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DVDs > Columns > Lowbrow Literati > Bret Hart > Hitman Hart: Wrestling With Shadows Lowbrow LiteratiBret Hart: A Real Life in a Cartoon World[8 January 2009] By Monte Williams
Or so Hart thought. In reality, McMahon and Shawn Michaels had met in secret to formulate a plan to screw Hart out of the title. It was like an absurd wrestling tale of betrayal and foul play come to life. As agreed, Michaels placed Hart in his own Sharpshooter maneuver, from which Hart was supposed to escape. Instead, as soon as Michaels applied the move, McMahon raced to the timekeeper at ringside and ordered him to “ring the fucking bell!” as if Hart had submitted. Being betrayed by one’s longtime employer and surrogate father figure would be bad enough, but things soon got even worse for Hart. While many predicted that McMahon’s selfish deed would be his undoing (WCW had been consistently defeating the WWF in the battle for ratings, and fan sentiment for Hart was expected to be the final nail in the WWF’s coffin), McMahon instead parlayed all the negative fan reaction into his biggest moneymaking feud of all time, wherein his “Mr. McMahon” character spent months trying to screw “Stone Cold” Steve Austin out of the championship. McMahon essentially exaggerated and celebrated his back-stabbing shenanigans towards Hart and made a fortune doing it, while Hart appeared at WCW on the greatest wave of fan sympathy and momentum anyone could ask for, only to watch as the people running the company mishandled his character at every turn and completely stalled his once-legendary career. And just as his fortunes started to rise again and WCW finally gave him the championship and some compelling storylines, he suffered his concussion and faced a sudden and unceremonious retirement. Worst of all, Bret Hart’s younger brother Owen died in a tragic in-ring accident in 1999, and in the time since Owen’s death, a majority of Bret Hart’s closest peers have also died young, most of them from health complications stemming from abuse of steroids and other drugs. In recent years, both of Hart’s parents have died, and his remaining siblings and their spouses have largely turned on one another in a series of painful, escalating feuds. In a final, bitter one-two punch, Hart suffered a stroke in 2002, and while his storyline and real-life arch-nemesis Shawn Michaels had retired from professional wrestling in 1998 due to a back injury, he managed to return to in-ring action and begin an unprecedented Act II that has not only given his own legacy further longevity, but which has also served to slowly redeem the once-hated Michaels in the eyes of many fans. Where once Michaels was despised for his part in what is still known as The Montreal Screwjob, a good portion of wrestling fans have come to buy into the WWE’s portrayal of the story, which contends that McMahon and Michaels were not screwing Bret Hart but instead simply doing what was right for the wrestling business. Shawn Michaels’ miraculous comeback began, incidentally, in 2002; the same year Hart found himself learning to walk and talk again. It’s nearly too much for a reader to endure, let alone the man who actually experienced it all. Had Hart’s forays into television proven more viable, he’d at least have somewhere else to focus his creativity and energy; one can only assume that Hart’s wrestling memories are not always a pleasant place to dwell. I can’t speak to the quality of Hart’s role and performance in Lonesome Dove: The Series, ‘cause journalistic objectivity be damned, I refuse to watch any Lonesome Dove project not written by Larry McMurtry. (Lonesome Dove: The Series was eventually canceled because it was simply too expensive to produce.) Living in the United States, I have likewise never had the opportunity to see Hart’s stage performances in Aladdin. But Hart’s 1997 cameo on The Simpsons (“The Old Man and the Lisa”) was somewhat disappointing and off-putting, as so many celebrity Simpsons cameos tend to be. Hart only had a few spoken lines, and he inexplicably chose to deliver them in a gruff, tough-guy voice, as if he were trying to portray a stereotypical wrestler, rather than his own comparably subtle “Hitman” character, which had always tended to keep his cool. Alas, Dwayne Johnson remains the only professional wrestler to have ever successfully transitioned from wrestling to a full time career as an actor; Hart’s Hollywood career ultimately proved as uneventful and short-lived as those of Jesse Ventura, Roddy Piper, Hulk Hogan, Steve Austin and John Cena. Hart’s contributions to the pop cultural landscape, then, are primarily wrestling-related. What makes them distinct is that, more so than even such standout works as Mick Foley’s Have A Nice Day and Foley Is Good or Barry Blaustein’s Beyond the Mat, Bret Hart’s Wrestling With Shadows and My Real Life in the Cartoon World of Wrestling transcend the wrestling industry. I know a number of people who feel nothing but disdain for wrestling but who have nonetheless watched and enjoyed and in one case even purchased Wrestling With Shadows, ‘cause more than even Beyond the Mat, it lets us see how the industry really operates, added to which Bret Hart is a much more pleasant host than Barry Blaustein. And then there’s My Real Life in the Cartoon World of Wrestling, which was published in Canada well over a year ago but which only hit American bookstores this past November. If you want to know about the professional wrestling industry, My Real Life deserves its space on your bookshelf. Six hundred pages long, Bret Hart’s autobiography is a brutally honest chronicle of his 20-plus years as a wrestler. No filters. No politics. None of the usual PR-conscious B.S. that undermines other wrestling biographies (“The only history pro wrestling sells you is what works for the business,” Hart notes.) Not 50 pages in, discussing his first matches in Puerto Rico in the late ‘70s, Hart writes of a short, 350-pound wrestler named King Kong who took some liberties with Hart in the ring and then shook his hand and thanked him backstage:
A couple pages before, Hart casually mentions smoking marijuana and getting “high as a kite”, which is somewhat startling coming from someone who rose to fame against the backdrop of Hulk Hogan’s absurd and tiresome “Train, say your prayers and take your vitamins” sermonizing. For someone who so clearly prided himself on portraying a hero, it must have been difficult for Hart to be so forthcoming about his infidelity and partying; soon, the reader grows used to such offhanded remarks as “One night, I went with all the boys to a fuck show,” and while initially startling, Hart’s candor quickly proves him a much more credible historian than any of his self-conscious peers (helped by the fact that Hart’s accounts are based not on memories, but instead on a series of audio cassette journals he recorded throughout his career). I mentioned earlier Bret Hart’s wince-inducing bumps into the turnbuckles; in My Real Life, Hart tells how he came to develop his unique method of taking the bump chest-first rather than back-first, and on the same page, still set in his first months as a professional wrestler, Hart invites a young Jake “The Snake” Roberts to move in with him. For a fan of ‘80s wrestling, these revelations are magical; my fellow marks might be interested to know that Hart was already acquainted with Andre the Giant, The Junkyard Dog, Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart, The Bushwhackers, “Superstar” Billy Graham, Hulk Hogan and even a young Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson before the ‘80s had even started. Throughout My Real Life in the Cartoon World of Wrestling, Hart’s prose style is simple and unassuming, even when the subject matter is anything but:
Despite this unsettling excerpt, Hart soon adds, “Life as a pro wrestler is highly addictive. Once you get a taste for it, your old life fades away and disappears.” Again, I can hardly say that I am happy that things went the way they did for Bret Hart. He is, after all, my favorite wrestler, and I wouldn’t wish his misfortunes on my least favorite wrestler. But it’s curious to consider that Hart’s legacy, compromised though it has been, might not boast the posterity it does today were it not for McMahon having cheated Hart back in 1997, which led to the stirring and infuriating Wrestling With Shadows. And while a legacy-conscious Hart would no doubt have produced his memoirs eventually, no matter what direction his career and life had taken, the results would not likely feel as urgent and relevant were it not for everything Bret Hart has been through. That said, Hitman is not always an easy or pleasant read. I was particularly struck by the line, “If I’d had to write a will, it would have been a few lines, but if I’d had to write a suicide note, it would have been a thousand pages long,” but each chapter boasts poignant observations such as, “The only way I knew to provide for my family was what was keeping me away from them.”  Hart does his part for the reader by assuming that we’re capable of reading a well-paced and intelligent tale; Hart doesn’t win his first world championship in the WWF until nearly 300 pages have passed; he hasn’t even joined the WWF until page 157. (Twenty pages later, he’s snorting rails with Jim Neidhart, Roddy Piper, Don Muraco, Mr. Fuji and the Iron Shiek.) Hitman’s index alone is nearly 20 pages long. Further, fans who have come to see Hart as a vainglorious self-mark will find no small measure of evidence in Hitman. In Hart’s defense, I will say only that his in-ring work backs up his boasts, and that he is right to be proud of his professional wrestling legacy. I have always felt that someone who is (at least arguably) the best at what he does should not be judged too harshly for believing it himself, and when Hart writes, “If Hogan was the Elvis of wrestling, I was the Robert DeNiro,” I cannot think of a more fitting summary of his legacy. 
  Monte Williams has a Bachelors Degree in Communications. Would you like fries with that? Lowbrow Literati
Are We All Mythtaken About Star Wars?By Monte Williams25.Nov.09 Fans are mistaken about Return of the Jedi and Luke Skywalker (dismissing the Ewoks, and Skywalker is deemed a wuss). Might they also be wrong about the prequel trilogy? And how. 
The Ghostbusters Twinkie DefenseBy Monte Williams02.Nov.09 More surprising than the still-impressive special effects and the jokes that hold up to modern scrutiny is the fact that there are moments throughout Ghostbusters that are legitimately scary. 
New Kids on the Block: Hangin’ Tough, Refusing to Let GoBy Monte Williams08.Oct.09 In 1989, I loathed the New Kids on the Block with a passion and intensity that only junior high-aged children can bring to their study of popular culture, yet when Hangin’ Tough Live hit DVD, I had to see it. |
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Comments
Monte, Thanks for your generally well-researched column. It’s obvious you’ve been following along in real time over the years. I thought you’d appreciate knowing why, “... Hart only had a few spoken lines (The Simpsons), and he inexplicably chose to deliver them in a gruff, tough-guy voice, as if he were trying to portray a stereotypical wrestler, rather than his own comparably subtle “Hitman” character, which had always tended to keep his cool.” Bret was originally invited to do a voice-over for a fictional, wrestling character in ‘Simpsonland’; one who had that gruff voice. It was after the voice-over was done that Bret was mobbed by fans when he was leaving the Simpsons offices some of whom were staff members :-) and the Powers That Be realized that The HItman should be drawn in as himself. The gruff voice was left in with the new animation. So, there you have it, a HItman trivia answer for you.
Happy New Year.
Marcy Engelstein
Sr. Consulting Mgr to Bret Hart
Comment by Marcy Engelstein from Calgary, Canada — January 8, 2009 @ 11:43 am
Well done Monte. You sumed it all up. I recomend his book and his video (hitman hart wrestling with shadows). But better yet if you get the chance to meet him. He is a great person.
Thank You
Karen
Comment by Karen from Washington State — January 8, 2009 @ 7:18 pm
Marcy, thanks so much for clarifying that bit of Simpsons trivia; I wish I’d known that before writing the column, sorry!
And thank you, too, Karen. I’m thrilled you enjoyed the column. I don’t know that I’ll ever get the opportunity to meet Bret, but I did get to see him and Jim Neidhart fight the Bolsheviks in a tiny venue in Chico, California in the late ‘80s; if memory serves, the Hart Foundation were actually subs for the announced team of the Powers of Pain, and the main event was “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan versus Ted Dibiase. There were of course no pyrotechnics for the wrestler entrances, nor even music. Truly a different time.
Comment by Monte Williams from Asmara, Eritrea, Africa — January 8, 2009 @ 8:32 pm
I had the honor to meet Bret twice. In March 8th 1997 at Cobo Hall Detroit MI. Than again Oct 05 2008 in Tukwila WA at the South Center Mall. He was so amazing, however I was a bit star struck. I didn’t get to tell him anything I wanted, lol.
However we did make the Tukwila times with him, take a look
http://highlinetimes.com/articles/2008/10/07/news/local_news/news09.txt
Comment by Karen from Washington State — January 8, 2009 @ 11:17 pm
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm,
When you listen to the Simpsons DVD commentary track of that episode, where the programme makers and cast commentate the episode, they forget the name of the “wrestler” in question (Bret) so I guess that shows you how important he was to them. More of a WWF deal than anything I imagine. You can’t hide the facts, listen to the commentary track yourself, they fly right past Bret as if he was a nobody.
Comment by Pedro — January 9, 2009 @ 10:09 am
Incredible! Bret Hart is the one who spoke out and became a real life hero outside of the makebelieve word of wrestling. Bret will always be my hero!
Comment by Dan from Fredericton, NB, Canada — January 9, 2009 @ 11:11 am
No wonder bret wants this article promoted, what a load of crap!
I could highlight so much self worshiping, inaccurate bull shit, but my favourite is:
“Alas, Dwayne Johnson remains the only professional wrestler to have ever successfully transitioned from wrestling to a full time career as an actor; Hart’s Hollywood career ultimately proved as uneventful and short-lived as those of Jesse Ventura, Roddy Piper, Hulk Hogan, Steve Austin and John Cena.”
Hart did fuck all in Hollywood. Lomesome Dove doesn’t even get DVD distribution, that’s how popular it was. It was a small budget TV show from the 90’s. He was never in a Hollywood flick.
Piper - John Carpenters They Live.
Ventura - Predator.
Cena - The Marine and many other modern, relevant high budget media productions.
Hogan - do I even have to say? Same with Austin.
What innacurate tripe. The whole Bloodstained Memoirs thing really opened my eyes to how lowly Bret Hart is.
Comment by Yorky — January 9, 2009 @ 11:19 am
As stated above, you want to find out what Bret Hart is like as a PERSON, read this and prepare to be disapointed:
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendID=125839126
Comment by Terry — January 9, 2009 @ 11:48 am
Well I guess every one has their own story. I think Monte did a great job on the artical. It didn’t hight light alot of the postitive things about Bret, but he told a great story.
I went and read the Blog on the website that Terry (above) posted. Well all I can say is “that sucks.” Maybe he was having a bad day :)
You say you aren’t dwelling on it but you have the nerve to bring it out here.
Bret will always be my favorite wrestler and I have had the pleasure of meeting him and he was wonderful!
Bret is “the best there is, there was, and every will be.”
Thanks Monte for the great story and thanks Marcy for writing in as well
always Sue
Comment by sue from Small town MI — January 9, 2009 @ 12:52 pm
It’s time to hang up the Hitman and get on with being yourself Bret Hart. I read the book, don’t really want my opinion on that. As for Marcy all she does is lead people on, My last opinion is I always thought Bret was the best, but not anymore. He can’t even make a five minute phone call to a lady who is dying and that was her last request to talk with him. Marcy made the promise and then just blew it off. I have kept up on all the articles written and the DVD’s out. I always thought Bret Hart had heart. NOT ANY LONGER
Debbie Saginaw, Michigan - January 9, 2009 @ 4:30pm
Comment by Debbie from Saginaw, MI — January 9, 2009 @ 3:31 pm
I didn’t come for the Hitman, I just came for the Monte.
Comment by Handleman20 — January 9, 2009 @ 8:24 pm
Handleman20 for the win!
Comment by Monte Williams from Asmara, Eritrea, Africa — January 9, 2009 @ 9:40 pm
I read the article and I read the comments. I don’t agree with most of them. I do however agree with Debbie from MI. It is time to hang up the Hitman character. It’s getting a bit old. You are retired and that’s how you should leave it. I can’t believe some of the things you put in your book, didn’t they embarrass your family. Get on with your life. There is a whole new generation of wrestlers now.
Mike from Rockford, IL @ 10:30 pm January 9, 2009
Comment by Mike from Rockford, IL — January 9, 2009 @ 10:33 pm
Great article!
I really enjoyed reading it. When I was younger the Hart Foundation were the bad guys wrestling my favourites…. I had stopped wathcing wrestling shows by the end of the 80`s. So I did not really see the Hitman as a champion, but I wathed his DVD`s, I am up to date now. Reading the book made me discovered Bret Hart, the man behind the wrestler, and I was really impressed with him. I have the greatest respect for people who are able to say the truth no matter what. It takes a lot of strenght and courage to do that, but it seems so natural for him. That is what the world is missing true people. I think he is a good soul, not a perferct man but still a great one. When I was younger in Montreal, wrestlers were like “living gods”. We admired them, we hated them. I was reading comments above, people expect so much from them without even realising that they are human beings just like they are.
Thank you for writing that article.
Johanne Cloutier
Comment by Johanne Cloutier from Montreal — January 9, 2009 @ 11:54 pm
thanks for the great article on brett monte , i was also a fan of wrestling since the early 1980’s and i too was sucked into the WWF hype into believing hogan and ultimate warrior were the best , but like you monte i woke around the early 1990’s to work out that brett was better than all of them and had served a long apprenticship before he got his chance at the title , and brett turned out to be a worthy real champion and team player who dropped the title when his employers told him to do so , even against old slow and fat adversaries . BRETTS dvd also proves what a great guy he is as it shows many of brett best matches win or loose , unlike otherwrestlers with big ego’s who only show the matches they win in thier DVD’S
Comment by tony from perth australia — January 10, 2009 @ 5:26 am
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Sue, I am not the writer of the article though, I’m just sharing the link!
Comment by Terry — January 10, 2009 @ 11:03 am
REALLY ENJOYED READING THE ARTICLE!! BRET HART IS A GREAT GUY! I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET HIM ON A COUPLE OF OCCASIONS—THE LATEST WAS IN WATERLOO IOWA—I BROUGHT MY DAUGHTER TO MEET MY CHILDHOOD HERO! HE TOOK THE TIME TO TALK TO US AND MY DAUGHTER REALLY ENJOYED HERSELF! I HAVE THE CANADIAN EDITION OF HIS BOOK AND HE WAS SURPRISED TO SEE IT—SINCE THE BOOK HAD NOT BEEN RELEASED IN THE STATES YET—I REALLY ENJOYED THE BOOK—AND LIKE I TOLD HIM, AS A CHILD I WAS A HUGE HITMAN FAN BUT AS AN ADULT IM A BRET HART FAN!
BRET HAS EVERY RIGHT TO BE PROUD OF HIS WRESTLING LEGACY—THERE ARE MANY WRESTLERS TODAY BUT NONE OF THEM ARE ABLE TO TELL THE TYPE OF STORIES BRET THE HITMAN HART DID WHEN HE WAS IN THAT RING!!
MONTE YOU’RE RIGHT BRET’S MATCHES WERE NEVER PREDICTABLE—-ONE OF MY FAVORITES WAS HIS MATCH WITH STEVE AUSTIN AT THE SURVIVOR SERIES—AUSTIN HAD HIM IN A SLEEPER HOLD AND OF COURSE EVERYONE IS WONDERING HOW WILL BRET GET OUT OF THIS ONE?? NO ONE EXPECTED HIM TO KICK OF THE ROPES AND PIN AUSTIN!! LIKE YOU SAID BLINK AND YOU MISSED IT!! THATS WHAT MADE HIM GREAT!!
I WILL ALWAYS BE PROUD TO CALL MYSELF A BRET HART FAN!!
Comment by yanet from chicago — January 10, 2009 @ 1:34 pm
Very nice article, well written. But, I grew up being a great Hitman fan. But, after going to a book signing and he just seemed to want to rush people and not take the time to just talk for a couple of minutes I thought that was rude. The picture you have at the article really makes him look like he is a very sad person. I have read a lot of bad things about him and his assistant on my space and I think that is going to determine how many fans really stick with him. I did read this article and like I said well written and easy reading, but I am no longer a hitman fan. And I don’t think he is any different as just Bret Hart.
Anne from Dearborn, MI @ 5:00 pm
Comment by Anne from Dearborn, MI — January 10, 2009 @ 3:57 pm
Unfortunatly, the shadow of the Bloodstained Memoirs incident is still looming, and it looms over every word of this article.
Sorry Bret, but you no longer have my admiration or respect.
Comment by Stewart Paswing — January 10, 2009 @ 6:13 pm
I think your artical Monte was a joy to read. Everyone is human, and every one makes mistakes. I had the chance to meet Bret on his book tour her in the US this fall, and I tell you what he lived up to the name “Hitman.” He was everything I thought he be and more. He took the time to talk with my daughter and I and it truely felt like we were the only ones there.
I just want to say, “who care what someone in Bloodstained Momoirs said!!” That is from there point of veiw, we didn’t hear Brets side. I can almost bet that the someone who wrote that artical are the ones leaving the comments. If someone elses words are gonna change your opion of Bret is gonna play the part if your his fan or not, then you were never a true HITMAN FAN. I love Bret for all the great matches he gave us (his fans), for the time is has given us (his fans), and truely being a real wrestling icon. I could not be more thrilled to call myself a Hitman fan, now Bret Hart Fan.
Thank you Bret and thank you Monte
Comment by Rose from WA — January 11, 2009 @ 11:06 am
Very good article Monte. I remember when Bret first entered the WWF, he wrestled like no other. All his moves were perfectly executed and the non-stop action was amazing. I also remember telling my friends that he would be the WWF Champ one day. Of course they laughed because back then the muscle-bound big men were Champions. Years later I was doing the laughing. I loved Bret’s book, it was really cool to see what it was like in the Hart family. At the same time it is one of the saddest books I have ever read. I hope to one day get to meet Bret and shake his hand for all those years of entertainment. Well done Monte!
Comment by Mike from Charleston SC — January 11, 2009 @ 1:47 pm
This is astounding; I once wrote a column making fun of religion, and even that wasn’t as divisive as my Bret Hart column is proving to be.
Who’d have thought.
Comment by Monte from Geek Creek, Idaho — January 11, 2009 @ 2:24 pm
“I can’t speak to the quality of Hart’s role and performance in Lonesome Dove: The Series…”
From a recent interview with co-star Scott Bairstow:
Q: You’ve worked with Professional wrestlers Bret Hart and Chris Jericho –how were they as professional actors?
A: I consider them to be good actors. They both were very committed to their roles and super people to be around.
“Lonesome Dove: The Series” is available on DVD.
Comment by ldfan13 from Delaware, USA — January 11, 2009 @ 5:02 pm
well laura i feel the need to respond to your comment. I HAD THE HONOR OF BEING IN WATERLOO THIS PAST JUNE WHEN BRETS DAD WAS INDUCTED INTO THE HALL OF FAME @ THE INTERNATIONAL WRESTLING MUSEUM!
AS U MIGHT RECALL ONLY WEEKS BEFORE THE INDUCTION WEEKEND WATERLOO WAS HIT BY A HUGE STORM AND MOST OF IT WAS UNDER FIVE FEET OF WATER==THE MUSEUM WAS DESTROYED!! THE MUSEUM IS A NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION AND ALL THE GUEST AND PEOPLE BEING HONORED PAY THEIR OWN WAY AND ACCOMODATIONS!!
THERE WAS NO MONEY PAID TO BRET—HE WAS NOT PAID TO STOP AND TAKE PICTURES WITH ME N MY DAUGHTER, HE WAS NOT PAID TO TALK TO US AND TELL US ABOUT HIS TRIP AND HE WAS NOT PAID TO LISTEN TO MY DAUGHTER TELLING HIM WHAT A BIG FAN HER MOM IS!!
I HAVE MET BRET ON A COUPLE OF OCCASION AND EVERY OCCASION HE HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT A NICE GUY!! THE FIRST TIME I MET HIM IT WAS LIKE I WAS 11 YRS OLD AGAIN AND HE WOULD HAVE HAD EVERY RIGHT TO CALL SECURITY SINCE I WAS HANGING ON TO HIS ARM N WOULDNT LET GO—BUT HE DIDNT—LATER THAT EVENING WE BOTH HAD A LAUGH ABOUT IT!!
I THINK IT’S VERY UNFAIR HOW THINGS ARE MISCOMUNICATED!! EVERY ARTICLE I HAVE READ ABOUT THE INCIDENT IN WATERLOO HAS BEEN INACURATE—-IF YOU DONT LIKE THE GUY FINE BUT DONT LIE OR EXAGERATE THE FACTS TO MAKE HIM LOOK BAD!!!
BRET IS A HUMAN BEING AND JUST LIKE US HE HAS HIS GOOD DAYS AND HE HAS HIS BAD DAYS!!
Comment by yanet from chicago — January 11, 2009 @ 7:25 pm
Yanet, what does that have to do with the core matters of the Bloodstained Memoirs incident? Nothing. You are just proving you are a star struck fan of Bret Hart.
Read any objective opinion on the matter… the facts are black and white.
Comment by Laura — January 11, 2009 @ 7:47 pm
I thought this was a well written article, It was a nice article, easy reading. But, I don’t know if all of you writing comments are realizing that you are making Bret “Hitman” Hart even more popular now than he was years ago wrestling. I enjoyed watching back then, I don’t now it’s just not the same. It has gotten where you can’t even let your children watch it. But, let’s face it everybody has to retire at some point in their lives and it’s time to retire the Hitman. I read the article, watched the DVD and read the book. My daughter wanted to read the book but I totally refuse to let her. I don’t want her to think that those things go on in a normal marriage. I know that he has suffered a lot of tragidies, but who hasn’t. Does that make us any less a person than he is. Should we all write books. I have read that a lot of you have meet him and I have read where some of you haven’t and I have also read that some of you deserve to. A human life is more important than reading these comments. Well, I have not made up my mind about how I really feel about this situation I guess it’s just up to the people who want to see the Hitman character to keep on going.
George from Phoenix AZ
Comment by George from Phoenix, AZ — January 11, 2009 @ 8:05 pm
For those wanting to know more about the Bloodstained Memoirs matter: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/topic.php?uid=10255030395&topic=6706
Some of the fan reactions in there are heart breaking - pardon the pun. A lot of fans have really stopped caring about Bret because of this - but before you start feeling sorry for him - just remember the absolutely disgusting things Bret and his manager did to screw somebody over for nothing.
Comment by Anton from Birmingham — January 11, 2009 @ 9:16 pm
Nicely done yanet, I couldn’t agree with you more.
Who cares about that “Bloodstained Memoirs.” The only thing they got right was that Brets name shouldn’t be used in the same sentance as Mic Foley and Cena and who ever elese they said, not important. Bret’s way better than any of them, wanna be has beens. And too every one who says “hang up the Hitman,” So you want Bret to just forget his life? He cant talk about it? write a book about it? Its what he did for more than 20 years of his life, you dont just forget your life.
Any how Monte thanks for the artical again it was great.
and if by chace Bret reads this I wanna part 2 of your book!
Comment by Rose from WA — January 12, 2009 @ 10:52 am
Who cares about the bloodstained whatever!!!....All you people are crying your little eyes out about this stupid bloodstained memoires…......shut up about it and focus on this that Monte wrote
Comment by Dan — January 12, 2009 @ 2:37 pm
Its hard to in the light of Bret Hart has been exposed for a bit of a creep.
Just because you are a die hard fan, it doen’t mean others have to be such mindless sheep. People have a tendancy to form their own opinions you know.
And as for saying Bret is better than anyone in Bloodstained Memoirs:
Rob Van Dam
Chris Jericho
Keiji Mutoh
Roddy Piper
Christian Cage
Mick Foley
Jimmy Snuka
Ultimo Dragon
Would all like to tell you to shut the hell up you mindless drove. Hell, if it were not for Piper putting Bret over at WM8, where the hell would he be? So button it as you don’t have a clue what you’re talking about.
Comment by Imran Ponwela from Stratford — January 12, 2009 @ 3:15 pm
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Great article about a great man. Any true wrestling fan will always miss bret he is and was everything he claimed to be. We will never see another like him as the art of what bret did in the ring is sadly dying out, the stories told in wrestling today are told on the microphone rather than in the ring. Is this because bret set the standard to high or because 2days wrestling fans need to be spoon fed every little detail? i dont no. I do know that there are 1 or 2 guys who are as good as bret technically such as Kurt Angle, AJ Styles and a couple more despite them having a slightly different approach to there in ring work but none can tell a story like Bret.
There are 2 types of wrestlers for me, the first are the likes of Hogan and The Rock the second are the likes of Bret and Kurt Hennig, both provide amazing entertainment but only the latter made me believe….....thankyou Bret.
Hitman fan forever!
Matt in manchester england.
Comment by matt from manchester uk — January 12, 2009 @ 5:13 pm
I met Bret in aug,2004. Bret his a very compassionate person, What ever he did he did with heart. I also met Harry Smith and his family, more then one occassion. Harry his a lot like Bret,devoted to wrestling and genuine person. And Monty you should of spend the monney to go see Bret in Aladdin, you mist something spetacular. Linda from Calgary,AB. Canada
Comment by Linda from Calgary. Alberta — January 12, 2009 @ 5:50 pm
I think it says an awful lot about Bret Hart’s popularity when on his official site, he links to an article (so one would assume all his fans would go there) and the discussion for said article peaks with emotion at distain for Bret due to his actions.
Goes to show, people in popular culture cand and will lose their fan following if they cock up, just ask Gary Glitter…
Comment by PaulC — January 12, 2009 @ 6:06 pm
Dan, quite clearly nobody is crying about it. They are simply saying Bret (based on the Bloodstained Memoirs incident) is a dick to the level we didn’t know. And for this he has lost a lot of support.
The only people crying in a ranting fashion, just going on about irrelevant things OT are those trying to dismiss the facts. because they are blindly loyal.
Comment by Laura — January 12, 2009 @ 7:43 pm
Well said Laura.
Comment by Cas from LA — January 12, 2009 @ 10:38 pm
Bloodstained Memoirs pinned Bret Hart with that statement. It was a stone cold stunner!
Comment by Kevin — January 13, 2009 @ 8:55 pm
Editor’s Note:
Ad hominem attacks and insults will not be tolerated and such posts will be deleted.
Intelligent (and literate) discussion is encouraged.
Comment by SysAdmin — January 16, 2009 @ 10:59 am
Reading that article, I found it too be too preachy. As if Bret was some sort of God - in which the Bloodstained Memoirs incident proved he clearly, clearly was not.
I think what Bret did to that guy was terrible. The backlash Bret is getting over it is truly deserved. As for this Marcy, well, seeing as “abuse” is getting deleted, I best not say anything : )
Comment by Alan — January 17, 2009 @ 10:35 am
Hey, Alan I got about the same opinion. Did you get to read the deleted comment. I did and your right it’s best not to say a thing about her. I also read the article and to me it seemed liked he wanted to come across to be perfect and also I sensed that he wanted his fans to feel sorry for him. Well, I don’t have any respect for him at all.
Comment by Susan from Rockford, IL — January 17, 2009 @ 10:57 am
You know what i think, i think what vince did to bret was was terrible, if you all want to pull that card. In life we we all get screwed some where down the line. Get over it!!!!
I to got to read what was wrongly writen about Marcie and I think that to was terrible and pathetic, really people do you have that much time?
Monte thanks again for the great article. And thanks Bret for making your life intersting enough that people make time to read about you :)
your fan
Comment by karen from wa — January 17, 2009 @ 9:06 pm
Karen, just because you get screwed, doesn’t necasassarly mean you have to take it like a dog. The Bloodstained Memoirs people didn’t take it like dogs, they turned around and stood up for themselves, and Bret is now paying for it. Maybe now, he and his manager will think twice about screwing somebody over as it has cost them a lot of fans who now realise the piece of **** Bret is.
I haven’t read his book, but its my understanding he cheats on his pregnant wife many, many times. Goes with prostitutes. Does drugs.
Bret is just disgusting.
Comment by Robby — January 18, 2009 @ 4:59 am
Hey Robby, ITS A DOG EAT DOG WORLD OUT THERE AND YOU GOTTA DO WHAT YOU GOTTA DO TO SURVIVE!!!!
Call it what you want, take it like you will, and get over it.
As you’ve problely already heard Bret’s book is a great seller. I read it and maybe you should. Its a great book. It takes a real man to tell the truth and face the embaressment he caused himself. hisfamily and fans.
Whatever you veiw of Bret isn’t gonna make me change my veiw of him.
All the years he put in the ring as a great wrestler, if you can forget all that for Bloodstained Memoirs than you weren’t a true fan any way. Its not a big deal. Life moves on.
Comment by karen from wa — January 18, 2009 @ 9:46 am
1) How is it all these “screw Bloodstained Memoirs” posts are coming from Women? and they all sound the bloody same, as if it was the same person writing them - even with the same grammar mistakes?? We know marcy posts here, how about an Ip check please…
2)Its a dog eat dog world? Grow up. We live in a civilised society where people should stick to their words - like Bret and his manager did not. Therefore they got treated like chumps. No shock.
3) Nobody needs to “get over” anything. Should I “get over” a pervert teaching maths in my daughters school? Stop being so stupid. Issues tend to stick you know…
4) I had no interest in reading his book. Now I know he is a liar, guess what, I don’t really fancy spending a week reading the work of a liar! And I didn’t say I was a “true fan” whatever that means in this day and age…
5) Nobody is trying to change your view of him. See point 1) all these posts are so defensive, when really there is no attack. Unless you have a personal interest here, then it is an attack ; )
Comment by Robbyy — January 18, 2009 @ 4:05 pm
whatever… blah blah blah
Comment by karen from wa — January 18, 2009 @ 9:07 pm
Jeez, get over it Karen…
; )
Comment by Jennings — January 19, 2009 @ 12:42 pm
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I would like to see Monte write an article about the Bloodstained Memoirs incident. I think THAT would be a good read.
Comment by Davey — January 20, 2009 @ 6:18 am
Yes, that would be a good article, only if it was ballanced though. Monte seems to be very pro Hart, can he be objective enough to see the issues for what they are?
Comment by Psylo — January 20, 2009 @ 2:20 pm
Wow!!! I read that blog on My Space from that Bloodstained Memoirs person, only I am not sure why so many people are blaming Bret and Marcy based on what that guy is saying. He clearly states that Marcy did not send a concrete confirmation. He mentions that he never found Bret’s management professional “ inept and below industry standards” are his exact words, and that way back in 2005… but still, he tries to get an interview with Bret, within 2 days notice, contacting his management in Calgary, when Bret is on a promotion tour in Europe ??? In addition to that, without a confirmation of time and date of interview that would confirm that it was agreed by Bret, he decides to go with a quite expensive crew according to his saying, to Birmingham to get his interview….Don’t you find that strange? Does it make any sense to you? Why if he had no confidence in Bret’s management, did he decide to spend the amount you would spend on a Mercedes to show up somewhere and request an interview without a confirmed appointment? Who is the less professional here? Clearly, Bret was not aware, and with reason did not accept to give an interview had not agreed on giving. That guy assumed something, took quite a high risk and it did not work. It happens, but how professional are you if you blame others, for your own decisions and insult and call them names because they did not give you what you wanted when you wanted it. I am sure that if he had been patient and waited for a “concrete confirmation”, since he says Marcy said she would set an interview, he would have got it, eventually and wrestling fans would have had the chance to see Bret Hart in his documentary.
I strongly believe that it is wrong and highly unprofessional to write such nasty things about Bret Hart and Marcy Engelstein like he did in his blog. Many of his comments show no class whatsoever. I really hope people will look at the facts as opposed to believe all the negative and mean statements written out of frustration. If he was as professional as he says, he would recognize that part of this is his own fault and would have put the quality and success of the documentary before his own feelings and frustrations. He would have tried to get his interview with Bret no matter what, in order to make his documentary best as can be and out of respect for wrestling fans.
I know a few people who met or worked with Bret Hart and they all said he was a very nice and kind person. To me this has more truth and value than what some frustrated person would who did not get his interview decides to write…..
Comment by Johanne from Montreal — January 20, 2009 @ 11:15 pm
Hi Marcy : )
Comment by Anthony — January 21, 2009 @ 5:41 am
Anthony, I was thinking the same thing lol
Comment by Jennings — January 21, 2009 @ 9:16 am
Anthony and Jennings…. You guys are so funny!!!!
The worst is that I was never a Hitman fan… but I happened to read the book and really appreciated the integrity of the man behind the wrestler and found the insults pretty unfair.
I don’t really believe in “bashing” people on the net as usually it comes from bad feelings affecting judgment and making the facts usually quite different than what they are in reality…and there are always 2 sides to a story. I just stated the facts without emotions. Everyone has the right to have an opinion.
Thank you for taking the time to read me. That was the goal.
ps: I really don’t know Marcy, but I wish I did! I take this as a compliment :)
Comment by Johanne from Montreal — January 21, 2009 @ 11:58 am
Bye Marcy…
Comment by Jennings — January 21, 2009 @ 2:22 pm
lol. I come for the Monte, I leave because of the Marcy…
Comment by Kate — January 21, 2009 @ 4:34 pm
From the age of 12 to 30, I was an avid wrestling fan. I haven’t followed it much since 2001. But on occasion, I try to catch up on what some of my old time favorites are doing.
One of those people is Bret Hart. That’s why I went out and bought his book. I started reading it yesterday, and was actually thrilled to be doing so. I’ve always held Bret in high regards, choosing to ignore the negative things said about him over the years. I assumed that he was merely “misunderstood” by the bashers and the haters.
However, after reading that MySpace blog, I almost feel cheated in a way. Hearing about how rude and nonchalant he was with this whole interview deal, was disappointing. One would think that even if he didn’t want to do it (which is his right), he could have at least been apologetic and PRETENDED to care. And he could have ensured that his manager contacted the interviewer within a reasonable time frame, to sort out what happened. You don’t just ignore people.
As far as not interacting with the fans at the signing, I could definitely see how it would be hard to be overly engaged each and every time. But the mention of him CHARGING an additional fee for autographs…are you kidding me?
If this is true, not only is it tacky, but it’s also unfair. He should be trying to please his fans, not push them away. They are the ones who are helping to keep his memory and legacy alive. After all, what good are DVDs, books, memoirs, etc, if there is no one buying, watching, reading, or even talking about them?
The details in that blog definitely brought him down a few notches for me. For the first time, I’m starting to believe that he is not as nice as he would like the world to think. It makes me wonder if his book is portraying the real him, or just the kind of person he THINKS he is, in his own mind. Not to mention, there seems to be an awful lot of people who don’t care for Bret Hart, even some of his own family members. Why is that?
With that being said, I’ll still finish the book. But I will now take it with a grain of salt, as they say. Unfortunately, the initial excitement I had of reading it, only yesterday, is gone for good.
Comment by Melisa from Florida — January 22, 2009 @ 1:19 am
I just find it weird people are switching off of Bret in numbers because of the Bloodstained Memoirs incident? There have been tons of similar stories about Bret in the past. Read other wrestlers books - how can they ALL be wrong about Bret?
I think doing Bloodstained Memoirs would have been the best thing for Bret. He would have been in a postive programme along with names that a young audience is attracted to. The MySpace also said they were going to do a happy interview with him which would have made a nice change.
Bret really stabbed himself in the foot with this incident..
Comment by Alan — January 22, 2009 @ 7:07 am
HEllo All Friend first to first thanks Monte U Are rocking Man now i tell u something,My WWE Legend Bret Hart I love Great Player Nice Body TWo best Match
Bret Hart vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin (WrestleMania 13, March 23, 1997)
WWF Championship Match
Bret Hart vs. The Undertaker (One Night Only, September 20, 1997)
Thanks a lots monte U remember Hit Man Hart
———————————-
kamal
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Comment by kamal from India — January 31, 2009 @ 2:35 am
I may not know so much about Bret because I’m just one small fan of the Hitman since my childhood. And I don’t even live in Canada or US.
But one thing that I notice about Bret when I’m visiting his website and reading other persons’ commentaries on him is that he’s one sincere and straightforward guy. And I admire him so much for that. Many people sugar-coat what they say. Bret’s is plain, brutal truth.
I admire him as a wrestler because he clearly knows what he’s doing. And I admire him as a person because of his honesty.
It’s sad that we don’t see him anymore wrestle and execute those clever and excellent moves. However, it’s good for him not to wrestle anymore because he may just be like those wrestlers who died young…and we won’t be able to read his book and watch his documentaries.
Comment by Alvin from Manila, Philippines — February 10, 2009 @ 3:02 am
I have watched Bret Hart since I was around 3 years old and I always had fond memories of him. He is a man with class and honor for his fans and loved ones. He respected the art of wrestling and continues to “work hard”, even after retirement.
Monte, I salute you for what you have written, as it gives the audience a glimpse of who Bret Hart was as a character and as a person.
His book was amazing, I read it in several days, and was surprised and in awe of what he had done. There were things I had absolutely no knowledge or thought about. Who would have thought this straight-edged, cool, and clever man, even in his late 20’s and 30’s, still manage to pull off antics performed by teenagers? It makes a person laugh!
As for reading blogs, or even books for that matter, you cannot simply take what is given to you and assume you know the whole story because the truth is: Nobody but the people involved know the whole complete story and can rightfully say things. You may feel free to voice your opinions as you like, but do keep in mind that they are just that: Opinions. The facts are held by those involved and are to remain those: Facts.
While I understand people and fans will do what they will and say what they will, it is my hope that what they think will not affect who Bret, or the maker of the Bloodstained Memoirs, or anybody associated with Bret in any way, truly are. To put it frankly: It does not matter what you think or say -about- them, because the fact of the matter is this: It does not change what happened, and it does not change the situation.
Let it drop. This article was made to appreciate one of the best professional wrestlers ever known, not to be a host for pointless arguments. It does not do Monte, Bret, or anybody justice, and it certainly does not spare them time and effort. Please, just drop it now.
Bret: You are a legend, and you are loved. Remember that.
Comment by Efrain from Brooklyn, New York — February 17, 2009 @ 4:14 am
i think the book told the truth and thats all i have to say..until you lived bret harts life on the road then nobody should say bad things about it..
Comment by deb from va — March 25, 2009 @ 9:38 am
yes bret cheated because i know the person he did it with and thats all i have to say about that.please leave bret alone he has to go on up coming tour for his book he does not need people saying nasty things about him or anying one he knows..
bret hart is a very kind hearted
man and he would sign an autograph fro his fans for nothin he takes that real serious the quote from marcy because he does take stuff like that
serious they where there for him when he wrestled
back in the 90’s so let him have peace until he has to go back on tour for his book..
Comment by dam from va — March 25, 2009 @ 10:12 am
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