My friend Kathleen introduced me to mental_floss magazine about a year ago. Since then, I've picked up a few of their books (I love the Genius instruction Manual) and I've become a daily reader of the mental_floss blog. I think a lot of WWdN readers will dig it, too, especially if you enjoyed the Intellectual Devotional book that I mentioned last year.
They run quizzes on their blog that always kick my ass . . . until today's WWF action figure quiz.
I loved these action figures when I was a kid. They were heavy, they were sculpted, they were totally different than any other action figure before or since, and during an era when wrestling video games didn't exist (this is before Exciting Hour gave us the Insane Worrier and his pals) playing with them in the Sling 'Em-Fling 'Em Wrestling Ring was the closest we could get to recreating our favorite matches . . . or inventing our own stories and rivalries:
"The Iron Sheik would never team up with Hulk Hogan!"
"Oh yeah, watch this!"
Ah, youth.
This is probably one of those generational things, but if you used to get up early on the weekends to watch Mean Gene and Jesse The Body Ventura do commentary while The Hart Foundation took on The Killer Bees, you're going to love it.
I took the quiz this morning, and scored 86% (12 out of 14.) I would have scored 13 out of 14 if I hadn't second-guessed myself on [redacted] when I should have just trusted my instincts. I do that a lot, goddammit. In my defense, there was one guy who I've never heard of, because he was, sadly, after my time. God, it kills me to say that. Why can't wrestling stay preserved in amber, existing only from 1980-1986? Because we wouldn't have Mankind and The Undertaker's legendary Hell in a Cell match if we did, that's why.
