine i'd rather no answer than some of the refusals i've had in the past i've had one person very point black tell me no in more colorful language really because apparently i said something mean about them in a review or past episode and i was like i don't think i did but if that's how you feel that's how you feel and i found the clip or somebody found the clip for me and it wasn't even me who said it it was somebody on the episode that we were doing that said uh particularly what's even that mean i'll tell you exactly what the comment was the joke was that the guy was quite large so it be was fat shaming it wasn't my price moment
00:35:49
Speaker
But the joke was he's quite low to the ground so wouldn't get picked up. And even he's got his own gravitational pull. That was the comment that he took offence to, which I didn't think about at the time. Obviously, I'm in charge of the edit, so it's my fault at the end of the day. But he's held on to that grudge for like four to five years. Wow. And I asked him if he'd like to come on. He told me to f off.
00:36:06
Speaker
And I like, all right, I'm getting you on then.
Podcast Milestones and Public Reception
00:36:08
Speaker
nu sir We'll just chalk that up as a no. But no, generally everyone that has come on, they've been pretty good. I've some things that fall through, but I think I'm at a point where i think folk know in general that what I do is a positive thing for the wrestling independent scene. Is it changing lives? No, but is it a positive thing to get stories out there and get people to know you? Yeah. So it's a case of, no, we can't do or I don't really want to do podcasts, but thank you for asking. That's fine. I'm happy with that. But yeah, to point blank, tell me to F off. That was an adventurous one. That was fun. But yeah, it is what is. You came, Zell. I mean, granted, I've never been told to bleep off. By any potential guess, I've been ghosted a lot of times. Well, yet exactly. That's such an optimistic way to talk look at it, isn't it? It's like there's always room for growth and there's always room for new opportunities. Add that to the mood board. Yeah, I've had people completely ghost me. See, for the most part, they'll either ghost me or we'll say, oh, yeah, we're going to do it. And then eventually it might fall through or I don't have the time to follow up with it And, you know, there's not really been anyone unpleasant. There was one person, granted, again, they weren't unpleasant, but they were one of these very quite motivational content creators. They were saying, this is how you grow your channel, blah, blah, blah. Really inspirational. And then I was like, oh, do you want to come on the podcast? And I think it was still relatively early at the time, but they were like, nah, sorry, I don't do podcasts, but thanks. so And you know that way, I think it's different if you tell you to bleep off, because then I think they burnt that bridge. you You're like, okay, fine, go away. But for those responses, i' always kind of try to at least keep the door open to be like, all right, and that's no problem. That is something that I think a lot of early podcasters especially don't really understand in the sense that they've got a voice and if they podcasted, popular with that voice and obviously more people are going to listen more people are going to be influenced by that and they don't really realize the weight that that has because i mean as of this episode and i was looking for research purposes i was looking at your page and i saw that you'd got a hundred thousand plays is that right yeah i don't know i know the feeling as someone who just crossed that mouse and like how the hell did that
00:38:22
Speaker
There was a good portion of the time where I thought there's just a glitch on my website and it's funneling views into listens. I don't care because at the end of the day, it means I can go, look, our podcast has hit 100,000 listens. Do you want to come on? So even if that's half the actual number, it's a good marketing tool I can use and go, look, we've hit 100,000 listens. Do you want to come on the podcast? They look and go, oh, this guy gets a lot listens. Well, come on. Gets me next level tier guest, you know, which I've never used that specifically, but it has worked because I've been able to get opportunities to speak guys at TM. and get these guests I didn't think I would ever get on like Scotty Hottie and stuff like that it's all numbers at the end of the day if you just use them the best way you can to get the next thing the next opportunity because it always reminds me of there was a podcaster that I was talking to and this was years ago that they got to think it was like a million plays or something and I remember hearing that thinking wow that is absolutely incredible and it is you know it's an absolutely amazing feat especially in the indie podcasting scene And I thought, all right, what's going to be next? they going to get brand deals? Are they going to be quitting their day job and things? No, no, they're still doing the podcast and maybe they'll get the odd ad here or there. But it's one of those things and one of those experiences that you hear that happens. And obviously it's not to detract from the work that they do, but it's like you realize that just because, you know, you get those numbers. mean, don't get me wrong. As you said, it's fantastic, see, for least promoting the podcast and being able to say, I've achieved this. You know, like in a personal sense, I think it's fantastic to be able to look at your stats and things and think, I can't believe I've got to this stage and I'm absolutely in the same boat. You look at it and go, all right, who's been hitting refresh on my page? Because no way this is real. But yeah, it is. It's honestly incredible just to really see it from a different perspective. Because would you say that if someone from the outside of podcasting is looking in and seeing that, they would think, oh, we're going to be hyper famous from all those plays? yeah i think so when you see it in six figures it's like my god there's actually people listening as we've established whether they are or not doesn't matter numbers still tick up yeah but the weird thing with that because i've done for so long as well i mean not so much the outside of the podcasting sphere but when i go to wrestling shows and again as i've established very socially awkward i meet people that listen to the podcast or watch it whether they're in the crowd or the wrestlers themselves they've caught an episode or two of somebody that's their pal or something like that and i don't know how to react to that at any point don't whether to ah cool you know ace high five actually no don't high five me so no no touchy i'm too big a deal and also i'm sweaty and clammy at this conversation as it is but again it's a cool thing if someone goes oh do you do that wee podcast and i go well i just hit a hundred thousand listens so you know stick that up here bleep so i don't know i don't think i have the answer for it so i'm just waffling on now so i'll just i was gonna say just sending a screenshot of that a hundred thousand to that guy being like with me flicking the v's going yeah
00:41:10
Speaker
GIF making this come a long way, by the way. I'm sure you could package that into the email. It's like, you know that scene out of Jurassic Park? Uh-uh-uh. Oh dear, but anyway, I'll put that on the ideas board. But no, I totally get what you mean, because I remember, yeah, this is going to be such a smooth segue, I swear, but I remember when Martin McAllister and I, we did work with Epic Comic Con way back when, and even before they rebranded, we just did an episode by ourselves, and we went around interviewing people, and honest to God, i totally know what you mean when... You're going up to people and in your head, you know, when you're in the, again, quote unquote, studio or whatever, and you're like, okay, I'm the host. This is what we're going to do today. We're going to do X. We're going to do y And then when you're actually out in public with a microphone, I get flashbacks to, you know, those old prank videos.
00:42:02
Speaker
It's like, what's up, guys? Today, we're going on. Oh, God, I hope I don't look like an ass. And you're going up to people. And I was listening to my voice thinking, oh, I can't be that bad. And it's like, oh, dear. think of comic-con please answer quickly i'm gonna lose my nerve it's completely different when you have to do it face to face and everything but i remember he was telling me that one of the guys at epic comic-con one the crew members had started listening to the podcast and i was like oh that's absolutely fantastic and martin was like yeah he was listening to it in and the office on loudspeaker and i went excuse me it was what did you tell to stop yeah right what really worries me and this has happened way too many times that i'm starting to think please don't start at season one because a friend of the channel and he's been on before robotic battle toaster when him and i first met he was like oh i've started listening to your podcast it's amazing i'm like oh thank you so much man and then he showed me a screenshot and it was episode one and it was that interstellar moment i'm hitting my screen going no i don't like That's so many better seasons. And then there was another guy, Cryptic 1991, he was doing a, and again, it was such a cool idea. I think it was a Twitch stream of, you know, one of these truck driving simulators. And they said, you know what I'm going to do? I'm going to play your podcast in the background while I'm playing. So he was playing it on stream. Honestly, I'm so grateful to him. It was really a nice thing of him to do. But then when I got on the stream, I'm like, I wonder what episode he's listening to. And it's season one. Oh my God. like and he's like do you like it and i'm like yeah and honestly i am so grateful for him for doing that but it's every single time someone says i've listened to your podcast and it's that way i don't want to seem like a thriller film where i'm like what season as long as it doesn't begin with one that's fine that's a better question than mine which is listen to it after your podcast why are you listening
00:43:58
Speaker
are you sure?
Creating Content at Comic Cons
00:43:59
Speaker
9? are you positive? did you mean to? did it pop up as recommendation? couldn't escape it? mean thank you but you know I'm just very suspicious why you're listening but yeah and if you listen to it are you speaking to me? know I'm very anxious leave me alone wave do the wee nod that's it that's all we need to do we acknowledge each other that's all good but that's why the Comic Con which is if I feel like that's our next subject oh absolutely That's why all my interviews were done with the wrestlers at WrestleZone, because they know who I am. I know who they are. That means I know that I can get a good signal. Although one of them I didn't know, but he did that thing where I pre-arranged it with the guys at WrestleZone and just going, I'm a content creator now. So you mind I speak to a couple of you guys? And they're like, oh yeah, fine. We'll tell the For The Love Of Wrestling champion, Sam Bailey, that you're here as well if you want to grab him. I've never spoken to Sam before. Never at all. And I went up to him and I was like, do you mind if do a 30 second little bit? He went, oh, I see your t-shirt. That's fine. They warned me about you. And he said it in such a nice way. But as I didn't know him, was like, oh God, was it good? Did they say good things about me? And I was sat in a paranoid state for 30 seconds just going, oh my God, don't tell them I was an idiot. And just to humor me. They'll have to tell me I'm just a make-a-wish. And they're just like, just humor him. He's fine. He's harmless, really. He's not going to stalk you. I had all that in that split second moment, but it was fine in the end. I think people realize that I may look very calm on the outside, but on the inside, I'm like
00:45:09
Speaker
duck underwater just like I'm looking nice calm at the top I am swimming for my life underneath always the case if I'm doing interviews and I end up rambling which is what doing now so again I'm going to pull myself back and let you host no no Honestly, it's like, you know, that internal screaming, when it's like, oh God. And then on the outside, you're like, thank you for your time. you Yes, I feel as if this has been very productive. Honestly, I am always like that at Comic Cons, because actually remember the recent one that I went to, it was PowerCon. Again, it was organised by Fan Frontier, who, honestly, they host an absolutely fantastic con. Although, granted, at that con, it was so chaotic, because there was an old firm game going on in glasgow there was a dance competition going on next door and i remember i knew we went through the wrong door because i was looking going that doesn't look like comic on like wo ah And then, yeah, it was brilliant just chaos
00:46:04
Speaker
getting to that point of getting through the door. And again, in all seriousness, I nearly didn't go until I got the email. And I remember I text Martin and one of the organizers. I was like, so just to clarify here, you do want me here? This isn't a phishing email or something? Because I applied to their content creator scheme before and I was like, right, okay, I'm sure, you know, they're not going to say yes. So I'll give it a shot. And then fortunately, I managed to get in and everything. I don't know how, but... I used to get in i was so happy. And then it was just like, oh my god, I can't believe that they want me back for another con. So I went there, and I made content for them. And it's actually something that I don't think a lot of cons... I mean, I could totally be wrong. There could be a podcast convention scene or something. but it's not something you really think of is it see when you think comic cons you usually think of creators that are quite besides the ones that are just utterly horrible they're just doing it for shock value like those ones aside you never really think of podcasters leading that content creation side of it do you it's always the what's up guys today we're a comic con you really dislike these guys don't you it's the only impression i can do i'm gonna to be honest. If I became a vlogger in another life, that's probably what I'd be like. But yeah, sorry.
00:47:27
Speaker
but I'll tell you a dislike of mine before we get into ASMR. I find that super irritating. And it's just, again again, don't mind people liking it and doing it. yeah But my three-year-old at the moment likes unboxing videos and it's ASMR. And I'm sitting there just furious going, just open the bloody thing. Just open the toy. I want to see what's in the box. but Tell me what's in the box. What's in the box? What's in the box? I don't need you tapping it with your nails. Just open the damn box. Anyway, sorry. Just to counterbalance your dislike of what's up, guys? Like, share, and subscribe. Just quite quickly touching on that, and I swear we'll move on to the Comic-Con thing, Clark. The thing that really creeps me out is see when you're looking for a new mic, whether it's on Amazon or any other website, and it's like, you know what would make your podcast that much better? If you had a microphone that was like a pair of ears, and you're like, no!
00:48:12
Speaker
probably not are you sure it's only a thousand dollars it's like who are you people but no wonder you can afford this jesus christ anyway for legal reasons it's a son tronic podcast pro mic it is not an ear mic i just want to point that out i don't know it obviously other than the usual suspects but oh those creep me out something awful can you imagine going to comic-con interviewing some just often now The microphone from using now, it was a tenner off Amazon. The one I took to Comic-Con was AliExpress Special, which cost me like £4. You don't need to spend a lot to do this. Oh, no, absolutely not. Yeah, I mean, the most expensive thing about podcasting for me is the editing side of it, Canva and Zoom. But the actual equipment, I mean, don't know if people notice it. Maybe they're listening to going, oh my God, I wish you got a better microphone. But mean, it's worked for me so far, so I'm not going to change it unless somebody goes, no, you really need a new microphone. And I will turn around and go, have you got a new microphone for me? Because this one seems to be doing nice good job for me, right? now. My rule of thumb is always, if you sound like you're talking from the bottom of a Pringles tube, then it's time for a new microphone. Otherwise, absolutely fine. It doesn't matter if you have a low-end mic, a high-end mic. To be honest, it doesn't really mean a lot when someone says, oh it's a low-end mic, and then it sounds absolutely fine. For the longest time, i used the I think it was a Fee Fine mic, and that was only like £20, £30 or something off Amazon, and you're completely right, yeah. As long as it sounds okay, because did you ever watch Tune the Fat? back in the day oh yeah do you remember that old skit where they'd say i got x off of ebay and it was like at the time ebay was relatively new the joke was it was like a scam so he would go i got this house off of ebay and then he'd go into the house and there was just a cut out of the front of the house and then he'd yell or oh i got this motorbike off of ebay and then it just falls apart as he's riding it it's like that i got this microphone off of ebay but anyway sorry back to comic-con Half the reason why we set this up wasn't it and we're an hour in. Exactly. Wrap up because we've got another three hours. No only joking. I mean I could go. Out of curiosity going back to what was saying before are you surprised that there's not as much of a podcast scene for people promoting comic cons and again there probably is I've not seen it personally yet but i mean if there is anybody listening out there saying hey wait a minute please reach it let us know but Yeah. what are your thoughts on now
00:50:44
Speaker
Because it's, and it's also, we're an age where it's TikTok. You know, it's 10 second clips and stuff like that just to get you through the door. So I can see why there isn't a dedicated market for it. Or if there is, I don't know about it. And also, all of us podcasters are just doing this because we just want to speak to people but don't really want to meet people face to face. True. So if there's a whole podcast network, I feel that's a very awkward group chat, you know, of us just kind of all trying to build up the courage to do the networking, but not being very good at it. But my initial point is Comic-Con is so visual with the cosplays and the meeting of your heroes and meeting of these people, these larger in life people and seeing the stalls and seeing all the entertainment that's around about it and everything that goes with it. i feel like it's difficult for it to be in an audio medium because unless you're there and you're getting to hear the atmosphere i don't think it really translates as well but again could be totally wrong so i'm happy if someone's messaging you angrily going your guess is a right idiot because we've got this massive network and it's huge and people love it but for me it's a very visual form of media so it's better in short form bites maybe or yeah just more visual medium in general Yeah, because I have to say that is the only time where I will incorporate visual elements, not so much recording myself, because I was actually having this conversation station with basically the Pandalurians out there who wanted to reply
Pressures and Experiences at Comic Cons
00:52:00
Speaker
to the tweet. But I was saying, what do you think about the aspect of video podcast versus audio only and things? And much to my surprise, i think there was that kind of balance and nuance of If there's something to film, then absolutely go for it. Or if that's the kind of format, then yeah, that's also valid. But there's also people who feel as if they have to force that type of element into the podcast. And I personally feel as if, if I had myself on camera, I would just look like a sleep-deprived gremlin. Because the amount of late-nighters that I pull trying to edit the podcast and everything, and I look in the mirror and it's the big bags under my eyes, I'm like, no, no. today's not the day i'm gonna go video the podcast i think it works for you anyway because you're a discussion medium essentially you're discussing podcasts you're discussing a subject so it doesn't really need that visual content mean if you're doing watch alongs the example like think off the of my head is the guys at weekly planet they do have video content but it's never them you never see them so they can do everything they can in audio medium whereas i feel like for mine anyway i offer both and audio listens get more but because you can just do it on the go but i know people what And again, it's not just for me seeing the people that are telling these stories, but it's also for people that see these guys wrestle, you know? So they get to see them in a bit more of relaxed environment and they're not just body slamming people. So I know that's why I do a visual aspect. Whereas is for yourself, I don't think you need it. Because like you said, you're mainly a discussion pod. You're looking at topic and bouncing ideas back and forth, adding a visual part to it. It would be nice. You know, it'd be great if you have the time to do it, but it's not entirely necessary because that's not what your show is for. It's just for taking topics and discussing them and finding the joy and passion in them as well. There is definitely a time and a place for the visual elements of it and I feel as if that's the only time where whenever I go to con, and you were the same of course with the con up in Aberdeen where it's like, okay, camera out and I'm going to film this and that. I always remember...
00:53:57
Speaker
pulling out the camera and the organizers had said to me like oh it's okay go ahead and film and on the one hand yeah sure i don't mind filming stuff and i did do that but on the other hand you know that way it's that kind of social anxiety where it's like you don't want to be just a random guy standing in the middle of a con doing the slow pan in portrait mode and people are like what the hell is that guy doing you're I'm sorry. I'm doing a podcast. What does that mean? i don't know. I've got a card, but I'm too scared to take them out of my bum bag. I'll give you a laugh. Whenever I go to these cons, I always try to go to the artist alley and I usually have these wee packs that I'll give out. So it's like it's got stickers in it. It's got a wee pin of the podcast. And I'm like, here you go. And sometimes, you know, that's a really effective networking tool because it's like, OK, here's some free goodies and everything. If you want to listen to the podcast, that's fine. If you don't, no problem at all. I remember for the most part, I love it when my phone pings and it's like, oh, so-and-so's followed you and then, well, follow them back and everything. and it's like, that's great. But there's one or two where it's like, I'll give it over and then they'll be like, what's this?
00:55:07
Speaker
I'm like, oh, I run a podcast, you know, I'm just giving these out for free, etc. And they look at me as if I'm recruiting for a cult. This isn't a cult. Chatsunami is not a cult. I should make t-shirts in Chatsunami. That is a t-shirt, yeah. Yeah, Chatsunami is not a cult. Anyway, if you'd like to pay your monthly tithe, it's at patreon.com forward slash Chatsunami. Yeah.
00:55:30
Speaker
Hail Red Panda. Yeah, for the greater good, etc. Just some of the reactions. I felt bad because there was one really popular artist, or sorry, it was like a couple who they draw their daily life and things. And obviously I'm not going to name names, but remember buying something from them. like, oh, here you go. And again, it was the same thing. It was like, oh, what's this? And I'm like, yeah, it's the podcast and everything. I explained and then I went on my way. And you that way you're walking away? And I was like...
00:55:57
Speaker
I'm not going back to that store. And again, it's nothing against them. It's just more my awkwardness being like, yeah, no. Because out of curiosity, did anyone come up to you and say, wow, it's Billy from the Scottish Wrestling Network or anything? I mean, only the wrestlers, but they all know me anyway, so. oh yeah that was a bit oh no that's a lie there was and again it was all wrestling anyway as everything is in life but one of the stalls was somebody that i've met at shows before and i saw them for years at shows where we used to go down dundee had little store and i'm trying to remember what the name of it is so they get little bit a plug and remember what it i think it's little auras it's called they do kind of homemade things like coasters and earrings and know just crafty things like nice little craft stuff so see them and they spotted me first i was like oh oh god here we are like the old Paul Rudd look at us but you know but no not really I don't think as much as it was amazing to be part of it I don't think it's what again I'm just surprised to let me in I don't think it's really part of the kind of comic-con zeitgeist stuff is what we do but to be part of it and being let in and being allowed to get the wee goodie bag and take part was just yeah it's still mind-blowing now and i'm sitting in there doing the old stat padding on the stat padding did not stat pad i need to make that very clear sending the stats and analytics back going oh my god will they keep me am i allowed to go to the next one because edibron one looks amazing so i'm like hopefully it they keep me in and then that's like that's again that thing where i look very calm but i'm just panicking inside like will they let me continue have i done enough the little docket came through of what they expect of content creators be part of this program and stuff and it was doing three pieces of content i think i did 12 over the two days and then another vlog at the end and then i did all this kind of stuff have i done enough and it's mad was just a mad time i'm still recovering from it now and it's been two weeks i mean did you go for the full weekend am i right in saying Yeah, so we're in Elgin. So we're only like an hour and a bit away from Aberdeen. So it's not a huge task. And we just went over the Friday. The Comic-Con started on Sunday. So we went through on the Friday after my work, just because it started at 9 or 11 or something like that. So we're like, we'll get in. We've got three-year-old. So it's easier getting him ready. We'll just head straight over. So that worked out well. So we're there pretty much. We left the hotel just as doors opened and got there about 10 minutes afterwards because we were just along the road, really, in the car. So yeah, we're there the whole weekend. We left about halfway through the second day, mainly because...
00:58:07
Speaker
We were knackered. It was so overwhelming. Not just for, I think I could have hung on because I'm, again, even though I didn't pay for a ticket as being part of the content creator program, I still feel like I need to get my money's worth and stay right to the bitter end. Yeah, we left halfway through Sunday because we'd done stalls many times over and over again. We bought one photo, so we got that done. I saw the Q&A that I wanted to see as well. That was in the first. day so we kind of did everything we wanted to do so we're like we could just hang about stay little bit longer watch a bit more of the wrestling have a good time or just go home and get our feet rested because we've got to go back to work on monday but yeah it was overwhelming it was so overwhelming as a first time goer honestly i can totally relate to that when i went to power con wasn't able to go for the full weekend unfortunately but managed to at least go on the sunday which is usually the day that it winds down it did not wind down because to be honest if anything it wound up but the first time i did epic comic-con and martin mccallister was there i got to watch him wrestle and such my god i know what you mean because i'm in my 30s as well i'm walking around all these very energetic cosplayers running around being like yeah let's go to comic-con and i'm just like shuffling behind me like oh my god when did i get so old
00:59:17
Speaker
And you know, by the end of day one, it's like, okay, I'm tired, but it's fine. And you that way, it's like you wake up the next morning you're like, today's going to be a challenge, Satsunami, today's going to be challenge, let's go. Again, I'm not saying drag yourself like it's a terrible con, it is a fantastic convention, but at the same time, it's like the mind is willing, but the body is weak here, I think. that see the people who do apply for the content creation thing do you think they think it's just a case of oh we're just going to run around comic-con we're going to have an amazing time and we're going to do it and the ticket's going to be free and everything and they don't realize just how tiring it is i mean not just the physical side of it the mental side of it because oh yeah you'll know yourself you get the pressure you get the kind of spec what to do and or what they expect of you you know the bare minimum was what they expect of you and so then you go and go right want to impress at least then you look around and go right can do this i can do that maybe i can do this if have time maybe i can just take a photo of this and all that kind of stuff but i feel like especially the first day that you go you don't relax at
01:00:17
Speaker
because you feel like you want to get all your content done so that means you can enjoy the second day and be a bit more relaxed about it because you're like I've done everything that I've wanted to do I've made all the content and really felt that kind of pressure because don't know what I'm doing I didn't know until the week that I could have asked for a plus one so I ended up buying my wife's ticket because I didn't know that we could get plus one So I was just so naive about it all and I feel like I'll still be naive about it I get asked to do the next one and I'll still be naive get asked to do the next one because it is just so, yeah, you just go in and go, there's so much. And the P&J, I've been in that building, the P&J Live, I've been in that building to watch concerts and go to all manner of things and to see it so open but at the same time so busy, it was just crazy. But yeah, was a very anxious first day, just making sure that I got what think they want in that content creation hub. And then I went back to the hotel and thankfully they had Wi-Fi. So I was like, right, OK, they obviously want to be able to sell tickets for Sunday. So better put out stuff on Saturday night so people can see it, maybe go, oh, I'm in Aberdeen, go see Sunday. And it was a lot more of a mental challenge to it than I possibly expected. And like you're saying, people just maybe just joining it to think they'll get a jolly... and a free ticket i mean you'll probably get that for the first one but if you don't pull your weight and actually provide something in return then you'll get removed from the whatsapp group and you won't get invited to the next one because you didn't do what they want do because in the end it's their way of for a free ticket they're getting free advertising that's what it is so if you don't do the advertising then that free ticket's been absolutely wasted yeah i think that kind of attitude that you're talking about that's good for one but it's not gonna fly for a second And I mean, it's as you say, it's tiring, but at the same time, I don't want to put anybody off and say, don't do it as terrible.
From Podcasting to Influencer Culture
01:01:54
Speaker
But I mean, for the most part, at the time, you are exhausted. And then once you see what you've done and everything, because I mean, the content that you pumped out for that was... Pumped out's the right word. Yes. Press send. That's it. Here we go. Yeah, honestly, it was fantastic. But you know, it is. It's like when you look back and think, oh, wow, this is what I've achieved. I've been content creator. It sounds so silly to say, but I remember when officially I got asked to be a content creator and I got there and they're like, here's your lanyard. And I was like, we get lanyard off. hell yeah give me i got a free cookie i was buzzing really oh my fan frontier if you're listening my demands are beaten i'm only joking but we go this is a joke unfortunately i didn't get a lanyard for the second one which i was quite sad because they only had i think it was crew member ones and i was like yeah no no no i'm not at that level yeah no no not that level that's just false advertising Yeah, I'm not running around being like, yeah, look at me. was like, no, no, no. And again, it's the silly things that you get so enamoured by like, oh my god, this is so cool. But yeah, when I first saw that lanyard, it kind of, mean, I've still got it upstairs, but it sinks in, you know, that way where you're like, wow, as silly as it sounds, it's like I'm a serious content. creator now. mean, don't get wrong, it doesn't have to be the turning point that you do think. It's amazing how you go from starting a podcast and everything, and you're just chatting about your favorite topic, to a company who, by all means, can pick and choose whoever they want. And then they're like, right, I want that person, I want this podcast, I want them to represent us to the wider public. And I think they are absolutely fantastic ideas, because without that, you get some And again, I'm not naming specific cons, but there's some conventions that I've seen in terms of their PR and things. And you think it's not bad per se, but it's like you don't really know what's going on with it. Whereas there's some that utilize this influencer culture, you know, or this content culture. creator culture where they say right let's use the again when say use you know i mean let's invite them into the space and work with them so that we are getting the exposure from it they're getting exposure and content as well so yeah it's quite symbiotic isn't it Yeah, it really is. I mean, I know for me, I'm a very niche platform, so I wouldn't expect to go to things like For the Love of Horror or, you know, something that hasn't got a wrestling element to it, which is absolutely fine by me. But the fact that was kind of letting, I think it worked in my favour that because I've got a relatively good relationship with WrestleZone, who were doing the wrestling the P&J, that I was able to get myself into just doing that. And at the end the it helps to them as well they get little bit extra content out there and i mean there's some even i had on the mainline podcast was able to grab a wee chat with and that's fine that means i put it into a vlog episode means it counts as a guest and i put that my little sheet to saying yes i had you on the podcast technicality it still still works but yeah i know that that I won't be needed for all the Comic Cons because that's just not what my platform's for. But the fact that was let out there and doing it and seeing the numbers come back, mean, I'm not, I don't know if they're good numbers or not, but over the course the weekend, over everything that I'd put out, got about 30,000 views, which is pretty okay. I think that was not bad across TikTok, which I've never really used until that weekend because like, you know okay got 200 views on tiktok a video well that's that's fine that's 200 extra views and i can put into my analytics here it was really i've used the word overwhelming a lot but it was kind overwhelming to see the numbers as well after i tallied them up and seeing my grid on instagram and going oh my god i was only asked to really do three and it's just like interview after interview after montage after post after just doing all this kind stuff because it was so creatively exciting to do because there's no real wrong answer for it You know, it was like they've given you the space. They've given you the opportunity. Just make stuff. The worst thing that can happen is it gets a really low view and you delete it and nobody knows about it. So just have at it. And sometimes that can be maybe creatively terrifying being given such an open format to do it and just make whatever you want as long as it has the Comic-Con in a positive light. mean, they don't say that, but they read between the lines. They don't want you just to turn up and go, well, this is a bit rubbish, isn't it? The queue was really long. Everything's so expensive. The vendors were really rude. The lines were terrible. You play the game, which I will say Comic-Con Aberdeen, none of that happened. So I will put that on record. The Red Panda can confirm. Everything was top-notch Comic-Con for my first one as well. It was just, it was, yeah, it was thrilling. Thrilling to be there. Oh no, absolutely. And it was so great to actually see you there. And by see you there, I mean on social, see you there. I was not in Aberdeen. in the background. Actually, I don't know if I've ever told you that, but there was a Comic-Con I went to, think it was Fantasy Con that Martin and I were at. Again, we weren't invited as content creators. We were just there. Well, I think he was working at it and I was just there as a guest. And I remember I went to see Chart and Tabletop. I don't know if you've seen them before. It's like the Scottish D&D group. Really great group and everything. And remember I did an interview with them, I think it was a couple of months at the time before. then I remember I went in to watch the show and everything. And it didn't dawn on me until halfway through that it felt so weird. Because obviously, as I said, this is always all audio only. So I was sitting there. They had no idea what I looked like. And I just had a chat tsunami video on. It was like something out of horror films. I bought t-shirt by the way, I said hello and I bought a t-shirt and I was like, I don't know if they recognise who I am or not purely because of that but was like, you know what, I don't think I'm going to do that again. Not go see them but just that moment of, yeah that was a bit weird satsu. I think that's also why the video medium really works for me as well because folks can see me and they can start the conversation with me otherwise it's going to be very weird because I'm like I do that really weird lingering thing before I start conversation and wait for eye contact which unfortunately doesn't often come with some wrestlers because they're in the same kind of boat of like oh no I'm a real life person I of just want to be in that ring as my sons and I called it the trampoline to do the wrestling bit this bit is bit weird walking around going oh this is a bit weird I really should network with people But I don't know what to do. don't know what to My wife finds it hilarious. My favourite wrestler in Scotland is a guy called Lost Boy Aspen. And think we've got a pretty good relationship wise. We have chatted on the podcast, but meeting face to face, my wife finds hilarious because we both don't make eye contact with each other. And it's really like a shuffling of one of us has to start the conversation sometime, somewhere. And I said this in a podcast. I feel it's okay to do it here. I called that I find Aspen like a cat because you kind have to go to get him to come over and have a chat. But I'm also the same. So folk kind of have to just make eye contact and beckon them for me to go towards them. Because otherwise just going stand really awkwardly until somebody speaks to me. It's a weird life. And the fact that doing the content creation side of things, I was kind of forced to do it as well. So I kind of had to go to these people and go, you mind if I grab you for 60 seconds and do a WeChat? And it was a very big shock factor to my whole life having to actually instigate these things instead of just wandering around and hoping somebody speaks to me first. the whole time because you know what it feels like and this is going to sound like the weirdest comparison ever but you know those memes of oh when your custom character is in a cut scene and it's like everyone looks relatively normal and serious and then it's just the most outlandish thing ever because i honestly think that these con organizers think i only have one pair of clothes just a chazanami hoodie and jeans and i'm like i swear to god i only wear these for the convention I don't go around in a chat to Nami who do like cartoon character. And I'm worried about the day, I don't know if you ever do this, but whenever con wraps up, I always get, because I've posted videos about it, it'll suddenly be added onto my For You page, the algorithm, etc. I always look in the background and it's like all of these cosplayers being like, let's go through Fan Frontier, Comic-Con, yay, let's go to Epic-Con. And I'm looking in the background like...
01:09:35
Speaker
Enhance. Enhance. Is that me? Is that the back of my head? No, fortunately not, but yeah. Oh, thank God I wasn't the only one doing that for days after own TikTok. I'm at Aberdeen Comic Con. Hey guys, I'm at Aberdeen Comic Con. Oh God, am I there? Can I see my baldy head in the background? Oh, there is. No, it's not. Okay, it's not me. That's fine. It's just another thumb-looking
Family and Confidence Challenges at Conventions
01:09:52
Speaker
human. Because going back to something you were saying there about it being mentally draining, is that kind of case where I'm obviously not doing the big coat hanger s smile already? anything around because that would be really weird but you know you're going around trying to because i've got one of these faces that it's just a resting satsu face let's face it where it's like i genuinely i'm not bored or anything it just kind of goes into a kind of which yeah that's the technical term in this audio only for not to describe a face but you know what i mean okay yes yeah two dots in a line that's But it's like, I swear to God, I find this interesting, but my face isn't really saying it. I don't want to go around and then I'll be caught, you know, in the back of someone's video. I'll just look like the most miserable man in Glasgow.
01:10:36
Speaker
To be like, yeah, Comic-Con. Ooh, what a blast. Oh, Jesus. How many more minutes? See, mine was because it was a whole family thing. I spent a lot of it chasing my three-year-old around. And I'm scared that I'm see a video of me waddling my way, trying to capture three-year-old, which with context is fun. fine but if you're just watching a video and you're seeing a return gentleman chasing a child in the background of a video you get more questions and answers in that situation and so i was worried i would just go through and see just me chasing my son around and him just going no because he wants to play with everything that he sees especially the retro toy places and all that kind stuff or the bath bombs geez child and bath bombs that's a terrifying combination rest of times there's always a bath bomb still though isn't there
01:11:19
Speaker
oh i tell you what we came home with two lightning mcqueen ones they're ace really my son loves lightning mcqueen he loves disney's cars and there was a place that had lightning mcqueen bath bombs we were like oh have some of them absolutely i came home with so much wrestling stuff it was ridiculous i almost came home with the power ranger sabasard if the guy didn't say it was 80 quid i'm awkward enough i'm not haggling if he said it was like 50 that thing was coming home with me i told my wife that i told her how much it was and she was like if that's lower you're probably getting it aren't you it yeah probably would have and it was like this very supportive face of going kind of glad it wasn't because where are you going to put it I'll put it next to my Turbo Man figure thank you very much I've already got a place in mind but yeah i I'm worried I'm even now you can still get stuff on the For You pages and stuff from Comic Con Aberdeen thinking oh god I hope I don't see myself in the background I'm the same. I've just got a resting, confused face. Confused at life. Just going, why am I here? They let me in. They've still let me in. They haven't figured out yet. They haven't figured it out. shouldn't here. think that's probably my face for the whole weekend was going, I don't know what's happening. Get here. That's me chasing the child. I'll just be go and get here randomly. But that scares me that I'm still going to see a video of me in the background i just running about. Because whenever I go to these conventions, always bring my stuffed red panda about and you know i'll put it on the sets that they've got set up so for power con they had i think it was like stranger things you know the living room from that they had a massive game boy and then they had i think it was like a massive playstation controller you know things like that and they had the cart from mario kart as well but i was putting my red panda on and i was doing the videos and things and all i could keep thinking in the back of my mind was if somebody tiktoks me right now and that shows how old i am i'm like If someone does the TikTok, then I am gone.
01:12:53
Speaker
Check this guy putting his red panda and everything. What weirdo. I know, what weird guy doing these zoom-ins. Because I was, I was like, oh, isn't it funny, there's a red panda, and then I walked back and zoomed out and everything. I was like, out of context. People are going to be like, oh, that's nice, he's got a day out. Or something like, no, I swear to God, I'm here as a content creator. Sure you are. Absolutely, yes. That's nice, grandad. Get out here. I used to be a content creator, you know. That's nice, Grandad. You take your toy and go home. You go to the juice bar. get yourself something soft. That's exactly how it feels. It's like, because genuinely, I feel as if that is one of the things, and granted, I'm still learning how to do that personally, but it's trying to get over that sense of, don't want to say self-doubt, but that kind of self-confidence thing where, if you're doing an episode with a person you know or you know you've listened to this stuff and you think well right that's absolutely fine we'll be able to talk for ages but the amount of people that I've had to you know get over myself and be like initially I think oh great this episode is dead in the water after five minutes because I messed up the intro or something and then after it the guests will be like that was a great episode you're humoring me aren't you and they're no no no it's a good episode and it really is it's just trying to get out that headspace,
Growth and Joy in the Wrestling Community
01:14:11
Speaker
isn't it? Of, yes, I am a content creator. I'm a podcaster. I will tell you a trick that I don't consciously do this. So if anyone thinks I do, I don't. I almost always mess up something in the first couple of minutes. And it's, again, nothing I've done on purpose is absolute luck because I think it automatically relaxes the guest because I've messed up. So now they've got the opportunity and they don't have the opportunity. They kind of got the permission to mess up a little bit because I'm the guy doing the host and then I've messed up. So, know, nobody's perfect in this game it's just going to be a case of you know i think relaxes people off the bat you can just kind sit and right okay he's messed up he'll probably edit that out so if i stumble over some words and ask him take out he's not gonna be that fussed he's got to editing anyway because he's made a mistake but yeah it is a case getting over yourself because i see what other people have done during that weekend they came and cosplay and they did the get ready with me and they had the chat with the other cosplayers and i'm like i have no confidence to do that myself I appeared first day in a Scottish Wrestling Network t-shirt, which I sweated through. And the second day, I just appeared in shorts and a wrestler t-shirt I was like, it's a hot venue. I've dressed professionally the first day. I'm dressing for comfort the second day. That's what's happening now. But yeah, folk that come in their amazing cosplays, like that is a commitment in itself because it's the heat. Not so much the, mean, the walking around will cause the heat, but spending all that time to create something absolutely incredibly intricate, and just be roasting in it and they'll be there the whole day so for uh nine till six they'll be just in the element in the moment just enjoying life i look at them and go god i wish i could do that i wish i could just be a little bit more freer and just do that sort of thing but not at the end i'm just in my little shell of paranoia and fear so you know world's gonna get what i can give it that's just what they're gonna have to just live with know because that's what doing I have to say, I really need to get a better hoodie than we're going around in because this is something keep saying to Martin after every single convention we go to where I've got one of these, you know, the pullover hoodies and it's one of the comfiest hoodies ever that I've ever ordered. And it's like at the same time, can't really take it off because I don't have a Chatsunami t-shirt under it. But at the same time, I'm like, I don't have a zip on the front. I can pull it down and, you know, it would be cooler to do that. But no, instead, I'm just stewing the mill and juices. walking around Comic-Con being like, my God, it's warm. But then, as you said, the amount of cosplayers that walk around, I think, you know what, if they can cope with it, then I can certainly cope with a warm hoodie. I nearly got smacked in the face by, it was a guy and the, I don't know what he was cosplaying, but it was essentially a furry dragon cosplay thing. And he had one of these massive tails at the back. And it's whenever he was walking, it just kept going swish, swish. And I was keeping my distance like, hmm. I'm in danger of Eton Drown. I'm going to get smacked into the next convention. But as you said, the amount of cosplayers and as I said, especially the artists that are there as well, it's a fantastic experience. And I love going to these types of conventions because it always brings, you you're always going to get one or two odd people. But for the most part, you always have these very passionate people who are just there, you know, to celebrate their love of whether it's a particular festival. fandom, whether it's just cosplay in general, whether it's for the guests or whatnot. Because I used to, and it's been a while since I've been to them, but I used to go to these model conventions with my friends for, you know, like Warhammer 40k and things.
01:17:30
Speaker
And it was amazing even in them. And again, I wasn't there as a content creator, I was just there on my own. But it was amazing to see how passionate people were about their particular hobbies and things like that and how interested they were in you as well in terms of so what do you think about this and that and I feel as if that's the great thing about these conventions is that and especially with us we're able to shine a light on that to say this is amazing because if you want to go for the wrestling or if you want to go for the artists or you want to go for anything else then it is just a fantastic place for community and especially for all ages as well wasn't it? Yeah well I took three-year-olds so that was yeah an adventure in itself the best thing about it though was that he developed a love for wrestling that weekend which i was like yes wonderful like darth sidious or evil kermit just like yes because you developed a love for a wrestler called omar muhammad because i have a t-shirt i have an omar muhammad t-shirt and he recognized him from that t-shirt that's what i'm gathering anyway we want to make sure you go see the wrestling and see omar one point we did the toilet we came back and saw that omar was in the ring just from when we went back into the venue and just ran across the arena to make sure that he could see omar and that was the best thing ever there were so many cool things to do that weekend we met natalia tena from game of thrones and harry potter and stuff like that i got a photo with her i saw the starship troopers q and a because i didn't watch this film till last year and it was a wrestler ian skinner who'd kind of convinced me i would watch it and then we would talk about it because one of his favorite films the film's fascinating i don't know if you've seen starship troopers oh i love it that yeah it's so unsettling at the same time as it's a fantastic film it was um casper van dyne denise richards michael ironside jake bucey diane mayor and oh who's the other fella patrick something so yeah also the q a's simon cassidy hosts them and he's a prominent wrestling personality anyway he does the big announcing for icw and ah other places so that was kind of cool that i got to speak to simon done podcast episode with the
01:19:26
Speaker
Anyway, that was that tangent there. But yeah, he found this love of wrestling and it was just incredible to know that if he was kind getting overwhelmed himself because we can't really let him walk around the hall because he's going to run and it's busy. So when he was getting overwhelmed, we just took him to the wrestling. He just sat and watched the wrestling and clapped along. And if he got to see Omar, fantastic, because that means he got to see his favourite to the point where Omar is a big Disney Cars fan as well. And we've had this discussion with him in the past. In fact, wearing t-shirt right now, which is great for the audio medium, but it's ah essentially the Cars logo, but it's been customised for Omar Muhammad. So saw him the first day. Great. Jack was absolutely buzzing.
01:19:59
Speaker
He got a picture of loads the wrestlers. They were also good with them as well. And then the second day he saw Omar again and i'd already bought the Lightning McQueen bath bombs and Jack met Omar and was like, oh, oh. And he went into the pram, brought out the bath bombs to show Omar. And he like, look, Luke, Luke, Luke. Because he was complimenting the slightly McQueen t-shirt the day before and these crocs. And of all the things that happened that weekend, all the mad things that I was allowed to be part of, that was the best bit. Seeing him enjoy it and seeing him find something that I enjoy and enjoying it too.
01:20:27
Speaker
And it was just, I'm actually feeling a little bit emotional because I'm talking about this. Seeing any enjoyment through a kid's eyes is just an incredible thing to witness to be part of and it's phenomenal to see him find an enjoyment in something that I've spent the last nearly 30 years enjoying and it's kind of me just going, good, I wasn't wrong to follow this passion because I'm now seeing him enjoy it and seeing him it. his eyes light up. I mean, we went to show this weekend. Halfway through the show, he did want to go home, but it was like nine o'clock at night. I'm weighing up to be tiredness over the lack of enjoyment, but the fact that he wanted to go and he talks about it, go to the wrestling. want to go to the wrestling. That's what made the whole weekend for me. It wasn't the content creation and the craziness and being part of this group and doing all and getting to advertise the podcast. It was getting to share that moment with my family and getting to see him enjoy something naturally and organically and just seeing that. It was just beautiful see. Take a serious turn I'm honestly so happy to hear that though because is something that I think a lot people when they hear about content creators and podcasters and whatnot I think they're quick to think about the obvious controversial ones and all the louder ones are like oh I've got a podcast or oh I've got a YouTube channel and they aren't really spreading anything meaningful or positive, it's all very detrimental. But then when you take a look at the industry, like yourself especially, because to be honest, until I'd met Martin McAllister, I knew he was, obviously through our childhood, I knew he was a big wrestling fan, but it wasn't until he got into that world, actually wrestling, that I thought, alright, okay, I guess... the Scottish scene is kind of big but I didn't really know the full extent of it until he got into it and then started seeing you know all these other companies that obviously have been around for a while and then of course I see your content as well and as I said I'm not just saying this because the PayPal check just cleared but you know So you do some absolutely fantastic work in shining a light on that. It is something that I do feel as if it is very important because what you're doing is essentially, as you said, you're sharing your passion both with your family, which is the most important thing, but also you're sharing that passion with your wider audience. And it brings that community together, whether you are at Comic-Con whether you interviewing, God, what was 462, did you I don't know if that's how many people I've interviewed. There was a time where was putting things like the Road Trip episodes into the main timeline stuff, but I would hazard a guess that I've done at the very least 450 interviews. So about maybe 200 or so guests, separate guests, probably. And I mean, that's incredible because genuinely, without your podcast, I wouldn't have known. I know some of the wrestlers that you've got on, other than Martin McAllister, I think I've name-dropped. him so many times i'm gonna have to pay him royalties you know martin a wee bit he's all right you know i think so yeah but no i've seen some of them that you've interviewed i've been like oh i know that person i know that one and is honestly amazing to see how much positivity that you've injected into this community and it's something that i never personally knew was so popular and again it's not because i think oh Scottish wrestling isn't great or anything.
Exploring Scottish Wrestling and Community Engagement
01:23:45
Speaker
It's more because didn't realise there was that niche or there was that community. And because you're there shining a light on it, it's honestly fantastic work. So at the risk of sounding, you know, very sappy to end the episode, I genuinely think you should be proud of what you've achieved with the podcast because is absolutely fantastic work.
01:24:04
Speaker
Thank you. think I'm needing to really build upon my confidence in 2026. And the more people say nice things about me, I'm really going to believe them one day. But yeah, I look back at what I've done and what I've built and achieved. Of course, we don't even cover everything in Scotland for whatever reason. And I can tell you off chat why. But there's places that we don't cover. So we don't even cover the whole wide world of Scotland. But what we do cover, my post streak on my website is at the moment between results, and podcasts and everything like that that we put out there. I'm on a 1,308 day streak of posting either news, results, articles, reviews, something goes on our website and it has done for the last 1,300 days because there's always something to put out there because Scottish wrestling is so busy. It's just a case of getting your foot in. Once get your foot in, you'll find something, whether it's something the thing you put your foot in the door to wasn't your cup of tea, it expands your mind enough to go, right, I saw that. wasn't something i liked but there's one nearby that i'll go see that instead and that might be the thing you like not until last year deathmatch wrestling was never my thing i didn't enjoy it i didn't think it was fun to watch it was just blood and guts for no reason i went to my first deathmatch show last year because it was in dundee and i made enough excuses to avoid going to the other ones i really ran out so i just went and as much as like there's bits i didn't enjoy which i didn't expect to enjoy everything i got why people like it i understood i saw the passion i saw the people in the crowd just living in the moment so i mean if we're going to learn a lesson from my ramblings for last two hours is that if you're interested in wrestling at all even minuscule level just go to a show you'll find something you'll find someone and that'll open the door for you to go right i liked bt young no actually we'll use martin as example because he's got enough mentions already we'll mention him more i saw martin mccallister The positive charge, you know, you may have heard of a part Planet. You see Martin, you might not have liked two thirds of the show, but you saw Martin in a match. You're like, like that guy. I liked his message about saving the planet. Wonder what he's doing. You go check his social media. They've Iron Girder show next. So, oh, I'm in Glasgow. I'll go to that Iron Girder show. You might see Martin. Fantastic. You might see BT Gunn and go, oh, I like what that guy's doing. what's he doing go check out he's at a valor show which is the opera in glasgow i'll go with that and that's where you kind of build your journey of wrestling so it's not a case of going to a show and you like or dislike it if you find something you like it opens the door for you to find more things to like and to build upon it because wrestling so as we mentioned right at the start to circle back it's so expansive in what you can like and what you can find and there's comedy matches there's death matches there's technical wrestling there's high flying there's flipsy doodles and acrobatics and there's long-term storyline matches that tell a story of an injury throughout 15 minutes like there's no right way to do wrestling there's no wrong way either it's just what you feel and enjoy in that moment and that's why i do the podcast that's why i share these stories that's why preserve these stories because one day that they'll all be gone and people can look back and go Well, here's the memories. Here's a memory that can spark off a memory and at the end of the that's a nice thing to do and nice thing to have available at your fingertips to listen to and watch. No, absolutely. I mean, think it's a fantastic point. And the other thing as well is if you ever want to see, as you were saying about the comedic matches, before the podcast and before knowing a lot about wrestling, I had no idea that SpongeBob SquarePants were being grained into my mind, body slamming another wrestler and beating the you-know-what in all. and I kind of had flashbacks when I saw him again PowerCon and I was like this is going to be a long con isn't it means I could get to accidentally plug my other stuff I did the commentary for that match on Iron Clash TV that people can go watch online with Spongebob Squarepants and a Battle Royal so if anyone wants go check that out they can't do it please do because i don't watch the matches before i commentate on them i do it as a winner so you get my natural reactions and that was just when i saw spongebob come out i was like oh i don't know how to what am i doing here think i may have said am i in a dream or am i if i'd be drinking i said something to the point of essentially what the f is happening here because spongebob's arrived and he's beating up catwoman what's happening It was like, oh yeah, it was a cosplay match and you thought, right, okay, you've got this person, that person. remember at one point, I think Martin McAlso graciously, oh sorry, luckily got thrown out the ring before Smudge Pop came. I was like, thank God. I don't want to be coming on the podcast being like, yeah, Martin's not going to be on this episode today. He got bodied by SpongeBob and he's currently in A&E. Let's say a quick prayer for him. A one minute silence, if you will. I was like, Jesus, how am I going explain that? Honestly, that is burning to my mind. I feel as if. you're kind of unsure about wrestling and there's a match going on a comic-con genuinely go and see it because i feel as if that is usually the more silly mean there are serious bouts and things that they do have but there's also kind of sillier ones for all ages and the cosplay ones honestly they are so fantastic because even remember think It was Martin that was saying that he was wrestling in front of, oh, who was it? It was Eric something. was the guy who voices James from the Pokemon anime. And he was dressed up as James. And I was like, oh, okay, man. That must have been out just, you know, you think nowhere else but a con is where that would happen. And again, between that, between the fact that SpongeBob was walking around with Pyramid Head around the con floor, and I'm like, I don't know how going to explain this on the podcast. To be like, yeah, it was fine, you know. We had the Artist Alley, we had the vendors, they were great, the wrestling was fine, and we had an unmentionable horror stalking around the con. Oh, and Pyramid Head, of course. it was the same cosplay con Battle Royal that had Astrid Day appear as Johnny 2x4, which unleashed a bunch of cartoon network memories, which I forgot that I even had. yeah. What a time. What time to be alive. That actually really depressed me because there was a lot of kids who didn't get the reference. And I was like, it really hurts me see when they come out in the cosplay. Immediately, know what it is. And then the kids are like, is that thing from Fortnite? And I'm like, no, no. That's it. I'm gone. Sorry, Comic-Con. I gotta go.
01:30:04
Speaker
Apparently I've got to get my hip replaced. Bring the dragon. Get them swiping. Take out these kids with the tail. Let's go. Let's go. Put subway surfers on the bottom of the ring. It'll be fine. But yeah. On that horrifying note, of course. Billy, thank you so, so much for coming in Chatsunami. It's been an absolute blast having you on. I've had a great... I can't believe we've been going two hours. I was looking at your other interviews and that and I know do some long form ones as well but thought generally we'll be here an hour we'll be all good but it's just that's the beauty of doing things like this it's just finding that natural that common ground to speak about and we just yeah here we are two hours later I mean to keep saying two hours depending on the edit it could be an hour I don't know depends how harsh you are with my tangents but no I've had an absolute blast I'm glad that we finally got this done and I got to speak about the thing I was going to say the thing love most but that's incorrect obviously it's my family but yeah yeah for legal reasons yes I'll say the medium that I love the most, which is professional wrestling. So I'm glad that I got to, because usually I'm the one trying to steer the ship of questions and it's been quite nice just to be unleashed and let me just ramble about the thing that has been in my life for nearly 30 years. It's been great. Thank you very much. It honestly has been absolutely brilliant because have to say, have had guests on before that have said, oh, sorry, I've been rambling. And I was like, well, if you didn't, there wouldn't be a podcast in. It's like, yeah, if you turn around went, so, what do you think of wrestling? Yeah, it's fine. Then it'd be a very short episode. Why are you asking? Who knows he's over here? None of your business, thank you very much. I think I said that to someone as a joke once and then I had to apologise right away and be like, I am so sorry as a joke. For legal reasons, it's a joke. But no, it has been a brilliant episode and I do have to get you back on. It's been a long time in the making to actually get you on. to the podcast, I've been meaning to say for ages, yeah, come on. I've been the same. I've been the same. You keep asking for folk to contact, you're like, really should. I really should, and I just never have. So we've got here, we'll find something else to talk about. Oh, absolutely. I mean, there's hundreds of wrestling films out there, let's face it. And I don't mean as in films about wrestling, I mean films that have wrestlers incorporated into them. So yeah, honestly, there's hundreds we could talk about, definitely. So you're welcome back any time. But before we wrap up, where can the amazing Pandalorians listening at home find your content? Well, I mean, I don't like brag about it, but we've got a Patreon. Patreon.com. Yes, less than two pounds a month. You can join for ad-free versions of the podcast, the audio version, updates and stuff like that as well. But Really, if you don't want to listen to the first 30 second ad, then you can pay it and can listen to early. Sometimes it's like days in advance. Sometimes it's weeks, depending on how organized I am. And you follow us at Scott Resnet on everything. I'm at a point where it has to be that because it's been like that for so long. But I'm so wishing I'd pick something else like SWN Scotland or something, you know. But here we are. Website is SWNScotland.com, funnily enough, which it's got a lot. I don't know how much more it's just got a lot. Oh, it does.
01:32:58
Speaker
There's results, reviews, there's articles, there's links to other podcasts. I do preview shows. We're expanding into watch alongs. I'm doing Valor live stream watch alongs on Fridays and 10 o'clock, which is two hours past my bedtime. So it's quite a bramble. Eventually there was an episode I yawned quite a lot and it wasn't due to the show. it's just because it's after 10 o'clock. So after eight o'clock and it's kind to dodgy ground for me i ramble i don't know if anyone's noticed yeah you can follow us at scott resnet on everything and preferably youtube if you could because yeah the audio numbers are incredible i want to get those video numbers up so if anyone has youtube if anyone has youtube that's my age there have you got the youtube the old youtube yeah I would have to use the cringe phrase of please like, share and subscribe. That would be fantastic. And yeah, I was about to throw it back to you to plug your own stuff because I'm in post mode. But yes, that's where you can find me anyway. Instagram mostly is where you'll find And I just want to reiterate that honestly, your stuff is absolutely fantastic. So even you're you're not a wrestling fan and you're really curious after this conversation about the world of scottish wrestling definitely go check out swn it is really fascinating to listen to both your interviews billy and again i'm not just saying that because the paypal check as i said is cleared no and i'll see it's a great lesson and yeah the website there's honestly hundreds there are it's like the grand library of wrestling so genuinely go check it out is absolutely brilliant but if you would like to listen to more episodes from ourselves and then of course you can listen to us on our website chattsunami.com as well as all good podcast apps I also want to thank our amazing Pandalorian patrons Robotic Battletoaster Ghosty and Cryptic 1991 thank you so so much for supporting the show and if you would like early access to episodes, bonus content, commentary tracks, as well as the uncut 10-hour conversation between Billy and I, for legal reasons that last one's a joke, check us out at our Patreon page, patreon.com forward slash chat tsunami. This podcast is a proud member of the PodPack Collective. For more information, check us out at our Twitter slash x page at PodPackCollect. Until next time, thank you all so, so much for listening. Stay safe, stay awesome, and most importantly, stay hydrated.