Dom Bouchard: How Social Media Changed Wrestling

Dom Bouchard reflects on WWE before social media. 

How Social Media Changed Wrestling 

Remember when you had to buy wrestling magazines to get your wrestling fix? When we didn't know the wrestlers names or we didn't know Vince McMahon was the owner of the WWE. I do and no I am not that old. I had the honor to travel with most of the early 90's WWE superstars. You won't believe me but back then if you wanted to know insider information and tidbits you had to be there. Physically, unless you were Wade Keller or Dave Meltzer. I used to to drive the guys around town when they were in the Montreal or the Ottawa region. I remember receiving a phone call from Kerry Von Erich to tell me "Dom I will be at the Dorval airport tomorrow at 8 am."

I would train with those guys. My usual training partners were either Kerry or Paul Roma and once I even trained with Warlord.I looked like a seven year old. I remember sitting in a room with Sid Justice and he told me his real name. I was 21 years old and seriously thought "Holy sh*t Sid Justice isn't his real name!" He would talk to me about his family and his passion for softball. All the while I had to pinch myself to realize I was given so much respect from those guys.

Tatanka would explain how to do the Tomahawk Chop without killing the other guy actually jumping from the bed in the room while Taker and  Jerry Sags laughed. I remember hearing knocking on the door while talking with my buddies Bill, Dom, and Dan, and Kerry Von Erich and I opened the door and there stock Taker with two 24 packs of beers on each shoulders. We put them on the bath and retrieved ice with the empty boxes to fill up the bath.That was just the start of the evening. As everyone gathered in the small room Taker said if anyone talks about wrestling tonight I throw him out the window.We were on the 7th floor... Let's just say my hopes to do a live podcast ended pretty quick. "Holy sh*t, we talked about football, hockey, baseball, women and what not... but no wrestling! I remember going to the catering the day of the old TV tapings in Ottawa.It was unreal and both Animal and Hawk talked to me as if I was part of the crew. Jim Duggan and Owen Hart were having fun and making everyone laugh.

Everyone talked back then instead of tweeting.I talked to Vince McMahon and I didn't know he was the owner.He was extremely cool and he acted as one of the boys. My best friends back then were Jerry and Brian of the Nasty Boys. They were extremely great guys. Jerry brought me and a friend to his room and let me pose with the WWF Tag Team Championship Belts. Memories to last a lifetime and I will keep posting blogs about those awesome moments.Today even though Social Media drove a wedge between the fans and the wrestlers it is now a brand new way of interacting with them.  

About the Author: Dom Bouchard

Dom Bouchard is a featured columnist on ZWrestleTalk. Dom back in his heyday drove WWF wrestlers around Canada. Dom also hosts a podcast recently renamed to ZWrestleTalk Radio. Dom has interviewed Jerry Sags, Road Dogg Jesse James, Cody Hawk, and Brodus Clay (Tyrus). 

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