Post by Anthony Bailey on Sept 21, 2013 17:16:27 GMT -4
"Reality TV is set up to make people entertaining. A good person with values and principles is not good television." – Ronda Rousey
Quezon City was next on the agenda, but before I embarked on the eighteen hour flight with Jair to one of the most populous and largest cities in the entire Philippines, I initiated to have a little bit of down time to hang with my good acquaintance Carlos Vega. Carlos is an up and coming filmmaker from Miami whose independent films have received various rave reviews over the last few years. If his work ethic remains intact and he doesn’t let the notoriety that his projects have already received get to his head, he could be on his way to becoming a household name. A few major motion picture studios are now in pursuit of him to collaborate on some future blockbusters. This is a great opportunity for him and I hope it all goes according to plan.
To not stifle his growing brand in Tinseltown, Carlos wanted to pitch an untrodden idea to me and get my feedback. I’m thinking that he wants to begin a few treatments on some of my future promos since we have worked together in the past, but I could be wrong. He freely accepted my offer to treat him to lunch before I left for the Jacksonville International Airport. Apparently trying to cling to every ounce of his ego and not allow me to have one up on him, he insisted that he would handle the tip. It had been awhile since we gathered for some one on one time, so there was a lot of catching up to do. But catching up to Carlos meant that business discussion would be the main priority and that it would trump every other matter. What can I say? He was bred for Hollywood.
{{Chatter permeates The Floridian, a famous seafood and vegetarian restaurant located in downtown St. Augustine.}}
“Are you all packed yet or are you just going to rush through lunch to hurry home and finish up?”
Carlos constantly poked fun at my procrastination. He always tried his best to wean me out of my habitual customs and teach me that arriving on time meant that you were actually late, but supposedly I never received that memo.
“I actually still have a few of my bags packed from Sweden this past Thursday and they all have fresh clothes in them. So for once, I’m ahead of the game,” I assured him.
“Ahh I see. Well that is certainly a start. Hope is still alive and well,” Carlos said before smiling and taking a bite of his Dixie Burger.
I chimed in and unintentionally switched the subject. “So what did you want to talk to me about?”
{{Carlos grabbed the napkin to the right of his plate and wiped some chipotle mayo from the corner of his mouth.}}
“See Bailey, I knew there was a reason why I liked you. You came here ready to get right down to business,” Carlos affirmed.
“Well I know that the both of us have a lot going on with schedules that are packed to the brim, so why waste time right?” I said as I leaned back in my chair.
{{My anti-climatic sip of sweet tea was a feeble follow up to my frank plea. Carlos’ eyebrows submerged as he looked directly at me with a serious face.}}
“What are your thoughts about reality television?”
“I’m not much of a television person to be honest, but there are some shows that I like to watch every now and then,” I declared. “I just don’t have the time to fill my head with a bunch of nonsense.”
“I see,” Carlos said stroking his goatee. “Well the reason I ask is because in this business, you have to constantly broaden your horizons and not limit yourself. Limiting yourself only means missed opportunities in the future. I love films and I want to make them until my dying day but I dunno man, I was thinking about possibly dabbling in the reality TV arena.”
“Do what you gotta do to feed you and your family, but please just don’t exploit people for your own selfish gain. Television has ruined people and even torn apart some families in the process.”
“Oh no, I agree. I think that we’ve been exposed to so much of the bad in reality TV that people are skeptical of any good that can come from it…”
{{Carlos puts down the remnants of his burger, picks up his glass of white wine, and takes a sip of it. Still holding the glass, he continues to speak.}}
“People like you, people like myself…I feel that if we had an honest show out there that had an underlying moral tone to it, we could change the game,” Carlos said sounding like a cliché rapper with aspirations.
“We as in us? I mean I feel what you are saying, but there’s no way that I would ever get in front of a camera and make a fool of myself. There’s no dollar amount worth it to me.”
Suddenly I heard AJP saying in my head “Too late for that my nubian prince!” As annoying as she is, she is pretty clever and her escapades are well timed.
“No, I don’t need you on camera Bailey. I need access to your resources,” Carlos revealed.
“Resources? You are on your way to becoming a big shot in Hollywood and you need my resources? That doesn’t make sense to me. I have nothing to offer,” I said bewildered.
“Let me explain the concept first and then I’ll tell you what I need from you. The working title of the show is Silver Platter and it’s about how people who live in the public eye inherited refuge from their families. Whether financial, entrepreneurial, etc. I have already reached out to the agents of Paris Hilton, Ivanka Trump, and Jamie Johnson of the Johnson & Johnson empire. I have even tried to get ahold of the representatives of Michael Jackson’s children. I think that they’d be perfect.”
The list of potential participants showed me just how serious he was. As a budding name in Hollywood, his credibility would be on the line if he half stepped on this idea.
“Sounds pretty interesting so far. A little vague but if done well, it could be something special.”
{{Carlos smiles.}}
I asked “What would be this underlying moral tone that you speak of?”
Carlos responded “To teach the American people that you have to work hard for what you want in life. Nothing comes easy. Most wealthy people are portrayed as superior in the media, but I’m not trying to portray them in that light. People don’t need to feel inferior, regardless of your tax bracket. I’m just trying to portray them as people who happened to inherit success at the hands of someone else’s hard work. Hard work is always the key factor, even if you aren’t the one doing it.”
I held onto every word of Carlos’ optimism. He wanted to make a difference in the entertainment industry like I wanted to make in pro wrestling.
“So where do I come in at? How can I assist with what already seems to be a great idea?”
“You know two guys that would be perfect for this show,” pronounced a grinning Carlos.
“Oh yeah? Who might that be?” I divulged while trying to mentally run through possible options.
“Sang Réal.”
Oh but of course! Why didn’t I think of them sooner??
“Makes perfect sense. If anybody is reaping the benefits of someone else’s hard work, it is definitely these guys.”
“Good. Now if you could relay the message for me, then I could see what other steps I need to take to get the ball rolling. If they happen to ask you about the salary, scheduling of the shoot dates, or anything relating to the show, just have them call me.”
“I’ll actually be seeing them in the Philippines this weekend so I’ll tell them as soon as I see them.”
“Great! Things are falling in line. Oh….and speaking of falling in line, how’s the love life? With all of this progress you are making in the wrestling world, I’m sure you have that special someone to come home to at the end of the night and share it with right?”
{{I then begin to put the business aside and open up to Carlos about my rocky love life the past few months.}}
As J-Hop emphatically put it…you two again? The first time around we were stuck in Limbo like the movie Inception, but now we seem to have relocated to the Twilight Zone. But it doesn’t matter at the end of the day because I’m always up to be put against great competition. It keeps me on my toes and allows me to sharpen my skills in the process. I don’t ever want to make any of my opponents, no matter how much I might personally despise their character, feel as if I am better than them or that they aren’t worth my time. Because if I carried myself like that, I would be sending the wrong message. All of this dialogue about me standing for the truth and for what’s right would get tossed out the window. No opponent that I have ever encountered or will ever encounter is subservient to me.
But the reason why I’m not overly excited about the tag team match at Asylum is because I already know what will be the consensus if the outcome is not in Sang Réal’s favor. It’s like a two year old not getting what he wants. Fits will be thrown and feet will be stomped. I already know how they might attempt to articulate our second “fluke” victory over them. Connor Murphy & Gabriel Krown don’t have issues of gaining the upper hand in the squared circle, they have issues with reality. That was the whole purpose behind my Deception promo last month. In their subconscious minds, Murphy and Krown are the best of the best in the business. Their feces don’t stink, they walk on rose petals like kings and princes, and they expect everyone to bow down and worship them. If nobody bows, off with their heads.
You cannot disrespect royalty like that and continue living. Newsflash…you are on a level playing ground with everyone else around you. Not higher or lower and the same goes for me and Hopkins. This whole shaking your fists at the heavens attitude that you symbolize is played out and it will get you nowhere. I haven’t been in the business long but I have learned a thing or two along the way. The people who go on to achieve great things in this sport all start out humble. They lack wealth, fans, experience, and a whole lot of other things initially. They finally get their big break and they are grateful for all of the years of hard work and training paying off. Somewhere along this journey though, a large percentage of them go astray and forget where they came from. You name them and I can almost guarantee you that it is true each and every time.
But you Sang Réal haven’t drifted from the straight and narrow after humble beginnings, you are already starting off on the wrong foot and it is showing. A man’s true character is revealed when he is being tested or going through a trial so I cannot wait to see your reaction after The Dying Breed defeat you once again. If it causes you to go back to the drawing board and re-think your approach and how you treat and view people, then our task will have been accomplished. If that is the disposition you take after Asylum then we are all going out for drinks afterward at my expense. But the optimist in me knows the truth and at times, I fail to see reality for what it is just like you do. Once I awaken from this hopeful fairytale I am experiencing, you guys will carry on as is.
You will continue to try and drag our names through the mud and talk negatively about us. We’re two punks from the street? I can assure you that there is nothing street about the neighborhood that I grew up in. It was replete with middle and upper class Caucasian families and it had a low crime rate and non-existent gang or drug activity. My mother laboring for countless years in school to obtain two doctorate degrees and a prosperous career were the only means that sheltered me from the ills of the inner city. I know and am friends with people who grew up in the inner city so I have a special place in my heart for it, but I am not a product of that environment. It was only the hard work genetic that circulates through the Bailey blood that even made that possible.
Yes those words “hard work” may sound like a foreign language to you but it’s what I am made of. It’s what Hopkins is made of. Your fathers seemed to have understood the concept as well. Unfortunately they never taught you that. They should’ve taught you what it means to struggle and toil for something you desire. All they gave you were some chromosomes and a name that would garner you respect in the wrestling world. Just because they handed you things doesn’t necessarily mean that others will operate the same way. With The Dying Breed, you won’t just be handed our respect...it has to be earned. Sally Talfourd, Terry Marvin, Jason Kash, Keaton Saint, AJP, and countless others earned my respect.
You could be in that number too but I doubt that you want to be. Your main focus is probably just trying to defeat us so that you can gain some inner peace over roughing up a couple of “street punks” like us. My main focus is to get you to understand what really matters in life. Is it the wealth, the education, or the second generation wrestling that you boast in? No. What matters most is being humble. People have expected me to change by now, given my quickly approaching two year mark in the business and in the spotlight. But why would I change? I’m the same person I was when I first walked through those doors.
Sang Réal wish that they could say the same, but they don’t know who they are. They are too busy playing dress up in daddy’s clothes and trying to live up to what they did. But if you want success, you can’t comfortably coast along. You have to reinvent the wheel and The Dying Breed’s patent on this state of the art wheel will be secure at Asylum. I am Anthony Bailey…APW’s only Promise…the only Promise that can't be broken. Until Quezon City…
{{The scene slowly fades to black.}}
Quezon City was next on the agenda, but before I embarked on the eighteen hour flight with Jair to one of the most populous and largest cities in the entire Philippines, I initiated to have a little bit of down time to hang with my good acquaintance Carlos Vega. Carlos is an up and coming filmmaker from Miami whose independent films have received various rave reviews over the last few years. If his work ethic remains intact and he doesn’t let the notoriety that his projects have already received get to his head, he could be on his way to becoming a household name. A few major motion picture studios are now in pursuit of him to collaborate on some future blockbusters. This is a great opportunity for him and I hope it all goes according to plan.
To not stifle his growing brand in Tinseltown, Carlos wanted to pitch an untrodden idea to me and get my feedback. I’m thinking that he wants to begin a few treatments on some of my future promos since we have worked together in the past, but I could be wrong. He freely accepted my offer to treat him to lunch before I left for the Jacksonville International Airport. Apparently trying to cling to every ounce of his ego and not allow me to have one up on him, he insisted that he would handle the tip. It had been awhile since we gathered for some one on one time, so there was a lot of catching up to do. But catching up to Carlos meant that business discussion would be the main priority and that it would trump every other matter. What can I say? He was bred for Hollywood.
---------------
{{Chatter permeates The Floridian, a famous seafood and vegetarian restaurant located in downtown St. Augustine.}}
“Are you all packed yet or are you just going to rush through lunch to hurry home and finish up?”
Carlos constantly poked fun at my procrastination. He always tried his best to wean me out of my habitual customs and teach me that arriving on time meant that you were actually late, but supposedly I never received that memo.
“I actually still have a few of my bags packed from Sweden this past Thursday and they all have fresh clothes in them. So for once, I’m ahead of the game,” I assured him.
“Ahh I see. Well that is certainly a start. Hope is still alive and well,” Carlos said before smiling and taking a bite of his Dixie Burger.
I chimed in and unintentionally switched the subject. “So what did you want to talk to me about?”
{{Carlos grabbed the napkin to the right of his plate and wiped some chipotle mayo from the corner of his mouth.}}
“See Bailey, I knew there was a reason why I liked you. You came here ready to get right down to business,” Carlos affirmed.
“Well I know that the both of us have a lot going on with schedules that are packed to the brim, so why waste time right?” I said as I leaned back in my chair.
{{My anti-climatic sip of sweet tea was a feeble follow up to my frank plea. Carlos’ eyebrows submerged as he looked directly at me with a serious face.}}
“What are your thoughts about reality television?”
“I’m not much of a television person to be honest, but there are some shows that I like to watch every now and then,” I declared. “I just don’t have the time to fill my head with a bunch of nonsense.”
“I see,” Carlos said stroking his goatee. “Well the reason I ask is because in this business, you have to constantly broaden your horizons and not limit yourself. Limiting yourself only means missed opportunities in the future. I love films and I want to make them until my dying day but I dunno man, I was thinking about possibly dabbling in the reality TV arena.”
“Do what you gotta do to feed you and your family, but please just don’t exploit people for your own selfish gain. Television has ruined people and even torn apart some families in the process.”
“Oh no, I agree. I think that we’ve been exposed to so much of the bad in reality TV that people are skeptical of any good that can come from it…”
{{Carlos puts down the remnants of his burger, picks up his glass of white wine, and takes a sip of it. Still holding the glass, he continues to speak.}}
“People like you, people like myself…I feel that if we had an honest show out there that had an underlying moral tone to it, we could change the game,” Carlos said sounding like a cliché rapper with aspirations.
“We as in us? I mean I feel what you are saying, but there’s no way that I would ever get in front of a camera and make a fool of myself. There’s no dollar amount worth it to me.”
Suddenly I heard AJP saying in my head “Too late for that my nubian prince!” As annoying as she is, she is pretty clever and her escapades are well timed.
“No, I don’t need you on camera Bailey. I need access to your resources,” Carlos revealed.
“Resources? You are on your way to becoming a big shot in Hollywood and you need my resources? That doesn’t make sense to me. I have nothing to offer,” I said bewildered.
“Let me explain the concept first and then I’ll tell you what I need from you. The working title of the show is Silver Platter and it’s about how people who live in the public eye inherited refuge from their families. Whether financial, entrepreneurial, etc. I have already reached out to the agents of Paris Hilton, Ivanka Trump, and Jamie Johnson of the Johnson & Johnson empire. I have even tried to get ahold of the representatives of Michael Jackson’s children. I think that they’d be perfect.”
The list of potential participants showed me just how serious he was. As a budding name in Hollywood, his credibility would be on the line if he half stepped on this idea.
“Sounds pretty interesting so far. A little vague but if done well, it could be something special.”
{{Carlos smiles.}}
I asked “What would be this underlying moral tone that you speak of?”
Carlos responded “To teach the American people that you have to work hard for what you want in life. Nothing comes easy. Most wealthy people are portrayed as superior in the media, but I’m not trying to portray them in that light. People don’t need to feel inferior, regardless of your tax bracket. I’m just trying to portray them as people who happened to inherit success at the hands of someone else’s hard work. Hard work is always the key factor, even if you aren’t the one doing it.”
I held onto every word of Carlos’ optimism. He wanted to make a difference in the entertainment industry like I wanted to make in pro wrestling.
“So where do I come in at? How can I assist with what already seems to be a great idea?”
“You know two guys that would be perfect for this show,” pronounced a grinning Carlos.
“Oh yeah? Who might that be?” I divulged while trying to mentally run through possible options.
“Sang Réal.”
Oh but of course! Why didn’t I think of them sooner??
“Makes perfect sense. If anybody is reaping the benefits of someone else’s hard work, it is definitely these guys.”
“Good. Now if you could relay the message for me, then I could see what other steps I need to take to get the ball rolling. If they happen to ask you about the salary, scheduling of the shoot dates, or anything relating to the show, just have them call me.”
“I’ll actually be seeing them in the Philippines this weekend so I’ll tell them as soon as I see them.”
“Great! Things are falling in line. Oh….and speaking of falling in line, how’s the love life? With all of this progress you are making in the wrestling world, I’m sure you have that special someone to come home to at the end of the night and share it with right?”
{{I then begin to put the business aside and open up to Carlos about my rocky love life the past few months.}}
---------------
As J-Hop emphatically put it…you two again? The first time around we were stuck in Limbo like the movie Inception, but now we seem to have relocated to the Twilight Zone. But it doesn’t matter at the end of the day because I’m always up to be put against great competition. It keeps me on my toes and allows me to sharpen my skills in the process. I don’t ever want to make any of my opponents, no matter how much I might personally despise their character, feel as if I am better than them or that they aren’t worth my time. Because if I carried myself like that, I would be sending the wrong message. All of this dialogue about me standing for the truth and for what’s right would get tossed out the window. No opponent that I have ever encountered or will ever encounter is subservient to me.
But the reason why I’m not overly excited about the tag team match at Asylum is because I already know what will be the consensus if the outcome is not in Sang Réal’s favor. It’s like a two year old not getting what he wants. Fits will be thrown and feet will be stomped. I already know how they might attempt to articulate our second “fluke” victory over them. Connor Murphy & Gabriel Krown don’t have issues of gaining the upper hand in the squared circle, they have issues with reality. That was the whole purpose behind my Deception promo last month. In their subconscious minds, Murphy and Krown are the best of the best in the business. Their feces don’t stink, they walk on rose petals like kings and princes, and they expect everyone to bow down and worship them. If nobody bows, off with their heads.
You cannot disrespect royalty like that and continue living. Newsflash…you are on a level playing ground with everyone else around you. Not higher or lower and the same goes for me and Hopkins. This whole shaking your fists at the heavens attitude that you symbolize is played out and it will get you nowhere. I haven’t been in the business long but I have learned a thing or two along the way. The people who go on to achieve great things in this sport all start out humble. They lack wealth, fans, experience, and a whole lot of other things initially. They finally get their big break and they are grateful for all of the years of hard work and training paying off. Somewhere along this journey though, a large percentage of them go astray and forget where they came from. You name them and I can almost guarantee you that it is true each and every time.
But you Sang Réal haven’t drifted from the straight and narrow after humble beginnings, you are already starting off on the wrong foot and it is showing. A man’s true character is revealed when he is being tested or going through a trial so I cannot wait to see your reaction after The Dying Breed defeat you once again. If it causes you to go back to the drawing board and re-think your approach and how you treat and view people, then our task will have been accomplished. If that is the disposition you take after Asylum then we are all going out for drinks afterward at my expense. But the optimist in me knows the truth and at times, I fail to see reality for what it is just like you do. Once I awaken from this hopeful fairytale I am experiencing, you guys will carry on as is.
You will continue to try and drag our names through the mud and talk negatively about us. We’re two punks from the street? I can assure you that there is nothing street about the neighborhood that I grew up in. It was replete with middle and upper class Caucasian families and it had a low crime rate and non-existent gang or drug activity. My mother laboring for countless years in school to obtain two doctorate degrees and a prosperous career were the only means that sheltered me from the ills of the inner city. I know and am friends with people who grew up in the inner city so I have a special place in my heart for it, but I am not a product of that environment. It was only the hard work genetic that circulates through the Bailey blood that even made that possible.
Yes those words “hard work” may sound like a foreign language to you but it’s what I am made of. It’s what Hopkins is made of. Your fathers seemed to have understood the concept as well. Unfortunately they never taught you that. They should’ve taught you what it means to struggle and toil for something you desire. All they gave you were some chromosomes and a name that would garner you respect in the wrestling world. Just because they handed you things doesn’t necessarily mean that others will operate the same way. With The Dying Breed, you won’t just be handed our respect...it has to be earned. Sally Talfourd, Terry Marvin, Jason Kash, Keaton Saint, AJP, and countless others earned my respect.
You could be in that number too but I doubt that you want to be. Your main focus is probably just trying to defeat us so that you can gain some inner peace over roughing up a couple of “street punks” like us. My main focus is to get you to understand what really matters in life. Is it the wealth, the education, or the second generation wrestling that you boast in? No. What matters most is being humble. People have expected me to change by now, given my quickly approaching two year mark in the business and in the spotlight. But why would I change? I’m the same person I was when I first walked through those doors.
Sang Réal wish that they could say the same, but they don’t know who they are. They are too busy playing dress up in daddy’s clothes and trying to live up to what they did. But if you want success, you can’t comfortably coast along. You have to reinvent the wheel and The Dying Breed’s patent on this state of the art wheel will be secure at Asylum. I am Anthony Bailey…APW’s only Promise…the only Promise that can't be broken. Until Quezon City…
{{The scene slowly fades to black.}}
