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Jerry Lawler talks Memphis Politics, Divas, and Internet Dropping the Ball

Posted: Dec 28th 2006 By: mikeiles

Jerry "The King" Lawler is a true legend in pro wrestling. He's captured the heart of an entire city in Memphis, Tennessee and his ability to cut promos has landed him in the position to be seen by over 4 million viewers each week as one of the commentators for WWE Monday Night RAW on the USA Network. Graciously, "The King" gave 3 Count Wrestling a great 30 minute interview to discuss the pending closing of the legendary Mid-South Coliseum and a myriad of other issues.

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JERRY "THE KING" LAWLER:

The show opens with the hosts welcoming ""The King"

The hosts tell King he is a true legend, and compliment him on his excellence.

The hosts ask of how Lawler feels of the closing of the Mid-South Coliseum at the end of the year. Lawler responds he feels it is a sad situation, and that the arena really has a lot of years left in it. He then comments on politics and who it is run by. He states how 2 of the members of the city council had just gotten arrested. He comments on the new pyramid being built, and the new basketball team gets their own new arena. He then states that if this was differently, Mid-South would still be able to stay. He then states a "Legends Night", that will be the last show if he is able to plan it.

The hosts then state of how in Detroit, Sylvester Stallone is doing a benefit to help save a famous gym there. They ask Lawler if he would do a benefit to keep open the coliseum. Lawler then says that he would, but some officials are saying it would take $12,000,000 to fix it, but people close to the coliseum say it would only take $3,000,000 and that the $3,000,000 is not that much. Lawler says that officials said that they would sell it to him for a dollar, but it costs too much to run it monthly.

The hosts ask Lawler about his 1999 run for mayor and if he would have had to retire from wrestling if he had won. Lawler responds yes, because he would have felt he had to. He admits at first it was a publicity stunt, but towards the end he got into it. He feels it's gone so far gone that just one person couldn't fix it.

The hosts tell Lawler they too have a love for the WWE Divas. They then ask of the recent departure of Trish Stratus, Lita, and Stacy Keibler, and who will be the next big one. He responds that they were the 3 main divas in the WWE for the last 3 years. He states that there's now just a bunch of women who have not been put out there, and have not had that much ring time. He states Victoria and Mickie James are the two best In-Ring ability wise Diva's.

The hosts ask what Lawler thinks the match of 2006 was. Lawler responds that there's been so many matches that he has called with J.R. has called over the past year. Lawler asks what the hosts think. They respond The Money in the Bank Match at WrestleMania 22, Triple H vs. Cena at WrestleMania 22, and Benoit vs. JBL at WrestleMania 22. Lawler says that the Money in the Bank match was good, but he can't pick one of the top of his head.

The hosts ask if Lawler if he has ever wanted to get up out of commentary and slap two "kids" who don't know what they are doing. He says he does see some time when he just cringes because of bad timing, or a mistaken move. He then gets into talk online about wrestling. He states that the internet fans got so negative during the Monday night wars, that they were turning people off from reading there stuff. Lawler talks of one he read about his match against Masters of who's this guy online states that he doesn't like older guys getting in the ring and taking away the spotlight from young guys. He then says that they don't put him in the ring with Chris Masters not to take away the spotlight, but to help them get better. He feels that they would not get any better wrestling each other that they need to go against someone who is more qualified.

The hosts ask about Andy Kaufman in 1982. Lawler responds that he feels Kaufman really put him on the map. He says how there was no national wrestling TV show, and that the only reason fans knew of certain things was from the magazines. He then states how the match was all over the media that it got wrestling out into the spotlight. He feels that that match is what changed Wrestling from Wrestling to Sports Entertainment. Lawler then talks of how Kaufman was denied by WWE because they did not want the fans thinking the wrestlers were just actors. He then says that since the match did so well all the sudden on WWE was Cyndi Lauper, Mr.T, and other celebrities.

The hosts ask Lawler if long feuds like he had used to have that were incredibly long are now dead. He says that wrestlers today are not around long enough to have long feuds. They get hurt so often that there not able to stay 30+ years like Hogan.

The hosts ask what his favorite feuds were. Lawler responds with Kaufman being his favorite, then Bill Dundee, and then Jimmy Hart. Lawler feels it is still on today because they are still both in the business today. He talks of how Hart used to be in a band that knocked The Beatles off the chart. He states of how he met him one time and thought that he would be a great wrestling manager. He states that Hart goes onto it that when Lawler was out for a year, Hart remained in. He then states of how they're feud was good because it's a guy who abandoned his friend, and now the friends back to get revenge.

The hosts ask Lawler of his CD. Lawler responds that he said he didn't know anything about singing and that they just surrounded him with a bunch of great singers, and he would pretty much talk his way through the song. He then tells how that was the first time he met Jimmy Hart, because Hart was there to help also.

The hosts ask if Lawler has another album in his future. Lawler says he's done 3 albums, and has been talking with one of the people he recorded with and they asked if he would want to do a novelty type song. He named an example of something like "Little Red Riding Hood".

The hosts give Lawler his final question. Host Bill Farmer say that they have got their WrestleMania tickets and since they are both broadcasters if Lawler would like to take him on in a "Microphone on a Pole" match in a joking manner. Lawler asks how many tickets, and where they are. The hosts say 3 tickets, and they are 23 rows up from the ramp. Lawler then jokes that he would take put some binoculars and look for him after the broadcast he would call him out to the ring.

They then thank Lawler for coming, stating that he was one of the best guests that they had ever had, and then thank him again for coming.