As I See It - 12/30/2002: Now The South Philly Community Is Concerned About XPW?

AS I SEE IT - 12/30/2002:
Now The South Philly Community Is Concerned About XPW?

by: Bob Magee

Apparently it isn't only rival wrestling fans that have a concern about XPW and Extreme Associates leasing the ECW Arena.

PWBTS has received a copy of a leaflet, whose word for word language is contained below. This leaflet is apparently being distributed in the neighborhood adjacent to the ECW Arena by members of the South Philadelphia community.

In the leaflet, which has also been sent to Philadelphia City Councilpersons Ralph DiCicco (whose home district the ECW Arena is in) and City Council President Anna Verna (whose home district borders on the Arena), the individuals express concerns primarily about the core business of Extreme Associates, namely adult/pornographic films.

These South Philadelphians also, however, express concerns about the perceived business practices of XPW as a wrestling promotion, as well as make allegations made against its head, Rob (Black) Zicari.

This is the language that those members of the community are using in the leaflet. The language reflects solely the opinions of those responsible for it, except in the issues involving XPW's business practices (mentioned in previous AS I SEE IT columns), where the views are identical to those that I've expressed in the columns.

The leaflet also expresses opinions concerning the assault of William "Messiah" Welch earlier this year. It must be said that the incident in question is being investigated, and that no individuals are officially considered suspects, nor has anyone been charged regarding these allegations.

[EDITOR'S NOTE: THE LANGUAGE CONTAINED BELOW IN THE LEAFLET AND COMMENTARY ON IT HAS REFERENCES TO ADULT AND SEXUAL SITUATIONS, AND MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR MINORS.]
PORNOGRAPHY IS COMING TO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD...
On January 1st, 2003, a company called Extreme Associates will hold a 3-year lease on Viking Hall. Extreme Associates runs a WRESTLING company called Xtreme Pro Wrestling (XPW). The company claims that they will be running XPW shows in the building. Extreme Associates derives the vast majority of its income from the production and sales of PORNOGRAPHIC videos. They also derive income from selling memberships to their PORNOGRAPHY website as well.

This company, as well as filming “mainstream” pornography also has promoted the following acts as ‘entertainment”:

A promotion on their website where a Chihuahua puppy was going to be eaten by a very large snake live on a webcam on their members only site. This act got them investigated by The Los Angeles Police Department and the animal rights group P.E.T.A.

To get out of that situation, they faked a raid by the LAPD, which had police beating company owner Rob Zicari bloody and "arresting" him. The "raid" was photographed and shown on their website with actors dressed as LAPD cops and other law enforcement officials. This "raid" never occurred and Extreme Associates even promoted the act as "police brutality".

On the Extreme Associates website, the following items are available:

The promoting of “snuff” videos and videos depicting rape. Several of these videos feature Lizzy Borden, who is Rob Zicari’s wife.

Videos of actresses playing teenage girls and performing in group sex and other extreme sex acts. The actresses to the best of our knowledge are consenting adults.

Videos where men are degrading the assumed consenting actresses by urinating on them, and committing other acts of depravity.

Not only that, but Extreme Associates was also featured on an episode of “America’s Most Wanted” on FOX after one of the former employees of the wrestling company, William “The Messiah” Welch, was the victim of an apparent hit where his right thumb was severed off with gardening sheers. The day the show went to Extreme Associates offices in California to question them about the incident; neither the office nor the warehouse was open. It should be noted that Mr. Welch left the company on very bad terms after it was revealed that he was having an affair with Rob Black’s wife Lizzy Borden.

Extreme Associates also has committed several improper acts in the operation of their wrestling company:

Selling tickets to their first show without both the required promoter’s license or a $10,000 surety bond required by The State Athletic Commission of Pennsylvania to insure that fans buying tickets would receive a refund if the shows are cancelled for any reason.

$10,000 surety bond required by The State Athletic Commission of Pennsylvania to insure that fans buying tickets would receive a refund if the shows are cancelled for any reason.

It is also alleged that they misrepresent the number of paying fans into their shows to The State of Pennsylvania to pay less tax on the gate draw of their shows. The State charges a 5 percent sales and use tax on all wrestling events in Pennsylvania, money which is used to fund the Commission itself, as well as for the general fund which supports schools and other public services.

Several of their wrestling performers also work with the pornography part of the company, including actresses Lizzy Borden and Veronica Caine, photographers “Smiley” Johnson (who wrestles as G.Q. Money) and Kevin Kleinrock (portrayed as XPW Vice-President) also work in the wrestling company.

Along with the wrestling events they plan to hold there, Extreme Associates also has announced in the Philadelphia Daily News plans to hold concerts to make up the revenue from the $120,000 lease that they’re paying per year over the next three years.

Do you, as a member of the community, want the noise that such concerts will generate?

Most notably for the community, Extreme Associates plans to use the building as a warehouse....a warehouse to store wrestling videos and also pornography.

Is THIS what you want in YOUR neighborhood for the next 3 years???

Contact Greg Sirb of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission at (717) 787-5720, or fax him at (717) 783-0824. Tell them that this pornography company masquerading as a wrestling promotion is unacceptable to you as a taxpayer, a citizen, and as a parent.

DEMAND the enforcement of regulations that would take away the ability of XPW to run professional wrestling shows within Pennsylvania.

Contact City of Philadelphia Licenses and Inspections at (215) 686-2400. Tell them that you want the actions within this building to be examined for violation of any City or State laws and business regulation, as well as take any lawful actions necessary to correct dangerous and unlawful conditions.

Contact City of Philadelphia Police and DEMAND that they monitor the activities within this building to determine any violations of law and to preserve the safety of your neighborhood from the effects of a pornography business operating within it.

XPW Vice President Kevin Kleinrock contacted PWBTS reporter Eric Walker, and complained vehemently about "inaccuracies" in the leaflet, reported on at PWBTS and numerous other websites where you're reading this column.

Well... after reading the leaflet, and doing a little looking around, I don't see anything inaccurate.

Let's see:

The so-called "puppy angle"... it happened.
The pretend "police raid" following it...that happened, too.

How about the items the leaflet mentions on the Extreme Associates website? They're easy enough to find right here.

[A REMINDER: THE LANGUAGE AND PICTURES CONTAINED ON THE EXTREME ASSOCIATES WEBSITE HAS GRAPHIC SEXUAL IMAGES THAT ARE NOT SUITABLE FOR MINORS.]

Pseudo-snuff films... right there...with Lizzy Borden herself involved in one of them, too.
"Golden showers" scenes in Extreme Associates "films"...they're easy to find. Just ask Veronica Caine.
Films advertised as depicting underage girls...but girls which Extreme Associates has stated are not really underage... they're present on the website as well.
Several XPW performers DO work in the Extreme Associates offices, including actresses Lizzy Borden, Veronica Caine, and photographers "Smiley" Johnson (XPW's G.Q. Money) and Kevin Kleinrock.

As for the incident described in the leaflet from America's Most Wanted...everyone watching the show saw the truth of what's outlined in the leaflet for themselves. The doors to the Extreme Associates warehouse and offices were shut tight as America's Most Wanted came to ask them about the Messiah incident.

Then, of course, there are the situations mentioned describing XPW's violations of Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission regulations. Any readers of this column know all about those already...so no further comment is needed.

So it seems to me that Kevin Kleinrock has nothing to complain about...unless he thinks that people can't read what's in plain view on their own website, and on websites commenting upon the adult film industries.

It remains to be seen what if any effect this will have in the future operations of XPW as it begins its three year lease of the ECW Arena. It'll be curious if any members of the community have yet contacted the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission, and if it motivates the Commission, whose Executive Director Greg Sirb has thus been unwilling to act upon XPW's violations... for reasons best known to himself.

Until next time...

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(If you have comments or questions, I can be reached by e-mail at bobmagee1@hotmail.com)