Luke Gallows has had quite the impact in WWE this year as one-third of the Club. But as most people know, this isn’t his first run with the company: He previously was a member of the Straight Edge Society, serving as CM Punk’s heavy on Smackdown for much of 2010. But before that, Gallows had the slightly less dignified gimmick of Festus, a giant (and perhaps mentally challenged) teddy bear who, upon hearing the ring bell sound, would transform into a monstrous big man that would dominate his opponents in the ring.
Festus had a two-and-a-half-year run on Smackdown (yet somehow Pancake Patterson only got one week of Raw? I call shenanigans!), and his character was created by Vince McMahon himself. But according to Gallows, McMahon has no recollection of the big man ever playing Festus. Again, Festus appeared on weekly WWE programming from June 2007 until November 2009, and Vince McMahon does not remember it. Here’s what Gallows (and his tag team partner Karl Anderson) told the Sam Roberts Wrestling Podcast about the confusion:
Anderson: “The best part of the Festus character is that we heard from Talent Relations, or the Head of Talent Relations is that Vince doesn’t even remember that he was Festus.”
Gallows: “I don’t know if we’re even allowed to say the word, but my wife didn’t even know that I was Festus when I married her, which is real.”
Anderson: “We go up to the Gorilla Position, and Mark Carano would say, ‘I’m going to go tell Vince and remind him that you were Festus.’ I would say, ‘Don’t tell Vince, I need this run right now.'”
Some of us will never forget, Luke Gallows. And if I ever see you at a Waffle House, you best believe I’m sending your table an order of biscuits and gravy.
(transcription h/t Cageside Seats)
