Did Hulk Hogan actually invent the "cupped ear" pose and the concept of "Mania"? In this episode of pplpod, we’re pulling back the curtain on a story that fundamentally rewrites professional wrestling history. We explore the life and legacy of Michael McCord—better known to the world as the "Universal Heartthrob," Austin Idol.

We trace Idol’s journey from a rugged Florida construction worker to a top-tier threat in the WWWF, before a deadly plane crash in 1975 changed everything. We unpack the physical and psychological toll of that tragedy, including the development of a paralyzing fear of flying (aviophobia) that forced Idol to localize his career in the Mid-South and Memphis wrestling territories.

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