Michael's Interview at Dibiase's website

[Guest LaParkaMarka]

Here's the transcript, just because copying and pasting is fun. If ya wanna see it at Dibiase's site, click here. And I couldn't help but highlight something I found...umm..."interesting". Enjoy folks.

 

"INTERVIEW: "The Heartbreak Kid" SHAWN MICHAELS

 

-You said that HBK dead. Then you came back to Raw as HBK. People said you contradicted yourself and criticized you for that. Care to set the record straight?

 

-Well I think that what I meant... I suppose I have to be careful cause I’m sure a lot of people who read Teddy’s sight are wrestling fans and wrestling friends are pretty literal folks when you answer something... I mostly meant that in that business I had turned into that character, almost. Not almost, I mean as much as you can without going completely crazy. But I had turned into my character and I had lost touch of who I was as a person. So when I made that remark, I meant that, for me coming back into the business - because I had been born again and I did feel reborn, the person that I was born to be - the person in Jesus Christ I was meant to be when God knew me before I was born - I just meant that the person who built this reputation in the wrestling industry, the person who was known for being difficult behind the scene was no longer alive. And that I was going to portray Shawn Hickenbottom in the ring, out of the ring, and all other times and not really rely on that character so to speak.

 

-You were brutally attacked on Raw when someone put your head into a car window. Some people thought it was a shoot and you were really hurt...

 

-Well no, of course not, I’m really fine. It was just a wrestling angle.

 

-There have been rumors that you will return to the ring, not return to the ring, head for the announcers table, etc. Now it appears you are heading for a feud with Triple H. What is the future for Shawn Michaels?

 

-Well, the day after Kevin Nash got hurt, I was on a plane and in a very deep prayer session with the Lord. And all of a sudden this idea popped into my head. And I wasn’t really sure... When I’m praying thoughts don’t normally pop into my head like that. It was an idea for a storyline and it was about me and Vince, and me ending up wrestling Vince on a PPV. And I thought well geez, I’ve been out of the business now for a number of years and just getting back and this must just be the wrestling business getting a hold of me. So I looked up something in my bible and it took me to Joshua. And the beginning of Joshua, talks about how Moses has just died and Joshua is embarking upon having to take the children of Israel to the Promised Land, and him being very scared and concerned about living up to what Moses had done in the past. But the Lord told him "be strong and courageous, I’m with you.". Well I thought to myself, maybe He wants me to get back into the ring for what ever reason. I wasn’t sure if it was the Lord giving me this idea or if it was my flesh... So I just prayed about it all week and when I told my wife about it she had peace with it right away. And, any other time having to do with the wrestling business she never had peace - as far as me getting into the ring - she hasn’t been comfortable with it. So we prayed about it for about a week and eventually I just mentioned the idea to Vince. And he then thought about it for a week and then he got back to me and said "I like it but I don’t want it to be me, I want it to be Hunter". So we went with this other story line and the end result is yeah, there is a good possibility I’m going to get in the ring. But it has nothing to do with me personally. I feel, to me, this getting in the ring is a testimony to God. Because in four years I haven’t felt confidence, I felt like I lost it, I don’t think my body can handle it, but in this process I feel very confident that He’s going to take care of me in this match. So that’s the only reason I’m doing it. I don’t know, I have no idea what His will is, obviously. But, I believe that this is a message that He sent me, that He wanted me to do it for whatever reason. So I’m going to do it, and I’m going to be confident in doing it. And I’m as excited as everybody else to see what happens.

 

-So, basically are you thinking just the one match or is that up to the Lord....?

 

-Oh, absolutely - no farther than that, that’s the one thing - as I said the only reason I’m thinking about that is because He gave it to me. And there’s absolutely no indication that He wants anymore than that and I’m not doing anything in my life if I don’t feel it’s what God wants me doing.

 

-Personally, we don’t watch the WWE here...

 

-Neither do I.

 

-Last week, you were seen in the ring with Hunter where you did the DX symbol, or the "crotch chop" you looked very uncomfortable...

 

-Yeah. I didn’t actually do the "crotch chop". I went to my waist and I was very uncomfortable because I told them I wasn’t going to do that. But I did make the "X" sign, I did do that but I didn’t do what we used to do. I made it a point not to do that because I am uncomfortable doing that.

 

-You seemed even out of place in a sense...

 

-As I said, I made sure to make an "X" across my waist but I knew that people could still look at it and go "Oh look he’s doing it, he’s doing it!" So that in and of itself makes me a little uncomfortable - know how people perceive things. I know that though no fault of anyone that people are looking for an excuse, or something to call me a hypocrit about and that’s fine, but... It was, it was uncomfortable and that’s why I didn’t do it.

 

-What is your opinion of the current state of wrestling - today’s product?

 

-I think, with the exception of the last two weeks - the last two weeks they are writing the show differently, I have expressed my feelings on what they did in the last four years: I don’t care for it. But the last two weeks have been more wrestling based and I think that it’s going to go back to that. I think it’s going to go back to a show that people say "yeah, me and my kids watch that", gonna back to more wrestling. Now obviously it’s still going to be violent because that’s what wrestling is: simulated violence. But that was a lot easier to explain to your children, as opposed to the women barely dressed and the language and everything else. Will those things change? I don’t know. I don’t take part in them: I don’t use vulgarity in the show, now: I surely don’t curse and I don’t do anything with the women. I’m certainly doing what I can, and I think the last two weeks the show has been more wrestling based, so hopefully that’s a sign of things to come. We also, we don’t watch it in my home. My wife does her best to flip through and see if I’m on, just to show her son his daddy on TV; but he’s seen it now, seen daddy on TV. So we don’t need to, he don’t need to see the show because there is just too many things that he can see that we don’t want him to see. So we don’t watch it either, by the same token, we don’t watch a lot of stuff on TV.

 

-One of the reasons many people, Christians in particular, quit watching the WWF/WWE is because Vince, or the writers of the show, seemed to mock Christ and the Christian beliefs quite a bit - such as crucifying Austin. How does Vince feel about your conversion?

 

-I think that they do that not knowing that they are doing it. As I think back I realize the immense lack of knowledge in the Word of God. And so, to them it’s like "Oooo, let’s put Austin on, we’ll call it a symbol so that way it won’t be too blasphemous" but at the same time they see it as more like as you would see it in a movie like "ahhhh" - more just to be effective, an effect of it being a cross as opposed to understanding that no that’s actually really serious. But that’s because no one there has a real knowledge of the Word of God, and I have to be honest - until I was saved, I had no idea either. And there are times when Vince explains things - the first time I was back he was explaining something to me and he was using the Lord’s name in vain and I told him to stop. And he immediately apologized for it he said he was sorry, but you just get so used to doing it - well we need to stop doing it. Vince has changed a great deal over the years and I don’t know how he deals with everybody else, I can only speak to how he deals with me. And he’s very respectful to me and my faith. And I think that there are a lot of guys, like Teddy for instance, who are worried, I think, about me, because of how Vince handled Jake Roberts. Well, I’m not, and I told them, I’m not Jake Roberts. There’s some things that guys will put up with because they’re intimidated by Vince McMahon. And, Vince and I got over that a long time ago before I was saved I wasn’t intimidated by Vince McMahon because I done, shared and said too much to the man to be intimidated by him. And I don’t mean that to sound cocky, it’s just that I’ve been there for a long time and he and I have been through a lot of experiences. We’re just two guys that talk. He’s not really "Vince McMahon" when we’re talking, he’s just a guy talking to me. 95% of what we talk about is personal, it has very little to do with business, and most guys never formed that relationship with him. It was always just business and talking about their there job. So when you do that with him he always had to take on the role as "the boss". So, with me he doesn’t feel the need to be "the boss" all the time. So anyway, I guess what I’m getting at is he’s very respectful of it but as I said, since I’ve been back, they don’t really understand a lot of what they’re doing. I mean as far as mocking the Christians, I don’t think they understand the severity of it because to them, every once in a while, them Christians look like a wacky bunch. And, I don’t mean that... again, I’m thrilled to be a part of that wacky bunch.

 

-At least we know where we are going....

 

-Exactly! And I guess that’s what I’m saying: we understand the severity now, at least I do, of "Hey, you don’t get it, you’re going to hell!".... To them it’s just, it’s a place that doesn’t exist, so that reality just doesn’t - they’re in a constant state of unreality because they are working all the time in that business. So they never get a chance to step out and understand that "Hey, what about when all these is over...?"

 

-Moving away from the WWE for a minute: your relationship with your former Midnight Rockers partner Marty Jannetty has been report as rocky in the past - do you have any hopes of a true friendship with him in the future?

 

-Yea, I don’t know that it was, I don’t know how "rocky" it was - I mean Marty and I were young and just naive and stupid, really. Marty and I talked a couple of years ago and everything seemed to be fine. And so yeah, I would love to see Marty and talk with him... I mean we have obviously drifted apart; we live very different lives now. But if I saw him I would definitely, or even knew how to get in touch with him I would love to speak Marty and see how he’s doing. I certainly have nothing negative in my life or in my heart about Marty at all.

 

-Five names - what is the first thing that pops into your head:

 

-ok.

 

Kevin Nash: friend

 

Scott Hall: friend

 

Brett Hart: angry

 

Hulk Hogan: legend

 

Vince McMahon: big heart - that nobody ever gets to see...

 

Ted DiBiase: Christian brother

 

-You are close to Kevin Nash - have you had a chance to share Jesus with him, or anybody backstage for that matter?

 

-Yeah, I actually have. Kevin was the first guy, he saw me - he walked right up to me and said "Man, you came up out of that water a different man". He could see the Spirit shinning out of me and that really opened him up to let me in on some things in his life that I didn’t know about. Kevin had been saved years ago in college, and he’s read the New Testament... He’s got some knowledge there it’s just the business and everything else and the enemy working on him. So he was really showing some interest because, he felt God’s strength through me that he could use to get his life back on track and patch up his relationship with his wife and get his family back together; and he was well on his way to doing that... And I think that Tully Blanchard put a great vision together for me - it was Kevin, in the spirit world running towards the cross and the enemy just clipping him in the legs. I think that’s what happened because Kevin was making some great strides and, really, he still - even though the enemy tried to knock him down and take him out of the business and get him upset and down on himself. He has vowed to come out of that injury, still positive and working to get the relationship with his wife back together. And I’m gonna stay with it and help him as best I can... But he was definitely showing some interest and we would be up late after every TV show in my room just talking and, he would share some real personal experiences that I just never knew... Even as close as we were before he never shared because I wasn’t at a place where I could be of any help to him at that time. There’s a very spiritual side of Kevin that nobody knows about because in our industry it’s not something that people open up about.

 

And that’s the one thing that could benefit a lot if guys: Hogan came up to me and told me that he was saved when he was 14; and some other guys - Big Show and I rode together the other day and he said seeing me, the way that I am with my family, and the way I am with my faith values made him question his relationship with God. It has been an affect in the dressing room and as I say, I haven’t done anything. It says in the bible the strongest witness is a silent witness that just lives his life by the Word of God and set an example.

 

God is doing all of it. I stay in the word everyday and I pray a lot before I go to work and so I feel very good when I go to work and strong, and there’s some other guys who were Christians before, but sort of like closet Christians... Eddie Guerrero and Chris Jericho, But now with me there, I’ve been sort of a staple in that company for a long time and I’m somebody who’s a little more outgoing that we openly talk about it now. So that it’s something that can be openly talked about in the dressing room around the guys, and the guys can take part of it or not. A lot of guys don’t talk about it for whatever reason, I think a lot of it has to do with, the business can be very intimidating. Not that we all are subject to anything that’s not cool, but to a certain extent that’s true: if it’s something you don’t think that everyone is going to accept then you sort of don’t talk about it. And me, I’m thrilled about it, and the thing is now there’s other guys, there’s guys in there who believe but just don’t want to talk about it but now it’s a subject that can be talked about.

 

-How did Jesus find you?

 

Well, the power of a praying wife.

 

-We heard you had quite an experience in Phoenix at the A.I.M. conference. Like to share?

 

-It was awesome! It was very relaxed and what really helped me was to be in an environment where there are - it is something that I just feel that, gosh, every wrestler, every athlete - where you have a hundred guys, a hundred men: a hundred "he-men", the kind of men you play sports with, you hang around with, you train with - all in there not caring about anything except worshipping God. Not feeling self conscious about it, not worried about as they say - looking cool or whatever, they’re just in there praising there God. And it moved me beyond words.

 

I went through an encounter a couple weeks after I got saved and I wasn’t sure - I guess I didn’t have the evidence of the Holy Spirit. And boy at that conference, being in that unbelievably comfortable atmosphere and really just submitting yourself, totally humbling yourself before God... It was totally awesome.

 

-Were do you see Shawn Hickenbottom in the next five years?

 

-I hope and pray that he’s enjoying a wonderful marriage and enjoying that seven and a half year old son, going to school and raising him in a good Christian home... And being right in the center of the Lord’s will for his life and whatever that entails. Right now I’m doing a thing with fatherless children a mentoring type thong with Cornerstone Ministry. That was something I thought about actually before I got saved... It was just one of the things the Lord lead me to in the beginning of my walk. Just seeing, gosh, one of the things that seems to be wrong - not knowing that it wasn’t me - but saying that geez, our country is going down the tubes with men leaving so many women with children to raise. And then coming to the realization after being saved and reading that it is our job as men to be the spiritual leaders of our families... You take the man out and it’s very tough and just how - I don’t know, I was raised in a family that my mom did everything so you don’t really realize your role as a man. I read a lot of books that put it in perspective for me, and I just see that is really missing - men really copping out. So I hopefully will be doing something with that. After my birthday, my wife enrolled she and I in a two year bible school at Liberty University - hopefully, I’ll be done with that. But as I say, it’s to be loving my family the way God wants me to and be in the center of His will, that’s what I hope for.

 

-Any chance in the future of helping Ted in the PWA?

 

-Yes, he actually asked me about doing a show, and yeah - I certainly want to reach people any way possible. He’s asked me to ask Vince but as I said earlier, Vince has been very supportive of anything I want to do. So yes, I would love to help Teddy - it’s merely a scheduling process at this point.

 

-How about you getting together with Ted, Nikita and Sting to work for Christ?

 

-Yes, we have all sort of talked about that also and if it’s the Lord’s will, He will make that happen.

 

-Any parting message for Ted?

 

-Yes, thanks. He’s somebody I can talk to and I very much appreciate him talking to me and getting me through... just helping me to understand and not be freaked out so to speak about everything that was going on.

[Guest jimmy no nose]

What happened to Shawn? I had heard that he had found God or whatever and people are always calling him the Holy Bible Kid, but I didn't realize he was like that. That part that you had there in bold was pretty funny, I can't believe him and Tully Blanchard sit together and talk about that kind of thing.

 

-Personally, we don’t watch the WWE here...

 

-Neither do I.

 

How did they do an entire interview loaded with comments about the current storylines of the WWE if neither of them watch the show? How does Shawn be a part of the show without watching it? This doesn't make sense to me.

[Guest LesnarLunatic]

well.. for what he says.. good for him. Everybody has to eventually grow up and it sounds like he is doing that.

 

Some of the comments can seem odd to other people, but in a way, it's alot of symbolism.

 

Although it could be attributed to *whip-crack* from Whisper.. hehe.. just messing around.

 

"How about you getting together with Ted, Nikita and Sting to work for Christ?

 

-Yes, we have all sort of talked about that also and if it’s the Lord’s will, He will make that happen"

 

It's a shame that Shawn is too beaten up to finally do the Shawn/Sting match that had to have been a dream match for years.

[Guest AndrewTS]

"Nikita?" Who is that? Krushchev?

[Guest LesnarLunatic]

Nikita Koloff

[Guest AndrewTS]

Ahh...was close. Either a Ruskie or a fake Ruskie. Ironic that he played one of those "Godless Communists" so long ago.

 

Anyway...yeah, seems a bit out there. I'm a Christian but zealots creep me out. Although...this means that we can blame HBK's interpretations for this HHH-HBK angle.

[Guest Respect The 'Taker]

I bet Kevin Nash has better hair than God...

 

This whole Christian BULLSHIT is really sickening...i hate to see how Ted & HBK are right now...that being brainwashed.

 

The Catholic Church and the Bible were formed by man, not by God. When God comes down from the heavens and says to me 'What the church teaches ( hypocricy and child abuse ) and what is written in the bible is true', THEN I'll buy into this crap.

 

Go ahead, waste your life and money away into the church Shawn, when you realise whats happened in the end...it'll be too late...

 

This has been the Taker Mark

 

P.S This is not a shot at Christians, I AM a Christian ,i just refuse to partake in Church activities or read the bible, i associate myself with GOD not with a man or men who talk about God.

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

Taker: condemning an entire religon because of the faults of some of it's members is just sickening. I really don't think that was fair to any of the 1.7 Billion christains out there. I don't mean to preach, just my opinion.

[Guest RicFlairGlory]

Whats that nice old catchphrase?

 

 

I think God is really great, but his fan club SUCKS!

[Guest Respect The 'Taker]

I think God is really great, but his fan club SUCKS!

Agreed

[Guest Quik]

Ha, I like that saying.

 

Anyway, I came to the realization a while ago that people like Shawn who totally envelope themselves in their religion aren't right. In theory, if God wanted us to pretty much dedicate our lives to Him for creating us, then that would make God vain. This, of course, isn't true, but a die hard Christian is screwed if you face him with that question; because ultimately, he can either say God's vain or admit he wasted his life. Religion is very simple: the Bible is a book of stories with meanings to help you live your life as a good person. It's not a device to control people, like it sadly has become. Shawn's an idiot, because he thinks God wants him main eventing. Prayer sessions or not, he's still the same jackass he always was.

[Guest RicFlairGlory]

Maybe he's just saying God wants him to main event so it FEELS justified, because thats all God really is... a FEELING, it makes you feel safe.

[Guest Austin3164life]

If Shawn Michaels has found new confidence and faith in life, more power to him. I find nothing wrong with Shawn being religious and maturing even more.

[Guest AndrewTS]

I find Taker Mark somewhat on the...well...mark. Christianity is one thing, but Catholicism is another. I'm a Protestant, and a lot of what Catholics believe are the remains of a corrupt church with meaningless, hollow ceremonies. Priests not being able to marry was so they couldn't inherit land, NOT having a damn thing to do with their relationship with God. If you follow that church, no offense to you, but there are reasons why so many left it to form other sects. Holy wars, molesting children, selling indulgences, basically forbidding followers to read the bible (instead just listening to priest interpretations), unreasonable beliefs (being against any form of birth control) and beliefs that changed on a regular basis are all contributing factors. </end rant>

[Guest AndrewTS]

Oh--and to fulfill my quota for my posting session, if HBK convinces HHH to NOT be a selfish dick, and do what's best for the company and his fellow wrestlers tapping on the glass ceiling, then PRAISE THE LORD!!

[Guest Respect The 'Taker]

I find Taker Mark somewhat on the...well...mark. Christianity is one thing, but Catholicism is another. I'm a Protestant, and a lot of what Catholics believe are the remains of a corrupt church with meaningless, hollow ceremonies. Priests not being able to marry was so they couldn't inherit land, NOT having a damn thing to do with their relationship with God. If you follow that church, no offense to you, but there are reasons why so many left it to form other sects. Holy wars, molesting children, selling indulgences, basically forbidding followers to read the bible (instead just listening to priest interpretations), unreasonable beliefs (being against any form of birth control) and beliefs that changed on a regular basis are all contributing factors. </end rant>

Well said

[Guest BigPoppaKev]

I am a christian and everything but I think Shawn Michaels is too involved in this. It is weird seeing him like that. He gets a sign from god to wrestle? Come on. He got a sign from Vince to wrestle thats who.

[Guest LaParkaMarka]

I think it's great to see that Shawn is taking things a little more seriously now, or at least appears to. But the nonsense about coming back and assuming God will just protect him through the match, that's just stupid. Look, the guy has serious back problems, I imagine if he takes a bump badly he could end up seriously seriously hurt. It's great that people have faith, but that doesn't mean that they should all jump off bridges because God loves them and won't let anything bad happen to them, ya know?

 

If he really wants to enjoy life with his kid and wife, he shouldn't bother with a match that could seriously injure him. Go home Shawn, and be happy and stay away from possibly paralysing yourself.

 

And that vision thing was definately insane. I respect religion, but Nash's quad was not attacked by evil demons.

[Guest godthedog]

wow...if shawn's getting back in the ring because GOD told him to, that is gonna be one AWESOME match.

 

good interview, by the way. aside from the really weird kevin nash vision, hbk seems focused, sincere & coherent. good for him.

[Guest Vern Gagne]

If HHH finds god. He'll give an interview saying the Lord told him to hold down Chris Jericho.

[Guest Slapnuts00]

If HHH finds god. He'll give an interview saying the Lord told him to hold down Chris Jericho.

LOL

[Guest AndrewTS]

And that vision thing was definately insane. I respect religion, but Nash's quad was not attacked by evil demons.

Indeed...on the contrary, a few friends of mine said it was "God's way of saying he's had enough Kevin Nash matches."

 

Most religious people don't believe that EVERYTHING that happens is the result of evil/divine forces at work. Next thing you know he'll hope to heal Bret Hart's concussion by drilling a hole in his head to let the evil spirits out.

[Guest Quik]

So aparently Satan is holding Nash down?

 

Let's see, Nash got hurt in a match where he was going to go over every fucking guy on the other team, this ocming after weeks of sticking his nose in booking meetings and trying to get match endings changed. Hmm

 

Oh, and apparently putting down Bret in the opening interview, threatening people with bodily harm, and super-kicking guys in the face doesn't make Shawn feel uncomfortable, but apparently a fucking crotch chop is too corrupting and horrible to do.

 

I just hope Trips finds God now, too. "Well-uh, I was-uh, in a deep-uh prayer-uh session-uh. AND GOD TOLD ME TO GO OVER CENA, MYSTERIO, ANGLE, JERICHO, BENOIT, ROCK, BROCK, AND BOOKER IN A MIXED-PROMOTIONS BATTLE ROYAL!"

 

**HHH Proceeds to destroy his quad during the match**

 

"DAMN YOU SATAN-UH!"

[Guest Sandman9000]

My thoughts on religion?

 

[Guest AndrewTS]

Precisely--scripted or not, Shawn saying that on-air doesn't seem at all right. He should personally VISIT Bret and ask for his forgiveness for everything he did back then, not kick him when he's down from thousands of miles away on live TV.

 

Not to mention having the stooges kiss his ass and call him a "stand up guy," then a couple weeks later Bret is blamed for WCW failing. I don't recall if he said anything personally during that--because I didn't bother watching...but wouldn't shock me.

[Guest the 1inch punch]

Maybe he's just saying God wants him to main event so it FEELS justified, because thats all God really is... a FEELING, it makes you feel safe.

HBK-HHH is the main event?????

[Guest Mattdotcom]

Wow......they actually thought the windshield angle was a shoot...

[Guest BobbyBacklund]

He talks like a Christian, but I have yet to see him walk like one. His credibility has gone down the drain, especially after that unchristian like comment about Bret Hart on Raw while he was in the hospital bed, but that's just Shawn being Shawn IMO. Anyway, I digress...

 

I see all these comments about why certain religions are wrong, or have contradictory facts, well that's what organized religion does to you: It seperates, which is just detrimental to our society. Anyway, everyone is probably wrong. It reminds me of what in my opinion is the greatest quote ever in the Simpsons:

 

"God has no place within these walls, just like facts have no place within ORGANIZED RELIGION!"

 

- SuperNintendo Chalmers

[Guest jester]

I'm not against spirituality or organized religion, but I have to say that some of the born again stuff really makes me cynical.

 

Ok, more cynical than I already am.

 

Especially with guys who live it up on the road with drugs, sex, rowdy behavior, etc. Then, after their bodies are worn out and the doctors tell them the next high will be fatal, they find God and everything's ok.

 

I know some people pursue redemption and really find it, but finding Christ after "the nightmare" of sex and drugs just seems a little too self-serving to me.

[Guest mach7]

well.. for what he says.. good for him. Everybody has to eventually grow up and it sounds like he is doing that.

 

He has a LOT more growing up to do if he actually believes all the BS that he's spouting.