WCW WRESTLERS
ON FAMILY FEUD!
I am man enough to admit it.... this was NOT the episode of Family Feud I wanted to review when I first set out to report back on this particular assignment.
WCW (much like WWF and even TNA) has had their talent appear on the vaunted game show numerous times over the years. While the combination above certainly made for compelling television, I was really hoping to get my hands on a 1990 episode where "Team WCW" consisted of all-stars Sting, Lex Luger, Rick and Scott Steiner and Road Warrior Animal.
Obviously that grouping was a much higher caliber of wrestler, but I wasn't able to find that episode anywhere on YouTube. I am, like, 99 percent sure I have it recorded on an unmarked VHS tape somewhere, but realistically I'm not going to work that hard to tell the story of how dumbass Rick Steiner answered "Nine thousand dollars" when asked "What are one of the costs of owning a car?" in the lightning round. Yes, seriously.
This episode took place later in the same year, if memory serves. Sting was the only constant - he brought with him Z-Man Tom Zenk, Candyman Brad Armstrong, Flyin' Brian Pillman and announcer Jim Ross. Not exactly main-eventers here.
The took on the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (GLOW) - Hollywood, Mountain Fiji, Godiva, Justice and Sylvester Stallone's mother Jackie. Yes, seriously.
While Team WCW wasn't made up of your tippy-top guys here (what, The Horsemen were too busy to have a quick game show run-in?), they at least seemed tough compared to the GLOW ladies, all of which were virtual unknowns. I'm not entirely sure what Jackie Stallone's role was in the all-female wrestling promotion, but apparently she was part of GLOW at that time.
For those of you not familiar with the Family Feud rules, both teams strive to name the most popular responses to survey questions the show asks their audience ahead of time. Both teams were competing for a $10,000 prize that they would donate to the charity of their choice. WCW's was The Starlight Foundation, a group that I believe is fairly similar in scope to what Make-A-Wish does for children.
Each episode during Wrestling Week began with The Stinger and GLOW's Hollywood facing off, although Hollywood apparently forgot to wear pants to the game show taping.
I remember a rumor around this time that Sting and Hollywood were married in real life. Of course, a quick Wikipedia check shows that simply isn't true. And looking back... I may have been the one who started that rumor.
The first question to be posed by Ray Combs is "What do you wish you'd been with more of?" and before Hollywood can even answer, The Stinger quips that the answer is "money." Survey says.... it's the number one answer on the board! Team WCW gains control! While Z-Man and Brad Armstrong (wearing the largest pair of eyeglasses ever known to man) manage to guess survey answers number two and three ("Brains" and "Good Looks"), they aren't able to figure the final two answers amongst people surveyed. Fortunately, neither is GLOW and Team WCW scores the first win by default.
After the commercial break, Z-Man and Mountain Fiji square off at center stage (not to be confused with Center Stage Theater) over the question "What is unmanly to be afraid of?". Perhaps thinking of a run-in he had with Jake Roberts, Zenk answers 'snakes'. Pillman and Armstrong put some answers on the board, while JR, Sting and Zenk strike out with subsequent responses. But once again, Team GLOW blow their opportunity to steal, leaving Team WCW firmly in the lead.
Pillman and Godiva are up next, with Godiva answering first on "What are the most popular tattoo themes?". GLOW strikes out and the same fate befalls WCW folks. Team GLOW are given the chance to steal and this time.... it works (with the answer being "snake").
Candyman Brad Armstrong and his huge glasses square off next with Justice (no, not Sid) over the question "Name a place where you see men flexing their muscles?" Although Justice scores with "in front of a mirror", Armstrong gets the better answer with "on the beach". Jim Ross finally answers a question correctly, getting the number on answer on the board - "gymnasium". Z-Man gets the last answer on the board with "bodybuilding contest" and Team WCW secures a (rare?) victory.
It's lightning round time next, and Z-Man (with a "Z" pattern cut into his T-shirt) works with Pillman to score some additional cash. Zenk gets 77 points and Pillman gets 117 points.... falling just short of the 200 points they collectively needed to win the round.
All in all, this was a fun nostalgic look at the WCW performers in that era, but it would have been much more memorable to see the aforementioned Sting/Luger/Steiners/Animal team, or even the later (bizarre) combination of Sid Vicious, Dutch Mantel, Master Blaster (Kevin Nash), Jim Ross and Kevin Sullivan. Check out the episode below if you're so inclined...