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Hip-hop Savage mimic creates Lethal gimmick

Published April 6, 2007 at midnight

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Randy "Macho Man" Savage doesn't work for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, but the promotion may have found the next best thing by repackaging Jay Lethal as "Black Machismo."

In a spoof of one of pro wrestling's all-time greats, Lethal is copying Savage's trademark mannerisms and maneuvers - including a top-rope elbow drop - as well as his gravel-voiced interview style. TNA has even given Lethal a hip-hop version of Savage's entrance music Pomp and Circumstance.

The new gimmick was generated by TNA management trying to give cruiserweights like Lethal and Sonjay Dutt more outrageous personas through silly skits involving Kevin Nash. That includes a recent parody of American Idol (Paparazzi Idol) in which Lethal did his "Macho Man" imitation.

"Up until then, I'd been doing impressions of the Macho Man backstage every once in a while and everybody loved it," Lethal said this week in a telephone interview.

"Now, I can't stop doing it."

Lethal's adroit mimicking of Savage stems from his being a "Macho Man" fan while growing up in Bayonne, N.J. Lethal, though, said he was initially concerned about impersonating Savage in TNA because he "didn't want to offend anyone."

"Then I kept hearing imitation is the best form of flattery," said Lethal, whose real name is Jamar Shipman. "He's always been my idol. When I was growing up, Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair didn't do much for me. The Macho Man did.

"Hopefully, I'll get to meet him because of this. That would be awesome."

Unfortunately for Lethal, such a scenario seems highly unlikely with the 54-year-old Savage (Randy Poffo) having faded from the grappling industry. Savage resurfaced on two TNA pay-per-view shows in late 2004 and was scheduled to briefly win the promotion's heavyweight title before behind-the-scenes problems led to his departure.

Comedy gimmicks like "Black Machismo" traditionally have a limited shelf life, although Lethal has the in-ring skills to forge a successful career. Only 21 years old, Lethal began training in 2001 after being selected for a Tough Enough-style camp held by a now-defunct independent group (Jersey All-Pro Wrestling). Lethal landed in TNA in December 2005 after showing promise in Ring of Honor, a Philadelphia-based promotion that also helped springboard the careers of such standouts as Samoa Joe and CM Punk.

"I'm just having fun," Lethal said. "I don't think I had anything that made me really, really stand out (in TNA). This 'Black Machismo' thing is definitely helping."

Lethal will be part of a five-man steel-cage match for TNA's X-Division title on Sunday's Lockdown pay-per-view show emanating from St. Louis. The show is headlined by a War Games-style bout pitting the returning Jeff Jarrett, Sting, Rhino, Samoa Joe and Kurt Angle vs. Scott Steiner, A.J. Styles, Tomko, Abyss and Christian Cage.

Question: Whatever happened to Dory Funk Jr. and Jerry Brisco? - Donna Martinez, Sunrise, Fla.

Answer: Funk, 65, runs his own wrestling school (the Funking Conservatory) in Ocala, Fla., and still grapples on a semiregular basis. Brisco, 57, has worked in World Wrestling Entertainment's front office since the mid-1980s. Brisco also enjoyed a four-year stretch (1997 to 2000) on WWE programming playing one of promotion owner Vince McMahon's "stooges" along with fellow grappler-turned-executive Pat Patterson.

More wrestling news can be found at www.wrestlingobserver.com. Questions can be sent to Alex Marvez c/o the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 200 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 33301, or e-mailed to amarvez@sun-sentinel.com. Please include your full name and city of residence. Because of volume, no phone calls will be accepted and letters will not receive a written reply.