Interview with Honky Tonk Man - 2009
Eric: I am here with a legend, in many people’s eyes, the greatest Intercontinental Champion of all time, the Honky Tonk Man. Thanks for joining me today.
Honky: I appreciate you giving me that fine introduction. You know, not very many people in the media, or broadcast journalists like you are, give me that great introduction and call me the greatest WWF Intercontinental Champion of all time, and you know it and everyone else out there knows that I am. Now, with the departure of Jeff Jarrett, who claimed to be the greatest. You see, these guys all claim to be great, and claim to be the greatest of all time, and they are a just a flash in the pan. They come today and are gone tomorrow.
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Honky: That Rockabilly thing, was that a disaster or what? I don’t stand anywhere with them. I’ve been fired by both companies and I’m very proud of that.
Eric: (Laughs) You’re one of the few that can claim that. Alright, we’re sitting here, let’s shoot. What happened with WCW? Why did it end so quick?
Honky: It was just little power hunger Eric Bischoff. He wanted to control me and control everything I did, but in the meantime, he lied to me. That’s the biggest part that stands out for me, because he’s nothing more than a little man with a little man complex, but he tells big lies. ‘Come to the WCW. Help Hogan out. Make an impact with the WCW. Let’s try to take over down here. We’ll get you a good contract in October.’ October came and went. ‘How about November?’ November came and went. Now comes December. I said, ‘Na-ah. Either I get that contract at this pay per view, or whatever it was, the Clash that night in Nashville. They give me a contract or I’m walking.’ So I walked.
Eric: It’s funny. I’ve never heard of Eric Bischoff lying to anybody before. (Laughs)
Honky: If his mouth was moving, brother…you know, what surprised me the most, if Time Warner, and I know that some Time Warner people might be listening right now, that Time Warner would let this guy go as long as he did and totally destroy that company. Their ratings are in the toilet right now; they’re down the tubes. Kevin Nash trying to run the place- oh please. And Vince Russo- what a pervert.
Eric: Let me ask you about that. Vince Russo jumping over, everybody’s making out like they just acquired God over there. What do you think about the acquisition?
Honky: He’s not very much of an acquisition at all. Vince McMahon, I guess, just waived him and said fine, if you think there’s greener pastures somewhere, go graze down south. Their impact means nothing because that company was too far downhill already. How can they revitalize players that have already been hurt or been destroyed, and Hogan, Piper, and Nash, and all guys, they’ve destroyed all the good talent there. You can’t rebuild them. Whatever they say can’t be done. Now you see the ratings this past Monday night; they dipped again for WCW. Bye bye.
Eric: I couldn’t agree with you more. To wrap this up, as somebody that was one of the major players in the height of professional wrestling in the 80’s and compared to the resurgence in the 90’s, how would you compare the difference between now and then?
Honky: The difference is they get away with being able to make hand gestures and the language and, of course, the violence and the sexual overtones. We weren’t able to do [that] because our shows were on mainstream media, ABC, NBC, and CBS, affiliates around the country, so restrictions were a little bit tighter. Can you imagine what would have happened if I could have gone and pointed down at my lower body, my genitalia, and shook myself at Elizabeth and said, ‘Oh yeah Macho Man, when I finish with you at the Spectrum tonight in Philadelphia, I’m going to take Liz. And do you what I’m going to make her do? Give me two words.’ We didn’t do it that way. We did it different and I think we did it better.
Eric: I happen to agree with you and good luck tonight.
Honky: Thank you, thank you very much.