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Thursday, December 15, 2011

I knew I was either going to get red or get noticed.

I got noticed. Zack Ryder

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Dec. 15-21
Each week, Times features writer Brandon Oland provides a list of mustsee entertainment events for the week ahead.

Ryder Revolution
BY S. WAYNE CARTER JR.
TIMES STAFF WRITER

WWE Superstar uses social media to raise his profile, wrestles for U.S. Championship Sunday in Baltimore

IN THE COUNTY

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Walt Michael is scheduled to perform at 8 p.m. Saturday during his annual Breakin Up Christmas concert as part of the Common Ground on the Hill music series.

Walt Michael & Company present Breakin Up Christmas

Synopsis: Michael, the executive director of Common Ground on the Hill, returns for his annual holiday show. He will be joined by Alexander Mitchell (ddle), Tom Wetmore (string bass), Ralph Gordon (cello) and special guest Barry Mitterhoff. When: 8 p.m. Saturday Where: Carroll Arts Center, 91 W. Main St., Westminster Admission: $19 for adults, $17 for students, seniors and students Information: 410-857-2771 or www.commongroundonthehill.org

The Hard Travelers present their Christmas Show

Synopsis: The folk country performers featuring Kenn Roberts, Mack Bailey, Mike Munford, Jon Glik and Ira Gitlin bring their holiday tour to Carroll County. When: 8 p.m. Sunday Where: Baldwins Station, 7618 Main St., Sykesville Admission: $25 Information: 410-795-1041 or www.baldwinsstation.com

IN THE REGION
The Lion King on stage
Synopsis: The stage production of the Disney classic features intricate costumes, including strutting giraffes, swooping birds and leaping gazelles. When: Shows run through Jan. 8. Upcoming performances are at 7:30 p.m. tonight, 7:30 p.m. Friday, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday and 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday Where: Hippodrome Theatre, 12 N. Eutaw St., Baltimore Admission: $30-$100 Information: 800-343-3103 or www.france-merrickpac.com

Christmas Story in Art

Synopsis: This walk-in tour features the birth of Christ in Renaissance works. When: 1-2 p.m. Saturday Where: The Walters Art Museum, 600 N. Charles St., Baltimore Admission: Free Information: 410-547-9000 or www.thewalters.org

Last Christmas, Zack Ryder received a gift that changed his life a Flip video camera from his parents. At the time, Ryder (whose real name is Matthew Cardona Jr.) was in danger of losing the only job he ever wanted: being a WWE Superstar. After a promising start to his professional wrestling career in 2007 as a tag team with Curt Hawkins alongside then World Heavyweight Champion Edge, Ryder had become a jobber, wrestlings version of the Washington Generals, the guy who loses his match every night. Sometimes, Ryder wouldnt even be on the card. Earlier this year, probably January or so, I looked myself in the mirror and said this career is not where I want it to be, Ryder said in a phone interview from Raleigh, N.C., where WWE Smackdown was being taped Tuesday. So Ryder took the camera his parents bought him, set it up in his living room at his Long Island home, and started lming the rst episode of Z! True Long Island Story, which he posted on YouTube Feb. 17. More episodes followed. In them, he panned WWE for not using him on television and encouraged fans to buy his T-shirt, follow him on Twitter and to take care, spike your hair. Woo, woo, woo! You know it, which became his signature sign-off. I had nothing to lose; I was on a path to get released. What were they going to do? Fire me? Not put me on TV? I wasnt on TV anyway, Ryder said. My life was going to change one way or the other. I knew I was either going to get red or get noticed. I got noticed. Fans started showing up at the arena bringing signs asking to be his Broski of the Week on the YouTube show. His T-shirt was selling out at merchandise stands. And people started chanting his name during matches he wasnt involved in. It reached a crescendo last month at WWE Survivor Series at Madison Square Garden in New York, when the sell-out crowd cheered We want Ryder! during the opening match. Then something else happened. Top WWE stars like John Cena and CM Punk started sending out links to his YouTube show on their Twitter accounts. They started bringing his name up during interviews on WWE television. People who had no idea who I was were like Oh, CM Punk, Dolph Ziggler or John Cena are retweeting this kids show, what is it? Then they go watch it. More than 40 episodes of Z! later, and Ryder isnt just another guy on the roster. He used social media to develop a following and is now one of the most popular stars in the industry. And on Sunday at the 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore, hell wrestle Dolph Ziggler for the United States title at the TLC: Tables, Ladders and Chairs pay-per-view event. If he wins, it would be his rst singles championship in WWE and a remarkable turnaround for the 26 year old. If I won the United States Championship Sunday, it would be a perfect end to a storybook, roller coaster year, Ryder said. Starting from nothing and working my way up to being United States Champion, I dont think it gets better than that. The Ryder Revolution, as he calls it, shows the power of social media. In the scripted world of professional wrestling, the promoter or booker wields the power of who gets pushed wrestling slang for who is featured on TV, wins matches and is generally popular with the fans. Ryder changed the game through his use of social media and now some others are trying to do the same. Social media is a great tool for the Superstars if you arent on TV every week, if youre not in a storyline, to interact with the crowd and show the crowd, hey, I have a personality, too, or, hey, this is what I can do, and show a different side of people, Ryder said. Before I started this YouTube show, people had no idea who I was. I was just some guy occasionally on TV who lost in like ve seconds. Thats all they knew. That and I had spiked hair. That was it. Then I made

PHOTOS COURTESY OF WWE

WWE Superstar Zack Ryder will wrestle Dolph Ziggler for the United States Championship Sunday at the 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore at WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders and Chairs.

WWE Superstar Zack Ryder is shown above. Ryder used social media to create a fan following.

IF YOU GO
What: WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders and Chairs When: 7:45 p.m. Sunday Where: 1st Mariner Arena, 201 W. Baltimore St., Baltimore Cost: $20 to $250 More info: www.baltimorearena. com/events/wwe-tlc Chairs match for the World Heavyweight Championship: Mark Henry (champion) vs. Big Show Sledgehammer Ladder match: Triple H vs. Kevin Nash Tables match: Randy Orton vs. Wade Barrett United States Championship: The card Dolph Ziggler (champion) vs. Zack Ryder Triple Threat Tables, Ladders and Chairs match for the WWE Intercontinental ChampionChampionship: CM Punk (chamship: Cody Rhodes (champion) vs. pion) vs. The Miz vs. Alberto Del Rio Booker T
this YouTube show and they saw a side of me; they saw the personality. They started to relate to me. Hey, this kid, hes like us. Hes a fan trying to make it. It helped get them behind me and they feel like they are part of this whole thing. With Twitter and Facebook, they feel like they are part of the Superstars journey and thats a huge help. Coinciding with Ryders rise to stardom, WWE as a company began using social media more actively to create awareness of its brand. WWE launched its own YouTube channel with backstage interviews not shown on television. Each wrestlers Twitter handle is displayed on TV as they make their ring entrance. And announcers talk about which performers are trending during live broadcasts. Recently, WWE launched a new website called InterAction, which pulls feeds from wrestlers Twitter accounts, fans who use #wwe and Please see WWE, C2