Chyron: March 21, 7:05 AM, Nashville International Airport
The camera fades in on the sight of an airplane landing on the runway.
Dalton (V.O): So what are we calling this thing? What's the subtitle, what's my documentary subtitle?
Cut to Dalton Castle sitting in the gate area, steaming paper cup in his hand. He's wearing sunglasses and a Dinosaur Jr. t-shirt under a gray hoodie.
Dalton: No one's going to click on EBWF 24 Dalton Castle if there's no subtitle. You're probably just going to call it Dalton Castle: Road to Wrestlemania, aren't you? Where's the pizazz? Oh, that's the one. Just call it. EBWF 24, Dalton Castle: Where's the Pizazz?
Insert shots of passengers starting to arrive at the gate.
Dalton: On camera in my civvies, you guys are killing my gimmick, you know? Now the world knows that I sometimes don't wear jumpsuits. It's rare, but it happens. They're actually really comfortable, like I could market them as pajamas. I guess I'm unprofessional. Remember Vito? He wore a sundress to the airport, he lived the gimmick, brother. What a guy. I tell you who's really exposing the business, look over there.
The camera pans to two tan young men sitting across from Dalton, wearing jeans and button-down shirts.
Dalton (V.O): Where is your feathered eyemask, young man?
Boy: Hopefully it's on the plane already.
Dalton (V.O): Haven't I taught you anything? Gear always goes in the carry-on. Just for that, you know what, just for that, blur him. No exposure for you!
A circular blur appears over the young man's face and the camera pans back to Castle.
Dalton: You can have your face back when we get to N'awlins. Maybe.
Insert shot of Dalton handing his ticket to the attendant and flashing a thumb's up to the camera while boarding the plane.
Dalton: If this thing crashes, give Chuck Taylor my blue jumpsuit. He knows what he's supposed to do with it.
Music cue over footage of the plane taking off and landing, Dalton wheeling his luggage through the concourse and crawling into a waiting shuttle.
Chyron: March 21, 11:48 AM, Outside Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport
Dalton: I've never been picked up by a chauffeur before. Living it up in the Big Easy, baby! Drive safe, bud, Dalty Two-Belts is precious cargo.
Insert footage of the city through the car window.
Dalton: I'm trying to conserve energy because I don't know if it will fully hit until Sunday night. I'm defending a title at Wrestlemania, That's surreal. You claw your way through the dirt, you know, just the nastiest, poorest nothing-federations to hopefully earn even just a spot on a card with a real paying crowd. You drive from city to city to city, building a name, a reputation. And you think, if this is all there is, if this is as far as I get, I could be happy. Because you love the sport, you love the business. But then somebody says, “Hey, kid. It's time for Wrestlemania again, and this year, we want you in it. You are now part of history.” How do you even process that? In a flash, you've gone from having a good career with the other brothers to having a legendary one. You're like Aaron Burr now, the world will never be the same.
Chyron: March 21, 6:55 PM, The Big Easy Party, Make a Wish Charity Event
Dalton speaking backstage with Wes Ikeda and Nattie, clad in a sequined black two-piece suit and peacock feather necktie.
Dalton: I know, I clean up real nice.
Wes Ikeda: I didn't even realize they made stuff like this.
Dalton: It's all custom, baby. You find the right seamstress and you'll be amazed what you can get away with.
Nattie: Are you ready for your first Wrestlemania?
Dalton: Born ready, going to be crossing a big item off the bucket list. Now I just have to make sure I'm world champion by next year so we can have a title up for grabs in the main event instead of a corner office.
Wes laughs.
Wes: Or maybe I'll decide I want to get back in the game full time, put up my corner office against your title?
Nattie: You wouldn't dare.
They all laugh. Cut to the inside of the ballroom. Dalton is introduced to the microphone to present the next charity item.
Dalton: Thank you. Tell the sound guy not to worry, I won't be yelling tonight. It's really great and humbling to be involved with this event, and helping to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. You already heard from my tag team co-champion earlier, who donated a signed fanny pack. My donation isn't as practical, I would admit, but just like I do to EBWF, I thought I would add some color to the auction table. So that is why I am proud to donate this full set of Dalton Castle Boyswear Feathered Masks. One dozen masks that were worn on the actual episode of Warfare that I held my championship celebration, each one is signed by myself and the wearer of that particular mask, and spoiler alert, when our good brothers stop by the arena to visit, some times they throw on a mask and join us for a laugh, so there are a few surprise names in there, including a WCW World Heavyweight Champion.
Cut to Dalton, now with the dais behind him as the next speaker is introduced. He holds up one of the masks and points at a black scribble.
Dalton: David Arquette, right there.
Montage of Dalton schmoozing with the crowd.
Dalton (to Jim Ross): Jim, you never told us. How DO you learn to fall off of a 20 foot ladder? Because I think I am woefully unprepared.
Dalton (to Grado): So when you climb up on the turnbuckle and get all nervous, is that an act or are you really scared of heights?
Grado: Aye'm nota fan of 'em, fersure.
Dalton: That's what I thought.
Dalton (to Edge): I blame you, you know. You had to be all awesome and studly and invent tag team ladder matches. I have Boys to feed.
Dalton (to Bobby Roode): I love the whole old-school robe thing you have going on, have you ever thought of adding a cape? My cape guy can hook you up.
Dalton (to elderly donors): I could definitely use some silver foxes as Boys. There are no age limits. How comfortable are you in a loin cloth?
Elderly Woman: More comfortable than our grandkids would like.
Dalton: Ha! I'm leaving you all my hotel key.
Chyron: March 22, 1:10 PM, Smoothie King Arena
Dalton sitting down with a pair of producers, one with a headset and the other scribbling on a clipboard.
Dalton: I'm just always worried about balance. Not that there has to be like an exact even number of every body type or height range per se, but they should all sort of equal out, I guess? Like I never want to have like five super buff Boys and then one husky Boy, because that makes the larger one the joke, right? So as we're sort of stage directing them, let's just keep that mind. And they'll take cues from Brandon.
The conversation continues.
Dalton (V.O): The Boys were the single greatest idea I ever had. They brought the whole act together. I owe them everything. So I try to be a real mentor and advocate for them.
Cut to Dalton in the stands.
Dalton: For these big events, we're grabbing extras from everywhere. The crew, other workers, local theater, there is a lot of rotation. But my core Boys, we're traveling together, we're training together, I'm watching their matches and smartening them up, I'm doing what the good brothers did for me when I started.
Insert shot of the Boys practicing their choreography on the stage.
Dalton (V.O): I've used Girls, from time to time, and that's always an option to change things up. But th benefit of the Boys is the novelty, as opposed to the usual female valets, it turns that paradigm around. And also I can step on them, I can sit on them, do all the other human furniture gags we do, which I think would be uncomfortable seeing done with female valets. I step on men and give ladies high fives, I think that qualifies as social progress.
Chyron: March 23, 9:05 AM, Breakfast of Champions Charity Event
Dalton is behind a curtain in his shiny suit, waiting to be introduced.
Dalton: So this is the closest I'm ever going to come to being Mickey Mouse. I remember being a kid, having one of those breakfasts at Disney where the characters would come to your table, now here I am, and I hope I can bring that kind of excitement to these kids here. I think we have a good group here for this occasion, me and Grado are pretty much cartoon characters. Kids go crazy for Jeff Hardy. Liv looks like a princess. And if Kenny shows up, he can chat video games all day with these kids. I think we're going to make some nice memories and raise some more money, so that's a win all around.
Insert shot of Grado dancing through the curtain, followed by Dalton. Cut to Dalton at the microphone.
Dalton: Liv was making fun of me back behind the curtain for wearing the same suit to two different charity events, but the joke is on her, because my suit on Wednesday couldn't do this.
He does his signature wing span pose, revealing a white cape some black scribbles on it.
Dalton: This cape has names and doodles from some of the friends I've made visiting hospitals and shelters, and I would love to add some more to it today!
Montage of Dalton visiting tables, chatting with families, and directing children in the decorating of this cape.
Dalton: Everyone loves to sign the left side, give some attention to my right armpit here....What's that, a dinosaur? A dog? I'm looking at it upside down, can you draw it upside down for me so I can see it?.....Did you sign your name or did you write kick me? If I look at it later and it says “Kick Me”, I'll know it was you!
Dalton (V.O): There are moments when the real meaning of being a champion become very clear. Being there with the kids at the charity breakfast was one of those moments. To those kids, you aren't a wrestler or a worker or a good hand. There are no politics. There's no shade of gray booking. You're a hero, pure and simple, and you have to stand up for the people that are on your side. Even if you're standing next to Grado.
Chyron: March 24, 12:00 pm, Fan Axxess
Dalton and the Boys make their entrance through the small curtain to the cheers of the Axxess crowd.
Dalton (V.O): The signings are fun but my favorite part of Axxess is getting to jump in the ring for a tune-up. It's a great small room atmosphere that you can really get loose in.
A montage of Dalton having a short, lighthearted match against special guest Trevor Lee, including a moment where Trevor draws heel heat by inching closer and closer to touching the walnut case housing the Gateway Championship like a pesky little brother. Eventually Dalton hits the Bangarang for the inevitable win. As the crowd applauds, Dalton asks for a microphone.
Dalton: What do you think, guys? Am I READY for Wrestlemania? It's not gonna be easy. It's not gonna be fun. I dare even say, it is NOT going to be a party. Tomorrow, at Wrestlemania, I am going to have to climb, rung by rung, to get to the top of the ladder and remain tag team champion, but that's appropriate. Because I have ALREADY had to climb rung by rung to get to where I am TODAY! Tyler Breeze, Noam Dar, Michael Dante, even Tommy End, none of them have what I have. A sweet mustache, and the WILL to win! I will stack their bodies up and put the damn ladder on top of the pile if I have to! I am walking in to Wrestlemania as Dalty Two-Belts and you can bet your asses that I will be LEAVING Wrestlemania as Dalty. Two. Belts.
Dalton and the Boys disappear behind the curtain.
Dalton (V.O): Where's the pizazz? It's wherever I am. And now it is at Wrestlemania, where it's always belonged.
DC 3/26: The House of the Rising Sun
Re: DC 3/26: The House of the Rising Sun
This was great. I love the way you always do something different with your RPs, Derek :)
