Former ECW Talent Talks Developing His Gimmick, Loyalty To The Company, What He's Doing Now

Joel Gertner, who worked in the original ECW as a ring announcer, manager and color commentator, appeared on the most recent episode of Colt Cabana's "The Art of Wrestling" podcast (Episode #229) and discussed his start in the business, his time in ECW and what he's been up to since his work with that celebrated promotion.

Asked by Cabana if he was ever scouted by WCW or WWF, Gertner said that there had been "nothing serious" but also noted that his loyalty to ECW made him a company stalwart. Cabana asked Gertner if he had ever put feelers out through other guys in the locker room and Gertner responded by saying that it was tough to interpret a lot of the information that was going around back then.

"There were third party things that I'd heard," Gertner recalled. "There was me with the Dudleys and the lead up to it. And then in 1999, a lot of different things happened at the same time. The Dudleys went to WWF. We got TNN. And I found out that Paul was interested in having me be the color commentator with Joey. And (I) remembered how big a deal it was that Joey did the weekly TV by himself but then also when he did the pay-per-view by himself? So the fact that Paul?who was picked by WCW when he was young, to be a color guy?and he worked with Ric Rude; and now he's giving me the opportunity to work with Ric Rude in his company on his television show? I was so loyal that when I spoke to people in other companies?which wasn't a lot?but when I did, it was? As much as I would have loved to be in WWF or WCW, I loved being in ECW, too."

Gertner also shared that his gimmick name "The Quintessential Stud Muffin" was an homage to Austin Idol, also known as "The Universal Heatrtthrob." Paul Heyman managed Idol years before his work in ECW.

Gertner said he's worked for ECW a couple of times (for the One Night Stand shows) and that he also worked in real estate and stand up comedy after his time in ECW. He currently works as a part-time math instructor and he works in the indy scene.

You can listen to the entire episode of this podcast at this link.