It's Good to Be the King...Sometimes

Rating:
Summary: Interesting Life
Review: "It's Good To Be The King...Sometimes" is the autobiography of legendary wrestling personality Jerry "The King" Lawler. For fans of wrestling or biographies Lawler's got a lot of stories to share and does not disappoint.

For longtime wrestling fans Lawler takes a sweeping view back across his life and gives you the lowdown on just about everything from his childhood, his multiple marriages, his family, his hobbies and interests and - of course, his life in wrestling. Among the things he shares with the reader are:

1.His interest in art and how it kept him out of Vietnam

2.His time spent as a radio DJ

3.How he broke into the wrestling business with in the Tennessee territory

4.How he met each of his wives

5.His connection to "The King" Elvis Presley

6.TONS of road stories with guys like Jackie Fargo, Jerry Jarrett and Sam Bass

7.The REAL story of his infamous feud with Andy Kauffman and his later filming of "Man on the Moon"

8.A few stories about his time in the WWE

9.The Story Behind the firing of the "Kat" and his divorce from Stacy Carter

10.His running for Memphis Mayor

11.Some of his "Ring Rat" stories (oh boy...)

THE COOL STUFF

If you're a Lawler fan you'll definitely love the stories King has to share (he's got a lot of them). The book reads very much like a sit down chat with a friend as Lawler doesn't hold much back. For old school wrestling fans his stories of the old Memphis territory are the real gems in this book. For WWE fans Lawler really doesn't share too much about his WWE experiences (he does cover his Bret feud and that's about it really) that most long-time WWE fans already know about. A comic at heart Lawler does spice the book out with a bunch of his one-liners he'll use of commentary which was pretty funny.

THE VERDICT

If you love bios Lawler's a good one for you. You come away from the book knowing the guy's poured his heart out to you (kudos to him for being able to open up his heart about all his failed marriages). You get some nice stories about art, music, wrestling, life on the road, a bunch of good one liners and some pretty nasty tales about all the ladies he's met over the years. Yup, this one's got it all.

Highly Recommended

Total Pages: 384
Total Read Time: About 9 hours over 6 nights

Rating:
Summary: If there's one thing I can't stand about 'The King'
Review: I didn't read his book, I didn't even buy it or ever open a page of it, I just figured this is the perfect place for viewers to hear my opinion out on what I think of him on RAW.

He seriously annoys me nowadays, ever since I really, fully noticed he is extremely biased and constantly favors the guy booed and never shuts up about it. It's not that I find his voice annoying, it's that I hate hearing him constantly cheer for those Evolution members and then put down all those who oppose them.

For example, when Goldberg had an extremely unfair 3 on 1 handicap match with Evolution with Ric Rlair being at ringside, Jerry started blabing how it was wrong for Goldberg to go after Flair after Flair slammed Goldberg's injured ankle into the steel ring post. Isn't it bad enough Goldberg has Batista, Randy Orton, and Triple H to worry about? Ric Flair had no business out there. Goldberg should've hospitalized him.

Also, the way Jerry 'The King' Lawler puts down Edge, Shelton Benjamin, Shawn Micheals, (and the list goes on and on) and how he severely verbally abuses Chris Jericho. Just listening to him makes it torture for my ears when he does that.

And of course, he also picks on Chris Benoit. Chris Benoit had 3 or 4 members of Evolution in that ring all around him, and when Benoit had a steel chair to slightly improve his odds, Jerry is all like 'he can't do that,'. Isn't bad enough they'd beat him as bad as they want?

I am so tired of his prejudice. He's got a big mouth. Because of him, I hit the mute button whenever Evolution or Christian face off in a match against their opponents. At least on Smackdown, the ring announcers Micheal Cole and Tazz are much more fair to the wrestlers. If anything, they'll always agree that the booed guys are out of line.

Why don't Jerry 'The King' Lawler just join Evolution and be the fifth member if he likes them so much?

Rating:
Summary: right up there with Mick Foley's book
Review: I have held up Mick Foley's book 'Have a Nice Day: A Tale of Blood, Guts, and Sweatsocks' as the pinnacle of wrestling autobiography. Since I have read that book, nothing has come close to being nearly as good or as honest. I was skeptical about reading Jerry Lawler's autobiography because all I knew of him was the joke he has become as a WWF/E announcer. I was aware that he was a legend in Memphis wrestling and that he had the famous angle with Andy Kaufman (I learned about this from the film 'Man on the Moon'). That was all I knew of Jerry Lawler. I decided to read the book anyway and I'm glad that I did. While Mick Foley is a more sympathetic person and it is easier to care for Foley, Jerry Lawler has written (with a co-writer) one of the best wrestling biographies on the market.

Even though the narrative jumps around a little bit, this is a straightforward and mostly chronological account of Jerry 'The King' Lawler's life and career in professional wrestling. We are introduced to a young Jerry Lawler going to local wrestling events with his father, but having no interest in being a wrestler himself. It was only through his art (he originally wanted to be an artist) that he even had any contact with the world of professional wrestling and the men outside the ring. It was only later, as a radio DJ that Lawler ended up with the exposure and interest to try to be a professional wrestler. Since then, Lawler has led a charmed career in the ring. We learn about the scope of his career in Memphis and finally his entry into the WWF (later WWE).

If Lawler's professional life has been charmed, his personal life has not been. While Jerry Lawler reveals that he has never drank alcohol or done any drugs, he does admit that his one vice has always been women and sex. Lawler freely admits that he has been a horrible husband and father and that he has not been able to stay faithful to his wives. The pattern has been that near the end of a marriage, Lawler meets a very young woman (early 20's) and ends up leaving his wife for the other woman. The only exception to this is his last wife, Stacy Carter. Stacy (former WWF Diva, the Kat) married Lawler when she was 19 and she ended up leaving him. Lawler has continued his interest in young women. Lawler makes no excuses for his lifestyle and he does not attempt to wallow in pity (nor does he try to incite others to pity him).

This is a very honest book and revealing of many aspects of the culture of professional wrestling. Jerry Lawler does throw in a bit too many jokes and references that one would expect from Jerry Lawler the announcer, but as a whole, this is one of the best wrestling biographies that I have read. In terms of quality, I would place this one second behind Foley's first autobiography.

Rating:
Summary: A Kingly Read
Review: I want to completely disagree with the Publishers Weekly review of this book by wrestling legend Jerry "The King" Lawler. In my opinion, this is the most well-written book of all the WWE biographies.

Lawler is amusing with his stories and gives us great insight on how wrestling territories used to be ran. Lawler is a legend and this book is a good education for anyone that doesn't realize what an impatc he has made on wrestling.

My only beef is with some of his sexual exploits. He admittedly lusted after other women when he was married and basically cheated on his first two wives. When the roles got reveresed with the Kat, I can't help but feel he got what he deserved in some regards.

However, this book is a great read and I highly recommend it to everyone.

Rating:
Summary: The King has written one of the best WWE books!
Review: It's Good to be King sometimes is a great read. Jerry Lawler talks about why Jim Carrey is a crazy ..... while Andy Kaufman is just a normal guy. Lawler also tells a good story about how Elvis Presley would have became a pro wrestler in the Memphis area if it wasn't for his tragic death. Learn why the Kat(Lawler's ex-wife) is not a very nice person! I can't believe Lawler still wants the Kat back after all those stories he tells about her. Also, learn the true story according to the King on his first constrovial departure from the WWE. Some great Jerry Lawler artwork is include in the book as a extra bonus! My only negative feedback on the book is Lawler does not mention his classic feud with Saved by the Bell's Dustin Dimond(Screetch Powers) in the Memphis area and doesn't even mention Brandon Baxter's name in the entire book. Brandon and the King had a classic feud in the USWA were Brandon told the King and the other USWA legends they were to old to wrestle and it was really funny stuff. Jerry Lawler also fails to mention the sex scandel he had with a teenage girl in the 1990's. This book would have been a good chance to clear his name once and for all! The book is still a great read even though it has it's flaws. I hope this book review has been helpfully!