I don’t know what it is, but if you get a decent number of film geeks together, at some point the discussion will turn to professional wrestling. Certainly within my generation, it seems that many geeks are either very open or totally closeted wrestling fans. There’s something fantastical about this particular form of entertainment that draws us in. Maybe it is the storytelling, or maybe it is just that it is a niche segment of pop culture, but many geeks (like myself) are drawn to this world of sports entertainment.Memphis Heat: The True Story of Memphis Wrasslin’ is a documentary that looks to examine one of the most bombastic sections of pro-wrestling history. The Memphis territory! A notoriously rowdy crowd that took their wrestling very serious, and in a time where kayfabe was strictly enforced, this was a era in wrestling that could never be duplicated. Featuring numerous interviews with those who were there, Memphis Heat is even being referred to as one of the best films of the year!
On December 1st, Jerry “the King” Lawler, who stars in the documentary and was a God within Memphis during this period, will be celebrating his birthday and talking on NPR about Memphis Heat: The True Story of Memphis Wrasslin’. Lawler will speak with Bob Edwards about the film, as well as his time with the WWE, and you can tune in on Sirius/XM Public Radio (XM 121/Sirius 205) Thursday, December 1. The show will also run on NPR’s Bob Edwards Show the weekend of December 3/4th (depending on local airtimes). Tune in and check it out!