Rock Torch Talk

[Guest Brian]

You lucky bastards!!

 

HEADLINE: The Rock talks about his path to the top

SUBHEADLINE: The top wrestler in the industry today explains what he

has done to reach the peak at only age 27

 

As the '90s come to an end, there is no wrestler main eventing today

who has a better chance of still main eventing at the end of the '00s

than Duane Johnson. He may or may not still be The Rock, but given

that he is 27, ten years from now he will still be younger than

Sting, Bret Hart, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, and Undertaker are today.

While WCW spun its wheels the last three years falling back on

wrestlers in their 40s for short-term fixes, the WWF has taken Rocky

Maivia (the target of "Die, Rocky, Die" signs from fans while he was

a babyface just starting out) to the biggest (active) star in

wrestling today. He went from a silent heel standing behind Ron

Simmons and next to D-Lo Brown to the most important member of the

WWF's roster.

 

He has a long way to go before reaching the longevity of Hulk Hogan

as a box office draw. He needs to have years and years of

show-stealing matches to even approach Ric Flair's record. He hasn't

had nearly the streak of delivering big PPV matches that Bret Hart,

Shawn Michaels, Mick Foley, or Steve Austin have over the past ten

years. He isn't close to taking the locker room leader title from

Undertaker. And he has yet to help create a superstar, like Austin

did with him. But there is no one in wrestling today with a better

chance of reaching those achievements over the next ten or fifteen

years.

 

In this exclusive "Torch Talk" interview with The Rock, he talks

about his route to the top of the WWF and his thoughts on his future.

The 90 minute interview was conducted on Dec. 20. The second

installment of the interview will be published in next week's issue.

 

Wade Keller: For people who don't know, talk a little bit about your

family's history in pro wrestling.

 

Rock: Okay. To begin with my grandfather, High Chief Peter Maivia,

passed away in 1982. He began his career in England. He was actually

trained over there. Then he came over to the United States in the

late sixties. Of course, he travelled back and forth for Ed Francis

in the sixties in Hawaii. He came over here to the mainland in the

late sixties and into the seventies and worked for numerous

promoters. You know, Paul Bosch, Roy Shire, of course, and he even

worked for Vince (McMahon) Sr. When he worked out in California for

Roy Shire, that's when he really made a name for himself in the

mainland. And, of course, there is my dad Rocky Johnson, who started

in the late sixties again and wrestled throughout the seventies and

into the eighties. And here I am.

 

Keller: What are your earliest memories of professional wrestling?

How young were you when you first remember knowing what professional

wrestling was?

 

Rock: It goes back to, I can honestly say when I was three

years-old-when I was about three years-old in the Cow Palace (in San

Francisco).

 

Keller: What do you remember about it?

 

Rock: I remember watching my dad and I remember watching my

grandfather. I remember watching Ray Stevens and Pat Patterson. I

remember them because they had the blonde hair and they were a pretty

hot tag team back then. Those are my earliest memories.

 

Keller: Did you take to wrestling right away? Was it something that

just totally captured your eye and it was like, 'Wow, this is really

fascinating," especially with your dad being involved?

 

Rock: Undoubtedly. Again, I was always kept very close to the

industry. My parents made it a point to take me with them everywhere

they went. I was always on the road with my dad, always missing a lot

of school. It would be the only time I got a chance to see him. So I

would always be with him and I always kept very close to the

business. They would never not discuss the business around me. At a

very young age I was listening in on a lot of conversations that I

shouldn't have been (laughs). Also at a very young age, I was trying

to delve deep into the conversations about the business that I

probably shouldn't have been talking about (laughs).

 

Keller: Would it be safe to say that you never went through a period

where you were disillusioned by wrestling because you were never

under the belief that the business was something it wasn't?

 

Rock: No, not at all. From a very early age I was told immediately

that it was a work and that it was okay. When you're young, though,

it's pretty hard to separate the two. When you see your dad there,

and your grandfather for that matter, selling the way they were and

if there was blood in the matches, it's hard to tell a child,

"Everything is okay," but my mom, and dad for that matter, and

grandparents, did a pretty good job.

 

Keller: So it was confusing but it didn't affect you in the long run.

You didn't turn fourteen and end up having major problems deciding

that it was okay to beat people up because they weren't really hurt

afterward (laughs)?

 

Rock: No, no. If anything, growing up in the industry and having a

passion for the business and always loving the business, everything

about it, I was always defending it. Of course, while growing up, the

industry being the way it was back then, you had to kayfabe at all

costs. And I was always defending it, always getting in trouble,

always getting into fights, always getting suspended. So the answer

to "is wrestling fake?" when I was younger was, "Well I can show you

a lot better than I can tell you."

 

Keller: Yeah. Was that a burden to have to protect the business or

did you enjoy being in on that and protecting it in that way? Maybe a

little of both?

 

Rock: Well, I enjoyed protecting the business because I loved the

business. I loved it then as I love it now. So I enjoyed protecting

it, but at no point was I ever thinking, "Hey, I'm in on the con and

nobody else is." It wasn't like that. It was never like I enjoyed

pulling the wool over anybody's eyes. That wasn't the case. At that

time, the direction of the business was not how it is now.

 

Keller: It was just the thing that was done. It was the thing to do.

 

Rock: Absolutely.

 

Keller: At what age did you think, "I'm going to be a pro wrestler

when I grow up"?

 

Rock: I would probably say around eight years old. Living in Hawaii

and doing most of my growing up in Hawaii, and of course, travelling

with my dad, at that time there were many territories. He worked for

Don Owens, and (Jim) Crockett, and Paul Bosch, and the Von Erichs,

and Eddie Graham, you know. Everybody for that matter. Back then I

was always travelling, but the main place that I grew up in for a

lengthy period of time was Hawaii. So it was there that I used to go

down with my dad when I was about seven or eight years old and roll

around on the mats and just learn reversals and things like that.

 

Keller: When did you first start working out in the wrestling ring?

You said you were kind of learning reversals and tumbling around.

Were you, from a very early age, getting acclimated to the three

ropes?

 

Rock: Oh, yes, absolutely. I remember the Sports Arena down in Tampa,

Florida. My dad was working down there for Eddie Graham. We would go

down there every Saturday morning before the show and I would roll

around on the mat with my dad and get accustomed to the ropes. I was

like a dwarf, I could only hit the first two. Still, nonetheless, I

was always running the ropes back then, too.

 

Keller: Did you wrestle as an amateur in high school?

 

Rock: I attempted amateur wrestling one time and I didn't enjoy it

because obviously what I was used to was the theatrics. To do that

just wasn't appealing to me. No knock to amateur wrestlers, they work

extremely hard, obviously they work extremely hard. Amateur wrestling

for me just wasn't appealing.

 

Keller: Obviously football was.

 

Rock: Football was, sure. Football was, track was, baseball was. I

kind of did about every sport imaginable.

 

Keller: Was it kind of a game plan for you to go through high school

and college and just live that whole life before going full-fledged

into wrestling. Because Eddie Gilbert, for example, the day he

graduated high school, the next day, Saturday morning, he was in the

Memphis TV studio wrestling. You grew up in a similar situation that

he did in terms of growing up in the business, but you delayed your

entrance by four years.

 

Rock: Right. Well, I thought it was vital. My family thought it was

vital that weŠ When I picked up football, I picked up football in

Hawaii. I fell in love with the game, played it, and in my junior

year when I started getting a lot of offers from colleges and the

opportunity to go to college on a full ride, well that's an

opportunity you would have to be a fool not to take advantage of.

And, of course, loving the game of football, I took advantage of

that. By the time my junior year in high school rolled around I had

set my goals to go to college, take football as far as I possibly

could, and wrestling would always be there for me. I always knew

that. I did want to take football as far as I could. Graduating from

college was a priority, actually the number one priority was to

graduate and get a degree. And again, I knew I was going to graduate

by the time I was twenty-two, twenty-three years-old and wrestling

would be there.

 

Keller: Obviously you had so much experience and so many connections

to begin with, but what steps did you take to formally get into

professional wrestling?

 

Rock: I was very fortunate, in a sense, that I had my dad and I had

the ties that I had to the business. When I was released from the

Calgary Stampeders in October of 1995, I made up my mind then that I

was not returning there and I was going to do what I felt I was born

to do which is get into the business. So it was a phone call to my

dad, letting him know my plans, talking to my parents, talking to my

family, talking to my wife, who was my fiance at the time, about my

plans and then we put the best foot forward so to speak. It was just

a matter of picking up and moving to Tampa and beginning training

with my dad.

 

Keller: Did anyone in your family ever discourage you from entering

professional wrestling, at any stage?

 

Rock: Ironically enough, my dad did passionately. He came up in the

business at a different time, in a different era. There weren't the

million dollar contracts that there are now. People weren't making

millions and millions of dollars. There weren't hundreds of millions

of dollars on the table involved in the industry like there are now.

Not that I ever thought, "Hey, I'm going to get a big piece of that,"

but I did think I had something to offer the business. And he did try

to discourage me, again, because he knew the business, obviously, it

was his life. I'm a strong advocate that if it feels right you've got

to do it. At that time, even without locking up, it felt right. I had

convinced him, and I could never have lived with myself had I not

attempted to do it.

 

Keller: What would you have done had you not gotten into wrestling?

 

Rock: My degree is in criminology and exercise physiology. Initially

I wanted to work for the Secret Service. That was a big plan of mine.

It's funny how fate works, but then again, like a lot of people, they

go in a completely different direction than what their degree was

for. Who knows, I probably would have been in front of a camera some

how, some way (laughs).

 

Keller: When do you first remember meeting Vince McMahon? As a kid I assume?

 

Rock: I first met Vince when I was ten years old. I met Vince and his

dad at the same time. Again, it was very informal. A ten year old kid

meeting Vince and his dad. I always looked at Vince like another TV

WWF superstar because he was Vince McMahon. I would become Vince

McMahon every chance I got when I would do my little interviews as a

kid. They would do them from Allentown (Pennsylvania). And he would

stand outside of the ring and the heels would come from the left and

the babyfaces would come from the right (laughs). Again, it was a

novelty to meet Vince McMahon, the announcer. I met him again when I

came in for my tryout in 1996.

 

Keller: What had you done before your WWF tryout and before the

developmental deal? How much wrestling had you done?

 

Rock: Actually, my tryout for the WWF was my very first match which

was in Corpus Christi (Texas) in March of 1996 against Steve

Lombardi. Prior to that, I had not had one single match in front of

an audience. I had had six months training in a boxing ring with my

dad. Anybody who's been trained in a boxing ring knows how hard it is

(laughs). But that was it.

 

Keller: How did it go? How was it wrestling in front of a crowd? What

kind of pressure did you feel? Were you relaxed and at home?

 

Rock: I was extremely relaxed. I can honestly tell you that I was not

nervous. I was excited, I was geeked. There was really no pressure.

We went out there and we had our little match. I think it went about

eight minutes and that was it. Steve was obviously great to work with

for my first match. Of course, it was basic. Being the veteran that

he is, he did a great job taking care of me.

 

Keller: You weren't in there with another rookie like so many people

are for their first match.

 

Rock: I was very fortunate.

 

 

Keller: Did the WWF pretty much immediately sign you to the

developmental deal? I assume that was the terminology used back then.

 

Rock: It was about a week after that. I received a contract in the

mail and I got a call from J.J. Dillon saying that they were offering

me a contract. And of course I was jacked. I was excited. It was

guaranteed. It was pretty similar to all of the contracts back then.

A guarantee of one-hundred-and-fifty dollars a night. But that was

okay. I just wanted the opportunity.

 

Keller: And then you went to Memphis?

 

Rock: And then I went to Memphis, yes. I was Flex Cavana for (Jerry)

Jarrett and (Jerry) Lawler.

 

Keller: I remember hearing less than a month into your stint that

people in the front office were saying, "This guy is going to be the

next big thing." It was really early on that people were pointing

toward you and your work in Memphis to where I was seeking out tapes

to see what people were talking about. So I know that the impression

you gave off right away was really positive. I didn't know you hadn't

wrestled until your tryout match, so that makes it all the more

amazing. What was it like going to Memphis and working for a

territory? All of sudden, you were working almost every night.

 

Rock: It was great in terms of experience. It was exactly what I

needed. I was not in any way ready for the WWF. It was good in terms

of experience. I was familiar with Memphis. I was familiar with Randy

Hales and Jerry (Lawler) and Jarrett. I knew those guys through my

dad. My dad worked there for many, many years. So I was familiar with

the Dundees and everybody. It was great in terms of experience, going

down there and honing in on my craft and developing certain

characteristics and things like that. Back then, too, I never made it

a point to jump off the top rope or do a moonsault or anything like

that. What was important to me back then was to develop charisma and

expand on that, and little idiosyncrasies that would get a reaction.

I was working for forty dollars a night in everywhere from barns in

Arkansas, to casinos, to parking lots in used car dealerships

(laughs).

 

Keller: What was it like finally getting your hands dirty? Was it

like: "I'm really doing this. I'm paying my dues. This is great fun"?

Or was it more, "Man, this is a lot more work than I had expected in

terms of the road trips"?

 

Rock: No, I knew what to expect because I grew up in the business. I

saw my dad firsthand. So I did know what to expect. I put

seventeen-hundred miles a week on my truck. I was barely getting in

from Memphis to Louisville and then back. And a lot of guys know

this, too. I was doing all I could to sell my little pictures and

things like that. No, I was never surprised by it; it was the paying

dues process. Prior to that, I had many, many years of being-excuse

the term-dick-ass broke in Miami. Again, the NCAA not allowing us to

work and, of course, me not having any money. And going up to Canada

in the CFL (Canadian Football League) and actually becoming a, quote,

"professional football player." That was even worse (laughs). I was

getting like two-hundred-and-fifty dollars a week and trying to live

on that was something else. But it was a process that molded my

constitution.

 

Keller: Were there any mistakes in Memphis that you look back on

where you are now, like, "Man, I should have known better?"

 

Rock: Absolutely not.

 

Keller: You had good teachers, in your father especially?

 

Rock: Yes, I would say that. No, not really though. The things that

did go down at times, those things happen for a reason. But I never

did anything that I truly regret. If I could do it all over again, I

would do it twice.

 

Keller: How long was it before the WWF called you up?

 

Rock: I was down there for about five months. Then I came back up. I

was calling J.J. (Dillon) every week, bothering the hell out of him.

Finally they called and said, "We'd like to bring you up to Columbus,

Ohio for a tryout match." When I got there I had another tryout

match, not a tryout match, but just a match to see where the progress

was. It went well and it was about a week after that when I got a

call from J.J. who said, "We just feel that you being down in Memphis

really isn't conducive to your progress and we'd like to bring you up

and have you work out in our ring up here with Tom Prichard.

 

Keller: When you were actually going full-time for the World

Wrestling Federation, which wrestlers did you look up to and who was

the most helpful to you? Who did you find was helping you progress at

a faster rate than you would have otherwise?

 

Rock: Initially, when I first came up here, the very first guy to go

out of his way and help me was Bret Hart. It's very ironic that it

was him because at that time he had the belt. He was the number one

guy in our industry and there he was going out of his way to help me

in any way he possibly could. We had only worked one time, but even

before that he would go out of his way to give me advice and say that

if I ever needed anything in terms of advice or questions, not to be

afraid to ask him. For that I will always be thankful. He's turned

into a good friend of mine and I really appreciate some of the

gestures he made back then. Two other guys in particular would be the

Undertaker and Steve Austin.

 

The Undertaker, he's helped me tremendously. Steve and I have a

special relationship to say the least. A dichotomy of sorts (laughs)

with the Rock and "Stone Cold." But those two guys have helped me

tremendously, too. And it's funny, it's very funny and very ironic,

it's interesting that these three guys, dare I say the top three guys

our business has ever seen, have gone out of their way to help me.

Especially Steve, being the biggest box-office attraction the

business has ever seen, period. Even him knowing that I aspire to

break that, always being right there for meŠ again, it's just very

ironic that these are the top guys and them being very unselfish and

secure within themselves, within their positions, with their

positions within the company, to help meŠ you don't find that too

often.

 

Keller: When you were in the Nation of Domination, everyone was kind

of in the background except for Faarooq. It seemed like it was during

that time that you developed the subtleties of facial expressions and

body language because you didn't have a lot of speaking lines at that

point. Do you think being forced to stand in the background during

your early days as a heel helped you develop your character into what

it has become today?

 

Rock: No doubt. And it wasn't necessarily, "Well, let's turn Rock

heel. Let's see what happens." And then, "Let's turn Rock heel and

let's give him another big push like we did when he first came into

the company as a babyface." Sitting and talking with Vince, we

weren't going to make that same mistake in terms of a big push.

That's why it was very slow. We joined the Nation surrounded by a

cast of characters. And it was like you had the opportunity to shine

within this cast of characters. Similar to a friend of mine, Michael

Duncan, who now stars in "The Green Mile" with Tom Hanks. He made his

debut in "Armageddon," again, surrounded by a cast of characters and

he really made an impression on people with his subtle approach.

Again, being surrounded by Steve Buschemi and Bruce Willis and Ben

Affleck and all these other guys in "Armageddon," well it was the

same thing in theory. I was surrounded by D-Lo (Brown), and Mark

Henry finally came into the group, and the Godfather and Faarooq. I

relied on the subtleties back then, my facial expressions, my body

language. Faarooq basically had all of the talk time and I had no

problem with that. I was eventually going to get the opportunity to

speak and when I would, I'd take advantage of it.

 

Keller: During that phase, were you really antsy to break-out or were

you appeased knowing that this was a really productive time?

 

Rock: I wasn't antsy to break-out. I was very patient. Especially

from the moment I turned heel and I was able to just be me, that was

the logic behind turning heel. Talking to Vince and J.R. (Jim Ross)

and (Vince) Russo at that time, I just wanted to be me, let Duane

Johnson come out. Because I felt positive enough that I would make an

impression. I didn't have to smile any longer, nor did I have to be

the quintessential babyface that was driving me up a wall.

 

Keller: It had to be tough, too, because it was your first chance on

the national scene and the fans were reacting to you in the opposite

way from what the promoters had intended because your initial

character was too wholesome and too full of smiles.

 

Rock: Fifteen years ago that would have been great, very productive.

What happened when I came in was the business was taking an

attitudinal turn with the help of "Stone Cold." And he, at that time,

was the hottest heel we had, yet there was something about him that

drew people to him. So then you had a character in "Stone Cold" who

was anti-authority, giving the middle finger, the first guy to say

ass. And then you had Rocky Maivia. Well, I don't blame the people

one bit for sh--ing on the character. Again, in joining the Nation,

we weren't looking for a big push, we were just looking to see what

would happen. And once I turned heel, from the moment I turned heelŠ

I'm a firm believer in that if you don't believe in what you're

doing, then the people damn sure aren't going to believe it. I firmly

believed in what I was doing from the moment I turned heel. I went

out there and instantly they were chanting, "Rocky sucks." It was

immediate gratification on my end. And that's when I knew that it was

my turn to work on subtleties. Because in this group, they're

chanting, "Rocky sucks," yet I'm not the leader of the Nation. So I

relied on little idiosyncrasies and things like that.

[Guest Brian]

Keller: What was the break-out moment for you as a heel? Is there a

moment in time that stands out?

 

Rock: Yes, no doubt. Steve was the Intercontinental Champion, just

coming back from his neck injury. It was in December. It was the day

after the Survivor Series in Montreal. The infamous Survivor Series.

I was still in the Nation, Steve was cutting his promo, my music hit,

actually my music didn't even hit. I walked out on stage, cut my

promo on him, challenged him for the Intercontinental Title, and the

go home line was, "In the end, your bottom line will read, 'Stone

Cold Has-Been, compliments of the Rock.'" It was the first time I had

ever said "The Rock" in that fashion, third person somewhat. And that

was a defining moment. It almost separated me from the group, yet

still being in the group. Then the Rock-Austin rivalry began.

 

Keller: The one match that came later than that was the ladder match

with Triple H. And that, I think, was perhaps the highest profile

pay-per-view match you'd had up until that point. Is that accurate?

 

Rock: Yes.

 

Keller: Looking back on that match, how important was it to where you are now?

 

Rock: That particular match was very important in terms of where I am

now. I wanted to go out thereŠ I knew obviously that I was the heel,

the hottest in the business at that time. I wanted to go out there

and lay it all on the line with Hunter. And I knew we would be able

to do that. We did that. That particular night, the fate was

interestingly enough similar to Austin-Bret Hart at WrestleMania. The

people had basically made up their minds that night that I was going

to be a babyface after that. And it wasn't too long after that that

they essentially turned me.

 

Keller: It seems like you've turned several times over the past

couple of years, but the fans kind of dictated what you ended up

being in the long run.

 

Rock: As they always do.

 

Keller: Yes. But do you think there was a turn or two that was

unnecessary or do you think it all ended up falling into place the

right way?

 

Rock: I don't think that a turn was unnecessary. I came in as a

babyface, turned heel, that was necessary. The people then turned me

babyface again after the ladder match with Hunter. I started to

ascend as a babyface. Well, over here, you had another babyface in

Austin. Collectively, we all felt that a turn was necessary. Who can

pull off the heel turn? Again, not having a top heel for Steve to

work with, you had these two babyfaces who aren't going to touch each

other. It's a special chemistry and an unquestionable magic between

Rock and Austin. Let's turn Rock heel. We decided to turn the

character heel at Survivor Series. Again, bringing the rivalry of

Rock-Austin to another level. After that turn happened, the very next

night in Lexington, it was an unbelievable feeling when I came out as

the Corporate Champion. And then Austin came out, and I'll never ever

forget it, live in Lexington. I think we set a record that night. We

did an eight-something rating. I think Judge Mills Lane had dictated

that there was going to be a title match that night. It was just an

unbelievable feeling. Right after that heel turn a lot of people

questioned it. Initially I questioned it, too. Initially, I thought,

"Well, I think we're counter-productive at this point by doing this."

After talking with Vince (McMahon) and (Vince) Russo in the office

and finally agreeing to it, it wound up working out for the better.

The Rock-Austin rivalry, that cemented the fact that it was by far

the greatest rivalry that the industry had ever seen, period. And the

character of the Rock, very non-linear, full of depth, the charisma

of the Rock, it took a while, but eventually it was like, "It just

doesn't matter if he's a babyface or a heel."

 

 

Keller: I don't know how much you heard of it, but I heard some

criticism from people who felt that during your heel stage that you

were playing to the crowd too much and that you were accepting the

cheers rather than fighting them. Is that a fair criticism? Is it

even relevant.

 

Rock: I'm not going to say it's not relevant.

 

Keller: What I mean by that is look at where you are today and how it

worked out.

 

Rock: I see what you're saying. What happened was as a heel, when I

turned heel, I had absolutely no problem in doing what a heel should

do. And again, there are certain traits now that the character has

that are just pure asshole (laughs). And that's just the way it is.

Of course, a tweak here and a tweak there to be a babyface, but

still, none the less, as a heel, after that turn, I had no qualms

about sh--ting on the people as a true heel should. I had no qualms

about sh--ting on the people. I would go out there and sayŠ I was

being entertaining. There is a fine line betweenŠ it was one of those

areas that I had to dive into of being entertaining and being a heel

at the same time. I would go out there and be unbelievably

entertaining, as I still do. But a lot of people would look at that

and say, "Well, as a heel he shouldn't be entertaining." Well, I mean

that is the Rock whether you like him or you don't like him. You have

to take him how he is and he is entertaining. So I went out there and

I was entertaining and from the time they started to say, "If you

smell what the Rock is cooking" with me, I would immediately say:

"Hey, this ain't sing-along with the Rock. Know your role and shut

your mouth." Eventually it got to the point that I knew I was turning

babyface. Even at WrestleMania, it wasn't one-hundred percent (cheers

for) Austin. Unfair criticism? That's just this business. You're

going to get your critics out there. I can't say it's unfair. I will

say that I was as entertaining then as I am now. I would sh-- on

those people every chance I got. I would call them trailer park trash

every single night and they loved it. Again, I'm not going to say

it's unfair criticism, but I will say know the facts before you

criticize. I would say every single night, house show, TV, "Good

night, trailer park trash, good night." They would love it and I

would sing to them regardless of whether they booed (laughs).

 

Keller: What is the key today to getting heel heat? It seems that if

you are cool, fans are going to cheer you, but if you're not cool,

rather than boo you, fans just don't care about you. What is the key?

 

Rock: To me, it's not that tough to get heel heat. If you are

concerned about being cool, then you're really not concerned about

being a true heel. It's one of those things where you can be a heel

if you can get heat. A lot of heels today don't do that. Very few

concern themselves with being a true heel. When I was a heel, again,

I had no problem calling people trailer park trash and doing what the

Rock does best, insulting people. Although, there is a fine line

between being a heel and a babyface. There is that big gray area. And

it's proven. You can be entertaining and you can still get heel heat.

The character has always been entertaining, yet for months, even with

the IC belt run, I was the hottest heel in the business, period. I've

proved that. You can be entertaining and you can be a heel, a true

heel.

 

Keller: I want to jump for a minute to the Survivor Series two years

ago with Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels. You are a student of the game,

but at the same time Vince McMahon is still your boss. But you said

that Bret Hart is someone whom you really admire. Obviously there is

a big conflict there. But looking back and even just that night, what

was your reaction to what happened?

 

Rock: Well, I didn't want to jump to conclusions. I was not one to

get into anybody else's business. Then, as now, I don't know the

entire story between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels, nor do I care. I

knew something went down. We watched it unfold on the monitor, me and

a couple of other guys. Before I passed any judgement, I was going to

get the entire facts. Again, before I passed judgement, I had to get

all of the facts.

 

Keller: Looking back on it, do you think that both sides handled it

the way that they needed to and things just played out the way they

did? Or do you think some pretty big mistakes were made?

 

Rock: I think as the owner of a company, he (Vince McMahon) did what

he needed to do. Right, wrong, or in between, he did what he had to

do. It was a very unfortunate night for all parties involved.

 

Keller: Right now, Steve Austin is on the sidelines. You were

knocking on the door of that top spot before Steve had the injury, if

you weren't already there. Has there ever been a sense of tension

entering into your friendship and mutual respect for each other? Here

you are, you're younger, healthier, and perhaps right now even

fresherŠ

 

Rock: And better looking (laughs).

 

Keller: And better looking, of course (laughs). Has that led to any

interference that you know of in your relationship with him?

 

Rock: None whatsoever. A lot of hearsay. A lot of rumors going around

in terms of Rock and Austin almost coming to blows one night in

California. That got blown way out of proportion. No. Again, I'm

tight with Steve. A lot of people don't know that and a lot of people

do know that. There is a certain chemistry we have in the ring,

obviously, unquestionable magic. Outside of the ring, we're the best

of friends. We speak often. He's very secure within his position. He

is smart enough to know that "we have a guy in the Rock who can

ascend to the plateaus I've ascended to and possibly pass them. And

he's going to help me, along with a lot of other guys, make a lot of

money." It's good business. So, no.

 

Keller: Do you ever find yourself being overwhelmed by the fame and

attention that you are receiving right now?

 

Rock: Absolutely. At times it is very overwhelming to get called upon

to do another TV Guide cover. Looking at Entertainment Weekly last

night-Ricky Martin and then The Rock. Seeing yourself in line with

all of these other entertainers. The People Magazine issue and the

offers we should be getting next year in terms of movies. It is

overwhelming and very humbling at the same time. I always made it a

point to promise myself that when I first got into this industry,

full-time, whether I made it, whether I didn't make it, that I would

always attempt to instill a sense of normalcy to my life. So far, I

think I've done a decent job of having that.

 

Keller: Do you have people in your life who kind of help keep your

feet on the ground? Are there people who need to do that or do you

think you've done that really well by yourself?

 

Rock: I think I do that well by myself. Of course, I have a very

strong family background in terms of being humble, genuine. My wife,

who is one of my biggest supporters and biggest critics, has helped

me tremendously. I think I do a fairly good job of that. Some may

disagree (laughs). The jealous ones may disagree, and there are a

few. But that's the way it is. Some may disagree with how this

success has affected me. At the same time, they confuse confidence

with arrogance.

 

Keller: I know that sometimes people who don't take their jobs as

seriously as you do may see you being very particular and careful in

what you do and interpret that as having a big ego, whereas, in a

sense, you're just trying to be the best you can be.

 

Rock: Absolutely. And I take what I do very seriously because I love

what I do. I have a passion for what I do.

 

Keller: What is the best part and the worst part about being the

Rock? Not Duane Johnson, but the Rock? Not necessarily being on the

air, but being the celebrity 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, being the

top wrestler, being in Entertainment Weekly. What is the best and

worst of that world?

 

Rock: Well the best part of that is unquestionably the live audience.

Once my music hits and to hear that place explode, there is nothing

better. In having a match laid out and knowing what is happening,

knowing what is getting ready to come up, and having those people in

the palms of your hands is nothing short of incredible. That is the

absolute best. I can do magazine covers, I can do movies, I can do

commercials, I can do everything which is great. And I'm very

appreciative of all of that. But there is no feeling that is greater

than a live audience. The worst about the Rock? (Long pause).

 

Keller: The money, clearly the money (laughs all around). I mean, it

must be hard to keep track of all of it. Were you quoted correctly in

a European magazine saying that you are on pace to make three to five

million in '99.

 

Rock: Yes. That's about right. I'm very fortunate.

 

Keller: Okay, besides the money, what is the worst part?

 

Rock: Honestly, Wade, I can't tell you. I couldn't even tell you. I'm

very thankful for the success of the character and where it has taken

me so far and where I would like to go and things like that. The good

will always outweigh the bad.

 

Keller: Juventud Guererra has been a topic of discussion recently.

He's been doing your schtick or quite a bit of your schtick on TBS

and TNT. What are your thoughts on that?

 

Rock: When I first heard about him doing the People's Elbow a couple

of months back, I thought it was flattering. As when I hear about a

lot of people doing the People's Elbow, or speaking in the third

person. Again, I thought it was very flattering. When I actually saw

Juventud do the People's Elbow and then look into the camera and say,

"I know your role," I thought, "Well, that's interesting. Here is a

guy who I don't even know. Okay, let it pass." And then when I heard

he was doing the entire Rock monologue, complete with Rockisms and

Rock lines, and the entire Rock schtick, it didn't become flattering.

To me, there is something very special about being creative and

innovative and having pride and taking a lot of pride in your work

and going out there and trying to out-do yourself every single time.

If he is comfortable with being the one who imitates The Great One

(laughs), then so be it.

 

Keller: Has it reached a point where you are no longer flattered by it?

 

Rock: Without knowing his reasons, I will say that it is still

somewhat flattering. I wish he spoke better English to make himself

more entertaining.

 

Keller: Maybe that is his point. He's such a bad version ofŠ I don't know.

 

Rock: If he's comfortable with not being creative and not being

innovative and doing that then so be it.

 

Keller: How about Road Dogg? That was kind of a similar situation in

terms of there being a little rivalry over catch-phrases. I don't

even want to characterize it as a rivalry. There was tension over a

number of things including some stuff that was said during promos.

What is the background on that and what are your thoughts on it now?

 

Rock: As far as there being a rivalry with catch-phrases, again, I

take pride in being creative and being entertaining and always being

fresh with my material. And just being entertaining with my material.

There is not a lot of creativity in saying the same thing every

night. Road Dogg is a very insecure, petty, jealous individual.

 

Keller: Something I've seen with Road Dogg, because you've had to

work with him in a few spots in the ring, when two wrestlers do have

personal differences, like you and he obviously have, does it make it

difficult to work together?

 

Rock: No, no, not at all. It's complete business. It's complete

business when I go out there. As he has been to. To be frank with

you, I don't know where his insecurities come from in terms of me.

I'm very selective with who I get to know and who really gets to know

me. There aren't many who can say, "Hey, I know him really, really

well." I find it interesting that I occupy so much space in his

little mind.

 

Keller: Has he done things behind the scenes that would be perceived

as trying to stir sh--? Has he tried to blow things out of proportion

or hold you back? Or is it mainly reserved to on-air types of shots?

 

Rock: No. Anyone who is around the locker room knows that he is the

loudest, always wanting to be heard.

 

Keller: Do you just keep your distance now?

 

Rock: No. I'm very cordial to him as he is to me. I never had a

problem with him up until he started to voice his opinion about me

which I wasn't sure where it came from. But there are no problems

(laughs).

 

Keller: I heard a report that you met Goldberg for the first time, in

Toronto. How did that go? That was sort of a monumental meeting in

certain ways.

 

Rock: It went good. The funny thing was that we played phone-tag for

the better part of the past year. He would leave me messages and I

would leave him messages and we finally met. I went up to Wayne

Gretzky's box. I went up there initially to see Bret (Hart), and

Goldberg was there. So it was good meeting him. A good guy.

 

Keller: How long did you guys get a chance to talk?

 

Rock: Probably about a half-hour.

 

Keller: He's a few years older than you are, but clearly you have

much more experience in wrestling in a number of ways, both growing

up in it and professionally. Do you think the two of you will have a

relationship for years to come because you are two top stars or do

you think meeting him is like meeting a lot of different wrestlers

where if your paths cross, they cross, but you aren't otherwise all

that close?

 

Rock: I can see us being friends for some time. He was a genuinely

good guy. I can see that. We're two different characters. I could

foresee a hell of an interesting match between us.

 

Keller: I'm sure it will happen some day, one way or the other.

 

Rock: Depending on where the business is, one way or the other.

 

Keller: Vince Russo has left the WWF and gone to WCW. He took a lot

of credit for writing WWF TV. He was very vocal about that when

campaigning for the job and once he got the job. How much of a

difference has his absence made in the WWF for the whole promotion

and also for you?

 

Rock: Not much of a difference at all. The numbers show that. We

still have a very entertaining show and again, numbers don't lie. I

like Vince Russo. We got along very well. We had a good relationship.

He gave me the room to be very creative. And he, like our writers

now, understand the Rock, what the Rock would do and wouldn't do, so

I enjoyed working with him.

 

Keller: Do you think he overstated his influence on Raw or do you

think he had a tremendous influence, but others were able to pick up

where he left off very effectively?

 

Rock: He obviously had a major influence on our show. At times he

wrote the entire show and Vince would tweak it here, tweak it there,

change this, and change that. Others have been able to pick up on it

and are doing a very good job. Vince (McMahon) is able to write the

entire show now. A big reason we are still very successful is that we

have the talent to execute the gameplans.

 

Keller: Something that I think was a big question regarding Russo-and

maybe it is being answered through his output in WCW-is character

development for the top guys. That hasn't been Russo's strong point

in WCW. How influential was he with the development of the Rock?

Because he was there for most of your run from being a future star to

being a top star.

 

Rock: He was. He was influential. Again, he gave me a lot of room to

be creative. The Rock's popularity largely stems from his ability to

speak on the microphone. His in-ring work of always being aggressive

with "the sh--'s on" type of energy, for every match, regardless of

who it is. That's helped the character, too. And, of course, being

able to go out there and work with anybody. So he had a lot to do

with the ascension of the character. While he was here it was good to

work with him.

[Guest Brian]

Keller: Has pro wrestling's influence on children ever bothered you

or been a concern in terms of stereotypes, violence, and language?

 

Rock: Not a lot of things bother me about our product. Some things I

can do without. But again, those have usually been shot-in-the-dark

types of scenarios that have taken place and I've thought, "Well,

that's kind of questionable." We make no bones about it. Our show is

very racy, edgy, sexual at times. I'm very particular with what the

Rock says and does. Some may argue with the "Turn that son-bitch

sideways" line (laughs), but there is a tremendous responsibility

that we have toward our young audience.

 

Keller: Do you think the WWF does enough in that area? Obviously you

can warn parents and put all of the warning labels on the programs,

but the fact is that some kids don't have great parents. Or some kids

have great parents who aren't particularly watchful of their kids' TV

viewing habits. Do you think the consequences of kids watching the

WWF are serious enough to cause you to pull back even on some of the

things that may have been successful?

 

Rock: I think it is extremely important, actually vital, that parents

monitor what there kids are watching. It is very easy to turn the

channel. It is very easy to turn the TV off. Growing up in this

industry and being told from the very beginning that what I was

seeing was entertainment and was a work, I think we all have

responsibilities. And I think the media shares in that responsibility

of helping the industry get over the hump of stereotypes. Again, I

think it is very important that we get over that hump and slowly but

surely we are. The kids' parents should monitor what they are

watching. There are a lot of kids out there who know that what we do

is entertainment and they take it for what it is worth. In defense of

our product, there is a lot worse on network television, there is a

lot worse on cable. We are a reality-based show, yet we make no bones

about saying what we do is pre-determined, scripted, and

entertainment.

 

Keller: Knowing that pro wrestling has historically attracted kids,

more so than probably some of the more adult-oriented shows on

television-and there are certainly elements that attract kids more

than an episode of "Silk Stockings" or "NYPD Blue" or even "Dawson's

Creek"-do you think there are things that the WWF does that are

actually helpful to kids? Does it ever cross your mind to have moral

lessons involved in this very racy product?

 

Rock: That is a very interesting question. I've never really thought

about it that way. Help the kids? I will say that I am very secure

with the character of the Rock and knowing that he is a role-model. I

have no problems with that. I'm thanked by parents daily for the role

I play and the product we put out. I guess in a lot of ways you can

say that.

 

Keller: Do you ever get kids coming up to you saying catch-phrases

that aren't appropriate for their age? Or do kids generally have a

feeling for, "No, that's an adult-type thing?"

 

Rock: I think if they are raised right they know the difference. If I

ran my mouth and said something I shouldn't have, I got my ass

whooped. The kids that come up to me, I get the "It doesn't matter,"

"Know your role," everything that I say, like do I like pancakes,

stuff that isn't too bad for kids. It's ironic how much the "It

doesn't matter" line has been embraced by the country. I hear that on

radio spots. I hear the NFL guys saying it (laughs).

 

Keller: Speaking of that, how much time do you put in, not so much on

your off-time because there probably is no such thing as that, but

when you are travelling, when you are in the hotels, how much time

goes into coming up with catch-phrases? Also, how many rejects are

there for every one that makes it to the airwaves?

 

Rock: I would say a good ten rejects for every one that makes it.

Even on my off-time, I'm constantly writing ideas down. And it's not

so much I think, "Well, I needed that catch-phrase" as much as I

think of what is an entertaining promo. I'm constantly writing things

down. Not necessarily writing one-liners down. Jerry Lawler is the

king of one-liners. That's not necessarily my forte as much as it is

delivering and executing an entertaining promo with impeccable timing.

 

Keller: You focus on lines that will enhance the Rock's character?

 

Rock: Absolutely. That's the key. And as an artist/entertainer, I'm

always looking for change. I'm always looking for enhancement. I'm

always looking for productivity.

 

Keller: Do you find yourself monitoring the phrases that you do use

and saying, "I don't want this phrase to overstay its welcome"? You

want to leave people wanting more of it, not going, "He's still

saying this?" Is that something you are very attuned to?

 

Rock: Oh, sure. Again, it is easy to go out there and say the exact

same thing every single night. I challenge myself daily to go out

thereŠ and of course, there are so many things that I can say that

I've said before, but if you deliver them from a different angle,

well then, it's a whole new light. It is much more entertaining. Like

the "turn something sideways" and you know the rest, I can simply go

out there and say, "The Rock says take this boot, shine it up real

nice, turn that son-bitch sideways, and stick it straight up your

candy ass." I could say that every night if I wanted to. But I

challenge myself in what inanimate object to take and how can we get

around it.

 

Keller: And you try to tie in with the person you are speaking to?

 

Rock: Exactly, such as Nomar Garciapara, a Wade Boggs, a Mike Modano

and Bret Hull. Tonight I think Charles Barkley is coming.

 

Keller: In a sense, it has become almost an honor to receive that

treatment, sort of like it was an honor to be targeted by Don Rickles

during his act, even though he was insulting you. Even though it is

somewhat vulgar, it has become something honorable to be the

recipient of.

 

Rock: Sure, sure. Absolutely. I get a lot of calls from my boys, Greg

Lewis and Warren Sapp, and all of those guys are like, "Hey, man,

mention me. Do this" (laughs). I always say, "When the time is right."

 

Keller: Who do you think is the next Rock or the next Steve Austin on

the WWF roster? Who has that untapped potential in the type of things

that it took for you to make it-the dedication, almost perfectionism,

all of those superlatives and adjectives? Who has those qualities so

that in a year or three years, they are going to be the next guy

knocking at your top spot?

 

Rock: That is hard to say. We have so much talent in the WWF. We have

so many young guys who are clawing and scratching and hungry. I say

young like I'm old even though I'm twenty-seven. But there are guys

who are twenty-five or twenty-six, I think we have a couple of

twenty-four year-olds, again, these guys are hungry which is great to

see. So that is a hard question to answer.

 

Keller: Are there one or two guys, without trying to exclude anyone,

that you can name that are above that crowd right now? Is it Andrew

Martin, or Edge, or Matt Hardy, or Val Venis? Do any of those names

really just stick out or are they all just kind of right there?

 

Rock: I tell you, all of those guys that you just mentioned are great

guys. The Hardy Boys, Edge and Christian, Andrew (Martin)Š

 

Keller: D-Lo (Brown)?

 

Rock: D-Lo, sure, absolutely. Val Venis, I enjoy working with Shawn

(Moorley). And I enjoyed him as a heel. He worked with me as a heel

and he worked with Steve (Austin) as a heel. In time, I see big

things for Shawn as I do for Andrew. Shawn showed that tenacity and

that aggressiveness that you need when I worked with him. I can

foresee big things for a lot of guys. Even the Dudley Boys. I was

pleasantly surprised after our match, our tag match. I thought it

went very well. I think they have certain idiosyncrasies that you

don't see too often as heels. To be a true heel you can't have an

ego. You have to have the mentality that I'm going to go out there

and get my ass whooped and I'm going to give this babyface the

biggest comeback he's ever had in his life and I'm going to keep

these people up as high and for as long as I possibly can. That's the

role of being a heel.

 

Keller: They are willing to show ass, so to speak.

 

Rock: Absolutely, you've got to. As a heel, you are going to get your

ass whooped. If you are a great heel, you can get your ass whooped

nightly, and have incredible heat. Going back to me as a heel,

whether it was the IC Title or the World Title. I mean, the IC Title,

I lost nightly (laughs).

 

Keller: As did Steve Austin before his WrestleMania win.

 

Rock: Sure. Absolutely.

 

Keller: I don't think Austin had one high-profile win over Shawn

Michaels or Bret Hart or Undertaker, yet he was the biggest star in

the WWF.

 

Rock: Absolutely. There is something special about getting your ass

whooped and walking out the champion.

 

Keller: I left him off of the list, but a lot of people are talking

about Chris Jericho. He's kind of had a rocky start in certain ways,

a lot of it due to high expectations, but what is your take on his

spot because he's received a bigger push upon entering the WWF than

all of those other names that I mentioned?

 

Rock: Chris did have a hard time initially coming in. We have a

different style up here, of working. Chris was so used to working

with a lot of the luchadors and that style, again, we have a very

distinct WWF-esque type of entertaining style up here. And it has

taken Chris a little bit of time to get used to that and acclimate

himself to that. Slowly, but surely, he's going to be there.

 

Keller: Is it fair to blame the DX group for trying to sabotage Chris

Jericho's career out of jealous because he is a threat to some of

them or all of them? Friends of his in WCW are speculating that that

might be the case. Is there any truth to that?

 

Rock: I couldn't tell you that. I have no idea. Anyone who really

knows me knows that I try not to involve myself in a lot of that

political bullsh--. You can't hold talent down. There were times when

some were trying to hold down the Rock from ascending to that very

top tier, but you just can't do it. True or not, who knows?

 

Keller: But Jericho's adjustment to acclimating himself was not

created solely by jealousy on anyone's part, it is simply an

acclimation process? Is that fair?

 

Rock: I think that is fair to say. He was brought in and held in the

highest regard and was ready to receive a big push. And of course, he

made his debut with the Rock. I felt it was a hell of a segment. So,

yes, Chris just needed to get acclimated. He is still acclimating

himself and I think he's going to do fine. He should forget about all

of the outside bullsh-- that goes on. My advice to Chris has always

been, "Never mind the bullsh--, just go out there and do your thing.

If you do things right, nothing is going to hold you down."

 

Keller: I don't think Shawn Michaels's name has come up other than

when we talked about the Survivor Series. What are your thoughts on

him? Was he helpful to you? Was he a hindrance to you? Was he someone

you learned from, even his mistakes? Did he set a good example?

 

Rock: He was not helpful to me. I never sought his help. I really

have nothing to say about Shawn.

 

Keller: Is that because if you can't say something good, you don't

want to say anything at all?

 

Rock: Not necessarily. He was cordial with me as I was with him. But

other than that, he doesn't know me well enough to speak of me and I

don't know him well enough to speak of him.

 

Keller: Michaels is regarded as a fabulous athlete, a fabulous

performer, and one of the best of this era or generation. If you

agree with that to any degree, do you have a desire to work a top

program with him if he were able to come back and work a handful of

matches?

 

Rock: No, I have no desire to work with Shawn. None whatsoever.

 

Keller: Do you disagree that he was a great performer?

 

Rock: Not at all. He was a tremendous performer, a tremendous

athlete. His work was an asset to the business.

 

Keller: You said one of your first memories in wrestling was of Pat

Patterson. As I understand it, he is incredibly influential to this

day when you are working out a match or an interview. What has he

meant to you?

 

Rock: Not really on interviews, but matches. Pat Patterson's mind for

the business is amazing. The finishes, the drama that he comes up

with is fantastic. I would like to end the misconception that he only

comes up with great finishes for the Rock's matches. That's not the

case. The top matches have Pat Patterson's finishes. The WWF Title

matches have Pat Patterson's finishes. I'm constantly picking his

mind as I am Vince's (McMahon's) and guys like that. He just has a

tremendous mind for the business. And the guys who reach a certain

level and have the privilege of working with him and consume the

drama that he comes up with and the theatricalities that he comes up

with in terms of match finishes is fantastic.

 

Keller: What is your favorite match that you've been in to this point?

 

Rock: My favorite pay-per-view match would have to be WrestleMania XV

with Steve and then the match after that, "Backlash" with Steve, as

well. And, of course, I've had some great house show matches with

Steve. I've had some great house show matches as well as pay-per-view

matches with Hunter. I enjoy working with Hunter. Hunter is a real

student of the game. He's great to have around and I learn from him.

If I learn from him then we feed off of each other. I tell you what,

X-Pac is another guy I've had great matches with. I enjoy working

with Sean (Waltman, a.k.a. X-Pac).

 

Keller: X-Pac seems like someone who, if you are not privy to the

inner-workings of the wrestling business, you might think he's cool

or popular, you might like to see him perform, but I think people are

surprised at his age the level of respect he's reached behind the

scenes in the business. Some people would be surprised by the respect

he has from all levels in wrestling.

 

Rock: Absolutely. We're the same age, he and I, we're twenty-seven.

He's like the oldest twenty-seven year-old I know. I enjoy working

with him and I've had some great matches with him. And Mick Foley,

too, is another guy I've enjoyed working with over the years. With

Mick's style and my style, and especially with all of the

pay-per-view matches we did and TV matches and half-time of the Super

Bowl, we've had so many matches that we've always been forced to be

creative. There is a comedy chemistry that you have with Mick and me.

There is an undeniable chemistry there with Mick and me in terms of

entertainment. Again, as there is an undeniable kick-ass chemistry

between Rock and Austin.

 

Keller: What did it mean to you to headline WrestleMania? Had it at

that point become inevitable and it was just the next logical step,

or was there something special about that name , WrestleMania, and

being the headliner on the marquee?

 

Rock: Absolutely. It was very special to me to headline WrestleMania,

with the history of WrestleMania, all of those who have been in the

headlining position of WrestleMania, and to know that Steve and I did

that, pulled in a record number without the celebrities that

WrestleMania usually has. That was a fantastic feeling.

 

Keller: What makes a match good in your eyes? Is it all crowd pops,

is it whether it draws money, is it a sense of wanting to do

something new?

 

Rock: What makes a match to me is to not necessarily go out there and

do moves that are going to kill you, but to go out there and present

a match that is essentially an emotional roller-coaster, complete

with ups and downs, drama, and it obviously helps to have two

characters in there who click. And, of course, a dramatic ending-win,

lose, or draw.

 

Keller: Seeing what has happened to Steve Austin and looking at Mick

Foley today, have you worked very hard at being very efficient, so to

speak, in the moves that you do to limit wear and tear on your body?

 

Rock: I've worked very hard at being efficient. I've worked very hard

at being very crisp and solid with what I do. I don't do a thousand

moves. I do a good number of moves, but I always make sure that what

I do is very solid and I absolutely believe in the moves that I'm

doing. They are very crisp, very solid, and very believable. I

believe it and I know it comes across that way, that's why I know

that the people believe it. It's one of those things that it's easier

said than done. It's easier to say than to realize and try to ingest

that everything happens for a reason. I told Steve that and I know

that Mick knows that, too. Anyone who has had an injury knows that.

I've had my fair share of injuries in football and in wrestling, too,

but it's one of those things where when you think about it, I don't

believe you perform to the best of your ability. You have to go out

there and not think about getting hurt, think you are in God's hands,

and go out without inhibitions.

 

Keller: This is one of those locker room scuttlebutt type things, but

a couple of years ago I heard that "Rocky is too careful, he's not

willing to take enough chances." Was there ever a time when you took

that too far?

 

Rock: I think that came fromŠ (laughs). In fact I know that came from

the run I had with Mick Foley. Mick Foley was doing everything while

the Rock was taking a DDT through a table and that was it (laughs). I

was very fortunate as a heel with the heat I got and as a babyface

the reactions I get. What I will do is go out there and entertain

you. Everything I do will be solid and believable. Mick Foley's

choice of path is, as we all know, is very dangerous. And he has

chosen that way and he's found his niche and that is his niche. But

that certainly is not mine (laughs).

 

Keller: How about at the time of the ladder match with Triple H? Did

you hear any criticism that you were too conservative?

 

Rock: I never heard any criticism about that, and if I did, I would

say okay. That particular ladder match was not necessarily full of

taking crazy bumps and unnecessarily crazy bumps, but moreso just

putting in thirty minutes of drama and working toward a hell of a

reaction at the end of the match. And that is exactly what we got.

 

Keller: Kind of an emotional roller-coaster ride as opposed to one

highspot after another?

 

Rock: Oh, absolutely.

 

 

Keller: How long do you want to wrestle?

 

Rock: I want to wrestle as long as I continue to be blessed with the

ability. That sounds corny, but it's true.

 

Keller: Mick Foley came out with this unbelievable book and you have

one coming out in a couple of weeks. Are you worried about not living

up to Mick Foley's book? Or how is it different from what Mick Foley

has done?

 

Rock: I am not worried about being able to follow Mick's book. The

success of Mick's book has been unbelievable and I'm very happy for

him. My book, "The Rock Says," is a different type of book. Again, I

grew up in the industry whereas Mick didn't. There is different

insight coming from a completely different view of growing up in the

industry. A lot of the book is written as the Rock speaking, talking

about matches. This is where it becomes zany and a laugh-out-loud,

hysterically entertaining book. You can imagine.

 

Keller: How many pages? Have you seen the final copy yet?

 

Rock: I've got it right in my hand. There are 290 pages and it comes

out January 5. It is going to be a hell of a book.

 

Keller: Thanks very much for your time.

 

Rock: You're welcome. I enjoyed it.

[Guest the pinjockey]

"Rock: I am not worried about being able to follow Mick's book. The

success of Mick's book has been unbelievable and I'm very happy for

him. My book, "The Rock Says," is a different type of book. Again, I

grew up in the industry whereas Mick didn't. There is different

insight coming from a completely different view of growing up in the

industry. A lot of the book is written as the Rock speaking, talking

about matches. This is where it becomes zany and a laugh-out-loud,

hysterically entertaining book. You can imagine. "

 

There is just something really funny about him mentioning how he grew up in the business, but without mentioning that Mick actually spent many years participating in the business before writing his book as opposed to the three or four years before Rock wrote his.

 

BTW, we are lucky bastards, thank you muchly.

[Guest cynicalprofit]

ya know, I hear vince hating on the IWC all the time, but his biggest star gives an interview to one of the dirtsheets....maybe he doesnt hate us as much as we think.....then again he did put necro on the air....

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

Well, the intro was perfect example of how to kiss some ass.

[Guest TheyCallMeMark]

Yikes thank you Mr. Brian.