GLENN GILBERTTI ON HIS CRITICISM OF WOMEN’S WRESTLING, SCARLETT BORDEAUX, VELVET SKY, MORE
- 03/14/2019 (8:11:20 pm)
- Bob Mulrenin
Show: Interactive Wrestling Radio
Guest: “Disco Inferno” Glenn Gilbertti
Date: 03/14/19
Your Host: James Walsh
Brand new interview!
Last month, we posted the Impact Wrestling “Press Pass Podcast” with Glenn Gilbertti, the former Disco Inferno. During that conference call, Gilbertti went after the women’s revolution in pro wrestling quite hard pointing out logistical holes in the mindset of it all. This view got a lot of attention online and resulted, in part, in Gilbertti now facing Impact Wrestling’s most seductive Knockout Scarlett Bordeaux in a one on one inter-gender match March 29th as Impact Wrestling presents Against All Odds 2019 as a special episode of Impact.
This month, Gilbertti joined the Epicenter exclusively for the first time in 16 years to explain his view and doubled down on everything he expressed in that infamous conference call. And, he goes a step further! I mean, he really hammers that nail home on his views on women’s wrestling, the present women’s wrestling revolution, and the undefined rules of sex appeal in wrestling these days.
Highlights can be read below. Other topics such as Killer Kross and Eli Drake are discussed as well. But, the majority of the conversation circulated around the present women’s wrestling revolution.
Please be sure and check out www.WrestlingEpicenter.com to listen. Be sure and find us on all social media platforms including Facebook at www.facebook.com/wrestlingepicenter and our new Twitter @wepicenter.
“DISCO INFERNO” GLENN GILBERTTI:
On the origin of his problem with Scarlett Bordeaux and women’s wrestling:
“There’s this thing going on called the Women’s Revolution. I’ve been pretty vocal that I’m not a fan of women’s wrestling collectively. I have never said I don’t like all women’s wrestling. I’m entertained by the good stuff. But, what is happening in wrestling these days is we have this whole women’s revolution, we have equality. Women are main eventing WrestleMania! They’re taking the guys’ spots and everything. We can always talk about the positives of women in professional wrestling. But, I’m not going to ignore when I see women’s matches and they’re bad. People are critical of my work! People are critical of my matches! If Charlotte Flair goes out and has a good match, I’ll say it was good. But, hypothetically, if Ruby Riot goes out and has a bad match, I’ll say that sucked! The funny thing is, you’re almost not allowed to really say that! You’re not allowed to criticize them! Wait a second! If you want equality, you have to be subject to equal criticism! We’re not going to just sit there and push ths women’s revolution thing and let you take all our spots and never speak out against you! It is crazy! You know? (laughs) It is getting to the point to put up or shut up, girls! If you think you’re really that good, if you think that you’re better than us, then lets start wrestling the guys! Lets see how good you are!”
On women having sex appeal that male fans are to ignore:
“I’m not going to sit here and ignore that this whole women’s revolution thing is grounded in massive hypocrisy! It is fine for women to say that they don’t want to be objectified but then you’re on Instagram and you’ve got your ass hanging out in a thong… And I’m like, what are we supposed to do here? Look, girls. When you’re attractive, we’re going to be attracted to you. There is nothing wrong with that. These days in wrestling, if you talk about how hot a girl is, you’re quote unquote “objectifying her”. I’m like, what are you talking about? Women have one thing the guys don’t have and that is sex appeal. When they try to ignore their own sex appeal, I’m like, what are you guys doing? You’re hurting the marketing of yourself. Guys are attracted to you! They’re attracted to attractive females. Don’t try to make it that they’re not supposed to be attracted to you and just respect your work. Embrace both! These days, you’re only allowed to embrace one but not the other. But, ok, so, if we’re embracing one… If we’re embracing the work, lets be honest about the work! When it is good, I’ll say that it is great. But, when it is bad, I’ll say, “You know what? Maybe you shouldn’t be doing this. Maybe you should stick to the sex appeal because your work isn’t good enough.” And pointing stuff like this out, I’m told I shouldn’t be saying this based on the parameters and the rules set by the fans and the women’s revolution. I just want to know what the rules are going forward. There is only one side writing the rules here. And, the rules, to me, are still very much open for debate. The people who want to debate this, like me, are vilified!”
On saying Velvet SKy is his favorite female wrestler of all time:
“Right. She wasn’t a great worker. But, here’s the thing about professional wrestling and that you have to be a great worker. Your work only has to be serviceable enough if your character is good enough. Guys, just look at Hulk Hogan! (laughs) The greatest wrestler of all time! His work was serviceable. He wasn’t Ricky Steamboat or Ric Flair out there but he was good enough, his character was over so strong, and he was the biggest guy in the business. If your character and looks are good enough, your work doesn’t have to be. That is the way wrestling has been for years. You have these Hall of Famers and you watch their work and you’re like, “Wow, this guy was really over. But, his work wasn’t that good.” You know what? A lot of people didn’t care. Too many people care about your work now. You’ve got Scarlett… You had Velvet SKy. She had a great ring entrance… The numbers don’t lie. The Beautiful People got good ratings on Impact when they were on. I’m trying to point out common sense to people and it is sometimes not the narrative that people want to hear so people look at me like I’m a bad guy. When I said Velvet SKy was my favorite female wrestler, I was getting push back for that from the fans. That is very disrespectful to her.”
On Scarlett Bordeaux pushing the sex appeal button so hard:
“It is funny that what she is doing works. She’s accentuating sexuality in professional wrestling today when a lot of people say that you’re not allowed to do that. Why is it bad to point out that a woman is attractive when that is the first thing that you notice in her? I’m just being brutally honest and I know other people are not being honest about this. The people that say you’re not supposed to notice that they’re attractive? They’re lying! Actractiveness is almost a biological functon in people. They’re lying about being attracted to these things because people have told them that you’re not supposed to. That is like the herd mentality and the echo chambers. I disagree with that. I think a lot of people do. But, they’re scared to plant their feet in the ground and fight against this. I’ll fight against this all the time. ”
On the risk Scarlett is taking by wrestling him at Against All Odds on March 29th:
“Scarlett Bordeaux is very attractive. It has been like this for 15, 20 years. If you’re hot but your wrestling is bad, you lose your sex appeal. That is the risk that Scarlett is taking by wrestling me. Her gimmick right now is based on sex appeal. If she can’t back that up in the ring, she is going to lose that sex appeal. She is taking a very grave riskcompeting against me. It is a risky move by her. I credit her for stepping up to the plate. If women want’ equality, lets start wrestling the guys and see how good you are.”
On a positive appeal of female wrestling right now:
“A lot of these female performers are very strong on the mic. A lot of wrestling fans are attracted to verbal altercations. If you have two characters that could believably have a fight, you build up to a fight for people to come and watch it. That is how this business has always worked. That is another part of this (the women’s revolution) is that a lot of these girls are good talkers. Why not go against other good talkers on the show?”
On being called Disco Inferno by Scarlett on Impact:
“That’s fine. I’m kind of married to it. In Impact, back in the Asylum years, I was Glenn Gilbertti in Sports Entertainment Xtreme. So, in the Impact universe, I’m still Glenn Gilbertti.”
On his segment’s popularity from Impact with Scarlett and the former bosses backstage:
“There are a lot of people that don’t like me. They don’t like me and they will come after me online and that, honestly, does not bother me. I just want to be myself. So, I was just surprised by the amount of positive reactions from the fans. I thought they were going to stay true to themselves because I say bad things about women’s wrestling, that they were going to bury me. I was very surprised that a lot of people put over the stuff that I’ve been doing (on Impact).”
On the non-wrestling segment being talked about more than most matches:
“When I teach kids and do seminars, I always tell people the way I’ve always approached this business. When I go to these shows, the big thing is everyone wants to have the “best match”. But, a lot of these guys aren’t the best workers. So, to try and have the best match, they go out and they do things they’re not really that good at and they’re risking things. They’re risking injury to go out and try to have the best match. My motto has always been, “Go out there and get the best reaction.” You want your performance to be the best performance on the show… Even if you’re getting beat up. You know, you sold really well. That is my thing. Be the best performer you can be and try to produce good television. That is how I have always thought about this.”
On Impact Wrestling in 2019 and going forward:
“I think Impact is better than WWE right now. There are more entertainment segments on the show than there is in WWE. They’ve got that going for them. The only thing they don’t have is the platform and the viewers. But, as far as content, there are a lot of guys on Impact right now that I like and that are more in line with my philosophical view of wrestling. You would be surprised how many guys in that locker room gravitate towards the old school view of professional wrestling versus the new school.”
On his Impact status:
“I want everyone to know that I’m not a contracted employee of Impact. They come to Vegas, I live there. I’m willing to do their show. I think you will see a lot of me going forward. But, not on a weekly basis.”
