Sid Vicious Interview

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Show: The Interactive Interview (Courtesy of ProWrestling.com)

Guest: Sid Vicious

Date: 26th February

Your Hosts: Daniel Edler & James Walsh

Recap by: James Walsh

 

On our road to our one year anniversary show, TII brings to you three interviews.

One with Bob Ryder (TNA Production), one with Sid Vicious (WWE legend) and one with

Johnny Swinger (TNA mainstay). So, here’s the transcript for the second of these

three, with the others available on the official TII website.

 

A warning though - for anybody who likes to listen to the audio and not read the

transcript, its ill advised in this case as the audio isnt too hot. Feel free to

test your ears, though.

 

Sid Vicious

 

– As a kid, Sid was a big fan of Jackie Fargo, Tojo Yamamoto, and others. “I always

thought Memphis was the only territory when I was a kid,” said Sid. Later, he

discovered wrestling magazines and found out more.

 

– When the Memphis territory was hot, Randy Savage, Hillbilly Jim, and a lot of the

top stars came through. They all worked out at the same gym as Sid. Randy Savage

asked Sid if he ever thought about wrestling. Randy hooked Sid up with Tojo

Yamamoto. But, when he went to train with Tojo, he had not been a big wrestling fan

for 8 years.

 

– Jerry Lawler came up with the name Lord Humongous for Sid. Terry Funk was

supposed to come in for a show but something happened and Terry didn’t show up. So,

Sid was called in under a mask and for a few other spots.

 

– Sid was happy to be in the ring with guys like Nick Bockwinkel. Actually, he was

“freaking out” to do so. He had been a student for just a short time and all of a

sudden he found himself working with veterans like Lawler and Bockwinkel.

 

– Paul Heyman managed Sid while in Memphis.

 

– Sid took an offer from Continental Wrestling where Eddie Gilbert was booking.

Bruno Sammartino managed Sid while down there and he later teamed with Shane

Douglas. “That was where I really got to do the character,” said Sid.

 

– Working with Danny Spivey was a learning experience. He had a lot of fun with

him. Then, teaming with Vader, he learned even more. He feels Vader was earning

experience on how to make money.

 

– The name Sid Vicious did not come from the Sex Pistols. The name came as a joke

by his friends. Sid had gone on vacation and returned and his friends got him a

shirt that said, “Welcome Back Sid Vicious.” It was a joke, of sorts, because Sid

was so mellow, “the opposite of vicious.” Sid never was a fan of the Sex Pistols’

music and the most he had done to play on the name was he used to spit and do other

“bad habits” that the other Sid did. But, he cut that out quickly.

 

– When asked if El Gigante was difficult to work with, Sid had a one word answer.

“Yeah!”

 

– At the time Sid originally went to the WWE it was the place to be. So, once Sid

realized he could go there and make money, it wasn’t a difficult choice.

 

– When asked about Vince, Sid spoke about broken marriages and death of wrestlers.

Sid, at the time, was preparing for an interview with USA Today to talk about why

wrestling doesn’t take care of the boys.

 

– Sid spoke very openly about guys he was around who passed away. Sid always turned

a blind eye to the things he may have seen and people who no longer are here. He

says so many of them were such young men and should not have died so young. Also, he

speaks about marriages and how so many wrestlers have marriage trouble because of

the business. He then says Marc and Rena Mero are the only two that stuck together.

James then chimes in with the fact that they have since split up. Sid seems shocked

and says what a “coincidence” it is that Sable returned to the WWE right after she

and Marc split.

 

– Sid likes change. He feels wrestling has changed a lot since he started and

change is a good thing. If you don’t like what you see today, wait a little while.

It will change and maybe you’ll like what it changes into. But, he doesn’t want to

see guys wearing the same tights every night and out of shape from not having worked

out.

 

– Sid liked being a heel more than a face. “When you get boo’d as a face, it’s

heartbreaking,” said Sid. He did enjoy being a heel and being boo’d because the heel

holds the key. When it’s set to explode, the heel sets it off. He feels being a heel

is more fun for the guys as well because of the heat of the moment.

 

– “Hulk is a real nice guy: Had his own style. Probably the easiest guy I’ve ever

wrestled, he really was,” said Sid.

 

– The only time Sid ever saw Hogan angry was at the Royal Rumble in 1992 because

the bookers had “set Hogan up to be boo’d.” That is the only incident he can recall

seeing Hogan getting mad.

 

– Sid left the WWF because it was not working out as well as he had hoped. He spoke

to Vince about it who told Sid to stay and he’d “make him the biggest heel in the

business.” But, Sid felt it wasn’t time for him to be there.

 

– Sid does not feel Vince can create a big heel. Sid feels Southern men make the

best heels. He feels Vince prevents the heels from saying the things that could

really make them super “bad guys.”

 

– One thing that bothers Sid is the way guys worry about who you’re working with

and putting them over. Sid says he doesn’t really care who he works or who wins as

long as he gets out okay and can go home. He also does not play politics very well.

 

– Sid was trying to help with the office at WCW. He feels that is Vince’s strength

and that is why WCW, in 1993, was not catching on like the WWF was.

 

– When asked about the Arn Anderson incident with the scissors, Sid said, “The

thing about that, man, is it’s over. Arn and I have sat down, talked about it, and

hashed it out.”

 

– Sid feels most people in the USWA realized it was going to be closing at some

point in the near future. But, they did good business. Sid calls it “the last of the

territories.” He has fond memories of his mid 90’s run there with Lawler.

 

– Even now, when Sid sees a shot of Madison Square Garden, he says “Man, I’d do

anything to get back there again.” He loves the Northern fans.

 

– Winning the WWF title from Shawn Michaels in Madison Square Garden was a great

experience. “That was probably one of the best nights of my career,” said Sid.

 

– Sid doesn’t know why he was the face in that match from the New York crowd but

the fans were certainly at least split. James says he was in the Garden that night

and it was probably 70% for Sid and 30% for Michaels. Sid says it is cool to be

cheered like that as a heel but it didn’t happen anywhere else. Another match that

Sid considers one of his best was when he dropped the belt back to Michaels in San

Antonio because he was such a “straight up heel.”

 

– Sid has fond memories of Owen Hart. Sid feels Owen was the kind of guy that would

drive five hours to a different airport if it meant he’d get home five minutes

earlier to spend time with his family. He also says Owen was one of the funniest

guys in the business. He said a running joke was Owen never rented a car.

 

– Sid loved wrestling Bret Hart. “He’s old school but knows how to turn it up,”

said Sid. It is an honor to have taken the strap from him in the WWF. The only thing

Sid does not like about working with Bret was “that damn finisher of his.” Sid says,

“I’m just a tiny bit claustrophobic and he liked to put that thing on tight. Finally

I had to push up out of it because I couldn’t breathe. Bret would say “Hey, stay

down” and Sid would say “Lighten up!” I think that was a joke that everybody had in

the back, too. Like, “Oh shit. I have to get that shooting sharp shooter tonight!”

But, other than that he was great.”

 

– Sid was playing a lot of Softball between 1997 and 1999. Sid had broken his neck

in a car accident in Ottawa Slowly, Sid started working independent shows and the

next thing he knew, Paul Heyman called.

 

– His stay in ECW was fun. He liked playing the monster character. It was while he

was with ECW that Eric Bischoff called and offered him the job with WCW.

 

– When Sid returned to WCW, he saw how things had changed and how things were in a

perpetual change. “There were new bookers every two weeks,” said Sid. “Then one day

the booking committee was Dave Penzer, Disco Inferno, and a couple other guys. So, I

said, “Well, this company’s finished!” Can you imagine those guys actually coming up

with stuff?”

 

– Kevin Nash came up with the idea to hire a surgeon to cut Sid’s forehead prior to

a match with Goldberg. Sid said it ended up looking pretty gory. “I called home that

night and my wife was just in tears, man.” He liked that angle with Goldberg.

 

– Souled Out 2000, the night of all the changes with Vince Russo leaving, was just

another example of the constant changes for the company. It wasn’t good for the fans

because things weren’t consistent.

 

– WCW’s booking committee got to the point where no one was in charge. There was no

“one guy” that everybody listened to. Instead, guys would refuse to job to certain

people and they would bring the camera crew over to take a vote on who should win.

Sid asks, “What do you mean, camera crew?” It was the same thing with the Radicals.

“If you don’t hire this guy or use this guy, we’re all walking out,” said Sid. Sid

said the best strategy to use in the business is to sit back and let the promoter do

with you what he wants. He has an idea in mind so let him do what he wants to do.

Also, Sid feels you shouldn’t refuse to job because it confuses things.

 

– “Too many people are walking the middle of the road,” said Sid. He thinks people

who play half heel and half face characters are not taken seriously because the fans

don’t know how to react.

 

– For legal reasons, Sid can’t talk about his shoulder injury after handing Eric

Bischoff the belt. All he will say is they forced him back too early once. He had

stitches in his shoulder, which explains the T shirt he wore, and that made the

injury worse. Then, he was sent to Australia to promote the upcoming tour and was

tackled by a Rugby team. So, he just couldn’t win injury wise.

 

– When Sid returned in late 2000, he was shocked at how bad the company was. He

told Don Harris, “Man, it’s only going to be a couple of days.” Sid knew the company

would fold in one way or another. He wasn’t surprised when Vince bought it.

 

– Working for the WWA was fun but tough on him. He was still using a cane to get

around and it was difficult to move around a lot. He really has a high regard for

Andrew McManus and says he hopes he runs more shows like that because he feels it

was a good product.

 

– Sid has been told “it’s over” several times by doctors. About returning from this

one, “I don’t know man. I just don’t know. I’m feeling a lot better but I just don’t

know. Once I’m able to run again, I’ll make my decision.”

 

– Sid’s favorite gimmick is Sid Vicious.

 

– Sid is now writing independent films and such. At least one of his creations can

be purchased on Home Video on http://www.fright-fest.com. Ever since he saw the way

movies were made when he was in Ready to Rumble, he enjoyed it and thought he might

know how to do this.

[Lil' Bitch 0]

Man, I was always a mark for Sid too. I miss the bastard.

 

– Winning the WWF title from Shawn Michaels in Madison Square Garden was a great experience. “That was probably one of the best nights of my career,” said Sid.

 

I agree!

 

“There were new bookers every two weeks,” said Sid. “Then one day

the booking committee was Dave Penzer, Disco Inferno, and a couple other guys.

 

He was a booker?!! WTF?

[dubq 0]

Man, I was always a mark for Sid too. I miss the bastard.

 

– Winning the WWF title from Shawn Michaels in Madison Square Garden was a great experience. “That was probably one of the best nights of my career,” said Sid.

 

I agree!

 

“There were new bookers every two weeks,” said Sid. “Then one day

the booking committee was Dave Penzer, Disco Inferno, and a couple other guys.

 

He was a booker?!! WTF?

The David Penzer part surprised me more.

[haVoc 0]

Sid loved wrestling Bret Hart. “He’s old school but knows how to turn it up,”

said Sid. It is an honor to have taken the strap from him in the WWF. The only thing

Sid does not like about working with Bret was “that damn finisher of his.” Sid says,

“I’m just a tiny bit claustrophobic and he liked to put that thing on tight. Finally

I had to push up out of it because I couldn’t breathe. Bret would say “Hey, stay

down” and Sid would say “Lighten up!” I think that was a joke that everybody had in

the back, too. Like, “Oh shit. I have to get that shooting sharp shooter tonight!”

But, other than that he was great.”

 

That put a smile on my face.

 

Also the reason the sharpshooter usually looks like crap, because no one locks it in today.

[Use Your Illusion 0]

I was always a big mark for Sid as well, but I'll be damned if I ever want to see him near a wrestling ring again.

 

It truly saddens me that he longs for 'just one more night in Madison Square Garden', but fact of the matter is - if he attempted to perform today, he'd make the wrestler he was back in 2000 look like Chris Benoit.

 

I'm not surprised Sid quotes Hogan as the easiest guy he's had to work with, as both of them have almost identical movesets in terms of offence.

 

What surprises me is that he's almost running. I was one of three people on the planet that ordered WCW SIN Sunday and I almost fell out of my seat when I saw Sid come down on his leg. It is a testament to his determination, if nothing else.

 

UYI

[LucharesuFan619 0]

Sid sounds really...like...laid back...from this interview. You wouldn't expect that from a guy like him. Good read. Thanks for posting.

 

I'm surprised he didn't shoot on Hulk, more, considering how much Hulk has criticized him.

[Use Your Illusion 0]

Forgive me, but what has Hogan said about Sid?

[Mecha Mummy 0]

"The name Sid Vicious did not come from the Sex Pistols. The name came as a joke

by his friends. Sid had gone on vacation and returned and his friends got him a

shirt that said, “Welcome Back Sid Vicious.” "

 

Technically it probably DID come from the Pistols, then, but not directly. I don't see how they could made a Sid Vicious joke WITHOUT referring to the Pistols.

 

Oh, and I actually listened to an interview with Sid once. He's surprisingly well-spoken and laid back for a guy who always came off as a moron.