Weasel Tales: The Bobby Heenan Archives - Vince's Convertible Chronicles & SummerSlam Dance-Offs

Text Me, Ya Ham And Egger

How did Vince McMahon's flamboyant style and fierce determination transform professional wrestling? In today's episode, we uncover the untold stories behind the industry's most iconic moments and influential figures. From the early days when Vince was seen cruising New York in a convertible to his unforgettable dance routines at SummerSlam in Vegas, we explore how his relentless passion and innovative vision redefined wrestling entertainment. Alongside, we revisit the numerous sacrifices and challenges wrestlers endure, giving you a backstage pass to the world behind the ring.

We also delve into the complex dynamics of wrestling rivalries and management decisions, shedding light on why certain legends like Roddy Piper and organizations like WCW faced significant struggles. Through candid reflections and personal anecdotes, we provide a unique perspective on the business side of wrestling and the respect commanded by wrestlers as performers. This episode promises an insider's look into the high-stakes world of professional wrestling, perfect for both seasoned fans and newcomers curious about the sport's dramatic landscape.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
You listen to me, you go to the top.

Speaker 2 (00:05):
Bobby, bobby, bobby, bobby, bobby, bobby, bobby,
bobby, bobby, bobby, bobby,bobby, bobby, bobby, bobby,
bobby, bobby Bobby.

Speaker 1 (00:11):
Bobby Bobby.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Bobby, Bobby, Bobby, Bobby, Bobby, Bobby, Bobby,
Bobby, Bobby, Bobby, Bobby,Bobby, Bobby, Bobby, Bobby,
Bobby, Bobby, Bobby, Bobby,Bobby, Bobby, Bobby, Bobby,
Bobby, Bobby, Bobby, Bobby,Bobby, Bobby, Bobby, Bobby,

(00:32):
Bobby, Bobby, Bobby.
But for all the money he'sworth, I wouldn't take those
bumps.
You don't have to.
You have to take them sometimesyou don't have to.
Yeah, you have to take himsometimes you don't have to.
Well, that was two of them.

Speaker 1 (00:47):
He doesn't have to do that.
He loves it.
Yeah, vince is just loves it.
I mean, in the very 60s he wasin the, he was with Dr Jerry
Grave in New York and Dr Jerrybleached Vince's hair, gave him
a red ruffled shirt.
He, in a red ruffled shirt.
He was driving around on atop-down convertible smoking
cigars.
His dad thought I was killinghim, but he just wanted to be

(01:08):
out there.
He said look at that SummerSlamwe had from Vegas, from
Lannister.
One time Vince was out theredoing a dance routine with
dancers.

Speaker 2 (01:18):
They sang.

Speaker 1 (01:20):
Remember that?
Yeah, and he worked hard.
I watched him all day longrehearse with the dancers.
He really wanted to do a goodjob.
Well, that man is aprofessional he really is, and
I'm not setting up him for a jobbecause I don't want to work
anymore.
I just admire what he?
Did.
He's all right with me, noproblem.

Speaker 2 (01:41):
And I think too, the minute people count him out and
say, oh, he's done, he's over,then he does something that
that's why there has to beanother wrestling group, he has
to be in a fight.

Speaker 1 (01:53):
He has to be in a fight.
He loves that Al Smart in theguy he loved.
Al Smart.
He loved it.
I'm not that smart.
Let me see all those years.
See you left it.
Your juice is gone.
Sometimes you don't want peopleto think it's real, so they
look good.
They don't realize that peoplehave a lot more respect for you
as an actor than as a fighter.
Yeah, because people don'tbelieve it and when you tell

(02:16):
them it's real now they'll neverbelieve you.
You've insulted them, orintelligent, and it's over.

Speaker 2 (02:22):
And what Piper did was he spent a lot of time in
his book ripping on the businessand ripping on WWE, and the
first chance he got to come backhe did.

Speaker 1 (02:35):
You know he was there and he probably would wait with
WWE up in any place in his life.
Yeah, that's why I never knockVince.
I worked for him for 10 years.
I'd be knocking myself.
Yeah, on WCW shows BigShuffle's knocking.
We don't have a smarter Shufflethan Big Shuffle.
You can put this in there.
One night they had a match onRaw Vince's show and it was a

(02:58):
tape match.
But Mick Foley, cassius Blackback and won the belt.
So they've announced on theirlive TV show that what you're
going to see on Raw on USA cableis a paid match of Mick Foley
winning the belt.
It's not right.
People don't turn to watch USA.

(03:22):
He told them, we're a titlechange.

Speaker 2 (03:24):
That's why some people in our business shouldn't
be.

Speaker 1 (03:28):
That's why WCW is where it is now Down the toilet
Because of mismanagement bypeople like him.
I'm sorry, I don't knowanything about the man's life or
family or personality oranything.
I just know he wasn't good forour business.
He hired me.
I had six videos there, but youdidn't just hand me the money,

(03:50):
I earned it.
I earned my money.
Robbie Hingis, never takencharity from anybody.
I've earned my money.
If not, you know how it goes,brother and I.
If you avoid, I'll take a blade.
When you take a bunch, I'lltake a bunch.
We'll see what happens in theevening.
I'm 180 pounds and I'm crippled.
They'll never beat me.
No, they'll never beat me.

(04:14):
No, they didn't know.
They didn't know.
And everybody that wanted to bea wrestling promoter, they
didn't know anything about thebusiness.
After a while, what's the firstthing they do?
They bleach their hair orbecome a manager or a heel or
something.
Look at Eric Bischoff.
He won a abortion in the ring.
There was a guy that had theAWF, al Pristein.

(04:36):
He bleached his hair.
Look at him.
The only guys I knew in thisbusiness that got into it as a
promoter and never worked wereDennis Hilgard in Milwaukee and
Sam Lesnick in St Louis was sodamn hard it was unbelievable.
Everybody said Sam won't put anew ring in here.
I said I don't know how to geta new ring in there.

(04:57):
He said how I said every Fridaynight after the national anthem
, one of the boys slammed Sam.
He slammed him he said he has todrop his big ass in that ring
four times a month.
There'll be a new ring in there, I said what the heck.
But Sam was an older that ringfour times a month.
There'll be a new ring in therenext week.

(05:17):
But Sam was an older man.
He wasn't a wrestler, he was asports writer in a newspaper.
He was a newspaper man for StLouis.
Yeah, so it all comes fromevery walk of life, but
everybody that's in thisbusiness thinks they can do it.
I remember this guy, russo.

(05:39):
He was going to hire actorsonce you get rid of all the
wrestlers.
He said they can do the samething as you guys do.
Can't be done.
Can't be done.
And you can't take a bunch ofwrestlers in there and put them
on Broadway.
Can't be done.
It's a different form of acting.
It's a different business.
You've got to be in thisbusiness to understand it.
I told Warner if you beat Nickone more time, you get the keep

(06:02):
up put the word in the streets.

Speaker 2 (06:04):
Thank you,