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Mick Foley Returns to Spike TV Show

Mick Foley Returns to Spike TV Show

Posted: Oct 13th 2008 By: CMBurnham

When wrestler-turned-best-selling-author Mick Foley took a job earlier this year as host of World Wrestling Entertainment's "Friday Night Smackdown" show (then on the CW Network, now airing on MyNetwork), he had to back out of the comedy "Hey Dude!," a project he was developing at Amdram Productions along with Producers Gail Bleckman (the show's creator), Jonathan Mankuta, Steve Strangio, and Richard O'Sullivan.

But after only a few short months as "Smackdown" color commentator, Foley came to the conclusion that the job wasn't for him.

"Apparently Mick grew tired of [WWE head] Vince McMahon screaming in his ear," says O'Sullivan. "It was one thing that his schedule with WWE restricted him from working on outside projects, but McMahon's on-set behavior drove Mick to the conclusion that he'd be better off working in a less stressful environment."

Foley worked out the remainder of his contract with WWE, then signed with a rival wrestling organization called TNA (Total Nonstop Action), which airs on the Spike cable network. That deal includes "other opportunities" for Foley to pursue his acting and writing careers.

"As we stated a few months ago, Mick needed to get out of 'the wrestling vacuum' and fortunately for both him and us, that's exactly what he's doing," says Bleckman. "TNA and Spike see this as a great opportunity to let Mick be Mick, and we're delighted because that means we can resume work on 'Hey Dude!,' which was built around Mick's true-life personality."

Now re-attached to the comedy project, Foley will play a character named "Mick Foley," a former pro wrestler and author who is pursuing an acting career.

"We searched for a replacement for Mick," says Strangio. "But the truth is, this thing was created for him and plugging someone else into it just didn't work. We're all extremely happy that he's back onboard."

Currently in talks with network execs to land "Hey Dude!" a home, producers hope to roll by Spring of 2009.

"Mick's a unique personality who needed a unique project to suit him," says Mankuta, who also stars in "Hey Dude!" as Foley's best friend, Marky. "There's nothing quite like 'Hey Dude!' on television and I think people are really gonna respond to that."

Also joining "Hey Dude!" is reality show favorite Rupert Boneham (from the CBS mega-hit "Survivor"). Producers are still in talks with several other noted names to fill out what O'Sullivan says will be "the quirkiest cast on television

 

Tags: Mick Foley, WWE, TNA

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Spotlight in History

  • 1973 Rip Tyler & Eddie Sullivan def. The Hollywood Blondes (Jerry Brown & Dale Valentine) for the TSW United States Tag Team Champion
  • 1985 Ted DiBiase & Steve Williams def. The Rock-N-Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Champion
  • 2003 El Sufamilico def. Ichiban [1st] for the TPW Heavyweight Champion
  • 2008 Damon Windsor def. Havoc for the SWCW Heavyweight Champion
  • 2008 Miss Sheila def. Kareem Sadat for the SWCW Hardcore Champion
  • 2014 Sam Stackhouse def. Steven Sterling for the ComPro Showtime Champion

Week of Sun 04-28 to Sat: 05-04

  • 04-28 1954 Red Berry def. Whitey Whittler for the TSW Tri-State Champion
  • 04-28 1976 Ted DiBiase & Dick Murdoch def. Buck Robley & Bob Slaughter for the TSW United States Tag Team Champion
  • 04-28 1980 Kevin Von Erich def. Toru Tanaka for the WCCW American Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-28 1989 The Simpson Brothers (Steve Simpson & Shaun Simpson) def. Beauty & The Beast (Terrance M. Garvin & The Beast [2nd]) for the WCCW Texas Tag Team Champion
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  • 04-29 2006 Rexx Reed def. Carnage for the ACW Hardcore Champion
  • 04-29 2006 Carnage def. Rexx Reed for the ACW Hardcore Champion
  • 04-29 2007 Aaron Neil def. Tyler Bateman for the MSWA Oklahoma Champion
  • 04-29 2007 Brad Michaels def. Ryan Davidson for the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-29 2007 Bad Boy & Outlaw became the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champion
  • 04-29 2011 The Unknown & Johnny USA def. Michael H & Mr. Big for the NCW Tag Team Champions
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  • 04-29 2012 Rage Logan became the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-29 2012 Nemesis (Damien Morte & Damon Windsor) became the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champion
  • 04-29 2017 Aaron Anders became the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Champion
  • 04-30 1954 Frenchy Roy became the TSW Oklahoma Junior Heavyweight Champion
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  • 04-30 2004 Shadow of Death def. Terry Montana for the TPW Hardcore Champion
  • 04-30 2011 Ryan Reed def. Rolling Thunder for the UWE United States Champion
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  • 05-01 1981 Super Destroyer def. Jim Garvin for the MSW Louisiana Champion
  • 05-01 2016 Skylar Slice def. Nikki Knight for the MSWA Ladies Champion
  • 05-01 2021 Fuel def. Derek James for the UWE Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-02 1964 Mike Clancy & Al Lovelock def. Karol Krauser & Stan Pulaski for the TSW United States Tag Team Champion
  • 05-02 1969 Johnny Valentine def. Fritz Von Erich for the WCCW American Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-02 1977 Stan Hansen def. Dick Murdoch for the TSW North American Champion
  • 05-02 1984 Krusher Khrushchev became the MSW Television Champion
  • 05-02 1984 The Rock-N-Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) def. The Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton & Dennis Condrey) for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Champion
  • 05-02 2009 Ozzy Hendrix def. Shank for the SWCW Luchadore Champion
  • 05-02 2015 Gail Kim became the IWR Diamonds Champion
  • 05-02 2015 Kareem Sadat became the BCW Independent Hardcore Champion
  • 05-02 2021 Drake Gallows def. Blade [2nd] for the AIWF National Champion
  • 05-03 1973 Rip Tyler & Eddie Sullivan def. The Hollywood Blondes (Jerry Brown & Dale Valentine) for the TSW United States Tag Team Champion
  • 05-03 1985 Ted DiBiase & Steve Williams def. The Rock-N-Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Champion
  • 05-03 2003 El Sufamilico def. Ichiban [1st] for the TPW Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-03 2008 Damon Windsor def. Havoc for the SWCW Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-03 2008 Miss Sheila def. Kareem Sadat for the SWCW Hardcore Champion
  • 05-03 2014 Sam Stackhouse def. Steven Sterling for the ComPro Showtime Champion
  • 05-04 1953 Mike Clancy def. Karl Von Poppenheim for the TSW Oklahoma Junior Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-04 1968 Danny Hodge & Skandar Akbar became the TSW United States Tag Team Champion
  • 05-04 1969 Jerry Miller & Jim Osborne def. Danny Little Bear & Frank Dalton for the TSW Louisiana Tag Team Champion
  • 05-04 1973 Blackjack Mulligan def. Jose Lothario for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-04 1986 Kerry Von Erich & Lance Von Erich & Steve Simpson def. The Fabulous Freebirds (Terry Gordy, Michael Hayes, & Buddy Roberts) for the WCCW World 6-Man Tag Team Champion
  • 05-04 1986 The Von Erichs (Kerry Von Erich & Kevin Von Erich & Lance Von Erich) became the WCCW World 6-Man Tag Team Champion
  • 05-04 1987 The Fantastics (Tommy Rogers & Bobby Fulton) became the WCCW World Tag Team Champion
  • 05-04 2003 Ichiban [1st]/Rocco Valentino def. El Sufamilico for the TPW Heavyweight Champion
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