Post by Allen Guiliano on May 3, 2010 16:26:52 GMT -5
A still black screen is in view as the scene opens, but it is soon filled with a scrolling digital stopwatch that starts at 3550 and closes in on 3600. The watch emits a faint beeping noise as it reaches its predetermined mark and the works "3600 Seconds" appear below the timepiece.
Good evening viewers, I'm Chuck Thorn, and welcome to 3600 Seconds. Tonight we spend a day with one of professional wrestling's post recognizable stars as he talks a walk through the streets of New Orleans in preparation for an upcoming event being held in the city that was nearly removed from the map by Hurricane Katrina nearly five years ago. Allen Guiliano, although a wealthy businessman and successful entertainer in today's world, relates his own life to the "most unique" city in America.[/i]
The screen transitions from Chuck Thorn behind a news desk to a shot of Guiliano walking along side Thorn down a concrete sidewalk in the city of New Orleans. The scene around the two men is littered with partially constructed houses, building crews, and nearly desolate streets. Building supplies litter the yards of the half-built homes and vehicles are nowhere to be found. The two continue to walk shoulder to shoulder as their voices become audible.
Thorn: So this is the first time that you have been to New Orleans since Katrina?
Guiliano: Indeed it is. It is amazing to me how the residents have melded together with those from outside the city to try and rebuild what once was. We always see the scenes from Mardi Gras and of the Superdome on television, but those are places that are filled with tourists and not necessarily the citizens of New Orleans. In the five years since Katrina, the city continues to try and rebuild itself and if you travel down certain streets, its as if the hurricane hit only a few days ago. It is a very slow process, but it amazes me just how much has been done and how much it is starting to look like a residential area again after seeing the shots of utter destruction in the days following August 29.
You yourself come from an area of the word where destruction and rebuilding were commonplace. You are still at young man at 27 years of age, but do you remember having to walk through streets like this one and remember what it was like back in your home country of Italy or was that something of the past?
I remember it vaguely, but it is something that you simply don't forget. Obviously growing up in the part of the boot that I came from destruction and crumbled buildings were part of every day life, but the simple mourning and grief that people had to go through on an everyday basis I can definitely relate to. Sure, this was something that was on a much larger scale and caused by Mother Nature instead of street thugs, but the results and human reaction are very similar. Like I said, I was very young when worst of it was going on in Palermo, but what I can remember exists to me through a series of still photos in my mind. I don't recall conversations about it or any specific locations, but general images I can still remember. Also, it was such a shock for me to be sent over here to America and see that people didn't live in fear of their neighbor, but welcomed them into their homes and apartments. It was a little rough in certain areas of New York, but the Italian enclave differed so much from life in Palermo. Seemed that people didn't know if they were going to make it home from a trip to the market because of the extreme lawlessness that existed. Sure, there were police, but depending on who "owned" certain law enforcement officers determined if incidents would even be investigated.
I'm sure that you saw your fair share of violence like that, but how sheltered where you from it because of your status as the adopted son of a Mafia Don? Surely there was extra protection for you, especially in your early childhood.
Oh there was definitely extra precautions that were taken, but to say that I didn't see it or was "sheltered" from it couldn't be farther from the truth. There was no way to avoid what was going on in the city of Palermo no matter how hard you tried to stay behind closed doors and out of harm's way. It was almost better for me to get outside as a young man and experience what was actually going on than to simply sit inside and pretend it wasn't happening. It not only taught you survival skills, but also made you realize just how precious life is and that you only get one life to live so you might as well live it to its fullest. Because of that fact and because I actually had to teach myself to survive in such a rough environment as a teenager, I have no doubt that I am a better person and have achieved the success I enjoy today because of it.
I was talking with you earlier and you mentioned how you can relate to the struggles of some of the residents of this city and how because of their strength and success after their hard times, they have inspired your wrestling career. Care to elaborate on that statement?
Obviously I can't tell you exactly how these people felt after that disaster and I didn't experience what they went through and I know that I can't even come close to describing it, but the how this city rebounded after being in such a dire state is remarkable. I have experienced MANY ups and downs throughout my career as a wrestler and even since arriving in the Wrestling Championship Federation, I know what it feels like to be at absolute rock bottom. Fortunately for me, I was able to rebound and much like the city of New Orleans celebrated the Saints Super Bowl victory over the Colts, I was able to celebrate my World Title victory a few months back. I have since lost that title, but it was such a rush of joy and it was even better knowing that the people of Italy had gathered to watch that match in a soccer stadium. Anything less than a victory would have been devastating not only to me as a wrestler, but as a person as well. To let that many people down...I don't know if I could have come back from it. I went back to Palermo and was greeted like Drew Brees was celebrated right here in NOLA. After suffering defeat after defeat when it came to being the best in my business, I felt an indescribable relief after I finally reached that plateau. To know that people continue to go through the down part of life after Katrina, I can offer them some solace when I tell them that I know everything will turn out alright if they continue to have hope and look toward the future. Right now I stand as the #1 Contender to the World Championship in the WCF and these people of New Orleans are simply on the cusp of making their city great once again. This place is more than just Mardi Gras and the Saints. All you have to do is come here and simply walk through the streets of the areas that were most heavily affected by the hurricane, you and can see something special in the demeanor of those who have come back and are determined to rebuild what was once theirs. It is their town and nothing is going to change that for them. How can you not feel inspired by that? How can you not just pull yourself off the ground and walk with a little pride in your step know what these people are going through and will recover from. Sure, New Orleans will never be what it once was, but perhaps a change and perhaps this disaster will make it a better place that it ever could have dreamed of being without it. I know my career and my success would have never been taken to the heights that it has been to without devastation along the way.
Speaking of bumps along the way, you have one coming up for you this week when you take on Steve Thunder right here in New Orleans. It seems that those who follow the sport of wrestling have compared his early success to the success that you had when you first arrived in the federation you are now a part of. Certainly I don't know if this is true or not, but I'm sure you can shed some light on those ramblings.
Steve is a great competitor and sure, he has certainly racked up the victories since his debut in the WCF, but we come from completely different eras of the same federation. I do not doubt the talent level of Steve and he has already proven that he is worth of wearing a belt around his waist as he is the current United States Champion, but let's slow down a bit when it comes to comparing him to yours truly. I made my name known by earning victories over the likes of absolute legends in this business. I took downs like Mikami, Jack of Blades, and Logan. Those are three guys that have made their mark not only on the WCF, but the sport of professional wrestling in general. I came into this organization at a time when Torture dominated the ranks and made sure that no new talent stole his spotlights or his headlines. Sure, I came in and put together quite a string of wins before finally suffering defeat, but I soon learned that it wasn't about how many wins you could collect, it was about the quality of those wins and what events those wins came at. It means ALOT more to win at an event such as One, Ten, or WAR, than it does to win weekly shows for irrelevant reasons. Yes, Mr. Thunder has won a United States title, but look back at the names that have had the honor of wearing that strap and you will see that he still has quite the road ahead of him if he hopes to live up to those expectations, and that doesn't include what I have accomplished since wearing that United States title around my waist. Is Steve Thunder a future World Champion? Personally...I don't think so, but I'm sure Mikami, Logan, Torture, and a host of others said the same thing when I won my first title as well. Let me tell you one thing though, Chuck. As long as Allen Guiliano is in the WCF and on the card next to Steve Thunder, he won't be a World Champion.
I can tell that opponents seem to be a touchy subject for you so I will do my best and try to change it...
It's not that I don't enjoy talking about my future opponents. To be honest, I know that Steve and I will put on a great main event and our match is definitely main event worthy, but it bothers me when members of the media simply make comparisons because records appear to be the same and opponents are not taken into consideration. I'm not saying that the talent level in this federation isn't as strong as it has ever been, but it seems that guys are taking somewhat easier paths to the undercard titles than in the past. With the exponential expanding of the roster, there are more guys in each division rather than excellent talent holding the United States because there simply isn't numbers to make it prize worthy. To simply have someone hold a title because it exists is a bad idea. Now, with the amount of talent that is flooding the WCF, there are divides in talent levels and the talent that used to hold the US Title is looking on to bigger and better things. It would be like Chad Evans and I deciding that since we aren't World Champions anymore that we will pursue the Television Title. No offense to the men that currently hold those belts, but what would be the challenge in that and what good would it bring to the federation? When Steve Thunder is the reason that Steve Thunder is in a main event instead of him being in a main event because his opponent is Slickie T, then we can start to compare. Until that happens, let's let the man make a name for himself before we dub him the second coming of someone else. Also, there is a shot that he will exceed all expectations and establish his own legacy. I, for example, was hailed as the next Mikami. Now look what is happening. New talent is being dubbed as the next Slickie T. I don't know, Chuck. Just seems that people are too quick to draw conclusions.
I understand that completely. Your success has been well documented and you have made a name for yourself not only in the wrestling business, but also with your success in the world of casino management and gaming. How has doing double duty as an owner and a wrestler affected your life?
At first it was hard to separate the two and it seemed as if I was always worrying about one when I was in position to make decisions about the other, but now that I have had some time to get used to the dual role, I think I have handled it quite well. My employees or fellow colleagues may tell you differently, but I think it has been a very smooth transition to two separate worlds. It gives me the chance to be competitive on both levels rather than just storing up that competitiveness until it becomes a negative. Chuck, I strive to be the best at everything I do and having two different venues to take up my time is something that keeps life fresh. Also, without deciding to go back into wrestling, I probably would have never had the chance to come here to New Orleans and entertain the fans of this great city. I would have simply been another businessman in a suit that was making donations in an attempt to get a nice tax writeoff and promise big things, only to leave the next day and never come back again. When I step into that ring, I will get to physically see hear the cheers and see the smiles on their faces. To me, that is much more rewarding than writing a big check and having an event held in my honor. I have made several donations to NOLA, but I have made them anonymously and want no recognition for them. I just want to help people that have been in and are in situation that I can relate to.
I was going to ask you why you would risk your body and your health to pursue professional wrestling when you were already a major success story in the business world, but I think you have answered that question quite well. As you mentioned earlier, you burst onto the scene in the WCF and eventually became World Champion in less than a year. The man that defeated you recently dropped the title that he took from you. Seems that there is definitely a rivalry going on there between the three of you. Is there a possibility that others will step in and make the battle for the top honor in the federation even more interesting?
I wouldn't necessarily call it a rivalry between the three of us. I have exchanged numerous words, most of them negative, with Chad Evans, but as far as Gravedigger goes, I have yet to really have a serious run in with him. While he was under the Hector Rodriguez mantra, I was able to beat him on several occasions and feel that he isn't the biggest threat to the World Title. Like I have said in previous interviews, I think Chad and I have separated ourselves from the rest of the field, but that doesn't mean there won't be more worthy opponents. Obviously Gravedigger has added his name to the short list and with his unmasking has definitely stolen the fame from the others, but things change so fast in this business. One day you are the World Champion and the next thing you know, you could be looking for a job. This world of sports entertainment isn't for the faint of hard and it takes a strong person to manage the commitment it takes to be the best. If you can't handle adversity, pain, and lack of personal space, this business isn't for you. Luckily I have been able to balance the demands, but I would be lying to you if I told you that it didn't get to me.
The camera slowly pans away from the two men and fades into black before showing Chuck Torn back in the studio behind the desk. He peers into the camera and gives a nod before speaking.
That is all we have time to show you from my day with Allen Guiliano, but if you would like to see the rest of it, be sure to visit our website where a full transcript and video footage will be available. Also, if you want to check out Guiliano live and in person, he will be competing in the main event at WCF's Slam that will be held in New Orleans on Monday night. We will be right back.
The stopwatch once again appears and repeats the same sequence from earlier. 3555...3556...3557...3558...3559...3600. The watch beeps and the title of the shows appears under it just as it did before and the screen permanently fades to black.
Good evening viewers, I'm Chuck Thorn, and welcome to 3600 Seconds. Tonight we spend a day with one of professional wrestling's post recognizable stars as he talks a walk through the streets of New Orleans in preparation for an upcoming event being held in the city that was nearly removed from the map by Hurricane Katrina nearly five years ago. Allen Guiliano, although a wealthy businessman and successful entertainer in today's world, relates his own life to the "most unique" city in America.[/i]
The screen transitions from Chuck Thorn behind a news desk to a shot of Guiliano walking along side Thorn down a concrete sidewalk in the city of New Orleans. The scene around the two men is littered with partially constructed houses, building crews, and nearly desolate streets. Building supplies litter the yards of the half-built homes and vehicles are nowhere to be found. The two continue to walk shoulder to shoulder as their voices become audible.
Thorn: So this is the first time that you have been to New Orleans since Katrina?
Guiliano: Indeed it is. It is amazing to me how the residents have melded together with those from outside the city to try and rebuild what once was. We always see the scenes from Mardi Gras and of the Superdome on television, but those are places that are filled with tourists and not necessarily the citizens of New Orleans. In the five years since Katrina, the city continues to try and rebuild itself and if you travel down certain streets, its as if the hurricane hit only a few days ago. It is a very slow process, but it amazes me just how much has been done and how much it is starting to look like a residential area again after seeing the shots of utter destruction in the days following August 29.
You yourself come from an area of the word where destruction and rebuilding were commonplace. You are still at young man at 27 years of age, but do you remember having to walk through streets like this one and remember what it was like back in your home country of Italy or was that something of the past?
I remember it vaguely, but it is something that you simply don't forget. Obviously growing up in the part of the boot that I came from destruction and crumbled buildings were part of every day life, but the simple mourning and grief that people had to go through on an everyday basis I can definitely relate to. Sure, this was something that was on a much larger scale and caused by Mother Nature instead of street thugs, but the results and human reaction are very similar. Like I said, I was very young when worst of it was going on in Palermo, but what I can remember exists to me through a series of still photos in my mind. I don't recall conversations about it or any specific locations, but general images I can still remember. Also, it was such a shock for me to be sent over here to America and see that people didn't live in fear of their neighbor, but welcomed them into their homes and apartments. It was a little rough in certain areas of New York, but the Italian enclave differed so much from life in Palermo. Seemed that people didn't know if they were going to make it home from a trip to the market because of the extreme lawlessness that existed. Sure, there were police, but depending on who "owned" certain law enforcement officers determined if incidents would even be investigated.
I'm sure that you saw your fair share of violence like that, but how sheltered where you from it because of your status as the adopted son of a Mafia Don? Surely there was extra protection for you, especially in your early childhood.
Oh there was definitely extra precautions that were taken, but to say that I didn't see it or was "sheltered" from it couldn't be farther from the truth. There was no way to avoid what was going on in the city of Palermo no matter how hard you tried to stay behind closed doors and out of harm's way. It was almost better for me to get outside as a young man and experience what was actually going on than to simply sit inside and pretend it wasn't happening. It not only taught you survival skills, but also made you realize just how precious life is and that you only get one life to live so you might as well live it to its fullest. Because of that fact and because I actually had to teach myself to survive in such a rough environment as a teenager, I have no doubt that I am a better person and have achieved the success I enjoy today because of it.
I was talking with you earlier and you mentioned how you can relate to the struggles of some of the residents of this city and how because of their strength and success after their hard times, they have inspired your wrestling career. Care to elaborate on that statement?
Obviously I can't tell you exactly how these people felt after that disaster and I didn't experience what they went through and I know that I can't even come close to describing it, but the how this city rebounded after being in such a dire state is remarkable. I have experienced MANY ups and downs throughout my career as a wrestler and even since arriving in the Wrestling Championship Federation, I know what it feels like to be at absolute rock bottom. Fortunately for me, I was able to rebound and much like the city of New Orleans celebrated the Saints Super Bowl victory over the Colts, I was able to celebrate my World Title victory a few months back. I have since lost that title, but it was such a rush of joy and it was even better knowing that the people of Italy had gathered to watch that match in a soccer stadium. Anything less than a victory would have been devastating not only to me as a wrestler, but as a person as well. To let that many people down...I don't know if I could have come back from it. I went back to Palermo and was greeted like Drew Brees was celebrated right here in NOLA. After suffering defeat after defeat when it came to being the best in my business, I felt an indescribable relief after I finally reached that plateau. To know that people continue to go through the down part of life after Katrina, I can offer them some solace when I tell them that I know everything will turn out alright if they continue to have hope and look toward the future. Right now I stand as the #1 Contender to the World Championship in the WCF and these people of New Orleans are simply on the cusp of making their city great once again. This place is more than just Mardi Gras and the Saints. All you have to do is come here and simply walk through the streets of the areas that were most heavily affected by the hurricane, you and can see something special in the demeanor of those who have come back and are determined to rebuild what was once theirs. It is their town and nothing is going to change that for them. How can you not feel inspired by that? How can you not just pull yourself off the ground and walk with a little pride in your step know what these people are going through and will recover from. Sure, New Orleans will never be what it once was, but perhaps a change and perhaps this disaster will make it a better place that it ever could have dreamed of being without it. I know my career and my success would have never been taken to the heights that it has been to without devastation along the way.
Speaking of bumps along the way, you have one coming up for you this week when you take on Steve Thunder right here in New Orleans. It seems that those who follow the sport of wrestling have compared his early success to the success that you had when you first arrived in the federation you are now a part of. Certainly I don't know if this is true or not, but I'm sure you can shed some light on those ramblings.
Steve is a great competitor and sure, he has certainly racked up the victories since his debut in the WCF, but we come from completely different eras of the same federation. I do not doubt the talent level of Steve and he has already proven that he is worth of wearing a belt around his waist as he is the current United States Champion, but let's slow down a bit when it comes to comparing him to yours truly. I made my name known by earning victories over the likes of absolute legends in this business. I took downs like Mikami, Jack of Blades, and Logan. Those are three guys that have made their mark not only on the WCF, but the sport of professional wrestling in general. I came into this organization at a time when Torture dominated the ranks and made sure that no new talent stole his spotlights or his headlines. Sure, I came in and put together quite a string of wins before finally suffering defeat, but I soon learned that it wasn't about how many wins you could collect, it was about the quality of those wins and what events those wins came at. It means ALOT more to win at an event such as One, Ten, or WAR, than it does to win weekly shows for irrelevant reasons. Yes, Mr. Thunder has won a United States title, but look back at the names that have had the honor of wearing that strap and you will see that he still has quite the road ahead of him if he hopes to live up to those expectations, and that doesn't include what I have accomplished since wearing that United States title around my waist. Is Steve Thunder a future World Champion? Personally...I don't think so, but I'm sure Mikami, Logan, Torture, and a host of others said the same thing when I won my first title as well. Let me tell you one thing though, Chuck. As long as Allen Guiliano is in the WCF and on the card next to Steve Thunder, he won't be a World Champion.
I can tell that opponents seem to be a touchy subject for you so I will do my best and try to change it...
It's not that I don't enjoy talking about my future opponents. To be honest, I know that Steve and I will put on a great main event and our match is definitely main event worthy, but it bothers me when members of the media simply make comparisons because records appear to be the same and opponents are not taken into consideration. I'm not saying that the talent level in this federation isn't as strong as it has ever been, but it seems that guys are taking somewhat easier paths to the undercard titles than in the past. With the exponential expanding of the roster, there are more guys in each division rather than excellent talent holding the United States because there simply isn't numbers to make it prize worthy. To simply have someone hold a title because it exists is a bad idea. Now, with the amount of talent that is flooding the WCF, there are divides in talent levels and the talent that used to hold the US Title is looking on to bigger and better things. It would be like Chad Evans and I deciding that since we aren't World Champions anymore that we will pursue the Television Title. No offense to the men that currently hold those belts, but what would be the challenge in that and what good would it bring to the federation? When Steve Thunder is the reason that Steve Thunder is in a main event instead of him being in a main event because his opponent is Slickie T, then we can start to compare. Until that happens, let's let the man make a name for himself before we dub him the second coming of someone else. Also, there is a shot that he will exceed all expectations and establish his own legacy. I, for example, was hailed as the next Mikami. Now look what is happening. New talent is being dubbed as the next Slickie T. I don't know, Chuck. Just seems that people are too quick to draw conclusions.
I understand that completely. Your success has been well documented and you have made a name for yourself not only in the wrestling business, but also with your success in the world of casino management and gaming. How has doing double duty as an owner and a wrestler affected your life?
At first it was hard to separate the two and it seemed as if I was always worrying about one when I was in position to make decisions about the other, but now that I have had some time to get used to the dual role, I think I have handled it quite well. My employees or fellow colleagues may tell you differently, but I think it has been a very smooth transition to two separate worlds. It gives me the chance to be competitive on both levels rather than just storing up that competitiveness until it becomes a negative. Chuck, I strive to be the best at everything I do and having two different venues to take up my time is something that keeps life fresh. Also, without deciding to go back into wrestling, I probably would have never had the chance to come here to New Orleans and entertain the fans of this great city. I would have simply been another businessman in a suit that was making donations in an attempt to get a nice tax writeoff and promise big things, only to leave the next day and never come back again. When I step into that ring, I will get to physically see hear the cheers and see the smiles on their faces. To me, that is much more rewarding than writing a big check and having an event held in my honor. I have made several donations to NOLA, but I have made them anonymously and want no recognition for them. I just want to help people that have been in and are in situation that I can relate to.
I was going to ask you why you would risk your body and your health to pursue professional wrestling when you were already a major success story in the business world, but I think you have answered that question quite well. As you mentioned earlier, you burst onto the scene in the WCF and eventually became World Champion in less than a year. The man that defeated you recently dropped the title that he took from you. Seems that there is definitely a rivalry going on there between the three of you. Is there a possibility that others will step in and make the battle for the top honor in the federation even more interesting?
I wouldn't necessarily call it a rivalry between the three of us. I have exchanged numerous words, most of them negative, with Chad Evans, but as far as Gravedigger goes, I have yet to really have a serious run in with him. While he was under the Hector Rodriguez mantra, I was able to beat him on several occasions and feel that he isn't the biggest threat to the World Title. Like I have said in previous interviews, I think Chad and I have separated ourselves from the rest of the field, but that doesn't mean there won't be more worthy opponents. Obviously Gravedigger has added his name to the short list and with his unmasking has definitely stolen the fame from the others, but things change so fast in this business. One day you are the World Champion and the next thing you know, you could be looking for a job. This world of sports entertainment isn't for the faint of hard and it takes a strong person to manage the commitment it takes to be the best. If you can't handle adversity, pain, and lack of personal space, this business isn't for you. Luckily I have been able to balance the demands, but I would be lying to you if I told you that it didn't get to me.
The camera slowly pans away from the two men and fades into black before showing Chuck Torn back in the studio behind the desk. He peers into the camera and gives a nod before speaking.
That is all we have time to show you from my day with Allen Guiliano, but if you would like to see the rest of it, be sure to visit our website where a full transcript and video footage will be available. Also, if you want to check out Guiliano live and in person, he will be competing in the main event at WCF's Slam that will be held in New Orleans on Monday night. We will be right back.
The stopwatch once again appears and repeats the same sequence from earlier. 3555...3556...3557...3558...3559...3600. The watch beeps and the title of the shows appears under it just as it did before and the screen permanently fades to black.
