I happened across this fair today out in Jersey. And while I was there, I look over and see, totally unexpectedly, Virgil sitting at an autograph table all to himself.
I could've taken a picture akin to the internet-famous one of him with no one around, but there were a few people shaking his hand and getting ($20) autographs. It would've been mean. I'm sure he cleared at least $500 today, and good for him.
The point is, I knew I would never have this opportunity again. I had to ask him about... the Patterson rumor. Took a while to steel myself, but I manned up, shook the guy's hand, and just let it out.
"So, there's this rumor floating around. About how you got hired because you showed Pat Patterson how well-endowed you are. Is that true? I have to ask."
He shook his head and said no. He then said Pat Patterson is a great man who has a great mind for the business, and is currently clearing $850,000 a year working for WWE.
So there you have it. He didn't get mad at my stupid question, and even shook my hand again as I thanked him and said goodbye, so I give him credit.
S****, you never cease to amaze me with tales from your charmed life. (I am actually saying that with a complete absence of snarkiness and smartassery, for once.)
Originally posted by SinisterOrthodoxyI happened across this fair today out in Jersey. And while I was there, I look over and see, totally unexpectedly, Virgil sitting at an autograph table all to himself.
I could've taken a picture akin to the internet-famous one of him with no one around, but there were a few people shaking his hand and getting ($20) autographs. It would've been mean. I'm sure he cleared at least $500 today, and good for him.
It actually seems really strange to me that there would be 25 people at a typical Jersey fair who would be willing to pay 20 bucks for Virgil's autograph. I mean, even to wrestling fans, he was always a second banana. I can see people paying a few bucks, but twenty? I wonder why.
$20 is the normal price for autographs at conventions and what not. At Wizard World Anaheim, most of the 'celebrities' were charging that. I work the Hollywood Show (hollywoodshow.com) and the majority of those people charge $20 for an autograph. The bigger names usually don't do these type of signing tables, they will happily sign for free for you.
I got Tom Cruise to sign some DVDs and some pictures for me when he was visiting the Scientology test center a few doors down from my shop. He asked what I would sell them for and I told him about $100 each, depending on what movie the still was from. He seemed surprised that people would pay that. I gave him a case of bottled water that I paid $6 for. Nice guy actually.
I could've taken a picture akin to the internet-famous one of him with no one around, but there were a few people shaking his hand and getting ($20) autographs. It would've been mean.
Y'know... I could've sworn that the aforementioned picture was the picture on his Wikipedia article, but that isn't the case. (Maybe it was, but isn't now).
I hope him being "fired" as Ted DiBiase Jr.'s protection guy doesn't mean he's gone from WWE. I've always liked him, though his first run as Virgil was before my time watching wrestling. I think of him as Vincent, the nWo guy who doesn't clear the ring fast enough and gets Scorpion Deathdropped by Sting every time.
He had a Crowning Moment of Awesome (to coin the TV Tropes term) when, as a member of the post-Wolfpac merger nWo, he convinced Wolfpac wannabe Disco Inferno to be "the guy who calls someone out and gets a beating", for once.
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Originally posted by Cerebus$20 is the normal price for autographs at conventions and what not. At Wizard World Anaheim, most of the 'celebrities' were charging that. I work the Hollywood Show (hollywoodshow.com) and the majority of those people charge $20 for an autograph. The bigger names usually don't do these type of signing tables, they will happily sign for free for you.
Yeah, I brought this up recently in a thread here about Wizard World Philly.
Originally posted by Spiraling_ShapeIt's interesting how the charging-for-autographs thing has gone through the roof. At one of the early Wizard World Philly events, I got a pic and autograph from Dante from Clerks for free. This year, the cigarette marketing guy who has ONE SCENE in Clerks was there charging $20 an autograph! Seriously?
And Virgil is a standby at these things...he's been at Every Philly Wizard World as best I can remember.
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Originally posted by SinisterOrthodoxyI had to ask him about... the Patterson rumor. Took a while to steel myself, but I manned up, shook the guy's hand, and just let it out.
"So, there's this rumor floating around. About how you got hired because you showed Pat Patterson how well-endowed you are. Is that true? I have to ask."
He shook his head and said no. He then said Pat Patterson is a great man who has a great mind for the business, and is currently clearing $850,000 a year working for WWE.
So there you have it. He didn't get mad at my stupid question, and even shook my hand again as I thanked him and said goodbye, so I give him credit.
WEAK!!!!!
What, you simply ACCEPTED Virgil's word? And that's IT??? C'mon man, show some frickin' initiative.
At a minimum, you should've followed him into the bathroom.
Originally posted by SinisterOrthodoxyHe then said Pat Patterson is a great man who has a great mind for the business, and is currently clearing $850,000 a year working for WWE.
Given that Patterson would have to be considered 'management', wouldn't there be some reporting requirement above a certain level for a publicly-traded company?
(Don't know if there is such a requirement, don't know if there is a threshold amount that needs reported. It just sounds like the sort of thing investors would get to know.)
Vince gets $850,000 a year. Linda got $500,000 a year while CEO. Kevin Dunn is going to make $750,000 in 2010. John Laurinitis is going to make $420,100.
Stephanie is also an executive officer, but her salary was not listed this year. Both she and Shane made about $600,000 each in 2008.
I have trouble believing Patterson, who is a creative consultant or road agent or something, makes more than Dunn (who is Executive Vice President - Television Production) and Johnny Ace (Executive Vice President - Talent Relations).
Zed, you don't know the half of it. Though many hilarious maladies befall me every day, and I regularly complain about them, I know that I am blessed beyond reason. For example, at that same fair, I got to fly in the BATCOPTER from the 60's Batman movie (a steal at only one-and-a-half Virgil autographs). This kind of stuff just presents itself to me, and I love it. But thank you.
And yeah, Virgil was probably lying about some or all of what he said. That's not what matters to me. Just having that opportunity and riding it out was the fun part.
Originally posted by SinisterOrthodoxyI had to ask him about... the Patterson rumor. Took a while to steel myself, but I manned up, shook the guy's hand, and just let it out.
"So, there's this rumor floating around. About how you got hired because you showed Pat Patterson how well-endowed you are. Is that true? I have to ask."
He shook his head and said no. He then said Pat Patterson is a great man who has a great mind for the business, and is currently clearing $850,000 a year working for WWE.
So there you have it. He didn't get mad at my stupid question, and even shook my hand again as I thanked him and said goodbye, so I give him credit.
WEAK!!!!!
What, you simply ACCEPTED Virgil's word? And that's IT??? C'mon man, show some frickin' initiative.
At a minimum, you should've followed him into the bathroom.
WAY back in 1986 or 87 before he was Virgil, he was Soul Train Jones in Memphis Wrestling. I went to a show at the local high school (Kossuth High School in Mississippi), and actually met him in the mens room. Didn't check out the package though. did say hello, he was a nice guy.
Right before I left, "Lord Humongous" Sid Vicious came into the mens room as well. At the time, he was the largest person I had ever met.
Originally posted by Mr. Boffo I have trouble believing Patterson, who is a creative consultant or road agent or something, makes more than Dunn (who is Executive Vice President - Television Production) and Johnny Ace (Executive Vice President - Talent Relations).
Well, for all of the jokes about "What does this guy have on Vince to keep his job?" if someone *were* to have something on Vince, Pat Patterson seems like a very likely candidate.
He may also be getting residuals from his concepts, The Royal Rumble for example. Those wouldn't show up as a salary. Also, stock options, and he must get some kind of payment for being on every episode of Legends of Wrestling.
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