May 2, 2024 • 26 mins
WWE Hall of Famer Sgt Slaughter joins Covino & Rich to talk about the early days of wrestling, share great behind the scenes stories, talk about his favorite wrestlers and rivals, and more!
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Yo, Welcome to Over Promised with Cavino on Rich. What's
going on, buddies, Happy.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Do DeMaio excited for the big Fiesta this weekend. Actually,
there's a lot going on this week and I we're
gonna tell you all about it. But again, welcome to
our bonus podcast, Covino and Rich from Fox Sports Radio
two to four Monday through Friday on the West. That's
five to seven on the East. Bro you got Covino
and Rich. You're busy this weekend. This weekend, I'm gonna
(00:32):
be in New.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
Jersey at Eighties Wrestling Con, which is a fun little
get together. My friends and I go every year. My
high school buddies we get together. We went a few
years ago. Got to meet everyone from Jake to Sneak
to the million Dollar Man to you know, the bushwhackers,
you name it, they're there. Sorry did you say the Bushwackers?
I mean powers are pained. I mean, you know, Mike Rotunda.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
All the slick. So we go every year.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
It's a fun little hang for me and the guys
and the guy that runs at Tommy Fierro. He asked
me this year, Yeah, if I could be the special
guest ring announcer for the main event.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
You do your Howard Finkel or what he's already practiced
the following contest scheduled for one fall. Yeah, I love it.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
Now. One of the big superstars that's gonna be there
this weekend Men in Sports Arena in Marstown, New Jersey,
none other than one of the most recognizable faces in
WWE history Hall of Famer. Give it up for Sergeant Slaughter,
Yojo Yo Sorge. I gotta ask, is there a day
that goes by where someone doesn't recognize you? You might have
(01:41):
one of the most recognizable faces in entertainment?
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Well, I sported just I was at a store and
a lady came by me with her two children, and
finally she came back around and she said, does anybody
ever tell you you look like Serge and Slaughter? And
I said, every day, hey man, every day. He said, really,
you look just like him? And I said, well, I
(02:06):
am him, and she said, no, you're not. I said,
yeah I am. She said no, you're not, No, you're not.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
I love it.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
I could even how do you prove it?
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Does your license a sergeant Sergeant Slaughter idea? Yeah, how
can you really start flexing? What do you do? Do
you show her your old belt from ninety one? Yeah,
that's great man, it's a pleasure to have you here
now again. Sargent Slaughter from Detroit, but grew up in Minnesota.
So it is Fox Sports Radio. Who do you root for?
(02:35):
Outside of wrestling? You know, football, baseball? Who do you
root for?
Speaker 3 (02:38):
Man? Well, I act she was born in Minnesota. I
don't know where the Detroit thing came on.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
You know, you can't trust Wikipedia, man, you can't get.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
That stuff off of her. They say, I'm buried too
someone named Karen. Oh wait, hold on, let.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Me scratch it off the list. Not caring nothing about Karen.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Okay, yeah, I've been with my wife for fifty four years.
She's getting a little pissed off about that.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
But anyway, who's Karen?
Speaker 3 (03:05):
He understands, But yeah, it's uh, what was the question?
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Who do you root for? Do you have any? Are
you a sports for?
Speaker 1 (03:12):
You?
Speaker 2 (03:12):
A Vikings Twins guy?
Speaker 3 (03:14):
And of course before the Minnesota Vikings and the Twins
came into Minnesota and the hockey and all the other
sports I cheered for whoever I could get on my
transister radio. Basically, did I lose you?
Speaker 2 (03:28):
No? No, And I know growing up at least what
I read about you growing up is that you actually
did wrestle and you played football. So were you a
good athlete growing up in Minnesota?
Speaker 3 (03:41):
Yeah? Yeah, I was a pretty pretty good athlete. I
thought that a professional football player or professional baseball player
one time. But my parents were farmers and they really
couldn't afford, you know, send me to college, my sister
or I, so you know, we had to kind of,
you know, do the best way could. And I was
hoping to get a scholarship. I get a couple of
(04:02):
small scholarships, but you know, it just was college wasn't
for me. You know, I wanted to play sports, but
I didn't want to go to school.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
Yeah, when was the moment?
Speaker 3 (04:13):
So I, uh, you know, did did odd odd jobs
and became a barber and I ended up going to
do business with my father, who was a roofer. And
that's right what I was doing when I got to
call the kim Watch, a pro russed training camp up
in Minnesota.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Nice.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
Now, so you were a barber, does that mean you
if Brutus beefcake didn't exist, you could have been a barber?
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Also?
Speaker 3 (04:39):
Yeah, I gave a lot of pointers. Actually yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
So let me ask you Sarge again, one of the
most recognizable w w E stars of all time.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
I got to ask.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
Because we all grew up g I Joe Sergeant Slaughter,
you know, an American hero. When Vince gives you the
call and says, hey, you're gonna come in and uh,
you're we're gonna fight Hogan.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
I heard that.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
You were like, wait, Hogan's gonna turn bad and they're like, no, no, sorry,
You're going to be the heel.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
What was that like?
Speaker 3 (05:08):
Right? Well, I left WIEWE for about six years ago
be the first living g I Joe. So when I
watched Wreussellmania six and I saw the abortion of the match,
I wrote this a letter and told him that I
loved his new because I didn't watch WWE for six
(05:32):
years because I was mad at him because they didn't
allow me to do g I Joe n WWE and WrestleMania.
You know, we were working for WrestleMania one, so off
I went. So I didn't watch the show. So when
I finally watched russell Maania six, I wrote Vince a
note and I said, I can't believe I have to
(05:52):
give you a salute on your production. Your production is
probably the greatest production of any not only wrestling, but
any pro gram I've ever seen. And I sent him
a little note, and about two weeks later, I get
a call from him saying, now I see your contractor
the asbro's over, You're ready to go back to work.
So I forgeon. He wanted to bring g I. Joe
(06:14):
started to Slaughter the Real American Hero back for wrestle
Mania seven as the real, real, real American hero, but
he had other ideas. He wanted me to be in
a rocky sympathizer and go up against Hold.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
At first, we like, shit, I don't know if I
want to do this or were you on board?
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Like, wow, Sergeant's heard of the villain. How did that
feel at first?
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Well, when he said one hundred four thousand fans, I said,
I'm in. I don't care what I have to do.
If I have to spit in mother Cariesa's face, I'll
do that for one hundred and four thousand fans. So anyway,
I'm just kidding on that. But I you know, I
(06:58):
just went home and told my she thought I was
completely out of my mind to do that. But I said, well,
that's what they want, so let's go for it. I mean,
so we did. But I told Vince from the beginning,
if you want me to do this again, let me
run the program. I'm not gonna, you know, do this
and then not do that, and do this and not
(07:20):
do that. So he said, you got full rate, you
go too far over, we'll bring you back. So I
went full board with it.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
Sergeant Slaughter, what is it like to walk out there
and even look back to those days walking out in
front of one hundred and four thousand people, and what
was that like for not only you but your family too,
and getting the boost for the first get your whole life?
You were getting cheers and cheers. Now that much of
a wild feeling man.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
Yeah, Well, the worst part about it was I didn't
get to walk out one hundred and four thousand fans
because we got too much sheet on us. The people
that owned the coliseum in LA and we have Vince
had to secure the building for millions and millions of
dollars because of all the death threats and bomb threats.
(08:07):
So he decided not to do that and go indoors.
So I never got the opportunity to walk out in
front of one hundred and four thousand, So that was
kind of a dagger in the heart through all I
went through and put my family through and and friends
through not to be able to walk out there and
finish the job, you know.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
But you were able to walk out in two thousand
and four in front of thousands of people and accept
your Hall of Fame award. What was it like to
share that with your family? And did the sunglasses come
an extra handy because you had to hold back the
tears or the sergeant slaughter not cry.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
Yeah, I had to put the glasses on. Was pretty
pretty uncomfortable because you're accepting something for what you did
in your profession. And uh, I was Bob Reeves is
you know, accepting that? So I was stumbling and fumbling.
So I went over a goat by campaign cover, put
(09:08):
that on and put my glasses on, and I was
then I was comfortable, and I thanked everybody for helping
me get to that point. And and uh, you know,
I wear the ring every day, that ring off since
the day I got it. And that was the first
year that they decided to give the rings away. So
(09:29):
it has your name engraved on the inside. So there's
only one one of a kind. They're they're they're made
for you, especially for you. And you know, I have
a g I Joe Hall of Fame. Also, I'm the
only American. I'm the only human being that had both
those rings right there.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
That's awesome.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
That's yeah, and the I Joe Hall of Fame.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
Wow, congratulations, Sergeant Slaughter hanging on over promised with Kevin
and Rich. Hey, Serge, when you look back to you know,
wrestling in the eighties and nineties, was there a gimmick
that you thought would have worked better? And where's there
a gimmick that you can't believe it worked because you
thought it was so ridiculous. When you think of some
of the some of the things Vince pulled out of
his h it seems like he pulled some of these
(10:12):
gimmicks out.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
Of his butt. What what what? When you look back, like,
what was ridiculous and what did you love?
Speaker 3 (10:17):
Well, Roddy Piper and I were driving down the highway
one night and we just started thinking about characters and
we came up with joint the clown.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
We took it to Vince and he loved the idea
and Roddy knew Matt Bourne very very well. I wrestled
Matt's father back in Portland, Oregon, back in the seventies,
and and so he was a perfect guy for it
because we always wanted the clown to be a you know,
the the hero, you know, go up to the kids
(10:49):
and give them balloons and can't candy and dance with
him and have all kinds of fun. But in his
alter ego, he was a mean a guy. And so
we set it up so when he was outside of
the arena with his nose off and his makeup kind
of twisted off, and his hair halfway down his and
(11:11):
he's smoking a cigarette, you know, like he was a bad,
bad cloud, and it all was going our way, except that,
you know, the guy in Chicago, the clown killed all
those boys. I mean it, he went the wrong direction
(11:31):
like that to happen, you know. So that was really
a fun clever thing to do because when I was
doing interviews with different talents, and I would have DONK
you know a show up behind them in a window
where on the set, and they'd be talking about DOINGK
(11:52):
and all of a sudden, he would like creep up,
like like cover commander doing one of my scenes, you know,
one of my animated shows. But so it was a fun,
fun character, uh that I really thought would do well.
The one that really bombed me out was at a
bomb Uh guy Brian Clark one of the greatest athletes
(12:16):
I saw because I discovered him and a lot of
a lot of the talent that was in the w
w E. UH number one bing Mark halliway, I found
him in a box of tapes and he was just me, me,
Mark Alloway w c W. But he wanted to come
up to w w E. So I saw escape, took
(12:37):
a devince and he said, if you think he's worth
a tryout, bring him in. So with with Brian was
the same way uh, taz Xbox, Billy and Bart Gunn,
A lot of the talent that I discovered in those boxes. Uh.
Brian was probably the greatest athlete of them all, and
(12:57):
he just didn't get the uh, the push that should
have Another guy was Nick Nammoth, never got the the
push that he should have got. He was one one
great athlete. And Barry Woodham, of course, probably the greatest
wrestler I was ever in the ring with, and I
never got you know, too far, you know.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
You know with them for a minute.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
For a minute, they tried to uh make Windham the
widow Maker. Do you remember that for a second, the
widow Maker? That never panned out? Right, You said, Mark Callaway,
when when the Undertaker, when that gimmick comes about, did
you think that was gonna work? Like, yeah, he's Paul Berrer,
brings him out with the urn and all that. Did
that seem too silly? Or did you say, oh, that
(13:42):
shit's gonna work.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
I just found him, you know, And I didn't know
that Vince was looking for a dark character like that.
So I brought him to a tryout in Rochester, New York,
and it's fell all over him, and he had this
character in my He wanted to first bring him in
as the Paul Berrow, but everybody kind of went, doesn't
(14:07):
sound that that mean or tough. So then he decided
to go with Undertaker and bring on manager and called
Paul Bert, who which Percy Prinkle. And he was an
actual you know undertaker. Yeah, he he knew how to
do things that the way that Vince wanted to lead
(14:27):
Mark into him. So you know, it's, uh, it's just fun, dude,
create characters. I didn't have anything to do with creating
an undertaker. I just went along with whatever I was
told to try to get done.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Now, Sargi Slaughter, you were talking about the production value
in the nineties. You were saying how you wrote to
Vince and you know, you were saying, he put on
such a great show back then and he brought you back.
What do you think now when you see it? When
you see WrestleMania, now, see how far it's come. What
goes through your head when you're watching that? And and
any favorites today?
Speaker 3 (15:03):
I just wish I was born later because I would
have liked to have been a part of all that.
You know, I was there for Stark just started Stark
down Kronoble, my ex partner, former World Tag Team Champion
with the NWA, and it's Ricky Steaboat, Jay Youngblood. We
more or less paved the road for Star Kade and
(15:26):
when the ww saw that, they decided to do the
WrestleMania and that's when I went back to WWE after
I had my couple of year run there with the
n W eight. It's just incredible to watch the production
from when you look at an old Allentown TV taping
(15:48):
or even in your house or some of those first
pay per views for what it is today, just like
the one I watched WrestleMania seven six, the Ultimate Puke
and yeah, the Hall Covin. Uh, it was just incredible.
(16:09):
It looked like there was a million people in that building.
I know they had like probably seventy thousand, but it
looked like a million people were in there because when
I left WWE to go to Gi Joe, we were
doing like a two three camera shoot. That was it.
Now I'm six years after I turned it in and
(16:29):
watch it, and it's They probably had fifteen twenty cameras
and then.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
The pyro and then the music, then the effects. That's unbelievable,
right right, And everybody had music.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
I was the first one to bring music into the
WWE when I played the Marine Corps him when I
first came out for a tryout promo with Vincent Kennedy
before he took over the company for his father from
his father, and his father wanted me to go do
a probo with him, so he said, there's anything I
can do to help your entrance, And I said, can
(17:03):
you play some music? He said, what kind of music,
and I said the Marine corpsan. He said, you want
to play that before you go out? I said, well
when I go out? He said, I never thought of mott.
Let's try it. So he ran into the trunk and
production people said, yeah, we can put it over the
law speakers in the arena. So I was the first
one to.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
Hold on.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
I gotta say, Sergeant Slaughter does not get enough credit
for that. That is that is such a big part
of the wrestling game now, to think that before.
Speaker 3 (17:35):
Anybody nobody can walk out without music, you said, you
they don't. They won't know the first thing about trying
to be a fan favorite or be a villain without
their music. I mean, it's impossible. They don't know the
psychology anymore. Yeah, And unfortunately, uh, there's a few that
(17:56):
do and they're keeping it going. And Triple H, of course,
grew up in that style of that I went through,
so he's still he's bringing it back. He can't go
any further. Uh, you know, the way they were going.
They can't go any further. Prey soon, you know, can
I have to take it take a bodyslam off the
top of the building.
Speaker 2 (18:15):
I know, Well, it's crazy to get any.
Speaker 3 (18:17):
Reaction from the people. And the problem is now is
the talent things they have to have the people screaming
and hollering throughout the match. You don't have to do that.
You don't need him at a certain time and certain places.
You don't have to have them screaming NonStop. That's that's
not the idea of it.
Speaker 1 (18:36):
Hey, Sarage, I heard you say, the ultimate Puke, the
ultimate warrior, the ultimate warrior, rest in peace. But was
he a dick like a lot of people said. Apparently
he was not a favorite back in the locker rooms.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
Well, we got along because we had to. You know,
he first time I wrestled him, he clotheslined me and
I saw stars and uh, I was trying to get
up for another closed line, but I could couldn't. I
didn't have enough you know, sense in me. So I
took him out behind the barn, as they say, and
I told him, you get to learn how to soften
(19:12):
up a little bitter You and I are going to
be battling. You want that, especially for me because I'm
going to kick your assad. Oh I don't. I don't
want that. So we became good friends, I mean not
good friends. But we were acquaintances and he was to
me it was a great talent, uh easy to work with,
(19:32):
but he did have some demons and he had a
lot of enemies, unfortunately for him. But he finally, you know,
bear the hatchet with the help of Triple H and Vince,
and you know, he held up Vince for you know,
five hundred and fifty thousand dollars cash Summer Slam, and
we were getting ready to go out there. Vince came
(19:54):
over to my locker room and said, we got a
little problem, and I said, what is it? It was
a matchmaid and have a match made in Hell. And
that's when Macho Man married Miss Elizabeth, and I'll Cogan
and Baltimate lawyer were against myself and Colonel Bustafa and
General aDNA and so that was the match made now.
(20:17):
And of course Psycho sit with the special referee. So
I had everything up against me on that one, and
then all of a sudden, I got Vince telling me
that a lawyer is holding him up for five hundred
and fifty thousand cash or he's not going to wrestle.
So I said, what are you going to do? Fire him?
And he says, well, I'm going to fire him, but
(20:37):
I gotta gotta let him wrestle because that's what people
are here for. They want to see that match. And
then here come OGINs mashing down the door in the
locker room and getting to the visa's face about what
lawyer is doing. And he said, I'll tell you what, Slaughter,
You and I be in a ring, and before I
come to you, ultimate warrior out of the chiky you
(21:01):
jumped down and break his leg. No no, no, no,
no no do that. I don't need a lawsuit on
top of everything else. Let's just get the match done
and that's it. You know. So a lot of crazy
things in this business that people don't know about that
ought to write write a book about it someday. I
(21:22):
probably have to be volumes because I couldn't put it
all in one book.
Speaker 2 (21:25):
Yeah, I got one last question for Sergeant Slaughter again.
Legend Wrestling Hall of Famer came up with so many
legendary characters and legendary people. You know, in today's sporting world.
You see the jersey swaps, right, do you have anything
from like a big red boot from the Hulkster, Like,
do you have anything from these other guys you worked with.
(21:46):
Does that mean anything to you, any sort of memorabilia
aside from the rings that you hold near and dear,
or do you wish you had some.
Speaker 3 (21:54):
From any other talent.
Speaker 2 (21:55):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (21:56):
No, I just wanted my name on the paycheck.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
That's all I got.
Speaker 3 (22:02):
That's all I wanted. We called a Cogan the Golden
Goose because whenever you were in in a program or
in a match with him, you knew you were going
to make more money. Because you know, Hawk wasn't the
greatest wrestler in the world. He could talk the chrome
off a bumper from when it came down to wrestling
(22:23):
watch from him, pad luck, you know, you know, so
you had to lead him around. But he knew you're
gonna make money with him because he was Yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:31):
I heard Jake the Sneak.
Speaker 1 (22:32):
I heard Jake Roberts uh Sarge recently say that he
never really got that feud with Hogan.
Speaker 2 (22:37):
And he lost.
Speaker 1 (22:38):
He said, I lost a ship ton of money because
I never got linked up Jake the Snake versus Hogan.
So fighting Hogan was the payday. Huh.
Speaker 3 (22:46):
Yeah, it was the payday. And I still think Hogan
wanted that snake around. Yeah, we're looking forward to this Saturday.
Speaker 2 (22:56):
Dude, I'm excited. I'm excited to see you man, I'll
be there.
Speaker 1 (22:59):
Sergeant Slaughter, Marstown, New Jersey Wrestling, Khan Eighties Wrestling KHN.
Who do you look forward to seeing? Is there another
talent there that you look for to catching up with?
Speaker 3 (23:08):
Well, one of my former UH privates, Boras Zukov. Jim
Nelson's going to be there, and Jake is going to
be be there, Jake to Snake, and there's so many others.
Stan Hansen probably the toughest guy ever had to wrestle,
because when I wrestled him, I had one hundred and
(23:29):
four fever and I had a flu and I had
the wrestler monster, and it always reminded me, you know
that sometimes it doesn't always go your way, you know.
And of course Arn Anderson and Tolly Blanchard, Barry Widham,
of course JJ Dillo, Baby Doll Bill after George uh Now,
(23:55):
Paul Antonio. I always have a good time seeing them,
Powers of Painting, Malenko, all great legends to see it
and come and and hang out with, get their autographs,
come see me and and find my fox all over there,
get some autographs, some uh some uh photos, and don't
(24:18):
miss the opportunity to join Sergeant Slaughters Cobra Clutch Club
because if you do, you can survive the Cobra Clutch.
Sergeant Slaughters challenged, n I love it. Hey for me
on the front and on the back says you're a
proud member of the Sergeant Slaughter Cobra Clutch.
Speaker 2 (24:41):
You better come home. I'm gonna have to get bid those.
Speaker 3 (24:44):
You got to arn them.
Speaker 1 (24:45):
I'm going to earn one of those this Saturday, men
in Sports Arena, Morristown, New Jersey.
Speaker 2 (24:49):
I'll be there.
Speaker 1 (24:49):
In fact, there's a wrestling event going on after it,
and I'm actually going to be the special guest ring announcer.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
Oh yeah, so you get to see Rich the Clown.
Speaker 3 (24:58):
Yeah, yeah, we all we all will be there from
ten am and then the live batches start at four.
I believe it is. Yeah, I'm looking forward to uh
seeing everybody, and uh, you know Tommy Farrau Pharaoh always
uh presents a great uh wrestling fan fest and the
(25:22):
Russell Con the eighties and can't look can't wait to
get their May fourth this Saturday. It's going to be
a lot of.
Speaker 2 (25:28):
Fun, perfect Sorch I'll see you there.
Speaker 1 (25:30):
Thanks for your time, great catching up, great stories, and
you got to write that book one day because that's
a lot of interesting stuff.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
So I appreciate you, my friend.
Speaker 3 (25:38):
That's for Thank you very much. And if there's no
further questions, you guys are dismissed. Don't let your enemy
to breakfast Saturday. See that in order.
Speaker 1 (25:51):
Thank you such slaughter. I'm coming on rich Over Promised Saturday.
We'll see you, Sorch and and day listen until tomorrow.
Show Rivadecci baby.
Speaker 2 (26:01):
See you in the over Promised land. Have a good one,
have a great weekend. See good on my weekend.
Speaker 3 (26:06):
Yeah, bank week looking for you, Serge.
Yo, Welcome to Over Promised with Cavino on Rich. What's
going on, buddies, Happy.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Do DeMaio excited for the big Fiesta this weekend. Actually,
there's a lot going on this week and I we're
gonna tell you all about it. But again, welcome to
our bonus podcast, Covino and Rich from Fox Sports Radio
two to four Monday through Friday on the West. That's
five to seven on the East. Bro you got Covino
and Rich. You're busy this weekend. This weekend, I'm gonna
(00:32):
be in New.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
Jersey at Eighties Wrestling Con, which is a fun little
get together. My friends and I go every year. My
high school buddies we get together. We went a few
years ago. Got to meet everyone from Jake to Sneak
to the million Dollar Man to you know, the bushwhackers,
you name it, they're there. Sorry did you say the Bushwackers?
I mean powers are pained. I mean, you know, Mike Rotunda.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
All the slick. So we go every year.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
It's a fun little hang for me and the guys
and the guy that runs at Tommy Fierro. He asked
me this year, Yeah, if I could be the special
guest ring announcer for the main event.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
You do your Howard Finkel or what he's already practiced
the following contest scheduled for one fall. Yeah, I love it.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
Now. One of the big superstars that's gonna be there
this weekend Men in Sports Arena in Marstown, New Jersey,
none other than one of the most recognizable faces in
WWE history Hall of Famer. Give it up for Sergeant Slaughter,
Yojo Yo Sorge. I gotta ask, is there a day
that goes by where someone doesn't recognize you? You might have
(01:41):
one of the most recognizable faces in entertainment?
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Well, I sported just I was at a store and
a lady came by me with her two children, and
finally she came back around and she said, does anybody
ever tell you you look like Serge and Slaughter? And
I said, every day, hey man, every day. He said, really,
you look just like him? And I said, well, I
(02:06):
am him, and she said, no, you're not. I said,
yeah I am. She said no, you're not, No, you're not.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
I love it.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
I could even how do you prove it?
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Does your license a sergeant Sergeant Slaughter idea? Yeah, how
can you really start flexing? What do you do? Do
you show her your old belt from ninety one? Yeah,
that's great man, it's a pleasure to have you here
now again. Sargent Slaughter from Detroit, but grew up in Minnesota.
So it is Fox Sports Radio. Who do you root for?
(02:35):
Outside of wrestling? You know, football, baseball? Who do you
root for?
Speaker 3 (02:38):
Man? Well, I act she was born in Minnesota. I
don't know where the Detroit thing came on.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
You know, you can't trust Wikipedia, man, you can't get.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
That stuff off of her. They say, I'm buried too
someone named Karen. Oh wait, hold on, let.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Me scratch it off the list. Not caring nothing about Karen.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Okay, yeah, I've been with my wife for fifty four years.
She's getting a little pissed off about that.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
But anyway, who's Karen?
Speaker 3 (03:05):
He understands, But yeah, it's uh, what was the question?
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Who do you root for? Do you have any? Are
you a sports for?
Speaker 1 (03:12):
You?
Speaker 2 (03:12):
A Vikings Twins guy?
Speaker 3 (03:14):
And of course before the Minnesota Vikings and the Twins
came into Minnesota and the hockey and all the other
sports I cheered for whoever I could get on my
transister radio. Basically, did I lose you?
Speaker 2 (03:28):
No? No, And I know growing up at least what
I read about you growing up is that you actually
did wrestle and you played football. So were you a
good athlete growing up in Minnesota?
Speaker 3 (03:41):
Yeah? Yeah, I was a pretty pretty good athlete. I
thought that a professional football player or professional baseball player
one time. But my parents were farmers and they really
couldn't afford, you know, send me to college, my sister
or I, so you know, we had to kind of,
you know, do the best way could. And I was
hoping to get a scholarship. I get a couple of
(04:02):
small scholarships, but you know, it just was college wasn't
for me. You know, I wanted to play sports, but
I didn't want to go to school.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
Yeah, when was the moment?
Speaker 3 (04:13):
So I, uh, you know, did did odd odd jobs
and became a barber and I ended up going to
do business with my father, who was a roofer. And
that's right what I was doing when I got to
call the kim Watch, a pro russed training camp up
in Minnesota.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Nice.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
Now, so you were a barber, does that mean you
if Brutus beefcake didn't exist, you could have been a barber?
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Also?
Speaker 3 (04:39):
Yeah, I gave a lot of pointers. Actually yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
So let me ask you Sarge again, one of the
most recognizable w w E stars of all time.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
I got to ask.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
Because we all grew up g I Joe Sergeant Slaughter,
you know, an American hero. When Vince gives you the
call and says, hey, you're gonna come in and uh,
you're we're gonna fight Hogan.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
I heard that.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
You were like, wait, Hogan's gonna turn bad and they're like, no, no, sorry,
You're going to be the heel.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
What was that like?
Speaker 3 (05:08):
Right? Well, I left WIEWE for about six years ago
be the first living g I Joe. So when I
watched Wreussellmania six and I saw the abortion of the match,
I wrote this a letter and told him that I
loved his new because I didn't watch WWE for six
(05:32):
years because I was mad at him because they didn't
allow me to do g I Joe n WWE and WrestleMania.
You know, we were working for WrestleMania one, so off
I went. So I didn't watch the show. So when
I finally watched russell Maania six, I wrote Vince a
note and I said, I can't believe I have to
(05:52):
give you a salute on your production. Your production is
probably the greatest production of any not only wrestling, but
any pro gram I've ever seen. And I sent him
a little note, and about two weeks later, I get
a call from him saying, now I see your contractor
the asbro's over, You're ready to go back to work.
So I forgeon. He wanted to bring g I. Joe
(06:14):
started to Slaughter the Real American Hero back for wrestle
Mania seven as the real, real, real American hero, but
he had other ideas. He wanted me to be in
a rocky sympathizer and go up against Hold.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
At first, we like, shit, I don't know if I
want to do this or were you on board?
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Like, wow, Sergeant's heard of the villain. How did that
feel at first?
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Well, when he said one hundred four thousand fans, I said,
I'm in. I don't care what I have to do.
If I have to spit in mother Cariesa's face, I'll
do that for one hundred and four thousand fans. So anyway,
I'm just kidding on that. But I you know, I
(06:58):
just went home and told my she thought I was
completely out of my mind to do that. But I said, well,
that's what they want, so let's go for it. I mean,
so we did. But I told Vince from the beginning,
if you want me to do this again, let me
run the program. I'm not gonna, you know, do this
and then not do that, and do this and not
(07:20):
do that. So he said, you got full rate, you
go too far over, we'll bring you back. So I
went full board with it.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
Sergeant Slaughter, what is it like to walk out there
and even look back to those days walking out in
front of one hundred and four thousand people, and what
was that like for not only you but your family too,
and getting the boost for the first get your whole life?
You were getting cheers and cheers. Now that much of
a wild feeling man.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
Yeah, Well, the worst part about it was I didn't
get to walk out one hundred and four thousand fans
because we got too much sheet on us. The people
that owned the coliseum in LA and we have Vince
had to secure the building for millions and millions of
dollars because of all the death threats and bomb threats.
(08:07):
So he decided not to do that and go indoors.
So I never got the opportunity to walk out in
front of one hundred and four thousand, So that was
kind of a dagger in the heart through all I
went through and put my family through and and friends
through not to be able to walk out there and
finish the job, you know.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
But you were able to walk out in two thousand
and four in front of thousands of people and accept
your Hall of Fame award. What was it like to
share that with your family? And did the sunglasses come
an extra handy because you had to hold back the
tears or the sergeant slaughter not cry.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
Yeah, I had to put the glasses on. Was pretty
pretty uncomfortable because you're accepting something for what you did
in your profession. And uh, I was Bob Reeves is
you know, accepting that? So I was stumbling and fumbling.
So I went over a goat by campaign cover, put
(09:08):
that on and put my glasses on, and I was
then I was comfortable, and I thanked everybody for helping
me get to that point. And and uh, you know,
I wear the ring every day, that ring off since
the day I got it. And that was the first
year that they decided to give the rings away. So
(09:29):
it has your name engraved on the inside. So there's
only one one of a kind. They're they're they're made
for you, especially for you. And you know, I have
a g I Joe Hall of Fame. Also, I'm the
only American. I'm the only human being that had both
those rings right there.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
That's awesome.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
That's yeah, and the I Joe Hall of Fame.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
Wow, congratulations, Sergeant Slaughter hanging on over promised with Kevin
and Rich. Hey, Serge, when you look back to you know,
wrestling in the eighties and nineties, was there a gimmick
that you thought would have worked better? And where's there
a gimmick that you can't believe it worked because you
thought it was so ridiculous. When you think of some
of the some of the things Vince pulled out of
his h it seems like he pulled some of these
(10:12):
gimmicks out.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
Of his butt. What what what? When you look back, like,
what was ridiculous and what did you love?
Speaker 3 (10:17):
Well, Roddy Piper and I were driving down the highway
one night and we just started thinking about characters and
we came up with joint the clown.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
We took it to Vince and he loved the idea
and Roddy knew Matt Bourne very very well. I wrestled
Matt's father back in Portland, Oregon, back in the seventies,
and and so he was a perfect guy for it
because we always wanted the clown to be a you know,
the the hero, you know, go up to the kids
(10:49):
and give them balloons and can't candy and dance with
him and have all kinds of fun. But in his
alter ego, he was a mean a guy. And so
we set it up so when he was outside of
the arena with his nose off and his makeup kind
of twisted off, and his hair halfway down his and
(11:11):
he's smoking a cigarette, you know, like he was a bad,
bad cloud, and it all was going our way, except that,
you know, the guy in Chicago, the clown killed all
those boys. I mean it, he went the wrong direction
(11:31):
like that to happen, you know. So that was really
a fun clever thing to do because when I was
doing interviews with different talents, and I would have DONK
you know a show up behind them in a window
where on the set, and they'd be talking about DOINGK
(11:52):
and all of a sudden, he would like creep up,
like like cover commander doing one of my scenes, you know,
one of my animated shows. But so it was a fun,
fun character, uh that I really thought would do well.
The one that really bombed me out was at a
bomb Uh guy Brian Clark one of the greatest athletes
(12:16):
I saw because I discovered him and a lot of
a lot of the talent that was in the w
w E. UH number one bing Mark halliway, I found
him in a box of tapes and he was just me, me,
Mark Alloway w c W. But he wanted to come
up to w w E. So I saw escape, took
(12:37):
a devince and he said, if you think he's worth
a tryout, bring him in. So with with Brian was
the same way uh, taz Xbox, Billy and Bart Gunn,
A lot of the talent that I discovered in those boxes. Uh.
Brian was probably the greatest athlete of them all, and
(12:57):
he just didn't get the uh, the push that should
have Another guy was Nick Nammoth, never got the the
push that he should have got. He was one one
great athlete. And Barry Woodham, of course, probably the greatest
wrestler I was ever in the ring with, and I
never got you know, too far, you know.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
You know with them for a minute.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
For a minute, they tried to uh make Windham the
widow Maker. Do you remember that for a second, the
widow Maker? That never panned out? Right, You said, Mark Callaway,
when when the Undertaker, when that gimmick comes about, did
you think that was gonna work? Like, yeah, he's Paul Berrer,
brings him out with the urn and all that. Did
that seem too silly? Or did you say, oh, that
(13:42):
shit's gonna work.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
I just found him, you know, And I didn't know
that Vince was looking for a dark character like that.
So I brought him to a tryout in Rochester, New York,
and it's fell all over him, and he had this
character in my He wanted to first bring him in
as the Paul Berrow, but everybody kind of went, doesn't
(14:07):
sound that that mean or tough. So then he decided
to go with Undertaker and bring on manager and called
Paul Bert, who which Percy Prinkle. And he was an
actual you know undertaker. Yeah, he he knew how to
do things that the way that Vince wanted to lead
(14:27):
Mark into him. So you know, it's, uh, it's just fun, dude,
create characters. I didn't have anything to do with creating
an undertaker. I just went along with whatever I was
told to try to get done.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Now, Sargi Slaughter, you were talking about the production value
in the nineties. You were saying how you wrote to
Vince and you know, you were saying, he put on
such a great show back then and he brought you back.
What do you think now when you see it? When
you see WrestleMania, now, see how far it's come. What
goes through your head when you're watching that? And and
any favorites today?
Speaker 3 (15:03):
I just wish I was born later because I would
have liked to have been a part of all that.
You know, I was there for Stark just started Stark
down Kronoble, my ex partner, former World Tag Team Champion
with the NWA, and it's Ricky Steaboat, Jay Youngblood. We
more or less paved the road for Star Kade and
(15:26):
when the ww saw that, they decided to do the
WrestleMania and that's when I went back to WWE after
I had my couple of year run there with the
n W eight. It's just incredible to watch the production
from when you look at an old Allentown TV taping
(15:48):
or even in your house or some of those first
pay per views for what it is today, just like
the one I watched WrestleMania seven six, the Ultimate Puke
and yeah, the Hall Covin. Uh, it was just incredible.
(16:09):
It looked like there was a million people in that building.
I know they had like probably seventy thousand, but it
looked like a million people were in there because when
I left WWE to go to Gi Joe, we were
doing like a two three camera shoot. That was it.
Now I'm six years after I turned it in and
(16:29):
watch it, and it's They probably had fifteen twenty cameras
and then.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
The pyro and then the music, then the effects. That's unbelievable,
right right, And everybody had music.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
I was the first one to bring music into the
WWE when I played the Marine Corps him when I
first came out for a tryout promo with Vincent Kennedy
before he took over the company for his father from
his father, and his father wanted me to go do
a probo with him, so he said, there's anything I
can do to help your entrance, And I said, can
(17:03):
you play some music? He said, what kind of music,
and I said the Marine corpsan. He said, you want
to play that before you go out? I said, well
when I go out? He said, I never thought of mott.
Let's try it. So he ran into the trunk and
production people said, yeah, we can put it over the
law speakers in the arena. So I was the first
one to.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
Hold on.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
I gotta say, Sergeant Slaughter does not get enough credit
for that. That is that is such a big part
of the wrestling game now, to think that before.
Speaker 3 (17:35):
Anybody nobody can walk out without music, you said, you
they don't. They won't know the first thing about trying
to be a fan favorite or be a villain without
their music. I mean, it's impossible. They don't know the
psychology anymore. Yeah, And unfortunately, uh, there's a few that
(17:56):
do and they're keeping it going. And Triple H, of course,
grew up in that style of that I went through,
so he's still he's bringing it back. He can't go
any further. Uh, you know, the way they were going.
They can't go any further. Prey soon, you know, can
I have to take it take a bodyslam off the
top of the building.
Speaker 2 (18:15):
I know, Well, it's crazy to get any.
Speaker 3 (18:17):
Reaction from the people. And the problem is now is
the talent things they have to have the people screaming
and hollering throughout the match. You don't have to do that.
You don't need him at a certain time and certain places.
You don't have to have them screaming NonStop. That's that's
not the idea of it.
Speaker 1 (18:36):
Hey, Sarage, I heard you say, the ultimate Puke, the
ultimate warrior, the ultimate warrior, rest in peace. But was
he a dick like a lot of people said. Apparently
he was not a favorite back in the locker rooms.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
Well, we got along because we had to. You know,
he first time I wrestled him, he clotheslined me and
I saw stars and uh, I was trying to get
up for another closed line, but I could couldn't. I
didn't have enough you know, sense in me. So I
took him out behind the barn, as they say, and
I told him, you get to learn how to soften
(19:12):
up a little bitter You and I are going to
be battling. You want that, especially for me because I'm
going to kick your assad. Oh I don't. I don't
want that. So we became good friends, I mean not
good friends. But we were acquaintances and he was to
me it was a great talent, uh easy to work with,
(19:32):
but he did have some demons and he had a
lot of enemies, unfortunately for him. But he finally, you know,
bear the hatchet with the help of Triple H and Vince,
and you know, he held up Vince for you know,
five hundred and fifty thousand dollars cash Summer Slam, and
we were getting ready to go out there. Vince came
(19:54):
over to my locker room and said, we got a
little problem, and I said, what is it? It was
a matchmaid and have a match made in Hell. And
that's when Macho Man married Miss Elizabeth, and I'll Cogan
and Baltimate lawyer were against myself and Colonel Bustafa and
General aDNA and so that was the match made now.
(20:17):
And of course Psycho sit with the special referee. So
I had everything up against me on that one, and
then all of a sudden, I got Vince telling me
that a lawyer is holding him up for five hundred
and fifty thousand cash or he's not going to wrestle.
So I said, what are you going to do? Fire him?
And he says, well, I'm going to fire him, but
(20:37):
I gotta gotta let him wrestle because that's what people
are here for. They want to see that match. And
then here come OGINs mashing down the door in the
locker room and getting to the visa's face about what
lawyer is doing. And he said, I'll tell you what, Slaughter,
You and I be in a ring, and before I
come to you, ultimate warrior out of the chiky you
(21:01):
jumped down and break his leg. No no, no, no,
no no do that. I don't need a lawsuit on
top of everything else. Let's just get the match done
and that's it. You know. So a lot of crazy
things in this business that people don't know about that
ought to write write a book about it someday. I
(21:22):
probably have to be volumes because I couldn't put it
all in one book.
Speaker 2 (21:25):
Yeah, I got one last question for Sergeant Slaughter again.
Legend Wrestling Hall of Famer came up with so many
legendary characters and legendary people. You know, in today's sporting world.
You see the jersey swaps, right, do you have anything
from like a big red boot from the Hulkster, Like,
do you have anything from these other guys you worked with.
(21:46):
Does that mean anything to you, any sort of memorabilia
aside from the rings that you hold near and dear,
or do you wish you had some.
Speaker 3 (21:54):
From any other talent.
Speaker 2 (21:55):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (21:56):
No, I just wanted my name on the paycheck.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
That's all I got.
Speaker 3 (22:02):
That's all I wanted. We called a Cogan the Golden
Goose because whenever you were in in a program or
in a match with him, you knew you were going
to make more money. Because you know, Hawk wasn't the
greatest wrestler in the world. He could talk the chrome
off a bumper from when it came down to wrestling
(22:23):
watch from him, pad luck, you know, you know, so
you had to lead him around. But he knew you're
gonna make money with him because he was Yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:31):
I heard Jake the Sneak.
Speaker 1 (22:32):
I heard Jake Roberts uh Sarge recently say that he
never really got that feud with Hogan.
Speaker 2 (22:37):
And he lost.
Speaker 1 (22:38):
He said, I lost a ship ton of money because
I never got linked up Jake the Snake versus Hogan.
So fighting Hogan was the payday. Huh.
Speaker 3 (22:46):
Yeah, it was the payday. And I still think Hogan
wanted that snake around. Yeah, we're looking forward to this Saturday.
Speaker 2 (22:56):
Dude, I'm excited. I'm excited to see you man, I'll
be there.
Speaker 1 (22:59):
Sergeant Slaughter, Marstown, New Jersey Wrestling, Khan Eighties Wrestling KHN.
Who do you look forward to seeing? Is there another
talent there that you look for to catching up with?
Speaker 3 (23:08):
Well, one of my former UH privates, Boras Zukov. Jim
Nelson's going to be there, and Jake is going to
be be there, Jake to Snake, and there's so many others.
Stan Hansen probably the toughest guy ever had to wrestle,
because when I wrestled him, I had one hundred and
(23:29):
four fever and I had a flu and I had
the wrestler monster, and it always reminded me, you know
that sometimes it doesn't always go your way, you know.
And of course Arn Anderson and Tolly Blanchard, Barry Widham,
of course JJ Dillo, Baby Doll Bill after George uh Now,
(23:55):
Paul Antonio. I always have a good time seeing them,
Powers of Painting, Malenko, all great legends to see it
and come and and hang out with, get their autographs,
come see me and and find my fox all over there,
get some autographs, some uh some uh photos, and don't
(24:18):
miss the opportunity to join Sergeant Slaughters Cobra Clutch Club
because if you do, you can survive the Cobra Clutch.
Sergeant Slaughters challenged, n I love it. Hey for me
on the front and on the back says you're a
proud member of the Sergeant Slaughter Cobra Clutch.
Speaker 2 (24:41):
You better come home. I'm gonna have to get bid those.
Speaker 3 (24:44):
You got to arn them.
Speaker 1 (24:45):
I'm going to earn one of those this Saturday, men
in Sports Arena, Morristown, New Jersey.
Speaker 2 (24:49):
I'll be there.
Speaker 1 (24:49):
In fact, there's a wrestling event going on after it,
and I'm actually going to be the special guest ring announcer.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
Oh yeah, so you get to see Rich the Clown.
Speaker 3 (24:58):
Yeah, yeah, we all we all will be there from
ten am and then the live batches start at four.
I believe it is. Yeah, I'm looking forward to uh
seeing everybody, and uh, you know Tommy Farrau Pharaoh always
uh presents a great uh wrestling fan fest and the
(25:22):
Russell Con the eighties and can't look can't wait to
get their May fourth this Saturday. It's going to be
a lot of.
Speaker 2 (25:28):
Fun, perfect Sorch I'll see you there.
Speaker 1 (25:30):
Thanks for your time, great catching up, great stories, and
you got to write that book one day because that's
a lot of interesting stuff.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
So I appreciate you, my friend.
Speaker 3 (25:38):
That's for Thank you very much. And if there's no
further questions, you guys are dismissed. Don't let your enemy
to breakfast Saturday. See that in order.
Speaker 1 (25:51):
Thank you such slaughter. I'm coming on rich Over Promised Saturday.
We'll see you, Sorch and and day listen until tomorrow.
Show Rivadecci baby.
Speaker 2 (26:01):
See you in the over Promised land. Have a good one,
have a great weekend. See good on my weekend.
Speaker 3 (26:06):
Yeah, bank week looking for you, Serge.
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