Saturday Night: WCW Wrestling, Video Games and MonsterVision

A Letter of appreciation from @DarwinFinch3

I first remembered seeing MonsterVision as a kid on TNT at my grandmothers house where I would stay most weekends when I visited my cousin.

I grew up in NH, which has its fair share of rednecks and also its fair share of upper class preppy types. I did not fall into either of these categories and thus was tormented by both groups. The preps hated me for being poor and not fashionable, the rednecks hated me for not caring about cars or fishing, and they all hated me for liking pro wrestling, comic books, and horror movies.

So I would be lying if at first I was hesitant about Joe Bob, for being a self proclaimed redneck, but as I watched the show, when it came to the movies he was speaking my language. He was funny, insightful, and showing things you couldn’t find on other stations. Not only that, but he wasn’t bashing them like other hosts might, he was celebrating the weird, geeky, goofy, and gross. My Saturday night routine became WCW, video games, MonsterVision.

Now I’m an adult and to say those days don’t have an influence on who I am now would be a blatant lie. I am an independent pro wrestler, I play video games with my kids, and watch the Last Drive-In. My oldest son who watches with me is an aspiring filmmaker himself and is in a specialized high school program designed for those who want to follow a path in filmmaking. We love JBB and Darcy and John and Yuki and everyone who makes that show so entertaining. Do we treat JBB like his word is law? No! I don’t think the man himself would want that. But it creates conversation in my home. He brings us laughs, weird movies (both ones we love and ones we’ve never seen before) and interesting information.

Now my Twitter followers aren’t just pro wrestlers and wrestling fans anymore, but since I’ve been commenting on more horror related and Mutant Fam things, I now have many followers (and followees) in both communities! We never had this when I was young. Back then I thought I was one of the few kids that liked horror movies. Then people started liking mainstream stuff only and I still didn’t feel connected to anyone, but now there’s a whole community that’s into the obscure, the weird, the different.

The Last Drive-In is not just my favorite way to watch movies, but it’s brought me all new friends. I can’t say that about any other show.

Much love Mutant Fam.

- @DarwinFinch3