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| GameStop-Exclusive Interview with
Jimmy Hart |
| February 27, 2009 at 1:45pm |
Jimmy Hart is sporting a custom
in-game jacket you can only get by reserving WWE Legends of
WrestleMania at GameStop, while supplies last.
We hope we're not bursting anyone's bubble
here, but we all know that pro wrestling is exaggerated and over-the
top on purpose, right? The ongoing stories on the side are just as
important as the actual matches. That's what makes it so fun. It's
kind of like watching your favorite soap opera, except people break
folding chairs over each other's backs. We hate to pull back the
curtain even more, but we recently had the chance to talk to
legendary wrestling manager Jimmy Hart, who is featured in WWE Legends of
WrestleMania, and we learned something that may shock
you. The "Mouth of the South;" the manager who would stir up trouble
with his trademark megaphone; that man you may have to loved to hate; is
actually a nice guy.
When we caught up with Jimmy Hart, we asked him how he felt about being featured on
the cover of WWE Legends of Wrestlemania, and he told us it was one of the three biggest thrills of his career.
The other two were being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005
and being a part of the first WrestleMania, back in 1985. "If WrestleMania
One had not been successful, then there wouldn’t be a WrestleMania 25 coming up in Houston this year," he
told us."The third most important thing to me, as far as wrestling goes, is being on the cover and being
part of this WWE Legends of Wrestlemania from THQ,
and I really mean that from the bottom of my heart. All three of those three things really go hand in hand
with me."
Jimmy Hart has managed a slew of Wrestling legends who are featured in WWE Legends of WrestleMania, including Hulk Hogan,
The Hony Tonk Man, King Kong Bundy, "Ravishing" Rick Rude, Greg "The
Hammer" Valentine, The Iron Shiek, Ric Flair and many more.
Along the way he has made many friends, and just as many enemies,
but to this day he remains friends with all of them, including the
ones who may have been beaned with his trademark megaphone at one
time or another. He credits the old days of driving around from
venue to venue with many of these wrestlers for the bonds he has
forged with them.
Speaking of the old days, Hart told us he developed his style of flamboyant dress from his days as a pop star in
The Gentrys, perhaps best known for their 1965 hit Keep on
Dancing. While he was on tour with the Beach Boys and Sonny and
Cher, Hart told us that Dick Clark took them aside and gave them the
following advice, "If you dress like the audience, pretty soon
you're going to wind up sitting with the audience." Hart took that
advice and ran with it, and he's managed to stay out of the audience
ever since. "I never dreamed I'd be able to make a career out of
wrestling, but it's been a dream come true for me," he said.
So how does a pop star make the transition to
legendary wrestling manager? Hart told us his big "break" came when
wrestler Jerry Lawler, whom he has known since high school, broke
his leg playing touch football and Hart was given the opportunity to
become the next big hit in Memphis during Lawler's absence. An
in-the-ring feud developed between the two, but they remain close
friends to this day.
Jimmy Hart was able to carry his musical talents with him in the world of wrestling, composing and performing themes for many pro wrestlers
and even jumping in on a few WWE music albums. "I feel like I was kind of the Weird Al Yankovic of wrestling," he said. "It was a great thrill
to be managing and being able to do music, too."
So Hart was born with a natural ability to be creative and play to an audience, he received some good fashion advice from
Dick Clark, but where did that megaphone come from? Hart told us
that WWE Chairman Vince McMahon, upon returning from a trip to
Japan, gave him the megaphone and told him that was to be his
gimmick from there forward. "That became a part of what I was all
about," he reminisced. "It really helped in a lot of matches, too —
lost a lot of matches for us and won a lot of matches for us."
Hart still speaks fondly of McMahon and all of his friends from wrestling. "People ask me,
'What did the WWE and Vince McMahon do for you?'" he said. "And I
always answer, 'They gave me the keys to the world.'" It's partly
out of that respect for his peers, and for his fans, that Hart has
maintained his familiar look wherever he goes. He said that he is
thrilled to still be recognized 29 years later. "I've always kept my
same hairstyle, and no matter what I do, I still wear the crazy,
flashy jackets and carry the megaphone with me whenever I can," he
told us.
So if you happen to see Jimmy Hart on the street, if you can catch him in between his
autograph appearances or television work or one of his trips to
Afghanistan or Iraq to encourage the troops, walk up to him and let
him know you're a fan. We guarantee he won't attack you with his
megaphone, and we're fairly certain you'll walk away from it with
the same impression as we had — that the "Mouth of the South" is a true Southern
Gentleman.
Don't forget that you can see his nasty side in WWE Legends of
WrestleMania. We're also happy to be able to bring you the full
talent roster at this time: André the Giant,
Animal Arn Anderson,
Bam Bam Bigelow,
Big Bossman,
Big John Studd,
Bobby Heenan,
Bret Hart,
British Bulldog,
Brutus Beefcake,
Dusty Rhodes,
Greg Valentine,
Hacksaw Jim Duggan,
Hawk,
Honky Tonk Man,
Hulk Hogan,
Hunter Hearst Helmsley,
Iron Sheik,
Jake “the Snake” Roberts,
Jim Neidhart,
Jimmy Hart,
Jimmy Snuka,
Junkyard Dog,
Kamala,
King Kong Bundy,
Koko B. Ware,
Michael P.S. Hayes,
Mr. Fuji,
Mr. Perfect,
Nikolai Volkoff,
Paul Bearer,
Ravishing Rick Rude,
Ric Flair,
Rowdy Roddy Piper,
Sgt. Slaughter,
Shawn Michaels,
Stone Cold Steve Austin,
The Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase,
The Rock,
Ultimate Warrior,
Undertaker and
Yokozuna. Reserve your copy of WWE Legends of WrestleMania so you can see them
all, And while supplies last, if you reserve it now, your game will include a code that will allow you to unlock extra GameStop-Exclusive bonus costumes
for The Rock, Jimmy Hart, The Iron Sheik and Brutus "The Barber"
Beefcake. Jimmy Hart will be disappointed if you don' t get his
full wardrobe! |
| Stop Staring at Us! The New DS has
Eyes |
| February 24, 2009 at 11:04am |
We are now taking reservations for the
new Nintendo DSi. Click the picture to see more.
Among other things, the new Nintendo DSi, which will
be available April 5, will come with two cameras, one on the inside
and one on the outside. We don't want to sound paranoid, but the way
that silent, unblinking lens on the outside stares at us is
reminiscent of HAL 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey. And since
we're eight years removed from 2001, there's no telling what this
technological marvel is capable of. Actually, putting our distrust
aside, we do know that these lenses make the DSi capable of taking
pictures to share with family and friends as well as opening up a
world of possibilities for developers to come up with creative ways
for players to interact with their games. It's almost like the DSi
has been given the ability to see, and that's what scares us about
it. We're sure one day we'll say, "I'd like to play a game now," and
the DSi will reply, "I'm afraid I can't do that, Dave." But until
that fateful day when gaming handhelds become self-aware and attempt
to take over the world, we can enjoy the fun stuff these gadgets can
do. For example, The DSi promises the ability to save sounds and
music on an SD card and interact with it while you play it, changing
the tempo or pitch, altering voices and more. The SD card
compatibility will also open the door for a variety of downloads and
applications. As scared as we are of the DSi's new powers, we're
sure we'll end up with one, anyway. You should reserve one, too.
|
| Learn the Finer Principles of
Management Through WWE |
| February 20, 2009 at 11:04am |
Your manager can lend a helping hand
when you need it most. Click the picture to see the video.
Being the master of the interwebs that you
are, you've probably seen advertisements for management seminars or
offers to earn your MBA online, but we think you can learn
everything you need to know about management by playing WWE Legends of
WrestleMania, which will allow you to interact with some of the most legendary managers in
history.
How would wrestlers like "Ravishing" Rick Rude or André the Giant have
risen to greatness
without the silver tongue and wild antics of the Bobby "The Brain"
Heenan, who would slip in a pair of brass knuckles or grab an
opponent's leg at just the right time? And where would legends like
Honky Tonk Man and Greg "The Hammer" Valentine without Jimmy Hart and
his megaphone, which he used both to deliver instructions and to use
as a weapon when necessary? Throughout the years, many epic battles
in the ring have been swayed by the interaction of the manager. Who
can forget Mr. Fuji helping Yokozuna by throwing salt into the eyes
of an opponent? Or Paul Bearer aiding the Undertaker by smashing a
wrestler over the head with an urn? By the way, why don't the
referees ever catch this stuff? Professional wrestling should
probably come up with an instant-replay system.
In WWE Legends of WrestleMania, legendary managers will interact
with their legendary clients to give them the edge that they need.
Bobby "The Brain" Heenan may slip you a pair of brass knuckles,
Jimmy Hart can yell into an opponent's ear with the megaphone, Mr.
Fuji can hook an opponent's leg with his cane, or Paul Bearer may
give the Undertaker more power. These managers
are not afraid to get their hands dirty to do whatever it takes to win.
Reserve your copy of
WWE Legends of WrestleMania for
Xbox 360
or
PS3
to make sure you're among the first to experience interacting with
WWE legends and their managers. And don't forget to visit
our
GameStop Cinema page
for a look at some of the managers' exploits, to get a head start on
your management education in the school of hard knocks. |
| Build Your Own Legacy with the
Create-A-Legend Feature |
| February 13, 2009 at 11:04am |
Business on top. Party in the back.
Build the ultimate power mullet with the Create-A-Legend
feature. Click the picture to see the video.
Scientific trials have proven conclusively
that the mullet, that distinctive business-on-top-party-in-the-back
coiffure of the 80s and 90s, is the most powerful hairstyle known to
man. WrestleMania also began its meteoric rise as the most powerful
wrestling spectacle known to man during those decades. Coincidence?
We think not.
Of course, WrestleMania has seen its fair share of hairstyles, flamboyant costumes and aggressive, Type-A personalities over the years. Who can forget
those classic WrestleMania match-ups, like the first WrestleMania,
pitting Hulk Hogan and Mr. T against Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff.
We pity the fool who missed that one! Actually, we realize that some
of our faithful readers were not even born yet. Please understand
that we're not actually calling you a fool. That's just something
Mr. T used to say. Who's Mr. T, you ask? He's that guy who pitches
the Flavor Wave Oven on TV. But suppose you had the misfortune of
being born after some of these classic WrestleMania matches, or you
missed some of them because you were under the weather from mixing
Pop Rocks with soda? You can still see your favorite legends from those classic matches when you purchase
WWE Legends of
WrestleMania because the game will feature historic matches from the
first 15 WrestleMania events from 1985 to 1999.
As if playing as the legends weren't enough, you can build your own legend with the game's
Create-A-Legend feature. You can choose from a huge variety of
customization options, ranging from classic to modern, to give your
legend-in-the-making a truly unique look. For example, you won't be
limited to mullets. You will have more than a hundred hairstyles to
choose from, including, and we quote from a reliable WWE Legends of
WrestleMania source, "Excessively big hair, feathered hair, and even
excessively big feathered hair!" Once you've fixed your hair just
right, add on sideburns, a mustache, war paint, or even a face mask
to hide your true identity. Then complete the ensemble with spandex
tights, a cut-off t-shirt or other neon fashions that only the
extremely masculine can pull off. Throw in some moves and entrances
from classic WWE Legends, and you're ready to hit the road to
legendary, umm, legend-ness! In fact some of the trophies or
achievements within the game can only be attained by a Created
Legend, like having your Created Legend reach the top rank in Hall
of Fame Mode, maxing out a Created Legend's attributes, or defeating
10 opponents in a a single tier in Legend Killer Mode.
If you're still reading this, we're surprised that you haven't
already jumped up to reserve your copy of
WWE Legends of WrestleMania.
But if you insist on playing hard-to-get, we'll let you in on a
little secret. While supplies last, when you reserve WWE Legends of WrestleMania for
Xbox 360
or
PS3,
you'll receive exclusive codes to unlock bonus costumes for The
Rock, Jimmy Hart, Iron Sheik and Brutus the Barber Beefcake. Still
reading? Fine! We'll stop writing. Visit
our
GameStop Cinema page
for a preview of WWE Legends of
WrestleMania's, Create-A-Legend feature, and then reserve your copy. |
| Be Mine or Be Melted |
| February 11, 2009 at 5:46pm |
Visit your local GameStop this Friday,
February 13 to pick up a Valentines Day card from Alma.
Alma Wade wants you to be her Valentine.
Before you decide, let us tell you a little about the antagonist
from F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin.
She likes
long walks on the beach and melting off people's faces. She also
enjoys holding hands at the movies and making the theater explode at
the exact moment an explosion appears onscreen. She hopes to either
become a veterinarian's assistant or to impose her own reality upon
the entire world. She hasn't decided yet. Her pet peeves are rude
people and people with unmelted faces.
We should probably warn you that she may have "Daddy Issues." When
her own father discovered her psychic abilities, he subjected her to
a series of bizarre psychokinetic experiments, and she's not too
happy about it. That's probably why she acts out with all the face
melting and such. But we think the right person could win her over
with a little kindness, understanding and a liberal slathering of
SPF 4,000 sun block. Even if you're not the right person, if Alma
asks, "Will you be my Valentine?" you should say, "Yes,
dear."
This Friday, February 13, you should stop by your local GameStop and
pick up a Valentines Day card from Alma, pictured above. After much
introspection, Alma chose to simply wish you a "Happy Valentines
Day." This is much more tasteful than some of the messages she was
considering, like, "Dear Valentine. Did I make your heart skip a
beat? Because I was really trying to make it explode." Or, "Roses
are red. Violets are blue. Sugar is sweet. Don't go to sleep
tonight." Or our personal favorite, "Be my Valentine and I'll
reconsider liquefying your brain and making it seep out of your ears,
at least until the chocolate runs out."
So don't forget
to pick up your Valentines Day Card from Alma. She hates it when you
forget. Supplies are extremely limited; so you should consider
camping out the night before. Also, don't forget to pick up your own copy of
F.E.A.R. 2:
Project Origin while you're there. Your Valentine demands it. |
| A True Legend will be Recognized at WrestleMania 25 |
| February 6, 2009 at 9:46am |
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin will soon be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.
Click on the picture for a preview of
WWE Legends of WrestleMania.
On April 5 in Houston, Texas, WrestleMania celebrates
its 25th anniversary. Not only does this mean that most of us have grown up watching
the world's most awesome assembly of WWE Superstars, but it also
means that WrestleMania will soon be eligible for substantial
savings on its automobile insurance.
To mark the quarter century of wrestling greatness, a true wrestling legend
will be recognized. The day before the big event, "Stone Cold" Steve
Austin will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. The first thing
that pops into your head when you hear the name "Stone Cold" Steve
Austin says a lot about you. If you think of Stephen F. Austin, the
founding father of Texas, then you're probably a history buff.
If you think of Lee Majors playing Steve Austin in The
Six-Million Dollar Man, you probably grew up in the 70s. By the
way, in an episode of The Six-Million Dollar Man, Steve
Austin once fought Bigfoot, played by Andre the Giant. So you're
kind of in the ballpark if you think of him. If you think of the
movie Stone Cold, starring former NFL linebacker Brian
Bosworth, then you're just totally lame, and you should stop
reading this long enough to hang your head in shame for a few
moments.
However, if you instantly recognized "Stone Cold" Steve Austin as one of the most popular
superstars in WWE history; if you knew he is the holder of just
about every all-time WWE record; if you recalled that he is a
six-time WWE Champion, an Intercontinental and World Tag Team
Champion, a three-time Royal Rumble Match winner and King of the
Ring winner, as well as a three-time winner of the WWE Championship
at WrestleMania, then you can count yourself as a true fan,
and you know that this honor is well-deserved.
Not only will "Stone Cold" Steve Austin be inducted into the WWE
Hall of Fame on April 4, but the entire week will be full of events
leading up to WrestleMania 25 on April 5, including an
exhibition of art works of wrestling legends and local Houston
artists, as well as WrestleMania Axxess, where you can stock up on
WrestleMania memorabilia and gear, and perhaps get the chance to
meet one of your favorite superstars.
What better way to celebrate 25 years of the mania than with the
release of
WWE Legends of WrestleMania? Available for
Xbox 360 and
PS3 March 24, WWE Legends of WrestleMania will feature an impressive
lineup of more than 40 legendary superstars from the 80s and 90s, as
well as some of the most famous and infamous managers. You'll
experience an authentic presentation of that era of WWE, as well as
a new combo-fighting system, a WrestleMania Tour Mode, the ability
to create your own legend, and enhanced online functionality. Visit
our
GameStop Cinema page
for a preview of WWE Legends of
WrestleMania, and we'll bring you more news next week. |
| For Your Plushie Devil Summoning Needs |
| February 3, 2009 at 9:04am |
While supplies last, copies of Shin
Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner 2 will come with a Raihu plushie. Click the image above for a closer look.
Let us say right up front that we neither
condone nor condemn the summoning of demons, but if you're going to
play a game like Shin Megami Tensei Devil Summoner 2: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon,
you'll have
to do some summoning if you want to win. We also neither condone nor
condemn really long game titles, but let's just call it "the game"
from here on out. Besides, we believe that in
Japanese culture, demons are viewed a little differently than in Western
culture. In fact, we think the English translation of Shin Megami
Tensei is something like, "We view demons a little differently than
in Western culture." But we could be wrong about that. We do, however,
know how you can summon up a mutually non-threatening plushie devil
of your own. While supplies last, first-launch editions of "the
game" will come with a free Raihu plushie. When we first saw him, we
weren't sure if he was going to bite us or deliver a telegram. Then
after seeing his sideburns and tiny cape, we thought he might break
in to Elvis' (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear. But fans of "the game" will know him as
Raihu, the Jack Frost who wanted to be like Raidou Kuzunoha, but then decided he was much cooler.
You'll be much cooler with a plushie Raihu by your side.
Hot Releases this week: We're not trying to be pushy about it, but if you don't order
My World, My Way for DS,
the adventure of a spoiled princess used to
getting her way by pouting, then we'll throw the biggest tantrum
ever. It begins shipping today. Also shipping today is Tenchu:
Shadow Assassins
for Wii. With more than 17 historically accurate ninja weapons and tools, you can use your Wii Remote to fight, dash, jump and kill like a real ninja.
Of course, a real ninja wouldn't secure his Shuriken stars to his
wrist with a lanyard. That would defeat the purpose. Audiophiles
definitely need to check out
KORG DS-10 for DS, which ships tomorrow,
placing the power of a KORG synthesizer in the palm of
your hand. Sorry, it doesn't come in a keytar version.
We'll bring you more hot GameStop news next week. |
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