Corgan Rocks Ringside As Writer for TNA Wrestling
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SATURDAY, MAY 9, 2015 Rock in Rio USA arrives in Las Vegas Bruno Mars will be among several entertainers performing at the Brazilian festival Rock in Rio. — AP In this Dec 14, 2014 file photo, music festival replete with a Ferris wheel, multiple Billy Corgan, of stages and top entertainment is coming to the Las The Smashing AVegas Strip. This southwestern mecca of entertainment Pumpkins, per- is offering even more talent starting Friday with the two-week- forms at the 25th end Rock in Rio USA music festival headlined by Metallica, annual KROQ Taylor Swift, No Doubt and Bruno Mars. The 37-acre site of the Almost Acoustic event across from the former Sahara (now SLS Las Vegas) has a Christmas at The zip-line, the Ferris wheel and stages, and an area mirroring Forum in global streets as a backdrop for magicians, cartoonists, and for- Inglewood. — AP tune tellers. “It becomes more a theme park of music,” said Rock in Rio vice president Roberta Medina, the daughter of Roberto Medina who started the Rock in Rio brand of festivals. Rock in Corgan rocks ringside as Rio USA is the latest to join an expanding music festival scene in the United States. In Las Vegas, festivals have become a reg- ular feature: the Electric Daisy Carnival has been attracting electronic music fans for 19 years; the Route 91 Harvest Festival writer for TNA Wrestling filled a lot across from the Luxor with country music stars last fall and returns in October; Life is Beautiful has been turning illy Corgan is in the mood to write some more hits. Only this entertainment industry. Corgan’s arrival signaled the latest reboot for downtown Las Vegas into a celebration of art and music; and time, think flying elbows to the chest, steel chairs to the back a promotion that has failed to find a true identity. “We need stars that Swift appeared at the iHeartRadio music festival last year. Band wicked clotheslines rather than alt rock chart toppers. are wholly identified with TNA only,” Corgan said, “and maybe telling As the festival scene grows more cluttered, Rock in Rio USA Corgan, the longtime Smashing Pumpkins’ frontman, is set to make the types of stories that maybe have a different edge to them so that will need to set itself apart, said Gary Bongiovanni, president his debut as the behind-the-scenes brainchild for TNA Wrestling. people will identify them as TNA-type stories.” and editor-in-chief of the concert industry trade publication He’s not the first musician to trade the stage for the squared circle. That means scrapping the idea of becoming a WWE-lite and filling Pollstar. It has a strong lineup, but no one will know until after Cyndi Lauper was a featured act at the first WrestleMania. Alice Cooper the roster with stars from back in the day like Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair and the two weekends if it resonated with fans, he said. accompanied Jake Roberts to the ring. Toby Keith suplexed Jeff Jarrett. Kevin Nash, who all failed to move the ratings needle anywhere close “At some point we’re going to reach saturation,” he said. Corgan is trying his hand at scripting the action. He’ll mix rock-and- toward the 4 million viewers of WWE’s “Raw.” While “Raw” is live each Officials say that the transformation of the Las Vegas Strip lot wrestling this summer as his band heads out on another tour all while week for all but a few overseas dates each year, TNA films several into a festival site has cost about $75 million including the $20 pitching storylines for the promotion that has a basic cable home on weeks of “Impact” episodes in 2-3 day bursts every couple of months, million cost land-owner MGM Resorts spent with partners Friday nights. “I’m not here as celebrity,” Corgan said. “I’m here as a then airs them on tape-delay. Cirque du Soleil and The Yucaipa Companies to install plumb- skilled person that brings a lot of experience to the table.” Corgan is a ing and electricity to ready it for other events promising com- die-hard fan, spotted ringside at some of wrestling’s biggest cards. He Creativity level forts not normally associated with such outdoor events. also recently worked on the independent scene with Resistance Pro “What will make TNA different is a great level of creativity,” Corgan Wrestling. He was hired last week as TNA’ senior producer, creative said. Corgan is used to telling stories 5 minutes at a time - “Tonight, Organizers have promised real restrooms and fake grass, no and talent development, and has already offered input into Friday’s Tonight,” “1979,” “Cherub Rock” - much different from the demand of dust or dirt. And there is no place for parking with organizers show. Yes, this is for real - and a fitting job for a musician who wrote writing enough material for a 2-hour show each week. TNA has settled urging festival-goers to find other means of transport to the the lyric, “But can you fake it, for just one more show?” into a storyline groove of late, hindered now by a ratings-killing 9 pm site. Medina said about 130,000 tickets had been sold between Friday slot on little-known network “Destination America.” Corgan the two weekends, “pretty good,” especially considering it’s ‘I don’t need fame’ likened TNA’s challenges to an up-and-coming band that needed that the brand’s first jaunt in the United States after hosting Rock in Corgan will attend TV tapings and said this is a year-round job, fully one killer tune to breakthrough into the mainstream. Rio in Brazil. committed even as the Smashing Pumpkins’ tour kicks off June 16 in “If something gets hot and on a roll, people will talk,” Corgan said. Medina said festival organizers met with Cirque du Soleil Munhall, Pennsylvania, outside Pittsburgh, with Marilyn Manson shar- “We have to build a vehicle that will continually provide that opportu- officials three years ago to discuss teaming up and all agreed ing the bill. “This won’t be a side job,” TNA President Dixie Carter said. nity and take advantage of the social media atmosphere. We will win an event had to be staged in Las Vegas. “And here we are,” she “I talk to him more and we correspond more than most of my employ- the day if we’re able to move quickly and in a way nobody’s ever tried said Thursday. The festival starts Friday and Saturday with ees here.” Corgan said he has no plans to become an on-screen char- in the wrestling business.” He hasn’t ruled out storylines involving race headliners No Doubt and Metallica, returning May 15 and 16 acter. “I don’t need fame. I have plenty of fame,” he said. “It’s really or transgender issues, tackling the kind of characters that have long with Taylor Swift and Bruno Mars. Tickets cost $169 each day or about the talent.” TNA Wrestling - short for, Total Nonstop Action - is been played for laughs on a wrestling show. In 2015, Corgan said $298 for each weekend. — AP the de facto No. 2 promotion in the United States, yet has never posi- wrestling fans want more and are ready to deal with the kind of arcs tioned itself as a true threat to WWE and its sizable grip on the sports- that have made reality TV a smash. —AP Kimmel won’t air new episode after Letterman’s final show immy Kimmel is choosing not to to do anything that would distract with Jon Stewart” and “The Nightly air a new episode of his talk show viewers from watching his final show,” Show with Larry Wilmore” will be in J opposite David Letterman’s final said Kimmel in an email to the Times. repeats that week. Letterman has host- “Late Show” installment. Kimmel told “Plus, I’ll probably be crying all day, ed “Late Show” for 33 years. Last year the New York Times on Thursday that which makes it hard to work.” Jimmy during Jay Leno’s final “Tonight Show,” his May 20 episode will be a repeat out Fallon and Conan O’Brien aren’t fol- rivals Letterman, Kimmel and O’Brien of respect for Letterman. Kimmel’s lowing suit. NBC’s “The Tonight Show” each aired new episodes. In their spokeswoman confirmed the report. and TBS’ “Conan” are planning original opening monologues that night, Other editions of ABC’s “Jimmy installments for May 20, according to Letterman and O’Brien mentioned Jimmy Kimmel arrives at the 32nd Kimmel Live” that week will be new. show representatives. Leno’s last hurrah, while Kimmel Annual Paleyfest : “Scandal” held at The “I have too much respect for Dave Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show tweeted about it. — AP Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. — AP.