When It Was Cool Wrestling and Retro Pop Culture (DragonKingKarl)
A deep dive into pro wrestling history and retro pop culture, hosted by Karl Stern (DragonKingKarl), a wrestling historian with over 15 years of experience. The show covers major promotions like WWE, WCW, NWA, AEW, and more, discussing legendary wrestlers from various eras. This free feed also includes selected retro pop culture reviews from the Patreon site.
Episodes
September 2, 1986 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Review
Today, we take the time machine back to September 2, 1986, and grab the Wrestling Observer Newsletter out of the mailbox to find out that Hulk Hogan verses Paul Orndorff in Toronto, Canada (AKA: The Big Event) is expected to break all sorts of box office records. Plus, it appears as though Central States Wrestling is about to fall to Jim Crockett Promotions, but Dave Meltzer thinks Bill Watts and
August 3, 1986 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Review
This is the issue of Dave Meltzer's Wrestling Observer Newsletter where he reports on the NWA Great American Bash where Dusty Rhodes won the NWA World heavyweight title from Ric Flair for his third and last time. Also, tons of news on World Class, Alabama, and the WWF of course. Also, Dave has more details on Stan Hansen being stripped of the AWA World heavyweight title and taking it to Japan and
Uphill Both Ways Podcast -2003
It's time for some romance! This episode's 'Mix-Tape Challenge' has the guys pressing play on music highlighting the shiny new possibilities of love found. Then, things get bananas as Mike and Joseph go ape for the 'Planet of the Apes' franchise. Movies, books, and more are on the table as we learn that Ape Shall Not Kill Ape.
William Muldoon: Civil War Fraud - 1000 Hours
I we have now reached 100 hours of podcast time about the pioneer era of pro wrestling. After finishing my book DragonKingKarl's Pioneer Era Pro Wrestling Omnibus and the timeline of the pioneer era of pro wrestling, we now move on to new research. Respected author and academic Scott Beekman recently released a book on the life of wrestling pioneer legend William Muldoon, and we begin reviewing th
Long Form History of Wrestling - July 1986 (Dusty Rhodes Wins the NWA World Title)
I am now up to July 1986 in my Long Form History of Pro Wrestling series taken from my latest book DragonKingKarl's 1986-1987 Pro Wrestling Omnibus available at Amazon. The NWA and Jim Crockett Promotions are running the Great American Bash series, and Dusty Rhodes wins his third, and final, NWA World heavyweight championship from Ric Flair. Plus, the WWF continues to roll across the United States
The Incredible Hulk (1978)
We have previously reviewed a couple of the 1980s Incredible Hulk made for TV movies but today we go back to the original 1978 TV series by way of the NBC streaming app to see episode 1 season 1 where we get the origin and first transformation of the TV Incredible Hulk. This was a really good, high quality, television show and still stands out from most of the TV superhero offerings of the era. St
1986 Pro Wrestling Illustrated Year End Awards
I take the time machine back to December 1986 when the annual Pro Wrestling Illustrated magazine awards issue hit the stands. Would The Road Warriors once again be tag team of the year? Would Ric Flair again dominate the Wrestler of the Year? There are rookies galore to choose from! Yes, the Pro Wrestling Illustrated Year End Awards may have been worked, but they give us a fun glimpse into the wor
2002 - Uphill Both Ways
Joseph and Mike hit record on their first new mix-tape challenge before shifting gears and talking about some of their favorite and most remembered toys - covering everything from GI Joe to the Easy Bake Oven! Mike's also been watching some Krofft Supershow and tries to jog Joseph's memory about Wonderbug, Dr. Shrinker, and the other live-action shorts that played on a regular basis.
Pioneer Era Mailbag Show - 1000 Hours
We have now gone through the pages of my book DragonKingKarl's Pioneer Era Pro Wrestling Omnibus and finished the timeline of the pioneer era of pro wrestling. So, today is a good time to pause and answer any listener questions this week and I have several of them discussing William Muldoon, Col. James H. McLaughlin, Evan 'Strangler' Lewis, John McMahon, Harry Hill, Prof. Theibaud Baur, and much m
July 28, 1986 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Review
This week on my show I continue to look back at 1986 and 1987 in pro wrestling history with the recent release of my new book DragonKingKarl's 1986-1987 Pro Wrestling Omnibus, I review the July 28, 1986 issue of Dave Meltzer's Wrestling Observer Newsletter which features such stories as a disputed AWA World tag team title change between The Midnight Rockers (Shawn Michaels & Marty Jannetty) and Bu
Uphill Both Ways Podcast - 2001
Episode 2001 Guess who just got back today Them wild-eyed boys that had been away Haven't changed, had much to say But man, I still think them cats are crazy. Mike and Joseph are BACK following a self-imposed hiatus that lasted a couple of years longer than expected. Join them for some reintroductions as they hit the ground running with an overview of what the UBW podcast experience is all about i
The End of the Pioneer Era - 1899! 1000 Hours
Today on the 1000 Hours Podcast I finish out the review of my book DragonKingKarl's Pioneer Era Pro Wrestling Omnibus available from Amazon. Frank Gotch is now on the scene after losing to American champion Dan McLeod (working under a fake name) and then was 'discovered' by Farmer Burns. William Muldoon has left pro wrestling, and George Hackenschmidt is ready to rise in Europe. Even though we hav
May 2026 Q and A Show!
Thank you for great participation in the May 2026 question and answer show and I have some great classic pro wrestling questions this episode. I field questions and topic suggestions on Andre the Giant, Hulk Hogan, phycological understanding of working matches, pro wrestling title histories, and much more.
Music Monday: Thrash Metal Show: Slayer 41st Anniversary of Hell Awaits
I'm not even kidding. From the deep dark recesses of wherever NoFriender's lair is, years after his last show, a new edition of the Thrash Metal Show Podcast that discusses the 41st anniversary of this important moment in thrash metal music history. Now's a great time to dig into the past episodes of the Thrash Metal Show which lurk in our archive at When It Was Cool!
Long Form History of Wrestling Podcast - June 1986 in Pro Wrestling
I continue my Long Form History of Pro Wrestling series today taken from the pages of my latest book DragonKingKarl's 1986-1987 Pro Wrestling Omnibus available from Amazon. Business is starting to slump temporarily in the wake of all the big shows in the spring of 1986. Stan Hansen has the AWA World heavyweight title stripped from him, Antonio Inoki is having big matches in Japan, and World Class
McLeod defeats Farmer Burns and more! - 1000 Hours
Today on the 1000 Hours Podcast, the podcast all about the pioneer era of pro wrestling (1800s) we continue to go through my book DragonKingKarl's Pioneer Era Pro Wrestling Omnibus and we are nearing the end of the pioneer era. Martin 'Farmer' Burns had defeated Evan 'Strangler' Lewis and the reputation of Lewis took a big hit after the newspapers firmly believed the match had a predetermined outc
That Didn't Go as Planned - 1000 Hours
Join me on the podcast dealing with the pioneer era of pro wrestling. Taken from the pages of my book DragonKingKarl's Pioneer Era Pro Wrestling Omnibus available at Amazon, we are detailing the events of the last decade of the pioneer era of pro wrestling, the 1890s. Martin 'Farmer' Burns has been on the rise and the star of the moment of the brutal Evan 'Strangler' Lewis, the original 'Strangler
The Last Match of William Muldoon - 1000 Hours
We continue in the final decade of the pioneer era of pro wrestling and the biggest star of the pioneer era, William Muldoon, has his last pro wrestling match in New York. Another veteran pioneer wrestler, John McMahon, has his last match as well. Still earlier pioneers like Col. James H. McLaughlin and Homer Lane continue to wrestler periodically, but it is now the era of Evan 'Strangler' Lewis a
William Muldoon the Con Man - 1000 Hours
This week on my 1000 Hours podcast series which focuses exclusively on pre-Frank Gotch era pro wrestling, we finish out the 1880s and enter the last decade of the pioneer era of pro wrestling. Taken from my popular book DragonKingKarl's Pioneer Era Pro Wrestling Omnibus, we look at the final days of William Muldoon as a pro wrestler. Muldoon began losing interest in pro wrestling after the more en
1986 and 1987 Two Incredible Years!
My latest book, DragonKingKarl's 1986-1987 Pro Wrestling Omnibus is now available for order, and it is a massive near 600-page book detailing ever major event, story, and happening in pro wrestling for 1986 and 1987. On today's podcast I touch on just a few highlights and deep dives explored in the book from the real attendance for 1987's WWF WrestleMania III to both the 1986 and 1987 NWA Jim Croc
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