Comments on Seattle Semi-Pro Wrestling Holds Protest Show, Doesn't Wrestle

I'd support them, but I'm afraid I'll just end up getting date raped.

I was in the balcony for part of the show, then came downstairs for the second half. It seemed some of the guys were off their game because of all the turmoil. But, the second half of the show was dynamite, and the tug of war was fun. Plus...the return of McFondle! I have supported them in the past, and will support them now and in the future.

We diehards know the truth, we now what's ALL REAL.

SSP SSP SSP SSP SSP SSP

See?

When have any professional fighters ever worn banana suits?

I love the SSP. They love the city, the fans and each other immensely. If you doubt this at all harken back to Deevious's near-death illness and the rockin' fundraiser the SSP put on. RIP ConWorks but long live the SSP!

To clear things up we didn't not wrestle because we were protesting so much as we were told we would be fined and/or charged with a misdemeanor if we did.We are doing everything we can to make sure we can go back to normal shows next month or at least ASAP.In the meantime we will continue to do our monthly shows.Be it with bands,karaoke nights,or what have you.Either way we will be there,in character,and entertaining you the first wed. of every month until this legal issue is settled.Thanks to all our fans, we hope to see you every month.Also keep an eye out for benefit shows @ King Cobra to help with the costs we are having to deal with fixing this issue.

Thank you all for sticking with us through all this.
We love you guys!Hell,I dress up like a clown and fall around like an idiot every month to make your night!SSP fans are definitely ALL REAL!

Luke rules.

The Dept. of Licensing in WA are a bunch of corrupt thugs. They have hundreds of sleazy casinos throughout King & Snohomish counties, sporting events, hunting and a million other more pressing issues to deal with and here they are bullying a show. Not a sport, read: SHOW. So... who pissed on the wrong person's shoes?

The SSP has been host to some of the best times I've ever had. I support them fully and hope to see them continue to build an engaging environment for us to participate in. There is a lack of performer / crowd interaction these days. That energy and intensity is hard to come by, and it would be a shame to see the torch carriers of Seattle washed away. Wrestle on guys. If I have to find a barn for you to wrestle in, I will.

ITS ALL REAL!!!

I am a fan. I left seattle to pursue other options, but nights like SSP, Burlesque and Roller Derby are great influences on what I say should happen in the 60 thousand people city I live in. I support local arts all the more. After living in a place like Seattle, Midwestern small towns are third world countries that are not mexico. Support SSP for all it stands for. Great alternative nights in Seattle. It doesn't have to be about the next "Raw" sounding band that makes Seattle national spotlight. It's about nights like SSP that promote the music and art as well as the fight. Keep up the fight boys. I am with you all way.

I've been watching these guys grow since me and McFondle would stay up all night talking about the shows they were putting on. When I finally checked it out I was amazed at the tongue-in-cheek humour and their spinoff on real Professional wrestling and they weren't cheesy either. They are dedicated to the art of entertainment not sport. They take their job seriously enough to the point of getting professionaly trained and all this hard work and dedication to entertaining Seattle's artside and then all those stupid jocks that show up, they don't deserve the bullshit they're going thru. Last night, I could see the frustration and sadness in Devious eyes as he was calling out for support. I will keep supporting and everyone else should regardless of how long it takes to get back to the wrestling because SSP is something special to Seattle that you don't get much elsewhere.

SSP is something that I look forward to every month and I really hope doesn't die. It's a chance to be crazy and drunk with people who don't judge and have a great time. These guys really love their fans and we should give as much back to them as we can.

This is the greatest show I've ever been a part of. There's genuine emotion running through our shows and, more importantly, through our audience. I guess some people in this town are just too cool to care about something like that. Let us know when you get done being 13, we'll be here. I appreciate the people who understood and stuck around. We will survive.

I have only been to three shows from these guys. But...I met the dickhead announcer out front of rebar once...and told him what his shirt says...F*** you you F****** F***...and he got all sad. Then he introduced himself and was awesome..as was all of the guys in the crew...(and goddamn is Generico sexy without the mask!)...it's a show...it's fun...i love it!!!!

please support these guys!

SSP rules...too bad you left before witnessing the amazing Banana.

These Politics are biggest load of horse crap I've ever heard about.

If people want to dress up and play around on stage to entertain then they should be able to.

I think someone should of took the Bait and got a ticket. You know where I am, I'll be happy to do it..:

That one bannana guy is awesome. The old bannana was a bit of a void. Seriously. Kind of stiff and his costume was much better than his performance. The new guy sucks but is funny so that accounts for something. You guys get my money.

SSP is definitely a phenomenom in Seattle, there's is no question that they'll survive. I'm all for it...

Screw the Sonics. Losing SSP as the roughhouseing theater it has been for the past five years would be a hit to the city and a tragic loss to Seattle's fantastic performance art scene. Fight the classicfication! 3-2-1 BATTLE!!

SSP SSP SSP SSP SSP SSP SSP SSP SSP

SSP SSP, I love these guys. I have never seen such loyalty and devotion from any other group of people in my life. I am very glad that I am have been able to work with these guys going on about 3 years now. I can make one promise and that is I will do what ever it takes to make sure there is a great future for SSP. We are a family and we work together like a family and that is what is going to get us through this. SSP is far form over.
Much love from one of SSP's camara girls

There is no way that these guys can be stopped. They are a dedicated and amazingly talanted group of people and it would be a shame to see SSP be shut down!!

"Then, a man in a giant banana suit got up on stage and I left."

So basically, you missed out on these guys getting back on their game, and the true fans sticking around to support them.

You obviously missed the entire point of SSP. Come back next time and leave your judgments at the door.

On a side note, the "loosely knit group" comment in the 'On the Ropes' article made me sick. There is nothing further from the truth. Those guys are like family.

This is just a bump in the road for them.

SSP SSP SSP SSP SSP SSP SSP

SSP is more than just a group of guys in ridiculous outfits entertaining people, and it's about more than that too. This is a community. Seattle claims to be a city that inspires community, and claims that it fosters these endeavors, yet here is another blatant example of these words ringing hollow.

What about stage combat? Theatre troupes throughout Seattle stage events that involve "fighting", yet because they script their movements and rehearse beforehand (as SSP does!) they are allowed to continue, with no one standing in their way. Anyone can put on Hamlet, which would require swordfighting as well, and not have any catches from the state. All it would take would be a few extra rehearsals.

I've been fortunate enough to really get to know a few of the SSP guys over the past few months, and all I've seen are people who really care about the place they live, and want to provide a night where everyone, anyone, can come, not be judged, and just have a good time.

The show begins theatrically as well, with an announcer coming on stage and commenting on the "solid steel" quality of everything in the room, which we all PLAY INTO because ITS A PART OF THE ACT. Anyone who's been to a show knows this.

So now we, the fans, have to really rally together. Let's take this seriously, guys, because it's nights like this that make me real proud to live in this area, and losing this one would be a hard hit to the community that has been built.

SSP puts on some of the greatest shows in seattle. We need to keep these guys around. If not for our own sake, then for our childrens'.

Sally Suzie,
Just because you get drunk one night and the next morning regret fucking a grown man wearing a "Undertaker" t-shirt...that doesn't mean it's rape.

Almost all of the SSP shows I've been to have more girls in the audience than guys. You can almost always spot Rollergirls, and burlesque girls in the audience. At the last show, I saw tons of women throwing their underwear at Mr. Fitness, and Deevious Silvertongue.

I was one of them. :)

The banana needs a doctor. Are there any fruit doctors in the house?

SSP has been and always will be such a great part of my life and the lives of others. I lose this once a month event would kill us. I'm sure we can get this all worked out but till then, I'll never look at a table, chair, beer can or wall the same.

SSP and I have kind of a convoluted history. They're sort of like my family. I love them all dearly. And sometimes they piss me off SO badly, that if I'm to remain civil to them, then I need to go away. But I can't help but keep coming back. Like I said, they're my family. And like it or not, I have been a part of SSP for over 3 years now. It's who I am. I can't deny that, nor would I. I'm not sure what the future holds for SSP, but I will say this...

...Seeing all the fans out there, supporting us. Paying to see us even when we can't do the thing that we want more than anything in the world. It changed me. I realized that not only was I a part of something bigger than me, but SSP was a part of something even bigger than that. It's a Seattle institution. A staple. Like Roller derby, or Burlesque, or REALLY good coffee...or really bad Mexican food...It's just one of the many things that add up to this swirling maelstrom of a metropolis...It's Seattle. We are it's white blood cells. Fighting off the infection that is boredom, and mediocrity. We are the antigens here to keep the forces of lame from taking over your collective chakras. And it took EVERYTHING in my power to not pick DEEvious up and give him one of my famous $64 dollar spikes. >:D

The fans are the reason I put my ass out there every month. You guys are Seattle. I certainly hope that the Washington Gaming commission realizes what a transparent maneuver this is on their part. They just want a little grab at the spotlight. Well, Kudos guys. You've made your point.

That is, if you wanted your point to be that you really have no clue what it is we do. Well done.

First off, I would like to thank the fans for their support over the years as we have grown and developed. SSP has people that are involved in this project because we are passionate about what we do, but their would be no show without the fans. I love what I do in the ring, and I will be back doing what it is I do best. No law can stop me. Thank you to the Stranger for reporting on us, so that our voice can be heard throughout the community. It seems this city does not want anyone to have fun anymore. Very soon, there will be no reason to leave your house. But, remember they can only police us as much as we will allow ourselves to be policed.

How did 28 comments go by about SSP, and no mention of Jackie Hell? WTF? Helloooo, Ronald McFondle's mom?

SSP transcends pro-wrestling. What other pro-wrestling show has an audience that has equal representations of all races, sexualities, personal incomes, and most food groups?

I met my boyfriend at SSP. And them boys are fierce. I don't like to throw the beer cans though. I like the playland balls. They're pretty.

Holy crap, SSP might be shutting down? This is sad sad news. :(

Everyone in my IT department *loves* these guys. There's a picture of Ronald McFondle's "shocker" glove that hangs in my co-worker's cubicle. I wish I saw these guys more often when I had the chance.

I never went to very many shows. (10PM on a Wednesday? I work a corporate job!) But I've always made it to their weekend super-shows they hold a couple times a year.

How can I show my support? What will it take to keep SSP around?