A wrestling referee is simultaneously absolutely core to the performance and illusion, and yet somewhat on the fringes of the industry, not quite part of the inner core but not an outsider. It’s a unique vantage point on a unique industry.
Before going further, there is an elephant in the room to address, which I was unsure how to handle in this review. I concluded the most appropriate course is to simply state that Levin left the wrestling business in 2021 after public accusations of abuse by a former partner. Those accusations remain readily available online today. Levin gives his response to the accusations in the book. He also discusses his reactions (which vary significantly between cases) to friends, colleagues and acquaintances being the subject of other accusations.
Levin is a former referee who worked around the Northeastern United States in promotions of all sizes, most notably specialising in deathmatches for GCW. He also worked as a referee and behind the scenes in what was then Impact Wrestling where he attracted attention for his extremely youthful looks, earning the nickname Kid Ref. In later years he booked the post-CHIKARA “Camp Leapfrog” series.
Because the book is specifically about his career, it’s not really something that is going to appeal to a specialist audience interested in a particular territory or promotion (though there are a lot of cameos by today’s AEW and WWE stars in their early years.) Ironically, though, Levin’s attempts to cover his own career may instead tell a wider story about the odd, often shambolic nature of the independent circuit (and the supposedly more mainstream and professional Impact wrestling.)
There is some insight into the technical detail of refereeing, with the book’s title referring to the unusual way in which the person performing the refereeing role needs to maintain their credibility yet still plausibly appear be unable to (in storyline) carry out their basic sporting duties.
It’s less of a life story and more an utterly comprehensive journal of Levin’s bookings. Rather than concentrating on big picture stories or highlights, the bulk of the book is simply several paragraphs about each of what appears to be every show he ever worked. These generally boil down to the details of the show, how well it drew, and then one notably odd, funny or shameless moment from the experience.
Individually, many of these are a little mundane: somebody messed up a finish; somebody complained about losing; two wrestlers got into a backstage fight; the entire crew joined in when somebody started singing Bohemian Rhapsody in the dressing room; Low Ki was… Low Ki.
It’s the sheer quantity and relentless nature of these incidents that give the book its compounding effect, making it clear that the wrestling business (particularly on an independent level) can be petty, childish, outlandish, ridiculous, uplifting and sickening, sometimes all in the same weekend.
Levin is clearly unconcerned about burning bridges so doesn’t hold back on criticism of individuals. If you’re into chaos and incompetence, the description of behind the scenes in Impact will certainly appeal
The biggest drawback is that the format does feel quite hard-going and repetitive, so it’s more of a book to read through in small doses. It certainly captures the grind of the week-to-week schedule, but such an utterly comprehensive approach might not to be everyone’s taste.
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