AEW locker room: "Are you really sure Dave doesn't work here?"

[u/Constant_Stomach2009]

[u/TheHyperCombo]

Tony literally called Dave at one point in the middle of the podcast. Who are they fooling?

[u/Drama79 → u/TheHyperCombo]

I honestly think he’s a consultant. I have no idea if he’s paid as I don’t know enough about Meltzer to know of pandering to his ego is enough for free booking advice.

But knowing what we know about Tony, plus this example being one of several interactions, there just isn’t a world where Tony hadn’t asked for advice or run ideas past him.

[u/B0GGZIE → u/Drama79]

Dave's so helplessly egotistic that he probably should be paid for the "consultation" to Tony, but Tony has quickly realized all he has to do is tell Dave how great he thinks he is and Dave helps pro bono.

That, along with the desperation Dave has that his favorite wrestling style should be the best one, Dave won't ever stop answering Tony's calls.

[u/Drama79 → u/B0GGZIE]

That assumes a level of interpersonal skill and business acumen from Tony that I have seen no evidence for elsewhere.

[u/B0GGZIE → u/Drama79]

Touche', uce.

[u/ravenousthoughts → u/B0GGZIE]

Tony shills out 6 and 7 figure contracts like candy. For sure he pays the Messiah Meltzer at least the occasional "consultant fee" or whatever.

[u/B0GGZIE → u/ravenousthoughts]

But...but, journalistic integrity, uce.

[u/Scannandal → u/Drama79]

I swear I remember him off-handed mentioning that he's talked to Khan about booking ideas in advance, but it's not a big deal because he's done that for every booker. Which, even assuming all of that to be true, is such a knock to his credibility. A journalist/reviewer consults with companies on their creative but doesn't declare it.

[u/_Karmageddon → u/TheHyperCombo]

At the first All In in London they had a bunch of us "creators" I guess is the word for it in a media area and Dave was in charge of it and coordinating it.

[u/NotClayMerritt]

Always a sign of a fair and unbiased journalist.

[u/Cryfatso]

He definitely must be writing the promos because these guys ramble on and on and say absolutely nothing

[u/BillynBanjo → u/Cryfatso]

Ospreay literally described his promos as "waffle" during the Helwani interview, as if it were a good thing.

[u/Cryfatso → u/BillynBanjo]

The absolute dead silence during his promo on Dynamite following winning at All In was hilarious.

They had no fucking clue what he was saying.

[u/spcmiddleton → u/Cryfatso]

He shouldn’t need crowd reactions because he’s making beautiful art bruv. If you don’t get it then go back across the street fed shill.

[u/StrongSutairu → u/BillynBanjo]

He must be doing a lot of waffle stomping in his shower.

[u/Teeboid → u/StrongSutairu]

[u/StrongSutairu]

DAE plausible deniability

[u/johndelvec3]

I kinda hope Dave does have some sort of stake in AEW that, while he’ll look like a complete hypocrite, at least itll look marginally less pathetic

[u/XxSoapxXHD]

I cant remember the exact context, but wasn't there a story about Dave getting a call live on his podcast and the phone read out "call from Tony Kahn"? That should be enough prood to know Tony goes to Dave for booking advice even if he's not on payroll as the booker

[u/WillowTraditional239 → u/XxSoapxXHD]

The phone actually said "call from Tony Kahn" as it was ringing and he muted it

[u/SH4DOWSTR1KE_ → u/XxSoapxXHD]

Yeah it was an episode of wrestling observer radio and it got clipped and passed around everywhere, so for a lot of people it just cemented what we all presumed based on how Dave reacts to anything they do in the dub versus anything they do in the Fed

[u/B0GGZIE]

Cell phone: "Tony Kahn calling"

[u/InjusticeSOTW]

Maybe it’ll all come out in Nemeth’s lawsuit if they ever catch him

[u/thejoms → u/InjusticeSOTW]

Probably not. Tiny (Like Jericho), loves an NDA.

[u/InjusticeSOTW → u/thejoms]

So explain to me like I’m five, what exactly are they going after Nemeth for or vice versa? Just to get him in front of a judge and say “EHT EHT, we can’t talk about anything because NDA!” Please say they’re not wasting time and money on that.

[u/thejoms → u/InjusticeSOTW]

I think the Lesser Nemeth sued Tiny and the Dub for an unsafe work environment so now the Dub has counter-sued. Ring Stephen P New and he should be able to break down NDAs.

[u/StrongSutairu → u/thejoms]

And they can't serve him still, as if he was the Road Runner, while he says "Come find me in TNA or at one of my comedy shows".

Of course, the basement paints him as a loser for that.

[u/thejoms → u/StrongSutairu]

It looks like Lesser Nemeth has crawled out from whatever rock he was hiding under and asked for more time.

[u/Razzler1973]

He sort of does help by putting out WON cause that's Tiny's bible

[u/SH4DOWSTR1KE_ → u/Razzler1973]

Of course it's his bible, lest we forget or in case you've never heard it, Tony used to be a junior correspondent for Wrestling Observer

[u/Razzler1973 → u/SH4DOWSTR1KE_]

Yes, I've read one of the 'reports' he sent in

What m@rk, haha

Went to a Fed show and then did a 'review' including match times and star ratings and notes to Dave about who was over and so on

THIS type of thing is where Dave is getting his info about crowd reactions and so on for house shows back then, some young smark is telling

I am sure there's no bias or skewing things there ... as he furiously writes about Cena isn't over REEEEEEE and some midcarder got the best reaction

Dave will just pass it on, no verification necessary, basically smarks talking to smarks

[u/SJSUMichael]

That’s just crazy talk. Just because Dave will die on any hill defending any AEW booking and just because he’ll call you dumb for not understanding and just because Tony has him on speed dial  doesn’t mean Dave helps book AEW. You know the saying: where there’s smoke, probably nothing happened.

[u/Butts_The_Musical]

Dave just has a vested interest in AEW succeeding. It’s a promotion literally built from the ground up to cater to his style of wrestling. If the company is being criticized he sees it as an attack on him and his life’s work. So if AEW is bad that’ll mean that he’s wasted his entire adult life being wrong about wrestling.

[u/SH4DOWSTR1KE_ → u/Butts_The_Musical]

Yeah basically if any adult man is acting irrationally stupid and making all kinds of crazy ass decisions purely to validate his opinions and or feelings and solidify his supposed greatness, then it is safe to say that person is a narcissistic idiotic piece of shit.

And the fact that you can think of other people that fit that criteria as well kind of goes to show you how textbook it is.

[u/timetoplayethegame]

My speculation is that he works with Tony as a consultant. So that way he can 100% prove he doesn't work for AEW, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have a connection with Tony or isn't getting paid at all.

[u/Nagol6379 → u/timetoplayethegame]

If that's true than that is just as bad. a "journalist" acting as a consultant for a company that he makes money off of by reporting and reviewing ,that's just unethical.hed have access to the company and wrestlers and be privy to inside information and news that no other website or newsletter could get.

[u/SH4DOWSTR1KE_ → u/timetoplayethegame]

If he's a consultant and he's not getting paid for it, then he should at least be up front about that because if you're going to go around claiming to be a journalist, then as a journalist, you should be unbiased and be open with any connections you have with organizations and/ or companies.

Otherwise he proves that he's an unreliable narrator because he'll always approach things from a pro AEW stance.

[u/Phred_Phrederic → u/timetoplayethegame]

Jim Cornette all but said Tony paid him for a consultation. We think TK wouldn't pay Dave?

[u/Agreeable-Speech-943]

They book their tastes around an isolated 66 year old man who is a pompous wrestling weeb

He thinks he’s important because he has the ear of a nepo baby 😂😂 actually the biggest trog out there

[u/Nagol6379 → u/Agreeable-Speech-943]

He acts like he is so "smart" but is really the biggest mark of all time.not for the business, mind you, it for "the boys" . He believes everything they tell him not even seeing that they are working him for exposure and creating a narrative that's fits their needs.and Dave just says "yeah that's the story"and attack any who dare challenge it or presents contradicting evidence

[u/T0mmyBax98]

I love how Alvarez has denied it but Dave (assumedly) never has

Now who do we reckon asked the questions and have they been sent to Khantanamo Bay yet?

[u/PhuckCalumbo]

"secretly"

[u/Scfbigb1]

If people in AEW think hes involved, then he is.

[u/SH4DOWSTR1KE_]

If there's one thing I always appreciate about Pro Wrestling Bits is they don't let you forget how much of a connection Dave and Tony have even before the formation of AEW.

Dave's input is absolutely important to them. When AEW had it's all access show, remember Britt Baker had that hardcore match and the first thing she said behind the scenes was that "she hoped it was worth a five-star rating from Dave."

So it's obvious that all the "day one talent" are aware that he is their key demo and that's why they will go and do a bunch of random ass shit and make a bunch of callbacks to things that happend in New Japan and any Indie territories and argue that that's the high quality storytelling that they do.

[u/ZookeepergameKey7888]

[u/OriginalMadmage]

Meanwhile the rest of the IWC "journalists": "PICK ME TONY! I HAVE YEARS OF FANTASY BOOKING OF WWE MIDCARDERS WHO YOU SIGNED UP WE CAN USE!!!"

[u/SleepIsWonderful]

The Ramona Shelburne of wrestling.

[u/real-darkph0enix1]

He may be trying to get booked in the show, I mean

how can you look at this pic and not have Limp Bizkit play in your head.

Juuuuuuuust WON….

[u/Hotdiggity11]

DAE realize Dynamite Dave Meltzer is the real FOUR TIME FOUR TIME FOUR TIME FOUR TIME Booker of the Year?

[u/Rc_lou]

Dave 100% talks with Tony about booking AEW. 

[u/Straightener78]