(l-r) Interviwee, Laugh Twins
Up next is Seal of Awesomeness recipient, "The Man Scout" Jake Manning. We've previously discussed Mr. Manning before, but due to his elusive nature had to stop short of "He rules." We implored him to get in touch, and low and behold, he did. Presented for your pleasure is our friendly chit chat with The Man Scout.
The obvious question comes from your gimmick. It’s really unlike anything we’ve ever seen. Where did the inspiration for the Man Scout character come from?
Who’s your favorite wrestler of all time and favorite wrestler currently working today?
I have always been a huge fan of pro wrestling. I use to do a lot stuff like tear up my shirt like Hulk Hogan in gym class. I would Rock Bottom my friends on the high jump mats. I shaved my head to look like Steve Austin. Huge fan and even bigger mark. But most of the guys who were main event wrestlers were 6 foot 5 inches and 250lbs. I was at best 5'11 and most of time before I got into the business I was less than 200lbs.
Well, some people may not like this story but it’s true. But when I was in college I saw Kurt Angle wrestle Chris Benoit at the Royal Rumble in 2003. I was moved and I decided that maybe I can do this. If I use these two as role models maybe I can be as good as them one day. So, I was obsessed with those two. Well, needless to say these men's personal lives have not been an example to follow. But I owe them everything because without them I would not be in the business today.
Another major influence in my professional and personal life has been Bobby Eaton. He is the greatest professional wrestler of all time. I just filmed an event for Highspots.com where Steve Keirn said that Bobby Eaton was the greatest of all time. Ric Flair was the first one on his feet for the standing ovation. Enough said.
Favorite wrestling memory?
I have so many of them. I think getting the email from my future boss Michael, at Highspots.com telling me I have been chosen for an internship at Highspots.com. Of course 3 months turned into 4 years last May. The move to
Coolest thing that’s happened in your career? What would be your career highlight?
Getting to train with Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat on a regular basis, I wrestled a dark match for the WWE, and I wrestled Jerry Lawler for 30 minutes one night. Other than the things from above, I think the match I had with Richie Steamboat in December of 2008 was a pretty big deal for me. The match was near perfect. Mostly because The Dragon laid it out for us, but I really feel like we both stepped up to the plate that night. Even though, I only have a few years in and he had less than 30 matches- if that- under his belt at that point our competitiveness wouldn't let the other fail. It was in front of several thousand people and on the same card as Hogan and Flair. I think in my mind and in a lot of people's mind we stole the show. Watch it for yourself if you want.
Is Richie Steamboat your favorite person to work with?
Well, after that last answer, Richie Steamboat has to be towards the top. But I've got a lot of great talent in this area. Caleb Konley, Charlie Dreamer, newcomer Cedric Alexander, Bobo Brazil Jr., Joey Silvia, Team Macktion and KC McKnight. Then there are a lot of guys out there that I have had some really good matches with Tony Kozina, Mark Sterling, Brad Allen, Sterling James Keenan, Steve Corino, Sal Rinauro and Guy Smith.
In addition to wrestling you also have a job with Highspots, which is a sort of all-purpose wrestling store online. What exactly do you do with them?
I am the sole video editor for Highspots.com. If it was edited by Highspots.com I did it. For example, The Ric Flair Shoot Interview, Ric & Roddy Roundtable, Omega: Uncommon Passion, all the volumes of Classic Memphis Wrestling, Boogie Woogie Front Yard Bash, and Heroes of Burke County.
How’d that come about?
Colt Cabana told me the place to be for Indy wrestling is the east coast. So, I was hunting on the Internet for chances to get out here. Well, Highspots gave me one and I took it and ran.
Does working for Highspots have any benefits for your wrestling career and vice verse?
Well, the pros out weight the cons 24/7 but a lot times since Highspots.com is a growing company sometimes we rub people the wrong way. Which I understand, but I'm just trying to make a living and get my wrestling career off the ground. Don't penalize me because you have a problem with the person who signs my pay check. Also, sometimes I have to be more about business instead of "being one of the boys" from time to time. Either, because I need to worry about setting up and tearing down the ring, or worry about filming the show, or selling gimmicks. Some nights it is very hard do all of that and still wrestling a show stealing 20 min match, but most of the time I get it done.
Well that brings up the entire life of an independent wrestler. Working a straight 9-5 and then hitting the road for a show has to be a haul. How would you describe the current indy scene?
Wrestling is awful everywhere except WWE and the fans have a lot to do with it. No one buys a ticket to watch a show anymore. Fans want to get themselves over. The parents set a bad example by either yelling out that’s fake or boring. Caleb Konely's favorite thing to hear come out of a wrestling fan parent's mouth, "Hey son, run up there and hit that wrestler he knows how to take a punch". Do these people act like this anywhere else? Do you buy a ticket to a concert or a sporting event and feel like you should be the star of the show? Wrestling fans do. Do you yell “BORING! BORING!” when a football team is in a huddle or during a time out? Wrestling fans do. Do you go to a baseball game and in the first inning at the first at bat do you scream out, "Hit a Home Run!"? And when they don't do you tell them that they suck? Wrestling fans do. My bitterness in shared by many for example,
What can you do to insure that they don’t yell “BORING!” at you? What do you think a wrestler needs to do to make his mark on the indys?
Bill Demott really inspired me to do the Man Scout after wrestling as just Jake Manning for 3 years. He said, "Be different. If fans can remember you on the car ride home you have done your job." How many guys are there that are bald and have a facial hair? It is very easy to get lost in the shuffle. But it is very hard to forget a guy who wears a Boy Scout shirt to the ring.
We agree that being different and standing out is important for any success in life. But as comedy snobs we have a few questions about the Man Scout character. After watching some of your YouTube promos and matches, it’s very clear to see that you are a heel. However, one thing that’s crossed our minds when we watch is how your promos always end with the character performing something hypocritical (telling a kid to go outside on a nature hike only to then turn around watch the Playboy channel yourself, frequent swearing, and other unscout like behavior). This of course humanizes him. However, have you given any thought to possibly going the other way in future promos? Portray him as a super face that is so annoying and bland that he draws the heat that way. Think early 2000’s Kurt Angle.
But that has already been done before. I'm trying to come at it from the approach that I think I'm better than you because I have a uniform and I have a code of conduct. Much like these hypocritical preachers you see on TV. If you cornered me in an interview on my unscoutlike behavior I would just tell you that I have a badge of honor and you don't. Much like those people who think because they go to church every week and think that they are better than everyone else, even though they don't practice their faith in real life. Being a good person makes you a good person not doing what you think a good person should do.
Those were just trial runs of the character anyways.
Looking back on it they are the worst things I have ever done. When promoters see those clips they think all I do is tell fart jokes in the ring. So, people book me then tell me “don't do the Man Scout I want a serious wrestler.” When that happens I do one of two things: ignore them and do it anyways or have the same match I would if I wore my Scout shirt to the ring. And then nobody remembers the bald guy with the beard. It’s like “what was his name again?”
We’ll let you go on an uncomfortable question. When you were in
I'm sure I did. Any halfway decent girl at a wrestling show is going to get hit on by me, jack!
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