ABOUT THAT RANT I WENT ON

Look, I know it was dumb to go on a Twitter rant about a review I received for one of my comedy shows. It was dumb to think I could right a perceived wrong in 140 characters or less. It was dumb to even draw attention to a review that 99.9% of my followers (average in an estimate, not a mathematical fact) would have never even known about. It was dumb to mention the writer’s name. It was especially dumb to ask my followers to give their opinion to the writer; even though I asked everyone to be polite, the guy really didn’t deserve to be hassled for a review that really wasn’t all that bad. For that, I apologize to the guy. All in all, just a series of dumb things I did that day that seemed perfectly logical when I woke up at 4 am and couldn’t get that review out of my head. Let me at least try to explain.

Remember “A Christmas Story”, where Ralphie wrote the essay about the Red Ryder BB gun? The one he imagined getting the A++++ on? Remember how devastated he was when he got the C (or C+, or C-, whatever the heck it was)? Well, essentially that was me, thinking I was going to get that one tremendous review from an influential comedy website, that was going to allow me much greater exposure in the UK media – and with it, a legitimate chance to expand beyond the curiosity factor in the UK comedy world.

The reviewer had attended two shows; one in Glasgow, and one in Newcastle. I made sure he got to see two distinctly different shows. According to more than one account, he had a very enjoyable time as a spectator in Glasgow, even noting that it was a “great show” to promoter Chris Brooker. So following the Manchester show, which I firmly believed was the stronger set of the two, I anticipated a review that would reflect that “great show” sentiment. And when I didn’t get it, I got angry.

I know it seems foolish to care so much about a single review. But I firmly believed that this was the review that was going to “make” me. I’d seen it happen before. In 1988, there wasn’t even a whisper of a full-time job for me in pro-wrestling. I’d been sending letters, tapes and photos to promoters seemingly forever – all to no avail. Until one reference of my name in “The Wrestling Observer” as one of the best unknown Independent workers in the business – after which I received three full-time job offers in two days. One of them, in Memphis, led to Dallas, which led to WCW, etc., etc.

Believe it or not, my first novel, “Tietam Brown” whose poor sales I joke around about in the US, was actually a modest success – both commercially and critically – in the UK. While the sighting of a Foley novel at a US event or signing is a rarity indeed, I signed dozens (and dozens) of them while on my UK tour. Why the difference in perception? I really believe it was due to one influential reviewer for the BBC, who took the book seriously and gave it a positive review, which seemingly allowed every other media outlet to take the book seriously as well. Not all the reviews were positive, but, love it or loathe it, the book was taken seriously. I seriously thought the reviewer in Newcastle was going to be THAT guy for me in comedy; the guy who would allow others in the UK - whether they loved it or loathed it – to treat what I was doing with at least a modicum of respect. Obviously, that didn’t happen.

Yes, I should have been able to let it go. After all, the reviewer wouldn’t have been the first person to refer to something as “great” when it actually wasn’t. I believe every wrestler (including this one) at some point in their career has said the phrase “great match” to a colleague without really meaning it. My wife might even be guilty of referring to something I did in the Foley bedroom as being “great”, when in truth, it was probably only really, really good. Nonetheless, when one has their heart set on something - whether it be a Red Ryder BB gun, or an A++++, or a great comedy review - and then doesn’t get it..well, it tends to leave a mark. I used to have creative outlets for frustration. Remember the “Cane Dewey” promo? Yeah, that was a pretty good way to vent frustration. Now I’ve got Twitter. Sometimes, having instant access to expressing your frustrations – and an instant audience, with permanent ramifications, is not the healthiest..or wisest way to vent those frustrations.

I’m pretty sure I learned a lesson here, and I hope wrestling fans and followers will cut me a little slack. I’ve got to run now – I’m late for my “Tweeter’s Anonymous” meeting. Perhaps disgraced Congressman Anthony Weiner will have a sympathetic ear for me.

Comments

[Ravyn Karasu]

Sometimes we do things that just end up being...the not so best thing in the world. We all do it. It's part of being human. No respect lost here.

[nicole]

we all make mistakes thats human being :-)

[Justin]

It was a totally odd reaction, but the important part is your willingness to admit and talk about it. Opinions on an art will always be a bell curve, and some of those outliers have a website. Thanks for the honesty!

“We are not good despite our imperfections; it is our connection with our imperfections that allows us to be good ... Being mindful of those personal and common imperfections, is what allows us to be good to each other and good to ourselves.” -- Jay Smooth

[Marilyn]

That's ok Mick, maybe you can have your management team tweet for you now, like Ashton Kutcher......or maybe not. :)

[SoulmanInc]

Mick... I can certainly empathize with this. Please don't feel too bad about it. We've all vented our frustrations via twitter, facebook etc (I know I certainly have!). The fact that you've gone out of your way to apologize shows the good guy you are :)

Best wishes, and looking forward to your show in Wales in Feb :)

Simon

[Paul gray]

Mick everything you do and say comes from the heart and thats why we support, respect, admire and yes love you man. Theres nothing false about you, what you see is what you get ... when your elated its obvious and so is the other side of the coin, when your dissapointed and frustrated. Its what singles you out from other PR managed tweeters with their carefully contrived/filtered views, when we see a Foley tweet we know its not only from the guy himself but also from the heart, so whilst your feeling bad about all this don't let it change you man, don't sanitise that rough edged, lovable big brother of a guy we all wait in line to meet. Do you think we do that for a signature/photo? No man its to show you we appreciate all you have done and will continue to do, whether it be as a writer, a comedian or a wrestler .... ENTERTAINER sums it up best (just need to release a cd of you singing Sinatra songs now :-p). Me and my mate had a wonderful night at Newcastle, exceeded our expectations, you owned that stage and I sincerely hope you pay us a return visit (release that front row earlier! Haha). Id had a lousy week, felt so low but you lifted my spirits and put me back on track, you cant put a price on that. Now its all done and dusted, time to move on ... takes a special kind of guy to apologise so fully and admit hes wrong, you've done that, onwards and upwards. If you mention this again I will personally kick your butt :-D

[Jody Powell]

Mick- No worries! You made everything right with an apology and a well placed and relevant analogy using one of the greatest Christmas cinematic creation ever made. The only way it could have been any better would be to compare yourself to Clark W. Griswold as he explodes in a hilarious rant about his boss. Then Cousin Eddie, representing us Foley Followers, kidnaps the boss in the middle of the night and delivers him to Clark with a big red bow. Eddie wasn't acting out of hatred for the boss, but out of love for Clark. So I guess what I am trying to say is, "We love you, Sparky!

[Paradol]

We still love ya, Mick.

[Joseph]

“Never apologize, mister, it’s a sign of weakness.”
― John Wayne

[BNickolaus]

You are a great person that I have had the pleasure of meeting and I have no doubt that your heart was in the right place. No one admits to making mistakes anymore and the fact you are owning up to "over doing it" reminds me how awesome you are. Thanks for all you do.

Keep up the great work and my family hopes to see some new kids books soon.

-Best

[Ashly]

With Twitter, it is kind of inevitable that at some point your fingers and your emotions will overwhelm the rational part of your brain that goes "Um, hey, probably not something you want to broadcast." What makes the difference is how you handle the aftermath...in your case saying "Oh, crap, that was not how I should have done that."

I have seen many people of public interest react to similar situations with claims of being hacked, "you just don't understand what I'm trying to say" or worse, reveling in what a badass it makes them to say nasty things to teenage fans on Twitter. RARELY are people able to do what you've just done: saying "Hey, you know what? That wasn't the right way to handle that stuff." I guess what I'm saying is you're ahead of the game, Twitter-wise.

[Carl]

Well Twitter was invented for us twits.