Doc Gallows Previews Talk ’N Shop A-Mania Event; Details COVID-19 Precautions Taken For The PPV, BTE Appearance
Photo Credit: IMPACT Wrestling
Doc Gallows says fans are in for a real treat when the Good Brothers take over the pay-per-view world with Talk ‘N Shop A Mania.
Gallows recently spoke with WrestleZone Managing Editor Bill Pritchard while promoting the upcoming Talk ‘N Shop A Mania pay-per-view on August 1 and talked a little bit about how the idea came up as well as what fans can expect from the show.
“April 15th I was sitting in my sauna in my basement gym and I got called and let go [by WWE]. I hung up the phone and booked a signing in Spain,” Gallows explained, “and then I thought ‘Our last match in WWE was 12 days ago, it was the WrestleMania co-main event with The Undertaker in a Boneyard Match. If we don’t spoof that after they fired us 12 days later, we’re missing a huge opportunity.’
“The [Southpaw Regional Wrestling idea] was taken from my ‘Sex Ferguson’ character and it was a spoof on the way that I started wrestling. And if you can’t have fun with the entertainment side of professional wrestling, you don’t have a good sense of humor and you’re a different kind of fan, in my opinion. I said let’s take this thing—and it’s not disrespectful, it’s a big wink at everybody—you see a full roster of names on that Talk ’N Shop A-Mania card and you’re not going to see technical and exciting professional wrestling. You’re going to see these people portray characters that are more in tune with their own sense of humor and our sense of humor,” Gallows said, “and it’s a big wink at professional wrestling. You’re not going to see a big work-rate match because this is to make you laugh and have a good time, sit down for an hour and a half and forget about this pandemic, really just enjoy yourself.
“I don’t recommend letting the kids watch it because there’s a lot of f-bombs, but if you’re an adult professional wrestling fan like I am, I think you’re going to get a big kick out of it. The main event is a Boner Yard Match, for God’s sake,” Gallows said. “I bought a hearse and I had a grave built on my property. I have druids, caskets, it’s ridiculous. You’re only going to be out $15 even if you hate it. It’s available on pay-per-view in America and Canada, you can buy it on FITE TV; it’s August 1 and it’s Talk ’N Shop A-Mania, you’re never going to see anything like it unless you buy it. If enough of you buy it, we might do a sequel.”
Putting on a wrestling event in the “quarantine era” has not been an easy task, and promoters have had to introduce a number of strict protocols and precautions to ensure performer safety. The Talk ’N Shop A-Mania event is no different, and Doc Gallows went into detail on some of the measures he took as the promoter of that event since he was inviting so many people onto his property. Gallows said not only did he and Karl Anderson get tested before they shot a segment for this week’s episode of Being The Elite, but he also had a COVID-19 check at his home because it’s a necessity in today’s climate.
“In talking about protocols, it’s the masks, the social distancing, the temperature checks. It’s where it used to be thirty of us sitting around and shooting the shit and hanging out together, you can’t do that anymore,” Gallows said. “You have to social distance, even putting gloves on to get your catering food or whatever it may be, everybody’s being careful.
“We went to AEW to shoot the BTE gimmick with the [Young Bucks] in the hotel for their show and we actually had the finger prick and had the COVID test there, and it’s the same stuff. We shot Talk ’N Shop A-Mania two weeks ago on my property in Georgia. My wife’s an ER nurse, she’s on the frontlines. We made that decision,” Gallows said, “because financially we’re in a situation where we can do that and she’s working on her doctorate now. She puts scrubs on and gloves, a mask and we had a COVID check at the end of my driveway because you have to do that. It’s a different time and hopefully, this pandemic stuff will ease up and slow down but it’s irresponsible not to be safe. We’re driving right now, we’re in Tennessee crossing into Georgia, and if we’re walking into a gas station everyone’s got a mask on and it’s the same thing with wrestling. With wrestling, you’re more at risk because you’re out there sweating all over each other and you’re in close contact, so you have to be as careful as possible. It’s something that none of us were prepared for or used to.”
Gallows went on to add that things have changed so rapidly in the past few months but you see things in perspective even if you’re not actively involved in the wrestling business. He said you have to take all of these preventative measures to ensure that no one gets sick, and no one that was on his property for the taping has.
“There’s so many unknowns with this stuff and it’s a different era, but I hope it’s behind us soon.”
Stay tuned for our full interview with Doc Gallows where we discuss more about the Talk ‘N Shop A Mania pay-per-view on August 1, the potential for a sequel, why IMPACT Wrestling was the right move for the Good Brothers and much more.