Steve Richardson — a/k/a Puppet the Psycho Dwarf -- has no problem using the “M” word.
As a 4-foot-4 hard-core pro wrestler and promoter, Richardson is steadfastly sticking with the politically incorrect use of “midget” to describe his troop of grapplers, who are bringing their form of entertainment to Spike TV.
“Nobody is going to come out and see something called ‘Little People Wrestling,’” Richardson said. “Nobody knows what that is. We do the same things as any independent promotion out there.
“I’m not ashamed of who I am. I’m a midget and I love it. We’re a minority that gets a lot of attention.”
Such exposure is getting amplified with this week’s debut of Half Pint Brawlers. The reality-themed show not only features wrestling but also captures the tight-knit bond that Richardson and his peers form while touring North America.
“You’ll see how we travel and the situations that happen behind the scenes on the road,” Richardson said. “This is a combination of Little People, Big World with Girls Gone Wild meets Jackass all in one.”
The product is a far cry from the Shakespearean acting that Richardson once pursued in Hollywood. After doing stunt work and landing roles in movies (The Babe) and television shows (Tales From the Crypt), Richardson returned to his hometown of Chicago in the mid-1990s and decided to put his thespian skills to use in pro wrestling.
Richardson and fellow dwarf Teo landed spots in TNA Wrestling in 2002 but were phased out after a series of embarrassing comedy sketches. Undaunted, Richardson continued to run his own grappling-flavored entertainment shows and released a popular racy VHS tape (Midgets Gone Mad).
“(TNA) didn’t bring in enough other little guys when Teo and I were there,” said Richardson, who made a guest appearance on last week’s TNA Impact telecast. “It got a little monotonous with only the two of us. I think what’s fun about Half Pint Brawlers is we’ve got more wrestlers now. We’ve done everything from eight-foot-steel-cage matches to thumbtack matches and using a staple gun. We go out trying to get attention.”
Midget performers were a special attraction on U.S. wrestling cards from the 1950s through the 1980s. Lilliputians like Sky Low Low, Little Beaver and Lord Littlebrook — whose two sons, Little Kato and Beautiful Bobby, are in Half Pint Brawlers — delighted fans with comedy matches until regional promotions dried up following World Wrestling Entertainment’s national expansion in the mid-’80s.
WWE has one diminutive performer on its current roster — Dylan “Hornswoggle” Postl. While the character appeals to children, the simplistic and infantile manner in which Hornswoggle is cast reinforces some of the negative stereotypes that little people have strived to overcome. Richardson, though, doesn’t begrudge Postl because of his success.
“I’m not going to go against the guy,” Richardson said. “He did something and developed his own character.”
Just like Richardson is hoping Half Pint Brawlers will result in bigger and better things.
“We’ve always been big in the underground doing bars and clubs and we have opened for big acts like Kid Rock,” said Richardson, 41. “I would like to get more consistency doing things like that. We’re like any other company. We’re trying to build. Who knows what Half Pint Brawlers could lead to?”
Visit www.halfpintbrawlers.com.
Alex Marvez takes a ringside look at the latest in professional wrestling in LIFE on Thursday. Contact him at alex1marv@aol.com.