During the ’80s and ’90s, “Mean” Gene Okerlund‘s distinct voice and dry sense of humor were almost as important to wrestling as what went on inside the ring. From his backstage interviews with the likes of Hulk Hogan, “Ravishing” Rick Rude and “Macho Man” Randy Savage to his ringside commentary that was just as colorful as his longtime partner Jesse “The Body” Ventura‘s attire, Mean Gene was a fixture in the World Wrestling Federation of the ’80s and
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World Championship Wrestling of the ’90s. Often referring to his interviewees and other celebrities as his “close personal friends,” Okerlund was at least partially responsible for making wrestling a mainstream success during those decades. A member of the 2006 class of the WWE Hall of Fame, Okerlund is still seen on WWE TV on occasion, most notably on WWE Classics On Demand. In keeping with the “Blast from the Past” theme of this week’s Super SmackDown Live, here’s a Wrestling with Pop Culture interview with Okerlund from this year’s WrestleMania Axxess. And in true Mean Gene fashion, the interview begins with him asking me, “These are only going to be personal questions, right?”
If you want them to be. We are close personal friends after all.
Of course!
Well, I won’t get too personal. But as one of the most influential interviewers and commentators in WWE history, what do you think some of today’s commentators could do to connect with the wrestlers and fans the way you did?
If they do what I did, I took a whole bunch of people – I took Bob Costas, Henny Youngman and maybe a snake oil salesman – and tried to combine the three to develop my own style. I think that’s what these guys that are coming up in the broadcasting end of WWE need to do is create their own characters.
Do you still have your fast food chain, Mean Gene’s Burgers, out west?
I do. As a matter of fact, we stopped at a couple of them recently when we were in Palm Springs, California. But they’re mostly in military installations worldwide.
Do you think we’ll ever see those throughout the rest of the country?
It’s a lot of work. The product’s good and it’s very healthy, it’s trans fat-free and more nutritional because of the way it’s cooked.
Aside from fast food and appearing at WrestleMania Axxess, what’s your role with WWE these days?
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I spend six or eight days a month up in Stamford, Connecticut and other assorted places where I do mostly the WWE 24/7 and Classics On Demand.
With the upcoming WWE Network, do you think we might be seeing more of you soon?
That’s pretty tough to tell at this juncture. I wouldn’t mind it, but I’m not going to travel 250 days a year either. Unless I get a chance to work with the divas. That’s a whole new ball game. Back in the day, I got to work with Mae Young and Moolah.
You also had Miss Elizabeth.
Miss Elizabeth was always taken. But she was a great gal and a great talent. I don’t know if she was ever appreciated as much as she should have been. Big loss for all of us.
Absolutely. Well, I appreciate your time today.
OK. Now which one of you guys pays me?
The guy with the WWE logo on his shirt.
Do we have a problem?
A trip down memory lane. Kinda the end of my pro wrestling days.
I started watching wrestling in the 60’s. It was regional then, and I saw what came out of Detroit, MI. Bobo Brazil, The Sheik, Pampero Firpo. Lord Athol Layton was the combination of Gene and Jesse, announcing the matches from CKLW in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, (and occasionally getting into a scuffle with the contestants).
Wrestling lost it for me when they spent more time talking than they did wrestling. They substituted pyrotechnics and production values for characters and illusion. Death cage matches and spurtin’ blood is no substitute to the spectacle of the main event, in the big ring, at Cobo Hall.