Chris Benoit on Off The Record

[Jebus 0]

CHRIS BENOIT ON OFF THE RECORD REPORT

by Adam Lebow @ 6:40:00 PM on 4/13/2004

 

 

Here is a recap of Benoit on TSN Off the Record that just finishing airing.

 

Chris Benoit on TSN Off the Record

Host: Michael Landsberg

 

Show began with Chris Benoit’s Entrance Video playing and Landsberg doing his normal spiel that promises us talk about Benoit thinking about quitting and his friendship with Eddie Guerrero.

 

The opening OTR video plays.

 

We go to studio and we see on a TV set, the Benoit celebration from when he won the World Heavyweight Title at Wrestlemania XX. Landsberg starts off with asking Benoit if he is still a Canadian even though they say now he is hailing from Atlanta, Benoit responds with residing, and they say they will get into it later. Landsberg shows the video of Benoit winning at Mania and asks Benoit to comment. Chris says that it was 100% real emotion, he wasn’t acting and it was a defining moment. Benoit says he had flashbacks as he was celebrating of his career, such as his first match, the dungeon with Stu Hart and Japan.. Landsberg asks if the company is moving to smaller talents and Benoit says he doesn’t look at it like that, he says people don’t think he politics enough and it is because he is very quite. Michael asks if he ever thought it would happen because he cant cut a promo like Rock or Jericho and Vince has said on the show he likes real big men. Benoit says no because he looks as Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart. Landsberg asks if Benoit thought he may have this chance taken away from him, because Paul Heyman was pushing for this since last fall and he said at times yes but wrestling is his passion and holding the championship is a great honor. He says first and foremost he is a wrestler and to entertain the fans. Landsberg asks if he has any crossover passions, Chris says if the opportunity comes along but right now nothing has come along and he is happy with the title. He brings up things he has been called such as Nash saying he was a Vanilla Midget, and when he holds the belt up, is there anyone he thinks of that rubs in their face. Benoit says no and he only thinks of the people that helped him. Michael asks if he feels like he should help the younger guys now that he has the belt, because Hogan didn’t do it in WCW when Chris was there. Benoit says Hogan was political and he doesn’t think Hogan represented the belt well. He gives an example about helping out the local guys who work dark matches at TV Tapings, and spending time with them. On reflection, he looks back and sees some of the things other champs have done and doesn’t think people have held the title right. Michael asks who he emulates now that he has the belt, and Chris says he has always emulated the Dynamite Kid but he no longer does it, he is Chris Benoit and he respects everything he has done because he did it his way.

 

Michael talks about 2001 when Chris missed a year because of his neck injury. He asked Chris if he ever wanted to leave because he had a good career and could still walk. He talks about being in San Antonio and seeing Dr. Youngblood and how he cried that day because he may not wrestle again. After that day though, he was 100% positive and moved on. He doesn’t really think about the neck now, and he worries more about the knees cause the neck is great. Landsberg says Benoit is wall to wall aggressive and asks how he is able to do it. Benoit says getting a good night sleep, good work outs and persistent. He has become good friends with talent who have rised and fallen, such as Eddie Guerrero who had his highs and his lows. Landsberg says he wants to talk about the Guerrero thing later on, and moves on to motivation. He says a lot of guys are motivated by the money, and Chris stops him saying he can tell just by watching the ring if people are out there for passion or out for money, specifically naming Lugar about the fame and money. He said himself and Bret Hart were all about the passion. Landsberg asks if he is friends with Brock, which Benoit says he is, and he just wasn’t able to handle the road. He is happy that he is going after his dream, and that is what Benoit has done. He says Brock will be back because he was an amateur wrestler and really loves wrestling cause he grew up in it. He points out that one day will be back. They move on and talk about respect and complements among peers such and Chris he is friends with Kurt Angle but there are times where they have verbal confirmations about who was better. He says there have been times when Vince among others have gone and pulled him aside and it has been more rewarding than getting a big pay day. Michael sends us to break telling us we are watching Chris Benoit who now resides in Atlanta, Georgia, which gets Chris to Laugh and we go to break.

 

OTR Fact: Benoit got the name the Canadian Crippler when he dropped Sabu on his neck. But to be fair, Sabu landed the wrong way.

 

They return to break from showing his introduction on Raw the first night from Lillian Garcia, saying he is from Atlanta. Benoit says his heart is in Edmonton and it is what he calls home. Landsberg says head office may have issues with pushing Baby faces from Canada and Chris says he has never heard that. Benoit says he never has heard that and that is the issue with the internet. He says he doesn’t really care where they announce him from because he is really Canadian. He says that a lot of the Canadians are close and Chris says somewhat. Landsberg says one of Chris’s best friends isn’t a Canadian and is Eddie Guerrero. He talks about Eddie and the booze. He says if anyone has ever fallen as deep as anyone before it was Eddie Guerrero. However, Eddie is the most influential person in his life because of the way he was able to come back and put everything back together. He says Eddie is at peace with himself. Chris says the world doesn’t put you into darkness, but wrestlers do. He talks about the USA Today article that came out the week before Mania and says that it was completely wrong. He says no one is taking 200 pills a day; his neck surgery only had him take 4 a day so he doesn’t believe it, as it is really extreme and complete BS. He says the media likes to take something and run with it. The world of wrestling doesn’t push wrestlers to drugs and alcohol but people decide themselves. Landsberg says it was Guerrero’s choice and Chris says yes. He asks if he understood why he took the pills, and he says he does but doesn’t understand why he did. He doesn’t understand the grasp that the pills actually have on you. Chris goes as far as saying that he would go and have a debate with anyone about this and go point-for-point as he knows wrestling doesn’t force you to drink and take pain killers but you decide for yourself.

 

E-Mail for Chris: Does he ever feel out of touch with the dressing room, because they play lots of video games and are bling-bling? He says no because he likes to talk to the guys.

 

Return from Break and Landsberg says the belt is artificial because the company gives him the belt because they think it is good for them but people all around the world believe he has been the best wrestler for years and it is a great complement. Benoit says ya it is a great honor and says when fans show him respect such as the Owen Hart match vs. Bret and the way the fans cheered, the same with his match at Rumble 2 years ago against Kurt and his standing ovation. He says he was really happy with the fans at Mania and the way HHH did the job because he never taps to anyone. Chris says it is a team effort, fans don’t come to see one match but rather to see the WWE product, which is what made it the 2nd Highest Grossing Mania of all time, and he thanks everyone who was on the card. He moves on to Backlash and how he is happy to be heading back to Edmonton. Chris begins to talk about something he was saying offstage and Landsberg says don’t say it, it is Kayfabe. Chris plays with Landsberg for saying that asking him if he has ever met her. Landsberg’s last question is when Chris will retire. He says he will retire when he cant give the rolling suplexes, head but and he is embarrassing himself he is out

 

They thank each other and they close with showing highlights of Chris in the ring.

[Guest wildpegasus]

Just to clarify. Benoit didn't dispute Raven was taking 200 pills a day. He was saying it was BS that the wrestling world is the thing that makes you take the drugs. I'll watch it later again to make sure.

[Jebus 0]

you're right Pegasus...I took the report from PWInsider, it's not perfect but I don't wanna write one down myself.

 

"What's bling bling?" - Chris Benoit ...never thought I'd hear bling bling out of Benoit's mouth (nice boots he had though)

 

Benoit: "Have you ever met Kay Fabe?"

Landsberg: "She's hot!"

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

We go to studio and we see on a TV set, the Benoit celebration from when he won the World Heavyweight Title at Wrestlemania XX. Landsberg starts off with asking Benoit if he is still a Canadian even though they say now he is hailing from Atlanta, Benoit responds with residing, and they say they will get into it later. Landsberg shows the video of Benoit winning at Mania and asks Benoit to comment. Chris says that it was 100% real emotion, he wasn’t acting and it was a defining moment. Benoit says he had flashbacks as he was celebrating of his career, such as his first match, the dungeon with Stu Hart and Japan.. Landsberg asks if the company is moving to smaller talents and Benoit says he doesn’t look at it like that, he says people don’t think he politics enough and it is because he is very quite. Michael asks if he ever thought it would happen because he cant cut a promo like Rock or Jericho and Vince has said on the show he likes real big men. Benoit says no because he looks as Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart. Landsberg asks if Benoit thought he may have this chance taken away from him, because Paul Heyman was pushing for this since last fall and he said at times yes but wrestling is his passion and holding the championship is a great honor. He says first and foremost he is a wrestler and to entertain the fans. Landsberg asks if he has any crossover passions, Chris says if the opportunity comes along but right now nothing has come along and he is happy with the title. He brings up things he has been called such as Nash saying he was a Vanilla Midget, and when he holds the belt up, is there anyone he thinks of that rubs in their face. Benoit says no and he only thinks of the people that helped him. Michael asks if he feels like he should help the younger guys now that he has the belt, because Hogan didn’t do it in WCW when Chris was there. Benoit says Hogan was political and he doesn’t think Hogan represented the belt well. He gives an example about helping out the local guys who work dark matches at TV Tapings, and spending time with them. On reflection, he looks back and sees some of the things other champs have done and doesn’t think people have held the title right. Michael asks who he emulates now that he has the belt, and Chris says he has always emulated the Dynamite Kid but he no longer does it, he is Chris Benoit and he respects everything he has done because he did it his way.

 

But...but... you shouldn't be happy, the RAW Title doesn't count, right guys?

[iliketurtles 0]

Benoit is very true about the drug thing...and it's too bad that the people who shit on the wrestling business would understand that it is bad judgment on most of the wrestlers by doing stupid drugs and shit, but there are some of them that actually don't.

[Guest wildpegasus]

Benoit is very true about the drug thing...and it's too bad that the people who shit on the wrestling business would understand that it is bad judgment on most of the wrestlers by doing stupid drugs and shit, but there are some of them that actually don't.

To an extent I think it's true but what about severe, severe tottally incapacitating pain that would have you contemplating suicide? Pain that is constant 24/7 and is so debilitating that you can't even do the simplest of things. You can't go to sleep, you can't read and you can't literally stay still because the pain is that harsh unless you use the pain killer medication. I guess that would cause you to have to use the drug medication in the first case but it's up to you not to get addicted to it.

[Guest wildpegasus]

you're right Pegasus...I took the report from PWInsider, it's not perfect but I don't wanna write one down myself.

 

"What's bling bling?" - Chris Benoit ...never thought I'd hear bling bling out of Benoit's mouth (nice boots he had though)

 

Benoit: "Have you ever met Kay Fabe?"

Landsberg: "She's hot!"

BTW, what is bling bling?

[cbacon 0]

from what i gather, money

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

But...but... you shouldn't be happy, the RAW Title doesn't count, right guys?

 

Exactly. You're catching on.

[Guest wildpegasus]

from what i gather, money

That's what I thought. I'm catching on to the alternate languages out there.

[cbacon 0]

The way the WWE view's both titles, the RAW title is the major title despite lack of lineage

[CanadianChris 0]

This definition is actually in the Oxford English Dictionary:

 

bling-bling n. synonym for expensive, often flashy jewelry sported mostly by African American hip-hop artists and middle class Caucasian adolescents.

[B. Brian Brunzell 0]

This definition is actually in the Oxford English Dictionary:

 

bling-bling n. synonym for expensive, often flashy jewelry sported mostly by African American hip-hop artists and middle class Caucasian adolescents.

Must...buy... new copy of...Oxford English Dictionary

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

The way the WWE view's both titles, the RAW title is the major title despite lack of lineage

 

The way the WWE views it's wrestlers, Shane McMahon is better than RVD.

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

The way the WWE view's both titles, the RAW title is the major title despite lack of lineage

 

The way the WWE views it's wrestlers, Shane McMahon is better than RVD.

What's wrong with that example?