GLOW Creator, WOW Founder David McLane Discusses Jeanie Buss, Empowerment In Women’s Wrestling
In an interview with GLOW creator and WOW founder David McLane, he discusses several topics including working on Women of Wrestling with Los Angeles Lakers owner/president Jeanie Buss and top producer Mark Burnett. WOW will be part of WrestleCade Weekend.
How popular is women’s wrestling? Well, GLOW creator David McLane is working on WOW-Women Of Wrestling with Los Angeles Lakers owner/president Jeanie Buss and top producer Mark Burnett (“The Celebrity Apprentice,” “Shark Tank,” “Survivor,” “The Voice,” “Lucha Underground”).
That’s quite the three-person tag.
McLane, the founder of WOW, will bring WOW to WrestleCade Weekend in November in North Carolina. To hype the colossal event, which features a cavalcade of wrestling stars (past and present), I conducted an exclusive interview with Mr. McLane, which was quite interesting.
McLane birthed “GLOW-Gorgeous Ladies Of Wrestling,” the women’s wrestling show that became one of the biggest syndicated television hits of the 1980s. Aside from the bits and skits, the show proved people were interested in women wrestling.
McLane is now the business partner of Jeanie Buss, and together they are bringing entertaining, inspiring women’s wrestling to a new generation with WOW.
“When I started WOW, I was officing in the Great Western Forum where the Lakers played,” McLane said. “My office was next to Jeanie’s, and I asked her to come to the WOW events initially, and she did not want to come. She didn’t think it was going to be something she would enjoy. She thought it might even be something like oil wrestling, etc.
“I begged her to come to an event. She said, ‘I’ll be there for five minutes. After five minutes, I’m out of there. I’m just coming to say hello.’ Well, it was 1 in the morning, and she was still there. She loved it so much that she said, ‘How can I become a partner and help you succeed in growing the business,’ and she and I became partners.
“But we were friends first. Her leverage. Her smarts. Her creativity. Her ability to know how to maneuver and make something a success long-term — not overnight success — has been a Godsend for me, who’s had a dream of doing this for so long.”
And Burnett is convinced, too.
Women’s wrestling is on the rise. There are more women wrestling and training to become pro wrestlers than ever before. Legit women’s wrestling groups like Shine and Shimmer give them an advanced outlet in the United States, and Stardom in Japan is well-respected. We’ve seen firsts for women wrestling on the indies, with Impact Wrestling, in Ring of Honor and on the big stage in WWE.
“Back in 2000, when we were producing WOW. We were at The Forum. We were in syndication,” McLane said. “In women’s wrestling at that time, its biggest presentation was [singer] Cyndi Lauper in the ’80s with [wrestler] Wendi Richter.
“When WOW went into syndication in over 100 markets, women’s wrestling in WWE was really not anything you wanted kids [watching]. It was the Attitude Era. The Puppies Era. Jerry Lawler. It was not something that was viewed positively, respectful of the women’s presentation.
“Until WOW came back in 2013 and 2014 with its test marketing, and then with the fans’ outcry vis-a-vis social media, I think that in itself was the final sledgehammer that forced WWE into changing its direction and presentation of women’s wrestling.
“Without social media and the fans’ outcry that they can do better [with] the presentation of women’s wrestling and WOW spearheading showing women’s wrestling from its inception, being athletic and empowering, I don’t think you would have seen the big swing by WWE the past few years in wrestling.”
McLane always seems to surround himself with top professionals and unique people, whether it’s Burnett and Buss on WOW or (Sly and Frank’s mom) Jackie Stallone on GLOW, or with (Angelo’s brother) promoter Chris Dundee.
When younger, McLane spent time working in Miami where he met the Dundees. Angelo was the legendary boxing trainer of Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard. Chris was a legendary promoter in South Florida, bringing boxing and pro wrestling to the area. By the way, The Stallones also have Miami ties.
McLane talks about his favorite wrestlers growing up and is candid about the Netflix series “GLOW.”
About WrestleCade Weekend
WrestleCade Weekend, one of the largest annual independent wrestling weekends, has an all-star line-up of past, present and future talent, WOW-Women Of Wrestling will be part of it from Nov. 24-26 in Winston-Salem, N.C.
WOW will be represented by Georgia wrestling legend Selina Majors (Bambi); former WOW World Champions Jungle Grrrl and the Fabulous Lana Star; ring veteran Amber O’Neal; WOW tag team The Dagger and The Temptress (aka The Vengeful Vixens); WOW rising stars Stephy Slays, Samantha Smart and The Beast; and GLOW creator and WOW founder David McLane.
Attendees can meet their favorite wrestling stars, see wrestling action, hear stories and ask questions during live podcasts and Q&A sessions. They can also meet fellow wrestling fans from around the world. This is the sixth annual version of this storied event and attendance is expected to exceed 7,000 fans.
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About WOW-Women Of Wrestling
WOW is the content provider for live events and programming featuring women’s professional wrestling. Its empowered women from all different backgrounds and professions who are marketed as “WOW Superheroes” and are the main attraction of every WOW presentation.
WOW’s digital ecosystem consists of its website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube channel. Together these systems comprise the ‘WOW World’ customer platforms.