S02:E10 Rocky's Code

[AgentRXS]

Quote

Nashville, 1987: Rocky takes a promising new wrestling job, but is faced with a difficult decision. Ata spends a night out with Miss Elizabeth. Teenage Dwayne starts to worry about his dad's health. In 2032, Dwayne seeks advice from an old friend.

Original Air Date: May 17, 2022

[AnimeMania]

Michael Strassner as Jerry Lawler
Kiff Vanden Heuvel as Pat Patterson

[Raja]

I guess the Macho Man was a method actor. Then Forest Whitaker comes out of nowhere, I wonder if he was an acting mentor for Johnson/

[fishcakes]

I worked at Sears when I was in high school in the early 80s. When Randy was hanging around the store, the manager was wearing a real Sears name tag authentic to the time. They even used black tape in the embossing label maker, which was the color they used for managers. Sales clerks used blue tape. It's such a small thing, but I was impressed that they got it right at that level of detail. Also delighted because it was something that I didn't even know I remembered.

Rocky is so interesting. He does exactly the right thing by walking out on the racist promoter and keeping the money, but then he turns around and gives it all to the waitress when he doesn't even know if they're going to make rent that month. He keeps his self-respect while doing what he should for his family, but then he blows it on a showy self-aggrandizing gesture. I can see why Ata and Dewey loved him/were completely infuriated by him.

Edited May 18, 2022 by fishcakes

[Traveller519]

Randy sticking around Sears after cutting the ribbon was too good. I loved that they came back to it, and didn't involve any of the other actors. So strange for the show to give a "story" to a guest role not involving the core cast but just hilarious. Wrestlers have often said the Macho Man character wasn't **that** much of a dialed up version of who Randy really was. I asked his joy, and if course being introduced to Slim Jims.

Also, it was nice for Ata and Rocky to have stories that were related but independent.

Do Dwayne and Forrest Whittaker have a connection we know about previously?

[thuganomics85]

Ooh yeah!  The origin story of Randy Savage and the Slim Jims!  That's what I'm talking about!  And I'm just saying that any Sears can be improved by the Macho Man!  That was a fun little segment.  Also liked Elizabeth being more of a factor here and her scenes with Ata were really enjoyable.

Knew that the promotor was going to be too good to be true.  Not surprised that dealing with racial stereotype caricatures would be something that Rocky and other minority wrestlers would have to deal throughout their career.  Hell, I still remember questionable gimmicks like that still happening in the 90s and 00s.  But while I get why Rocky rightfully didn't want anything to do with him anymore, giving the $100 away to a waitress while his family was still struggling was pretty questionable.  There has to be a way to provide for the family while maintaining your integrity.

Honky Tonk Man sighting!

Wasn't predicting Forest Whitaker to be Dwayne's mysterious friend.  Figured it was going to be someone Dwayne worked with, but I don't remember those two ever appearing a film together.  He sadly passed away years ago, but the first person that popped into my head was the late Michael Clarke Duncan, who I think could have worked in that role too.  Of course, I'm waiting for the day Dwayne convinces Kevin Hart to show up!

[tennisgurl]

I was trying to figure out who Dwayne's lunch friend could be, was not expecting Forest Whitaker to show up. I am racking my brain trying to think of any movies they have made together, they have both made so many movies I'm sure there's something. 

You can certainly see why Dwayne and Ata both loved Rocky and were incredibly frustrated by him, he can do the right thing one moment, turning down the racist promoter, and then give away all the money they got when they really need that to keep the lights on. He has terrible impulse control which can make him fun to hang out with but it also makes it hard to trust him. 

The origin of Randy Savage and the Slim Jims! Loved seeing a bit of Randy taking his sponsorship and having a wonderful time hanging out at Sears, I would totally watch a series of webisodes of Macho Man Randy Savage, Sears employee. 

[chediavolo]

On 5/18/2022 at 10:33 AM, fishcakes said:

I worked at Sears when I was in high school in the early 80s. When Randy was hanging around the store, the manager was wearing a real Sears name tag authentic to the time. They even used black tape in the embossing label maker, which was the color they used for managers. Sales clerks used blue tape. It's such a small thing, but I was impressed that they got it right at that level of detail. Also delighted because it was something that I didn't even know I remembered.

Rocky is so interesting. He does exactly the right thing by walking out on the racist promoter and keeping the money, but then he turns around and gives it all to the waitress when he doesn't even know if they're going to make rent that month. He keeps his self-respect while doing what he should for his family, but then he blows it on a showy self-aggrandizing gesture. I can see why Ata and Dewey loved him/were completely infuriated by him.

On 5/18/2022 at 3:48 PM, thuganomics85 said:

Ooh yeah!  The origin story of Randy Savage and the Slim Jims!  That's what I'm talking about!  And I'm just saying that any Sears can be improved by the Macho Man!  That was a fun little segment.  Also liked Elizabeth being more of a factor here and her scenes with Ata were really enjoyable.

Knew that the promotor was going to be too good to be true.  Not surprised that dealing with racial stereotype caricatures would be something that Rocky and other minority wrestlers would have to deal throughout their career.  Hell, I still remember questionable gimmicks like that still happening in the 90s and 00s.  But while I get why Rocky rightfully didn't want anything to do with him anymore, giving the $100 away to a waitress while his family was still struggling was pretty questionable.  There has to be a way to provide for the family while maintaining your integrity.

Honky Tonk Man sighting!

Wasn't predicting Forest Whitaker to be Dwayne's mysterious friend.  Figured it was going to be someone Dwayne worked with, but I don't remember those two ever appearing a film together.  He sadly passed away years ago, but the first person that popped into my head was the late Michael Clarke Duncan, who I think could have worked in that role too.  Of course, I'm waiting for the day Dwayne convinces Kevin Hart to show up!

If I found out my husband gave away money when we were destitute, there would be hell to pay. That was idiotic.