Wrestling With Ghosts


Wrestling With Ghosts is an American television series about the paranormal that premiered as a web-series on June 30, 2017. Since then, the show's concept won the Destination America nationwide search for a new creative paranormal team. The show has since been picked up and is now being aired on the ASY TV and on its sister station ASY Paranormal. According to the original introduction, season one follows a paranormal investigator, directly after he loses his original ghost hunting team to what he calls "a demonic attack" and subsequent fist-fight. He then hires three smart-aleck professional wrestlers as protection on future investigations. Big Luke came up with a philosophy called "The Charge", which he believes helps the team capture paranormal evidence.
In May 2019, the "ASY Paranormal" TV network will launch featuring "Wrestling With Ghosts" and the "UFO Show with Amy Dumas as their featured programs.

Origins

Wrestling With Ghosts started when a paranormal investigator was eating at a restaurant in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. During the meal, he asked the manager on duty, Travis Graves, if there were any local ghost stories that would make for interesting television. Travis then referred him to a fellow employee, a long time resident, and former police officer Luke Walker. Luke had several stories and suggested than rather shooting one project in Gatlinburg for a documentary, that they should consider making a paranormal series. Luke then suggested that they should add versatile entertainer Funkmaster V to the mix. The group then started shooting the series soon thereafter.

Cast and crew

The permanent members of the cast and crew are Big Luke Walker, Funkmaster V, and Travis Graves.
Season One
Season Two
Season Three
Big Luke Walker and Vinnie "Funkmaster V" Vineyard were among several citizens who helped save lives and properties during the Gatlinburg Fires of November 28, 2016. Big Luke's Facebook live broadcast was the first report that Gatlinburg's Ski Mountain was on fire
, meaning the city of Gatlinburg was surrounded by fire on all sides. His Facebook Lives during and after the fire has been viewed by millions. His footage and interviews, along with Vineyard's, have been used in documentaries. One entitled "Firestorm", is being funded by HBO and is in post-production. Vineyard, who owns the taxi cab company "Funkmaster V's Uptown Cabs of Renown" went into Gatlinburg to rescue people who were trapped or overcome with smoke.
The exploits of their night and their tag team match for charity can be seen on the last two segments of Wrestling With Ghosts season one - episode 5, "The Giant That Saved Gatlinburg".
In April 2018, cast member and director Vinnie Vineyard announced that he was running for governor in the state of Tennessee. Although listed as an independent, he is a vocal member of the Libertarian Party. On August 2, 2018, Vineyard received 1329 write-in votes during the primaries he wasn't even included in, which was a higher total than infamous perennial Republican candidate Basil Marceaux.

Controversies

On the 5th episode, "The Giant That Saved Gatlinburg", some members of the team allegedly tampered with evidence as a joke. Although the show is heavily comedic, the remaining members of the show did not think the joke was professional. As Big Luke said on a radio interview on Parasearch UK "You fake one thing, you faked everything." Certain members of the cast and crew were replaced after this episode.
In the world of pro wrestling, Big Luke and Funkmaster V have been outspoken critics of southern living, culture, and the overall way of life of native Tennesseans on YouTube with their "Punch Tha South In Da Mouth" series. But truth be told, they prefer living in East Tennessee over the big cities they hail from.