WWF On Family Feud In 1993
Sometimes it’s fun to see mindfuck artistry or get a nice bit of musical groove to help coast through the day. And sometimes you want coked up sports entertainers in clearly offensive costumes attempting to show they understand the common people who answer surveys.
For one glorious week in 1993, superstars of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, but now WWE—way to go, World Wildlife Fund!) descended into a brand new arena to do battle. Not with their muscles and (once again) blatantly offensive gimmicks, no. This was a thunderdome unlike any these wrestlers had faced before. This was the squared circle of FAMILY FEUD!
At the time, the Feud was hosted by Ray Combs (still my favorite host and he has a fun little role in OVERBOARD), who was a rambunctious ball of energy with a winning smile and diminutive stature. That energy set his time hosting the show apart from the awkward sloppiness of Richard Dawson’s era (and from the constant feigned disbelief of Steve Harvey—you know the contestants are going to say something about penises, Steve, GET OVER IT). Combs’ background as a comedian seemed to prove beneficial and would prove a far better wellspring of abilities suited for hosting like in Louie Anderson and Harvey than it would Richard Karn and John O’Hurley (you’ve forgotten both of those people hosted, didn’t you?).
That same tiny bundle of energy plays well with in these WWF shows with the superstars enjoying the…uh…various enhancements to appear larger than life. Cocaine and steroids, mostly. Maybe some angel dust? I don’t know. I’m not a doctor. There are classic WWF figures including Macho Man, Tatanka, Jimmy Hart, Big Bossman, Shawn Michaels, and IRS. You know, I think ours was a better world when there was an evil accountant wrestler and everyone basically shrugged and said “I’ll allow it.”
This first game is covered in much greater detail, with much more knowledge, and with far better humor by RD Reynolds on WrestleCrap. First game? Remember, it was a whole week. So if you enjoy this first salvo of pituitary gland populists, then be sure to watch others underneath.
Show number two:
Show number three:
Show number four:
The climactic show number five: