Hey Buddy... Can You Spare A Gimmick?- By Elaine-On The Fringe

Glen Gilbertti burst onto the WCW scene in 1995, seemingly destined for super-stardom. He had the skills, the technical savvy and the looks to be a champ. The kid practically oozed personality from every pore. He was a booker’s dream in the making. Five years later, Glen is a man without a bankable gimmick. Mired in a Latino gang angle with Juventud Guerrera, Konnan and former Nitro gal Tygress, he has seemingly been exiled to the Land of the Lost Hope. Disco Inferno can look into his Dim Shady past and ask “What the hell happened?” Take a look at his former personas, which have for the most part been simple re-packaging of the Disco Inferno, not Glen Gilbertti. He hustled his way into the hearts of fans with his white-suited John Travolta look, but that soon became tiresome. His pairing with techno-dancing Alex Wright (another sorely under-used talent) served to irritate their opponents and quickly became more comic-relief than wrestling. Scattered shots at the TV Title were all that came Disco’s way. He wandered aimlessly in and out of the storylines. Some months later, Disco became a Wolfpac pledge. This angle promised career results, but an injury to Pac-man Scott Hall ended Disco’s gig as Wolf Cub. He went on to incorporate his love of gambling into a comic fight against Mafia-style hitmen, Big Vito and Johnny the Bull. For unclear reasons, Disco’s partnership with up-and-comer Lash Leroux ended when he set out to manage his former enemies. Disco’s managerial deal with the Mamalukes ended abruptly, and he hooked up with the Filthy Animals. Frankly, I think he’s better than a bit player in a second-rate clique. Disco/Glen still has the skill. He still has the technical savvy. He still has the looks to be a champ. He’s a million-dollar mic worker and a hilarious interview to boot. Seems all that the kid is lacking is the money gimmick. I turned to the readers of the Fringe, and asked if they thought Disco was salvageable. Here’s what they had to say (you know who you are, so I won’t embarrass you by putting names to quotes!): “... if he got rid of the “dancing fool” image, I think he’d be a real lady-killer...great looks, nice body...” “I think Disco is adorable...” “Disco is HOT!!!” There was even a detailed re-packaging suggestion from a faithful Fringer, which involved dressing the former Disco Inferno in swashbuckling attire... an idea which met with thunderous approval from the female majority. It appears that there are heaps of Disco fans out there, ones who are willing to shell out merchandising dollars and pay-per-view bucks to see Glen win a major title and a little self-respect. The kid’s worked hard, he’s paid his dues. He’s been there through thick and thin, when it would have been much easier to walk away from the whole mess. The bottom line? The ball is in your court, WCW. You have a wrestler who wants to work, who wants to show up, who wants to be there in any capacity. Loyalty in this day and age should be rewarded. You have a golden opportunity to make things right with a kid who’s given his all for the federation. Don’t blow a great opportunity with Glen. Again.

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