HTM/TNA Controversy (Honky Tonk Man)

[proofinlife]

Okay, so for those of us who have been reading the dirtsheets over the last month or so, we've been seeing little snippets of some drama going on between Honky Tonk Man, and Hulk Hogan/Eric Bischoff. Unfortunately TNA has been a victim in all of this, but that's another matter.

To begin all this, Honky started some rumors about himself online by going on a radio show and claiming that he was in talks with Hulkster/Eric/Dixie about a possible contract and run with TNA, which brought about the following from Eric Bischoff on Howard Stern's Radio show :

Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff appeared on Howard 101 on Friday with Bubba The Love Sponge to give "The State of TNA" address.

Bischoff's response to Honky Tonk Man saying he's coming to TNA:

"I'd rather drive a rusty icepick through my eye than work a day with him."

"Honky's worthless and can't draw flies."

Bischoff said the story is complete BS

Now, after reading this, you can obviously see that Bischoff was stating some obvious facts here. Honky is far passed his prime, and it's true, he can't draw flies anymore. Also, past news reports have gone on and on about how Honky is one of the hardest men to work with in wrestling because he suffers from a "Self-Importance" complex, where he still believes that he's a huge, relevant name in today's wrestling world. Anyhoo, after Bischoff made these statements, Honky's lawyers responded to Howard Stern/Bubba the Love Sponge, and Hulk Hogan/Bischoff with the following :

The following was posted on HonkyTonkMan.net:

To Todd Alan Clem, AKA Bubba the love Sponge:

We have honored your request to remove any of your photos and video from our site. We have a request to make of you. We would like to have copies of all the Eric Bischoff interview segments where he mentions HTM. We feel we are in a strong position to pursue defamation of character from Mr. Bischoff’s statements concerning HTM’s value to the wrestling industry.

These tapes will be passed on to our attorney for him to decide if we should pursue this issue. Mr. Clem is not a party to this action at this time. Mr. Bischoff who represents TNA as an official and executive of TNA will have to answer for his derogatory remarks much like Mr. Russo had to answer for his words concerning his comments about Hulk Hogan on a WCW broadcast. Mr. Hogan could become a party to this action since he has said he is in charge of the day to day operations of TNA and was on the same segment of Mr. Clem’s radio show when the defaming statements were made.

We pray for a timely response to our request.

So, he's suing for defamation of character, and most likely any other little legally legit case he can bring forth, based on what Hulk and Bischoff said during a live radio show that was simply their own opinions of the man (which, granted, can be sued for).

After weeks and weeks of this boiling down, it has come to the final straw, in which Honky final sets straight that he lied, and was never in any talks with TNA about any sort of run, next quote :

Honky Tonk Man referred to himself as the "Most Controversial Figure in Professional Wrestling." Gary replied that "with the most controversial figure in professional wrestling and the most controversial internet wrestling radio show things could get insane."

HTM didn't waste anytime laying jabs into certain people. His first target was TNA's Bubba the Love Sponge, whom he referred to as Todd Alan Clem, which was Bubba's old legal name. HTM mentioned that he was in Bubba's old hometown of Warsaw Indiana recently and claimed that the people of Warsaw "ran that fat prick out of town."

He claimed the people saw Bubba as "common ordinary Trailer Park trash." Gary asked HTM about his first experience on the Bubba show. "I was ambushed on that show" replied HTM referring to the time he was tricked onto Bubba's show. Gary mentioned that it was "Spice Boy" (Matt Loyd) who hosted the fake show that lured HTM on. "I wouldn't recognize him if he came out of my ass," Honky said in reference to Spice Boy. HTM mentioned that he was done speaking of Mr. Clem and wanted to move on asking Gary who he wanted him to shoot on next.

Gary said he wanted to talk about HTM's ass whooping list. According to HTM the top of the list was TNA's Eric Bischoff. "If Eric Bischoff was laying on the side of the road and his heart was on fire, I'd don't even think I'd stop to piss in his mouth." said the Honky Tonk Man. At this point, what Honky Tonk Man doesn't realize is that Spice Boy is waiting on hold and can hear all of what HTM is saying. Gary mentions that he has a few callers on the line that want to speak to him and HTM says he doesn't want to talk to any of those "Bubba Army" guys but he welcomed controversy.

Gary welcomes the first "caller." The caller identifies himself as Matt from the Bubba show. The insults begin to fly between these two, with quite a bit of expletives too much for one recap to contain. To hear all of the "good stuff" you'll have to listen to the show. One piece of interesting information is when the Honky Tonk Man laughed and said he worked everybody and admitted that there never was talks or a deal with TNA.

Spice Boy said the sad part was that the Honky Tonk Man probably thought he had a chance with TNA. "I worked you f---ers all the way to the very end, there was no deal," said the Honky Tonk Man. To hear the entire 15 minute uncensored confrontation, head over to **external link in spoiler**

Spoiler

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/theshoot and select Episode #154.

So, in the end after some childish banter with one of Bubba's lackey's, HTM came out and admitted everything that Hogan and Bischoff said about his apparent "talks" with TNA on Howard Stern.

With all this out of the way, here is what I am trying to get to :

Honky obviously was not in any talks with TNA from the beginning, as anyone with a lick of common sense in their brain could see even this washup was far too washed up for TNA, and would never have been signed to any contract with them as a performer. He said all this to get a rise out of anyone involved with TNA to garner some attention to him that no one has been willing to give for the better part of 15 years, and, he got that rise, in the form of brutally honest comments from Eric Bischoff.

This was all premeditated by HTM, obviously. Now he he is suing for defamation of character.

Do you think it is possible that HTM actually trolled Bisch and Hulk to get these comments, and planned from the very beginning to use this as a stage for a lawsuit and get some easy money? Also, what are your opinions on Honky Tonk Man during this situation? Do you still respect him/Did you ever?

We all know the man can't even get booked on the indies any more, so to me it seems pretty obvious. He isn't doing very well financially, and his whole life's income has been based on his 15 year run in major promotions across wrestling, to which he has been living the last 15 years signing autographs, doing online interviews, and doing conventions.

I believe he did, from the very beginning, and it was all just a ridiculous ploy to get money out of two men that he knew had much more than he has.

 

[jbwphoto1]

I was an HTM fan from close to the beginning in WWF(E). Not for his in-ring work (which is almost non-existent), not for his good looks or cool ring attire (never had either), but for his ability to draw heat. If I remember correctly, HTM was originally supposed to be a face, but the crowds did not take to him. His full heel turn involved him telling the fans to screw themselves because he knew how great he was and didn't need them to confirm. And all he did was imitate a rock and roll legend from his home state. Some call it X-Pac Heat, but HTM had it long before.

But I digress. I had respect for HTM for keeping with the business and changing as his life and the times did. He knew headlining was gone. He knew no major organization would have him. So he went for the indies. When that no longer worked, he went to the conventions and autograph signings. Now with that no longer working, it appears he has become a "suer rat," one who sues people to make his money. It's sad. Really sad. And what's the deal with his supposedly turning down WWE Hall of Fame? Vince is trying to do him a favor and put a little change in HTM's pocket.

And you know something else? When Hulk first showed up in TNA, my husband and I laughed and asked, "When's the Honky Tonk Man going to get here?"

 

[Schizophrenic]

I've lost more and more repsect for him as the years go by. I think hisa main issue in life is that his cousin is more popular than he ever was. When you can only sue people to make your money and live you have become nothing more than a worthless piece of crap and below the scum of the earth.

 

[Tastycles]

Honky Tonk Man has also been chatting shit about the WWE Hall of Fame recently too. The guy is obviously just trying to put a bit of limelight on himself, probably because he's got some sort of shit book or shoot video trying to come out. He'll get laughed out of court if he did try and go anywhere with it in that respect, and I just think it is a case of a hasbeen trying to get a bit of attention, and because the IWC is the way it is, it's worked.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

I never really cared for The Honky Tonk Man, and I still don't. He's one of those guys that keeps desperately clinging to the little bit of fame he had back in the day. His IC title reign was ended by Warrior of all people, and he was squashed by him in about 30 seconds.

Honky is probably trying to get some spotlight shed on him because he is pretty much forgetton by everyone. I was keeping my fingers crossed because I was hoping he would never end up in TNA. They don't need him at all....he would serve no purpose in TNA except for getting a quick paycheck for himself. He should remain on the independent circuit, signing autographs and making appearances because it's where he belongs.

 

[Mr. TM]

Just trying to scrap a paycheck out of somewhere. Honky Tonk man's existence is pretty sad at this point, trying anything to get into the spotlight one last time, before crying himself to sleep at night. I'm sure it was all his doing, trying to get relevenr out of the rise of TNA.

 

[klunderbunker]

He's one of the worst examples of the sadness that comes out of people that have nowhere else to go outside of wrestling. Honky was a huge deal for about a year and then just was worthless after the payoff of this run at Summerslam. The guy hasn't drawn money in about twenty two years at this point and there's no shock to me at all that there's no reason to book him now in a company like TNA. He got a job in WCW because of Hogan and now he's trying to do that again. Good for TNA to keep him out of there. The Bubba vs. Honky thing really is saddening.