Scorch
03-07-2008, 06:43 AM
Welcome to the latest WPW interview, brought to you by WPW's Scottish Interviewer, Colin MacClennan. In this edition, the man behind on of Royalty's originals, a former 2-time WPW Hardcore Champion, and a former Stallion speaks out on a number of issues. This is one of the most revealing interviews (and longest) yet. For the first time, the one of the most controversial talents in WPW gets to tell his side of the story. Grab a drink, sit back and enjoy the read, you may learn a lot.
MacClennan: Thank you for the taking the time out to speak with us, first let our audience know who they are hearing from.
Mason: They are hearing from Mason Scheer, the man behind all the horse puns Mike Adams likes to throw at
MacClennan: What was it that got you started with the business?
Mason: I was a reader and a fan for a little bit, back in PCW n the old days. I remember seeng those matches, and beng blown away. The one that did it for me was the 5 on 5 for control of PCW, I read it, and I was hooked, I had to be a part of it. I tred out for a writing spot, getting the chance to write for the first tie
MacClennan: Where you nervous when you started about how your work would be received?
Mason: A little bit at first, but it was because I was so completely new, stepping into a world of people who had seemed to be doing this for a lifetime. To be quite honest, I knew that I wasn't the best writer, which took a lot of the nerves away
MacClennan: What were your goals when you first started out and have they changed since then?
Mason: My goal has always been to have fun with what I do. I wanted to write matches my way, telling a story as much as possible. I started out as a writer for PCW, staying away from having a character, which changes your goals. I always want to be a storyteller, but now I want to tell my story
MacClennan: Do you still consider yourself a writer first or a participant?
Mason: At this point, I consider myself a participant first. I'm still in the staff room, reading the assignments, but I spend more time with Stallion/Royal Knight than I do as a writer. That's not to say I don't give equally, but the first thing I look for in the week is my opponent, then what match I write
MacClennan: As a writer you face a lot of difficult situations. What was the toughest situation you faced back in PCW?
Mason: Facing burn-out for the first time, and not knowing how to handle it. Once Judge left PCW, I stopped feeling 100% about everything. I stopped turning in matches on time, passing them off the day before, and sometimes just no-showing. Everyone hits a point where they have a hard time continuing, and I didn't know how to keep going
MacClennan: Did you wait to pass on a match because you wanted to do it, but could not bring yourself to admit you would not be able to or was it another reason?
Mason: I don't know, I just stopped feeling that inspiration. I wasn't giddy anymore. It stopped being "I'll get to it right away, and make it great!" and started as me getting all the way through the intro, and having that spark die out. I can't count how many times in PCW I wrote all the way until the bell rang, and I stopped. There wasn't anything there
MacClennan: The switch from PCW to WPW meant more than a new website and initials, it also changed how the writing was done. Did you feel the storyline style of PCW prepared you to be able to judge matches based on promo quality when you started writing in WPW?
Mason: I think it helped, but I was already writing matches where the winner was the best role-player. I wasn't writing very high on the card, mostly the lower card where Judge would tag "Best RP wins", because he didn't have anything either way. It certainly was not a challenge to write that way, no
MacClennan: What did you look for back then in a promo and do you look for the same things now?
Mason: I looked then and now for the same thing: character. Anyone has the ability to say, "I am better than (wrestler) because (wrestler) is bad, and at (PPV), I will beat you, ecause I am the greatest!" Anyone can write that over and over again. What I like seeing are the guys who tell the best stories. They don't have to be long and drawn out over 1000 role plays, but you can see a definate beginning, a solid middle, and a strong end
MacClennan: Is it important to you the story told deals with the match or do you prefer to see them deal more with an aspect of the character?
Mason: In the perfect world, both. But really, it comes down to character. Once again, anyone can claim to be better. So prove it to me. Saying you're better because they are weak is still something anyone can say. I need a reason to believe you over the other guy. And when you get that definate reason why, that isn't about the match anymore. It's your character, attacking his character
MacClennan: How important is it to you for a character to remain consistent week to week or would you rather just see the quality of writing improve, even if it means drastic almost week to week changes in personality?
Mason: It doesn't have to be consistant week to week for me, because people aren't like that in real life. You're happy one week, the next you feel like shit. It makes the character more real if they evolve over the weeks, as each event is added to their shoulders
MacClennan: Now as mentioned before you did eventually switch from strictly writing to be an active wrestler. Why did you decide to make the jump?
Mason: When I made the switch from IOW to WP, XPW opened up. It really was just me saying, "You know, I've been reading role plays for about a year now, why not?" So I switched completely, being only a wrestler. But XPW never took off, and I got a real rocky start
MacClennan: Did you consider quitting the business at that point or where you determined to keep going?
Mason: I didn't have a choice, XPW folded. But when WPW opened, I wasn't discouraged. I saw it as a way to make a better first impression as a wrestler
MacClennan: You were a part of the tournament to crown the first champion, losing out in the semifinals to Brock Goodman. Where you dissappointed to lose or more encouraged to make it as far as you did?
Mason: If you look, you'll see that Mike and I have the most role plays of any single's match in WPW history. I knew it would be close, but I found out from Judge that it was so close, he had to use a simulator to determine a winner. I knew that was only the beginning for me, and the strong start I wanted. Of course, it still sucks to lose, but I knew my time would come
MacClennan: You did not stay near the top after the tournament, instead you were mostly in the middle. Then when the first Team Warfare happened, you went unbeaten. How proud are you of that accomplishment?
Mason: Just even hearing you say it makes me smile. I hit a point where I was untouchable. I won the eight-man tag, then I beat the number one contender a week before the PPV. Really, I was more excited to finally see my name in the main event. Th undefeated record didn't mean anything to me until I beat the One. That's when I thought, "I'm finally doing it"
MacClennan: During that team you were on the Green Team which included the then and now again WPW Champion, JMC among others. The promos you put out where a marked improvement from the work you had done leading into warfare. Did your teammates help you to grow or was it something you did on your own?
Mason: Really, it was something I did on my own. Prometheus and Duff offered help, but it was really me finally getting to that point where I wasn't the rookie, but a fighting champion. Winning the Hardcore title for the second time was really when I saw myself grow
MacClennan: This may be something you were aware of, but at that time there were questions of whether the work you put up was yours, here is your chance to squash that rumor. Have you ever put up work that you did not write?
Mason: This is news to me. No, I have never put up any work that did not belong to me. I naturally grew as a writer, both for wrestling and match writing. The only reason I could see people saying that was because they weren't giving me the time of day until I started winning bigger matches
MacClennan: Do you feel your writing quality grew solely based on your experience or did outside influences such as school factor in?
Mason: I actually believe that WPW has influenced my writing in school. I will be attending the University of Texas this fall with a major in Journalism (Sorry Judge, doesn't look like I'm going to UCLA after all). My college application essay, I shit you not, was about WPW. I'll post it later, if anyone would like to read it. But I feel that my time spend writing about the darkest places of the human mind greatly helped my school papers
MacClennan: After Warfare ended you became a part of Royalty, the first major heel stable effort in WPW. How did you come to be a part of the group?
Mason: I got a call from Nikki, saying that JMC wanted to talk to me as soon as possible. I got on AIM, and Jason cut straight to the point. He saw a lot of potential in me, hand picking me to face The One. He told me about Royalty, and I jumped at the chance. That was the first time the champion had actually spoken to me, so I was awestruck. JMC wants me in his group, it was amazing
MacClennan: After Royalty formed, an opposing group begin which came to be called the Resistance. Were you bothered when another group began?
Mason: I didn't know how the storyline was supposed to go, but I could only assume a group of people would attempt to fight back. It only made sense
MacClennan: Your role in Royalty landed you a long feud with Jamie Parker who you seemed to have a hard time getting past. What was it about him that you found so difficult to handle? Was it a case where he was just a bad match up for you?
Mason: Duff and I only had one match where it was a straight-up singles match, and both people had internet access. ReActivation was a triple threat, but I cared more about telling my Chelsea story than winning. And in that week, I gained so much respect for Gavin. He saw me telling a real story, and took 3 hours out of his life to talk me through it. He really cared about me, and I will always treasure that. After that match, it was a series of no-shows on both sides. We traded the Florida title, but that loss still upsets me, because I still don't believe it should have happened. Duff got the better of me, I guess
MacClennan: Now you were a part of a major heel stable with Royalty but often you portrayed Royal Knight as something of a sympathetic figure. Did you ever worry that you were not playing the major heel role and could be crossing over as a babyface?
Mason: I can't write heel. I learned as a face. It was a real problem, acknowledged by a lot of people. I went to Ryan asking for help, because he offered. I always kinda saw Royal Knight as the tweener heel, the bad guy who stops everyone else from beating their rival with chairs because "enough's enough, we made our point". But it's how I learned to write: as a storyteller. I knew I was not going in the right direction, but it meant more to me that I wrote the way I wanted to, and not worry about allignments
MacClennan: While you were finding it hard to play heel, Jamie Parker was still portrayed as anything but a crowd favorite. Do you feel you should have swapped places in the story?
Mason: If we had swapped places, you would have seen some of the most amazing role plays from ReActivation and on. It didn't feel natural for me, and the same for him. But it wasn't really possible to swap places, as I was being pushed as a mega heel. I'm the one who made my entrance music "psycho killer" when I faced Brock Goodman, so I couldn't have just become a face
MacClennan: Clear up some confusion here. Have you quit Royalty and are you still an active wrestler for WPW?
Mason: I can't really clear up any confusion, I'll just create more. The simple answer is this: I'm inactive
MacClennan: The simple follow up to that is, why?
Mason: Hope you've got some bottled water, this is a long answer
MacClennan: It is in a Pepsi cup. But it is there.
Mason: As I writer, I started showing signs of burn-out. The magic was slipping again. But this time, I had Judge there to help me. The Judge is quite honestly my best friend. That's the Royal Knight speaking, the Stallion speaking, HBK619 speaking, and Mason Scheer speaking. I'd hit those moments where I was starting to feel like giving up, then he'd be there for me to pick me back up. The big problem I had as a writer was not getting a single word of acknowledgement for what I did. The only feedback I ever got from matches was about how something was wrong, or that it was short, or whatever. People were lining up to lick Chazz's balls, and I couldn't get a simple "good job"? Tournament of Champions I wrote what I consider to be my best match to date: Cade vs Entreri. What should have been a squash turned into an epic, and I was really proud of it. I got one piece of feedback, and it was a generic "good job" by Ken. SO the next week comes, and again I write an amazing match between Karver and Corral. Again, nothing. The outcome they liked, but didn't say a word about the match itself. So the week after I write a page and a half squash, and I get booed out of the forum. That's when it hit me: if I write longer than two pages, no one will read it. So I stopped caring completely as a writer. Then came my final match that I have written to date: Murph and Rostov vs D&D. I read the role plays, but the characters didn't come into play for me. I wrote the match, and got huge backlash for it, about how I didn't represent the characters. All I could think was, what about me? What about the fact that for the past month, all my role plays were about how I didn't need JMC, and wanted to break free. Then, Prometheus put himself in my match, and had RK begging for help. He was the match writer, so he had to know what my character wanted. It's like I spent an entire month just to yell "Psyche!" So to hear Dan complain about me following character was it for me. I had already lost that spark, saw my work go completely ignored, and my character's wishes pushed aside. WPW stopped being fun
I didn't have Judge there to hold me back, to protect my fall, so I left. I quit WP altogether, not logging in for nearly a week. Finally, I got the chance to talk to Judge. I learned from WPW that the best way to cope was to put everything down on paper, or in this case a laptop, and write it all out. I wrote to Judge, explaining how I felt like I did. He sat down with me, meaning I pulled him away from his job, and we got a lot of things worked out. He told me to take all the time I needed to get back to how I once was. I told Judge how I felt, then Promy. Judge decided not to take me out of Royalty, because he didn't know if I was gone for good. But I don't want to leave a place that has helped me so much. I'll be back, that's a given. I'm just trying to put all the pieces back together
MacClennan: Now the incident with that tag match was not your first experience with controversy. At one point you brought your then girlfriend into the fed and she quickly had your hardcore title as you were moved up the card. What was it like bringing her in and do you have any regrets about it?
Mason: The reason I introduced Nikki to WP was so that when she left for college, we would still have a means to communicate. We had been in a relationship for about 4 years, and she had no idea about my life with WPW. I have no regrets at all about it. She was supporting a hobby that I really cared about, and not just from the outside, she really got into it. Even though we're no longer together, she's still an active member of the community. And through WPW, I still get to see a little bit into her life, though I will deny it up and down
MacClennan: Okay well if you still have time would you be willing to do some word association now?
Mason: That seems like the thing to do, so of course
MacClennan: The Stallion
Mason: Me. Ever since the Royal Knight was formed, I have been planning how I'm going to bring back the Stallion, as the super ultra mega face. The Stallion is that everyman we see in ourselves, who wants to feel that pat on the shoulder so bad. I loved every match I had as Stallion
MacClennan: Jamie Parker
Mason: My greatest rival, even though he puts on the face that says I was an easy target for him. One of the few guys I really respect, for the reasons I explained about Gavin earlier
MacClennan: Mike Adams
Mason: Mike's the guy who will laugh and poke fun, but will defend you to the death if there's trouble. And yeah, he's a bit full of himself at times, but he is the prime example of the phrase "all in good fun"
MacClennan: Spaz
Mason: A guy who once was, but isn't anymore. The same guy who thought I only got where I am because of who I knew, is a guy who got a chance because of who he once was, a long, long time ago
MacClennan: The Judge
Mason: My best friend. I can't count the number of times he has pulled me out of a dark place. Above all, more than team mate, or owner, or character, the Judge is a guy who will stop what he's doing, no matter what it is, and make you feel alright. It doesn't matter if you're opening Live matches, or the WPW champion, the Judge will find a way to make you feel cared about
MacClennan: The One
Mason: Funny and hysterical when he's on your side, a complete dick if he's on the other. I do, however, believe that he is incredibly passionate about what he does, and it shows
MacClennan: JMC
Mason: The leader of Royalty, and one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet. Whenever I'm on AIM, I'll get a message from him, a simple "Hola!", and he's always ready to listen. Jason is the guy who gave me the chance to be something, saw potential for the first time, after Judge
MacClennan: SSG
Mason: One of my favorite characters, to be honest. I fully believe that if the walls didn't close in on her after Redemption, and if she still was writing like she was before, she would be wearing the Florida title around her waist. I love reading Nikki's stuff, because I can tell she learned from me, which is sort of a pride thing. And een though in real life I have to shut her out for personal reasons, I make a habit of always and everytime reading something by SSG
MacClennan: Overrated
Mason: That Royal Knight guy. Why is he given so many chances, when he loses every PPV he's in? I really do see the Knight as overrated, and I don't see him stepping forward like I do see him falling backwards
MacClennan: Underrated
Mason: The Stallion. Just when I was finally getting recognition, Bam! I'm gone. No, as of right now a guy who I see as really underrated would be Sky Ryder. Once he gets into a groove, he can't be stopped. It's just a matter of finding it
MacClennan: Champion
Mason: The ultimate goal of every single person who signs up. I've dreamed up the scenerio where I finally get the gold, but I know it's not going to come to me. But I know that when that day finally comes, and I can call myself WPW Champion, a huge weight will be lifted
MacClennan: Best
Mason: Doing something that you can look back on and say, "Win or lose, I'm proud of that" whether it's a match or a role play
MacClennan: Dan Murph
Mason: Has called me a no-talent writer, a worthless role player, and an overall negative addition to WPW. The guy I think of when I see myself getting upset about a loss, and say "That's what happens when you stop remembering that WPW is for fun"
MacClennan: Scorch
Mason: Devil's Advocate. Scorch has an opinion of what he thinks, as does everyone else, but has a way of presenting the facts in a way that makes you feel foolish for even attepting an argument. When he's right he's right, and when he's wrong, you'll never know it
MacClennan: Dust
Mason: I never actually got the chance to interact with Dust. I would either talk to JMC or Judge, and I believe I have only spoken a word or two about him. But what I will always remember was on the TNT of the 8-man main even before Redemption, him calling me the star of the night
MacClennan: 2
Mason: The second greatest hardcore champion. I lost my title once, to Juston Dreamer, who only beat me because he used TNT cards. But once the fields were even, I smoked him everytime. I would still be Hardcore champion if I didn't drop the title to Nikki. But 2 has become a powerhouse, who I am genuinely scared of facing down the road
MacClennan: A few more questions now before we wrap it up. What is your proudest moment in WPW so far?
Mason: February 20, 2007 - winning back the Hardcore title. It is without a doubt my favorite match of all time, and the best birthday presend I could have ever asked for. Reading the commentary, and knowing that it was Judge the match writer speaking, not Daniel or Max. The entire crowd was on my side, jumping into it. The entire match, I just kept getting happier and happier. It's the greatest feeling in the world having a large crowd react to you, even if it's written on a screen
MacClennan: Now we are about at the end before you make your last choice, is there anything more you want to say?
Mason: I thank WPW for being there for me when I needed it. I learned how to cope this way, and how to express my thoughts this way. I don't know how many others get the same feeling, but WPW has been my home for almost a year and a half, and I will treasure it always
MacClennan: Okay now you can pick, a fancy (albeit imaginary) kilt or asking your interviewer any question you wish. Which will it be?
Mason: I'll ask the question: What exactly is a London Bridge, and why does it come down everytime you're around?
MacClennan: It's a small undetectable particle which resembles a small wooden bridge that was built in 1203 just outside of modern day London, and in the presense of people the particular is drawn down slightly due to the change in the pressure of the room. Hope that clears up the confusion about the bridge. It is not actually a bridge, nor does it come from London. Could be worse though, it could have been Welsh.
Mason: And that would have been the real tragedy
MacClennan: Well thank you for taking this time to speak with us Mason and best of luck to you when you return.
Mason: Thank you very much
MacClennan: Thank you for the taking the time out to speak with us, first let our audience know who they are hearing from.
Mason: They are hearing from Mason Scheer, the man behind all the horse puns Mike Adams likes to throw at
MacClennan: What was it that got you started with the business?
Mason: I was a reader and a fan for a little bit, back in PCW n the old days. I remember seeng those matches, and beng blown away. The one that did it for me was the 5 on 5 for control of PCW, I read it, and I was hooked, I had to be a part of it. I tred out for a writing spot, getting the chance to write for the first tie
MacClennan: Where you nervous when you started about how your work would be received?
Mason: A little bit at first, but it was because I was so completely new, stepping into a world of people who had seemed to be doing this for a lifetime. To be quite honest, I knew that I wasn't the best writer, which took a lot of the nerves away
MacClennan: What were your goals when you first started out and have they changed since then?
Mason: My goal has always been to have fun with what I do. I wanted to write matches my way, telling a story as much as possible. I started out as a writer for PCW, staying away from having a character, which changes your goals. I always want to be a storyteller, but now I want to tell my story
MacClennan: Do you still consider yourself a writer first or a participant?
Mason: At this point, I consider myself a participant first. I'm still in the staff room, reading the assignments, but I spend more time with Stallion/Royal Knight than I do as a writer. That's not to say I don't give equally, but the first thing I look for in the week is my opponent, then what match I write
MacClennan: As a writer you face a lot of difficult situations. What was the toughest situation you faced back in PCW?
Mason: Facing burn-out for the first time, and not knowing how to handle it. Once Judge left PCW, I stopped feeling 100% about everything. I stopped turning in matches on time, passing them off the day before, and sometimes just no-showing. Everyone hits a point where they have a hard time continuing, and I didn't know how to keep going
MacClennan: Did you wait to pass on a match because you wanted to do it, but could not bring yourself to admit you would not be able to or was it another reason?
Mason: I don't know, I just stopped feeling that inspiration. I wasn't giddy anymore. It stopped being "I'll get to it right away, and make it great!" and started as me getting all the way through the intro, and having that spark die out. I can't count how many times in PCW I wrote all the way until the bell rang, and I stopped. There wasn't anything there
MacClennan: The switch from PCW to WPW meant more than a new website and initials, it also changed how the writing was done. Did you feel the storyline style of PCW prepared you to be able to judge matches based on promo quality when you started writing in WPW?
Mason: I think it helped, but I was already writing matches where the winner was the best role-player. I wasn't writing very high on the card, mostly the lower card where Judge would tag "Best RP wins", because he didn't have anything either way. It certainly was not a challenge to write that way, no
MacClennan: What did you look for back then in a promo and do you look for the same things now?
Mason: I looked then and now for the same thing: character. Anyone has the ability to say, "I am better than (wrestler) because (wrestler) is bad, and at (PPV), I will beat you, ecause I am the greatest!" Anyone can write that over and over again. What I like seeing are the guys who tell the best stories. They don't have to be long and drawn out over 1000 role plays, but you can see a definate beginning, a solid middle, and a strong end
MacClennan: Is it important to you the story told deals with the match or do you prefer to see them deal more with an aspect of the character?
Mason: In the perfect world, both. But really, it comes down to character. Once again, anyone can claim to be better. So prove it to me. Saying you're better because they are weak is still something anyone can say. I need a reason to believe you over the other guy. And when you get that definate reason why, that isn't about the match anymore. It's your character, attacking his character
MacClennan: How important is it to you for a character to remain consistent week to week or would you rather just see the quality of writing improve, even if it means drastic almost week to week changes in personality?
Mason: It doesn't have to be consistant week to week for me, because people aren't like that in real life. You're happy one week, the next you feel like shit. It makes the character more real if they evolve over the weeks, as each event is added to their shoulders
MacClennan: Now as mentioned before you did eventually switch from strictly writing to be an active wrestler. Why did you decide to make the jump?
Mason: When I made the switch from IOW to WP, XPW opened up. It really was just me saying, "You know, I've been reading role plays for about a year now, why not?" So I switched completely, being only a wrestler. But XPW never took off, and I got a real rocky start
MacClennan: Did you consider quitting the business at that point or where you determined to keep going?
Mason: I didn't have a choice, XPW folded. But when WPW opened, I wasn't discouraged. I saw it as a way to make a better first impression as a wrestler
MacClennan: You were a part of the tournament to crown the first champion, losing out in the semifinals to Brock Goodman. Where you dissappointed to lose or more encouraged to make it as far as you did?
Mason: If you look, you'll see that Mike and I have the most role plays of any single's match in WPW history. I knew it would be close, but I found out from Judge that it was so close, he had to use a simulator to determine a winner. I knew that was only the beginning for me, and the strong start I wanted. Of course, it still sucks to lose, but I knew my time would come
MacClennan: You did not stay near the top after the tournament, instead you were mostly in the middle. Then when the first Team Warfare happened, you went unbeaten. How proud are you of that accomplishment?
Mason: Just even hearing you say it makes me smile. I hit a point where I was untouchable. I won the eight-man tag, then I beat the number one contender a week before the PPV. Really, I was more excited to finally see my name in the main event. Th undefeated record didn't mean anything to me until I beat the One. That's when I thought, "I'm finally doing it"
MacClennan: During that team you were on the Green Team which included the then and now again WPW Champion, JMC among others. The promos you put out where a marked improvement from the work you had done leading into warfare. Did your teammates help you to grow or was it something you did on your own?
Mason: Really, it was something I did on my own. Prometheus and Duff offered help, but it was really me finally getting to that point where I wasn't the rookie, but a fighting champion. Winning the Hardcore title for the second time was really when I saw myself grow
MacClennan: This may be something you were aware of, but at that time there were questions of whether the work you put up was yours, here is your chance to squash that rumor. Have you ever put up work that you did not write?
Mason: This is news to me. No, I have never put up any work that did not belong to me. I naturally grew as a writer, both for wrestling and match writing. The only reason I could see people saying that was because they weren't giving me the time of day until I started winning bigger matches
MacClennan: Do you feel your writing quality grew solely based on your experience or did outside influences such as school factor in?
Mason: I actually believe that WPW has influenced my writing in school. I will be attending the University of Texas this fall with a major in Journalism (Sorry Judge, doesn't look like I'm going to UCLA after all). My college application essay, I shit you not, was about WPW. I'll post it later, if anyone would like to read it. But I feel that my time spend writing about the darkest places of the human mind greatly helped my school papers
MacClennan: After Warfare ended you became a part of Royalty, the first major heel stable effort in WPW. How did you come to be a part of the group?
Mason: I got a call from Nikki, saying that JMC wanted to talk to me as soon as possible. I got on AIM, and Jason cut straight to the point. He saw a lot of potential in me, hand picking me to face The One. He told me about Royalty, and I jumped at the chance. That was the first time the champion had actually spoken to me, so I was awestruck. JMC wants me in his group, it was amazing
MacClennan: After Royalty formed, an opposing group begin which came to be called the Resistance. Were you bothered when another group began?
Mason: I didn't know how the storyline was supposed to go, but I could only assume a group of people would attempt to fight back. It only made sense
MacClennan: Your role in Royalty landed you a long feud with Jamie Parker who you seemed to have a hard time getting past. What was it about him that you found so difficult to handle? Was it a case where he was just a bad match up for you?
Mason: Duff and I only had one match where it was a straight-up singles match, and both people had internet access. ReActivation was a triple threat, but I cared more about telling my Chelsea story than winning. And in that week, I gained so much respect for Gavin. He saw me telling a real story, and took 3 hours out of his life to talk me through it. He really cared about me, and I will always treasure that. After that match, it was a series of no-shows on both sides. We traded the Florida title, but that loss still upsets me, because I still don't believe it should have happened. Duff got the better of me, I guess
MacClennan: Now you were a part of a major heel stable with Royalty but often you portrayed Royal Knight as something of a sympathetic figure. Did you ever worry that you were not playing the major heel role and could be crossing over as a babyface?
Mason: I can't write heel. I learned as a face. It was a real problem, acknowledged by a lot of people. I went to Ryan asking for help, because he offered. I always kinda saw Royal Knight as the tweener heel, the bad guy who stops everyone else from beating their rival with chairs because "enough's enough, we made our point". But it's how I learned to write: as a storyteller. I knew I was not going in the right direction, but it meant more to me that I wrote the way I wanted to, and not worry about allignments
MacClennan: While you were finding it hard to play heel, Jamie Parker was still portrayed as anything but a crowd favorite. Do you feel you should have swapped places in the story?
Mason: If we had swapped places, you would have seen some of the most amazing role plays from ReActivation and on. It didn't feel natural for me, and the same for him. But it wasn't really possible to swap places, as I was being pushed as a mega heel. I'm the one who made my entrance music "psycho killer" when I faced Brock Goodman, so I couldn't have just become a face
MacClennan: Clear up some confusion here. Have you quit Royalty and are you still an active wrestler for WPW?
Mason: I can't really clear up any confusion, I'll just create more. The simple answer is this: I'm inactive
MacClennan: The simple follow up to that is, why?
Mason: Hope you've got some bottled water, this is a long answer
MacClennan: It is in a Pepsi cup. But it is there.
Mason: As I writer, I started showing signs of burn-out. The magic was slipping again. But this time, I had Judge there to help me. The Judge is quite honestly my best friend. That's the Royal Knight speaking, the Stallion speaking, HBK619 speaking, and Mason Scheer speaking. I'd hit those moments where I was starting to feel like giving up, then he'd be there for me to pick me back up. The big problem I had as a writer was not getting a single word of acknowledgement for what I did. The only feedback I ever got from matches was about how something was wrong, or that it was short, or whatever. People were lining up to lick Chazz's balls, and I couldn't get a simple "good job"? Tournament of Champions I wrote what I consider to be my best match to date: Cade vs Entreri. What should have been a squash turned into an epic, and I was really proud of it. I got one piece of feedback, and it was a generic "good job" by Ken. SO the next week comes, and again I write an amazing match between Karver and Corral. Again, nothing. The outcome they liked, but didn't say a word about the match itself. So the week after I write a page and a half squash, and I get booed out of the forum. That's when it hit me: if I write longer than two pages, no one will read it. So I stopped caring completely as a writer. Then came my final match that I have written to date: Murph and Rostov vs D&D. I read the role plays, but the characters didn't come into play for me. I wrote the match, and got huge backlash for it, about how I didn't represent the characters. All I could think was, what about me? What about the fact that for the past month, all my role plays were about how I didn't need JMC, and wanted to break free. Then, Prometheus put himself in my match, and had RK begging for help. He was the match writer, so he had to know what my character wanted. It's like I spent an entire month just to yell "Psyche!" So to hear Dan complain about me following character was it for me. I had already lost that spark, saw my work go completely ignored, and my character's wishes pushed aside. WPW stopped being fun
I didn't have Judge there to hold me back, to protect my fall, so I left. I quit WP altogether, not logging in for nearly a week. Finally, I got the chance to talk to Judge. I learned from WPW that the best way to cope was to put everything down on paper, or in this case a laptop, and write it all out. I wrote to Judge, explaining how I felt like I did. He sat down with me, meaning I pulled him away from his job, and we got a lot of things worked out. He told me to take all the time I needed to get back to how I once was. I told Judge how I felt, then Promy. Judge decided not to take me out of Royalty, because he didn't know if I was gone for good. But I don't want to leave a place that has helped me so much. I'll be back, that's a given. I'm just trying to put all the pieces back together
MacClennan: Now the incident with that tag match was not your first experience with controversy. At one point you brought your then girlfriend into the fed and she quickly had your hardcore title as you were moved up the card. What was it like bringing her in and do you have any regrets about it?
Mason: The reason I introduced Nikki to WP was so that when she left for college, we would still have a means to communicate. We had been in a relationship for about 4 years, and she had no idea about my life with WPW. I have no regrets at all about it. She was supporting a hobby that I really cared about, and not just from the outside, she really got into it. Even though we're no longer together, she's still an active member of the community. And through WPW, I still get to see a little bit into her life, though I will deny it up and down
MacClennan: Okay well if you still have time would you be willing to do some word association now?
Mason: That seems like the thing to do, so of course
MacClennan: The Stallion
Mason: Me. Ever since the Royal Knight was formed, I have been planning how I'm going to bring back the Stallion, as the super ultra mega face. The Stallion is that everyman we see in ourselves, who wants to feel that pat on the shoulder so bad. I loved every match I had as Stallion
MacClennan: Jamie Parker
Mason: My greatest rival, even though he puts on the face that says I was an easy target for him. One of the few guys I really respect, for the reasons I explained about Gavin earlier
MacClennan: Mike Adams
Mason: Mike's the guy who will laugh and poke fun, but will defend you to the death if there's trouble. And yeah, he's a bit full of himself at times, but he is the prime example of the phrase "all in good fun"
MacClennan: Spaz
Mason: A guy who once was, but isn't anymore. The same guy who thought I only got where I am because of who I knew, is a guy who got a chance because of who he once was, a long, long time ago
MacClennan: The Judge
Mason: My best friend. I can't count the number of times he has pulled me out of a dark place. Above all, more than team mate, or owner, or character, the Judge is a guy who will stop what he's doing, no matter what it is, and make you feel alright. It doesn't matter if you're opening Live matches, or the WPW champion, the Judge will find a way to make you feel cared about
MacClennan: The One
Mason: Funny and hysterical when he's on your side, a complete dick if he's on the other. I do, however, believe that he is incredibly passionate about what he does, and it shows
MacClennan: JMC
Mason: The leader of Royalty, and one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet. Whenever I'm on AIM, I'll get a message from him, a simple "Hola!", and he's always ready to listen. Jason is the guy who gave me the chance to be something, saw potential for the first time, after Judge
MacClennan: SSG
Mason: One of my favorite characters, to be honest. I fully believe that if the walls didn't close in on her after Redemption, and if she still was writing like she was before, she would be wearing the Florida title around her waist. I love reading Nikki's stuff, because I can tell she learned from me, which is sort of a pride thing. And een though in real life I have to shut her out for personal reasons, I make a habit of always and everytime reading something by SSG
MacClennan: Overrated
Mason: That Royal Knight guy. Why is he given so many chances, when he loses every PPV he's in? I really do see the Knight as overrated, and I don't see him stepping forward like I do see him falling backwards
MacClennan: Underrated
Mason: The Stallion. Just when I was finally getting recognition, Bam! I'm gone. No, as of right now a guy who I see as really underrated would be Sky Ryder. Once he gets into a groove, he can't be stopped. It's just a matter of finding it
MacClennan: Champion
Mason: The ultimate goal of every single person who signs up. I've dreamed up the scenerio where I finally get the gold, but I know it's not going to come to me. But I know that when that day finally comes, and I can call myself WPW Champion, a huge weight will be lifted
MacClennan: Best
Mason: Doing something that you can look back on and say, "Win or lose, I'm proud of that" whether it's a match or a role play
MacClennan: Dan Murph
Mason: Has called me a no-talent writer, a worthless role player, and an overall negative addition to WPW. The guy I think of when I see myself getting upset about a loss, and say "That's what happens when you stop remembering that WPW is for fun"
MacClennan: Scorch
Mason: Devil's Advocate. Scorch has an opinion of what he thinks, as does everyone else, but has a way of presenting the facts in a way that makes you feel foolish for even attepting an argument. When he's right he's right, and when he's wrong, you'll never know it
MacClennan: Dust
Mason: I never actually got the chance to interact with Dust. I would either talk to JMC or Judge, and I believe I have only spoken a word or two about him. But what I will always remember was on the TNT of the 8-man main even before Redemption, him calling me the star of the night
MacClennan: 2
Mason: The second greatest hardcore champion. I lost my title once, to Juston Dreamer, who only beat me because he used TNT cards. But once the fields were even, I smoked him everytime. I would still be Hardcore champion if I didn't drop the title to Nikki. But 2 has become a powerhouse, who I am genuinely scared of facing down the road
MacClennan: A few more questions now before we wrap it up. What is your proudest moment in WPW so far?
Mason: February 20, 2007 - winning back the Hardcore title. It is without a doubt my favorite match of all time, and the best birthday presend I could have ever asked for. Reading the commentary, and knowing that it was Judge the match writer speaking, not Daniel or Max. The entire crowd was on my side, jumping into it. The entire match, I just kept getting happier and happier. It's the greatest feeling in the world having a large crowd react to you, even if it's written on a screen
MacClennan: Now we are about at the end before you make your last choice, is there anything more you want to say?
Mason: I thank WPW for being there for me when I needed it. I learned how to cope this way, and how to express my thoughts this way. I don't know how many others get the same feeling, but WPW has been my home for almost a year and a half, and I will treasure it always
MacClennan: Okay now you can pick, a fancy (albeit imaginary) kilt or asking your interviewer any question you wish. Which will it be?
Mason: I'll ask the question: What exactly is a London Bridge, and why does it come down everytime you're around?
MacClennan: It's a small undetectable particle which resembles a small wooden bridge that was built in 1203 just outside of modern day London, and in the presense of people the particular is drawn down slightly due to the change in the pressure of the room. Hope that clears up the confusion about the bridge. It is not actually a bridge, nor does it come from London. Could be worse though, it could have been Welsh.
Mason: And that would have been the real tragedy
MacClennan: Well thank you for taking this time to speak with us Mason and best of luck to you when you return.
Mason: Thank you very much