Terry Funk interview - Part 2

[The Doctor]

M. S. – What’s the factor that's causing fans these days to turn the
clocks back to the “old school” wrestling?

T. F. – I think it’s because of the lack of creativity and a lack of a
leading organization that’s capable of expanding on what they are doing.
It’s pretty simple. We’ve got one organization that’s producing one
vehicle so to speak. In other words it’s like they’re Ford Motors and
they have no competition and if that were true we’d all be riding around
in black cars with the little skinny tires. That’s about what we’re
doing in the wrestling business right now. We’re not seeing much
progression in the creativity department. Let me express that again…I’m
talking about creativity in the profession.

M. S. – What style of wrestling have you enjoyed the most?

T. F. – I liked the old school wrestling more but we’ve had to change
with the times and do the hardcore stuff in order to turn that turnstile
with the fans. Fortunately I’ve been able to turn some turnstiles and
produce a few bucks. I’m very grateful to all the fans for supporting me
through it all.

M. S. – A lot of the wrestlers have completely changed their appearance
or their personalities. I guess you could call it “selling out” in some
circumstances. However, you’ve pretty much been the same person
throughout your career and in recent years you’ve taken the character to
a level of extreme...

T. F. – I think it’s been an extension of what I started out with. And
whether you can recognize the original Terry Funk from the one now I
don’t know (laughing) but it’s always extended when needed! As you said,
to the extreme...

M. S. – Have you thought about writing a book?

T. F. – I actually have one coming out in March.

M. S. – What is it called?

T. F. – I’m not sure yet but I think I’m going to call it, “Just Passing
Through!” It’s an excellent book with a lot of wonderful things. I look
at this business as a plus and I don’t look at it as a negative at all.
It’s always been a plus to me. I’ve loved my days within it and I wish I
could continue on forever…but I can’t. It’s so stupid to think that your
own book is good but I really think it’s worth reading! It says a lot
about the business and it says a lot to the young wrestler and a lot to
the young individual that’s just coming up in life. That’s why I want to
call it something other than, “Terry Funk-Wrestler!” I want to grab the
average individual, not just the average wrestling fan. I’ve got some
things to say with it. There may be some shootty things but I believe in
it! It might help people with life!

M. S. – That’s what’s important...

T. F. – And it’s very, very, very, very, very, very funny because I am
ohhhhhhh sooooo funny! I really am! Definitely funny! I’m a very funny
person!

M. S. – Like a lot of other fans, I was upset when McMahon openly
admitted the sport was fake. Although we all knew that it was
“controlled” there was still a sense of reality to it. For a brief
moment it all seems real and that’s the magic of it...

T. F. – It’s a suspension of disbelief. It’s the difference in a good
movie and a bad movie. When he made that announcement he broke the
suspension. It worked for the business for four five or ten years but
it’s questionable whether or not it was good in the long term.

M. S. – Aside from wrestling you’ve done quite a bit of acting. One of
my favorite movies that you did was Road House with Patrick Swayze. Tell
me about your experience working with him.

T. F. – I still get checks every month from the movies. They give you
residuals but it has a half-life to it. The first time it’s on
television you get 80% and then it goes to 40% and so on and so forth.
Well, the last check I got was about 80 cents! So I’m not making much
money off the old Road House film (Laughing). I really enjoyed working
with Patrick on that. He was a great guy and he was very much like me.
There were a lot of people complaining about his drinking habits. He was
a very hard worker and he would always put in his 12 hours and then he’d
drink beer like the rest of us. Then he’d get up the next morning and do
a superb job of acting. He loves horses and he’s got a little chip on
his shoulder cause he use to dance. When somebody mentions anything
about that chip the first thing he wants to do is jump out on the floor
and go toe to toe with them and that’s no bulls--t. (Laughing). He wants
to prove himself all the time. Sometimes he might bight off more than he
can chew!

M. S. – Now Terry, you didn’t try to out-dance him did you?

T. F. – Ah hell, that’s the easiest part! (Laughing)

M. S. – Did you ever take his advice and go to barber college after he
fired you?

T. F. – I wish I would’ve gone to barber college! I would be a lot
richer than I am right now (Laughing) I’d be retired!

M. S. – What’s your opinion of the sport today?

T. F. – It’s suffering from a lack of creativity! Dusty Rhodes was the
“American Dream” and I truly mean he was the American dream. Richard
Murdoch was a redneck goof from Amarillo, TX. Jack Brisco was who he was
and so was Terry Funk! Our personas were created by us. It’s no longer
an extension of a person’s personality. It’s what a group of creators
want you to be. It can’t be your own ideas but rather the ideas of the
writers which is absurd. To give you an example I was in one of the
largest independent shows of the year last year. Me and Lawler did 4,800
people and one of the reasons it did that good was that I did a lot of
talking on television to promote it. I’m not putting Jerry Lawler down
because he is also a great talker. I talked about some stuff that me and
him had done in the past and that made it exciting for the fans. That’s
something that the fans aren’t use to. Many of these writers from today
really don’t understand the wrestling business or the wrestling fan. The
wrestling fan wants to have fun and wants to be caught up in it even
though he/she is smart they want to be caught up in the event. That’s
very important that they are caught up in it. One thing the wrestlers in
this day and age must remember is that they must not laugh at themselves
or they must not laugh with the fans at themselves. It’s wonderful if
the fans laugh at you, but you don’t want to laugh with them. Do you
understand what I mean?

M. S. – I think you mean the wrestlers should take their character/role
very seriously.

T. F. – Right. It’s a weird profession that use to have some wonderful
people that were in the driver’s seat, ranging from Eddie Graham to Bill
Watts and several others. Those guys had a feel for the business, but
I’m not sure that anyone in power has a feel for it now. Vince is in
that position now and so is his family and that includes Triple H who
follows Vince around saying, “Man, that was great! Man, that was
wonderful! I’ve never seen anything like it Vince!” He doesn’t get true
thoughts...

M. S. – Triple H is one of his many “Yes” men in other words...

T. F. – It’s very hard to get the truth from your friends sometimes. It
takes a different type of individual, one that’s not on his salary, to
tell him the truth.

M. S. – What’s the worst injury you’ve suffered?

T. F. – I’ve had everything from a broken neck to a total knee blowout
to concussions and tons of other things. Both knees have been operated
on numerous times. I survived all of them though! I’m still going!

from Mike Aldren <[e-mail]