L Anne Carrington

Let’s leap around in time again, because although I attempted to keep this on a timeline, new stuff keeps popping up and throwing that out of whack. So, how about we go back to 2004, and yet another interview that Lori wrote, about herself. She’s such a superstar like that. Gosh, don’t you just love it?

The Murphy’s Law: L. Anne Carrington: A Look Behind a ‘Celebrity’ Journalist
By BRIAN MURPHY, MOP Squad Sports Staff Writer
Sep 29, 2004, 15:17

She’s had an interesting–however sometimes turbulent–life and had even been a subject of controversy, but the journalist that is dubbed by her fans as “The REAL Diva” still continues to report the news in the wrestling world as well as turn out her popular column.

Today, Anne is relaxed in her apartment in an upper-middle-class neighborhood, dressed in a “throwaway” look: stonewashed jeans and a Dana Buchman blouse and jacket and as always, ready for a chat as we discussed her writing and a couple of other subjects over lunch.

Before we get into anything else, Annie, you were a subject of some of your detractors recently, involving some allegations that many now know about, so I won’t get into them. How did you manage to get through all that?

Well, Murph, let’s just say one gets through things simply by getting through. I’ve been through a lot worse than this in my lifetime and survived. Sure I got booted off a few minor-league sites, but it wasn’t any great loss in the end. What most people don’t know is just like any other high-profile industry, this whole business is politics, jealousies and ego. Of course a few other people way lower down the ladder are going to scrutinize the more top writers, especially the ones that have achieved ‘celebrity’ status at some point. These are the ones that, when those further up the totem pole make mistakes, make a big deal out of those and use them to attempt to ruin that person they targeted. The funny thing with all that happened with me, though, that it eventually had the opposite effect. Nevertheless, it doesn’t minimize what I did to cause all that controversy, and a public apology was in order for it.

Also, not only did I still maintain my Wrestling Editor status at MOP Squad as well as kept my position at ProWrestling.com, but I started getting offers from other sites as well, a few of them I turned down, in addition as being brought on as a full-time reporter for Wrestleview as a result of the webmaster there being impressed with my Smackdown recaps. I could also go into how my current fan base supported me throughout that period as well as gotten some new readers and fans, but we would be here all day.

Were you always so outspoken and had strong opinions?

Believe it or not, I was actually shy as a child. It’s when I got older and got into the acting field, as well as discovered feminist issues, that I became more vocal about things. Obviously, you can’t be shy in journalism nor entertainment.

Can you tell the fans a little about your background?

Well, as many know, I did compete in pageants and was a plus size model and actress before I found my true niche in writing. Anyway, I am the youngest of six children, Pennsylvania born and raised in a family many would now consider very upper-middle-class. I spent my primary school years of my education in private school before my father insisted that I go to a public high school in order to be exposed to and learn about other cultural, ethnic groups and social classes of our society. You could say that is where my tolerance for all types of people come from; I thank him to this day for making that decision. I am not only trained as a cosmetologist, which I went for when my high school offered vocational training in addition to academic studies, but also have an Associate of Science degree in Secretarial Sciences from a local private business college and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Fine Arts and Humanities from the University of Maryland. I also attended Hunter College for a year as an English major before transferring to Maryland and took modeling and finishing courses at the Barbizon School of Pittsburgh when I came home after college. I had a lot of good employment positions over the years before my parents died, and even though I have the option on no longer having to work full time, I decided to freelance in journalism and go into the wrestling field in addition to general and entertainment news, and investigative reporting. I don’t like being idle and letting all that good education going to waste. Besides, I enjoy doing it.

What are your writing credits in the “real world” and online?

I was the very first member of any staff over the years on my high school newspaper to get published in major publications when I did an entertainment review for both one of my area newspapers and also got the same review published in Rolling Stone. I also freelanced for a lot of other area newspapers and magazines here at home and while in college in Maryland. In addition to that, I was editor and reporter of a residential newsletter in the building where I had resided at that time, then, with my background in modeling and acting, I did product reviews for Holdon Log, which are organization products for models and actors to help keep track of bookings and go-sees, briefly did an advice site for aspiring models and actors, plus I was an investigative reporter for various entertainment industry “scam watch” sites before I started covering wrestling on a regular basis.

As for my current work, in addition to MOP Squad Sports and ProWrestling.com, I am on Wrestleview as a reporter and Smackdown recapper, as well as a columnist and recapper for The Squared Circle. My column also appears on WWE-Club.com and World-Wrestling.net and I do Smackdown recaps for ProWrestlingNews.com. I also finished an internship this past summer at a local classic rock station and am currently a proofreader for a publisher in my area.

How did you get into the wrestling thing?

It started in my late teens after I got out of high school and was working as a hair stylist, which bored me to death. My ex-sister in law had dated Ivan Putski many years ago before she met my oldest brother and married–then divorced–him. As a result of her previously dating Putski, she had a lot of contacts in that world and since we were good friends, she took me to a lot of matches where we got in for absolutely no charge and got great seats to boot. I briefly went out with Mike Sharpe at the time, but I wasn’t as into wrestling as I am now. It wasn’t until 2000 that I got back into it again, and I made the transition from entertainment and general news into wrestling the past year.

You seem to have become a “celebrity” in the IWC. What do you attribute to that?

For one, I like to put out columns on original topics. There are so many other writers out there that go over and over on the same old topics, the same superstars, the same shows and PPV reviews and predictions. I tend to want to write about the subjects and the wrestlers that I feel that get little or no coverage at all from both the print media and the IWC. As for reporting, there is nothing more annoying to me than sites that post what are known as “fake plugs.” In that case, I always use my own instincts and verify my sources before anything is written and printed. Fans may not believe everything they read on news sites, but they can be assured that any news I report directly from my own sources are certainly legit, or it doesn’t get my byline at all.

The second thing is that I believe in is being a ‘real’ person with the readers and fans of my works, and not just a name on a byline. (LOL!!!!!!!!!!) Hence, that is why there was an official website made by another fan and fellow writer in my name that these people can visit and keep up with my activities in the IWC and outside world and that my email address is always available for people to send feedback to me. I like keeping in touch with the public when I can, though it is not always possible due to the email overload and all the other commitments that I have.

For our readers, could you give the address of that site?

Sure, no problem. It is http://thewrestlingbabe.uni.cc

What do you think of your detractors that think everything from you just being another pretty face without any real thoughts to your success being a “fluke”?

I say to them….thanks for reading!

Let’s back up a little bit. How did you get into journalism in the first place? Is it true that you have no formal training?

It’s true that I have no formal training nor a journalism degree like many writers do. As for how I got into the field in general, I was a senior in high school and needed one more elective course to graduate. Since I’d practically taken all the electives offered already, the only thing that was left was the school paper, which was both an elective course and extracurricular activity. So I went on staff there and found how much I enjoyed it, plus the instructor was amazed with my grasp of the English language and flair for writing. She was so impressed with my first entertainment review that I did for them that she submitted them to the local paper and suggested I send it to Rolling Stone. They both published it in addition to it getting in the school paper, and I was hooked, though I was still training in cosmetology and theater at the time. It was just a side thing I did until about ten years ago.

Where did your “Wrestling Babe” title come from?

My friends Dave and Andy are avid sports nuts, and Dave told me about a sports show they’d heard about awhile back called “The Sports Babe,” hosted by a plus sized female. As part of my transition into the wrestling world on top of not many women wrestling reporters/columnists in the male-dominated world of the sport, Dave got the bright idea of “The Wrestling Babe,” and it pretty much stuck.

How do you spend your spare time when you are not doing reporting and your columns?

What’s spare time (laughs)? I also enjoy going to malls even if I don’t buy anything. I plan on doing some more traveling since I got back from Australia. Also, I love acting even though I had gotten out of it full time, so I try to make it to as many auditions in my area as possible and a few acting classes now and again, as well as model occasionally for my local Fashion Bug store and a local photographer that I had previously worked with. In addition to that, I love reading classic fiction and non-fiction works, drawing and painting, going to cat shows, classic rock and oldies music, collecting cat art, volunteering at animal shelters, and fashion design.

What are your future plans personally and professionally?

I’d like to continue to do reporting and column writing as I have been doing, as well as maybe getting a talk show eventually. I also would like new writers along and continue in my other interests.

Any more wrestling show coverage overseas like you did in Australia last month?

Not this year anyway, but I’d certainly do it again next year if I am approached about it. But I got word not long ago that the Smackdown PPV, No Way Out, is coming to Pittsburgh next year and there is the possibility that I will be covering that show live if that is the case.

Any advice to the readers out there before we wrap up?

If any of you are getting into writing, take all constructive feedback into consideration. Even the best of us always have room to improve. Remember to go into this field with thick skin, because there is always someone that will try to sidetrack you from your ambition one way or another. If you see a good story that should be covered, go for it! Listen to your editors even if they do annoy you at times; I’ve been there myself. And always, always check your facts and pay no attention to obvious fake plugs.

Incredibly, even with all this internet fame, books, PR work, celebrity etc when you Google her you only find her fake stuff or Idletard chapters