He can wrestle pretty well, and he can talk like a pro. He's a legitimate Toughman competitor, used to box, and can play the piano. He also used to work in a Florida sheriff's office. There's so much potential for a crappy gimmick in any of those attributes, but they've got, as was coined on The Simpsons "Three Stooges Syndrome", which prevents any of his talents from being blown up into a comedy role by the WWE.
He's charismatic as all Hell. I'm yet to see the Elijah Express, but I shall witness it this week, as Burke is going to make me tune in to ECW.