Jabroni: A Short Story of Love, Redemption, and Professional Wrestling

by Joe Nelms

Fresh out of rehab, and on the verge of permanently becoming a Hollywood has-been, veteran and (formerly) well-respected TV producer Jillian Newkirk accepts the only job left in town for him - running the ratings-challenged Thursday Night Wrasslin’ for his ex-fiance’s struggling network.


noun, 1) One who is paid to lose. 2) In professional wrestling, a wrestler who loses in order to make another wrestler look good. 3) Jillian Newkirk

You’ve heard of David Chase (The Sopranos). You know Vince Gilligan (Breaking Bad). Now, meet Jillian Newkirk, the writer of the biggest show ever broadcast, Teddy Bear. Jillian just hit rock bottom after losing everything to booze, drugs, and gambling. As far show business goes, he’s practically untouchable.

But he’s got one shot – Marina, the woman he abandoned three weeks before their wedding who also just happens to run a TV network. She’s still angry with him, but she gives Jilly one last shot to resuscitate her low-rent wrestling show. The question Is this really a bona fide opportunity to rebuild a franchise and, more importantly, his shattered life? Or is Jilly being set up to lose by an unforgiving lover with this seemingly impossible task ?

41 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 5, 2016

About the author

Joe spent the last twenty years working in advertising, television and film including senior positions at DMB&B, Grey, BBDO and Warner Bros. serving clients like Pepsi, GE, Campbell's, Foot Locker, the Harry Potter series, the Ocean's 11 series, and The Matrix Trilogy.

Joe was co-founder, artistic director, producer and director of Live On Tape, a live sketch comedy show that was bought by NBC and turned into ten hilarious episodes. Additionally, he helped produce Between, a feature film that debuted in the Sundance Drama competition, and he co-wrote the teen horror parody film Shriek If You Know What I Did Last Friday The 13th (currently available on Netflix).