1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:08,119 Speaker 1: M. What's up, everybody? Welcome back to another episode of 2 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:12,240 Speaker 1: Wrestling with Freddy. The WWF is back and I'm back 3 00:00:12,280 --> 00:00:16,360 Speaker 1: with you. I hope you're ready to hear some WrestleMania stories. 4 00:00:17,239 --> 00:00:21,680 Speaker 1: Now stepping up for the mining of Wrestling with Freddie 5 00:00:22,200 --> 00:00:27,440 Speaker 1: Freddie Prince June. Yeah, we're on the road to WrestleMania 6 00:00:27,520 --> 00:00:30,520 Speaker 1: right now. It's getting close. Hope you guys are excited. 7 00:00:30,600 --> 00:00:34,080 Speaker 1: You're gonna see Rhonda Rousey the winner of the Women's 8 00:00:34,159 --> 00:00:37,880 Speaker 1: Royal Rumble and Brock Lesner, the winner of the Men's 9 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:41,680 Speaker 1: Royal Rumble, and the main events of WrestleMania, which is 10 00:00:41,680 --> 00:00:47,280 Speaker 1: always awesome. Rhonda gets a very mixed response from the crowd, 11 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:49,879 Speaker 1: and she tends to be very honest with her feelings 12 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:53,440 Speaker 1: in the moment the crowd. For those who don't follow 13 00:00:53,440 --> 00:00:57,880 Speaker 1: the brand very much, they loved her when she first 14 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:01,440 Speaker 1: came in with the Rock at a WrestleMania that was 15 00:01:01,480 --> 00:01:04,520 Speaker 1: at the San Francisco Fordia Niners New Stadium Levi Stadium, 16 00:01:04,520 --> 00:01:06,720 Speaker 1: I don't remember which one it was, and she did 17 00:01:06,720 --> 00:01:09,200 Speaker 1: a hip toss on Stephanie McMahon in the middle of 18 00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:11,520 Speaker 1: the ring, and that was kind of this hint and 19 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:13,760 Speaker 1: this tease that she was gonna come. So when she 20 00:01:13,880 --> 00:01:16,800 Speaker 1: did debut, the crowd got behind her and they were 21 00:01:16,920 --> 00:01:20,600 Speaker 1: really the live crowds were really hyped for and then 22 00:01:20,640 --> 00:01:24,880 Speaker 1: they turned and when they did, you could see it 23 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:30,000 Speaker 1: emotionally bother her, not the character Ronda Rousey. It hurt 24 00:01:30,200 --> 00:01:33,640 Speaker 1: Ronda Rousy and she was very public in interviews about it. 25 00:01:33,760 --> 00:01:36,880 Speaker 1: And she's the kind of person who when you feel 26 00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:39,039 Speaker 1: like that you're going to use a certain type of 27 00:01:39,040 --> 00:01:41,679 Speaker 1: person is going to use anger as a means to 28 00:01:41,800 --> 00:01:45,720 Speaker 1: re empower your ego, right, And so she turned on 29 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:48,560 Speaker 1: the fans and interviews and talked trash back, but not 30 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:51,680 Speaker 1: in an in character sort of way, just in a 31 00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:55,800 Speaker 1: very dismissive wrestling isn't that important, I'm a real fighter 32 00:01:55,920 --> 00:01:59,120 Speaker 1: sort of way. And once you say that and you 33 00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:02,200 Speaker 1: go into the real in fake world with wrestling fans, 34 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:06,640 Speaker 1: you're in a lot of trouble. And so the reaction 35 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:09,240 Speaker 1: to her got worse and worse and worse, and the 36 00:02:09,240 --> 00:02:11,480 Speaker 1: fans didn't drive her out of the business, but it's 37 00:02:11,480 --> 00:02:13,800 Speaker 1: certainly you could tell sucked a lot of her passion 38 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:16,240 Speaker 1: for the business when she would speak on it. So 39 00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:19,760 Speaker 1: now she's back. She debuted in the Royal Rumble again, 40 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:22,920 Speaker 1: which is my favorite pay per view I never missed. 41 00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:26,200 Speaker 1: I've only missed one because it worked and I see 42 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:30,320 Speaker 1: her come out and the crowd was pretty darn cool 43 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:33,840 Speaker 1: about it. So I wonder how long that's gonna last. 44 00:02:34,760 --> 00:02:37,280 Speaker 1: I wonder if she's gonna say something that makes them 45 00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:40,240 Speaker 1: mad again, because they pick up every little quote on 46 00:02:40,280 --> 00:02:42,720 Speaker 1: the dirt sheets. Now, I've learned so much about dirt 47 00:02:42,760 --> 00:02:46,760 Speaker 1: sheets since I started this podcast, it's crazy. So I'm 48 00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:51,079 Speaker 1: very curious to see how her road to WrestleMania goes 49 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:53,959 Speaker 1: over the next few weeks and a few couple of months. 50 00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:56,920 Speaker 1: And we're on our road to WrestleMania right now. So 51 00:02:56,960 --> 00:02:59,799 Speaker 1: we're gonna start with the first WrestleMania I ever got 52 00:02:59,840 --> 00:03:02,280 Speaker 1: to go to as a guest, which if you listen 53 00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:04,960 Speaker 1: to our episode one, you'll hear some of all the 54 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:07,839 Speaker 1: way to the first WrestleMania that I worked as an employee. 55 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:11,040 Speaker 1: I'm in Orlando, Florida with a with a group of 56 00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:14,120 Speaker 1: friends and we had gotten into the bad habit of 57 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:18,760 Speaker 1: betting matches on TV and McAuley I've talked about this before, 58 00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:20,720 Speaker 1: he's been a guest on the podcast. I hope you 59 00:03:20,760 --> 00:03:23,480 Speaker 1: guys listen to that episode because it's really funny and 60 00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:26,280 Speaker 1: he's got such a good mind for wrestling, and one 61 00:03:26,320 --> 00:03:29,440 Speaker 1: day we shall take over the ind scene. But we 62 00:03:29,480 --> 00:03:32,519 Speaker 1: would bet a hundred dollars a match, right, So however, 63 00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:34,200 Speaker 1: if there are ten matches, you had to bring a 64 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:36,840 Speaker 1: thousand bucks cash with you, and there were often more 65 00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:41,480 Speaker 1: than that. And for whatever reason, I think I can 66 00:03:41,520 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 1: count on one hand how many matches I won versus 67 00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:46,000 Speaker 1: how many he wants. So I lost a lot of 68 00:03:46,040 --> 00:03:49,640 Speaker 1: money to this guy. So we go to Mania, and 69 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:52,760 Speaker 1: I think the first match was this Battle Royale eliminator 70 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:56,360 Speaker 1: that wasn't even on during the pay per view, and 71 00:03:56,400 --> 00:03:58,680 Speaker 1: the winner of it was going to get a match 72 00:03:58,720 --> 00:04:02,560 Speaker 1: against Chavo Guerrera oh for the e c W Championship, 73 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:05,360 Speaker 1: and Kane wins the Battle Royal. Nobody bets that match, 74 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:09,640 Speaker 1: so we're all making bets, and everybody bets Kane, so 75 00:04:09,680 --> 00:04:11,760 Speaker 1: we're not gonna bet the e c W match, and 76 00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:14,920 Speaker 1: Mac out of nowhere says I want to make a 77 00:04:14,920 --> 00:04:17,919 Speaker 1: prop bet, and me and the other two two people, 78 00:04:17,920 --> 00:04:19,920 Speaker 1: they're like, what, He goes, I bet you it's a 79 00:04:19,960 --> 00:04:21,840 Speaker 1: squash match. I bet you came beats him in like 80 00:04:21,920 --> 00:04:25,640 Speaker 1: ten seconds and we go, okay, sure, whatever, man, here's 81 00:04:25,640 --> 00:04:27,760 Speaker 1: a hundred puck. So everyone gives him action on it 82 00:04:27,760 --> 00:04:30,599 Speaker 1: because there's four of us, so including Max, so there's 83 00:04:30,640 --> 00:04:33,880 Speaker 1: three dollars on the line that he could win. And 84 00:04:34,120 --> 00:04:37,880 Speaker 1: so the match happens and I crap you not, I've 85 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:41,400 Speaker 1: looked it up online. It's over in nine seconds. It's 86 00:04:41,400 --> 00:04:45,000 Speaker 1: a full squash choke slab match tablo down one to three. 87 00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:48,480 Speaker 1: So MATC collects money right away from us. The other 88 00:04:48,520 --> 00:04:50,159 Speaker 1: match and I don't remember all of them. I just 89 00:04:50,200 --> 00:04:54,239 Speaker 1: remember losing all my money. They had a Belfast Brawl 90 00:04:54,680 --> 00:04:57,920 Speaker 1: which was against Fit Finley, and his gimmick the w 91 00:04:58,120 --> 00:05:01,320 Speaker 1: W gave him was he's Irish so he likes to fight, 92 00:05:01,760 --> 00:05:08,440 Speaker 1: which is honestly, fairly accurate, fairly accurate description of them. 93 00:05:08,480 --> 00:05:10,680 Speaker 1: One of my best friends is Wayne McCullough. He was 94 00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:14,719 Speaker 1: a silver medalist in boxing, had gotten a lot of fights, 95 00:05:14,720 --> 00:05:17,240 Speaker 1: so and I've been to Ireland and saw a lot 96 00:05:17,279 --> 00:05:20,200 Speaker 1: of dudes fighting. They were always friends afterwards, but I 97 00:05:20,240 --> 00:05:22,640 Speaker 1: saw a lot of fights. So anyway, it was him 98 00:05:22,760 --> 00:05:28,560 Speaker 1: versus John Bradshaw Layfield j b L. And a Belfast 99 00:05:28,560 --> 00:05:31,040 Speaker 1: brawl is basically a street fight where they're bringing out track. 100 00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:33,359 Speaker 1: I remember a lot of trash cans got smashed on 101 00:05:33,440 --> 00:05:38,400 Speaker 1: people's heads and and uh we we all said that 102 00:05:38,480 --> 00:05:41,000 Speaker 1: it's a Belfast brawl. So fit Finley is for sure 103 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:44,600 Speaker 1: gonna win his own match. He's Irish like, not just 104 00:05:44,760 --> 00:05:48,760 Speaker 1: American Irish like he's from Ireland. You have to listen 105 00:05:48,839 --> 00:05:51,200 Speaker 1: to his accent to hear everything he says because he 106 00:05:51,200 --> 00:05:55,080 Speaker 1: has that Irish brogue right, and so for sure he's 107 00:05:55,080 --> 00:05:57,239 Speaker 1: winning the match. Well for sure, he didn't win the match, 108 00:05:57,360 --> 00:05:59,960 Speaker 1: and Mac pulls in a three hundred off the script, 109 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:03,760 Speaker 1: and then they have the main event. Nobody bet the 110 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:06,360 Speaker 1: Flair retirement match because everybody knew how that was gonna go. 111 00:06:07,480 --> 00:06:09,800 Speaker 1: Mac probably would have said something crazy like I'll bet you. 112 00:06:09,839 --> 00:06:13,560 Speaker 1: Sean Michael says, I'm sorry, I love you. He didn't, 113 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:17,839 Speaker 1: but it's within his potential. So there's the Triple Threat 114 00:06:17,880 --> 00:06:22,240 Speaker 1: match and Randy Orton's the champion and I'll never forget 115 00:06:22,279 --> 00:06:25,480 Speaker 1: this Triple h is the challenger and John Cena is 116 00:06:25,520 --> 00:06:28,760 Speaker 1: the second challenger, and the way this story had been 117 00:06:28,760 --> 00:06:31,080 Speaker 1: told on TV, and I was really back into the 118 00:06:31,120 --> 00:06:32,960 Speaker 1: brand at this point because I was seeing a lot 119 00:06:32,960 --> 00:06:35,560 Speaker 1: of the new people after this long hiatus I had 120 00:06:35,600 --> 00:06:40,080 Speaker 1: taken from wrestling from watching it, and the Orton story 121 00:06:40,320 --> 00:06:44,720 Speaker 1: was incredibly undertold, as you see with a lot of 122 00:06:44,880 --> 00:06:47,479 Speaker 1: w w E stories, So it didn't seem like it 123 00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:51,640 Speaker 1: was an intentional under cell and the real drama, the 124 00:06:51,680 --> 00:06:56,479 Speaker 1: real passion, was all coming from Sena and and Hunter. 125 00:06:56,800 --> 00:06:59,880 Speaker 1: They had the momentum. They're just crushing matches doing this. 126 00:07:00,279 --> 00:07:03,719 Speaker 1: So we all make our stupid bets, and where everyone's 127 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:06,600 Speaker 1: betting Senia or Triple h. I bet I bet Triple 128 00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:11,480 Speaker 1: h Uh. Fathers bets Sina, I don't remember what our 129 00:07:11,520 --> 00:07:14,040 Speaker 1: other buddy bet, and Mac of course bets Randy Orton. 130 00:07:15,160 --> 00:07:17,760 Speaker 1: It's such a slap in the face when Norton wins that. 131 00:07:17,840 --> 00:07:20,120 Speaker 1: The next day on Raw, the show opens and he 132 00:07:20,160 --> 00:07:22,440 Speaker 1: literally walks out with the belt on him and he says, 133 00:07:22,960 --> 00:07:26,560 Speaker 1: expecting someone else and to watch that we were still 134 00:07:26,560 --> 00:07:28,880 Speaker 1: in Orlando. It was just like, I'm looking at Mac 135 00:07:29,600 --> 00:07:32,520 Speaker 1: and it's literally what Mac would have said had he 136 00:07:32,600 --> 00:07:37,320 Speaker 1: written it. So after WrestleMania, it's the Rick Flair retirement match. 137 00:07:37,360 --> 00:07:39,200 Speaker 1: I get to meet Rick Flair and we kind of 138 00:07:39,240 --> 00:07:43,320 Speaker 1: clicked and we're joking and talking. I loved your dad. 139 00:07:43,360 --> 00:07:46,400 Speaker 1: I loved your father. Were you know, cracking jokes And 140 00:07:46,400 --> 00:07:48,720 Speaker 1: this guy named Chavel Classics there and he's telling me 141 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:51,680 Speaker 1: this crazy story about doing cocaine with my father in 142 00:07:53,240 --> 00:07:58,440 Speaker 1: with him, Frank Sinatra and the Chicago Mafia in Chicago 143 00:07:59,400 --> 00:08:02,280 Speaker 1: at this of called Mr. Chows, which isn't there anymore. 144 00:08:02,280 --> 00:08:04,840 Speaker 1: It's a little comedy club. So it's just an insane 145 00:08:04,920 --> 00:08:07,880 Speaker 1: night for me, right And I'm sitting there with the 146 00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:11,600 Speaker 1: legend Rick Flair, who's my favorite wrestler ever, and it's 147 00:08:11,640 --> 00:08:17,000 Speaker 1: coming on twelve o'clock, one o'clock, two o'clock. I'm done, okay, 148 00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:20,880 Speaker 1: I'm I've had it. I've had I've had some some beverages. 149 00:08:21,560 --> 00:08:24,559 Speaker 1: I've had, you know, a lot of beverages. I'm ready 150 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:27,480 Speaker 1: to go pass out. This guy hasn't even like gotten 151 00:08:27,480 --> 00:08:31,520 Speaker 1: warmed up two AM hits and I'm done. I'm drunk. 152 00:08:32,280 --> 00:08:35,160 Speaker 1: I cannot drink anymore. I'm ready to pass out. And 153 00:08:35,280 --> 00:08:38,600 Speaker 1: Rick Flair is twenty one year old who has been 154 00:08:38,640 --> 00:08:42,080 Speaker 1: drinking far more than I have and is nothing like 155 00:08:42,160 --> 00:08:44,480 Speaker 1: he's just ready to go. So I tap out, Mac 156 00:08:44,559 --> 00:08:46,960 Speaker 1: taps out. We all go to bed and then we 157 00:08:47,000 --> 00:08:49,240 Speaker 1: watch you know, Monday night raw there in Orlando. The 158 00:08:49,280 --> 00:08:52,240 Speaker 1: next the next night and we all catch red Eyes 159 00:08:52,280 --> 00:08:55,959 Speaker 1: from Orlando back to Los Angeles. Now in episode one, 160 00:08:55,960 --> 00:08:59,520 Speaker 1: I told you about uh, this woman who I spoke 161 00:08:59,559 --> 00:09:01,240 Speaker 1: to the kind have arranged all that. Her name is 162 00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:04,440 Speaker 1: Kristen Prouty, and she's an amazing woman. She still works 163 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:11,880 Speaker 1: there and has literally built her career path like it 164 00:09:11,960 --> 00:09:14,959 Speaker 1: was never This is the cool thing about w w E. 165 00:09:15,400 --> 00:09:18,439 Speaker 1: You can get assigned a job, right and you can 166 00:09:18,480 --> 00:09:20,720 Speaker 1: live with that job, and it can be crazy, it 167 00:09:20,720 --> 00:09:23,800 Speaker 1: can be great, or you can create your own job. 168 00:09:23,960 --> 00:09:27,160 Speaker 1: You can create your own career path within that company 169 00:09:27,200 --> 00:09:29,880 Speaker 1: if you're creative enough. And she's one of the people 170 00:09:29,920 --> 00:09:32,880 Speaker 1: who was and is and she's still there and she's 171 00:09:32,880 --> 00:09:36,160 Speaker 1: at a very high level in the company. And her 172 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:38,400 Speaker 1: and I started talking and I've I've spoken about this, 173 00:09:38,520 --> 00:09:40,480 Speaker 1: like I said in the first episode about me coming 174 00:09:40,520 --> 00:09:43,600 Speaker 1: to work there, So I did, thanks to the thanks 175 00:09:43,640 --> 00:09:47,040 Speaker 1: to this awesome chick and UH in her introducing me 176 00:09:47,080 --> 00:09:50,080 Speaker 1: to Stephanie McMahon. And it's been a year at this 177 00:09:50,160 --> 00:09:55,600 Speaker 1: point and I've been in the company. I'm grooving and 178 00:09:55,640 --> 00:10:07,040 Speaker 1: all of a sudden, I'm gonna work my very first WrestleMania. 179 00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:12,480 Speaker 1: Ye WrestleMania for the employees on the on like the 180 00:10:12,559 --> 00:10:16,920 Speaker 1: non wrestling side is the best and worst week of 181 00:10:16,960 --> 00:10:20,839 Speaker 1: the year in the company. You're you're writing stories backwards 182 00:10:21,040 --> 00:10:24,640 Speaker 1: from WrestleMania backwards the whole year, and every time someone 183 00:10:24,679 --> 00:10:28,480 Speaker 1: gets hurt or every time someone gets heat with the company, 184 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:33,600 Speaker 1: every single story is forced to change because we write 185 00:10:33,640 --> 00:10:37,000 Speaker 1: from WrestleMania backwards. So if your main event is John 186 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:42,440 Speaker 1: Cena versus the Miss, everything from the day after WrestleMania 187 00:10:42,559 --> 00:10:45,960 Speaker 1: to the next WrestleMania has to slowly build up a 188 00:10:46,040 --> 00:10:49,320 Speaker 1: story for John Cena and the Miss to eventually meet 189 00:10:49,720 --> 00:10:53,480 Speaker 1: in Georgia at WrestleMania the following year. So it's an 190 00:10:53,480 --> 00:10:56,200 Speaker 1: incredible challenge on the on the writing staff or on 191 00:10:56,240 --> 00:11:01,160 Speaker 1: the entire creative team just to get there with all 192 00:11:01,200 --> 00:11:04,480 Speaker 1: the changes that come about. And they're so used to 193 00:11:04,600 --> 00:11:08,040 Speaker 1: change that they welcome it, they embrace it, they invite 194 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:14,000 Speaker 1: change even when change isn't necessary. So you know what 195 00:11:14,120 --> 00:11:17,480 Speaker 1: you're in for going in. At least I thought I did. 196 00:11:17,760 --> 00:11:21,120 Speaker 1: I thought I was prepared. We get to the hotel 197 00:11:21,160 --> 00:11:24,400 Speaker 1: in Georgia and Vince Rince out like basically like a 198 00:11:24,440 --> 00:11:26,679 Speaker 1: banquet room in the in the hotel where you would 199 00:11:26,679 --> 00:11:30,319 Speaker 1: have like a convention where like those snake oils motivational 200 00:11:30,320 --> 00:11:33,840 Speaker 1: speaker salesman like talked to young dudes about how to 201 00:11:33,880 --> 00:11:36,480 Speaker 1: be an alpha. Don't believe that crap, you guys. That's 202 00:11:36,559 --> 00:11:38,600 Speaker 1: a whole bunch of nonsense, and they're just making money 203 00:11:38,640 --> 00:11:41,760 Speaker 1: off you. Um, just my two cents. Anyway, he had 204 00:11:41,800 --> 00:11:45,000 Speaker 1: one of those spaces. Vince us did much more noblie 205 00:11:45,040 --> 00:11:49,880 Speaker 1: than they did, and we bring him WrestleMania. And I 206 00:11:49,920 --> 00:11:52,880 Speaker 1: was invited into this meeting and there were only I 207 00:11:52,920 --> 00:11:56,840 Speaker 1: think four or five of us in there. It was myself, Brankawortz, 208 00:11:57,440 --> 00:12:00,679 Speaker 1: I believe Christopher to Joseph was in there, and I 209 00:12:00,720 --> 00:12:03,160 Speaker 1: don't remember who else, but it was a very free 210 00:12:03,160 --> 00:12:06,920 Speaker 1: bird was in there. Michael Hayes and Vince sets down 211 00:12:06,920 --> 00:12:10,240 Speaker 1: the script and Brian sort of presents it to him, 212 00:12:10,280 --> 00:12:13,440 Speaker 1: and Vince starts banging through everything he wants to rewrite 213 00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:16,040 Speaker 1: and everything he wants to change. And this goes on 214 00:12:16,160 --> 00:12:21,520 Speaker 1: for one, two, three, now four hours in. We're four 215 00:12:21,559 --> 00:12:25,400 Speaker 1: hours in, you guys. I've taken a bathroom break once, 216 00:12:26,600 --> 00:12:29,320 Speaker 1: almost tapped out, like I literally there's a part of 217 00:12:29,360 --> 00:12:31,319 Speaker 1: me that wanted to like text somebody in the room 218 00:12:31,360 --> 00:12:33,400 Speaker 1: and be like, hey, tell him I'm sick in the bathroom. 219 00:12:33,400 --> 00:12:37,120 Speaker 1: I can't I can't make it back it. This is 220 00:12:37,240 --> 00:12:46,760 Speaker 1: Vince's most prized position WrestleMania. WrestleMania is what made wrestling 221 00:12:46,840 --> 00:12:53,320 Speaker 1: the mainstream attraction that it is today. I believe the 222 00:12:53,440 --> 00:12:56,360 Speaker 1: terms trademark. I don't think anybody else is even allowed 223 00:12:56,440 --> 00:12:59,840 Speaker 1: to use it. I mean it literally defines the w 224 00:12:59,840 --> 00:13:03,680 Speaker 1: W WET in Vince's mind, maybe in some others, but 225 00:13:03,800 --> 00:13:07,040 Speaker 1: it is the show because it is the show that 226 00:13:08,880 --> 00:13:12,559 Speaker 1: made the company. So he cares, and he cares a lot, 227 00:13:12,600 --> 00:13:14,599 Speaker 1: and you can accuse him of caring too much, but 228 00:13:14,679 --> 00:13:17,079 Speaker 1: you could accuse him of that every single week, like 229 00:13:17,679 --> 00:13:21,040 Speaker 1: we outthink ourselves with the things we're passionate about all 230 00:13:21,080 --> 00:13:24,120 Speaker 1: the time you meet Vince McMahon, But with this, it's 231 00:13:24,120 --> 00:13:26,800 Speaker 1: a different it's a different beast and it makes you, 232 00:13:27,920 --> 00:13:30,320 Speaker 1: it makes you crazy. So this is day one where 233 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:34,319 Speaker 1: this is Saturday's production meeting and we're rewriting the entire 234 00:13:34,360 --> 00:13:38,560 Speaker 1: show basically, and Vince wants to have this. We're gonna 235 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:41,520 Speaker 1: have Snoop Dogg Snoops coming, and we have to write 236 00:13:41,559 --> 00:13:44,160 Speaker 1: in a segment for Snoop Dogg. You're gonna, right, you're 237 00:13:44,200 --> 00:13:46,600 Speaker 1: gonna write the Snoop Dogg segment, All right, what are 238 00:13:46,600 --> 00:13:49,959 Speaker 1: you looking for, man or whatever? Just write something. Oh, 239 00:13:50,040 --> 00:13:54,079 Speaker 1: and you're gonna write the Morrison the Morrison segment too 240 00:13:54,120 --> 00:13:57,360 Speaker 1: with Trician Snookie. I go, what because you're doing a 241 00:13:57,400 --> 00:14:01,080 Speaker 1: Snookie segment and he's not smiling, and I'm like, yo, man, 242 00:14:01,080 --> 00:14:04,040 Speaker 1: I'm not doing the Snookie segment. Like that's not that's 243 00:14:04,080 --> 00:14:06,559 Speaker 1: not happening. Man. You tried to get me to do 244 00:14:06,559 --> 00:14:10,240 Speaker 1: do this against Michelle McCool another time and I told 245 00:14:10,240 --> 00:14:12,079 Speaker 1: you no, then I'm not doing that. So I got 246 00:14:12,080 --> 00:14:14,280 Speaker 1: four segments. Man, I'm not adding that one. If you 247 00:14:14,320 --> 00:14:16,559 Speaker 1: want me to add one. He goes, oh, I go, man, 248 00:14:16,559 --> 00:14:18,000 Speaker 1: I don't know if you're joking or if you're not, 249 00:14:18,040 --> 00:14:20,240 Speaker 1: but that's what I said. This isn't like, that's bullshit. 250 00:14:20,280 --> 00:14:22,840 Speaker 1: I'm not doing that match, not the match, but the 251 00:14:22,960 --> 00:14:25,760 Speaker 1: segment that they wanted to do. Only the agents, the 252 00:14:25,800 --> 00:14:28,040 Speaker 1: old school wrestlers. They're the only ones that to the matches. 253 00:14:29,240 --> 00:14:33,760 Speaker 1: So he's kind of like grunting chuck, like a chuckle grunt. 254 00:14:33,800 --> 00:14:35,840 Speaker 1: What do you call that? At gruckle, it's more one 255 00:14:35,880 --> 00:14:39,520 Speaker 1: of those like, all right, we'll just get somebody to 256 00:14:39,520 --> 00:14:41,520 Speaker 1: write it, which basically someone not in the room is 257 00:14:41,560 --> 00:14:43,960 Speaker 1: going to have to write it and then direct that segment. 258 00:14:44,000 --> 00:14:45,840 Speaker 1: But I'm sure as hell wasn't gonna do it. Man, 259 00:14:46,400 --> 00:14:48,880 Speaker 1: I didn't like the idea when they first brought it up. 260 00:14:49,120 --> 00:14:53,320 Speaker 1: I fought against it in the room because the Jersey Shore, 261 00:14:53,480 --> 00:14:55,400 Speaker 1: I think, is the show that she was on, and 262 00:14:55,440 --> 00:14:57,600 Speaker 1: it was big back then. But I'm not a reality 263 00:14:57,640 --> 00:15:01,240 Speaker 1: TV dude. In fact, I'm like anti reality TV because 264 00:15:01,240 --> 00:15:04,080 Speaker 1: that takes jobs away from, you know, scriptwriters that I 265 00:15:04,160 --> 00:15:06,640 Speaker 1: know and like a lot, and I would rather then 266 00:15:06,680 --> 00:15:10,040 Speaker 1: be working. And this the the industry likes reality shows 267 00:15:10,080 --> 00:15:11,920 Speaker 1: so much because they can make it for a tenth 268 00:15:12,000 --> 00:15:14,920 Speaker 1: the cost of a scripted show, So that gets rid 269 00:15:15,000 --> 00:15:17,800 Speaker 1: of more scripted shows, which means more of my writer 270 00:15:17,920 --> 00:15:20,560 Speaker 1: friends are broke. So that's why I was so against 271 00:15:20,640 --> 00:15:22,400 Speaker 1: it at the time. Right, it was just like she's 272 00:15:22,400 --> 00:15:26,840 Speaker 1: the enemy, so I'm sure she's lovely. I just you know, 273 00:15:27,040 --> 00:15:29,760 Speaker 1: that was my soapbox that I was standing on. So 274 00:15:30,040 --> 00:15:32,320 Speaker 1: they get whoever they get for that. And I have 275 00:15:32,480 --> 00:15:36,200 Speaker 1: my segments, and one of them is the snoop segment, 276 00:15:36,640 --> 00:15:39,400 Speaker 1: and I have no idea what to do, and Vince goes, 277 00:15:40,440 --> 00:15:44,200 Speaker 1: he's not gonna wrap, and I go, okay, that that's 278 00:15:44,200 --> 00:15:45,680 Speaker 1: the only rule we're gonna have Snoop. But he's not 279 00:15:45,720 --> 00:15:48,280 Speaker 1: gonna wrap. In a backstage segment like okay, So I 280 00:15:48,280 --> 00:15:50,240 Speaker 1: go backstage like what are we gonna do? Man? And 281 00:15:50,280 --> 00:15:52,920 Speaker 1: there's this dude named Dylan. They call him horn Swoggle, 282 00:15:53,280 --> 00:15:56,240 Speaker 1: and he played this leper Con right, he's a dwarf 283 00:15:56,280 --> 00:15:58,680 Speaker 1: in real life. He played this leper Con character and 284 00:15:58,720 --> 00:16:00,640 Speaker 1: he never spoke that was again. He would go on on 285 00:16:01,640 --> 00:16:03,720 Speaker 1: and like, you know, grind his teeth and bite your 286 00:16:03,760 --> 00:16:07,240 Speaker 1: ankles and do little evil leprica on things like from 287 00:16:07,240 --> 00:16:11,760 Speaker 1: the horror film Leprecha. And I said, hey, man, do 288 00:16:11,800 --> 00:16:14,120 Speaker 1: you want to uh do you want to talk tonight? 289 00:16:14,440 --> 00:16:17,240 Speaker 1: He said what? I go more specifically, do you want 290 00:16:17,240 --> 00:16:19,960 Speaker 1: to rap for Snoop Dogg tonight? He goes, are you kidding? 291 00:16:19,960 --> 00:16:21,880 Speaker 1: I go, yeah, I gotta write it, and I can't 292 00:16:21,920 --> 00:16:23,800 Speaker 1: write reps, but I'm gonna write you a rap. You're 293 00:16:23,840 --> 00:16:26,800 Speaker 1: gonna do it for Snoop? And like he's looking for new, 294 00:16:27,040 --> 00:16:29,360 Speaker 1: like you know, new acts to bring with him on 295 00:16:29,400 --> 00:16:31,640 Speaker 1: the road. You're gonna be one of the people auditioning. 296 00:16:32,240 --> 00:16:33,880 Speaker 1: He says, dude, I would love to do that. I said, 297 00:16:33,920 --> 00:16:35,920 Speaker 1: all right, man, as soon as I'll write your thing 298 00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:37,360 Speaker 1: first and I'll give it to you so you could 299 00:16:37,480 --> 00:16:39,680 Speaker 1: practice it, because it's gonna be terrible morning you Now, 300 00:16:40,000 --> 00:16:42,400 Speaker 1: he goes, no, man, thank you so much. He was awesome. Dude. 301 00:16:42,400 --> 00:16:44,840 Speaker 1: I still I still know him. I love him. So 302 00:16:44,880 --> 00:16:47,440 Speaker 1: I write this up. I don't remember what the lyrics were. 303 00:16:47,480 --> 00:16:49,520 Speaker 1: I'm sure it's online. If you want to humiliate me 304 00:16:49,600 --> 00:16:52,240 Speaker 1: by hitting me on social media, that's at real F 305 00:16:52,320 --> 00:16:56,520 Speaker 1: p j R. On Twitter, I'll block you for life. 306 00:16:56,600 --> 00:16:59,640 Speaker 1: I won't, but you don't have to humiliate me. That's 307 00:16:59,680 --> 00:17:03,720 Speaker 1: a choice and it sears to make. So we go 308 00:17:03,800 --> 00:17:08,400 Speaker 1: in there and I got Cardona and Rowdy Roddy Piper 309 00:17:09,119 --> 00:17:11,400 Speaker 1: who have agreed to help me out. I made this 310 00:17:11,440 --> 00:17:14,680 Speaker 1: like passion plead to Piper about how much I love 311 00:17:14,760 --> 00:17:18,040 Speaker 1: him and respect him, and I loved They Lived so much. 312 00:17:18,600 --> 00:17:21,280 Speaker 1: And we're talking about him and Keith David because Keith 313 00:17:21,359 --> 00:17:23,920 Speaker 1: was my dad's best friend in high school, the black 314 00:17:24,000 --> 00:17:26,399 Speaker 1: dude from They Lived The Voice of Spawn on HBO. 315 00:17:26,480 --> 00:17:28,560 Speaker 1: That's Keith and my dad used to be in theater 316 00:17:28,680 --> 00:17:30,639 Speaker 1: school together and they were doing like of mice and 317 00:17:30,760 --> 00:17:34,800 Speaker 1: men in and my dad dropped out one day side 318 00:17:34,840 --> 00:17:39,040 Speaker 1: Quoest and Keith, who I met on the Mass Effect 319 00:17:39,119 --> 00:17:41,800 Speaker 1: video games. We were both voicing characters in the third one. 320 00:17:41,880 --> 00:17:45,440 Speaker 1: He voiced it in all three and he was telling 321 00:17:45,480 --> 00:17:47,159 Speaker 1: me stories about my dad. He said, always knew one 322 00:17:47,240 --> 00:17:48,880 Speaker 1: day I was gonna show for school, and that meant 323 00:17:48,960 --> 00:17:51,080 Speaker 1: that he made it. And sure as how, one day 324 00:17:51,119 --> 00:17:53,159 Speaker 1: he didn't show up, and nobody was mad. They were 325 00:17:53,240 --> 00:17:56,159 Speaker 1: cheering because they knew. Someone called my dad and said, yo, 326 00:17:56,200 --> 00:17:57,879 Speaker 1: you got a shot. And I was on the Milton 327 00:17:57,920 --> 00:18:01,480 Speaker 1: Pearl Show and my dad killed it and uh yeah. 328 00:18:01,560 --> 00:18:04,679 Speaker 1: So anyway, so I was talking to a piper and 329 00:18:04,720 --> 00:18:07,000 Speaker 1: asked him, I said, hey, will you come and do 330 00:18:07,080 --> 00:18:09,159 Speaker 1: the snook a bit and crack a coconut on on 331 00:18:09,280 --> 00:18:12,080 Speaker 1: Cordona's head. He said, man, I said, he's down with it, 332 00:18:12,720 --> 00:18:15,080 Speaker 1: and uh, Rody's like yeah, I'll love yeah whatever, I 333 00:18:15,080 --> 00:18:16,720 Speaker 1: can do it now And we have a couple of 334 00:18:16,800 --> 00:18:19,159 Speaker 1: the you know people doing that. It's like a montage 335 00:18:19,160 --> 00:18:22,720 Speaker 1: of auditions and Snoop's job is just to say next 336 00:18:23,040 --> 00:18:25,320 Speaker 1: at as soon as everyone's done next, that's all he 337 00:18:25,359 --> 00:18:36,520 Speaker 1: has to do right, easiest job in the world. We're 338 00:18:36,520 --> 00:18:40,800 Speaker 1: shooting all of the talent side first, the wrestling talent 339 00:18:40,880 --> 00:18:43,480 Speaker 1: side first, so that I can just shoot Snoop once 340 00:18:43,560 --> 00:18:45,920 Speaker 1: and get him out of there. So it's just Snoops 341 00:18:45,920 --> 00:18:48,800 Speaker 1: p o V and everyone's coming through and said deals 342 00:18:48,840 --> 00:18:52,200 Speaker 1: comes our Hornswaggle comes through and he does his rap 343 00:18:52,320 --> 00:18:55,159 Speaker 1: and is he's so good, you guys. The lyrics are trash, 344 00:18:55,480 --> 00:18:58,159 Speaker 1: but Swaggle can rhyme, and so he made it sounds 345 00:18:58,560 --> 00:19:01,080 Speaker 1: serviceable to where I literally was like, yo, he did 346 00:19:01,080 --> 00:19:04,320 Speaker 1: have one take. I was like, bro, I can't write better, 347 00:19:04,440 --> 00:19:07,480 Speaker 1: and you totally saved this whole bit. That's wonderful and 348 00:19:07,520 --> 00:19:09,679 Speaker 1: I love it. He's like, all right, cool, So he 349 00:19:09,720 --> 00:19:13,720 Speaker 1: crushed it. I failed him, but he crushed it. And 350 00:19:13,720 --> 00:19:16,639 Speaker 1: and then Cardona comes and we're talking. He's talking to 351 00:19:16,680 --> 00:19:19,359 Speaker 1: Piper and I'm just watching. I didn't get involved in 352 00:19:19,400 --> 00:19:22,000 Speaker 1: the physical stuff because that's that's their world, right. I'm 353 00:19:22,000 --> 00:19:25,919 Speaker 1: gonna look, I've worked with some stunt teams, uh seven 354 00:19:25,960 --> 00:19:29,200 Speaker 1: different times. Like they're like, dude, I've been resonated every 355 00:19:29,280 --> 00:19:32,760 Speaker 1: day for forty years. So I'm just watching them, let 356 00:19:32,880 --> 00:19:35,480 Speaker 1: them do their thing, and and they're ready to go, Okay, 357 00:19:35,520 --> 00:19:37,959 Speaker 1: we're ready, We're ready. We get our camera on, all 358 00:19:38,000 --> 00:19:40,520 Speaker 1: the lights are going. I'm so excited to see this. 359 00:19:40,680 --> 00:19:43,800 Speaker 1: And then Piper goes, no, no, give me the other coconut, 360 00:19:44,359 --> 00:19:47,960 Speaker 1: and Cardona goes, well, Piper, because nothing, and he grabs 361 00:19:48,160 --> 00:19:52,160 Speaker 1: the other coconut, which looks like it has not been 362 00:19:52,200 --> 00:19:55,719 Speaker 1: gimmicked to break or crack open in any way shape 363 00:19:55,760 --> 00:20:00,040 Speaker 1: or for and Cardona is kind of like Froz and 364 00:20:00,320 --> 00:20:02,760 Speaker 1: it reminded me of this story that I heard back 365 00:20:02,760 --> 00:20:05,520 Speaker 1: in the day. Oh. I think that it was a 366 00:20:05,560 --> 00:20:09,480 Speaker 1: movie called The Deer Hunter, and there was a scene 367 00:20:09,480 --> 00:20:13,920 Speaker 1: which would never be allowed today on set where they're 368 00:20:13,920 --> 00:20:19,240 Speaker 1: playing Russian roulette with a pistol, and before the other 369 00:20:19,280 --> 00:20:22,920 Speaker 1: actor gets the gun, Christopher Walking goes to the gunmaster 370 00:20:22,960 --> 00:20:26,199 Speaker 1: and goes, no, no, no, get the other gun. That 371 00:20:26,240 --> 00:20:28,280 Speaker 1: wasn't a good Christopher Walking, sorry, no, no, get the 372 00:20:28,280 --> 00:20:31,400 Speaker 1: other gun. And the other actors like, what the hell? 373 00:20:32,040 --> 00:20:34,520 Speaker 1: And they did the scene with the gun that had 374 00:20:34,560 --> 00:20:38,960 Speaker 1: not been supposedly cleared for safety, even though it had been, 375 00:20:39,000 --> 00:20:41,000 Speaker 1: but the other actor had only seen the other gun, 376 00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:45,800 Speaker 1: and Christopher Walking was trying to evoke a very honest 377 00:20:45,880 --> 00:20:50,000 Speaker 1: and raw reaction and this is in the seventies, so 378 00:20:50,080 --> 00:20:52,800 Speaker 1: you could be more dangerous with the way filmmaking was made, 379 00:20:52,840 --> 00:20:55,480 Speaker 1: and often were. But this was the coconut version of 380 00:20:55,520 --> 00:20:58,359 Speaker 1: It's so much lighter. But Cartona still is like, hold up, man, 381 00:20:58,480 --> 00:21:01,000 Speaker 1: is that is that nicked or not? Like in his hat. 382 00:21:01,040 --> 00:21:02,720 Speaker 1: I can see him watch it. So I'm sitting there like, 383 00:21:02,760 --> 00:21:04,800 Speaker 1: oh my god, what's about to happen? What's about to 384 00:21:04,800 --> 00:21:08,679 Speaker 1: go down? And I'm trusting Piper, and Cardona's trusting Piper, 385 00:21:09,320 --> 00:21:12,399 Speaker 1: and uh so Cardona comes in and he's making his 386 00:21:12,480 --> 00:21:15,199 Speaker 1: pitch to Snooped August to why he should be a 387 00:21:15,240 --> 00:21:18,320 Speaker 1: part of the act. You could YouTube this too, and 388 00:21:18,680 --> 00:21:22,800 Speaker 1: Piper comes in and just from from camera right so 389 00:21:22,880 --> 00:21:25,919 Speaker 1: you're left side of frame, and whacks him in the 390 00:21:25,960 --> 00:21:29,200 Speaker 1: head with the coconut, and a coconut cracks open and 391 00:21:29,320 --> 00:21:31,800 Speaker 1: looks kind of like a rough crack, so it looks 392 00:21:32,080 --> 00:21:36,119 Speaker 1: legit and Cardona drops and then Piper just looks into camera. 393 00:21:36,480 --> 00:21:38,080 Speaker 1: And we had talked about this. He was like, things 394 00:21:38,119 --> 00:21:40,400 Speaker 1: are always funnier in threes, right, I go, yeah, that's 395 00:21:40,400 --> 00:21:42,600 Speaker 1: the comedy rule. He goes okay, and so he just 396 00:21:42,800 --> 00:21:45,719 Speaker 1: he kind of like points to the camera looks away, 397 00:21:46,080 --> 00:21:48,359 Speaker 1: points off and it walks out and he does it 398 00:21:48,400 --> 00:21:50,600 Speaker 1: in threes. It has his his sort of great exit, 399 00:21:51,119 --> 00:21:54,879 Speaker 1: and we cut and Cardona's laying there on the floor 400 00:21:55,520 --> 00:21:59,040 Speaker 1: and I'm like, hey man, we're good. Cut, Holy Matt, 401 00:21:59,080 --> 00:22:00,879 Speaker 1: are you okay? It's like I'm at all right? And 402 00:22:01,440 --> 00:22:03,360 Speaker 1: you know, he was just still selling trying to mess 403 00:22:03,440 --> 00:22:05,840 Speaker 1: with me, but I literally thought he was. He was 404 00:22:06,280 --> 00:22:10,760 Speaker 1: jacked up. So we've shot all this and it's now 405 00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:13,800 Speaker 1: probably twelve o'clock. This is Sunday at WrestleMania Day, and 406 00:22:13,800 --> 00:22:17,679 Speaker 1: Snoop's called times twelve o'clock and one o'clock comes and 407 00:22:17,680 --> 00:22:21,359 Speaker 1: Snoop's not there, Like one thirty two o'clock comes, and 408 00:22:21,840 --> 00:22:23,560 Speaker 1: they're starting to come, Hey Freddy, we need your we 409 00:22:23,600 --> 00:22:26,320 Speaker 1: need your segment for the truck. Yeah, that's great. Snoop's 410 00:22:26,320 --> 00:22:28,920 Speaker 1: not here, Like, well, you gotta kid him. I go, really, 411 00:22:28,920 --> 00:22:30,679 Speaker 1: how would you like me to get Snoop dog? You 412 00:22:30,680 --> 00:22:32,840 Speaker 1: should just call Snoop. Let me call him right now? 413 00:22:33,240 --> 00:22:37,240 Speaker 1: All right? So what's his number? Like the expectations were 414 00:22:37,280 --> 00:22:41,000 Speaker 1: ridiculous some days. So I'm looking at this guy. I 415 00:22:41,040 --> 00:22:43,000 Speaker 1: won't say his name because he had a bad attitude 416 00:22:43,240 --> 00:22:44,520 Speaker 1: and He's like, well, are you gonna get the shot 417 00:22:44,560 --> 00:22:46,640 Speaker 1: or not? I go, what would you like me to do? 418 00:22:47,119 --> 00:22:50,040 Speaker 1: I can turn this in without snoop, or we can 419 00:22:50,080 --> 00:22:51,960 Speaker 1: wait until he gets there and we'll get it to 420 00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:53,960 Speaker 1: the truck late. So what would you like to do, 421 00:22:54,000 --> 00:22:55,800 Speaker 1: because we'll let the truck know you're not ready. I 422 00:22:55,840 --> 00:22:58,400 Speaker 1: con do what you gotta do. So we're sitting there, 423 00:22:59,480 --> 00:23:04,520 Speaker 1: two o'clock comes and my phone rings and my phone's 424 00:23:04,560 --> 00:23:07,280 Speaker 1: on silent, but I see it and I answered my 425 00:23:07,359 --> 00:23:13,720 Speaker 1: phone and it's my mother and she says, uh, she says, 426 00:23:14,680 --> 00:23:20,440 Speaker 1: she goes, Jimmy just Jimmy just died. And my middle 427 00:23:20,520 --> 00:23:24,880 Speaker 1: name is James. My son Rocky, his middle name is James. 428 00:23:26,240 --> 00:23:30,080 Speaker 1: And we're named for my uncle Jimmy, James Barber. That's 429 00:23:30,119 --> 00:23:32,399 Speaker 1: what that. That middle name is there for him and 430 00:23:32,440 --> 00:23:39,440 Speaker 1: one other man. We're the most influential men in my life, 431 00:23:39,480 --> 00:23:45,399 Speaker 1: the other being Bob Wall who randomly just passed away. Um, 432 00:23:45,560 --> 00:23:47,400 Speaker 1: this is the sad part of the podcast. But I'll 433 00:23:47,400 --> 00:23:52,440 Speaker 1: get through it, and so will you. So I get 434 00:23:52,480 --> 00:23:57,040 Speaker 1: this call, and you gotta understand, my uncle Jimmy was 435 00:23:57,080 --> 00:24:00,639 Speaker 1: everything to me. He he didn't teach me how to 436 00:24:00,640 --> 00:24:04,159 Speaker 1: throw a punch. He taught me why you have to 437 00:24:04,240 --> 00:24:10,359 Speaker 1: sometimes punch. He taught me when when to punch, how 438 00:24:10,440 --> 00:24:14,480 Speaker 1: to punch, the philosophy behind the fight in the first place, 439 00:24:14,600 --> 00:24:18,440 Speaker 1: why sometimes it's necessary. He instilled the philosophy of being 440 00:24:18,480 --> 00:24:21,600 Speaker 1: a bully buster. He got mad at me, and this 441 00:24:21,680 --> 00:24:24,520 Speaker 1: is a weird side quest. He got mad at me 442 00:24:24,520 --> 00:24:27,920 Speaker 1: in the sixth grade for not sticking up for this kid. 443 00:24:27,960 --> 00:24:31,080 Speaker 1: I didn't even know. I was telling this other kid 444 00:24:31,080 --> 00:24:33,879 Speaker 1: on the street. Eric Eric Spiegel was his name about 445 00:24:33,880 --> 00:24:36,440 Speaker 1: this fight. I saw my uncle overheard he why didn't 446 00:24:36,440 --> 00:24:40,040 Speaker 1: you step in? The kid couldn't even defend himself. He 447 00:24:40,160 --> 00:24:41,600 Speaker 1: was a seventh grader. You know, I don't. I don't 448 00:24:41,600 --> 00:24:43,639 Speaker 1: want to find him. Mincael Jimmy grabbed me. He was like, 449 00:24:43,680 --> 00:24:46,080 Speaker 1: you see somebody who can't defend themselves, you step in 450 00:24:46,960 --> 00:24:49,159 Speaker 1: and we called it bully busting. And I did that 451 00:24:49,240 --> 00:24:52,919 Speaker 1: from from that moment on, and I wouldn't get in trouble. 452 00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:54,920 Speaker 1: He took me to Uncle Cliffs, which was the local 453 00:24:54,960 --> 00:24:58,240 Speaker 1: amusement park. If I would beat up a guy that 454 00:24:58,400 --> 00:25:04,200 Speaker 1: was hurting someone else. Um, that might sound crazy to 455 00:25:04,240 --> 00:25:06,160 Speaker 1: you guys, but to me, he was like the best, 456 00:25:07,320 --> 00:25:10,000 Speaker 1: just the best man ever. So sorry for getting choked up. 457 00:25:10,000 --> 00:25:12,680 Speaker 1: I'm not trying to bring it down, but and it's 458 00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:14,200 Speaker 1: just kind of like caught me out of the blue. 459 00:25:14,640 --> 00:25:16,440 Speaker 1: So anyway, I get off, I get off the phone 460 00:25:16,440 --> 00:25:25,680 Speaker 1: with my mom and uh and snoops there. So I'm 461 00:25:26,280 --> 00:25:28,520 Speaker 1: literally breaking down. I don't I don't know what to do. 462 00:25:28,640 --> 00:25:30,159 Speaker 1: I told my mom I would I would call it 463 00:25:30,280 --> 00:25:34,920 Speaker 1: right back. Um. I asked them, you know, hey, give 464 00:25:34,960 --> 00:25:37,080 Speaker 1: me a second. And I run back to the writer's 465 00:25:37,160 --> 00:25:40,480 Speaker 1: room and I'm trying to hold it together. And as 466 00:25:40,480 --> 00:25:43,200 Speaker 1: soon as I opened the door, like just being exhausted 467 00:25:43,240 --> 00:25:46,639 Speaker 1: from the travel and all that and and getting hit 468 00:25:46,680 --> 00:25:49,840 Speaker 1: out of the out of the blue, and then him 469 00:25:49,880 --> 00:25:52,320 Speaker 1: being such an important person in my life, I just 470 00:25:52,440 --> 00:25:56,000 Speaker 1: like lost it in there, and just like I'm in 471 00:25:56,040 --> 00:25:57,800 Speaker 1: the writer's and when I just screamed out my uncle 472 00:25:57,920 --> 00:26:01,920 Speaker 1: just died. I have to go home, and everybody's like, wait, 473 00:26:02,000 --> 00:26:05,920 Speaker 1: what in DJ, Like, I think I was probably gonna 474 00:26:05,960 --> 00:26:08,119 Speaker 1: just fall over if I think he was hugging me, 475 00:26:08,160 --> 00:26:12,959 Speaker 1: but he was probably just holding me up. And the 476 00:26:12,960 --> 00:26:17,560 Speaker 1: only thing I could think to say was snoop, dogs here, 477 00:26:17,680 --> 00:26:21,159 Speaker 1: someone needs to direct my segment. I didn't even have 478 00:26:21,280 --> 00:26:25,480 Speaker 1: like like wind in my chest, like air air in 479 00:26:25,560 --> 00:26:29,159 Speaker 1: my lungs. When I said it, and Branko Wertz was 480 00:26:29,200 --> 00:26:31,320 Speaker 1: so cool. He was like, Freddie, Stopwick, We'll take care 481 00:26:31,320 --> 00:26:33,919 Speaker 1: of it. And he goes, you have to get out 482 00:26:33,960 --> 00:26:36,000 Speaker 1: of here. I said, I don't know what to do. 483 00:26:36,520 --> 00:26:37,919 Speaker 1: He said, you gotta go to the airport. Now, you 484 00:26:37,920 --> 00:26:42,440 Speaker 1: gotta fly home. I said, okay, I'll I literally just repeated, 485 00:26:42,480 --> 00:26:44,600 Speaker 1: I said, okay, I'll go to the airport and I'll 486 00:26:44,600 --> 00:26:47,760 Speaker 1: go fly home. And uh, they were really good that, 487 00:26:47,880 --> 00:26:49,720 Speaker 1: you know, the writers took real good care of me 488 00:26:49,800 --> 00:26:52,200 Speaker 1: that day, explained to my absence and why I had 489 00:26:52,240 --> 00:26:56,919 Speaker 1: to go. And I got on an airplane and and 490 00:26:56,960 --> 00:26:59,440 Speaker 1: I flew back to Los Angeles. I gotta flight literally 491 00:26:59,480 --> 00:27:01,040 Speaker 1: like an hour after I got to the airport. I 492 00:27:01,040 --> 00:27:04,320 Speaker 1: just gave my credit card and got the first flight 493 00:27:04,359 --> 00:27:06,639 Speaker 1: out of there and flew home. And I went to 494 00:27:06,680 --> 00:27:10,040 Speaker 1: the funeral, and they gave me two weeks to kind 495 00:27:10,080 --> 00:27:11,600 Speaker 1: of like well, I said, take all the time you need. 496 00:27:11,600 --> 00:27:15,600 Speaker 1: But after two weeks I called him and, uh, you know, 497 00:27:15,640 --> 00:27:17,920 Speaker 1: when you go through something like that, family becomes such 498 00:27:17,960 --> 00:27:22,000 Speaker 1: an important, such an important thing. And and Sarah and 499 00:27:22,080 --> 00:27:25,960 Speaker 1: I were starting to talk about having a baby, and 500 00:27:26,600 --> 00:27:29,080 Speaker 1: which would have been our first daughter, Charlotte, My daughter 501 00:27:29,160 --> 00:27:32,760 Speaker 1: Charlotte Grace, who loves professional wrestling and I mean loves 502 00:27:32,800 --> 00:27:35,399 Speaker 1: it and because she loves the gymnastics. So all you 503 00:27:35,520 --> 00:27:38,120 Speaker 1: haters on the high flyers, there's a lot of kids 504 00:27:38,320 --> 00:27:41,360 Speaker 1: from the next generation who really like that and respect it. 505 00:27:42,080 --> 00:27:46,480 Speaker 1: Um and so I I talked to Braank Goworts and 506 00:27:46,480 --> 00:27:48,280 Speaker 1: Stephanie and I said, hey, I need to change my 507 00:27:48,359 --> 00:27:52,040 Speaker 1: hours or I need to give my two weeks. She said, uh, 508 00:27:52,119 --> 00:27:54,040 Speaker 1: you know, we're about to move you up in the company. 509 00:27:54,040 --> 00:27:55,720 Speaker 1: And I was like, yeah, I can't. I can't. I 510 00:27:55,760 --> 00:27:59,720 Speaker 1: can't do that. And so, uh, instead of changing my hours, 511 00:27:59,760 --> 00:28:02,240 Speaker 1: I just I gave him my two weeks and I 512 00:28:02,320 --> 00:28:05,000 Speaker 1: put him in kind of not half hearted, but with 513 00:28:05,040 --> 00:28:07,800 Speaker 1: a heavy heart. I just wanted to be home, you know. 514 00:28:07,920 --> 00:28:10,200 Speaker 1: I was like waiting for my phone to ring NonStop, 515 00:28:10,240 --> 00:28:12,800 Speaker 1: which sucked. And then my two weeks were over and 516 00:28:12,840 --> 00:28:15,840 Speaker 1: I and I left, and I didn't watch wrestling for 517 00:28:15,880 --> 00:28:22,280 Speaker 1: six months, and Summer Slam was coming to Los Angeles 518 00:28:22,400 --> 00:28:24,320 Speaker 1: and I thought it had been a good enough break 519 00:28:24,680 --> 00:28:27,880 Speaker 1: and big show. Who is so cool? Man Paul, who 520 00:28:27,960 --> 00:28:30,320 Speaker 1: was a guest on on the show. If you guys 521 00:28:30,840 --> 00:28:33,000 Speaker 1: want to see this the Coolest Giant or listen to 522 00:28:33,080 --> 00:28:35,879 Speaker 1: the Coolest Giant ever, check out that episode. He's the 523 00:28:35,920 --> 00:28:38,400 Speaker 1: best dude. Man. He invited him. He say, hey, man, 524 00:28:38,600 --> 00:28:42,440 Speaker 1: I love to see you. We're gonna be at Staples Center. Um, 525 00:28:42,640 --> 00:28:44,800 Speaker 1: come come early if you want. You don't have to 526 00:28:44,800 --> 00:28:46,680 Speaker 1: stay for the show. Just I want to say so, 527 00:28:46,760 --> 00:28:50,080 Speaker 1: all right, man, I'd love to. So. I got in 528 00:28:50,160 --> 00:28:54,480 Speaker 1: contact with Kristen Prouty again. It all comes back two driven, 529 00:28:54,640 --> 00:28:57,440 Speaker 1: motivated people. I should have Proudy on the podcast. She 530 00:28:57,520 --> 00:29:00,440 Speaker 1: wouldn't want to do it, but she's super cool. Anyway. 531 00:29:01,000 --> 00:29:03,320 Speaker 1: I see here when I get there and you get 532 00:29:03,360 --> 00:29:06,520 Speaker 1: to park underneath Staples Center where like Kobe Bryant used 533 00:29:06,560 --> 00:29:08,800 Speaker 1: to park and all that, I'd say that it's so 534 00:29:08,920 --> 00:29:12,200 Speaker 1: sweet Staple Center and they w W takes good care 535 00:29:12,200 --> 00:29:14,240 Speaker 1: of you when you get there. And I come in 536 00:29:15,000 --> 00:29:17,240 Speaker 1: and this is where I ended up getting taking the 537 00:29:17,360 --> 00:29:20,600 Speaker 1: job again. Randomly enough, I come in and there's I'm 538 00:29:20,600 --> 00:29:22,840 Speaker 1: talking to a couple of the wrestlers that used to 539 00:29:22,840 --> 00:29:25,480 Speaker 1: be in like that I used to work with basically, 540 00:29:25,880 --> 00:29:28,360 Speaker 1: and all of a sudden, this huge Paul just smacks 541 00:29:28,400 --> 00:29:31,600 Speaker 1: me right on the back wow wow, And I'm like, 542 00:29:32,040 --> 00:29:33,880 Speaker 1: you know, it's like a backsmacker when you were in 543 00:29:33,920 --> 00:29:37,560 Speaker 1: high school. And I go ah, and I just hear hello, Hello, 544 00:29:37,560 --> 00:29:41,320 Speaker 1: are you and it's Paul and it's She's just he's 545 00:29:41,320 --> 00:29:44,600 Speaker 1: a giant. He's literally a giant. And so we catch up. 546 00:29:44,680 --> 00:29:48,080 Speaker 1: We start talking and I hear from some I don't 547 00:29:48,120 --> 00:29:50,560 Speaker 1: remember who was, Hey, Vince's down ringside and he'd love 548 00:29:50,640 --> 00:29:53,640 Speaker 1: to talk to you, and I go, oh, man, let me. Yeah. 549 00:29:53,640 --> 00:29:56,120 Speaker 1: I didn't get to say, like face to face to 550 00:29:56,200 --> 00:29:59,200 Speaker 1: Vince that it was my my two weeks. I just 551 00:29:59,480 --> 00:30:00,920 Speaker 1: said bye, and he was like, all right, I didn't 552 00:30:00,920 --> 00:30:02,400 Speaker 1: know you're leaving. I was like, so this would be 553 00:30:02,440 --> 00:30:04,120 Speaker 1: a good moment for me to kind of explain it. 554 00:30:04,160 --> 00:30:05,520 Speaker 1: And so I go down there and he's on the 555 00:30:05,520 --> 00:30:08,960 Speaker 1: headset and uh, he says, hold on, hold on one second. 556 00:30:08,960 --> 00:30:11,360 Speaker 1: He takes a headset off. He's a big old back 557 00:30:11,440 --> 00:30:14,560 Speaker 1: smacker too. How yeah, you look great at all this 558 00:30:14,600 --> 00:30:17,040 Speaker 1: And we're talking and catching up and I told him 559 00:30:17,040 --> 00:30:19,959 Speaker 1: he looked like robotop and he gave me that like 560 00:30:20,000 --> 00:30:21,840 Speaker 1: a looking a nod, but it was a looking and 561 00:30:21,920 --> 00:30:25,400 Speaker 1: nod of okay, that's a compliment. But I have no 562 00:30:25,440 --> 00:30:28,880 Speaker 1: idea who that is um and he didn't watch w CW, 563 00:30:28,960 --> 00:30:31,520 Speaker 1: so there was no reason for him too. I guess 564 00:30:31,880 --> 00:30:33,920 Speaker 1: shout out to the hardcorees who loves staying and know 565 00:30:33,960 --> 00:30:37,959 Speaker 1: what that reference is for. But after about five minutes, 566 00:30:38,400 --> 00:30:41,680 Speaker 1: he uh, he said, you know, he called me son, 567 00:30:41,800 --> 00:30:44,640 Speaker 1: that's son of a pitch. He said, you know, we 568 00:30:44,640 --> 00:30:46,600 Speaker 1: could uh, we really could use your back here. We 569 00:30:46,600 --> 00:30:49,480 Speaker 1: could use your back, your son. And I told him 570 00:30:49,480 --> 00:30:51,400 Speaker 1: straight up, I was like, man, that schedule is so 571 00:30:52,120 --> 00:30:54,920 Speaker 1: it's so brutal, and that he was super cool. He 572 00:30:55,080 --> 00:30:57,000 Speaker 1: you know, he said, you could basically make your schedule. 573 00:30:57,400 --> 00:30:59,080 Speaker 1: It could be an every other week thing. It could 574 00:30:59,160 --> 00:31:01,400 Speaker 1: just be paper used to help people out with their 575 00:31:01,440 --> 00:31:03,800 Speaker 1: promos on the on the bigger shows, a chance for 576 00:31:03,840 --> 00:31:05,920 Speaker 1: them to get over on in front of more eyeballs. 577 00:31:06,240 --> 00:31:08,360 Speaker 1: And so I took the deal and that that started 578 00:31:08,400 --> 00:31:11,920 Speaker 1: my second journey at H at the w w E, 579 00:31:12,160 --> 00:31:15,240 Speaker 1: which is when we really started breaking down the promo 580 00:31:15,320 --> 00:31:18,640 Speaker 1: class and doing a lot of the scene study where 581 00:31:18,640 --> 00:31:21,080 Speaker 1: we were just taking scenes from movies. They liked movies 582 00:31:21,120 --> 00:31:25,840 Speaker 1: like Bad Boys and Liar Liar and and Beautiful Girls. 583 00:31:25,920 --> 00:31:28,960 Speaker 1: Eve Torres did the Rosie o'donald speech from Beautiful Girls, 584 00:31:29,000 --> 00:31:31,719 Speaker 1: which is her talking shit about beautiful girls and Eve 585 00:31:31,800 --> 00:31:34,000 Speaker 1: Torres is one of the most beautiful women on the 586 00:31:34,000 --> 00:31:37,320 Speaker 1: face of the planet. So and she didn't want to 587 00:31:37,320 --> 00:31:38,760 Speaker 1: do I remember she didn't want to do it. I said, 588 00:31:38,800 --> 00:31:41,200 Speaker 1: that's why I want you to do it. She goes, 589 00:31:41,240 --> 00:31:42,960 Speaker 1: what do you mean? She goes, it's it's I'm gonna 590 00:31:42,960 --> 00:31:45,120 Speaker 1: come off hypocritical. I said, this isn't gonna be on TV. 591 00:31:45,680 --> 00:31:47,800 Speaker 1: This is to challenge you, so you can see that 592 00:31:48,080 --> 00:31:50,520 Speaker 1: you can, you can push yourself and you can show 593 00:31:50,560 --> 00:31:52,920 Speaker 1: how much raine you have. She's like, all right, And 594 00:31:53,000 --> 00:31:56,840 Speaker 1: she came in and she straight crushed it, like better 595 00:31:56,880 --> 00:31:59,040 Speaker 1: than what I would have done with it. And I 596 00:31:59,080 --> 00:32:00,880 Speaker 1: don't know how hard she worked on it or if 597 00:32:00,920 --> 00:32:03,320 Speaker 1: it was just natural, but like it was probably our 598 00:32:03,320 --> 00:32:05,280 Speaker 1: biggest class when she performed it. That was when we 599 00:32:05,280 --> 00:32:10,280 Speaker 1: were like probably thirty thirty students students, thirty wrestlers deep sorry, 600 00:32:10,840 --> 00:32:14,160 Speaker 1: and uh, they gave her standing ovation. Yeah, me included. 601 00:32:14,240 --> 00:32:17,600 Speaker 1: She just crushed it. But uh, but that's sort of 602 00:32:17,600 --> 00:32:21,400 Speaker 1: the WrestleMania story. From the good, the bad, and the ugly. 603 00:32:21,440 --> 00:32:23,920 Speaker 1: I'm sury how to ugly cry face earlier that you 604 00:32:23,960 --> 00:32:26,840 Speaker 1: didn't get to see ha ha, but just something to 605 00:32:26,840 --> 00:32:29,240 Speaker 1: get you in the spirit for WrestleMania. I appreciate you 606 00:32:29,240 --> 00:32:31,840 Speaker 1: guys listening. I really love doing this podcast. I love 607 00:32:31,880 --> 00:32:35,040 Speaker 1: sharing wrestling stories with you. I would say sorry for 608 00:32:35,040 --> 00:32:37,040 Speaker 1: the side quest, but you guys always say the side 609 00:32:37,080 --> 00:32:39,680 Speaker 1: quests are cool and you like them, so we'll keep 610 00:32:39,680 --> 00:32:43,240 Speaker 1: doing those as well, and keep listening until next week. 611 00:32:43,280 --> 00:32:45,680 Speaker 1: I promised no blubber and no crying. Next week, it'll 612 00:32:45,720 --> 00:32:48,560 Speaker 1: be all fun and party time everybody. Thank you for listening, 613 00:32:48,680 --> 00:32:51,360 Speaker 1: and we'll see you next week on Wrestling with Freddie. 614 00:32:52,080 --> 00:32:55,280 Speaker 1: This has been a production of I Hearts Michael podcast Network. 615 00:32:55,320 --> 00:32:57,560 Speaker 1: For more podcasts for My Heart Radio, visit the I 616 00:32:57,680 --> 00:33:00,680 Speaker 1: Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to 617 00:33:00,760 --> 00:33:06,600 Speaker 1: your favorite shows. H m hmmmmm.