Jake "The Snake" Roberts

Interview with Chris Yandek of New Era Of Wresting.com

He might be over in England at the moment, but he continues to wrestle and amaze the wrestling fans. After 10 and a half months since I first spoke to him, and with the help of his friends, I was able to get in touch with what I now can call a friend. This will not be the only interview with Jake Roberts you see here. In the interview he discusses Beyond The Mat, spending time with his daughter Brandie in Europe his daughter that was in the movie, Vince McMahon, and so much more.

First off how are you?

"I am miserable."

Why are you miserable?

"Because it is a good thing, and if I am miserable no one else can screw up my day."

Why did you decide to move to England and start wrestling there, and leave the USA?

"Well, I wanted a change of scenery number one. I was bored. I was frustrated. I was seeing too much stuff on TV, and the fans in the states have become a little callous, spoiled, and not as passionate as I would have liked to see it. When you start catering to a group Vince McMahon has demographically challenged, I think you don't have the same excitement and spontaneous reaction. Some of the fans today that watch the shows try to think and figure them out, when in reality they will never figure them out, because in reality, wrestling is real people, and people are fake. Coming over here to England was something I always wanted to do anyway because of the architecture. I love buildings and checking them out. I love history. It is amazing to me that the United States is such a baby as far as time as this past has been mankind making it marks over there, while over here busy buildings are thousands of years old. It is a trip here, and I have been in restaurants that are 500, 600, 700 years old. Some of the waitresses still work there too. It was just a new door to open, new challenge, and the thing in the states was I was bored with it. I lived in Texas, and I loved Texas. I was Texas born, Texas bred, and I might as well be Texas dead. Texas has nothing to do with this point of my life. This point of my life I want to sit back, relax, and enjoy myself. I can enjoy myself here because the fans are very hungry, very appreciative, have glitter in their eyes that shows sparkle, and that was the main reason man. Coming over here, it has been a breath of fresh air, and I am about to understand their language."

What exactly happened at that wrestling event a week ago in England where there was a supposed story that you abused one of your snakes? Can you tell me what exactly happened?

"Well, what exactly happened was someone wrote a letter, or called the IRSPCA in England. England has its share of nut cases too, but this women was just her moment in the lime light where she would do an interview on TV, radio, newspaper, and take a picture. It is sad sometimes; these things can be taken too seriously by the press. What you have to understand is that the press over here is a lot different then it is over here in the states. As much as I hate to admit it, the USA does put a little more credibility into their newspaper. Here it is like the National Enquirer all day. I mean the more crazy, more ridiculous, it is made up. As far as the women she said my snake weighed 1500 pounds. I am tough but not that damn tough. She said she was seeing me hitting the guy in the head with the snake. I think she needs to think about Randy Savage, and the guys that got bit by my snake. You never use a snake for a weapon; that is totally ridiculous. It is sad somebody has to go that far to get a lime light, and if she really wanted some lime light why not come and spend a weekend with me that would do it."

Your daughter Brandie just came to visit in you in England, and she is the one that was in Beyond The Mat. How was that whole experience?

"My daughter and I have been contacting each other before and after the movie. We were the only ones that did not get paid for the movie by the way. It is fine because that is dirty business, and he has to take it over with me. She got married, and came over, and has seen some of the great sites. I went to a couple cathedrals with her and her husband to be. She really made me proud of her because she went to London. I thought she was gonna do the whole trip of tours, but she followed it up like a snake, and went to see the cathedral down there. She went to Sigmund Freud's home which I thought was really cool, but was very disappointed they did not have my picture up in it. The father of psychology he is."

What was the exact situation between Beyond The Mat and the guy who produced the movie, Barry Blaustein. What exactly happened between you two?

"Well, here is the thing about Beyond The Mat. I think I should do a follow up Beyond The Bull Shit. Here is the thing. I was approached and suckered. I have a soft spot for kids, and I dig them. I hate grownups because they will lie to you. A kid will walk up to you at the autograph table and say 'Jake, you're losing your hair, getting old, and can I have your autograph?'. It is a real kick in the face kid version, but at least he is honest. A grownup would say "Hey you look ten years younger", and you know they are lying. Barry Blaustein, Terry Funk, and Mic Foley are good men, and they call me the snake. I was taken out last moment to Armarillo, Texas to bring my father and brother out there which I did. I was served a silver platter because they knew I had a soft spot for kids. I am the only wrestler who has done drugs and alcohol, and will admit it. I am not ashamed of what I am, was, or what I am going to be. I accept responsibility for what I have done. I am shocked that anyone would can take such liberties from someone and someone's life. There were comments from idiots, and some were just totally out of line. For instance I had my head on the table, like I had gone to sleep. I was asked to put my head on the table, because it was gonna be a rib of somebody, and the rib was on me, the event of me pissing in the garbage can. I will piss in garbage cans, and I will piss in beer cans. Give me a break. When was the last time you had to go into a building, and you had to go into a public restroom, and there are 25 fans in there, and want to shake your hand, and pull your yang, also if you're trying to take a dump, and you see them putting autographs underneath the door. Get me anywhere, if I got to piss I got to go then I got to go. Barry Blaustien came to me, and said you're the best ever, and blah... blah... blah. He said oh I have heard about you and your psychology. He said he was doing this thing for public TV, and we want to show kids as great as wrestling is that it can, it be a heavy sacrifice. He then went on to say drugs and alcohol are tough. The bottom line here is if you don't want to become an addict don't take the first drink or first drug. My eyesight is 20/20 I know that. The reason I wanted to do drugs is because I wanted to, and I liked them. It wasn't because I had a bad life or anything, it was still a damn choice. That is just a crutch, and excuses are like assholes, everyone's got one. Blaustein served me, and Terry Funk served me as he brought me over there. Terry said, remember were all doing it for nothing. I said ok, well I respect Terry or I did. So boom, this guy stayed a week with me on the road. I never got drunk, and never got high the whole time he was there. I have good days, and I have bad days Chris. But, anyday is better then doing what I did. Death is a bad option, and we got real personal with some things. I have had problems with my father for years, and till I realized it was my fault as much as his, I don't have the right to choose the way he used to love me. I cannot blame him. I cannot put anything on him. Now I have a choice, and I never had it. Yes, I wish things would have been different, but I wish things would have been different with my children too. It's not an excuse, and it is not because my dad did it. The bottom line is I do not know how to be a father, and I have a very hard time with trust which is a big problem with me. When you get past around, and you get things done, you seem to distrust an awful lot. I could never really let my wife get close to me because when I did I felt vulnerable, scared, and I rebelled and pushed her away. When you push love back, that person stops giving as much. Everyone goes into a relationship carrying luggage, but you got to do what you got to do. With Blaustien all I can say is, thought about suing him, and thought about killing him. All I can say is Barry I love you, and I would love to move in to you next door when I hit the lotto. I would like to take your kids to school, give your wife a hot oil bath, and mow your lawn everyday for the rest of my life."

What do you think of the direction of the wrestling business right now?

"It stinks and really stinks. The bottom line is lack of talent, lack of talent due to the fact that there are no more breeding grounds. There are really no more testing grounds, and there are not many guys that know how to anymore. Today is no different then the movies. You can watch John Wayne threaten to pick up a gun, and you almost scream in your pants, or you can watch babies getting raped, dogs getting abused, and the whole world is gonna end. It is all visual today. The movies are visual with bigger bombs, more colors, and computer graphics. You can look at someone else with talent, and know their job that is the difference. We emotionally connect to people in wrestling for years. The Wrestling talent had to hook you up emotionally back then because you were back in the town every week, and perform for months in a row. Today there are very few guys that I can count on one hand that can out there, and hold a job like we did before. You had to go for example Monday night in West Palm, Florida, Tuesday night in Tampa, Wednesday in Miami, Thursday in Jacksonville, and Friday wherever the road took you. The territories are gone now, and there are no more teachers."

What was your relationship like with Vince McMahon, and what do you think of Vince personally?

"My relationship is puzzling. My problem is this. I love wrestling, and to me that ring is my woman, the only women I have ever been able to. I go out there each night, and try to make love to her the best I can, and bring her to the highest height I can. I have never been able to make her as happy as I want to, because if I did I would be a failure. I held her up high, and I lust for her because men like Eddie Graham who gave it to me, and shared it with me. Vince McMahon has a passion too. The Vince McMahon I am twisted they say and genius or mad man the hell if I know. Some people say I am worse then the devil, and some people say the devil always worships me. Vince has a twist on him, that I feel very sad. Vince likes to humiliate. When he gets through with you, he likes to humiliate you, case and point the baby blue curse. I look back over the years, and you look at talent that has been there for a period of time. Then all of a sudden they get repackaged, to reheat them, or give them a new angle or character. It is to see how far they get, and it is baby blue. I can tell you Don Muraco ended up with it, and Jake Roberts was given it, and I can name you 15 to 20 more. Watch the baby blue curse because it is sad that Vince has come to this. When I first went up there, mainly he let us do our own thing. We were selling out three cities a night in the mid 80's to late 80's. He was just too busy putting up the marketing machine that he created. Its a fabulous machine he has, and when he was running us through our own things, they were running pretty cool. When he got ready to set up the marketing machine, he turned around and said he wanted to change things, and it was his company. He had a right to do what he wanted with it. Then he got bored making money with talent, and then he said let's do the hardest thing possible. Let's make chicken soup out of chicken shit. An example is Ultimate Warrior. Then down the line, Gobley Gooker remember that damn thing, what an egg that was. There are several examples where he wanted to make money with nothing. People were not qualified, not talented, and unfortunately promoters had this horrible way of establishing a non talented person by using up talented people. It was all because we can make a chicken soup out of chicken shit. The promoter can, but we can't. I could wrestle a druin, and say the invisible man is gonna beat me if I am good enough, and I am. Vince is a brain, and he is a walking starving man that has seen not enough yet. The problem is he is prostituting the women I love, and he is whoring her out. There are also a lot of people up there doing the exact same thing, and they should be ashamed of themselves."

What do you think of Hulk Hogan back with the WWF, and did you ever believe that he would be back in the WWF, and that the WWF would bring back the NWO a gimmick created by WCW?

"You can't burn a bridge if you have talent man. You got to be careful Hogan because the baby blues are coming your way man. They are gonna get him, and they will get Kevin Nash and Scott Hall too. If Hall lasts long enough as well, it is rumored that there might be one more person that drinks and does drugs. I don't believe that I am the only one. About the angle, desperate men do desperate things. There is a lack of leadership up there right now, creative juices, and it always confused Vince. It confuses me because I will tell you this. I take no credit for what I think. I think it gives to me somewhere, somehow brain fart if you will. I can't sit in a chair and say Jake think of a storyline. If you give me five minutes to go outside, I will come back and give you six months. I don't give it, it just comes through. Steve Austin for example, stuff with Brian Pillman, and Undertaker slamming his hand into the casket he came to me. The thing with Rick Martel, Earthquake, and tying myself into the ropes they wanted me to knock out. I said no, if you're gonna kill my baby, kill it in front of me. These things are new, and also fresh because it is real. It was also because there was passion involved in it as well. Unfortunately, Vince has listed some of the wrong people who do to much ha ha, as I like to call it. Pat Paterson loves to do ha ha. It is entertaining, but this is wrestling. This is wrestling."

Back in August you wrestled The Stro formerly The Maestro in WCW, and back before his run with WCW you and him did a run with AAA in Mexico. Could you possibly tell me about all that, and what you think of him personally?

"As far as Maestro goes lets call him Gorgeous George that's who he really is. The first time I saw him I was booked in some little independent show in Georgia. I am in a mall signing autographs, and I look up and see this dude walking to the mall casually, but yet he walked with such presence. He knew what he was doing, and he was proud of what he was doing. He was dressed in suit and tie. He was a cleaned up sharp looking man, with bleach blond hair. Why did he do it? Because he loves this business. It blew me away. I met him, and I talked to him, a friendship was formed mainly on respect. We went to Mexico, had some miserable times, and had some great times. The greatest thing was a Mexican brother saying Jake you're tall, and won't go down for nobody. The four Mexicans were like Jake is gonna walk tall, then we can eat this other guy up. The bottom line was you better leave him alone or he will hurt you. That man can do what he wants to do. Jake flowers as a character, and man he can do what he wants. It was so much fun, because I would slap those Mexicans around like mosquitos. Then he would get in the ring, and they would try to eat him up, and all of the sudden he has them tied up in his legs, and is like scratching his back and messing with his hair. I truly loved it. The friendship kept going, and he will be over here eventually. He had a problem with a passport and working papers. It was brutal, and we were at the airport for five hours. I am going to take some measures to get him over here. He is the dude man, and he is the real deal. A wise man once told me, if you can have one true friend in this world you are a very lucky man. He is one, Diamond Dallas Page I think is one, and at times I wonder. That is also not being anyway other, then the snake's point of view. There are lots of party friends, but those who stand beside you and with you crying those are real."

You talked about coming out with a book The Life and Death of Jake The Snake Roberts. Could you possibly tell me when you might come out with the book?

"Well, before I die for sure. I am looking for someone to write it right now. I have had thoughts of maybe writing it. It also very possible of renaming it The Bull Shit or The Real Deal. I have thought about doing it on video because I think Jake Roberts would give more over to the fan then the people if you were hearing him, seeing him, because then you see and feel the intensity of the heart where I am at. I don't know if anyone can write that way for me. I have also thought about coming out with a series of magazines. It could possibly be Man The Maniac, and the memories, the madness, and me you know. I don't know man. It is just something that I am pulling back and forth. I will probably put it on the internet. I would say definitely in the next year or so hopefully. It will be done right, and if not I will burn like I already have once. I had some people in New York wanting to do the book, and like nobody else. I am gonna write this book, and it is gonna be about me, and me only. I will never go out and judge anybody, or point the finger, and Jake Roberts never does that. It would be like saying hey you're for this or hey you're right for that. If I wrote a book about what I know, and what I have seen they would lock me up somewhere."

Final comments, and the future of Jake The Snake Roberts?

"Well, what is in store... I don't know where I am going. If I start thinking about it, I know for sure I will screw it up. I am excited, and am doing wrestling schools now. I am starting schools the first of May. It looks like there will be 500 to 1500 students. I really guess, somebody must think I am something. Fantasy camps for kids this summer. Planning on doing some tours over here. I am working six to seven days a week. I am enjoying wrestling again because these kids are hungry, and they don't have any fast contracts. I remember when I started man, that hero told me you have a lot to learn, because you're not hungry enough. I got hungry, before I went out there and worked. It is a shame it is not like that anymore. Promoters have down talent wrong for sure, but the hunger is not there anymore. The passion is not there, and shame on you all for being rapists. When I watch TV, I know why black widows eat their mates. These guys are really doing something wrong, and I just wish they would get rid of that. It is a shame as they are giving it the wrong taste, and wrestling is old times man by who is the good guy and who is the bad guy. There is no need to promote ass kissing, and women abuse. You don't need to do this bull shit. Love, peace, and everybody accept that. Chris, I thank you for your opportunity, and for your understanding patience. It had been a long time coming, but sometimes this little snake is kinda funky. When I open up the website I bet it will blow a lot of peoples' minds out."

Jake Roberts had a falling out with a promotion, the World Association of Wrestling, and the promotion was doing some things that he didn't want to be a part of. Jake discusses the situation with the World Association of Wrestling in England, his falling out with Bill Watts, and his short lived feud with Hulk Hogan.

First off are you still miserable?

"Yea, but that is a good thing because nobody can ruin my day or piss me off."

Tell me about this whole situation between you and the World Association of Wrestling, and why you parted ways with them?

"Well, bottom line is this. I would not let them rape me anymore. They got me twice, and that was enough for me. It really hurt, because I liked the dude Ricky Knight and his son is a fantastic talent. His son is along the lines of a Rob Van Dam, and I really care for him. Some people are givers and some people are takers. I guess that I am a dumb giver, and they were raising takers. The thing is when they wanted to do a school, and they wanted to use my name I said that was cool. I wanted to train some kids. I went to the wrestling camp, and I am seeing this two day seven hour a day thing. They were doing a lot of crazy stuff with these young kids and they were getting banged up. Then on the second night I go to the building to wrestle, and I see these kids getting dressed to wrestle in a royal rumble. I said I could not do this man, and not only is the money wrong, but you're endangering these kids. I also am not gonna tag anything that is not ready to go out there. These kids did not know how to go over a top rope, and much less lockup or anything else. I said that was it I am done, and since I started up my own schools it really has hurt them. They retaliated by throwing out crap you might have saw on Beyond The Mat, and bullshit. They basically tried to discredit me, and it was so stupid man. We all know who Jake is, and we know he invited the DDT. We also know who put the snake on Randy Savage, but who the hell is Ricky Knight of WAW?? I then go to their website and I see this thing on Linda McMahon, and they are trying to slug it off like it was an April Fool's joke, but it came out in the middle of March. They lied to the kids about who was gonna be there. I also found out that there were kids with money six months ago trying to get into the camp, and they still have not had the opportunity to be there. I don't wish any harm on anyone. It is just so verbally wrong to lash out with lies. I have talked to the whole world about my drug problems and alcohol problems in the past. I am still struggling with it, and once you become an addict and an alcoholic you will always struggle with it. Each day you do, it's a loss and each day that you don't it is a victory. You have to get up, because if you stay down you're done. I speak openly about it because I don't want anyone to pick it up the first time. You don't want to be an alcoholic or an addict, don't try it the first damn time. There is nothing cool about it. There is nothing fun about it. It is not a joy ride, it is a ride to hell. The first time with alcohol and drugs you might have a good time with it, but when it becomes an necessity like breathing it is no longer fun, happy, and it is no longer a joy. It is misery, pain, and aggravation. It is a loss of life because it robs from everyone. It robs from our country, children, families, loves, business, and everything. I speak up and I speak against it, but sometimes when you tell the truth and try to help other people most try to turn it around like he is a druggie, junkie, and he is that. I wonder if I am the only one? If I am then I am so happy. This world is in better shape then I thought it was. I don't think I am, but I am the only one to stand up and say it is not right. These people wanna throw something out at me, fine let's all take a drug test, and let's see who is doing what. I challenge them to take a test, and see what's up. Jake Roberts always looks rough, but he didn't shave the day before he wrestled. My hair is falling out, and I can't do a damn thing about that. I have been in this for 27 years, and I cannot do the things I did 27 years ago. I don't want to either because they were stupid and they didn't mean anything. I go into that ring, and I will give my heart. I can tell you honestly I can't do the leap frog, drop kick, never did a roll up, and I know my style and what makes money. I still put people in the seat, and I think for them to saythat, that really makes me laugh. They don't know what talent is because they are not talent. I stand on my record there. I hate people who put me out of a job, and they are trying to destroy my life and that's wrong. If you don't want me to make money don't hire me. This is all so silly because of a sick jealousy thing. Jealousy has killed more people then war ever has man and it always will. Those who have talent can't give it away, and those who don't have it can't buy it. I have no ideal toward the WWF as a business and those who work there, and even the ones who work there that are not talented. I really despise those that are phonies, and those who don't realize who have made them successful. There is a lack of talent and competition that has hurt most of all, and running a close second is the horrible storylines. I suggest the problem is the inability or ideas of the whole fans' interest. Can you imagine how many egos and sour grapes Vince has to juggle all the time. Thank you."

So will Jake Roberts have a wrestling school in England anytime soon?

"Yeah. They are starting April 20th which is the first indications. It will be for sure more then a weekend thing because it is gonna take these kids six to seven months to do this. I am not gonna tag anything without saying Jake made you go through it. If I can't get you down each step, then you're not going anywhere. I always loved what I did and love what I do. I don't want to send somebody out there that wasn't ready emotionally, physically, and mentally. I also sure do not want to be responsible for some kid breaking his neck because I am trying to make $50 off somebody. That is not what it is about. The cost of my school will be $5000 less then anyone else charges. It is not about the money. It is about going out there, and producing some kids that can make me happy when I am 80 years old. The nurse might be bitching me out, but at least I can turn on some wrestling and see something I like. I never charged anybody for helping them."

What do you think about Steve Austin going on some sort of absence with the WWF for two weeks because he was not happy with the product at the moment? He has now returned to TV, but what do you think about that?

"I am proud of him for making a stand. Whether he did it the right way I am not sure. He did it the only way he could attention. I think that all the other guys and Steve are panicking because I think that Vince brought those guys back up there to have some fun with them. It will boost his ratings for a short time, but it will boost his ratings for sure for sometime, but he will have some with them. You don't piss on Vince McMahon and walk out free, and they all did."

You had a falling out with Bill Watts. Tell me about that.

"Bill Watts was a thief. He stole from the wrestlers, the government, and his family. He was a very abusive man verbally. If he knew you had a weak point he went after it whether it be racial, sexual, or whatever, it did not matter. I will say that Bill Watts taught me a lot about this business, and he did learn from one of the best, Eddie Graham. Bill Watts has been very abusive in pushing guys to the limit to where you were walking dead. I broke an arm once for Bill Watts in the match, and I had to have a cast put on. He got to me six weeks later, and he told me that kid we just did that thing with you, we're gonna draw some money with you and The Cat Ernie Lad. If you cannot come back next week you're out of a job. I said what do you mean? He said take off the cast and go to work or go somewhere else. The man didn't pay me what I deserved anyway, and it was just crap. So foolishly as a young child wanting to succeed I cut the cast off, and I then went to back to work. Then nine days later I had a compound fracture, and I was off seven months. I had no job, no money, no help with the doctor helps, no thank you, and all I got was a tough luck kid. Bill Watts took ideas which I gladly gave because I loved this business. He then paid these people to take the ideas from me because that was the only way they would come there in the first place. A few of the guys were Dickey Slater, or The Cat Ernie Lad who was a piece of talent at the time. Then the big thing was when he went on TV, and he tried to discredit the WWF by calling names, fags, and just bullshit. Then he brought out props like chairs that have been sawed in half and made of plastic. He said these people were a bunch of phonies. He went out there, and discredited these people too, and at the same time also told the people it was not a good business. That was wrong, and it did my heart good when he tried to go up there and get a job, and he was taken into a room with some people which all those people told what they exactly thought about him and what their problem was with him. They really dressed his ass out good. Humiliation is a hard thing to take man, and even when you do deserve it. When you don't deserve it then it sucks. Bill Watts was a big bully, and I never saw him whoop anyone's ass. I am good piece of talent, but I am not a fighter. If I was supposed to be a fighter I would not be in this business, and there would not be many others either probably just Haku, Barbarian, and one or two others that would be about it. When I went to WCW and left the WWF, I made a deal with WCW. That was the sweetest thing which would have been around $4,000,000 a year. I would have been helping write, direct talent, and just about everything else which was truly everything I ever wanted. I would have lived in Atlanta, Georgia which would have been perfect. I had to wait 90 days to sign the contract, and the reason was that I left to the WWF and that was the agreement. The 87th day the guy I made the deal with was let go, and Bill Watts took his place. Bill Watts's deal for WCW was any money you save us, we will give you 10 percent of it. I walked in to sign my contact, and he said kid tough shit. He ripped up the contract, and gave me a very small portion, and it was unbelievable brother it was one-tenth. It then gets worse because I get to start working, doing whatever, and at Halloween Havoc they wanted the snake to bite me. I said that was cool, but the character needs to recover from this. He then said well next week on TV we will hook it up with somebody else, and I said fine. Next week that I went to TV, some guy told me that Bill Watts didn't want any bullshit snakes in here. He basically lied to me all around. Bill Watts like I said I won't piss on your grave, and Judgment Day is for somebody else to do, not me. I certainly won't for him, and when your children won't allow you to see your own grandchildren you know there is something wrong with you."

Why do you think you never had a long feud with Hulk Hogan?

"Well, it is pretty simple. We started an angle in Arizona on the snake pit. When someone would do an angle they would put Hogan down or whatever. He would come out, start ripping the shirt and come after you, and everybody would make money. I did a DDT on him on the set, put the snake on him, stood at the curtain, and Vince is going, this is great going to be money ... money ... money. He then said 15 to 20 seconds he would start. That is what they always did, chanting Hulk. Well, around the 15th ... 20th ... 45th minute nothing, and they start DDT. Vince looked at me, and he said no. I turned baby face shortly there after. It was a good position for me because it was a baby face or as a heel I could groom other talent going against the Hulkster. I had fun with teaching with Rick Rude getting him ready and a lot of other guys. The marketing in the WWF is more important than how many people show up at events. There are millions of dollars to be made off of marketing. They're not gonna split the bucks between me and Hogan because half want me and half want him. That is the bottom line."

What do you think about the Blindfold match you had with Rick Martel at Wrestlemania 7?

"It was the greatest time of my life. I loved it. It was my whole idea. Rick Martel is a gentleman, and he is one of the best men I have ever met man. I have a lot of respect for him, and I have respect for very few. He is one of them."

What was it like wrestling Andre The Giant, and maybe you have an Andre story possibly?

"Before I got into the business I had seen him. My father was huge and he was seven feet tall 400 pounds during his career, and I didn't think there was anyone bigger. When I saw Andre I was amazed. My first time around him was in Louisiana, and I was asked to drive him back to Baton Rouge from Alexandria which is 120 miles in a van. He was driven very comfortably. I remember stopping the van to get something to drink, and he had two cases of beer. I was like oh wow man. I got myself a six pack, and the thing was I didn't mind the man that he could drink more then me, but what bothered me was he never had to get up and piss. He finished two 12 packs at a 120 miles when I drank 4 or 5 beers and had to piss every 30 minutes. That was amazing for me. It was like wow how can this guy do this stuff? As far as a story there is too many for me. One of the funniest was we were in Montreal, and Andre has some problems sometimes getting up and down and he could use the ropes to balance himself up. He squats down on my shoulder, and all of a sudden my shoulder starts vibrating. I was like what the hell, and I realized he was farting. Dave Hebner walked up to him, and he asked why he was laughing. Andre said I am farting. I had a mark from that incident for about two to three months and that was a funny story. I remember telling guys that's the worst thing in the world is when your trying to kill a man and he doesn't even know it. I would hit Andre as hard as I could and he liked that. I really loved those times, and I love him and respect his memory."

Final comments?

"Good luck to all man. Also know that any victory you have needs to be the truth, and the whole world does not need to know it but you do. That's it man."

Interview with Chris Yandek of New Era Of Wresting.com

Home