Airdate: Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Sender: Gardenboy, Bfn SA
Gardenboy from "Best Friends Never, South Africa" wants to see Strong Bad pull off some awesome wrestling moves. As a "crafty ring veteran", Strong Bad assures Gardenboy that being a professional wrestler has nothing to do with awesome moves, and more to do with awesome costumes, gimmicks, and "dinosaur-tranquilizer-fueled ranting and raving".
Strong Bad recalls his first big break was with "cable access's longest named wrestling organization: All World Mid-Pro Shirtless Championship Entertainment, or AWMPSCE". Rather than playing a traditional masked wrestler, he was "Sir Boliver Turnbuckle and his signature move: the one-eighth nelson! That was back in the days when pretending to be a pompous Brit was considered a premium gimmick."
As his popularity rose, Strong Bad took on the role of "Il Cartographer", a snooty Italian explorer who would throw maps to the restrooms into the crowd. Oppossing him was Homestar Runner as the hot-blooded "Jack 'Em Up Kid".
Homestar: Well, you know, announcer man, that's right! Hoo, yeah! Jack 'Em Up Kid, empty high school gymnasium, Sizzleweight Belt on the line! Hoo, yeah! That's right! That's correct! That's precisely what I'm talking about! I got the drive, I got the commotion! I can't believe it! Hoo, yeah! El Photographer, whatchoo gonna did? When you get jacked up by the Jack 'Em Up Kid!
Their feud carried over into Strong Bad and Strong Mad's tag-team phase, where the two tried out a number of gimmicks ("The Wild Vacationers", "The Foreign Object Brothers", and "Rax and Arby: The Sanctum of Spiky Shoulder Pads") before finding their groove as "The Facepaint Connection".
The Jack 'Em Up Kid, on the other hand, is confident the enthusiasm of his fans ("all the screamin' Jack 'Emites and Jack 'Emettes") and the help of Gary the Legend will carry them to victory.... Gary being Homestar's "imaginary tag team partner".
Strong Bad eventually began wrestling as his "own dang self" again, and even managed to get what every wrestler strives for: his own "in-ring interview segment": Strong Bad's Folding Chair Dungeon, which seemed to be an excuse to hit Homestar in the face with a folding chair at the slightest provocation.
(Cut to the doors of the Gymatorium, where Strong Sad enters dressed as Gardenboy while his theme song plays)
Singers: (Gardenboy!) He's plantin' the seeds
(Gardenboy!) He's pullin' out the weeds
(Gardenboy!) He's gonna bring you to your knees!
(He's the il Cartographer, I mean Gardenboy!)
Strong Sad: Alright, all you gophers out there... a-bring it on!
(Strong Sad holds up his watering can, which spouts flames. New Paper comes down.)
Tropes:
- Accidental Misnaming: Homestar as the Jack 'Em Up Kid calls Il Cartographer "El Photographer".
- Affectionate Parody: This e-mail pokes fun at several cliches in Professional Wrestling.
- Bread, Eggs, Milk, Squick: Strong Bad boasts that professional wrestling is "all about awesome costumes, gimmicks, and dinosaur-tranquilizer-fueled ranting and raving!"
- Call-Back: An easter egg has Strong Bad, Strong Mad, Strong Sad, and Homestar all standing out in the field in their wrestling costumes, like the characters normally do at the end of Halloween cartoons, complete with Homestar mistaking Strong Bad's costume for something else.
- Chairman of the Brawl: Strong Bad smacks Homestar in the face with a folding chair during "Strong Bad's Folding Chair Dungeon".
- Fan Community Nickname: In-Universe, Homestar refers to fans of his Jack 'Em Up Kid persona as Jackemites and Jackemettes.
- Foreign Wrestling Heel: Several of Strong Bad's wrestling personae invoke various foreign stereotypes, such as "Sir Boliver Turnbuckle", "Il Cartographer", and "the Wild Vacationers".
- Garbage Wrestler: Parodied with Strong Bad and Strong Mad as "The Foreign Object Brothers", who have various tools stuck to or tucked inside their outfits (including a handgun).
- The Gimmick: Strong Bad says that an awesome gimmick is more important than awesome wrestling moves.
- Imaginary Friend: As "the Jack 'Em Up Kid", Homestar had an imaginary tag team partner, Gary the Legend.
- Improbable Weapon User: Mr. Cheatayama threatens the camera armed with a wire wisk.
- Incendiary Exponent: Strong Sad's get-up as "Gardenboy" includes a fire-spouting watering can.
- Motor Mouth: Homestar Runner as the Jack 'Em Up Kid.
- Parts Unknown: "Il Cartographer" hails from "the Age of Exploration".
- Pro Wrestling Episode: This email has Strong Bad talking about what it takes to be a memorable pro wrestler.
- Shout-Out: Lots of wrestling shout-outs here, as can be expected.
- The Cheat as "The insidious Mr. Cheatayama" is a parody of Harry Fujiwara's character of "Mr. Fuji".
- "The Sanctum of Spiky Shoulder Pads" are a parody of The Road Warriors. The names Arby and Rax reference the duo of roast beef fast food joints.
- "The Wild Vacationers" are a parody of the Wild Samoans.
- "The Facepaint Connection" seems to be based on the Blade Runners, especially with Strong Bad's incoherent ranting being very reminiscent of Ultimate Warrior.
- Homestar's persona of "The Jack 'Em Up Kid" parodies Shawn Michaels as "The Heartbreak Kid". His catchphrase "Whatchu gonna did, when you get jacked up by the Jack 'Em Up Kid?" is a reference to Hulk Hogan's "Whatcha gonna do, when Hulkamania runs wild on you?"
- Talk Show with Fists: Strong Bad had his own "in-ring interview segment", "Strong Bad's Folding Chair Dungeon".
- Wrestling Doesn't Pay: Parodied with such examples as "Il Cartographer" (a wrestling explorer) and "Gardenboy" (a wrestling farmer).
Announcer: And Rax, anything you'd care to add?
Strong Mad: BEEF AND CHEDDAR! FIVE FOR FIVE!
Homestar: Hey, Strong Bad, I really like your Rudy from Fat Albert costume.
