I was born in Nashville in 1971. As a kid I thought wrestling was real & Tojo was my fave. In the early '80's he wound up living a block & a half from my house in a small apartment by the local church the neighborhood kids played at. He'd usually ignore us, but we would see him all the time walking back & forth to his car in his stacked Japanese tong shoes & holler, "TOJO!!!" One Halloween we as bigger kids still wanted candy so we got bags & went Trick-or-treating. We knocked on Tojo's door & it swung open with nobody in sight. We got scared & just ran away!😅 I later heard he moved into another apartment complex about a mile down the road. Then I got terrible news, if true, he committed suicide. All that matters is we love you, Tojo!!! 🙏❤
This statement will tell my age. The first 3 wrestlers I saw live were Jackie Fargo, Tojo Yamamoto, and Bearcat Brown all on the same card. They did a show at our local national guard armory and I believe I was in first or second grade. I still have their individual black and white 8x10s they autographed for me that night.
Great classic moment. One of the all-time greats talking about another all-time great who could have been even greater. So much prejudice in wrestling. If you weren't in or weren't popular or cool with the boys in the back you were out of luck. Tojo knew that and made the best he could of things in Memphis and down South period. A class act. Rest in peace Sir. Bansi! Bansi! Bansi!
Damn Jerry learn simple history. Hideki Tojo was a general in Japanese army. Isoruku Yamamoto (the Hawk) was the Admiral that planned the attack on Pearle Harbor. Hirohito was the emperor.
Awesome. I live in Boaz Alabama. Very small town. But has a wrestling gig they do in a warehouse in Saturday nights ACW wrestling. Buff Bagwell almost every other weekend. Arn Anderson and some other greats have came through. I don't know if it is the but I've heard it's the oldest running.. Indy wrestling gig I guess. If you live in Boaz Alabama you see the flyers. EVERYWHERE. It's just a thing. Midget wrestling in Boaz. Kids play in the ring before the shows. It's a real.. country thing. But here recently I have heard several things about it listening to wrestling interviews. The owner i think is named Mickey and called the Hammer. I used to cook his food everyday at a restaurant I worked at. Never thought anything of it. It's just cool you know half the shit Kings saying is remembered wrong but he he knew what Boaz was
Tomorrow was my grandmother's favorite and mine to till Pipper came along. Will never forget when he Jerry and Dutch came to Collinwood, TN and performed at Collinwood High School Gym. Jerry vs Dutch and Tojo against some huge guy named Monk. Too tossed or flipped Monk out of the ring and some poor kid about my size almost killed himself to avoid having Monk fall on him. Best night I ever had with my father and his brother.
I remember tojo- he would come in from the dressing room- with his wooden 4 or six block shoes- and take them off at the turn buckle- and clock someone over the head sometimes- during the match
I feel that King should have at least been told what wrestlers he would be asked about, so he could have at least checked their Wikipedia pages and wouldn't have made so many embarrassing mistakes, like Tojo's real name, or illness.
Tojo was Japanese prime minister during WWII and Yamamoto was the largest battleship ever built. Jerry's not a history buff. The emperor was Hirohito btw.
Tojo is why I'm a fan of pro wrestling. Rest in Peace Tojo Yamamoto(Harold Watanabe).
Tojo Yamamoto represented all that was good about pro wrestling
I remember watching Tojo, George Gulas and Bobby Eaton wrestle when I was a kid
Tojo and Jerry were both household words in my childhood home.
I was born in Nashville in 1971. As a kid I thought wrestling was real & Tojo was my fave. In the early '80's he wound up living a block & a half from my house in a small apartment by the local church the neighborhood kids played at. He'd usually ignore us, but we would see him all the time walking back & forth to his car in his stacked Japanese tong shoes & holler, "TOJO!!!" One Halloween we as bigger kids still wanted candy so we got bags & went Trick-or-treating. We knocked on Tojo's door & it swung open with nobody in sight. We got scared & just ran away!😅 I later heard he moved into another apartment complex about a mile down the road. Then I got terrible news, if true, he committed suicide. All that matters is we love you, Tojo!!!
🙏❤
The great Midsouth days with Jerry Lawler and Tojo Yamamoto. Great memories.
The best I love this man as a kid I love to hear Lance say The Honorable Tojo Yamamoto RIP
This statement will tell my age. The first 3 wrestlers I saw live were Jackie Fargo, Tojo Yamamoto, and Bearcat Brown all on the same card. They did a show at our local national guard armory and I believe I was in first or second grade. I still have their individual black and white 8x10s they autographed for me that night.
Tojo was awesome used to watch him in the 70's in Birmingham. 1 of my all time favorites.
Tojo Yamamoto. Enough said. He was something.
RIP.Tojo.and your wooden shoe.Great memories.
I saw Tojo every Sunday in Paducah in the early 70s
Remember watching Tojo in Bowling Green KY. RIP Tojo.
Great classic moment. One of the all-time greats talking about another all-time great who could have been even greater. So much prejudice in wrestling. If you weren't in or weren't popular or cool with the boys in the back you were out of luck. Tojo knew that and made the best he could of things in Memphis and down South period. A class act. Rest in peace Sir. Bansi! Bansi! Bansi!
Jerry, you were the best wrestling entertainer in Memphis. Glad you recovered from the heart attack.
Loved watching Tojo at the Boutwell Auditorium in Birmingham.
Michael Keyes The Hippodrome in Nashville
that may be one of the greatest rib stories i've heard
The great Tojo....RIP
Tojo wrestling in the Ohio Valley cities introduced many people to matches with flair and excitement. He made the popularity of wrestling go way up...
Nice to remember Tojo
OMG I FORGOT ABOUT TOJO YAMAMOTO ! ! ! Memories indeed. ... J
Damn Jerry learn simple history. Hideki Tojo was a general in Japanese army. Isoruku Yamamoto (the Hawk) was the Admiral that planned the attack on Pearle Harbor. Hirohito was the emperor.
Awesome. I live in Boaz Alabama. Very small town. But has a wrestling gig they do in a warehouse in Saturday nights ACW wrestling. Buff Bagwell almost every other weekend. Arn Anderson and some other greats have came through. I don't know if it is the but I've heard it's the oldest running.. Indy wrestling gig I guess. If you live in Boaz Alabama you see the flyers. EVERYWHERE. It's just a thing. Midget wrestling in Boaz. Kids play in the ring before the shows. It's a real.. country thing. But here recently I have heard several things about it listening to wrestling interviews. The owner i think is named Mickey and called the Hammer. I used to cook his food everyday at a restaurant I worked at. Never thought anything of it. It's just cool you know half the shit Kings saying is remembered wrong but he he knew what Boaz was
The Honoble Toko Yakaoma what a wrestler.All the great moves he did
Tojo was great!
Great memories of tojo
Admiral Yamamoto led the fleet that attacked Pearl Harbour. His famous quote - 'We have woken up a sleeping Giant' - and he found out.
Tojo was born in Hawaii.
i remember Tojo in Jonesboro Ark the place i am from
@Glennandrews Tojo was from Hawaii
I met a guy that was trained by him. If you called him a "mean old bastard" he would make you regret waking up that day.
Tomorrow was my grandmother's favorite and mine to till Pipper came along. Will never forget when he Jerry and Dutch came to Collinwood, TN and performed at Collinwood High School Gym. Jerry vs Dutch and Tojo against some huge guy named Monk. Too tossed or flipped Monk out of the ring and some poor kid about my size almost killed himself to avoid having Monk fall on him. Best night I ever had with my father and his brother.
I remember tojo- he would come in from the dressing room- with his wooden 4 or six block shoes- and take them off at the turn buckle- and clock someone over the head sometimes- during the match
News to me. His real name was Harold (!!!) Watanabe.
only in memphis could tojo get over
Louisville Gardens in Louisville, Ky he was over. Big draw here.
Gooddayforapicnicaandagoodmovie
I think his last name would be pronounced what-a-nah-bee.
I feel that King should have at least been told what wrestlers he would be asked about, so he could have at least checked their Wikipedia pages and wouldn't have made so many embarrassing mistakes, like Tojo's real name, or illness.
This video should be retitled Jerry Lawler Misremembers Tojo Yamamoto
Jesus Jerry, just admit you know nothing about the man other than his interaction with you in the ring
Yeah, by the time this podcast was made it was common knowledge that his name was Harold Watanabe (not a hard name to pronounce btw).
LOL someone actually asked if Jerry remembered Tojo Yamamoto?
Wa-tohn-ah-bee
(like john with a t)
If you don’t know Tojo , Jarrett , Dutch ,Dundee you don’t know Shi*
Tojo was Japanese prime minister during WWII and Yamamoto was the largest battleship ever built. Jerry's not a history buff. The emperor was Hirohito btw.
Actually the battleship was the “Yamato”. Yamamoto was a Japanese admiral.