WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.000 If you queue up the footage of the very first 00:00:03.000 --> 00:00:05.980 match of WrestleMania in the air, you will see 00:00:05.980 --> 00:00:08.720 a masked man. Right. A guy called the Executioner. 00:00:08.740 --> 00:00:13.000 He walks down the aisle and ultimately he loses 00:00:13.000 --> 00:00:15.080 to Tito Santana. Yeah, that's how it went down. 00:00:15.279 --> 00:00:18.300 But what the history books often gloss over is 00:00:18.300 --> 00:00:20.879 that the masked man in the ring that night was 00:00:20.879 --> 00:00:23.260 secretly one of the most important foundational 00:00:23.260 --> 00:00:25.820 architects in the entire industry. He really 00:00:25.820 --> 00:00:28.620 was. So, welcome in. If you're someone who loves 00:00:28.620 --> 00:00:31.019 finding the hidden connective tissue behind pop 00:00:31.019 --> 00:00:33.520 culture history, you are in for a treat today. 00:00:33.859 --> 00:00:36.460 Absolutely. We have a really fascinating stack 00:00:36.460 --> 00:00:38.420 of source material today. It's centered around 00:00:38.420 --> 00:00:41.060 a highly detailed Wikipedia article outlining 00:00:41.060 --> 00:00:45.200 the life, the career, and the unique ring psychology 00:00:45.200 --> 00:00:47.420 of a professional wrestler named Pauly Pershman. 00:00:47.640 --> 00:00:49.719 Though, you know, if you follow the skirt circle 00:00:49.719 --> 00:00:51.539 at all, you almost certainly know him by his 00:00:51.539 --> 00:00:54.359 legendary ring name. Right. Playboy Buddy Rose. 00:00:54.659 --> 00:00:57.320 The Playboy. And I just want to set the stage 00:00:57.320 --> 00:00:59.539 for you listening. Today's mission for this deep 00:00:59.539 --> 00:01:01.880 dive isn't just to recount a standard biography. 00:01:02.490 --> 00:01:05.709 No, as colorful as his life was, we're aiming 00:01:05.709 --> 00:01:08.530 for something a bit deeper here. Exactly. We 00:01:08.530 --> 00:01:10.569 want to explore the psychology of performance 00:01:10.569 --> 00:01:13.709 today. We're looking at how one individual can 00:01:13.709 --> 00:01:18.010 secretly serve as a kingmaker for global superstars. 00:01:18.150 --> 00:01:21.349 Which is wild to think about. It is. And perhaps 00:01:21.349 --> 00:01:23.950 most importantly, we are going to look at how 00:01:23.950 --> 00:01:27.269 leaning into your personal flaws, rather than 00:01:27.269 --> 00:01:30.890 hiding them, can actually create... Absolute 00:01:30.890 --> 00:01:33.129 entertainment gold. Okay, let's unpack this. 00:01:33.250 --> 00:01:35.170 Let's do it. Because to really understand the 00:01:35.170 --> 00:01:37.769 Playboy persona, we have to start at the very 00:01:37.769 --> 00:01:40.530 beginning, long before the glitz and the glamour. 00:01:40.530 --> 00:01:42.590 Right, before Vegas. Yeah, we are starting with 00:01:42.590 --> 00:01:45.469 the man himself. Paul Pershman was born in Omaha, 00:01:45.590 --> 00:01:47.709 Nebraska. Good old Midwest. Born in November 00:01:47.709 --> 00:01:52.750 of 1952. And growing up, he wasn't... He wasn't 00:01:52.750 --> 00:01:54.450 immediately drawn to the wrestling ring. Not 00:01:54.450 --> 00:01:56.409 at all. The sources note his youth was actually 00:01:56.409 --> 00:01:59.290 spent playing traditional sports, baseball, softball, 00:01:59.349 --> 00:02:01.609 hockey. Which is crucial, really. He was building 00:02:01.609 --> 00:02:04.090 this foundational athletic base that would serve 00:02:04.090 --> 00:02:06.689 him incredibly well later on. Yeah, that agility. 00:02:07.390 --> 00:02:10.770 Exactly. It wasn't until the early 1970s that 00:02:10.770 --> 00:02:13.189 he was trained by Vern Gagne and Billy Robinson. 00:02:13.569 --> 00:02:16.250 Two absolute legends. Right. Two men known for 00:02:16.250 --> 00:02:18.810 their rigorous, punishing submission styles. 00:02:19.069 --> 00:02:21.689 Which perfectly sets the stage for his debut. 00:02:21.990 --> 00:02:24.689 And it is one of those debuts that feels almost 00:02:24.689 --> 00:02:27.250 too perfect in hindsight. It really does. So 00:02:27.250 --> 00:02:30.050 it was December 1973. He steps into the ring 00:02:30.050 --> 00:02:32.590 for the first time as a standard babyface. A 00:02:32.590 --> 00:02:35.629 good guy. Right. A good guy wrestling under his 00:02:35.629 --> 00:02:39.289 real name, Paul Pershman. He pulls a 15 -minute 00:02:39.289 --> 00:02:42.650 draw in Rice Lake, Wisconsin. Yeah. And his opponent 00:02:42.650 --> 00:02:45.469 was another rookie named Bob Remus. Which, for 00:02:45.469 --> 00:02:47.530 you listening, you probably know Bob Remus much 00:02:47.530 --> 00:02:49.569 better as the legendary Stoughton Slaughter. 00:02:50.030 --> 00:02:51.729 I mean, think about that visual for a second. 00:02:51.889 --> 00:02:54.330 It's crazy. You have two rookies in Rice Lake, 00:02:54.370 --> 00:02:58.090 Wisconsin, in the dead of winter in 1973, wrestling 00:02:58.090 --> 00:03:00.550 to a standstill for 15 minutes. Both of them 00:03:00.550 --> 00:03:02.770 just figuring out their pacing, their conditioning, 00:03:02.949 --> 00:03:05.370 and how to tell a story in the ring. Paul doesn't 00:03:05.370 --> 00:03:08.849 stay in the Midwest forever. By 1976, he transitions 00:03:08.849 --> 00:03:10.969 out to the Pacific Northwest wrestling territory. 00:03:11.550 --> 00:03:14.229 All right, the PNW. And this is the exact moment 00:03:14.229 --> 00:03:17.689 the Omaha athlete vanishes and playboy Buddy 00:03:17.689 --> 00:03:20.129 Rose is born. What's fascinating here is the 00:03:20.129 --> 00:03:23.669 stark contrast between his actual roots and this 00:03:23.669 --> 00:03:26.210 new persona. It's night and day. Completely. 00:03:26.810 --> 00:03:29.210 To understand why this worked so well, you have 00:03:29.210 --> 00:03:31.449 to understand the landscape of professional wrestling 00:03:31.449 --> 00:03:34.310 in the 1970s. It wasn't what it is today. No, 00:03:34.389 --> 00:03:37.189 this was the era of the territories. It wasn't 00:03:37.189 --> 00:03:39.710 one massive global television product. It was 00:03:39.710 --> 00:03:42.509 a patchwork of regional promotions. Right. And 00:03:42.509 --> 00:03:44.949 the Pacific Northwest was known for its gritty, 00:03:44.949 --> 00:03:48.550 working class, almost lumberjack aesthetic. So 00:03:48.550 --> 00:03:50.689 if you want to make that specific audience hate 00:03:50.689 --> 00:03:54.360 you. You completely shed the Midwestern hardworking 00:03:54.360 --> 00:03:58.060 image. Instead, he becomes a 271 -pound villain 00:03:58.060 --> 00:04:00.599 billed from the glitz, glamour, and excess of 00:04:00.599 --> 00:04:03.219 Las Vegas, Nevada. The psychological contrast 00:04:03.219 --> 00:04:05.280 is brilliant. He starts walking to the ring accompanied 00:04:05.280 --> 00:04:08.750 by women. Yep. He's managed by the infamous Grand 00:04:08.750 --> 00:04:11.189 Wizard. Such a great touch. He is dripping with 00:04:11.189 --> 00:04:14.270 this arrogant persona that completely contradicted 00:04:14.270 --> 00:04:16.430 the local demographic. And it worked. Oh, it 00:04:16.430 --> 00:04:18.790 worked perfectly. And what really stands out 00:04:18.790 --> 00:04:20.990 in the sources is the sheer volume of talent 00:04:20.990 --> 00:04:23.850 he rubbed shoulders with early on. Just murderer's 00:04:23.850 --> 00:04:26.970 row of talent. Exactly. Just looking at the names 00:04:26.970 --> 00:04:30.129 he wrestled while refining this character. Billy 00:04:30.129 --> 00:04:34.290 Graham. Dusty Rhodes. Legends. He was in the 00:04:34.290 --> 00:04:36.790 ring with Khosrow Vaziri, who the world would 00:04:36.790 --> 00:04:41.110 soon know as the Iron Sheik. Wow. This specific 00:04:41.110 --> 00:04:44.389 era and these territories were truly an incubator 00:04:44.389 --> 00:04:46.670 for future superstars. They were all testing 00:04:46.670 --> 00:04:48.589 their characters and learning how to manipulate 00:04:48.589 --> 00:04:50.930 a crowd's emotions. Right, and manipulating a 00:04:50.930 --> 00:04:53.550 crowd is exactly what Buddy Rose excelled at. 00:04:53.730 --> 00:04:56.089 He really did. He understood a fundamental rule 00:04:56.089 --> 00:04:58.269 of storytelling a hero is only as compelling 00:04:58.269 --> 00:05:00.610 as the villain they have to overcome. So true. 00:05:00.829 --> 00:05:04.410 By adopting this flashy, arrogant Las Vegas persona, 00:05:04.730 --> 00:05:07.370 he provided the perfect foil for those gritty 00:05:07.370 --> 00:05:09.670 heroes of the territories. He was giving the 00:05:09.670 --> 00:05:11.250 audience... But he ends a focal point for their 00:05:11.250 --> 00:05:13.670 frustration. Which brings us to the next massive 00:05:13.670 --> 00:05:16.029 phase of his career. And here's where it gets 00:05:16.029 --> 00:05:18.470 really interesting. Because Buddy Rose didn't 00:05:18.470 --> 00:05:21.350 just play a great character. He became the ultimate 00:05:21.350 --> 00:05:23.850 ring catalyst for other people's success. He 00:05:23.850 --> 00:05:26.449 was a kingmaker. Let's look at an anecdote from 00:05:26.449 --> 00:05:31.250 1979 in Portland, Oregon. Buddy Rose wrestles 00:05:31.250 --> 00:05:35.069 a young, fiery PNW heavyweight champion to a 00:05:35.069 --> 00:05:38.410 draw. And who was that champion? Rowdy, Roddy 00:05:38.410 --> 00:05:40.910 Piper. There you go. Now that alone is a cool 00:05:40.910 --> 00:05:43.589 piece of trivia, but Piper actually went on the 00:05:43.589 --> 00:05:46.550 record in his own autobiography and stated that 00:05:46.550 --> 00:05:49.910 this specific feud with Buddy Rose is what established 00:05:49.910 --> 00:05:52.370 his name in the wrestling business. That's huge. 00:05:52.769 --> 00:05:54.680 Buddy literally put him on the map. That is a 00:05:54.680 --> 00:05:56.839 crucial point, and it establishes a pattern that 00:05:56.839 --> 00:05:59.459 defines Buddy Rose's entire legacy. Elevating 00:05:59.459 --> 00:06:01.720 others. Elevating others, exactly. If we look 00:06:01.720 --> 00:06:04.720 further down the timeline to his 1986 run in 00:06:04.720 --> 00:06:07.120 the American Wrestling Association, the AWA, 00:06:07.339 --> 00:06:10.519 we see the exact same dynamic play out. Right, 00:06:10.600 --> 00:06:13.480 the tag team run. Yes, Rose forms a tag team 00:06:13.480 --> 00:06:15.959 with Doug Summers, and they enter into a heated, 00:06:16.040 --> 00:06:18.180 bloody feud with a young up -and -coming tag 00:06:18.180 --> 00:06:20.759 team called the Midnight Rockers. And those two 00:06:20.759 --> 00:06:23.040 young guys were Marty Jannetty and Shawn Michaels. 00:06:23.199 --> 00:06:25.459 I have to pause you there because that contrast 00:06:25.459 --> 00:06:29.139 is wild to picture. It really is. You have Buddy 00:06:29.139 --> 00:06:32.379 Rose and Doug Summers, these gritty, seasoned, 00:06:32.560 --> 00:06:35.720 slightly older veterans. Yeah. Going up against 00:06:35.720 --> 00:06:38.040 Shawn Michaels and Marty Janady, who are flying 00:06:38.040 --> 00:06:41.220 around the ring in bright neon. Exactly. It's 00:06:41.220 --> 00:06:44.699 the perfect clash of styles. And again, Shawn 00:06:44.699 --> 00:06:47.660 Michaels himself specifically credits this exact 00:06:47.660 --> 00:06:50.399 feud with Rose and Summers for taking their team 00:06:50.399 --> 00:06:53.579 to the next level. Amazing. Buddy Rose was essentially 00:06:53.579 --> 00:06:56.220 polishing the rough diamonds of the industry. 00:06:56.439 --> 00:06:58.720 He was teaching them ring psychology, timing, 00:06:58.800 --> 00:07:01.120 and how to pace a match so the audience stays 00:07:01.120 --> 00:07:04.199 invested from the opening bell to the final pinfall. 00:07:04.360 --> 00:07:06.079 But wait, I want to ask about the mechanics of 00:07:06.079 --> 00:07:08.100 this. Sure. Because I keep getting stuck on this 00:07:08.100 --> 00:07:09.899 idea of him constantly putting other people on 00:07:09.899 --> 00:07:12.439 the map. Okay. If Buddy Rose's role is constantly 00:07:12.439 --> 00:07:14.800 elevating guys like Roddy Piper or Shawn Michaels, 00:07:15.000 --> 00:07:17.699 how does he keep the crowd engaged with his own 00:07:17.699 --> 00:07:19.839 character? Doesn't a villain lose their threat 00:07:19.839 --> 00:07:22.000 level if they're constantly acting as the stepping 00:07:22.000 --> 00:07:25.009 stone? That is a phenomenal question, and it 00:07:25.009 --> 00:07:27.089 speaks to the hidden art form of the industry. 00:07:27.269 --> 00:07:29.730 Well, in a business that was notoriously built 00:07:29.730 --> 00:07:32.829 on massive egos and protective politics, where 00:07:32.829 --> 00:07:35.629 your spot on the card directly dictated your 00:07:35.629 --> 00:07:38.009 paycheck losing was a financial risk. Right. 00:07:38.110 --> 00:07:40.610 You don't want to look weak. Exactly. But Buddy 00:07:40.610 --> 00:07:43.649 Rose possessed an incredibly rare selfless skill. 00:07:43.930 --> 00:07:46.230 Promoters knew they could trust him. He was reliable. 00:07:46.990 --> 00:07:49.610 Extremely. They knew that if they put their rising 00:07:49.610 --> 00:07:53.000 star in the ring with him, Rose would bum. Meaning 00:07:53.000 --> 00:07:55.579 he'd take the physical falls. Right. He would 00:07:55.579 --> 00:07:58.300 take the falls and act hurt with such conviction 00:07:58.300 --> 00:08:01.079 that it made his opponent look incredibly dangerous. 00:08:01.459 --> 00:08:03.180 So he made the illusion real for the audience. 00:08:03.560 --> 00:08:06.480 Precisely. And he would maintain his own heat, 00:08:06.540 --> 00:08:08.879 his own threat level by cheating or complaining 00:08:08.879 --> 00:08:11.579 to the referee or using surprising bursts of 00:08:11.579 --> 00:08:14.040 agility to temporarily outmaneuver the hero. 00:08:14.399 --> 00:08:16.500 Ah, I see. He didn't need to win every match 00:08:16.500 --> 00:08:19.040 to be hated. He just needed to be infuriating. 00:08:19.220 --> 00:08:22.039 Which brings us right back to WrestleMania. in 00:08:22.039 --> 00:08:26.160 1985. The grand stage. Right. The World Wrestling 00:08:26.160 --> 00:08:28.699 Federation is putting on the biggest gamble in 00:08:28.699 --> 00:08:31.720 the history of the business. Vince McMahon needs 00:08:31.720 --> 00:08:34.299 the first match of the night to set the pace 00:08:34.299 --> 00:08:36.480 for the entire event. He cannot afford a dud. 00:08:36.820 --> 00:08:40.039 He can't. And Buddy Rose is there. But he's not 00:08:40.039 --> 00:08:42.919 Playboy Buddy Rose. No, he's under a mask. Managed 00:08:42.919 --> 00:08:45.659 by Bobby Heenan, Rose is put under a mask called 00:08:45.659 --> 00:08:48.610 the Executioner. And he goes out there to lose 00:08:48.610 --> 00:08:51.710 to Tito Santana in the inaugural match. It's 00:08:51.710 --> 00:08:53.850 incredible when you think about it. The literal 00:08:53.850 --> 00:08:56.909 opening bell of the biggest wrestling franchise 00:08:56.909 --> 00:09:00.570 in history features Buddy Rose doing the honors 00:09:00.570 --> 00:09:03.149 for someone else. It's the perfect synthesis 00:09:03.149 --> 00:09:06.009 of his value. We talk a lot about enhancement 00:09:06.009 --> 00:09:08.850 talent or being a veteran worker, and sometimes 00:09:08.850 --> 00:09:10.970 those terms are used almost dismissively. Like 00:09:10.970 --> 00:09:13.129 they're just background characters. Right. But 00:09:13.129 --> 00:09:15.690 the reality is, whether he was giving Roddy Piper 00:09:15.690 --> 00:09:17.909 his edge, taking Shawn Michaels to the main event 00:09:17.909 --> 00:09:20.490 level, or setting the pace for the very first 00:09:20.490 --> 00:09:23.090 match in WrestleMania history, he was silently 00:09:23.090 --> 00:09:25.809 shaping the golden era of wrestling from the 00:09:25.809 --> 00:09:27.830 shadows. And he didn't just stay in the shadows 00:09:27.830 --> 00:09:30.149 either. No, he did not. Let's fast forward a 00:09:30.149 --> 00:09:34.590 bit. To his 1990 to 1991 return to the WWF. Oh, 00:09:34.669 --> 00:09:37.629 this is a great era. Because this is where his 00:09:37.629 --> 00:09:39.970 genius for character work really shines through 00:09:39.970 --> 00:09:43.870 in a totally different way. By this point in 00:09:43.870 --> 00:09:46.830 his life, the sources note he had gained a significant 00:09:46.830 --> 00:09:49.629 amount of weight. Yes. And a lot of performers 00:09:49.629 --> 00:09:51.730 would try to hide that. They might wear a different 00:09:51.730 --> 00:09:54.429 outfit, change their style, or just quietly fade 00:09:54.429 --> 00:09:56.590 away from the national spotlight. But not Buddy. 00:09:56.850 --> 00:09:59.549 Not Buddy. He turns his physical reality into 00:09:59.549 --> 00:10:02.029 a brilliant comical gimmick that drew massive 00:10:02.029 --> 00:10:04.190 reactions from the crowd. If we connect this 00:10:04.190 --> 00:10:06.190 to the bigger picture, this is a masterclass 00:10:06.190 --> 00:10:08.289 in the psychology of self -deprecation. It really 00:10:08.289 --> 00:10:11.149 is. He took a very real, very visible vulnerability, 00:10:11.710 --> 00:10:14.809 weight gain, and he completely weaponized it 00:10:14.809 --> 00:10:18.029 for crowd heat. The routine was hysterical. Tell 00:10:18.029 --> 00:10:19.940 them about the routine. So the ring announcer 00:10:19.940 --> 00:10:22.600 would do the introductions and list Buddy Rose 00:10:22.600 --> 00:10:25.399 at 317 pounds. And Buddy would just immediately 00:10:25.399 --> 00:10:28.279 snap. Yep. He would snatch the microphone right 00:10:28.279 --> 00:10:30.700 out of the announcer's hand and he would angrily 00:10:30.700 --> 00:10:33.600 claim to the entire arena that he was a slim 00:10:33.600 --> 00:10:37.929 trim 217 pounds. And the crowd would just shower 00:10:37.929 --> 00:10:40.690 him with booze. The delusion of it was so funny. 00:10:40.809 --> 00:10:43.070 And what made the delusion work so beautifully 00:10:43.070 --> 00:10:46.490 was the juxtaposition of his size with his actual 00:10:46.490 --> 00:10:48.769 physical ability. Right, because he could still 00:10:48.769 --> 00:10:51.929 move. Oh, easily. Despite tipping the scales 00:10:51.929 --> 00:10:54.870 at over 300 pounds, he maintained incredible 00:10:54.870 --> 00:10:58.490 agility. He had that athletic base from his youth 00:10:58.490 --> 00:11:01.110 in Omaha that we talked about. He would get in 00:11:01.110 --> 00:11:03.490 the ring and do one -handed push -ups. Wait, 00:11:03.490 --> 00:11:05.529 over 300 pounds and he's dropping down to do 00:11:05.529 --> 00:11:08.110 one -handed push -ups? Yes. In the middle of 00:11:08.110 --> 00:11:10.830 the ring. And he would do kip -ups. For those 00:11:10.830 --> 00:11:12.830 listening, that's when you're lying flat on your 00:11:12.830 --> 00:11:14.769 back and you pop up to your feet in one fluid 00:11:14.769 --> 00:11:17.590 motion. Exactly. He would even challenge highly 00:11:17.590 --> 00:11:20.980 muscular sculpted opponents to pose downs in 00:11:20.980 --> 00:11:23.159 the middle of the ring, flexing as if he were 00:11:23.159 --> 00:11:25.960 a bodybuilder. It is hilarious. He was incredibly 00:11:25.960 --> 00:11:27.960 light on his feet, which only made the character 00:11:27.960 --> 00:11:30.480 more infuriating for the audience. They couldn't 00:11:30.480 --> 00:11:32.559 just dismiss him as out of shape because he was 00:11:32.559 --> 00:11:35.480 out wrestling their favorite heroes. There are 00:11:35.480 --> 00:11:37.840 two incredible details from the sources that 00:11:37.840 --> 00:11:40.539 highlight how self -aware this entire run was. 00:11:40.840 --> 00:11:43.500 Let's hear them. First, Buddy Rose claimed that 00:11:43.500 --> 00:11:46.179 Vince McMahon allegedly told the entire locker 00:11:46.179 --> 00:11:49.159 room, I want everybody to work out, except for 00:11:49.159 --> 00:11:52.570 Buddy. Wow. The promoter knew the weight was 00:11:52.570 --> 00:11:54.830 the entire hook of the gimmick. Makes perfect 00:11:54.830 --> 00:11:58.429 sense. And second, Buddy Rose filmed this legendary 00:11:58.429 --> 00:12:01.289 faux infomercial for something called the Buddy 00:12:01.289 --> 00:12:03.990 Rose Blow Away Diet. I am so glad you brought 00:12:03.990 --> 00:12:06.429 this up. It's iconic. You just have to picture 00:12:06.429 --> 00:12:08.750 this. The premise was that he was pouring this 00:12:08.750 --> 00:12:11.429 special dietary powder all over his body. Right. 00:12:11.549 --> 00:12:14.090 And then instead of exercising, he would literally 00:12:14.090 --> 00:12:17.129 just turn on a standard household desk fan and 00:12:17.129 --> 00:12:19.509 blow the powder off himself. Just blowing it 00:12:19.509 --> 00:12:21.690 away. And of course, the punchline is that after 00:12:21.690 --> 00:12:24.679 the blow away. he looked exactly the same zero 00:12:24.679 --> 00:12:27.799 result zero result he just stands there completely 00:12:27.799 --> 00:12:30.600 deadpan acting like it's a revolutionary fitness 00:12:30.600 --> 00:12:33.820 breakthrough brilliant unapologetic physical 00:12:33.820 --> 00:12:37.419 comedy it takes a profound lack of ego to allow 00:12:37.419 --> 00:12:39.960 yourself to be the punchline on national television 00:12:39.960 --> 00:12:41.720 for the sake of the audience's entertainment 00:12:41.720 --> 00:12:44.340 definitely you are inviting millions of people 00:12:44.340 --> 00:12:47.110 to laugh at your physique It's easy for us to 00:12:47.110 --> 00:12:49.629 laugh at the blow -away diet, and Buddy certainly 00:12:49.629 --> 00:12:52.450 wanted us to. But we have to remember that when 00:12:52.450 --> 00:12:55.809 a performer makes their physical flaws the punchline, 00:12:55.970 --> 00:12:59.210 they are often using comedy as a shield. That's 00:12:59.210 --> 00:13:01.509 a very valid point. Let's look behind that curtain 00:13:01.509 --> 00:13:03.309 because we want to bring the story back down 00:13:03.309 --> 00:13:05.889 to earth and talk about... the human being paul 00:13:05.889 --> 00:13:08.649 pershman we do away from the bright lights the 00:13:08.649 --> 00:13:11.710 loud crowds and the vegas persona he was a man 00:13:11.710 --> 00:13:15.370 with a rich complex personal life yeah he was 00:13:15.370 --> 00:13:18.429 he loved motown music he had two dachshunds that 00:13:18.429 --> 00:13:22.029 he absolutely adored named prince and penny that's 00:13:22.029 --> 00:13:24.070 a great detail over the course of his life he 00:13:24.070 --> 00:13:26.750 was married three times first to lynette with 00:13:26.750 --> 00:13:29.649 whom he had a daughter alexia Then a brief marriage 00:13:29.649 --> 00:13:32.289 to Tony Osborne, the sister of fellow wrestler 00:13:32.289 --> 00:13:35.409 Matt Osborne. Right. And finally, to Tammy Marie 00:13:35.409 --> 00:13:37.830 Kelly, a fan from the Pacific Northwest who he 00:13:37.830 --> 00:13:40.070 was married to from 1990 until the end of his 00:13:40.070 --> 00:13:42.789 life. He also leaves behind four grandchildren. 00:13:43.190 --> 00:13:45.929 The sources also ask us to delicately look at 00:13:45.929 --> 00:13:48.309 the darker realities of his journey. Yes, they 00:13:48.309 --> 00:13:51.549 do. The road takes a toll. The pressure to maintain 00:13:51.549 --> 00:13:54.330 a character, to perform through pain, and to 00:13:54.330 --> 00:13:56.629 constantly draw the anger of the crowd. It's 00:13:56.629 --> 00:13:59.509 an immense psychological weight. It is a delicate 00:13:59.509 --> 00:14:02.529 duality. Those personal shadows were very real. 00:14:02.750 --> 00:14:05.350 They always are. That lifelong struggle with 00:14:05.350 --> 00:14:08.029 obesity that he turned into a comedy routine. 00:14:08.470 --> 00:14:11.929 It had severe real -world consequences leading 00:14:11.929 --> 00:14:14.929 to serious blood sugar issues and diabetes. And 00:14:14.929 --> 00:14:17.460 it didn't stop there. No. Furthermore, the sources 00:14:17.460 --> 00:14:20.220 detail that he battled a severe cocaine addiction 00:14:20.220 --> 00:14:23.139 for years. It was rampant back then. It was. 00:14:23.500 --> 00:14:26.559 The pressure of the 1980s wrestling schedule, 00:14:26.799 --> 00:14:28.720 driving hundreds of miles a night, wrestling 00:14:28.720 --> 00:14:32.059 300 days a year, often pushed performers towards 00:14:32.059 --> 00:14:34.519 substance abuse just to keep going. Just to survive 00:14:34.519 --> 00:14:36.919 the schedule. For Buddy, it ultimately reached 00:14:36.919 --> 00:14:39.919 a breaking point that required a six -week outpatient 00:14:39.919 --> 00:14:42.539 rehab to overcome. It's a sobering reminder that 00:14:42.539 --> 00:14:44.320 connects directly back to you, the listener. 00:14:44.779 --> 00:14:47.179 It's a dynamic we see across so many forms of 00:14:47.179 --> 00:14:49.379 media and performance. How do you mean? The brightest, 00:14:49.419 --> 00:14:51.399 most entertaining figures, the ones who give 00:14:51.399 --> 00:14:54.720 us the most joy and laughter, are often battling 00:14:54.720 --> 00:14:57.879 intense personal shadows just to get through 00:14:57.879 --> 00:15:00.720 the day. The line between the performer and the 00:15:00.720 --> 00:15:03.879 person blurs, and the physical toll is undeniable. 00:15:04.100 --> 00:15:07.059 Which makes his ability to navigate through those 00:15:07.059 --> 00:15:10.360 shadows and find a more settled late career all 00:15:10.360 --> 00:15:12.440 the more compelling. He didn't just fade into 00:15:12.440 --> 00:15:15.679 the ether. He didn't. The sources show him finding 00:15:15.679 --> 00:15:18.720 his footing again in the early 90s, having revivals 00:15:18.720 --> 00:15:21.399 in his old stomping grounds of the PNW, and winning 00:15:21.399 --> 00:15:23.639 titles in smaller promotions. Getting back to 00:15:23.639 --> 00:15:26.360 his roots. Yeah. And he transitioned into the 00:15:26.360 --> 00:15:29.259 mid to late 90s by hosting a call -in radio talk 00:15:29.259 --> 00:15:31.960 show in Portland. That's a great pivot. It allowed 00:15:31.960 --> 00:15:34.139 him to stay connected to the fans without taking 00:15:34.139 --> 00:15:36.870 the physical bumps in the ring every night. He 00:15:36.870 --> 00:15:39.470 eventually had a final retirement match in 2005 00:15:39.470 --> 00:15:42.370 at an event called Wrestle Reunion down in Tampa, 00:15:42.629 --> 00:15:45.149 teaming with his longtime partner, Colonel De 00:15:45.149 --> 00:15:48.029 Beers. And even after he officially retired from 00:15:48.029 --> 00:15:50.509 in -ring competition, he stayed connected to 00:15:50.509 --> 00:15:52.769 the lifeblood of the industry. He opened a wrestling 00:15:52.769 --> 00:15:54.909 school with De Beers in Portland to train the 00:15:54.909 --> 00:15:57.179 next generation. Passing the torch. Exactly. 00:15:57.299 --> 00:15:59.279 Passing on that incredible knowledge of ring 00:15:59.279 --> 00:16:01.720 psychology and timing that had made him so valuable. 00:16:02.379 --> 00:16:05.259 Sadly, Paul Pershman passed away in April of 00:16:05.259 --> 00:16:09.299 2009 at the age of 56. Gone too soon. The medical 00:16:09.299 --> 00:16:11.799 examiner attributed to natural causes, and he 00:16:11.799 --> 00:16:13.720 was found peacefully in his chair at home in 00:16:13.720 --> 00:16:17.059 front of his television by his wife. It's a quiet 00:16:17.059 --> 00:16:19.419 end for a man who lives such a loud, vibrant 00:16:19.419 --> 00:16:22.759 public life. But his impact on the industry is 00:16:22.759 --> 00:16:25.740 indelible. When you trace the lineage of modern 00:16:25.740 --> 00:16:28.659 professional wrestling, the sheer number of legendary 00:16:28.659 --> 00:16:31.399 figures who owe a portion of their early success 00:16:31.399 --> 00:16:34.720 to a program with Buddy Rose is staggering. So 00:16:34.720 --> 00:16:36.679 what does this all mean? Yeah, how do we sum 00:16:36.679 --> 00:16:39.720 it up? When we look at the total legacy of Playboy 00:16:39.720 --> 00:16:42.139 Buddy Rose, we see a man who wasn't always the 00:16:42.139 --> 00:16:44.200 guy on the poster. Right. When the history of 00:16:44.200 --> 00:16:46.779 the 1980s wrestling boom is written, the focus 00:16:46.779 --> 00:16:49.379 is usually on the larger than life heroes holding 00:16:49.379 --> 00:16:52.600 the championship belts. But Buddy Rose was the 00:16:52.600 --> 00:16:55.419 foundation they built their castles on. He was 00:16:55.419 --> 00:16:57.639 the guy making the guys on the poster famous. 00:16:57.860 --> 00:17:00.759 Perfectly said. And beautifully. That legacy 00:17:00.759 --> 00:17:03.960 was officially cemented. when he received a well 00:17:03.960 --> 00:17:06.779 -deserved induction into the WWE Hall of Fame 00:17:06.779 --> 00:17:10.039 Legacy Wing in the class of 2019. Which is a 00:17:10.039 --> 00:17:12.119 great honor. And, you know, this raises an important 00:17:12.119 --> 00:17:14.960 question for you to mull over as we wrap up today's 00:17:14.960 --> 00:17:17.460 deep dive. Let's hear it. We look in a world, 00:17:17.480 --> 00:17:19.839 and especially a modern culture, that is utterly 00:17:19.839 --> 00:17:22.480 obsessed with being the main character. Constantly. 00:17:22.640 --> 00:17:25.339 We are constantly told to center ourselves, to 00:17:25.339 --> 00:17:27.559 be the top star, the face on the billboard, the 00:17:27.559 --> 00:17:29.759 one holding the trophy. But when you look at 00:17:29.759 --> 00:17:32.079 the career of Paul Pershman, you have to ask, 00:17:32.639 --> 00:17:35.180 What can we learn from a man whose greatest, 00:17:35.440 --> 00:17:39.359 most enduring legacy was his unparalleled, selfless 00:17:39.359 --> 00:17:41.660 ability to make the people around him shine? 00:17:42.119 --> 00:17:44.539 That is a phenomenal thought to leave on. A huge 00:17:44.539 --> 00:17:46.200 thank you to you, our listener, for spending 00:17:46.200 --> 00:17:48.059 part of your day with us and joining us on this 00:17:48.059 --> 00:17:50.240 deep dive into the archives. Thanks for listening. 00:17:50.420 --> 00:17:52.119 Until next time, keep looking for the hidden 00:17:52.119 --> 00:17:53.960 stories behind the history. Take care.