Stone Cold Steve Austin Interview
WWE.com recently caught up with Stone Cold Steve Austin to talk about his just-released autobiography, "The Stone Cold Truth," and more.
WWE.com: You’ve been spending quite a bit of time at WWE headquarters in Stamford lately. Can you talk about why?
Austin: The other day I was in the studio doing a recording for the new WWE album coming out. I went in there and raised hell and attempted to sing, and I will leave the results up to the listeners if they purchase the CD. We’re working on some new T-shirt ideas. I’ve always prided myself in being real hands-on with my merchandise. I’ve got some new stuff coming out that’s really bold. Really good stuff. Hopefully, that’ll fly good.
WWE.com: How was "The Sharon Osbourne Show"?
Austin: I really looked forward to doing that show. Growing up, I was a huge Ozzy fan, and I was at a Ozzy-Motley Crue concert in Houston when a guy behind me threw up all over me, and I’m also good friends with Zakk Wylde, who’s been Ozzy’s lead guitarist since Zakk was 18 or 19. I was just at his house two weeks ago getting drunk with DDP.
WWE.com: How’s DDP doing?
Austin: He’s doing great, man. Positive as ever, and in good shape. He’s trying to do some stuff with acting. I haven’t seen the guy in the long time, so it was great to hang out. He’s a good dude.
WWE.com: He’s not a quiet man.
Austin: Not a quiet guy. I was up in L.A. doing some meetings and a couple of TV shows. I also did "The Bronx Bunny Show" (a show that airs in the U.K.), which was great. I told DDP I was going to go see Zakk. I asked DDP to go with me. He goes, "Who’s Zakk Wylde?" I said, "Dude, he plays lead guitar for Ozzy Osbourne. He’s got his own band called Black Label Society. He’s Einstein on a guitar." I said, "Dallas, I’ll put it like this: He’s basically a rock ‘n’ roll version of you. He’s probably the only guy you’ll ever meet who will say the f-word more times that you and me combined." Zakk lives 45 minutes outside of L.A., somewhere out in the woods. We got lost, and finally we called him and he came down to meet us. And by the time he’s stepped out of the truck, he’s said the f-word seven times and handed each of us a beer. Dallas looks at me and says, "We haven’t even been here five seconds and he’s said the f-word seven times!" I said, "I told you!"
WWE.com: What’s coming up with StoneCold.com? I understand you’re going to take a more hands-on approach with that site.
Austin: Yeah. It’s under construction right now.
They sent me a prototype, and I thought it was still too corporate looking -- not rough enough and a little too busy. It’s just basically a communication bridge between me and the fans. Since I’ve been here, I’ve had a hell of a run, a lot of success and a lot of fun. Going out there on RAW and doing the stuff that I do, that’s fine. But when you’re not in the ring anymore and able to compete, you kind of lose touch with them; you’re unable to relate to them on that level. Since I’m basically doing the co-GM thing, I wanted to use my Web site as a hands-on deal where I’ll be fielding questions every week, or basically telling about what I did throughout the week, kind of like a diary type of thing. It’s just a way to stay in touch with people, let them know what’s going on inside my head, what I think about life in general and what’s going on around me.
WWE.com: So you got a computer now.
Austin: Yeah, I got a computer now, and the thing about it is, it was down for a long time. People were sending me e-mails -- well, the office was; it’s not like I get a whole lot of e-mails -- and they would ask me, "How come you didn’t answer my e-mail?" And I’d say, "Well, I can’t. My computer’s broken." So I got the computer guy to come out there, and he messed with thing for about five minutes. I’m thinking, "My computer’s busted. I’m going to have to get a new one." Turns out I didn’t have my modem plugged in. I pretty much looked like an idiot. I called this expert up to my house, and all he did was plug in the modem. But anyway, I’m back up and running.
WWE.com: How was "Hollywood Squares"?
Austin: That was brutal. They were asking me about various things that I don’t know a damn thing about, so I was completely out of my element. If you ask me about wrestling, beer drinking, hell raising, deer hunting or anything like that, I’m your guy. But the questions that I got asked ... I was just trying not to look like a jackass. Also, I’m in this little box. Being Stone Cold Steve Austin -- the abrasive, in-your-face guy on RAW -- doesn’t really transfer to being in a little square on "Hollywood Squares." It’s a fine and dandy show and all that stuff, but it really wasn’t any place for Stone Cold Steve Austin to be.
WWE.com: Were there any other celebrities there that you got a chance to meet?
Austin: Well, Donna Summer was there. She was nice. She was cool. I was sitting next to a kid named Joey McIntyre. He was really cool. Mario Lopez was there.
Mario’s a big wrestling fan. (Executive producer) Henry Winkler pulled me aside and said, "How you doing?" I said, "I’m dying over here." He said, "No, you’re doing great." Everybody on that show was really nice and really friendly. Henry Winkler was tremendous. But it was just a case of being a square peg in a round hole.
WWE.com: You have the most aggressive book tour in recent memory. You’re doing more book signings that anybody’s ever done. Is that something you’re ready for? You’re going to be a busy guy for the next few months.
Austin: Yeah, just because I want the book to do well. Everybody has been happy with the book. It’s kind of like if you’re in a rock ‘n’ roll or country band, and you put a CD out. You go on tour to promote it. I’m doing what I can on my end. Until basically mid-December, I’m going to be pretty much full tilt, making the rounds, pushing the book -- stuff on TVs, talk shows and stuff like that. I want the thing to be a success. I kind of set Mick Foley as being a goal of mine because I know his book sold a lot of books and was a great book. So if I can sell as many or more than Mick Foley, I’ll consider it a success. Whether it does or not, it’s "The Stone Cold Truth" and that’s pretty much the bottom line. Hopefully, it does well.
Credit: WWE.com
