All Elite Wrestling, for all its flaws, gets a lot right about pro wrestling. One of those tenets is that the squared circle isn’t solely the property of uber-serious meatheads. There’s room for nuance, characters and comedy within the framework of choreographed fighting.
That’s the nurturing soil from which Orange Cassidy has blossomed into the star. The longtime independent wrestling scene staple — he was Fire Ant in Chikara’s long-running stable The Colony — has emerged as one of AEW’s brightest talents behind a low-effort, too-cool-to-care persona. Cassidy wears denim on denim and aviator sunglasses and generally seems above everything going on around him.
Exactly like Paul Rudd’s character Andy in the seminal American film classic Wet Hot American Summer. And now, thanks to Esquire’s William Mullally, Rudd is finally aware of the pro wrestler modeled after one iconic scene from a cult movie that has persisted in the hearts and souls of a certain brand of nerd for two decades.
I have made Paul Rudd aware of @orangecassidy @TonyKhan @AEW pic.twitter.com/Lays1g5RXk
— William Mullally 🍝 (@whmullally) February 15, 2023
“That’s amazing,” Rudd said in the most Paul Rudd way possible after being shown a picture of Cassidy. “How did I not know this? Thank you for telling me.”
“You need to know this,” replied Mullally.
“I do!”
Here’s the scene in question.
Cassidy’s tribute goes beyond the jean jacket and sunglasses. His entrance music on the independent scene was Jefferson Starship’s Jane — the same song that soundtracks the opening sequence and titles of director David Wain’s opus. After flirting with other themes in AEW, namely The Pixies’ Where is My Mind?, AEW president Tony Khan was able to license Jane for weekly broadcasts and gave Cassidy his sprawling rock anthem back.
The current All-Atlantic champion is more than just a gimmick, however. Cassidy’s character wouldn’t work if he wasn’t able to go in the ring. When he flips the switch from “Andy” to “actually caring” you get the full array of dynamic moves and innovative offense you’d expected from a wrestler with nearly two decades of experience.
In short, Orange Cassidy is awesome. So is Paul Rudd. And now that the latter knows about the former, the possibility of double Andys in the wrestling ring is finally in play. Especially when the owner of the company comes from “buy the Jacksonville Jaguars” type money.
Make it happen, Tony Khan.