Filed to GERWECK.NET:
We just released a new interview with WWE Hall of Famer The Godfather on “The Velvet Ropes with SoCal Val.”
He shared some great stories, including why a deal for him to join the nWo in WCW fell through (they hired Virgil instead), the time he smoked with Snoop Dogg backstage in front of Vince McMahon, and revealing that his wife was actually the one who created The Godfather character. He also gave his honest thoughts on the current product.
Here are some highlights:
On almost joining the nWo in WCW (and losing the spot to Virgil): “The only time that I was going to [leave]… I was supposed to join the nWo. I was resigning as The Godfather… we worked out a three-year deal. I’m waiting for the contract to come… They’re not calling me back. Then I look up and I see Virgil. Well, I was supposed to be a bodyguard for the first year… and so they decided to go with Virgil instead of me. My price was way higher than Virgil’s. I think they just didn’t want to pay me that much money… but Virgil took it.”
On smoking with Snoop Dogg backstage and running into Vince McMahon: “Someone comes to me and says, ‘Hey Godfather, you got any weed? Snoop’s in a bad mood…’ I roll up some blunts… we’re down there just blazing up in the room [at the Rosemont in Chicago]… I bust out the door. Who’s there? There’s Vince, there’s Linda, there’s Stephanie… Bruce Prichard… They’re all just looking at me. I said, ‘Hey, don’t look at me, you guys are the ones who brought Snoop Dogg here.’ I just kept walking. The funny thing about it, I swear to you, I never heard one thing from anybody about that.”
On his wife creating The Godfather character (Not Vince McMahon): “Believe it or not, the whole Godfather character was my wife’s idea. All of it, not Vince. She was basically like, ‘If we could find a way for these people to see the real you… we got something.’ So she came up with the character. She had all the outfits made, all the jewelry made. She had a hat company sending us hats… I just went out there and did the silliness.”
On the one regret from his Hall of Fame speech: “My high ass gets up there having fun, not writing anything down… I went through the whole thing… As soon as I got off stage, I went, ‘Did I mention my wife?’ Dude, I went into panic mode. I did not mention my wife’s name in my Hall of Fame speech… She’s wife number three, we’ve been married 25 years… I feel so bad.”
On if he watches current wrestling & “Old Timers” judging the new generation: “Unfortunately, I do not keep up with wrestling, nor have I watched it, probably in the last 20 years… I’m not here to judge this generation, that generation. I like to see this generation making good money and not having to wrestle 300 days a year. I love to see that… I wish everybody and every organization nothing but love and success.”
(credit The Velvet Ropes with SoCal Val / Wrestling News Co)