Friday, July 31, 2015

Saturday Morning Ringside: Piper's Pit (1984)

"Rowdy" Roddy Piper emigrated to the then-World Wrestling Federation (now WWE) in 1983, and, within a few short months, became one of its most hated and controversial figures, thanks to the polarizing Piper's Pit, which was initially meant to be a monthly feature in the promotion's magazine, which was soon going to be distributed nationally on newsstands. It became a popular interview segment on Championship Wrestling, which later changed its title to Superstars of Wrestling, and, then, just Superstars.

At first, Piper's Pit was the wrestler's bully pulpit, where he taunted opposing wrestlers, often attacking them without warning. However, beginning in 1986, when Piper returned after filming a movie (presumably "They Live"), he entered into a feud with cross-dressing Adrian Adonis, who was asked to host an interview segment in Piper's stead, but the Flower Shop was a bust from the get go, largely because of Adonis' gimmick and the fact that he had ballooned in size.

In recent years, Piper's Pit became a periodic special attraction whenever Piper returned to WWE, and more recently, Piper filmed an anti-bullying PSA.

Let's go back in time to 1984, and the debut of Piper's Pit.




Tame, compared to what would follow.

Rating: A.

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