Who will win?
I think we all know the answer to this one, but it’s fun to ask, anyway.
One of my new best friends, Keith Wallace of The Wine School of Philadelphia sent the following to me, and at first I just chucked and responded, “Amazing… What once a showdown is now a smackdown, and you might get a lot of publicity in the meantime.” Well, I was right about that one. I have some links at the bottom of this blog that are pretty telling!
Then I thought… Wait a minute. This is news!
Here’s what Keith wrote to me, and I’m so glad he shared!
Jo,
Here is a funny newsworthy story for you. Not as much fun for me!
Here is the presser:
Vince McMahon is taking on his oddest foe to date: a sommelier wine tasting. The World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., has issued a cease and desist against The Wine School of Philadelphia and its popular Sommelier Smackdown series of wine classes.
In a letter to the school’s owner, the WWE’s lawyers are threatened legal action if the school does not stop hosting the series of wine tastings. I feel kind of special, says Keith Wallace, I am being picked on by Vince McMahon. I better start working out.
The Sommelier Smackdown is a series of food and wine pairing events that take place in Philadelphia. The event pits a sommelier against a member of The Wine School team, and the audience gets to vote for the winner.
Mr. Wallace says he will not stop running the classes, at least for now. They don’t have a leg to stand on. I am not going to bow down to a bully, he says. They claim that they own the term smackdown but they don’t.
In response to the WWE threat, Wallace is calling out Mr. McMahon and the wrestler Chris Jerico to a wine-tasting double-team cage match.
Keith Wallace is the Founder and Director of The Wine School of Philadelphia. He is a contributing writer for The Daily Beast, and is currently working on his first book for Running Press.
Let’s see where this one goes. I do remember, when I was in radio, a disc jockey by the name of Mark Persky. Every morning, he’d sign off as… “The greatest show from earth, ” FROM” being the operative word. It only took Barnum & Bailey one visit through Portland, Maine, for Mark to get the cease and desist letter. Just can’t touch those coat tails! And, when they belong to the wrestling crowd, ya better back away, buddy… nice and slow, now… Ya heeah!
To speak to Keith Wallace, please call 215-965-1514, ext. 33. (Keith Wallace, Founder, The Wine School, www.vinology.com)
Hey, Vince… Please accept this wine challenge. You guys can work out the details, but do you have any idea about the photo ops here? I’d like to see you with a crystal glass in your hand, swirling and sniffing to capture the essence of a great wine. Go volatlaize those esters, and get back to us on it. Who know, you might love a great Bordeaux, and we don’t know it yet. I’m thinking a stemware endorsement for you… “So tough it even passes the Vince test!”
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Jo – I’m delighted my friend Roger Paige turned me onto you. Vince needs to get a grip. Bless the Philly Sommeliers for a bit of levity. Great post.
Tom,
Roger’s my number one fan, I think.
Vince HAS a grip. I think that’s the problem.
Meanwhile, I just see Vince with a large Pinot globe, swirlin’ an sniffin’ an tastin.’ I WANT to be there for that one.
It’s an amazing opportunity for both of them to get copious amounts of publicity.
Let’s see if Vince has vision or stays in a state of derision and his insistence of fission from one another… LOL
Hey Jo, – Thanks for the mention! To add flames to the fire (perhaps?), Keith (of course) is going to run a Red Wine Cagematch class. It would be pretty great if Vince were to get in touch and join us for it!
You guys are so funny!