The Gorilla

[garynysmon]

After familiarising myself with the internet in the very late 90's, I remember being truly astounded to read that Gorilla Monsoon had been voted the worst commentator by the Observer no less than six times in 10 years.

I've never understood the hate towards him to be honest. Yes, of course nostalgia is playing a big part here as I was listening to him through child's ears, but he had chemistry with whoever he shared a booth with and was the perfect foil for Ventura or the Brain.

 

So yeah, Gorilla Monsoon. Thoughts?

 

[PowerButchi]

He was dire to be honest. Made wrestlers look thick by criticising them for not doing things when the house style was not to do those things.

[WWFChilli]

At times as Butch said, a really bad announcer. Give him the right guy in Ventura, Heenan and more underated Johnny Polo and he was absolutely magic. He has that voice that just whips up so much nostalgia.

 

Plus Observer readers and Meltzer himself in the 80's were a bit twatty.

[The Clint]

I was never a fan of Monsoon on commentary either.  Hearing him say "will you stop" to Heenan around 30 times during a PPV became to much. He'll always be the guy that fucked up The Undertaker's debut.  Oh he just hit him with the tombstone. 

[Statto]

I loved Gorilla when I was a kid. And yeah, his voice still stirs up that nostalgia.

 

But looking back at old stuff with more critical eyes, the amount of times per show he effectively says "well, that move looked like shite" is astonishing.

 

He was namechecked on yesterday's episode of College Football Live, incidentally.

[IANdrewDiceClay]

Loved him as a kid, and still remember him as being great as an adult. He shaped my fandom because he was the first announcer I remember. I suppose its because of what you were into and who "your guy" was. Like how anyone from Calgary thinks Ed Whelan is better than Lance Russell, and anyone who has watched 30 seconds of Stampede sees Whelan as the absolute dregs of wrestling announcing, and would rather listen to Noel Whelan commentate on Leeds United matches.

[LEGIT]

Wiki has it for me, I find Gorilla fun for using terms like "external occipital protuberance" in place of "back of the head"

 

But, Ian's right. If you watched WWF about that era, chances are you'll be a bit biased towards him. Same reason I enjoy Alfred Hayes' persona and charm. Was he that great? Probs not. But you have good memories of watching these people and will look back on them fondly

[PunkStep]

Given how bad he was, yet how fond we are of him in a nostalgic way, are today's youngsters going to feel the same about Michael Cole in the future? What a harrowing thought. "I loved it when he use to say 'FOR THE WIN!' and how he used to invite us to use hashtags"

 

Personally, I could happily listen to Gorilla call anything, but yeah that's probably all down to nostalgia.

[PowerButchi]

That's already happened. "VINTAGE!!!"

And yes, Ed Whalen is dogshit and Lance Russell is easily the best commentator ever. By a fucking mile

[Astro Hollywood]

Simply can't view him without the fog of childhood nostalgia. He was like a lovely uncle.

[PowerButchi]

They said about Rolf. Operation Marella

[garynysmon]

But, Ian's right. If you watched WWF about that era, chances are you'll be a bit biased towards him. Same reason I enjoy Alfred Hayes' persona and charm. Was he that great? Probs not. But you have good memories of watching these people and will look back on them fondly

 

See, I thought Lord Alfred was the shits even as a kid. He was so wooden when interviewing (not letting Stu Hart talk at Summerslam 91 aside), and a terrible commentator.

[tiger_rick]

Absolutely wonderful commentator. Easily the best ever. Even having grown up and realised a lot of what he said was horseshit really and that he was a massive cunt to the colour guys and the wrestlers a lot of the time hasn't soured him for me.

 

He's just got such an authoritative style that convinces you that what you're watching matters but with the charm of your Grandad. His work with Ventura and Heenan is just fantastic but coud make anything watchable.

 

He reacted like a (very biased) commentator genuinely would react. He berated the refs, he called the heels on their cheating and he critiqued the ring work in a believable way.

 

I really like McMahon too but Gorilla's body of work tops it.

[garynysmon]

I really like McMahon too but Gorilla's body of work tops it.

 

Discussing McMahon's announcing years would be a good thread sometime.

[Really Big Shoe]

Gorilla was great with Jesse and Bobby, either is argaubly the best announce team of all time. Out of curiosity who won the best announcer awards in the Observer?. Gordon Solie, Lance Russell and Jim Ross I'm guessing. Gorillas style gelled really well when he was with a heel like Jesse. Him and Johnny Polo were entertaining on the WWF Coliseum tapes too. I think his announcing style wasn't grating at all in comparison to some. I don't think he took himself too seriously either and joined in the skits on the WWF tapes etc and on Prime Time Wrestling etc. Speaking of announcers, who is the worse of all time? Mark Madden, Mike Adamle, Art Donovan?