R. D. Reynolds

Not to be confused with another author named "RD Reynolds" who authored a book on vitamin B6 in the mid-1980s.
Randy Baer
Born (1969-01-12) January 12, 1969[1]
Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
Pen name RD Reynolds
Real Deal Reynolds
Occupation Author, Webmaster
Nationality American
Genre Comedy, non-fiction
Subject Professional wrestling, Professional wrestling gimmicks
Website
www.wrestlecrap.com

Randy Baer (born January 12, 1969), better known by his ring and pen name RD (Real Deal) Reynolds, is a former American professional wrestling manager and is also the co-creator of the professional wrestling website WrestleCrap, with Merle Vincent (who died in September 2000).[2] He has also authored three books, WrestleCrap,[3][4] The Death of WCW,[5] co-authored with Bryan Alvarez, and The WrestleCrap Book of Lists!, co-authored with Blade Braxton. He has been called "the foremost authority on the worst of professional wrestling" by the Canadian Online Explorer.[6]

Independent wrestling career

Baer's self-produced DVD The Worst of RD Reynolds chronicles his work in various independent wrestling promotions, most of which were in the Indianapolis area for promoters Jeff Cohen and "Diamond" Dan Garza; primarily Cohen's Championship Wrestling of America and NWA Indianapolis.[7][8] Baer worked as an interviewer, commentator, manager, and booker, meaning that he wrote storylines and set up matches. Occasionally, he performed in professional wrestling matches, some of which had special stipulations.[7] When he became a heel manager, he was forced to adopt the ring name RD Reynolds due to wrestling fans leaving him angry messages on his answering machine.[9]

Baer once appeared in Ohio Valley Wrestling, a former developmental territory of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), managing Mark Henry in a match against The Big Show. Show chokeslammed Reynolds during the course of the match and significantly injured him. Later, RD himself took responsibility, citing his own inexperience and lack of training as the reasons for the injury.[7][10]

Writing career

Baer holds a degree in broadcast journalism and sociology.[7] In 2000, Baer and Merle Vincent launched the website WrestleCrap, which features wrestling-related articles, primarily focusing on moments in wrestling which Baer and contributors perceive to be the worst. Since the launch of the website, Baer has written four wrestling-related books. In his first book, WrestleCrap, Baer chronicles the characters and storylines from WWE and World Championship Wrestling which he perceives to the very worst.[4][10] It features an introduction by John Tenta.[11] Reynolds also co-authored The Death of WCW, with wrestling journalist Bryan Alvarez.[12] The book received a positive review from Jon Waldman of SLAM! Wrestling.[13] His third book, The WrestleCrap Book of Lists!, written with Blade Braxton, was released in November 2007.[6] He is a featured columnist for British pro wrestling and MMA magazine FIGHTING SPIRIT.[14] He has also been interviewed as an expert on wrestling gimmicks.[15] In 2014, a 10th anniversary expanded edition of The Death of WCW was released.

Death hoax

In April 2007, RD was the victim of an internet hoax, with various people and websites claiming that he had died from heart failure and his neighbors found him in his bathtub. In the end, RD returned, alive and well, on an episode of WrestleCrap Radio, revealing that he had never died...and didn't even know he was sick.[16]

In wrestling

Championships and accomplishments

Bibliography

See also

References

  1. ↑ Baer, Randy; R.D. Reynolds (2003). WrestleCrap: The Very Worst of Pro Wrestling. ECW Press. p. 6. ISBN 1-55022-584-7.
  2. ↑ RD Reynolds listed as the co-creator of Wrestlecrap.com about 3/4ths down the page.
  3. ↑ RD Reynolds listed as the author of "Wrestlecrap" at ECW Press.com.
  4. 1 2 Waldman, Jon (2004-02-02). "WrestleCrap author aims for laughs". SLAM! Wrestling. Retrieved 2010-08-15.
  5. ↑ RD Reynolds listed as the author of "The Death of WCW" at ECW Press.com.
  6. 1 2 Kapur, Bob (2007-12-18). "Plenty of laughs in WrestleCrap's Lists". SLAM! Wrestling. Retrieved 2010-08-15.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Cardno, James. "Interviews (2003): RD Reynolds". New Zealand Pro Wrestling Informer. Retrieved 2010-08-16.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Furious, Arnold (December 2, 2007). "The Furious Flashbacks - The Worst of RD Reynolds". Video Reviews. 411mania.com. Retrieved March 14, 2011.
  9. ↑ Sokol, Chris (2005-03-21). "Baer proudly peddles WrestleCrap". SLAM! Wrestling. Retrieved 2010-08-15.
  10. 1 2 Bakon, Jun (2004). "R.D. Reynolds Interview". LethalWrestling.com. Retrieved 2010-08-15.
  11. ↑ Clevett, Jason (2006-06-07). "John "Earthquake" Tenta dead". SLAM! Wrestling. Retrieved 2010-08-15.
  12. ↑ "Pro Wrestling Arena's Craptacular Interview with RD Reynolds". ProWrestlingArena.com. December 12, 2008. Archived from the original on January 24, 2009.
  13. ↑ Waldman, Jon (2005-01-12). "WCW's demise makes for good read". SLAM! Wrestling. Retrieved 2010-08-15.
  14. ↑ RD Reynolds listed as one of the contributors to Fighting Spirit Magazine.
  15. ↑ Kendall, Mark (2004-01-22). "The right persona can turn a no-name into a wrestling star". The Press-Enterprise. Retrieved 2010-08-15.
  16. ↑ Braxton, Blade (May 4, 2007). "061 Botany Crap Radio: May 4, 2007" (Podcast). WrestleCrap Radio. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved August 19, 2011.
  17. ↑ Meltzer, Dave (January 26, 2015). "Jan. 26, 2015 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: 2014 awards issue w/ results & Dave’s commentary, Conor McGregor, and much more". Wrestling Observer Newsletter (Campbell, California): 35. ISSN 1083-9593.

External links



WOW Magazine (World of Wrestling Magazine) was a professional wrestling magazine which existed from 1999 to late 2001. It was originally launched with its debut issue in March 1999 by Mike Morris and H&S Media. It promised to cater to the smart population of wrestling fans; breaking kayfabe, writing about backstage events, wrestling politics, and not treating storylines as real.

WOW was the first publication of its kind to use insider terms – such as “mark” and “shoot” – and also conducted out-of-character interviews with wrestlers from the WWF, WCW, ECW and the independent circuit.

Other magazines available during this time period, which covered wrestling storylines and feuds as legitimate, have earned the moniker “mark mags” or more specifically, “Apter mags,” in reference to the man, Bill Apter, who was the Senior Editor of such periodicals. A few examples of these magazines are Pro Wrestling Illustrated (or PWI) and its family of magazines that included The Wrestler, Inside Wrestling and Sports Review Wrestling.

In late 1999, Apter left his job with the aforementioned mark mags and took over the position of Editor-In-Chief of WOW Magazine. As a result, the publication appeared to gain more notoriety, due to Apter’s 20+ years of experience. In addition, longtime Senior Writer and cartoonist Steve Anderson followed Apter to become a staff writer with WOW. Many industry insiders felt that WOW’s initial appeal as a cutting edge, innovator of wrestling journalism was lost when a couple of issues seemed to make WOW the latest incarnation of mark mags, only with glossy, full color pages. However, reader complaints and staff dissatisfaction led to WOW's quick return to its previous "insider" style.

In the summer of 2001, Kappa Publishing Group – who just happened to be the longtime publishers of PWI and thus Apter's and Anderson's former employers – assumed the rights to WOW Magazine from H&S Media and folded the publication.

WOW had two sister publications: ECW Magazine, which featured columns, show reviews, and interviews with wrestlers working for the Philadelphia based promotion, Extreme Championship Wrestling, and WOW Xtra, a bi-weekly publication.

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