Manny first discovered GLOW's first season when he was 11 years old while watching WWF on the weekends. Growing up in San Diego, he watched GLOW on XETV Channel 6 and KCOP Channel 13. Unfortunately, these stations only televised seasons 1 and 2, so Manny missed out on seasons 3 and 4 until the internet era. Thank you very much to the fans who have had the ability to record the episodes on videotape. In 1988, GLOW toured San Diego twice, and Manny’s mom took him and his brother to see the GLOW girls both times. This experience solidified his love for GLOW.
Despite collecting all the GLOW magazines and watching the GLOW girls on talk shows, Manny was unfamiliar with the new GLOW girls until he discovered episodes from seasons 3 and 4 through a well-known seller among wrestling fans named Manzerman, who sold VHS tapes. Manny eagerly purchased GLOW and POWW episodes, immersing himself in the world of GLOW.
On his 12th or 13th birthday, Manny received a special treat—a GLOW-themed birthday cake made by George’s Wonderful World Of Cakes in National City, CA. This cake was a delightful surprise that featured two women from the GLOW series, making it a memorable part of his birthday celebration.
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| Manny with GLOW Director, Matt Cimber |
Manny's favorite wrestler is Americana, and he particularly loved the intense matches between Americana and Ninotchka. He vividly recalls screaming at the TV in excitement when Americana pinned Ninotchka in their first match. It was one of those moments that solidified his passion for GLOW.
One of Manny's favorite sketches was "Asking Ashley," even though he didn't always understand the adult humor as a kid. The comedic elements and quirky characters made it a memorable part of his GLOW experience. Like many GLOW fans, Manny also feared the Heavy Metal Sisters. Their fierce personas and intimidating presence left a lasting impression on him, a sentiment shared by many in the GLOW community.
In his eagerness to connect with the GLOW girls, Manny used to call GLOW’s 900 number without parental permission. Much like myself, he made those calls from his grandparent's home, though I made calls pretty much anywhere I could dial the number. When his uncle discovered the phone bill, Manny never admitted it was him who made the calls, even though it was probably obvious who the culprit was. This little secret added a mischievous twist to his GLOW fan journey.
Manny has been on multiple GLOW cruises, forging lasting friendships with the GLOW girls and fellow fans. He’s met many original GLOW personalities, including his favorite, Americana, and has even purchased four of her paintings, which are proudly displayed in his living room.
Much like myself, Manny has always been curious about the fans in the televised audience from the Riviera Hotel, wondering about their stories. During my time working and living in Las Vegas, I walked through the Riviera Hotel and asked a few employees about GLOW. Despite its iconic status in television history, I only found one person who worked at the hotel during that time. She mentioned that it wasn’t there long and she barely remembered it.
I would love for anyone who sat in the audience to contact me so I could add their stories to our GLOW stories. Their experiences would be a valuable addition to our shared history and memories.
Back in the 1980s, Manny was disappointed that no official GLOW girl action figures were created—a sentiment shared by many fans, including myself. However, a couple of years ago, a talented individual named Wanda Maness began creating GLOW action figures and even made custom figures of Americana and David McLane for Manny, fulfilling one of his long-held wishes.
Like most original GLOW fans, Manny hopes that all four seasons of GLOW will be released, along with the unaired matches that Matt Cimber and others have mentioned are still in existence. The anticipation of seeing these unaired matches keeps the GLOW spirit alive among devoted fans.
Manny loves Netflix’s GLOW series and was disappointed when the fourth season was canceled during production. He has always enjoyed seeing strong and empowering women on television, which is why GLOW holds a special place in his heart.
I met Manny in Long Beach, California, on the night of a party featuring the ladies of GLOW. David McLane was also there, not to meet fans or attend the party, but by chance, on the beautiful Queen Mary before setting sail on the Carnival Imagination in 2016. Since then, Manny and I have cruised together with the ladies of GLOW in 2017 on the Norwegian Dawn from New Orleans, in 2018 on the Norwegian Breakaway from New York, and again in 2024 on the Norwegian Encore from Miami. Manny is one of the most fun people to hang out with, and he absolutely loves to dance. We share a mutual love for Paula Abdul, whom we’ve both had the pleasure of meeting at different times in our lives.
I hope you enjoyed getting to know Manny and his incredible GLOW journey. Manny is active on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, and you can find him at:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/manuel.briano
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mannyb175
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MannyB175
If you have similar stories or memories of your own, please share them in the comments below. Your feedback and shared experiences help build a wonderful community. If you'd like to support this effort, your contributions are greatly appreciated. Even small gestures of support mean a lot as we continue this journey of storytelling and connection. Thank you! ❤️
One of Manny's favorite sketches was "Asking Ashley," even though he didn't always understand the adult humor as a kid. The comedic elements and quirky characters made it a memorable part of his GLOW experience. Like many GLOW fans, Manny also feared the Heavy Metal Sisters. Their fierce personas and intimidating presence left a lasting impression on him, a sentiment shared by many in the GLOW community.
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| A group shot of GLOW fans with Manny representing his favorite, Americana |
In his eagerness to connect with the GLOW girls, Manny used to call GLOW’s 900 number without parental permission. Much like myself, he made those calls from his grandparent's home, though I made calls pretty much anywhere I could dial the number. When his uncle discovered the phone bill, Manny never admitted it was him who made the calls, even though it was probably obvious who the culprit was. This little secret added a mischievous twist to his GLOW fan journey.
Manny has been on multiple GLOW cruises, forging lasting friendships with the GLOW girls and fellow fans. He’s met many original GLOW personalities, including his favorite, Americana, and has even purchased four of her paintings, which are proudly displayed in his living room.
Much like myself, Manny has always been curious about the fans in the televised audience from the Riviera Hotel, wondering about their stories. During my time working and living in Las Vegas, I walked through the Riviera Hotel and asked a few employees about GLOW. Despite its iconic status in television history, I only found one person who worked at the hotel during that time. She mentioned that it wasn’t there long and she barely remembered it.
I would love for anyone who sat in the audience to contact me so I could add their stories to our GLOW stories. Their experiences would be a valuable addition to our shared history and memories.
Back in the 1980s, Manny was disappointed that no official GLOW girl action figures were created—a sentiment shared by many fans, including myself. However, a couple of years ago, a talented individual named Wanda Maness began creating GLOW action figures and even made custom figures of Americana and David McLane for Manny, fulfilling one of his long-held wishes.
Like most original GLOW fans, Manny hopes that all four seasons of GLOW will be released, along with the unaired matches that Matt Cimber and others have mentioned are still in existence. The anticipation of seeing these unaired matches keeps the GLOW spirit alive among devoted fans.
Manny loves Netflix’s GLOW series and was disappointed when the fourth season was canceled during production. He has always enjoyed seeing strong and empowering women on television, which is why GLOW holds a special place in his heart.
I met Manny in Long Beach, California, on the night of a party featuring the ladies of GLOW. David McLane was also there, not to meet fans or attend the party, but by chance, on the beautiful Queen Mary before setting sail on the Carnival Imagination in 2016. Since then, Manny and I have cruised together with the ladies of GLOW in 2017 on the Norwegian Dawn from New Orleans, in 2018 on the Norwegian Breakaway from New York, and again in 2024 on the Norwegian Encore from Miami. Manny is one of the most fun people to hang out with, and he absolutely loves to dance. We share a mutual love for Paula Abdul, whom we’ve both had the pleasure of meeting at different times in our lives.
I hope you enjoyed getting to know Manny and his incredible GLOW journey. Manny is active on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, and you can find him at:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/manuel.briano
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mannyb175
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MannyB175
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https://www.facebook.com/adrianduarte
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