Crazee Column
Paper Tiger?
Click here to see the article!EPW made the press today
(Friday 7th May, 2004). At a circulation of around 7,855 (far more if it gets
reprinted in the Bath Chronicle), the article in the Keynsham & Saltford
Observer sold for 20 pence where sold, and was delivered free to most houses in
the local area where EPW is practised.
Getting straight to business, which is something we in EPW are all about; we'd
like to firstly thank Hugo Berger and his Editor & team for the work and time
they took to feature a bunch of backyarders in their press - thanks!
I won't mince my words, though; there were a few errors in the details,
including the web address which was given as www.epw.co.uk instead of the right
one; www.epwuk.com. Obviously we were rather disappointed with this, and
Corporate Ken got straight on the phone to Hugo, who promised to right the
errors in the next issue with a correction [Ed - Cheers, we appreciate it!]. In
the meantime we shall have to hope that any browsing members of the local public
have the good sense to use a search engine (like www.google.co.uk) and find us
that way.
In other errors; CrazeeKim's wrestling name was given as 'Kim Kaze', which is
her 'pen name', and she has never wrestled under it.
Also, George Morgan (Wife to Ken Flatt), was cited as being called George Flatt.
A simple mistake to make ...
We have 16 active wrestlers on the EPW roster, and 7 inactive/ex wrestlers. Not
15 in total, as cited.
Rather than 'try' to make our shows suitable for a PG-13/PG rating, I would
argue that they /are/ suitably rated thus; and in fact are considerably below
the content of what you would see in a lot of PG rated material. Despite our
hard hitting action, there is no sex or references to it, no guns or knives, and
no cursing included. Many PGs feature the above.
Finally in the form of a comment /on/ a comment, I would say that yes we do
sometimes use wrestling video games to watch the moves being done over and over
in the 'set up your character' section (where you can watch ONE MOVE done
technically over and over again, clearly). But we don't just play video games
and learn from that; in the main game you can't really tell what's going on and
it's only a kid's game, really. Video games are not real and some do promote
violence of a kind that would be clearly irresponsible and stupidly dangerous to
repeat in person. We only do proper wrestling moves, and our own grappling
techniques, etc. There is no stupidity in EPW ... and if you doubt us, watch a
show for yourself. Judge only once you have seen, and let he who is without
knee-jerking amongst you, cast the very first stone.
However, since we got the press for free, and it hasn't made us look bad as some
feared, I still think it was a good idea. What's more, it was our first pop at
making mainstream work for us. It's high time that Keynsham was on the map
again, and for something that is colourful and provokes discussion and thinking.
Keynsham's not dead and 80 plus ... it's alive and kicking!
The only thing I was unhappy with in terms of the actual, written content was
that the article cited the fed as all 'devout Christians'. I spent about two
minutes saying the exact opposite, and explaining that whilst about 70 per cent
of us are Christian, we are all from different walks of life and are totally
varied in belief and devoutness of that belief. I definitely made it CLEAR to
him that there are non-Christian and non-religious members of the roster.
So I apologise to anyone who does fall into this category - I did my best to
show us as we really are, and nothing but. At least it wasn't the sort of error
that would be seriously against what we are about, like saying 'we DO use glass
and barbed wire', when we never do and are against the use of such things for
entertainment purposes.
However, back to the good news! The article was basically an all round good
work, giving light to what we do in the EPW, and explaining why and how we
differ from some other feds, some of whom were seen on Channel 4 not too long
ago. I would add at this point though, that a few of those presented on the
documentary 'Lock up your sons' we do not consider dangerous people, and have no
issues with them personally. It always has been a small minority in backyard
wrestling - as with all things in life - who give the rest of us a bad name.
The names mentioned in the piece were only those who gave their verbal consent
on the day, which was encouraging. Not everyone wants their name splashed all
over the local town, and the respected privacy is appreciated.
So, all in all - a great effort and a good article, but with room for
improvement, I think.
-=CrazeeKim=-