A week or so ago, the WWF aired a video during SmackDown! [at least in Canada] to promote the Forceable Entry CD... And the video was Benoit, acting like a badass. Basically, it was a damned good video...and something struck me: has Benoit worked on his promos? Why isn't the WWF doing more cool promos like this?
Yes, I'm a Benoit mark...but I'd like to know what others thought of the video, of Benoit, and of life. Mostly the first two...
"That's what the Internet is for, slandering others anonymously" Banky Edwards (Jason Lee), Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back
"Smile." Maguire (Jude Law), Road to Perdition
"You can't fight in here, this is the War Room!" The President (Peter Sellers), Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love the Bomb
Benoit CANNOT work in front of a LIVE crowd. His live promos don't work for me and a lot of other people will agree. He's basically the God of the IWC because of his ringwork, not his mic skills (maybe because Benoit represents the antithesis of sports entertainment). But give the man a taped promo like on Smackdown and he's at least decent.
But this brings up a question I personally have. Why the hell couldn't they have this kick-ass video package BEFORE Benoit came back?! It would have built anticipation for his return and built him up like a badass! You're telling me they can have Triple H Returns videos, Rey Mysterio videos, and Kane videos before they come back, but Benoit has to wait TWO MONTHS AFTER he comes back?!
I won't throw around the term "glass ceiling" like certain others, but I will say that, to me, that doesn't make sense.
"That's right! You suckas better FIND somewhere to run! 'cause it's me - Booker T - not only am I the Scorpion King, but I'm the five-time WCW Champion - and I got a sword, too! Now can U dig THAT - SUCKAAAAAS"
"Yo! Japanese people! What's the deal witchyo nasty hair? Just because you know kung fu (waaaaaa) doesn't mean you know sham poo...but that's all about to change, thanks to NEW...Yakamoshi shampoo! It won't make your hair look as good as mine (shakes head) but you gotta start somewhere!" -Booker T, Hollywood's next big superstar!
And that's the bottom line, because it's false! It's DAMN false!
Show WCW clips of Benoit beating down guys, snot rockets & whatnot. Show clip of Benoit as WCW Champion. Show clips of Benoit with HHH, Rock, Austin, Angle, Jericho...all the big names screaming in agony in the Crossface. Quick flashes of black & blue shading. Then, fade to black: "The Crippler Returns... 6-22-02" or something.
And Benoit promo-wise is about two-thirds of the way up the totem pole. He's better than Rikishi, Cena, the Hardyz, Kane... The only guys better are HHH, Austin, Rock, Jericho, Taker & Angle. That's it.
"That's what the Internet is for, slandering others anonymously" Banky Edwards (Jason Lee), Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back
"Smile." Maguire (Jude Law), Road to Perdition
"You can't fight in here, this is the War Room!" The President (Peter Sellers), Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love the Bomb
I think this video had more to do with rehyping the CD through Our Lady Peace's (who did Benoit's song on Forcable Entry) recent sucesses than hyping up Benoit himself.
Well, its obvious why Kane had his return shoved down our throats on both shows for weeks on end while Benoit's return was, oh yeah, he's been out for a year. Its because, lets all say it together: Kane's A Hoss, by Gawd, A Hoss.
Thank you Mr. Wanz for the check, now you get an AWA World Title Reign. But be careful, my boy Greg is a heat machine.
I don't know if it's the same promo I saw in Europe, where Benoit stands and grins evilly..to me the emphasis didnt seem to be on the OLP song.
Anyhoo...Benoit didn't get a return video because he showed up out of the blue doing what he does best, being a nasty heel muthafucka (after getting the hometown pops). All the other returning folks were faces and they had to be hyped. The fact that he gets a video now is much more meaningful to me than the fact that he didn't get a video before his return.
"...And I use that to fuck them some place fairly uncomfortable." "What, like the back of a volkswagen ?" -Mallrats
I'm surprised the obvious hasn't been said: Guys like HHH NEED to be shoved down our throats so we don't forget what they look like after they've been gone a week. Benoit doesn't need a video to get over.
Gonna find my baby, gonna hold her tight gonna grab some afternoon delight. My motto's always been; when it's right, it's right. Why wait until the middle of a cold dark night. When everything's a little clearer in the light of day. And you know the night is always gonna be there any way.
Originally posted by mskjThere was a Benoit video shown before he returned. I know I remember seeing it. I think it was on RAW.
I must have missed it then. I certainly don't recall Benoit getting any play when he returned, unlike Triple "Beautiful Day video for 12 weeks" H. When the HHH video packages started airing, I remember thinking "I bet Benoit doesn't get this level of hype," but I was really disappointed when he got ZERO hype.
"Oh, i'll never understand this emptiness...but I'll never really try and understand, I guess." - Whiskeytown, Sit and Listen to the Rain
And Trips isn't the only one. Mysterio got hyped a lot. So did Kane (ok less, but stil a lot). So did the Rock (but then again, he puts a LOT of asses in the seats).
Also, Benoit's promos are NOT that high on the ladder. There's a lot of guys I'd rather hear from who are not on that list. None of them can wrestle as well as Benoit, but then again, that isn't saying much.
I think I'm in the minority, but I actually like Benoits promos. I like their simplicity, his non-verbal cues, his grating voice (nothing spells BADASS~! like talking like how one figures Wolverine would sound). When someone can break your arms with one hand tied behind their back, they don't really need a lot of verbiage and pomp, and shit to back 'em up. Sure, he sounds like Mr. F'n Roboto, but he can do a "look of death" (much like my music teacher in highschool, yowza) real damn good. Less is more, baby.
Originally posted by Fuzzy LogicWhen someone can break your arms with one hand tied behind their back, they don't really need a lot of verbiage and pomp, and shit to back 'em up.
The problem is, we're told that most wrestlers are capable of doing that. It doesn't matter how much he can actually do, it matters how they sell it to the crowd. Hence the "Entertainment" part.
And really, unless the Benoit video included the clip of him headbutting Stephanie, it was lacking.
And I *liked* the 'desire' videos. The first 50 or so times.
PMMJ
"Nothing remains interesting where anything may happen." -H.G. Wells
I have real mixed feelings about Benoit. Part of me loves him because I feel like I should, as a loyal member of the IWC. But I get bored every time he is in a match. I am a big fan of amatuer wrestling and therefore I really respect Benoit's ability and technique. But I just don't like him, even though I feel like I should. Kinda like back in high school, when all your buddies are talking about this great song or album and you buy it and try to like it but you just can't ... that's how I feel about Benoit.
"I'm in collision with every stone I ever threw." - David Gray
--I'm surprised the obvious hasn't been said: Guys like HHH NEED to be shoved down our throats so we don't forget what they look like after they've been gone a week. Benoit doesn't need a video to get over.--
EastCoast, you think Benoit is over?! I don't. The crowd goes into a coma when he steps onto the ramp. That Our Lady Peace video kicks serious ass, and IMO got over his character better than any WWE announcer has to date. I'm not saying he can't get over on pure ringwork, but a video would sure accelerate the process.
A couple good clean wins over top guys wouldn't hurt either.
As rotten as it is, Benoit is just not over. He probably didn't get much video preview action, because realistically 80% of the fanbase wasn't thinking about him when he was gone, and didn't much care when he returned. Go watch the next ppv at a bar and check out the reaction he gets. Sad to say, most average fans are bored with Benoit.
It's probably to coincide with the thing on his return in WWE Mag. (the one with Brock vs. Rock on the cover.) Something about his return being unnoticed will bring out more viciousness etc., the usual fluff.