Shark Boy Interview

[Guest Trivia247]

I think this is the right folder....

 

Interview With Shark Boy (4/29/03)

[email protected]

www.AaronLurchWilson.com

 

Hi everyone, I am Aaron “Lurch” Wilson and I’d like to welcome my guest this time. You have seen him wrestling throughout the country, you’ve seen him on the World Wrestling All-Stars PPV, WCW Saturday Night, NWA TNA as well as MTV and the Discovery Channel. He has just gotten done with a tour with the WWE, ‘From 20,000 Leagues under the Sea’ he is Shark Boy.

 

Shark Boy how are you today?

 

Hey, man how is it going?

 

It’s going great. Can you tell me a little about your recent tour with the WWE? And how did everything go with that?

 

For the last three weeks I’ve done dark Matches or International Heat matches at the RAW and Smackdown tapings. It has been a dream come true. It has been a tremendous experience for me and hopefully it will lead to bigger and better things.

 

Are there any WWE matches that stick out in particular?

 

I would have to say that the first one is probably the sweetest for me. Other then the obvious fact that it was the first one, it was also against Chris Kanyon, who happens to be an old friend. A

 

And we went out there and really gave it everything we had in Pittsburgh and the reaction was just overwhelming. It was incredible. I would have to say that would have to stand out as the best match. Although the last match I had the opportunity to work was also aired internationally, on the international Heat show.

 

Basically what that means is that Heat was live this past Sunday, because it was on right before the pay per view, so it was live here in the United States. But everywhere else saw me wrestle Chris Nowinski, as part of the international Heat show.

 

How did this WWE Tour come about, who in WWE discovered you and contacted you?

 

Actually it all started, well it all started years ago but, this whole thing came about because my good friend the Hurricane invited me backstage to one of the house shows in Dayton, Ohio, which happens to be the area where a live right now. So he invited me backstage to one of the shows and one thing just sort of led to another.

 

When did you decide that you wanted to become a professional wrestler?

 

Pretty much from the time when I really started liking wrestling. I would say around the time of age twelve, which is a time I really really got into it. I went around as the skinny little kid from Ohio telling everyone that that is what I wanted to do and everyone told me that I couldn’t. So that made me, when I had the opportunity, to work that much harder to do it.

 

How did you get into the business?

 

Actually was a junior in college I met Les Thatcher, at an independent show in northern Kentucky. He was getting ready to open a school up at the time, and it was basically just a case of the right place in the right time. So I became one of his charter members of his new wrestling school in Cincinnati.

 

How did you come up with, what I would say, one of the better original gimmicks ever, Shark Boy?

 

The whole thing, is a really deep issue, it’s a multilayered thing, but all started because of the fact, when I got into the business I was a referee and I had to wear a mask if I wanted to wrestle on shows, to basically conceal my identity, so I can continue to referee because that was the gig I had at the time.

 

I knew I had to be a masked wrestler, and at the same time there is a song that was popular on the radio stations here in Cincinnati called “I Come From the Water” from a band called The Toadies, who have since broken up. The song inspired me with the idea to do a comic book type superhero character, who basically rose from the water to fight the bad guys.

 

At the time the only wrestlers who were my size, who were on TV, were the Luchadores, so I tried to pass myself off as El Piranha. A couple of months later, when I went to work for Ian Rotten in Louisville, he said “Well does it have to be a Piranha?” and pretty much that’s what led to changing the name to Shark Boy. Once I did that, I added the teeth and fins to the mask, and the whole thing just took off. There was no going back.

 

Who has been the most influential person to your career, thus far?

 

That’s an impossible question to answer. There have just been so many people, that if I sat here and made a list for you, I would leave off more people that were on the list, and probably hurt some feelings. I would just say that a lot of the people that we have already mentioned in this interview, would qualify for that list.

 

You actually spent time in WCW’s Power Plant, prior to the downfall of WCW. What did you think of the Power Plant and how well did that experience work out for you?

 

Well, I think it was really tough, first and foremost. It was every bit as hard as it looks on TV, I can tell you. And to make that your job on Monday through Friday, you really had to have a love for the business or a serious head problem, and I think I probably had a little bit of both.

 

But, I went in there, and I didn't quit, and I was really proud of myself for that because it was really a test, you know. Sometimes, just getting out of bed in the morning would be. I was there for four months, and that was when they decided that my services were no longer needed, along with quite a few other cruiserweights including Jamie Knoble, Jimmy Yang, and some other guys who have gone on to do some other things.

 

We were all released right around the same time. Basically the deal was that we were brought in for a project, that Eric Bischoff was in charge of and once Mr. Bischoff was reassigned, the rest of us were reassigned right out of the door. Again, timing is everything in this business, and that is how things worked out.

 

Basically, what happened then for me, was that I went back to work in Cincinnati for HWA, only this time I was in a little bit different of a role. I helped out with storylines and things like that, it was a good time for me, at first, definitely.

 

How is it been for you, to work on the Brian Pillman memorial shows?

 

It has been a tremendous privilege, I can’t begin to tell you. Brian Pillman was an inspiration to me when I was just a fan. Just to be able to help this family any way I could, was a really great opportunity for me.

 

My friend Trent in Alberta wanted me to ask you about Jaret Evans from Calgary. Trent is the one who told Jaret to ask you about "Matt Whatshisface" when you were in UK with Jaret.

 

Jaret Is a cool guy from Canada, he is an up and coming wrestling star. He’s a guy I spent some time with in England, and wrestled on quite a few occasions. I had a lot of fun with him and his fellow Canadian boys there on the tour, and I’d actually like to give a shout out to Jaret, and that is cool that he went out of his way to contact me like this.

 

(Laughs) As far as Matt Whatshisface goes, that is a question you’re going to have to ask Dean Baldwin, because I’m just not qualified enough to go into that.

 

What was it like wrestling in the UK?

 

Again, that was a really fun experience for me. The crowds over there were really receptive to more traditional professional wrestling, it was just a lot of fun to go out there and do what I’m most comfortable doing, and that is a storytelling type of match, and a match with a clearly defined individual you root for, and some one you’re not rooting for. To me that’s the magic of wrestling, and the crowd seemed a little more receptive to it then some of the crowds here in the States.

 

So would you consider yourself an old school fan as opposed to a new school fan?

 

I think I’m somewhere in the middle. But, my style is definitely more complimentary to the old school style of professional wrestling, more so than the new school.

 

What promotions have you been working with lately, aside from NWA: TNA and the WWE?

 

Let’s see, there’s so many. WWA, NWA: TNA, I’ve worked some for XPW, out in Los Angeles. Not too long ago I worked for the World Wrestling All stars, in their overseas tour. Another promoter all over a England, for promotion called All Star Wrestling. Several promotions in the Ohio area, I work some for Ian Rotten’s IWA MidSouth, a group called New Breed over in Indiana. Again, and probably leaving a few off, but that gives you an idea of how little time I spend at home. Definitely keeping busy.

 

What do you think of the role of the internet in the wrestling business?

 

I think it’s significant, but I really don’t think the majority of wrestling fans delve real deep into wrestling on the internet. I think there is a very loud minority though, that makes their opinion known and gets trends started, and things of that nature on the internet.

 

And I’ve never had a problem with the internet, personally, the internet has always been pretty friendly to me. I don’t have a problem with the internet having a voice, I just think that unless you’re in the business, unless you live this life, or have done this you should take that into consideration when you express your opinion.

 

What do you think of the status of the current Independent wrestling Scene today?

 

You know it changes all the time, so that is kind of a hard question to answer. You see a lot of bad wrestling out there, let’s face it.

 

There is a lot of promotions that don’t know what they’re doing, or to know what they’re doing and don’t advertise, or promise you this and give you that, and there’s too much of that in the indies.

 

At the same time, there’s a lot of hungry individuals, there’s a lot of hungry guys, and some diamonds in the rough. Sometimes you’re lucky enough to go to show and see somebody who really jumps out at you and entertains you on the card, and I think that’s what the most intriguing thing about the Indies is to wrestling fans.

 

What has been your most favorite match of your career, thus far?

 

That is always been a hard question for me to answer, but right now I have to go with the match against Kanyon in Pittsburgh. It was my first WWE match, and it will always carry a tremendous amount of significance to me, and it was a good match I’m proud of the match.

 

Mick Foley was seen on WWE TV and Beyond the mat wearing a Shark Boy shirt. I take it Mick Foley is a Shark Boy fan?

 

Yeah, I think so. Mick has always been super supportive of me from day one, before anyone knew who I was, so I think that’s a pretty safe assumption.

 

What is your biggest goal in wrestling?

 

Nobody gets into wrestling, to be the opening match guy who gets beat up every week. Everyone gets into wrestling wanting to Main Event Wrestlemania.

 

When you go outside and play baseball or football as a kid, you pretend like you’re in the World Series, are you pretend like you’re in the Superbowl. As high as I can take this thing, as far as I can go, that’s what I’m shooting for and that’s what I want. If I settle for anything less, well I may have to but I’m still going to go as far as I can.

 

Thanks a lot Shark Boy. Any final comments?

 

If I can just get a shameless plug in, please visit www.Sharkboy.net Look around check it out, it’s pretty cool. There’s a link where you can e-mail me, you can post something on the message board, you can look at my schedule, which will very soon be updated, I promise.

 

There’s a bio page, there’s a section for merchandise if you’re interested in T-shirts or masks or anything like that, they’re available right there on the website so please check it out. And thank you to everyone for following the fin.

 

You can check out my website lionked below to listen to the Audio Version of this Interview in REAL format, as well as many other interviews I have conducted in the past!

[Guest Mystery Eskimo]

Shark Boy rules. He should be WWE champion.

[Mecha Mummy 0]

I still think that Shark Boy, as Hurricane's partner/sidekick, would get over easily. I don't know how his mic skills are, but even if they're sub-par or weak, they could just keep him silent and have Helms do the talking. And throw in Super Nova and you've got yourself a stable, buddy.

[Chunk 0]

I still think that Shark Boy, as Hurricane's partner/sidekick, would get over easily. I don't know how his mic skills are, but even if they're sub-par or weak, they could just keep him silent and have Helms do the talking. And throw in Super Nova and you've got yourself a stable, buddy.

A pretty damn sweet stable at that!

 

Sounds like a good idea to me. What would you call them?

 

ChUnK!

[Mecha Mummy 0]

I still think that Shark Boy, as Hurricane's partner/sidekick, would get over easily. I don't know how his mic skills are, but even if they're sub-par or weak, they could just keep him silent and have Helms do the talking. And throw in Super Nova and you've got yourself a stable, buddy.

A pretty damn sweet stable at that!

 

Sounds like a good idea to me. What would you call them?

 

ChUnK!

That's a good question. Most likely any generic superhero team name (Legion of Justice, etc.) would work fine, since there's no real theme going with Hurricane, Shark Boy, and Nova besides the fact that they're all superheroes. I'd probably have Hurricane be the singles guy, since he would be the most over, established member of the group, and have Sharky and Nova team and do singles. That's a solid stable right there.

[Chunk 0]

I still think that Shark Boy, as Hurricane's partner/sidekick, would get over easily. I don't know how his mic skills are, but even if they're sub-par or weak, they could just keep him silent and have Helms do the talking. And throw in Super Nova and you've got yourself a stable, buddy.

A pretty damn sweet stable at that!

 

Sounds like a good idea to me. What would you call them?

 

ChUnK!

That's a good question. Most likely any generic superhero team name (Legion of Justice, etc.) would work fine, since there's no real theme going with Hurricane, Shark Boy, and Nova besides the fact that they're all superheroes. I'd probably have Hurricane be the singles guy, since he would be the most over, established member of the group, and have Sharky and Nova team and do singles. That's a solid stable right there.

It certainly is. I think it would actually work quite well.

 

The hurricane gimmick was really good in the beginning, and I dont think its really got that old. A new stable would give the gimmick a kick up the arse, and I think it would get over quite easily.

 

How about throwing Molly back into her superhero role and putting her in the stable. Shes doing nothing right now, and was far more interesting as Mighty Molly.

 

Also, no super hero stable would be complete without a mode of transport. The hurri-cycle was awesome, so cross that with the Turtle's party wagon and you got yourself a kick arse gimmick right there

 

ChUnk!

[Mecha Mummy 0]

I wouldn't mind seeing Mighty Molly back, but the one problem is that she got no reaction whatsoever with the gimmick. If anything, I'd have her ally with whoever Hurricane initially feuds with (Christian, maybe?).

[Guest J*ingus]

Shark Boy is also a by-gawd ringer when it comes to playing pool, as Popick will attest to.