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James Guttman Interviews Percy Pringle

Posted: Mar 25th 2007 By: CMBurnham

This week's 60 minute edition of JG's Radio Free Insanity is on the air and available in flash and for download right now at WorldWrestlingInsanity.com. This week's guest is the one and only "Paul Bearer" Percy Pringle.

James Guttman begins the show by talking about Percy Pringle and his history with the Undertaker. Pringle was present for a number of Undertaker's WrestleMania wins so it makes this week's interview all the more topical with his WM title match with Batista looming. In his uncut interview, Pringle says that he's a lot like Jim Cornette in that they both shoot straight. JG backs up that statement and says that Pringle doesn't tap dance around anything. He's ready to give his unfiltered thoughts on the business whenever asked.

Paul Bearer's interview lasted for 50 minutes and is up in full alongside over 60 others at ClubWWI.com. Aside from the topics he discusses on today's show, he also talks about how Rick Rude convinced him to not retire, discovering John Cena, a conversation with Curt Hennig about deaths in wrestling shortly before his own passing, the worst WWF wrestler Percy managed, working with Kane, and so much more.

JG then discusses the Money in the Bank Ladder Match at WrestleMania and looks at the only person who would really benefit from a victory in it. Out of all the wrestlers involved, only CM Punk needs it in order to move up the ladder. The rest of the performers have all had World Title matches or reigns. Plus, Punk has the ability to use it as part of his character in promos while someone like Jeff Hardy is better off without it. After going through each participant, James does the weekly reader-voted Moment of Insanity.

Part two starts off with the song the familiar tolling bells of the Undertaker's theme song. James Guttman reminds listeners that you can hear Percy Pringle's full 50 minute interview on ClubWWI.com. Among the other interviews available are Kevin Nash (47 minutes), Diamond Dallas Page (80 minutes), Jerry Lawler (62 minutes), and more. You also get all the Radio Free Insanity archives with people like Samoa Joe, AJ Styles, Christian Cage, and Rhino. Plus, audio shows hosted by Lisa "Ivory" Moretti, Orlando Jordan, D-Lo Brown, Kevin Kelly, and all the writers for WorldWrestlingInsanity.com. The main page of ClubWWI.com is free and has all the information. You can even hear free clips from the shows and shoot interviews. JG urges everyone to check it out.

James Guttman begins the interview by introducing Percy Pringle. Percy says that JG has been really persistent about getting him on the show. He thanks James for that and says he has had a lot of personal things going on. Guttman asks Pringle what he has going on in his world. Percy says that he has had a rough year. He says that his wife had breast cancer five years ago. She had it taken care of and celebrated five years of being cancer free, but just recently doctors found it had come back. She had to get another mastectomy when that was discovered. Also, his brother passed away about four months ago. Pringle is happy to announce though that his wife is once again cancer-free. Pringle thanks the readers of his website who have kept themselves updated on his life.

Pringle says that he has a few websites. First, there's PercyPringle.com with blogs that he tries to update as much as he can. He also runs GulfSouthWrestling.com, which is the wrestling school/promotion he runs. After mentioning the websites, Percy says he's ready to go and tells JG to ask away.

Guttman brings up his first exposure to Paul Bearer. It was before he was using that name and going by "Percy Pringle III." JG says he knows that the name was given to him by a promoter, but asks how it came about or whether it had anything to do with the potato chips. Bearer laughs and says that "The Great Mephisto" Frankie Caine was running shows in 1978 and he was wrestling for them. Paul reminds listeners that he started as a wrestler, not manager, in 1974. He was given the name by Frankie and was Percy ever since.

"Even when I was Paul Bearer, I was Percy. People always recognize me as Percy. I'm still Percy today. I guess I'll die as Percy."

He then goes on to say that there were two other Percy Pringles. That's why he called himself "Percy Pringle III." He found out around 1985 that there were two others. There was one in the 60s, who wrestled in Detroit, as Percy Pringle. Then Bobby Bass used the name in Kansas City in the early 70s. He tells Guttman that's the reason he has the name.

"No potato chips involved, although I look like I ate a ton of potato chips."

JG laughs and says he assumed it had a potato chip connection because he looked like the little man on the box. James then says that one of the earliest exposures he had to Pringle was in his feud with Chris Von Erich. Bearer says, "Wow. You must be a young man." He asks JG how old he is. Guttman says he'll be 30 in July. Pringle says, "Bless your heart" and explains that his son is around the same age. James thanks Percy and says he had felt old until just now. Bearer says, "I may have a pair of underwear as old as you."

Pringle then talks about working with Chris Von Erich. He says that he has some personal feelings about things. One of which is the Von Erichs. Percy says that he'll use the term "blessed" a lot today. He's been blessed to have such a great career in the business for "a country boy from Alabama." When he and Rick Rude went to World Class, he though he was on top of the world and didn't know there was anything bigger until he joined Vince McMahon in 1991. He says that Von Erichs treated him well and Kerry especially was good to him as they were close friends. Pringle says that Chris was the runt of the family, which isn't an insult but a statement on his medical conditions.

"Sometimes his big brothers didn't treat him like they should have. That's a normal thing though. My little brother passed away now and hindsight 20/20, I used to treat my little brother like shit too sometimes, you know. But that's the way it is, big brothers treat little brothers like that sometimes, especially in wrestling."

Pringle says that Chris was a very talented artist as well. The story goes that Percy had been working in the office for Fritz Von Erich doing the t-shirts and the programs. He had an office in the Sportatorium, so he was easily accessible. He went to Fritz and said that he would work a program with Chris because although he wasn't a wrestler, he was a manger so it would work. Around that same time, Steve Austin was breaking in and working against Chris Adams. Bearer was managing him then, so he was able to tag matches with Steve against Adams and Von Erich. Percy realizes that every promoter has people with many opinions on them. However, Fritz Von Erich was good as long as you didn't whine and complain in front of him. Also, if you worked with the Von Erich boys, you got a good paycheck. So the Von Erichs were good to him. Percy and Chris took their act around to all the shows and feels that the feud raised his respect level in Fritz's eyes.

On the subject of the Von Erichs, James says that many fans don't realize how huge they were in the territory. Now with all the tragedies that fell on them, people focus on that. He asks Bearer if all of it has tarnished their legacy. Pringle says that he gets on a soap box every once in a while. "There'll be a keyword that causes my fat butt to climb up and start preaching." Guttman tells him to go ahead. Percy says that while many fans who are listening to the show or reading the press release aren't "normal everyday fans." But he finds that many casual fans don't know the history of the business. He throws out names to his students at his school and many don't know them. When Arnold Skaaland and Ernie Ladd passed away, they weren't aware who they were and Pringle says, "It blew me away." So he put a bunch of wrestling legend names in a hat and his students pick one out. They have to research the name and Tuesday night had to do a presentation on who they chose. He says it's a good idea to have them teach each other. Unfortunately, Paul feels that many young fans don't know the history of the business since it's changed so much.

JG mentions that it's a subject that has come up before with wrestling trainers on the show like Ted DiBiase and Harley Race. It seems like many young talents only know the legends when WWE does a DVD on them, but other than that they feel they can't learn from them when it's the opposite. Percy has no ill feelings about that though because it's "not their fault." When he broke in to the industry, the Apter mags were hot. While he grew up on local Gulf Coast wrestling, he knew stars that no one else knew about. With territories, there was no cable so you just knew who you read about in the magazines. Percy would run out to buy them when they came out. That's who he learned about Bobby Heenan, Fred Blassie, and Bruno Sammartino. But now things have changed so much that it's not the fault of the young guys. To use the word again, he was "blessed" to break in when the industry was different. Back then, "kayfabe was kayfabe."

- break -

Pringle says that he was living a dream in WWE and can remember one particular highlight of his career that didn't even involved Undertaker or Kane.

"I did this one particular Funeral Parlor with Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan. I will never forget, as long as I live, standing there on that platform, on that set, with Ric Flair on one side and Hulk Hogan on the other side, and me holding that microphone. I swear to God, I'm thinking, 'Where the hell can I go from here?' Where can I go? I always was a Flair fan and I still am a Ric Flair mark. I still am. He's fantastic, I don't care what anyone says about it."

Pringle says the picture of the show is on the wall of his office right now. James says that it's also on his website and historic because it was their first face-to-face meeting. Bearer agrees and says he was "blessed" to be a part of it.

Speaking of the Funeral Parlor, Guttman was at the WrestleMania X fan convention and stood in the coffin. Pringle stops him and says it's a subject he wants to talk about. Mania 10 was at Madison Square Garden and neither Paul Bearer or Undertaker were on the card. They did the fan fest, but as soon as it was over they flew he and Taker to Tokyo to work a tour. So they weren't at WrestleMania 10.

Percy asks JG to send him a copy of the picture with him in the casket from the convention and Guttman says he will. Pringle then suggests that he put the picture on his website so people can see what James looked like at 15. JG says that probably won't happen so Paul suggests that he send it to him and he can put it up for the fans. Guttman laughs and says no. He would trust Percy to keep the photo a secret but already saw how well he kept the secret of Kane. Bearer laughs, switches to his WWE voice, and says:

"Oh well, you know, it was Undertaker's mama's fault. I was a virgin. She took my virginity. Hell, I was a willing subject. I was just a young man myself starting in the funeral business. Oh yes!"

Paul Bearer's interview lasted for 50 minutes and is up in full alongside over 60 others at ClubWWI.com. Aside from the topics he discusses on today's show, he also talks about how Rick Rude convinced him to not retire, discovering John Cena, a conversation with Curt Hennig about deaths in wrestling shortly before his own passing, the worst WWF wrestler Percy managed, smart fans, working with Kane, and so much more.

Also on ClubWWI.com, you can hear over 60 exclusive interviews with wrestling's top names including Kevin Nash, Jerry Lawler, DDP, Bobby Heenan, Ted DiBiase, Christian Cage, Samoa Joe, Sylvester Terkay, The Iron Sheik, Rhino, Earl Hebner, Ivory, The Steiner Brothers, Nidia, Christy Hemme, Chris Daniels, A. J. Styles, Vince Russo and dozens of others. Plus audio shows from Lisa "Ivory" Moretti, D-Lo Brown, Kevin Kelly, Orlando Jordan, and Dr. Tom Prichard.

JG's Radio Free Insanity is always free and always on the air each weekend at WorldWrestlingInsanity.com, with extended interviews and show archives available on ClubWWI.com. James Guttman's book, World Wrestling Insanity, is available at Amazon.com or wherever books are sold.