During their victory in The Great War at Bound for Glory last night, House Hardy busted out a character from their past. The reference went over the heads of even some long-time Impact watchers and Hardy Boyz fans. Recognizing this, Broken Matt made a point to clarify on Twitter who Brother Nero was playing in a backstage scene where Jeff battled Rosemary and Crazzy Steve:
Meet Itchweeed, with 3 Es, everyone.
— #BROKEN Matt Hardy (@MATTHARDYBRAND) October 3, 2016
One of #BrotherNero's many multiple personalities. He's a unique creature. pic.twitter.com/PyEoADaKC6
Now, I lived through the Willow era, so I don’t shock easily. But I was pretty surprised, and slightly disturbed, to learn how far back Itchweeed goes.
In fairness, Broken Matt tried to establish the character before he appeared on pay-per-view (PPV) last night (Oct. 2, 2016). A video from his YouTube channel introduces him during some dream therapy he was using on Brother Nero before their first run-in with Decay. But that was not his first appearance.
Not even close.
This fast-talking, weedwacker-wielding alter ego has been around since Jeff had a MySpace page!
And he was a staple of the online video show Jeff & Matt produced while they were coming-and-going from WWE and TNA circa 2010:
A lot of folks probably didn’t know what to make of Itchweeed six or so years ago - and that’s without considering this was during a time when some less flattering stuff was coming out from the Boyz.
A lot of people don’t know what to make of him, or Broken Matt, now.
But it’s proof that the bat$#!+ insanity & creative spirit a lot of people are loving now has been there for a long time, just waiting for the right collaborators to work with, and patrons to support it. That the brothers are integrating every aspect of their long history in the business, even the off-kilter and unsavory aspects, is pretty brilliant, in this writer’s opinion.
I don’t want to watch more Itchweeed videos, but I still appreciate knowing a little about where the character came from, now that he’s canon in the Broken Universe.
Well, Cagesiders? Broken brilliance? Self-indulgent nonsense? A bit of both?
Put on some PeroxWhy?Gen and let us know what you think.