PWD Why did I.R.S. hate his first name?

[Deleted member 449757]

When Mike Rotunda had the Irwin R. Schyster gimmick, part of it was that he hated the name "Irwin" which led to the audience chanting it in his matches.

Was there ever an explanation (shoot interview or on air statement) as to why he hated that name? I guess it's a reference to anti-tax activist Irwin Schiff, but i'm not sure.

 

[Kung Fu Kowboy]

Because it was a worse gimmick than the Ringmaster.

 

[Pittie Petey]

Because anyone named Irwin is a dweeb

 

[Deleted member 449757]

Because it was a worse gimmick than the Ringmaster.

How dare you? I loved that character so much that it influenced my real life carreer choice.

 

[Kung Fu Kowboy]

How dare you? I loved that character so much that it influenced my real life carreer choice.

 

[Batjester]

Because anyone named Irwin is a dweeb

/thread

 

[LEWIS540]

 

[GearSolidMetal]

Because it was a worse gimmick than the Ringmaster.

If Austin had quit WWF as The Ringmaster he and his gimmick would have been quickly forgotten.

IRS is still remembered 30+ years after his run.

 

[gspieler]

Because it was a worse gimmick than the Ringmaster.

IRS was dope, and fit perfectly into that era in the fed.

 

[HereticBD]

It was a great name for the gimmick. Pencil pushing dork.

I loved that gimmick, right down to the name of his finisher: "The Write Off"

 

[Fury]

Don't know about the name but maybe he wanted to wrestle in tights.

 

[My Spot]

If Austin had quit WWF as The Ringmaster he and his gimmick would have been quickly forgotten.

IRS is still remembered 30+ years after his run.

It's crazy to think how Austin would've turned out if he didn't get some lucky breaks in 96/97.
Dibiase wanting to quit - this led to the Ringmaster gimmick being dropped in May, who knows how long it would've continued otherwise
The Curtain Call - led to Austin winning KOTR instead of Hunter (and the Austin 3:16 promo after beating Born Again Jake Roberts in the final)
HBK losing his smile - led to the Austin/Bret submission match (otherwise WM13 would've been Austin vs Bulldog)

 

[stephen90]

Was was with the weird paring with Ted Dibiase? Why would the million dollar man be friends with a tax guy in the first place?

 

[Pittie Petey]

Was was with the weird paring with Ted Dibiase? Why would the million dollar man be friends with a tax guy in the first place?

Because rich people run the government, the pairing makes perfect sense in kayfabe and the real world

 

[stephen90]

Because rich people run the government, the pairing makes perfect sense in kayfabe and the real world

I'm pretty that character was created because Vince hated the IRS.

 

[sleepwalk]

When Mike Rotunda had the Irwin R. Schyster gimmick, part of it was that he hated the name "Irwin" which led to the audience chanting it in his matches.

Was there ever an explanation (shoot interview or on air statement) as to why he hated that name? I guess it's a reference to anti-tax activist Irwin Schiff, but i'm not sure.

I'm pretty that character was created because Vince hated the IRS.

Wasn't there a territory promoter named "Irwin" that Vince (probably) had beef with?

 

[Prime LeVan]

Lol. IRS was a great gimmick.

You guys are forgetting too that Mike Rotunda had just came off a (weak) run as V.K. Wallstreet in WCW. This was an obvious Million Dollar Man/WWF rib even down to the V. K. initials. Coming in as IRS and eventually teaming with MMM to be Money Inc was a no-brainer. Both were really good workers too and the team was pretty good.

I would not consider IRS a bad gimmick at all, just not what we had expected from Rotunda with his US Connection and Varsity Club days. He was legit.