Readying myself for wrestling

In anticipation of Saturday's World Wrestling Entertainment matinee at the Mid-Hudson Civic Center, I'm preparing for the show when I return from work tonight ... I think.

One of several DVDs I recently have at my place from Blockbuster.com is "The Condemned," the full-length feature starring former world champ "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and produced by WWE chairman Vince McMahon.

I said that I might watch "The Condemned" because I've given mixed reviews for the WWE's other theatrical releases: "The Marine," starring John Cena, and "See No Evil," starring Kane (you might know him as Glenn Jacobs).

"The Marine" had some really amazing explosions and action sequences though, as a writer, I found the plot lacking. As for "See No Evil," I saw it for $1 on a Tuesday afternoon at the South Hills Mall ... let's just say I got my money's worth.

But "The Condemned?" It was reviewed as one of the worst movies of 2007, so I might pass on it tonight in favor of "Hannah Montana: Pop Star Profile." (Yes, I have very eclectic tastes when it comes to my entertainment options.)

Don't get me wrong: I'm down with "Stone Cold."

Back in the day when I used to watch the WWF (and later, WWE), I liked his devil-may-care attitude, not to mention the way he'd always manhandle my uncle Vince. I even once bought an official can of his Whoop-Ass, complete with an AUSTIN 3:16 T-shirt inside.

Was I a "Stone Cold" fan? No. I lived in Vermont and had a lot more expendable income than I do now.

I did, though, buy a copy of the Texas Rattlesnake's 2004 autobiography (above), hand-signed (below) by "Stone Cold" himself:


Either way, I'm sure Saturday's WWE show will be a good time, as it's the first time I've see the Superstars live since January 2005, when I was invited backstage to meet Chris Benoit, the wrestler I'd interviewed for a story in anticipation of the live event.

I'm actually looking at Saturday's show as a day of live entertainment, as if on the Great White Way ... but we may even get some sweat splattered on us! (Oh, dare to dream!) Let's see ya get that at your fancy Broadway theater!

Someone, give me a sign

What a way to ring in 2008: Fellow Poughkeepsie Journal Sports staffer Phil Strum and I are headed to the Mid-Hudson Civic Center Saturday afternoon to watch the Superstars of World Wrestling Entertainment take to the squared circle!

So, just as I did with Taylor Hicks and Clay Aiken, I'm looking for a lil' help from my loyal "Sean's Space" readers.

See, when I was a little kid and used to head to the Civic Center to watch the then-World Wrestling Federation tape their TV programs, everyone there held up witty (if not spiteful) signs to rile up the grapplers in the ring ... ya know ... 'cause it was real, and Hulk Hogan and "Macho Man" Randy Savage and "Rowdy" Roddy Piper really cared about what we fans had to say!

Here's where I need help: If I bring a sign, what should I write on it? Send your suggestions to JournalSean@aol.com and I just might pick the best one to bring to Saturday's show.

Now, I'm looking for something to fit with my personality -- funny, witty and smart. Not just like "You suck!" or "Carlito rules!" No, no. I'm not going to dumb down my humor for the pro wrestling crowd.

Iknow, I know: You're thinking, "Sean, you go from blogging about 'American Idol' and Barry Manilow to HHH (that's pronounced "Triple H) and Randy Orton?!"

Well, if you don't think the world of sports entertainment qualifies as pop culture, think again. You know you've hit it big when you've made the cover of TV Guide; and here, from 1999, is Rena Mero (you might know her as "Sable") who was one of several then-WWF Superstars to grace the cover.

Just for the record: Yes, I do know it's scripted! Still, they're pretty amazing athletes who do some incredible things in the ring. AND ... I'm not paying!

For more on the world of sports entertainment, check out Phil's "Under the Ring" blog by clicking here. Tell him Sean sent ya!

MERRY CHRISTMAS from "Sean's Space!"

Heading out for 11 days of Christmas vacation, I wanted to pass along my most heartfelt season's greetings to the thousands of readers, from (literally) all over the world, who've visited "Sean's Space" since I began the blog in March.

"I told you, I don't know where Santa's toy workshop is!"

This is the exact Christmas card I sent out this year. I snapped the pic with Darth Vader and the unidentified stormtrooper at Walt Disney World's Disney-MGM Studios the day after Christmas last year, and had to wait an entire year to send it out to friends and family!

Being on vaca, I likely won't be posting anything until the new year, but feel free to check out some of the other Poughkeepsie Journal blogs we have to offer. Just tell 'em Sean sent ya when visiting their blogs!

Again, thank you to everyone who's come to the blog in the past nine months, reading everything I've posted from Barry Manilow and Clay Aiken and Taylor Hicks, to "Star Wars" (as seen here on my Christmas tree) and "Mary Poppins" and "Sex and the City," among other topics. (I really think having the head of Boba Fett as my tree topper makes the scene complete, don't you?!)

Thanks, too, for the thoughtful comments hundreds of you have left. It's nice to know that people are actually reading — if not enjoying — the stuff I put out there, enough to share their thoughts with the rest of us. (And don't think your kind words on message boards like Taylor Is The Boogie! and Clay's Daily Double, among others, go unnoticed. Yes ... I do check! Thank you.)

I sincerely hope Santa Claus is very good to each of you, and that you find just what you want most this Christmas — both under the tree and in your hearts.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

P.S.: See ya in 'o8!

I've been "elf-ed!" LOOK!

Let me just tell you: I LOVE OFFICE MAX!

Because of the great people over at the Office Max Web site, I've fulfilled one of my greatest dreams: becoming one of Santa's elves!

Don't believe me? Click here and watch me do my thing!

Thank you, Office Max! You guys rule!

I might just have to switch from Dunder-Mifflin to Office Max for all my paper supply needs!

(Yeah, admittedly, this post has NOTHING to do with Will Farrell or the "Elf" movie, but I like to give "Sean's Space" readers a lil' something to look at in addition to reading such stimulating and amusing prose!)

Dan Fogelberg passes away

Just waking up to the shocking news that singer and songwriter Dan Fogelberg has passed away from cancer at the age of 56.

Admittedly not familiar with all of Dan's work, I fell in love with "Same Old Lang Syne" the first time I ever heard it! It's such a great song. Check it out if you get the chance.

(Of course, I'm a total Christmas guy — my buddy Pete even went so far as to call me "Mr. Christmas" in a recent Poughkeepsie Journal story — but this song is so much more than a Christmas tune.)

I made it a point to include "Same Old Lang Syne" on one of my very first "Christmas Celebra-Sean" compilation CDs that I send out with my Christmas cards each November. (Yes, I send out my cards the Monday or Tuesday before Thanksgiving so people get them Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, and I get to be everyone's first!)

So if you listen to the radio today, particularly all those great stations that play nothing but Christmas songs 24/7 this time of year, and you hear "Same Old Lang Syne" today, take a sec and think of Dan Fogelberg, the man who brought us this classic.

One more day of Clay ... and Tay

Janice from Hopewell Junction, who I've already praised as being a big help with my coverage of both Clay Aiken and Taylor Hicks, has done it again!

She was the lone "Sean's Space" reader to share video of Clay's show here in Poughkeepsie last Saturday. So if you're a fan of Clay's and you want to either see what you missed or re-live the Dec. 8 performance, thank Janice and here you go...


Clay Aiken - Poughkeepsie from Janice Haynes on Vimeo.

And ... since we're talking about "American Idol" alumni performing here in Po-town, here's another Janice video production of Taylor, though not shot at the Mid-Hudson Civic Center show here this past Aug. 16th; it's from his stop in Millersville, Pa.

Still, it shows what he does, why he won Season Five of "AI" and what a great show he put on during his past tour that stopped in our humble lil' town ...


Taylor Hicks - Millersville from Janice Haynes on Vimeo.

Thanks again to Janice and all the Clay Aiken and Taylor Hicks fans out there who made the "Sean's Space" coverage of both singers' stops here in Poughkeepsie so successful.

In the future, I'm going to try to keep bringing you as close to the stars as I can, asking for more good questions from their most loyal fans so keep coming back!

A heavyweight main event

Having grown up as a Hulkamaniac, I couldn't help but pass this along:

The host of the new "American Gladiators" revival, former heavyweight wrestling champ Hulk Hogan (you might know him as Terry Bollea) was asked Thursday what celeb he'd most like to see get creamed by one of the Gladiators?

His answer? Rosie O'Donnell.

Now, really, who wouldn't like to see that?!

The Hulkster told TMZ.com that "Somebody needs to shut that big mouth up."

Well, on her blog, Rosie came out swinging with: "Hulk Hogan, the wrestler guy, wants to pummel me. Isn’t that sweet, and wildly odd. It’s like a gang of gross guys, a club almost, old, dumb, white and on TV.”

So here's my question:

Who would win in a fight, Rosie or the Hulkster? Leave a comment and let us know what ya think!

My best friend in college, Steve, used to play this game all the time: "Who'd Win In A Fight?" Like, who'd win in a fight, Britney Spears of Christina Aguilera? (This was when both were hot and relevant.) Or like, who'd win in a fight: Han Solo or Indiana Jones? ('Cause they're both the same guy!)

It would be great if World Wrestling Entertainment owner Vince McMahon (or as I call him, my uncle Vince) could somehow ink a Hogan/O'Donnell matchup for Wrestlemania 24 in March. OH! And I've got the perfect special guest referee ... yup ... this guy:

C'mon, Donald, whatta ya say?

(For more on the fascinating world of sports entertainment, check out Phil Strum's "Under the Ring" blog at www.pojoslam.blogspot.com and tell him Sean sent ya!)