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Wrestling with the Truth
Excerpt from "Wrestling with the Truth"
Copyright © Bruno Lauer and Scott Teal
When we were clear of the Coliseum, Sid [Vicious] began berating me, and in a very angry, almost insane tone of voice, he told me in great detail about what had taken place in the parking lot just a few short minutes before. "Sid, I’m sorry …" I offered, but he cut me off in mid-sentence.
"Sorry! Sorry? Is that supposed to help? I hit a fu—ing baby because you were fu—ing standing the fu— around instead of getting in the fu—ing car!"
"But, Sid. I was talking to the RPMs because I haven’t seen them for a while, and ..."
At that point, Sid snapped, and in a combination of being insane with anger and not knowing just how inhumanly strong he was, he screamed, "Fu— the RPMs, and fu— you!" He grabbed me by the back of my head with his right hand, forced my head down between my knees, and held it there with all of his strength. I struggled to straighten up, but his brute force was inescapable. As my oxygen supply dwindled, my head felt as if it was going to explode, and I started to black out. Just before I passed out, Sid released his death grip on my neck and let me go.
Copyright © Bruno Lauer and Scott Teal
When we were clear of the Coliseum, Sid [Vicious] began berating me, and in a very angry, almost insane tone of voice, he told me in great detail about what had taken place in the parking lot just a few short minutes before. "Sid, I’m sorry …" I offered, but he cut me off in mid-sentence.
"Sorry! Sorry? Is that supposed to help? I hit a fu—ing baby because you were fu—ing standing the fu— around instead of getting in the fu—ing car!"
"But, Sid. I was talking to the RPMs because I haven’t seen them for a while, and ..."
At that point, Sid snapped, and in a combination of being insane with anger and not knowing just how inhumanly strong he was, he screamed, "Fu— the RPMs, and fu— you!" He grabbed me by the back of my head with his right hand, forced my head down between my knees, and held it there with all of his strength. I struggled to straighten up, but his brute force was inescapable. As my oxygen supply dwindled, my head felt as if it was going to explode, and I started to black out. Just before I passed out, Sid released his death grip on my neck and let me go.
Bruno’s book is phenomenal and I highly recommend it to everybody. You will learn a lot about the business of professional wrestling, and in the process, you will laugh your ass off.
— Kurt Angle
"Wrestling with the Truth" is the title of this book, but it doesn’t mean what you think it does. Bruno Lauer has no problem telling the truth. He believes in telling it like it is, and after spending 29 years as a manager in the business of professional wrestling, he has a lot of stories to tell.
Entertaining, visual, and vicious. A memorable memoir by a veteran performer who has seen and done it all in sports entertainment.
— Chris Jericho, New York Times best-selling author
The story of Bruno Lauer, known professionally as Downtown Bruno and Harvey Wippleman, relates the fascinating, and often hilarious, story of his life. Direct and opinionated, he doesn’t hold back anything, sharing both the good and the bad things that happened to him. Even his close friends aren’t safe from his scrutiny. Take it from Mick Foley, who read the first draft of the book and found himself on the receiving end of a few barbs thrown by Bruno: "Bruno's honesty can be, at times, a little painful."
A unique perspective from one of the most unique characters in the history of the wrestling business.
— Mick Foley, New York Times best-selling author
As he retraces every step of his career, Bruno’s account of his life as a "sports entertainment" performer begins at age 13, when he joins a traveling wrestling troupe at a carnival, and ends when he wins the WWF "Women’s" world championship wrestling title on prime-time national television.
This autobiography, another home run from the Crowbar Press line of wrestling bios, is a fresh glimpse of life behind the curtain of professional sports entertainment. As full of action, entertainment, heartbreak, and drama as anything that takes place inside a professional wrestling ring, Wrestling with the Truth is the story of a man who struggled to find his place in the wrestling business, and the success that came through his perseverance.
253 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2008
4 people are currently reading
38 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 14, 2024
Although there is a lot of backwards stuff in this book (racism, misogyny, homophobia, etc.), it's an excellent firsthand account of the world of professional wrestling from this era. Bruno comes across as very human and a normal person who simply chose a crazy life and stuck with it. He is not one of the guys who became rich or famous, but he is a person who gave his whole life and career to a field. This book is not about his glory, it's about his reality, and anyone who is interested in the human side of sport or entertainment will find it interesting.
On the downside, though, it's not well written. He's not a great writer, there are lots of typos, and he does almost constant asides throughout the book. On top of that, the formatting and font ain't great. Like I said, it's a good read, but only for someone who is already interested in this sort of thing. I told my family that I really liked the book, but I can't recommend it to them.
If you give it a try, it's worth the ride. If you pass it by, there are tons of other books in this genre to check out!
On the downside, though, it's not well written. He's not a great writer, there are lots of typos, and he does almost constant asides throughout the book. On top of that, the formatting and font ain't great. Like I said, it's a good read, but only for someone who is already interested in this sort of thing. I told my family that I really liked the book, but I can't recommend it to them.
If you give it a try, it's worth the ride. If you pass it by, there are tons of other books in this genre to check out!
April 29, 2024
Engrossing
I grew up watching wrestling. Downtown Bruno was the first character I remember wanting to strangle! He had my little ten year old self furious. That's why I enjoyed this book so much. It brought back great memories of a bygone era.
I grew up watching wrestling. Downtown Bruno was the first character I remember wanting to strangle! He had my little ten year old self furious. That's why I enjoyed this book so much. It brought back great memories of a bygone era.
November 15, 2017
Good book
I enjoyed this book. It was a interesting read. I learned a lot about the subject that the book is about.
I enjoyed this book. It was a interesting read. I learned a lot about the subject that the book is about.
December 24, 2012
Being a Memphis Wrestling fan, Bruno's book was a real fun read for me. His time documents the final days of Kayfab and the end of an era that will never happen again.
December 21, 2017
Unapologetic and no-nonsense from the start to the end (although sometimes hilariously ego-inflated and bitter). It also gives some inedited and interesting details about the historic CWA, the dying territories, sharing some stories and opinions about the death of Joey Marella and other colleague without any filter and political correctness.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews