EBENIZAH J. KLAUS - BETTER THAN YOU!
**Interview from Issue 11 of Westside Pro Wrestling Newsletter - July 2010**
Obnoxious, sniveling, cheat and other words which can’t be printed are words that have been used to describe the 2009 WPW Manager of the Year, Ebenizah J. Klaus. He certainly is someone who truly knows how to get the fans offside. But what about the man behind Ebenizah?
Tez got the opportunity to speak to the man behind the scenes and got to see the other side of one of the best managers in WA wrestling history, Ebenizah J. Klaus.
WPW: What managers have influenced you over the years?
KLAUS: I started watching wrestling in 1986, the golden age of managers! Bobby "The Brain" Heenan was the first manager I ever saw perform. Then one day in, I think it was 1988, I saw an awesome Jim Cornette promo. From that day, Heenan and Cornette became the two men whom sealed what I wanted to be. I’ve ripped off a lot of them!
WPW: The art of the manager seems lost on the US scene, but in WA and throughout the country we have some very good ones. Which Aussie managers do you enjoy the work of?
KLAUS: Mark Williamson is a great manager over east. In WA, the best is William Darcy. I worked with him in AAW when he was known as Allan Aldworth. I learnt a lot from him when it comes to working a crowd.
WPW: How did you get your start with AAW?
KLAUS: A friend of mine Benjamin Steel, nagged me to come and see some local wrestling. Since it was the first live wrestling I had ever seen,
naturally I marked out! At the end of the show (this was 2006), I sought out Shark, asked to be a manager and he said yes!
WPW: How did you get the name Ebenizah J. Klaus?
KLAUS: In 2006 my dream came true when I got the opportunity to finally become a manager when I got a spot at AAW. Being stuck for a name, I asked my father for any ideas. He turned around and said “How about Ebenizah J. Klaus?”, and that was that!
WPW: Did the development of the character come after the name, or did you always have in mind the direction you wanted to take?
KLAUS: I always knew that my character would be an amalgam of everything an old school manager should be. In my non-wrestling job, I work with classic cars and some very rich customers! Let's just say that after dealing with the "Peppermint Grove" set some of their more pretentious mannerisms became part of the
character.
But the most left-field of inspiration came from the Church of Scientology in Perth! A few years ago, every time I went to Perth and passed the Church of Loonies (as they should be called!) there was this strange guy out the front with a clipboard taking notes as people walked past. One day, after seeing this for the umpteenth time, I thought "Damn... a clipboard would make a great gimmick weapon for a manager!" Finally the Church of Scientology has done some good.
WPW: You have actually got in the ring and "wrestled" a few times against the likes of Jarrad Slate in AAW and Flashy Barry Hawkins in SHWA. Do you like getting in the ring and competing?
KLAUS: It is my favourite part of being a manager. When you have had a successful feud with a face, the crowd want to see the evil bastard get his just desserts. If they go mad for the face and love seeing me squirm, beg and get beaten down it is a job well done.
A manager exists to get more heat for his wrestler and the face, I feel that getting in the ring is the best way to get them over and give the fans what they want to see. Namely me getting beaten to a sniveling pulp.
WPW: You have been ringside for a lot of matches over the past three and half years. What have been some of your particular favourites?
KLAUS: Very hard question...I really enjoyed the break-up period with Mad Mike Massive, that was a complete hoot as we have always clicked when it comes to our performance, and the break-up angle was a great learning curve for me as it was a different type of performance. More of an "angry, disappointed boss" than supportive manager.
One that really stands out was working at Snakepit last year with Massive, Jarrad Slate and Jake Paragon. The crowd were absolutely rabid and being "the foreigners" as it were, it added an entirely new dimension to the night.
WPW: Managers have to have the gift of the gab and be able to cut a decent promo. What have been some of the best promos you’ve cut over the years?
KLAUS: When it comes to promos, I always work under the rule that I can always do better, and if I ever think to myself “that was awesome...damn I am awesome”. I will report to the nearest wrestler for some humility to be beaten into me.
WPW: You have managed quite a few wrestlers and stables over the years you have been in the business. Who have been your favourites?
KLAUS: At the risk of being clichéd, all of them, because I was amazed I could even become a manager. But what really stands out is my feud with Jarrad Slate at AAW. But the managing "Mad" Mike Massive and The Muscle Militia was just as satisfying, and let’s not forget Captain Awesome (now EPW’s Alex "The Kid" Kingston), my first "client". Yep, definitely for me it has just been one gigantic heap of fantastic memories. Here’s hoping there is decades more, because I want to manage as long as I have a pulse and operating vocal chords!
WPW: Do you have any advice for those looking to become a manager?
KLAUS: Watch as many old school manager performances as possible, especially Heenan and Cornette. Managing is something that is not really taught, more learned through experience and analysing as much of other managers as possible (mainly because they are a disappearing breed!). I’ve found the best advice is to get a character fleshed out and ready before you even think of going into shows.
Also, when it comes to practicing, rant in front of a mirror, practice your facial expressions, even have a huge rant as you are driving (spending two hours on the road every working day, I get a lot of practice!). But most important I believe, is you must WANT to be a manager, not just appearing and working shows so you can tell all your friends you’re in a wrestling fed. If you don't have a passion for managing and for the history of managing, you are wasting your time and the time of the wrestlers you are working with.
WPW: Thank you very much for your time, Klaus.
Obnoxious, sniveling, cheat and other words which can’t be printed are words that have been used to describe the 2009 WPW Manager of the Year, Ebenizah J. Klaus. He certainly is someone who truly knows how to get the fans offside. But what about the man behind Ebenizah?
Tez got the opportunity to speak to the man behind the scenes and got to see the other side of one of the best managers in WA wrestling history, Ebenizah J. Klaus.
WPW: What managers have influenced you over the years?
KLAUS: I started watching wrestling in 1986, the golden age of managers! Bobby "The Brain" Heenan was the first manager I ever saw perform. Then one day in, I think it was 1988, I saw an awesome Jim Cornette promo. From that day, Heenan and Cornette became the two men whom sealed what I wanted to be. I’ve ripped off a lot of them!
WPW: The art of the manager seems lost on the US scene, but in WA and throughout the country we have some very good ones. Which Aussie managers do you enjoy the work of?
KLAUS: Mark Williamson is a great manager over east. In WA, the best is William Darcy. I worked with him in AAW when he was known as Allan Aldworth. I learnt a lot from him when it comes to working a crowd.
WPW: How did you get your start with AAW?
KLAUS: A friend of mine Benjamin Steel, nagged me to come and see some local wrestling. Since it was the first live wrestling I had ever seen,
naturally I marked out! At the end of the show (this was 2006), I sought out Shark, asked to be a manager and he said yes!
WPW: How did you get the name Ebenizah J. Klaus?
KLAUS: In 2006 my dream came true when I got the opportunity to finally become a manager when I got a spot at AAW. Being stuck for a name, I asked my father for any ideas. He turned around and said “How about Ebenizah J. Klaus?”, and that was that!
WPW: Did the development of the character come after the name, or did you always have in mind the direction you wanted to take?
KLAUS: I always knew that my character would be an amalgam of everything an old school manager should be. In my non-wrestling job, I work with classic cars and some very rich customers! Let's just say that after dealing with the "Peppermint Grove" set some of their more pretentious mannerisms became part of the
character.
But the most left-field of inspiration came from the Church of Scientology in Perth! A few years ago, every time I went to Perth and passed the Church of Loonies (as they should be called!) there was this strange guy out the front with a clipboard taking notes as people walked past. One day, after seeing this for the umpteenth time, I thought "Damn... a clipboard would make a great gimmick weapon for a manager!" Finally the Church of Scientology has done some good.
WPW: You have actually got in the ring and "wrestled" a few times against the likes of Jarrad Slate in AAW and Flashy Barry Hawkins in SHWA. Do you like getting in the ring and competing?
KLAUS: It is my favourite part of being a manager. When you have had a successful feud with a face, the crowd want to see the evil bastard get his just desserts. If they go mad for the face and love seeing me squirm, beg and get beaten down it is a job well done.
A manager exists to get more heat for his wrestler and the face, I feel that getting in the ring is the best way to get them over and give the fans what they want to see. Namely me getting beaten to a sniveling pulp.
WPW: You have been ringside for a lot of matches over the past three and half years. What have been some of your particular favourites?
KLAUS: Very hard question...I really enjoyed the break-up period with Mad Mike Massive, that was a complete hoot as we have always clicked when it comes to our performance, and the break-up angle was a great learning curve for me as it was a different type of performance. More of an "angry, disappointed boss" than supportive manager.
One that really stands out was working at Snakepit last year with Massive, Jarrad Slate and Jake Paragon. The crowd were absolutely rabid and being "the foreigners" as it were, it added an entirely new dimension to the night.
WPW: Managers have to have the gift of the gab and be able to cut a decent promo. What have been some of the best promos you’ve cut over the years?
KLAUS: When it comes to promos, I always work under the rule that I can always do better, and if I ever think to myself “that was awesome...damn I am awesome”. I will report to the nearest wrestler for some humility to be beaten into me.
WPW: You have managed quite a few wrestlers and stables over the years you have been in the business. Who have been your favourites?
KLAUS: At the risk of being clichéd, all of them, because I was amazed I could even become a manager. But what really stands out is my feud with Jarrad Slate at AAW. But the managing "Mad" Mike Massive and The Muscle Militia was just as satisfying, and let’s not forget Captain Awesome (now EPW’s Alex "The Kid" Kingston), my first "client". Yep, definitely for me it has just been one gigantic heap of fantastic memories. Here’s hoping there is decades more, because I want to manage as long as I have a pulse and operating vocal chords!
WPW: Do you have any advice for those looking to become a manager?
KLAUS: Watch as many old school manager performances as possible, especially Heenan and Cornette. Managing is something that is not really taught, more learned through experience and analysing as much of other managers as possible (mainly because they are a disappearing breed!). I’ve found the best advice is to get a character fleshed out and ready before you even think of going into shows.
Also, when it comes to practicing, rant in front of a mirror, practice your facial expressions, even have a huge rant as you are driving (spending two hours on the road every working day, I get a lot of practice!). But most important I believe, is you must WANT to be a manager, not just appearing and working shows so you can tell all your friends you’re in a wrestling fed. If you don't have a passion for managing and for the history of managing, you are wasting your time and the time of the wrestlers you are working with.
WPW: Thank you very much for your time, Klaus.