Who is this man???

By | October 11, 2005
21 Comments

So I watch WWE wrestling on TV for four hours every week. Well, four hours worth of programming, although I probably only spend about two hours on it, thanks to the wonders of DVR and the fact that people like Chris Masters are so fast-forwardable. But anyway, it’s the first paragraph, and I have already digressed isverigeapotek.com.

I have noticed the same guy in the audience at least six or seven times in the last several months. The first time I noticed him was when Simon Dean first showed up, and he was ripping on some fat lady in the audience for being fat. This guy, in a red hat and some sort of mechanic’s shirt with a nametag on it, was sitting next to the fat lady and looking extremely offended. Well, obviously, if they are going to rip on a lady for being fat, that lady is someone they hired to sit there and be fat, so I wondered at the time if they had hired him to look offended, or if he was just clueless.

Just a week or so later, I noticed him again. He was again on the front row, and again looking way more “into it” and “thinking it’s real” than a realistic fan would. And then again and again, I have noticed him, always in the same red hat and mechanic’s shirt, always in the front row, always looking like he thinks it’s real — or like someone is paying him to think it’s real.

Maybe he is at every show, and I only notice him when he wears the red hat and mechanic’s shirt. Maybe he is only at some. I don’t know. But I really want to know who he is, ya know?

Here is a picture of him, taken with my digital camera during last night’s episode of RAW. He was sitting in the front row again, right behind Lilian Garcia, and this picture is taken right after Stephanie McMahon slapped Lilian. If anyone knows who he is or how I can find out, please let me know.

Who is this guy???

21 thoughts on “Who is this man???”

  1. Jeff J. Snider Post author

    I emailed Rick Scaia, the webmaster over at Online Onslaught (www.onlineonslaught.com), and this is what he said about this guy:

    I do not know this man’s name. But I know his story.

    He’s a long-time WWF/E fan who lives in (I think) Houston. He and his wife were actually both wrestling fans, but she died of cancer about 3 years ago or so. This guy was crushed (they were just in their early 30s) and took solace in wrestling shows. He’d buy ringside seats, cheer the loudest, and always have a bunch of signs.

    When WWE heard his story, they basically told him “any show you ever want to go to, your ringside seats are on us, guy.” He took them up on that, and with WWE spending pretty much every TV taping of the last 5 weeks in Texas, he’s been ALL OVER the television in that time.

    I know he had a write-up in one of the WWE magazines at some point (which is how I heard about him, when I sort of asked the same question out loud in a column or something, and people mailed in with the info)…. he MIGHT also have been featured on “Confidential” back when that show was still on, but I can’t confirm that.

    Hope this helps….

    Rick

  2. Shawn Ennis

    Very interesting indeed. I was beginning to wonder if I was the only one who noticed that guy. I thought maybe he was like that guy with the long hair, beard and sunglasses who was always at the ECW shows, and now he’s always at the TNA shows. Just one of those wrestling fan nomads, you know? Anyway, I’m glad you posted this link in your message board sig, Jeff. I’ll be sure to check back more often.

  3. Steve

    Yo Whats up? I’m glad you posted that, because I was wondering the exact same thing. I just did a Google Search for WWE, Guy in Red Hat and found this. I’m glad you posted this so I knew I wasn’t going crazy.

  4. Nikki Heyman

    Your Red-Hatted friend is fondly referred to as the “WWE Sign Guy”. He attends tons of shows every year and is usually front row cameraside so he can bust out any of a portfolio full of crazy signs for all of the wrestlers. He appears to be reasonably “tight” with the Big show. He’s got a page on Myspace if you want more (“Rick the WWE Signguy”)

  5. Rick "The WWE Signguy"

    Hello! This is the WWE Signguy! I had a friend of mine told me about the website and the comments. First off, I want to thank Jeff for the article. Second, I want to say hi to Nikki who posted a comment above. I met Nikki after a show in Cleveland. Third, I wanted to clear up any confusion about me. (Please be advised that this might get pretty boring!)

    I have been going to shows for quite a while. I dont go to every show. I mostly attend shows in Texas and the surrounding states. Sometimes I get a wild hair and travel a long distance. I like the tv and ppv shows, but I preffer the house shows!!!! Man, they are the best! You can really interact with the talent!

    When I first started making signs for shows, my goal was to try to get on tv. Now I make them to get a reaction from the wrestlers, the wwe staff, and the wwe fans. I love it! I cant tell you how much I love holding up a sign and looking over at the announce table and seeing them crack up!

    I started wearing the same red hat and blue workman shirt so the wrestlers know its “that idiot Signguy”. I acutally have 3 blue workman shirts, one red workman shirt, and I have gone through about 15 red hats. (Several of them have been desecrated by some WWE Superstars. They were placed in areas I wish not to discuss during some WWE shows! I then go out and buy another hat the next day.)

    I know wrestling is staged, but I really get into it! Again, I will yell my head off at a wrestler just to get a reaction. Oh, I DO NOT WORK FOR THE WWE! I am just a fan like all of you!

    Jeff had mentioned a Simon Dean segement on Raw. That night was wild! I noticed an empty seat to my left at the end of the aisle. A “large” woman sat in the seat right before the show started. (Actually I didnt think she was that large) she was very quiet during the whole show. I was wondering if she was an avid fan who just bought a single seat. I found out later that I was wrong! Simon came out to do his segment and I held up a sign that said, “Star Jones loves simon dean”. He later pointed to our section and then came over to the woman next to me and started lashing out at her. I didnt know what to do!! I started laughing at first, then I thought I should get pissed like she did. I taped that RAW and I got home and watched it, I heard King say, “Wow, her husband is really mad!” Man, that was funny.

    I lost my wife to a rare form of thyroid cancer exactly 4 years ago today. We both lived in Dallas. She was not a WWE fan, (well, she didnt hate it), but she knew how much I loved it. She was always very supportive with my WWE addiction. She just wanted me to be happy. I think about her every day and still miss her. After she passed, I went through a tough time. I couldnt have made it through without my family, my friends, and the WWE.

    In November 2003, i was approached by the WWE to be on “WWE Confidential”. Man, I was honored! they wanted to shoot the interview 2 days after Survivor Series in Dallas. It aired in december 2003. They did a great job! You know whats weird, is that after that show aired.,WWE fans have been coming up to me wanting pictures and autographs!! Is’nt that wild??!!! It freaks me out to this day.

    Ok, what else…..Oh, I’m not “tight” with the Big Show. I have met him on occasion, and he is an extremely nice guy. In fact when I first met him, I wasnt sure if he was going to beat the hell out of me. I mean, I have been making signs for him for years that have said, “Big Show moonlights at sea world”, “Big Show’s tattoo says: Goodyear”; and “Pig Show”. He was the coolest and a great sport!

    the WWE has never approched me to do an interview for a magazine. If someone saw one, it was not me who was interviewed. But i would love to see the article!!!

    Yes, I am on myspace. My account is http://www.myspace.com/wwesignguy

    Are you still reading this??? Later!!!!

    Rick “WWE Signguy”

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  8. Pudge Daddy

    This guy was indeed on Confidental when it was still on. He was interviewed and met some wrestlers. He showed off some signs, most memorably the sign the said, “Big Show Has Tatoo that says ‘Goodyear’!”.

  9. pedrowwe

    his name is the wwe sign guy. hes recently got his own wwe commercial

  10. Justin B

    Man, I wish I were tight with The WWE like sign guy

  12. wwechick

    That guy is Rick “The WWE Sign Guy” He goes to a lot of shows and pays his own way. He is NOT a part of the WWE

  13. mark

    dude i see this guy nearly every week on raw and ocasionaly on smackdown if wwe dont pay for your tickets you must be rich as hell do a sign that says yo mark its me lol anywayz i watch wwe everyweek i luv it but sumtimes its boring

  14. Computergeek

    This guy is called Rick Achberger. I searched the internet but he has no biography.

  15. mike

    Wishfull thinking…I thought it was Brutus The Barber Beefcake back in the WWE…darn!

  16. jessica

    I think that’s the SIGN GUY…. I saw and I bought the October 2006 issue of the WWE magazine and there was a column there w/ Him(sign guy)… I always see him too sometimes at RAW,and Smackdown! events… But like you, It does not bother me.

  17. Alisa

    His name is i think Rick Achnberger If I spelled that right,He is on the Raw Fan nation and they call him the Sign guy. He always brings tons of signs!

    i think

  18. Rob

    I first noticed this guy the night Kane returned from an injury and helped Booker T and Goldust stop the UnAmericans (Test, Lance Storm, and Christian) from burning the American flag. That was August 26, 2002 on Raw. He actually had a sign pro UnAmericans, but then suddenly had a Kane sign when he returned. He must either carry a lot of signs with him or brings a marker and a bunch of blank pieces of paper.

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