The Work Of Wrestling

Tim Kail has an update about his book The Work Of Wrestling: A Book About Art. He shares details about the submission process, crafting a proposal, and writing a cover letter. He just received his first response from a publisher and he reads the email for the listener. Listen to find out whether it's an acceptance or rejection letter! Follow on social media @WorkOfWrestling. Give the podcast a five star rating and review in Apple Podcasts. Thanks for listening!

This week we're joined by writer Tom Dean, who hails from Northern England, to discuss his PHD project, which is partially inspired by the kayfabe breaking drama between Matt Hardy, Lita, and Edge. Tim and Tom discuss the fundamental difference between AEW and WWE, finding escapism in characters who are one's polar opposite, working as a freelancer, teaching literature courses, and what new kinds of stories they'd like to see from pro-wrestling. You can read the first page of Tom's project by clicking here.  

This week, host Tim Kail opens up about his seven year long journey with therapy. He offers what he's learned from being in analysis with therapists and psychiatrists, his go to suite of "moves", "signatures", and "finishers" for coping with the slippery beast that is our minds. He offers this because he believes it's useful information that should be freely offered to all rather than a select, wealthy few. He describes the benefits of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), meditation, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Watch ACT creator Steve C. Hayes' Ted Talk by clicking here. Buy Steven C. Hayes' book A Liberated Mind on Amazon. Click here for a list of cognitive distortions. Go to www.psychologytoday.com to find a therapist. Email wrestlingworks@gmail.com with any thoughts, questions, or responses. Take care, and may the moment of pop be with you. Music by Ben Holland.

For this special bonus episode host Tim Kail reads his latest article titled On Timeless Toni Storm, Orange Cassidy, and Reclaiming My Imagination.

This week, Work Of Wrestling host Tim Kail doesn't review Elimination Chamber. Instead, he reacts to the comments on his Facebook post about skipping this year's Chamber. Tim discusses the blandness of modern WWE, the consistency of AEW Dynamite, why he's becoming more choosey with how he spends his time and money, and why the consolidation of money and power in the world makes him uneasy about the future. He recommends the classic film Network. You can rent it on Amazon Prime Video. Follow Tim on social media @WorkOfWrestling. Submit stories to wrestlingworks@gmail.com.  

For this short, bonus Friday episode of The Work Of Wrestling progress host Tim Kail gives an update on the status of his forthcoming book The Work Of Wrestling: A Book About Art. He reads a bit from his book proposal and explains why the book has been great for his mental health. Give the podcast a five star rating and review in Apple Podcasts! Follow on social media @WorkOfWrestling. Keep an ear out for Monday's new episode!

This week host Tim Kail explains why professional wrestling is the least pretentious art. He discusses working in various mediums, telling stories with wrestling video games, and dealing with pretentious writers and filmmakers. You can read the blog that inspired this episode on www.workofwrestling.com. Music by Ben Holland.

Tim Kail explains why he's taken down The Work Of Wrestling's library of episodes. Follow on social media @WorkOfWrestling. May The Moment of Pop be with you!

This week host Tim Kail provides a real-time commentary for the triple threat match from NXT Stand and Deliver featuring NXT Champion Oba Femi and challengers Trick Williams and Je'Von Evans. Here is the link to the match on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMOaSqIMV5c Enjoy and thanks for listening! Music by Ben Holland.

Tim Kail has an announcement...he's writing a book! Inspired by J.J. McGee's Fight Forever: A Ballad of Kevin and Sami, Tim is endeavoring to distill his decade's long analysis of pro-wrestling into a single project. This book, The Work Of Wrestling: A Book About Art, will be a combination of his best writing with all new writing on the subject of wrestling being an art. Follow on the social media gimmicks @WorkOfWrestling to stay tuned on his progress. Give the podcast a five star rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Email questions, thoughts, or suggestions to wrestlingworks@gmail.com.

This week host Tim Kail is joined by renowned author J.J. McGee (MithGifs) to discuss their book Fight Forever: The Ballad of Kevin and Sami, a detailed history of two of pro-wrestling's greatest...ahem...the two greatest wrestlers of all time. Tim and J.J. discuss how this project came to be, J.J.'s writing practice, the most surprising piece of research they found, interviewing Kevin and Sami for the book, chronicling the history of these two modernday folk heroes, Kevin and Sami's legendary obsession with detail, their ability to weave macro and micro narratives into their matches, how the Montreal Screwjob is like their comic book characters' childhood trauma, and their small acts of kindness, revealing two genuinely good people. You can buy Fight Forever: The Ballad of Kevin and Sami on Amazon by clicking here. Follow J.J. McGee on Social Media @MithGifs. Music by Ben Holland. Thank you for listening! 

This week Tim Kail opens up about his increased passion for professional wrestling and what that means for his mental state. He discusses Fight Forever: The Ballad of Kevin and Sami by JJ McGee and how it uncorked his imagination as he spent three days cat sitting in an apartment overlooking The Hudson River. Music By Ben Holland.  

Work Of Wrestling host Tim Kail has had an idea for an episode of the pod for the past ten years, but he could never figure out a way to bring it to life. Well he's finally done it! In this episode he explores the connection between pro-wrestling and sex, how they follow parallel narrative paths. His goal is to help listeners better appreciate good wrestling (and good sex). This episode was originally a blog on the alternative social media site Lavish Made, https://lavishmade.com. Follow Tim on social media @WorkOfWrestling and give the podcast a five star rating and review.

Today's episode is a story submitted by Liam Lambert, @crowtagonist on Instagram. Liam shares a coming of age tale about creating his own backyard wrestling federation in the suburbs of Lincolnshire. It's a heartwarming story about pro-wrestling's ability to forge strong bonds among people, even as they grow up and move apart. To submit your story go to The Work Of Wrestling's Facebook page and click on the pinned post. That will take you to a Google form you can fill out. Thank you for your listenership in 2025. 

Tim Kail reacts to Mick Foley severing ties with WWE in the wake of President Trump's disparaging remarks on Rob Reiner. Tim reads Mick's original social media post on the matter, offers up some thoughts of his own, and then shares a pivotal decision he's made about what he's willing to cover in pro-wrestling in 2026. 

Host Tim Kail is joined by longtime friend and fan-favorite guest Alexander Monelli to discuss John Cena's last match at Saturday Night's Main Event. First, Tim & Al unload on annoying pro-wrestling fans for inserting themselves into Cena's final moments. Then they discuss Cena's greatest promos and matches. Finally, they examine what John Cena and the other greatest of all-time have in common. Follow Al on social media @monellifilms and subscribe to his YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@monellifilms

Trigger Warning - this episode contains discussion of thoughts of suicide, depression, and mental illness. Tim Kail shares a story he's been holding onto for years.  What happened to Tim when he stumbled upon a podcast that "lambasted" him for an article he'd written? How did he process it and attempt to maintain control of the situation (and his emotions). Listen to this frank, personal story to find out.

Pro-wrestling poetry, Monday Night Raw as "entertainment-mush", The Reality Era, and much more this week on The Work of Wrestling podcast! In Part 1 "The Lockup" host Tim Kail reacts to Triple H's interview with Stone Cold Steve Austin, dissecting the significance of the final ten minutes of their conversation where Triple H acknolwedged a three-hour Monday Night Raw is far too long. In Part 2 "The High Spot" Tim answers a question Triple H could not: "What does the Reality Era mean?". And then in "The Finish" Tim reads an email submitted by listener Andrew about how Triple H vs The Undertaker at WrestleMania X-7 left a lasting impression on his appreciation for professional wrestling.

This is the very first episode of The Work of Wrestling podcast! In part one, "The Lockup", host Tim Kail reviews the latest episode of NXT, discussing how a Blue Pants roll-up victory and a good Charlotte promo made him pop and why. In Part Two "The High Spot", the most basic truth of professional wrestling storytelling is examined - the importance of distinguishing between "pro-wrestling" terminology and "sports entertainment" terminology explained. And lastly, in Part Three "The Finish", Tim's old college buddy and fellow wrestling fanatic shares a touching story about how pro-wrestling "shaped his life". Thank you for listening. If you would like to submit your story visit www.facebook.com/workofwrestling and click on the pinned post or email wrestlingworks@gmail.com.