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Ringside at the Fantastic Debates
The KNUCKLE Fantastic Debates were once again a hot ticket at Fantastic Fest this year. So I imagine more than a few people were disappointed when the email arrived Saturday alerting people that there had been a ticketing snafu that gave many attendees the impression they would get into the event at the South Austin Gym Saturday night. Apparently more than 250 people were able to reserve spots, but only 150 were allowed into the steamy gym.
What they missed was another battle of wits and absurdist wrestlemania showmanship between the Zellner brothers (Nathan and David), who argued whether robots or humans were superior. Production value was enhanced by the appearance of “Medium Wonder,” a female robot summoned by David to do his dirty work.
The second bout featured the best display of athleticism to date at the Debates. “Lord of the Rings” alumni Elijah Wood (a huge fan of the fest) and Dominic Monaghan argued the merits of a life spent playing World of Warcraft. After their war of words, the two former hobbits donned pink gloves and danced nimbly about the ring, exchanging jabs and crosses. No word on whether the actors trained for the fight, but they both looked rather comfortable in the ring.
The penultimate showdown featured a battle of cosmic and comic proportions, as Andy Howell, a professional astrophysicist and host of National Geographic’s “Known Universe,” argued with and then delivered a beatdown to Hunter, a goofy, rambling NASA-hater who has come to some small internet fame of late due to a series of confusing and profanity-laced YouTube tirades against the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The debate, coherent only during Howell’s speech, gave way to a one-sided fight, as the much taller Howell delivered several blows to a staggering Hunter.
The final fight promised the best chance for a real injury, but fortunately “Knuckle” star James Quinn McDonagh showed Fantastic Fest co-founder a bit of mercy. The Alamo honcho entered the ring with great flair, sporting a small cowboy hat, Texas flag shorts and cowhide chaps after the Irish bare-knuckle brawler said he wanted to skip the chit chat and get down to business. The guys fought a couple of rounds, with McDonagh doing a decent job of keeping League at bay. But the ferocious film-lover did land quite a few punches amid his flurry of fists. I ran into McDonagh the next day, who said he had a bit of a sore jaw Monday morning, so it seems while League may not have proven that Texans are tougher than Irishmen, he still made his state proud.
All photos courtesy of David Hill.
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