‘Superkicking It With Kelsi’ Is ALL IN
For those on Podcast Row, this weekend will be the opportunity of a lifetime.
Aside from WrestleMania, the biggest wrestling weekend of the year is upon us.
It’s been 25 years since a non-WWE or WCW pro wrestling event in the United States has sold 10,000 tickets. “ALL IN,” the brainchild of Cody Rhodes and The Young Bucks, ended the drought in May, selling out the Sears Centre in the Chicago suburb of Hoffman Estates in less than a half hour.
In conjunction with “ALL IN,” Conrad Thompson has organized “Starrcast,” the first pro wrestling podcast convention. There are a litany of activities scheduled such as various panels, a DDP Yoga workshop and The Roast of Bruce Prichard, but what separates “Starrcast” from other wrestling conventions is Podcast Row.
In addition to live renditions of big name podcasts like Keepin’ It 100, The Art of Wrestling and WHW Monday, fans who conduct their own podcasts have a chance to record their shows at the event. While some were invited by “Starrcast” organizers, others could pay $500 to benefit from the event’s marketing, set up shop during the event and interview one wrestler, according to Voices of Wrestling.
Whether they paid or not, these podcasters are not only investing in their brand, but also being part of history. They’re gathering with fellow fans to collaborate, maybe even meeting online pals in person for the first time. They’re taking the opportunity to mingle with their favorite stars and support an independent project, believing in their kindred entrepreneurial spirits.
And Kelsi, well, this is her last weekend before starting a second job. The hustling New Orleans native runs two shows: Superkicking It With Kelsi and Two Faced Wrestling Talk (with her co-host Paul). The former is a YouTube series, and the latter consists of a podcast as well as video. That’s just in her spare time – her daily gig is production associate/editor for a local PBS member television station.
“Besides my co-host, I didn’t know many people I could talk wrestling with,” Kelsi told Corrigan’s Corner on Team LeftJab Radio. “It started with me going into forums and on Twitter, trying to find that connection with other fans.”
Two and a half years ago, Kelsi’s co-worker suggested that she start a YouTube channel about wrestling. After all, she had experience in visual production and there weren’t many women doing wrestling-related videos. So, Kelsi taught herself how to use Final Cut Pro and other editing tools, and talked about her favorite wrestlers – The Young Bucks – as well as other fresh, exciting talent outside of McMahonland. More captivating than the content is her presentation, as her passion and infectious giddiness complements the colorful, animated design. With many nods to pop culture, especially the ‘90s, she keeps the chatter positive, light-hearted and most importantly, fun.
She’s like a fourth Powerpuff Girl, made of sugar, spice and everything nice, with a relentless work ethic and overflowing ingenuity. “I literally spend all my free time doing my show stuff because it’s such a great way to get my creativity out there and talk about what I love,” Kelsi said. “My whole goal is to do this for a living one day. I can create more content and connect with more people if I could do this full-time.”
Too Sweet
Despite naming her show in tribute to The Young Bucks, consistently hawking their merchandise and having interviewed just about everyone in their inner circle (from Bullet Club teammates Kenny Omega and Hangman Page to Meltzer Driver namesake Big Dave), Kelsi has never been able to interview her beloved boys.
“I’ve come close a few times, especially at Supercard of Honor in my hometown of New Orleans,” Kelsi said. “But they’re always so busy and they have the longest line of anyone at the meet-and-greets.”
Hopefully, that changes at Podcast Row as all participants have given a wish list of 10 guests they’d love to interview. Of course, The Young Bucks are most likely the top name on everybody’s list. They’re the biggest attraction outside of the WWE umbrella. Their merchandise is sold in Hot Topic and they’re the first non-WWE wrestlers to have their own Funko Pop! collectibles.
“Do you think any other tag team in the last 20 years could sell out a show like this? I don’t think so. That says a lot about their drawing and promotional power,” Kelsi said. “The Bucks and Cody and Kenny and company are free to be who they want and they have their own medium (Being The Elite on YouTube) to do that. They’re providing something that feels real and authentic, and also something fun and funny.”
Seems like the fun will never stop during “Starrcast” weekend as Kelsi plans to attend Elite Karaoke with Marty Scurll, Papa Buck’s (The Young Bucks’ dad) jam session, the Empty Arena Match retrospective with Jerry Lawler and Terry Funk, the War Games retrospective, the “Death of WCW” panel, the “ALL IN” weigh-in and press conference, DDP Yoga and the “Remembering Andy Kaufman” panel.
She also hopes to ask Macaulay Culkin (who will be recording a live episode of his podcast at “Starrcast”) which two wrestlers he would recruit to protect Kevin McCallister and his home from Harry and Marv. She asked that question during one of pop culture-wrestling crossover segments, and the response was enormous.
Of course, it won’t be all fun and games this weekend. Kelsi is no fan girl – she’s a hardworking content creator with an obligation to her fans, as well as WrestlingInc., the new hosting platform of Two Faced Wrestling Talk. The show has moved to the website’s YouTube channel and will be updated throughout the weekend. Plus, Kelsi plans to Periscope from the scene, interviewing fellow fans about the festivities.
“I pride myself on being myself,” Kelsi said. “I strive to show my passion and have it come across to viewers. It’s so much fun to share passions with other people. Wrestling is the most unique medium of art – there’s nothing like it.”
Game Changer
Erik Hodson knows about art – he has created several exclusive pieces for “Starrcast” and “ALL IN,” and even designed the Two Faced Wrestling Talk logo. The vivid, comic book-style look was inspired by one of Kelsi’s favorite cartoons, Batman: The Animated Series.
“It’s based off Two-Face because our personalities are like his Two-Face,” she said. “My co-host and I have different opinions. He is a lifelong fan and I’ve only gotten sucked in pretty recently.”
The card for “ALL IN” has certainly drawn mixed opinions from fans. With a lineup including Kazuchika Okada vs. Marty Scurll, Joey Janela vs. Hangman Page Page and a fatal four way between Madison Rayne, Britt Baker, Chelsea Green and Tessa Blanchard, some have criticized the card as being the same old, same old of the independent scene. Others have complained about the lack of “dream matches.”
Conversely, many fans view this lineup as the best in independent wrestling, with nearly everyone on the card being a champion of their respective promotion.
Im sorry, I am just not feeling this card. Whats next Kenny Omega vs Stephen Amell? Should be Joey Ryan vs Hangman Marty Scurll vs Joey Janella, Kenny vs Okada (specialty match) Bucks vs Fenix and Bandido, Mysterio vs Ibushi, Flip vs Amell, Lethal vs Pentagon, SCU vs OvE
— “Consensual Denis” Dugan (@DenisD206) July 31, 2018
Hell, Id throw Austin Aries in the Lethal/Pentagon match. How are you guys not booking dream matches? I am sorry for the disrespect, but it seems like you are booking matches that will be fun for you, but not what most of the fans would prefer to see. Just my opinion
— “Consensual Denis” Dugan (@DenisD206) July 31, 2018
Look at the traction/feedback on the latest match tweet alone. The fans seem ecstatic. I’m sorry you don’t like it. The 3 matches we’ve confirmed are dream matches for most. It’s not mandatory viewing. You’ve also mentioned a few talent that aren’t booked and Joey Ryan is dead.
— Cody Rhodes (@CodyRhodes) July 31, 2018
The 3 confirmed matches have more than appealed to the majority. Look at the numbers on the match graphics. Don’t misjudge me spotlighting a single disgruntled fan. That’s social media. 1,000 people say something nice and we choose to signal boost the few who don’t.
— Cody Rhodes (@CodyRhodes) July 31, 2018
Perhaps the biggest gripe is the match that was first announced, as a matter of fact, the only match that was announced when tickets went on sale: Nick Aldis defending the NWA World Heavyweight Championship against Cody. Challenging for the title that Cody’s father proudly wore makes for a good story, but perhaps Aldis isn’t the best choice for the villain.
While Kelsi understands how the matchup may not seem appealing on paper, she argues that the NWA’s “Ten Pounds of Gold” series on YouTube has effectively created a compelling story around the match. “If people watch that YouTube channel, they’re really going to get into the match by the day of the show,” she said. “It really paints how the match is special to Cody. For people who aren’t familiar with Aldis, it paints why the match is important to him, too. It also shows why the match is important to Billy Corgan, the owner of the NWA.”
Whether the match draws interest is largely irrelevant now. The tickets have been sold. The record has been broken. The flights and hotels have been booked. The wrestling world is descending upon Chicago in just a couple days for the most important weekend in recent history.
If you’re a WWE disciple who views all of this as the minor leagues, just give it a chance. If you’re an avid wrestling podcast listener, you’re probably stocking up on snacks for the nostalgia marathon. If you’re an independent wrestling fan, you’ve already cleared your schedule on Saturday night for the historic event.
And if you’re Kelsi, you’re ALL IN.
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