Friendly Encounters

This is a weekly feature highlighting friends who have met celebs.

I have written about Josh Watko a couple times. He runs JW's Wrestling Memorabilia, a website loaded with wrestling pictures, stories and nostalgia.
A couple weekends ago, Josh had a great experience at the NWA Fanfest in Charlotte. Much like his site, this weekend was full of wrestling nostalgia. I asked Josh to share a story and as always, he graciously agreed, but deciding which story to tell was challenging. Finally he settled on Sting, stating that he had the most appeal to fans young and old.
With so much to do at NWA Fanfest, it can sometimes get a little overwhelming. Between waiting in line to get autographs from the featured guests to perusing the vendor floor to trying to meet the extra "vendor guests" who only appear for a few hours, you rarely have time to catch your breath. One guest that fans young and old had to make time to meet was NWA/WCW Legend and current TNA headliner Sting (Steve Borden).
Sting was brought to Fanfest by the promoters of the northeast's premier wrestling convention Legends of the ring. Fans, who paid for a "Superfan" package, received a signed 8x10 TNA promo photo, one of their own items signed and a photo op with Sting, which was quickly printed as a beautiful 8x10, also signed by the legend.
The Stinger, who is known to be one of the more private and reserved wrestlers, was very friendly to his fans of all generations. Dressed in his current TNA attire and face paint, these particular photo ops were some of the most amazing to come out of Fanfest. While fans chose items from all eras of his career, I chose a 1990 WCW Wrestling Wrap-Up magazine from my collection. The entire run of this particular title, albeit short-lived, are extremely hard to find and rarely turn up for sale. This issue features a shot of Sting just after he won his first World Heavyweight Championship from Ric Flair at the 1990 Great American Bash.
It was great that Josh got to meet Sting. I just missed him at the Bound for Glory pre-show event a couple years ago. Josh also met Jim "JR" Ross, Tammy "Sunny" Sytch, Terry Funk, Harley Race, Mickie James and many others. You can check out all of the photos and stories on his site. Hopefully, in the future, he'll share more of his stories here.

Sting (Steve Borden) and Josh Watko in Charlotte, NC-August 2010.

Total Nonstop Action

A few weeks back, on behalf of Global Traveler magazine, I checked out some Total Nonstop Action, otherwise known as TNA Wrestling. TNA held a pay-per-view (Bound For Glory) in Chicago for the first time. It was a major success, as was the fanfest the day before the ppv. Founded in 2002, TNA has been growing steadily. It is succeeding due to the hard work, dedication, versatility and creativity of all involved. Currently, Spike TV airs TNA iMPACT on Thursday in prime time.
The fanfest was held at the Hyatt Rosemont. Fans got to meet their favorite TNA personalities, purchase TNA merchandise and play the new video game (TNA iMPACT). Plenty of TNA staffers were on hand to ensure that this event ran as smoothly as any such event I have seen.
I had the chance to interview the Rock N Rave Infection (Jimmy Rave, Lance Rock and Christy Hemme) and to talk with Jeremy Borash (TNA broadcaster), Dixie Carter (President of TNA Entertainment) and Terry Taylor (Director of Talent Relations).
The ppv, Bound For Glory, was even more fun, as the Sears Centre was overflowing with rabid TNA fans and the show did not disappoint. From the opening tag team bout (Eric Young and Sojourner Bolt defeating Lance Rock and Christy Hemme) to the Icon Sting winning the TNA championship (defeating reigning champ, Samoa Joe), the action never let up nor did crowd reaction.

Jeremy Borash and me in Rosemont, IL-October 2008.

Is Trudie Not Rocking Sting's World?

Police frontman Sting was caught by cameras leaving a Hamburg, Germany brothel called Relax. The singer tried to duck down in the backseat of a car as he was being driven away from the establishment at 2:15am, but was unsuccessful in hiding out.

The pictures appeared on the frontpage of German newspaper Bild, under the headline, "What did Sting do in the Hamburg top bordello?"

Brothels are legal in Germany, however, the "prestigious" Relax establishment only advertises itself as a strip club, where clientele can find "up to 40 top elite models at our bar at any given time".

Their website reads: "Situated in the heart of Hamburg and in the hearts of gentleman than patronise it all over the world."

Although not advertised, patrons have revealed that 'models' are available to rent per hour and keep clients company in the club's swimming pool, whirlpool bath and sauna. A publicist for the 55-year-old singer said: "Sting and his wife Trudie Styler have always been open about their interest in strip clubs.

"I do not know whether he went to this club. However, I would not be surprised if he went. It is nothing to be ashamed of."

When contacted, management denied Sting had ever entered the establishment.

I wonder if the yoga god was just practicing his Tantric breathing.

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