Break The Walls Down: 19 WWE Talk Shows To Rival The Kevin Owens Show

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19 WWE Talk Shows To Rival The Kevin Owens Show

Monday 2nd January 2017 was an historic night on WWE Raw. After years of hype and excitement, we finally got to witness the first ever episode of The Kevin Owens Show. It’s remarkable it took all this time to debut considering how long Owens has been promoting it. In fact, merchandise has even been available for at least a year. Just as with the year early announcement of The Rock vs John Cena at Wrestlemania 28, the extra build generated the necessary buzz this extraordinary moment deserved. The show did not disappoint. In an action packed show, Chris Jericho announced his entrance into the Royal Rumble, Goldberg went face to face with Owens, Paul Heyman resurrected himself and iterated Brock Lesnar’s intentions at the Rumble, Roman Reigns squared up to Goldberg and Braun Strown interrupted proceedings only to be doubled speared by both the powerful Samoan and the all conquering pensioner. It was beautiful chaos, and shot The Kevin Owens Show straight to the top of the all time greatest in-ring talk shows. There have been a plethora of Superstar hosted interview segments since Rowdy Roddy Piper started the trend, so let’s take a peak at which ones pale in comparison, or stand on a par, with the Universal Champion’s flagship exhibition.

Piper’s Pit
The original, and many will say, the best. Piper’s career will forever be associated with his loud mouth and for unceremoniously smashing a coconut over the head of Jimmy Snuka, but Piper’s Pit also served to elevate feuds with the likes of Hulk Hogan and Bruno Sammartino. The show was successful because of Piper’s exemplary work on the microphone, and set the standard for giving talented talkers a place to strut their stuff.

The Flower Shop
Adorable Adrian Adonis was essentially given a talk show segment to replace Piper’s Pit when the Rowdy One took some time away from WWF. Upon his return, Piper demolished the flamboyant set of The Flower Shop in a blatant demonstration of anger towards Adonis’ cross dressing gimmick. Such transphobia was later echoed by WWF themselves when they fired Adonis for “dress code violations”.

The Barber Shop
Oddly enough, Brutus Beefcake’s career as ‘The Barber’ came about during a Hair vs Hair match between the two aforementioned hosts. The Barber Shop had one of the most accomplished sets of any on this list, and the undoubted highlight would tickle the memory of any long serving fan. The Barber Shop window was obliterated when Shawn Michaels threw partner Marty Jannetty straight threw it, like a typical Friday night out in Piper’s “native” Scotland.

The Snake Pit
Jake Roberts had a snake. Piper’s Pit was the name of the pre-eminent talk show. Thus The Snake Pit was born. The end.

The Brother Love Show
Ah Brother Love, the obnoxious televangelist rip off. Bruce Pritchard’s character was exactly the type of antagonist suited to a talk show role. The smarmy, red-faced preacher would spread the word of love all while bestowing his support upon prominent heels. Unveiling Ted DiBiase’s Million Dollar Championship rates as particularly memorable, and Piper would obviously get himself involved in another talk show’s business by removing Brother Love’s kilt at Wrestlemania V.

The Heartbreak Hotel
Screw Elvis Presley’s estate, because Shawn Michaels owned the Heartbreak Hotel in the 90s. If Marty Jannetty had’ve had a show, it would probably have been called the same thing, because heartbreak was the only thing left in his career after being cast out of The Rockers.

The Funeral Parlour
The Undertaker had a talk show. The Undertaker. The demon who, at the time, didn’t speak. Genius. Paul Bearer understandably claimed most of the mic time, but setting a talking segment in a funeral parlour was so wonderfully indicative of that era of wrestling that it hurts a little bit.

The King’s Court
A short lived segment in 1995 hosted by Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler, it really is worth going back and watching the Memphis legend pretend to be a Klingon when interviewing William Shatner. Rather upsettingly, there was no Shatner vs Klingon match at Wrestlemania XI.

The Highlight Reel
Chris Jericho’s talk show incarnation is one of the longest running in the company, and for good reason. Oddly enough, just like best friend Kevin Owens’ show, the very first guest on the Highlight Reel way back in 2003 was none other than Bill Goldberg. Unlike many of the shows on this list, there could legitimately be a highlight reel of the Highlight Reel, as memorable moments have littered Jericho’s interviews. The Goldberg episode itself; John Cena being drafted; Jericho telling Paul Heyman he still owed him money from the ECW days; Shawn Michaels being blasted into the Jeritron…. They all rank highly. We’re still waiting for the super expensive Jeritron 6000 to be destroyed. Kevin Owens had better watch himself.

Matt Striker’s Classroom
This wouldn’t even be worth the time to write words for if Striker hadn’t accidentally outraged the entire nation of Australia. The now Lucha Underground commentator mocked the death of beloved Aussie wildlife expert, Steve Irwin, and Vince McMahon even issued a public apology. Unfortunately, Australia did not, in turn, apologise for Nathan Jones.

Carlito’s Cabana
Carlito Caribbean Cool! In what was, let’s face it, a better and undiluted version of the current Shining Stars gimmick, the older Colon Jnr brother and his impressive afro were the face of the most relaxed interview segments of them all. Bedecked with palm trees and hammocks, guests were even given fresh coconut juice to sup. Luckily, Superfly was nowhere to be found for fear of horrendous flashbacks.

The Peep Show
If you explained to a wrestling noob that there was a show within a show called The Peep Show, they would naturally assume that it would include scantily clad Divas of yesteryear dancing sultrily around an array of poles, chaise longues and laps. While that pretty much describes the careers of Sable and The Kat, it doesn’t give a true impression of Christian’s version. If you told a noob it was a Christian Peep Show, they’d have another view of it entirely.

The Cutting Edge
The Rated R Superstar’s show took place under the banner of The Cutting Edge. While sounding slightly like a self harm group, the show is still technically running as the 11 time World Champion returned as recently as November to interview the Smackdown Live team for Survivor Series.

The VIP Lounge
MVP turned out to not even be a VP in WWE, and the VIP Lounge went the same way. The plush leather sofas used by the man with the best middle name in history can still be seen sporadically seen in Stephanie McMahon’s office on Raw, and the show itself is even still available as a podcast. Do with that news what you will.

The Abraham Washington Show
Remembering this show existed is the secret 13th labour of Hercules.

The Dirt Sheet
Born out of their online web series, The Miz and John Morrison gained enough traction to warrant their own talk show on the paltry reincarnation of ECW. The It Crowd belittled and mocked various Superstars to an impressive degree, and however attenuated the brand became, it still gave young Superstars the opportunity to find their voice.

Miz TV
The Miz certainly found his voice. So much so that he didn’t shut up. As a former reality star his ability has been called into repeated question, and despite a World Title run, it’s only now that his work is being given due credit. Miz TV is the perfect vehicle for the Awesome One, and when his in ring career reaches its end, WWE would do well to have him as a regular host or commentator for any of its programming.

The Cutting Edge Peep Show
Purely a promotional tool to cast eyes upon the ridiculously named Edge and Christian’s Show That Totally Reeks Of Awesomeness, the infamous tag team united their respective talk shows to create an uber amalgam in early 2016. It’s like if Jimmy Fallon and Elle joined forces… To interview New Day.

Ambrose Asylum
Initially set up as a tool to annoy Y2J after the cancellation of a Highlight Reel, the Dean Ambrose’s will never reach the heady heights attained by Mitch The Pot Plant. It’s still a mystery as to why WWE writers didn’t have Ambrose return with a Mitch 6000. Lost opportunity.

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