Rob Feinstein with his pal Double J

Rob Feinstein has put all his energy in RF Video, since splitting with ROH in 2004. In September of 2004, Rob Feinstein started attending and taping indy shows again. He also put alot of effort into his shoot interviews. Now, back into the swing of things for about 4 months now, Rob discusses his business, his friends, his enemies, FUSION, the independent scene and way much more in this interview. I hope you enjoyed this interview as much as I did.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: Rob, it's been almost a year since your incident. How are you doing, and what steps have you made in trying to clear your name?

Rob Feinstein: Well the incident has changed my life for real. She told me she was on the pill and I took her word. I can't really clear my name because her parents want to kill me. Can you say Da Da?

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: You are back on the indy scene, selling your merchandise all over the place. Do you feel that you are truly back, or do you still have to look over your shoulder?

Rob Feinstein: I really look at it that I went on a mini vacation and not by choice. I never look over my back because I have people that do it for me. Watch me get shot next week. The best thing about taking a break from wrestling was that I needed it for real. I was doing this business since I was 18. Every day I worked and I never legit took a day off. The only days off would be on a Sunday if there were no shows. With ECW, I worked everyday in my office, then from Friday to Sunday I would be on the road. Sometimes we would leave on a Thursday to Sunday so it was nuts.

It was good to get away and clear my head. Now I have so much more energy than ever before. I legit work in the office from 9AM to 10PM and that is by choice. My staff is amazing now as everyone works hard for one common goal and that is to kick ass in 2005. We have so much to look forward to this year. My hands will not be tied behind my back soon and I will do what I once started to do, which is run another company.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: What is it like watching an indy show, after running so many successful indy shows?

Rob Feinstein: LOL that is a funny question. Everyone has ideas and wants to be the next big thing. At first everyone wanted to be the next ECW when ECW went out. Now it seems like a lot of guys want to be the next strong style promotion. I go to shows now and I see a lot of things that I would never do. But I am nobody once again, so I just sit back and watch. I know when my time is right I will do things I guess my way. You know at this point I don't want to be the next big thing. I just want to make a profit. It's not good to think you're the next big thing because when you do, you are blinded and you will not make money.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: What indy feds do you think are good right now? What indy feds do you think suck?

Rob Feinstein: I'm not saying who sucks or who is good. I am Switzerland and as long as a company runs a show, they are good.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: What are your thoughts on Eric Simms and the rumors about him bootlegging your videos?

Rob Feinstein: Simms is a stand up guy. He never bootlegs anything. If he hears you talking crap on him, he will kill you with his pinky. You know I have seen him to it over in Italy to a bull in the street. Simms is misunderstood, he has a bad rep for his past. He has done some good things for me over the last 6 months. But I did tell him that he needs to just marry the Shiek as these guys are together all the time. Even if I see Simms at some show, that guy is with him. What's up with that?

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: What wrestlers have accepted (or never stopped) your friendship? What wrestlers don't like you?

Rob Feinstein: Tommy Dreamer and Raven are my two best friends in this business. It is so hard to have real friends in wrestling unless you know them outside of the business first. Tommy is such a stand up guy and he is just a super down to earth guy. I don't know what wrestlers do not like me. I can sit here and tell you a few but it don't matter because they don't matter. I am not in wrestling to make friends I am here to make money. If I get any real friends in this business, it's out of luck. Not trying to sound like a dick, I am just being honest. It's hard to trust anyone in wrestling and anyone who is actually in this business knows it's the truth. Do you know how many times I sit there and see two guys talk like they are best buds and the second they walk away, the other guy buries him?

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: What are your thoughts on Chris Idol being called "Feinstein's Boyfriend" in AWA, during some promos?

Rob Feinstein: The only Idol I know is Austin Idol. Anyone have a connection on where I can find him for a shoot, let me know. I thought Verne folded AWA back in the 90's. Maybe I can do a Verne shoot...

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: What were your thoughts while watching The Rise and Fall of ECW DVD?

Rob Feinstein: I laughed, I cried, it became apart of me. Was that not from the last episode of Night Court? Best DVD I ever watched. Plus 7-11 was on it so its cool (SPO) I miss ECW so much because it was a huge part of me. If there was no ECW, I would not be where I am today in wrestling. I learned everything there that I know. If you never been with a real company and learned from people that actually have been places like WWF, NWA, WCW you will never understand wrestling. I was lucky enough to learn from vets and take things in.

Hey back to the DVD you asked about. I loved the DVD as it brought back a lot of great memories. I watched it in on the way to the last USA Pro show. I think the show was longer than the DVD. ECW ECW ECW!

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: What promotions are you happy to be apart of now?

Rob Feinstein: I love going to all of them for real and that is not a BS political answer. They all have their own style and their own fan base. I legit love going to Goodman shows because everyone is there. I love walking around the city before the shows and eating junk food. I love WXW because for real it's like a legit big family. I have been to a handful of their shows and they have the tightest locker room I have seen in a long time. There seems to be no egos there and everyone is super cool. Afa is one of the funniest guys I have ever met and he has a dry sense of humor. He is so calm and nothing like I would have imagined. I remember as a kid being scared to death of him which is funny to talk to him in person because hes a super down to earth guy. He is also very witty.

I love doing JAPW shows because Fat Frank, Ray and Pierre are all legit fans like me. We just goof around and have a good time. They have been having really good shows with a lot of great talent. It has changed so much over the last 2 years since the Bayonne shows. Plus the new buidling they use is one of my favorites to go to.

I just started with Cyberspace so I dont know anyone there yet. The owner seems like a down to earth guy. I look forward to talking to them more and more in the upcoming weeks. They have a lot of good things planned and we look forward in helping them with their videos as we are going to be producing their videos. We are going to make them look like my old company's tapes. We are going all out on their tapes. I have not been to Jim Kettners shows in a bit, but I want to go there soon. It's not because I can't go there, it's just that I am always either at other shows or in the office at the time of his show. His shows are fun to watch and he has been here the longest which says something for Jim as a person. He knows what he is doing. We are legit working with more companies now than ever before. I know already what is planned for 2005 and who else we are going to be working with, so I really wish we could just fast forward to next fall.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: How is RF VIDEO doing?

Rob Feinstein: It's really crazy now. We are working harder than ever and everything is going strong. I don't want to give away any secrets, but we got so many cool things planned. Over the last 5 months we did enough shoots in that time period to not do anymore for a year. I think we did more shoots in 2004 than in all of 2002 and 2003. See I put all my energy into my other project and kicked RF VIdeo to the curb. I am glad I am back focused with my first project and giving it the much needed facelift.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: What are the latest happenings in RF Video?

Rob Feinstein: We have done one of the biggest shoot interviews of all time. Sabu was the most amazing shoot we have ever conducted. I don't want to make this a plug fest, but get his interview. You will watch it over and over. Sabu is one of the funniest guys ever and now the fans can see the real Sabu or was it? You have to decide and we have some other huge shoots coming up soon. We also are expanding what we sell in the future and it won't be just wrestling merchandise.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: Any other projects going on?

Rob Feinstein: I was approached last week from someone to help them start up a cheesteak type of company. We are looking into it as we speak. It is a odd deal but I would love to do other stuff besides just wrestling. Wrestling is my life but something on the side could be cool

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: RF Video has been involved in a "Cold War" with Ring of Honor, as your company and ROH have been having an arms race to release new shoot interviews. Your company and ROH have both been making claims as "The Kings of the Shoot Interviews". How do you feel about ROH doing shoot interviews? Do you think their interviews are as any good as yours?

Rob Feinstein: Don't you have to dethrone someone to be called a King? I never left my throne. The second part of your question I think the fans need to answer.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: Due to this shoot interview war, alot of wrestlers/talents have been interviewed by both sides. One week RF Video might release a shoot with Wrestler X, and the next week ROH might release a shoot with Wrestler X, and vice versa. How does this affect the market? Why should anyone buy an RF shoot with Wrestler X, over ROH's shoot with Wrestler X?

Rob Feinstein: Our shoot interviews stand out and we have a reputation of being the best. We get a ton of e mails from our customers and I know the answer to your one question. We have been doing shoots for almost 8 years. We are not scared to ask the hard questions or talk about a wrestlers entire career. I can't tell the fans who to buy from, nor do I want to. It's up to the fans to decide. To tell you the truth, I liked their Scorpio shoot alot.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: What do you think of message boards?

Rob Feinstein: I could care less about message boards. I hate them because anyone can go on there and hide. I really do not have time to go to them. I would rather be working on making my company stonger than to have to worry about them.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: Do you still watch the ROH product today?

Rob Feinstein: I have seen two shows and that is it. I saw the MA show with the cage and one other show which I forgot what it was. I have no need to watch it.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: What do you think about the ROH product today, from a booking standpoint, compared to ROH from 18 months ago?

Rob Feinstein: No comment about them since I left. When I was there it was amazing. Doug and I came up with a lot of great stuff. Like I said previously, we have not even used half the stuff we thought of, so we will get a chance to one day soon.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: There were rumors of you being involved with FUSION, which wound up not being true. What was your official status with FUSION?

Rob Feinstein: I had nothing to do with Fusion. That is all the internet people who love to stir stuff up. You got to love it. I loved seeing how people said I was funding it. So many people are so scared of me starting up or helping another company out. You know how many calls Joel and Jose got about me being with them. It was from the same people all the time. My official status is I wanted a gimmick table at the show and that was it. I pushed them like I push anyone else I worked with at the time. I pushed them a tad harder because I like SATS and Red. They are my true friends also. I helped them a lot back in the day and I am still close with them. They would never screw me over and Red is one of the most down to earth people too. To be honest, not one time have I talked to the real backer. I don't even know her, but I would love to talk to you Jackie, so E mail me or call me. There are some promoters that were so scared Fusion. It was great to just sit back and hear everything that was being said.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: How come you are selling the FUSION show, but weren't allowed to have a table at the show?

Rob Feinstein: Well the building wanted $10,000 from me to set up. We had a meeting there one day and I was told we could set up at the show. I was told a lot of different stories from them and each guy had a different story to tell me. So anyhow here is the truth. I called there and talked to one of the owners. He told me that he thought that I was the backer of Fusion. He said he was told by Fusion people that I was not, but he did not believe me. He said he could not let me there because he was told I was not allowed to run shows. He tried to avoid my calls but if you know me I never give up. I called and called the guy until he agreed to meet me. I went there and one of the owners was super cool at first. He then introduced me to some other guy who wanted nothing to do with me. He said he was told from someone else that I was not allowed to be at any shows at all. I told him no that was not the case. I just could not be running shows yet. He said that I could come to the show as a fan and sit in the crowd. They wanted to have me have a security guy with me at all times. They said that if I ditched the guard I would have to pay for his service that night. They also told me that I was not allowed to talk to any wrestlers or be backstage. I told the guy that half the locker room are people I know and how could he tell me when the promoters want me to come to the show not to go into the back. So this is where it gets good. He told me that Fusion does not have the right to let vendors into the show. He said if that was the case than SATS could make that building into a mini mall for a night. UMMMM HELLO if someone is renting your building from you they can usually set up as many gimmick tables as they want. I said to the guy I need 3 tables. He told me they wanted a legit $10,000 for three tables.

The bottom line they did not want me there because someone was in their ear. I told the guy that was bullshit and he told me good day. I actually went to the show and I did them a favor. I brought in 10 CIA guys 4 FBI guys and a swat team. I actually talked to a real life wrestler also there. I think his name was Xpac. but for some reason I think his mind was in Chyna.