Anyone who was born and raised in Dundalk like I was has had to endure countless jokes and putdowns. That’s why I always swell up with pride whenever a fellow Dundalkian accomplishes something of significance. And I have never been as, uh, swollen as I was when I learned that the winner of WWE’s Biggest Fan contest is from Dundalk.

Mike Timpson, Dundalk High School Class of 1987, was announced as the winner of the $25,000 grand prize last month in New York.

To enter the contest, one had to submit a 60-second video that demonstrated why he or she was WWE’s Biggest Fan. Timpson, who moved to Los Angeles seven years ago, was one of 15 finalists who were flown to New York during SummerSlam weekend. In addition to the attending the contest finals at Spotlight Live in Times Square, Timpson and the other contestants got to see SummerSlam at Continental Airlines Arena in New Jersey and rub elbows with WWE talent.

When I saw that Mike Timpson of Los Angeles was named WWE’s Biggest Fan, it didn’t register until he sent me an e-mail recently to tell me that he had won. He and I attended the same high school and had mutual friends, but we really didn’t know each other that well.

Timpson, who said he used to take the bus down to the matches at the Baltimore Civic Center (as it was known then) as a kid back when Bruno Sammartino and Bob Backlund were champions, formerly was a producer for 98 Rock and WBAL radio and is now a producer for KABC radio in Los Angeles. He also works as a standup comedian and has written jokes for The Tonight Show and various VH-1 shows.

Timpson put his writing and performing skills to good use when making his video. He had looked at some early submissions on WWE’s Web site before he shot his, and he noticed that a lot of them focused on fans’ vast memorabilia collections. Knowing that his collection, while impressive, would pale in comparison, and also realizing that one of the criteria for the clips was creativity, he decided to go in a totally different direction.

“I tried to produce something funny and entertaining,” Timpson said. “I’m a performer and I made sure that came across.”

He put together a funny series of skits that demonstrated how WWE influenced every aspect of his life — at home, at work and even at the grocery store. Celebrity judges Steve Austin, John Cena and Batista all thought Timpson’s video was humorous and clever.

One of the funniest scenes took place in Timpson’s bedroom, where he had a picture of himself and Vince McMahon hanging above his bed. A woman, whom the judges assumed was Timpson’s wife, played her role perfectly. As it turns out, Timpson isn’t married, and he isn’t even romantically involved with the woman in the clip — she is an actress named Beth Shea and a friend of Timpson’s. And, for the record, Timpson said the McMahon photo was only for dramatic effect.

Timpson said he never really thought he would win, even after he was still standing when the field was whittled to three. When he was announced as the winner, Timpson said he was in shock for a couple seconds. After he was presented with a championship belt for being the Biggest Fan, he said he just stood there in amazement until Jonathan Coachman whispered in his ear, “Hold the belt over your head.”

Timpson, who said he has become friends with several of the other finalists and keeps in contact with them via e-mail, said he thoroughly enjoyed his 15 minutes of fame and especially savored the chance to meet a number of WWE stars.

“All of the wrestlers were so nice,” he said. “Once we got backstage [after the contest], I was just trying to be respectful and stay out of everybody’s way. Then Cena came up to me and said, ‘Timpson, you’re the biggest fan. Act like it.' ”

Must be that fine Dundalk upbringing that made him so humble.