Just in case you didn’t know what the Attitude Era was, WWE nicely kicks off this DVD with a bikini competition between Sunny, Sable, Marlena and the Funkettes. But it’s not just a clip of the competition but there’s an introduction by Sunny herself talking about how the WWF was changing from the uber-safe, bloomer-wearing, G-rated WWF to the more loose and thong-bearing Attitude Era.
One of the best segments including on Disc 1 is DX’s “invasion” of New York City. It’s a great pre-taped segment that aired on RAW in 1998. Unfortunately this is the edited version from the broadcast and not the unedited version that was released on VHS around this time but the segment still hold up and is still as funny today. This shows Road Dogg in his improvisational glory & Triple H as his typical sarcastic (& somewhat racist) self.
An interview with Jerry Lawler reveals that it was actually Road Dogg Jesse James who came up with the term “puppies”. While he says he’s not a perverted guy (*wink*), he does think that the lack of respect and glorification of the Divas really helped their success during the Attitude Era. This is followed, of course, by Sable’s unforgettable “hand print” bikini. Definitely not something you’d see on WWE TV today.
The Godfather tells exactly how his character was born. While the Nation of Domination was being used to build up The Rock, he and D-Lo Brown weren’t doing very much. So instead of coming to ringside every week in black tights, he started wearing his normal street attire – his “Godfather” hat, black vests, gold chains & jewelry. A fan shouted one night, “Godfather, you look like a pimp!” His wife heard about this and completely created the “Pimping ain’t easy!” Godfather character. She designed his ring attire, his vests and even made the glasses he used to wear. It’s incredible that someone’s wife would be the one to not only support but encourage their husband to portray a pimp and walk out with random hot women every week on worldwide television.
I’m not going to spoil anymore of the great stories on this DVD set but some include how Sexual Chocolate came to be (& who thought it would never work), how the superstars felt about getting a “bloodbath” and what it was made of plus how Trish Stratus’ WWE career could have been derailed well before it got off the ground. Some of the great matches featured on the set are the New Age Outlaws vs Chainsaw Charlie & Cactus Jack, a Casket Match between The Rock & The Undertaker, a European Championship match between Chris Jericho, Kurt Angle and Tazz, Eddie Guerrero vs Dean Malenko and The Rock & Lita versus Triple H & Trish Stratus.
The set includes a ton of good matches I’ve long forgotten and vignettes that could fill a full DVD set on its own! I’m normally not a fan of match compilation sets but Attitude Era Vol. Two is able to weave new stories from past performers, Attitude Era vignettes and interesting wrestling matches together in a way that you felt you were getting an entertaining history lesson into the WWE’s most popular era.
