Long before WrestleMania 33 was conceived, Pete Gas rode the ultimate thrill ride: spending two years with the WWF during the Attitude Era. His unpredictable journey from the gridiron with Shane McMahon to sharing the squared circle with some of the most legendary wrestling stars has been documented in his new autobiography, .
Now some of you may chuckle that a Mean Street Posse member has written an autobiography. After all, Gas spent half of his time off TV and working in Puerto Rico. As a fellow wrasslin’ media member quipped on Twitter, did Adam Rose’s bunny or Mae Young’s hand baby have writer’s block?
Well, I implore you to ditch any preconceived notions because Gas’ book belongs on your shelf. At its core, his story is about friendship and loyalty, two concepts traditionally foreign in the world of piledrivers, promoters, and pushes. Similar to Edge and Christian (the former wrote one of the forewards), Gas and fellow MSP member Rodney were best friends off-screen, and managed to parlay their chemistry into an entertaining package on television. They were thrust into the spotlight during the Monday Night War and navigated through a highly competitive, cutthroat locker room with targets on their back as the boss’ son’s buddies.
The quick read wastes zero time discussing how Gas broke into the business, having the chance to pursue a passion burning inside of him several years before donning the sweater vest. He shares hilarious anecdotes from behind the scenes of the Attitude Era as well as never-before-told tales of hanging out with Shane O’Mac. If you’ve forgotten (highly unlikely) or never saw certain Posse matches and moments, Gas recalls them in vivid detail along with their private training sessions and who was originally slated to take Joey Abs’ place. From attending McMahon family Christmas parties to participating in the highest-rated match in Raw history, Gas’ experience inside and outside the ring is unlike any other.
Although he cherishes his relationship with the McMahons, so much so that he turned down an opportunity to continue his career by refusing to badmouth them, Gas doesn’t tow the company line. He touches on serious issues such as unprotected chairshots and soma addictions, stressing how different and dangerous the Attitude Era was compared to today. While the freedom and lunacy of 20 years ago has vanished in WWE, Gas’ influence is still being felt by a current member of the Raw roster. It’s a sign of respect for a guy who had a hard time attaining it all those years ago.
If you long for the days of beer bashes and bloodbaths, this story is for you. It’s a cruise down memory lane while stopping along the curb to appreciate the talent of today. It’s bumpy, full of twists and turns, and yes, somebody pukes.
Gas made the transition that many fans don’t, hopping the barricade and leaving his mark in the ring. Luckily, he has brought us along for the ride.
Check back next week for my interview with Pete Gas on Wrestledelphia Radio.
John Corrigan
Latest posts by John Corrigan (see all)
- Q&A: Mean Street Posse’s Pete Gas Talks ‘Mania, Autobiography - March 29, 2017
- Review: Pete Gas’ Autobiography Belongs On Your Bookshelf - March 25, 2017
- IMPACT Wrestling: Too Late to Say Sorry - March 21, 2017
