"It's no secret that Eric Bischoff lives up to his rogue image in hotel bars and restaurants after the wrestling shows are over. A lot of the illogical haze that covers WCW comes because often more energy goes into chasing the night than actually planning and executing wrestling programs. Bischoff, who supposedly has a Turner corporate image to uphold, puts in more bar time than many of the wrestlers he supposedly supervises. His behavior during these times has at times been at 180 degrees from what the North Tower at TBS expects from its management.
His
drive to be "one of the boys" clouds his judgement, in more ways than one.
His inexplicable decision to allow wrestlers to drink in the dressing room
exposed TBS to the possibility of million dollar personal injury lawsuits.
What do you think a jobber with a lawyer is going to do when he's injured
in a match with a WCW wrestler who "had a few" in the dressing room before
the match?" - Bruce Mitchell, Torch columnist Originally
published: May 17, 1997
Night ended at hotel, ex-WCW testifies
By STEVE VISSER
Atlanta Journal-Constitution Staff WriterAs the former president of World Championship Wrestling, Eric Bischoff knows something about pushing the limits of tasteful entertainment. He also knows about scripts and impromptu performance.
He was certain that when he and his wife left with an exotic dancer for a threesome in a hotel room that it was strictly impulsive, not a willful act of prostitution.
"You did not go into the club with the expectation that you would be leaving with somebody and having sex," defense lawyer Steve Sadow asked Tuesday in federal court in Atlanta. "It's just something that happened?"
"Correct," said Bischoff.
Bischoff's testimony goes toward prosecutors' contention that club owner Steve Kaplan orchestrated the sexual activity between dancers and celebrities and big spenders in the club or at hotels. Prosecutors say Kaplan paid the dancers to have sex with big-name players on the theory that a celebrity presence would draw more business to the club.
But Bischoff's testimony was hampered by a fuzzy memory. He explained that after drinking 13 to 20 beers that evening, he's a bit foggy on the details.
"Who is the sexual activity between?" asked Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenn Baker.
"That's a bit of a blur," said Bischoff.
Dancer Jana "Frederique" Pelnis, 29, testified Bischoff's wife slipped her $200 on the way to the hotel. Bischoff said they gave Pelnis money to ensure she was paid her tips for dancing earlier at the club. Mrs. Bischoff didn't have to take the witness stand.
ex Bischoff neighbor and comped Gold Club patron Diamond Dallas Page
Pelnis said the Bischoffs dropped her off at the club where she had left her car. Kaplan gave her $800 after inquiring whether she had been treated all right and whether the Bischoffs had paid her for her time. Kaplan never asked whether she had sex, she said, and she testified that she never told Kaplan she had sex for money.
Sadow, Kaplan's lawyer, attacked Pelnis' testimony about the $800, noting she had never mentioned it until the trial.
Pelnis, who testified of seeing or participating in oral sex acts with NBA players Patrick Ewing and Dikembe Mutombo and the NFL's Terrell Davis, said she recently recalled the $800 payment. "A lot of things that I did, I didn't want to remember," said Pelnis, who broke down into tears several times while testifying.
None of the players is accused of wrongdoing. Ewing testified Monday to receiving oral sex at the club, while Mutombo and Davis have not commented.
Prosecutors attempted to show Kaplan permitted sexual
activity between dancers and professional athletes by introducing a Gold Club security tape in which he is
talking to a waitress. On the 1998 tape, Kaplan dismisses her accusations that he is allowing sex acts in the club by saying that could cause the club to be closed."There are times that ballplayers might have come in the
club and I might've done something stupid every once in
awhile," Kaplan said on the tape transcript. "But if you
think that . . . [every] customer comes in here and [is]
having sex with a girl and I'm [expletive] condoning it,
you're out of your mind, OK?""Then I'm out of my mind," the waitress said.
The topless-bottomless Gold Club gave free liquor and sex shows to ..... professional wrestlers Randy (Macho Man) Savage, Diamond Dallas Page, Lou Sabh, Scott Steiner and Saturn, according to the sources and records.
Source - "Mob-linked joint comped athletes..."
NEW YORK 12/07/99 --
http://americanmafia.com/news/12-7-99_Gold_Club_And_Athletes.html