WEBVTT FILE
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[traffic noise]
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Downloaded from
YTS.MX
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[upbeat music]
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♪ ♪
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Official YIFY movies site:
YTS.MX
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‐ Growing up with close to
nothing in South Park, Texas,
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kicking it around New York
City is kinda surreal.
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♪ ♪
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The sounds, the energy;
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there's nothing like it.
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♪ ♪
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It's like another world, man.
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♪ ♪
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It's also a place
that I dreamed of as a kid...
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♪ ♪
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'Cause of "Shaft."
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♪ ♪
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I watched that movie
at least 100 times,
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and I literally wanted to be
John Shaft.
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We didn't see black guys like
this in movies back then.
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♪ ♪
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He was a bad man and didn't
back down from nobody.
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♪ ♪
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See, Shaft,
he resonated with me
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and inspired the five words
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that define the two‐time
WWE Hall of Famer.
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Can you dig it, sucka?
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["Rap Sheet" playing]
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‐ Act one of being
a pro wrestler
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is when you come through
that curtain.
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He went in,
and he took it to the moon.
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‐ Can you dig it, sucka?
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[laughing]
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‐ You see how he just soaks up
the adulation and the energy,
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just makes it bigger
and bigger and bigger.
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‐ Now our two‐time
WWE Hall of Famer, Booker T.
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♪ ♪
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‐ Booker's persona is
a street‐smart, hungry,
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athletic, over‐the‐top,
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kick‐your‐ass
professional wrestler.
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‐ Take a look at this punk!
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[grunting]
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♪ ♪
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‐ Even growing up,
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Junior was never afraid
to fight.
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He would fight big kids,
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dogs, cats.
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I mean, he just loved to fight,
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and he could fight very well.
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[lively music]
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♪ ♪
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‐ You try to get somebody like,
"Did you see that?"
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[cheering,
indistinct chatter]
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‐ One of the things I loved
about Booker T
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was his flair
for the theatrical side...
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[indistinct commentating]
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‐ And the drama of it.
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‐ Austin‐‐
Austin attacking Booker T!
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‐ Here you go, brother.
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[shouts]
‐ Oh, Booker with a shot.
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‐ This is show business.
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‐ Booker T!
‐ Hey, Booker!
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[cheering]
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‐ The key in this business
is charisma.
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[cheers and applause]
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Booker T walks into a room,
you notice him.
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‐ [laughs]
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Fun, larger‐than‐life
personality,
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and big, and loves to laugh.
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‐ [laughs]
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‐ Go to every length
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just to entertain you.
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‐ Tell me
I don't look like that!
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‐ Pin him!
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‐ And let me tell you,
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Booker is the same way
when he is at home.
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‐ Yes, yes, yes, yes!
‐ Oh, no!
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Yeah.
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‐ I'm like, "Really?
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Are you really doing this
right now?"
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[laughs]
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♪ ♪
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‐ Pioneer, trendsetter,
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two‐time Hall of Famer...
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♪ ♪
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Five‐time champion.
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He's always managed
to stay on top.
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♪ ♪
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‐ It's very, very important
to see people
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who look like you
doing great things.
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If he's doing it,
so can I.
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‐ Can you dig that,
sucka?
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[cheering]
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♪ ♪
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[hip‐hop music]
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‐ ♪ Welcome to my home ♪
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♪ On the south side ♪
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♪ Nah, uh‐uh ♪
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♪ That's just the south side
style ♪
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♪ You got a big game,
you know what I'm saying ♪
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[dogs barking]
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‐ This is where it all started
so many years ago.
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You don't miss
what you don't have.
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We didn't have a lot,
but what we had, it was enough.
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‐ ♪ South side,
the south side, yeah ♪
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♪ South side,
the south side ♪
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♪ Everybody do the south side,
the south side ♪
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♪ Yeah, south side,
the south side ♪
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‐ There was a lot
of shooting dice.
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We'd shoot marbles.
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Then we'd try to get
some mischief,
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looking for some girls.
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[dog barking]
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‐ ♪ South side, yeah ♪
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♪ South side,
the south side ♪
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♪ No one but you ♪
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‐ Don't let nobody
push you around, you know?
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Hey, man, if you get into
a fight, you know,
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make sure
you throw the first punch.
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‐ ♪ You know the south side ♪
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‐ You know,
and that's what‐‐
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not my brothers
was teaching me,
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but my sisters
was teaching me that.
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‐ ♪ You know the south side ♪
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[indistinct singing]
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‐ That's what life was
here in this neighborhood.
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♪ ♪
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We moved here back when I was
actually about seven years old.
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We moved around Houston
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till we finally settled right
here in this neighborhood,
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and I tell you,
just standing here right now,
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the memories
just‐‐just flood back.
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[hip‐hop music]
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♪ ♪
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I was born in a little place
called Plain Dealing,
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about 50 miles outside
of Shreveport, Louisiana.
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♪ ♪
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I was the youngest
of eight kids.
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I never knew my father.
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He passed away
when I was ten months old.
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♪ ♪
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My mother was
a registered nurse,
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and she packed up,
and she moved us here
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because she just wanted more
for her kids.
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As long as I can remember,
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my mother worked
from 11:00 at night
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to 7:00 a. m. in the morning.
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‐ It was very important
for her to be there
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when we woke up
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and to be there when we came
home from school every day
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and to make sure
that we were fed,
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that we did our homework,
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and that we were in the bed
before she left, so...
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That graveyard shift can be
very, very tough,
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but my mom did it,
and she did it for us.
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We had four girls, four boys,
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and some of the older ones
were already out of the house
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when we moved to Houston,
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but she was still a single
parent with a full household.
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My older brother, Lash,
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others know him
as Stevie Ray,
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his wrestling name.
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Booker T, myself,
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the three of us
were all three years apart,
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so we were the closest,
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and all three of us
were the youngest.
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‐ Sports was always
in the equation,
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and my brother would
always play football
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with me and my friends.
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For some reason or another,
he wanted to play with us.
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‐ Whatever Lash wanted to do,
Junior wanted to do.
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Whenever we would get
new mattresses,
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Junior and Lash
would ask the old mattress,
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and they'd set it up
in the backyard
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and make a makeshift ring,
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and me and my niece,
we were guinea pigs
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for the sleeper hold.
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He did look up
to his big brother.
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♪ ♪
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My mom, not that she didn't
love all of us,
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but she loved Junior
'cause he was the baby.
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‐ He could cry for three hours
without stopping.
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Sometimes he'd cry so much,
you'd have to pay him to stop,
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and he'd get your money,
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and then when she come home,
he was crying again
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so he could plead his case.
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My mama would be,
"Oh, my baby, my baby,"
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and he'd be hugging her
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and looking over there
and winking at us.
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[laughs]
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‐ I was a mama's boy, yeah.
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I always said one day
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that I was gonna buy my mother
a big house,
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and she wasn't gonna
have to ever work again.
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I'd just lay on my mother
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and just listen
to her heartbeat.
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The relationship was very,
very special.
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♪ ♪
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‐ We had a attic fan,
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and for some reason,
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the attic fan
had stopped working.
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♪ ♪
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All my of my brothers
are older,
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and she had been trying
to get one of those guys
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to go up there and take
a look at it for the longest,
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and finally one day she said,
"I'll go and do it myself."
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♪ ♪
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She went up to the attic,
you know, to check it out.
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You know, she stepped
on the sheetrock,
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and she fell through the roof
to the floor.
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♪ ♪
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From that point on,
she always had back problems,
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and she had to have surgery.
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‐ She had the surgery.
She came through.
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Everything was fine.
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Her leg began to stiffen,
and she was in pain again,
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00:08:47.027 --> 00:08:48.987
and when she went back
to the doctor,
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they said that they needed
to go in again.
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‐ It was basically,
"I'm gonna go to the hospital.
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I'll be there a couple of days.
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Here's lunch money,"
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and you kiss your mom good‐bye.
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‐ Something happened,
complications,
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00:09:03.835 --> 00:09:05.462
and her heart stopped beating,
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and bam, 49 years old,
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my mother was gone, yeah.
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[somber piano music]
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♪ ♪
229
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We had lost our leader,
our rock, our provider,
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00:09:20.560 --> 00:09:22.854
our strength‐‐
we had lost that.
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♪ ♪
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Everything changed for me,
of course,
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00:09:26.649 --> 00:09:30.987
being a 13‐year‐old kid
with no parents.
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00:09:31.112 --> 00:09:33.823
I don't blame any of my sisters
and brothers
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00:09:33.907 --> 00:09:37.327
for not stepping up
and being, you know,
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00:09:37.410 --> 00:09:38.995
a father figure
or a mother figure,
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00:09:39.079 --> 00:09:44.250
and I don't think anybody
was prepared or equipped
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for the loss of my mother.
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No one was.
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‐ We were like little ants
without the queen.
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Everybody was just,
like, everywhere.
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‐ It kinda splintered
our family somewhat.
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00:09:57.931 --> 00:09:59.599
You know, I know it did me.
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00:09:59.682 --> 00:10:02.602
‐ And the younger kids,
Booker, Bonita,
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00:10:02.685 --> 00:10:04.646
that's all they knew,
was their mom.
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00:10:04.771 --> 00:10:07.649
‐ From a legal standpoint,
we were "orphans"
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00:10:07.774 --> 00:10:10.026
because we didn't have
a mother or father,
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00:10:10.151 --> 00:10:11.319
and we were both minors.
249
00:10:11.444 --> 00:10:13.029
[indistinct chatter]
250
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For a short period of time,
we did struggle
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00:10:17.826 --> 00:10:20.620
because we were basically
the two
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00:10:20.703 --> 00:10:24.833
that were left in the home
after my mom died.
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♪ ♪
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‐ So here's this kid at age 13
living with his sister
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00:10:29.379 --> 00:10:30.880
in a house that is abandoned.
256
00:10:31.005 --> 00:10:32.966
You know, the electricity's
being turned off now.
257
00:10:33.091 --> 00:10:34.759
It's becoming
a derelict house.
258
00:10:34.843 --> 00:10:36.052
They don't have any food.
259
00:10:36.177 --> 00:10:38.763
They have nowhere to go.
260
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‐ They kept the lights on as
long as they possibly could.
261
00:10:42.100 --> 00:10:46.437
They kept the water on as long
as they possibly could,
262
00:10:46.521 --> 00:10:49.983
and then no lights, no water,
no gas, no anything.
263
00:10:50.108 --> 00:10:51.901
♪ ♪
264
00:10:52.026 --> 00:10:53.820
It was a lot of scary nights
in the house,
265
00:10:53.903 --> 00:10:57.157
you know, with candles.
266
00:10:57.282 --> 00:11:00.702
We toughed it out
as long as we possibly could.
267
00:11:00.827 --> 00:11:03.496
The house got foreclosed on,
and the bank took it.
268
00:11:03.580 --> 00:11:05.331
My sister actually,
you know, took us in,
269
00:11:05.415 --> 00:11:07.959
and we were in a better place
as far as we had lights,
270
00:11:08.042 --> 00:11:09.460
and we had gas.
271
00:11:09.544 --> 00:11:12.005
We had water.
We had food.
272
00:11:12.130 --> 00:11:13.381
♪ ♪
273
00:11:13.464 --> 00:11:14.924
But we were still
in a environment
274
00:11:15.008 --> 00:11:17.177
that two kids
shouldn't have been in,
275
00:11:17.302 --> 00:11:21.181
wondering what was next.
276
00:11:21.306 --> 00:11:24.684
‐ Right now we're deep in
the heart of South Park, Texas,
277
00:11:24.809 --> 00:11:26.060
where I pretty much grew up
278
00:11:26.186 --> 00:11:29.939
and, I always say,
created all my dirt.
279
00:11:30.023 --> 00:11:32.150
The lifestyle that I led,
you know,
280
00:11:32.233 --> 00:11:33.776
was a little bit different
than most kids
281
00:11:33.860 --> 00:11:36.905
because, you know,
most kids were,
282
00:11:37.030 --> 00:11:38.573
you know,
thinking about getting home
283
00:11:38.698 --> 00:11:40.825
and going outside
284
00:11:40.950 --> 00:11:42.619
and playing with their buddies,
285
00:11:42.702 --> 00:11:45.747
and it was like that for me,
to a point,
286
00:11:45.872 --> 00:11:47.874
and then after
I lost my mother,
287
00:11:47.999 --> 00:11:50.627
things totally went
in another direction
288
00:11:50.752 --> 00:11:54.797
as far as
now I had to police myself.
289
00:11:54.881 --> 00:11:57.508
Now I had, you know,
peer pressure.
290
00:11:57.592 --> 00:12:00.094
In the neighborhood, the kid
on the corner's asking you,
291
00:12:00.178 --> 00:12:01.971
"Hey, man, you wanna smoke
some of this?"
292
00:12:02.096 --> 00:12:04.724
You know, and you go, "Yeah,
man, I'll smoke some of that,"
293
00:12:04.849 --> 00:12:07.435
and, you know‐‐and that's where
it all starts.
294
00:12:07.518 --> 00:12:10.438
[somber piano music]
295
00:12:10.521 --> 00:12:11.731
One of the first things I saw,
296
00:12:11.856 --> 00:12:13.441
actually,
we was at the car wash.
297
00:12:13.524 --> 00:12:14.984
A friend of mine
by the name of Ted,
298
00:12:15.068 --> 00:12:16.694
he was a kid
that I went to school with.
299
00:12:16.819 --> 00:12:18.196
So I'm getting into it
with another guy
300
00:12:18.321 --> 00:12:19.614
down at the car wash,
301
00:12:19.697 --> 00:12:21.532
and it was just gonna be
a regular fight,
302
00:12:21.658 --> 00:12:24.994
and next thing you know,
303
00:12:25.078 --> 00:12:27.830
Ted pulls out a gun
and boom, shoots the kid,
304
00:12:27.956 --> 00:12:31.584
and then the kid's friend
pulls out a shotgun,
305
00:12:31.668 --> 00:12:34.295
boom, and kills Ted.
306
00:12:34.379 --> 00:12:37.006
So as a kid, you know,
seeing stuff like that,
307
00:12:37.131 --> 00:12:38.466
you just wonder, man,
you know,
308
00:12:38.591 --> 00:12:40.802
what is life all about,
you know?
309
00:12:40.927 --> 00:12:44.264
What are we here for,
and how long are we here for?
310
00:12:44.347 --> 00:12:46.766
Life in the neighborhood.
311
00:12:46.849 --> 00:12:48.893
I could pretty much do
whatever I wanted to do.
312
00:12:48.977 --> 00:12:50.395
I didn't have to think
about going to school
313
00:12:50.520 --> 00:12:52.313
if I didn't want
to go to school.
314
00:12:52.397 --> 00:12:55.441
I would just stay at home
or just go somewhere else.
315
00:12:55.525 --> 00:12:57.819
♪ ♪
316
00:12:57.902 --> 00:12:59.654
Who was gonna tell me
it was wrong?
317
00:12:59.737 --> 00:13:00.780
No one.
318
00:13:00.863 --> 00:13:02.365
Who knew I was at school
or not?
319
00:13:02.448 --> 00:13:05.326
No one. Who cared?
No one.
320
00:13:05.451 --> 00:13:07.787
When you find yourself
in that position,
321
00:13:07.870 --> 00:13:09.831
you start doing things
a young kid
322
00:13:09.956 --> 00:13:13.793
definitely shouldn't have
been doing...
323
00:13:13.876 --> 00:13:16.045
Going out and partying,
drugs,
324
00:13:16.170 --> 00:13:19.632
hanging out till 4:00 in the
morning out on the waterfront,
325
00:13:19.757 --> 00:13:23.011
watching the ladies
of the night.
326
00:13:23.136 --> 00:13:25.555
Things changed in
the neighborhood, South Park,
327
00:13:25.680 --> 00:13:27.181
but, you know, nothing,
328
00:13:27.265 --> 00:13:29.600
nothing like when I start
coming in this area right here.
329
00:13:29.684 --> 00:13:31.936
It's called
the waterfront area, you know?
330
00:13:32.020 --> 00:13:33.938
The docks is not too far
from here.
331
00:13:34.022 --> 00:13:36.107
Everybody would frequent
this area, you know?
332
00:13:36.190 --> 00:13:38.651
Especially on Friday nights
after they got paid.
333
00:13:38.693 --> 00:13:40.987
Prostitutes, gambling,
334
00:13:41.070 --> 00:13:42.655
you'd see gambling
on the corner.
335
00:13:42.739 --> 00:13:44.991
The drug scene, the needles,
336
00:13:45.116 --> 00:13:47.994
that's what I remember more
than anything, is the needles.
337
00:13:48.077 --> 00:13:49.829
‐ ♪ Talking about Slick ♪
‐ ♪ Slick ♪
338
00:13:49.912 --> 00:13:52.081
‐ Listening to
some Willie Hutch,
339
00:13:52.165 --> 00:13:53.708
some of the pieces of music
340
00:13:53.791 --> 00:13:56.669
went hand in hand
with the game.
341
00:13:56.753 --> 00:13:58.713
‐ ♪ Walking fast,
talking trash ♪
342
00:13:58.838 --> 00:14:00.631
♪ Trying to beat you
out your cash ♪
343
00:14:00.757 --> 00:14:02.258
♪ Who is he? ♪
344
00:14:02.342 --> 00:14:04.093
♪ They call him Slick ♪
‐ ♪ Slick ♪
345
00:14:04.177 --> 00:14:05.762
‐ They sit out here,
and they‐‐they'll gamble,
346
00:14:05.845 --> 00:14:07.305
and they'll loiter,
347
00:14:07.388 --> 00:14:08.431
and they'll try to make
their drug sales.
348
00:14:08.514 --> 00:14:10.183
‐ 35, it's on a 21.
349
00:14:10.308 --> 00:14:12.268
‐ ♪ They call him Slick ♪
‐ ♪ Slick ♪
350
00:14:12.352 --> 00:14:14.771
‐ ♪ Now Slick ain't got
no regrets ♪
351
00:14:14.854 --> 00:14:16.189
♪ Slick ain't got no sorrow ♪
352
00:14:16.314 --> 00:14:18.608
♪ If he don't get you today ♪
353
00:14:18.691 --> 00:14:19.984
‐ I knew I didn't want
to do drugs.
354
00:14:20.068 --> 00:14:21.527
I knew I didn't want to be
a pimp.
355
00:14:21.611 --> 00:14:23.154
I knew I didn't want to have
that lifestyle.
356
00:14:23.237 --> 00:14:25.865
‐ ♪ They call him Slick ♪
357
00:14:25.990 --> 00:14:28.159
‐ I knew I didn't want
to do that,
358
00:14:28.242 --> 00:14:30.328
but I was right
in the middle of it.
359
00:14:30.411 --> 00:14:33.289
♪ ♪
360
00:14:33.373 --> 00:14:35.375
‐ Booker just kinda fell
through the cracks.
361
00:14:35.500 --> 00:14:38.378
I mean, here's a kid
that was literally on his own,
362
00:14:38.461 --> 00:14:39.962
and then he ends up
getting a job
363
00:14:40.046 --> 00:14:41.714
with sweeping the floors
in a heroin den,
364
00:14:41.798 --> 00:14:43.925
and it doubled as a brothel.
365
00:14:44.008 --> 00:14:45.176
He's trying to survive.
366
00:14:45.301 --> 00:14:47.345
He's trying to live
till tomorrow.
367
00:14:47.470 --> 00:14:49.305
‐ I had no ambitions.
368
00:14:49.347 --> 00:14:51.015
I was in that whirlwind,
369
00:14:51.099 --> 00:14:52.892
and it was spinning,
370
00:14:53.017 --> 00:14:55.686
and where it stopped,
that's where I was gonna go.
371
00:14:55.812 --> 00:14:57.146
‐ When you have that mind‐set
372
00:14:57.230 --> 00:14:58.564
and you're stuck
in that position,
373
00:14:58.689 --> 00:15:00.274
you do things that are‐‐
374
00:15:00.358 --> 00:15:02.443
you look back and say, "Well,
that was a terrible decision."
375
00:15:02.527 --> 00:15:05.947
♪ ♪
376
00:15:06.030 --> 00:15:08.324
‐ You just start making
your own rules,
377
00:15:08.408 --> 00:15:10.952
whether those rules
are right or wrong.
378
00:15:11.035 --> 00:15:13.704
You just start making them,
and that's what I did.
379
00:15:13.830 --> 00:15:15.665
I remember hanging out
with my buddies,
380
00:15:15.748 --> 00:15:17.500
and they became my family,
381
00:15:17.583 --> 00:15:20.878
and we started writing
our own blueprints.
382
00:15:21.003 --> 00:15:23.798
‐ So when he sees an option
to deal a little pot
383
00:15:23.881 --> 00:15:26.968
or rob a good‐‐
a fast food restaurant,
384
00:15:27.051 --> 00:15:28.428
of course he's gonna do it.
385
00:15:28.511 --> 00:15:33.057
‐ The robbery, the incident,
the way it started.
386
00:15:33.141 --> 00:15:35.476
It was myself,
a friend of mine, Zachary,
387
00:15:35.560 --> 00:15:37.854
a friend that I grew up with,
Wendell.
388
00:15:37.979 --> 00:15:39.647
We worked at Wendy's.
389
00:15:39.730 --> 00:15:41.274
There was this one manager
390
00:15:41.357 --> 00:15:44.068
who just used to give us
a hard time all the time.
391
00:15:44.193 --> 00:15:45.820
We were talking about it
one day,
392
00:15:45.945 --> 00:15:47.822
"Man, we should rob him."
393
00:15:47.905 --> 00:15:50.032
We did it,
and we got away with it,
394
00:15:50.158 --> 00:15:51.951
the store
that we actually worked at.
395
00:15:52.034 --> 00:15:54.537
Then we did it again,
396
00:15:54.620 --> 00:15:56.164
and we got away with it.
397
00:15:56.289 --> 00:15:58.666
Somebody said, "Hey, man,
when we going out again?
398
00:15:58.791 --> 00:16:01.669
Let's do it."
399
00:16:01.752 --> 00:16:03.296
We got away with it again.
400
00:16:03.421 --> 00:16:06.966
It was like we weren't
ever gonna get caught.
401
00:16:07.008 --> 00:16:09.093
And we saw it on the news,
and we was like,
402
00:16:09.177 --> 00:16:10.678
"Man, this thing
is getting crazy.
403
00:16:10.761 --> 00:16:11.804
You know,
we getting really big."
404
00:16:11.929 --> 00:16:13.806
We were like rock stars then.
405
00:16:13.890 --> 00:16:16.434
It was like cat and mouse,
406
00:16:16.517 --> 00:16:17.977
catch me if you can.
407
00:16:18.019 --> 00:16:19.645
It's hard to understand
how do you think
408
00:16:19.770 --> 00:16:21.731
you know more than the cops.
409
00:16:21.856 --> 00:16:24.484
[laughs]
That's their job.
410
00:16:24.609 --> 00:16:26.277
They were‐‐they would
come to the office.
411
00:16:26.360 --> 00:16:29.530
Only thing they'd do
is sit around and investigate
412
00:16:29.614 --> 00:16:33.201
and try to figure out how
to catch someone doing wrong.
413
00:16:33.284 --> 00:16:36.120
♪ ♪
414
00:16:36.204 --> 00:16:38.289
I was coming home
to my apartment.
415
00:16:38.372 --> 00:16:42.251
I came around the corner,
and I saw no one.
416
00:16:42.335 --> 00:16:44.462
It was so quiet that night,
417
00:16:44.504 --> 00:16:45.963
and I just remember, man,
418
00:16:46.088 --> 00:16:49.258
just something does not
feel right at all.
419
00:16:49.342 --> 00:16:52.470
And literally
10, 15, 20 people came out
420
00:16:52.553 --> 00:16:53.721
at the same time.
421
00:16:53.846 --> 00:16:57.266
[siren wailing]
422
00:16:57.350 --> 00:16:59.852
They all had guns, and they
were all pointing at me.
423
00:16:59.936 --> 00:17:04.899
♪ ♪
424
00:17:05.024 --> 00:17:06.692
[siren wails]
425
00:17:06.817 --> 00:17:09.320
That ride from 45 and 610
426
00:17:09.362 --> 00:17:12.156
to downtown Houston
to the county jail,
427
00:17:12.281 --> 00:17:15.576
that was the longest ride
I ever had.
428
00:17:15.701 --> 00:17:18.538
[desolate music]
429
00:17:18.663 --> 00:17:22.041
♪ ♪
430
00:17:22.166 --> 00:17:25.503
I was in Harris County
for about eight months.
431
00:17:25.586 --> 00:17:27.004
I sat in that jail
432
00:17:27.088 --> 00:17:28.756
waiting on whether I was
either gonna go to trial
433
00:17:28.839 --> 00:17:30.299
or I was gonna take a plea,
434
00:17:30.383 --> 00:17:31.801
and I was gonna take a plea.
435
00:17:31.884 --> 00:17:35.054
I knew I was wrong.
I knew I was guilty.
436
00:17:35.179 --> 00:17:37.223
I knew I would have been
convicted very, very easily.
437
00:17:37.348 --> 00:17:40.434
I took the sentence,
which was five years.
438
00:17:40.518 --> 00:17:43.312
♪ ♪
439
00:17:43.354 --> 00:17:46.607
I had to go a place
called Pack 2.
440
00:17:46.691 --> 00:17:49.485
It was in Navasota, Texas.
441
00:17:49.610 --> 00:17:52.488
I remember seeing a chain gang
on television.
442
00:17:52.572 --> 00:17:54.323
I didn't think
that was a real thing.
443
00:17:54.448 --> 00:17:55.783
I thought it was just
something that was outdated
444
00:17:55.866 --> 00:17:58.286
or in the past,
445
00:17:58.369 --> 00:18:01.664
but we really had to wake up
early in the morning
446
00:18:01.747 --> 00:18:03.499
and get on the back
of this big truck,
447
00:18:03.624 --> 00:18:07.920
and we would go to literally
just clear a field.
448
00:18:08.004 --> 00:18:10.965
[dramatic music]
449
00:18:11.007 --> 00:18:14.969
♪ ♪
450
00:18:15.052 --> 00:18:17.471
And we would do it
pretty much by hand,
451
00:18:17.555 --> 00:18:21.017
pulling up stumps,
and it was for hours.
452
00:18:21.142 --> 00:18:22.518
And I'm like,
"Man, this is real.
453
00:18:22.602 --> 00:18:24.353
This is as real
as it get right here."
454
00:18:24.437 --> 00:18:27.982
It was a education
for me as well.
455
00:18:28.024 --> 00:18:31.277
I got a chance to get my GED.
456
00:18:31.360 --> 00:18:33.362
I wanted to go to school.
I wanted to learn more.
457
00:18:33.487 --> 00:18:36.115
I wanted to be able
to teach myself.
458
00:18:36.198 --> 00:18:39.160
I got a chance to work
on the laundry, you know,
459
00:18:39.201 --> 00:18:41.203
and doing detail
from that perspective,
460
00:18:41.329 --> 00:18:42.663
learning about myself,
461
00:18:42.705 --> 00:18:44.707
atone for my mistake
and, you know,
462
00:18:44.832 --> 00:18:46.792
try to move on in life.
463
00:18:46.876 --> 00:18:48.377
‐ I never went to visit him
464
00:18:48.461 --> 00:18:52.590
because I never wanted
to see him locked up.
465
00:18:52.673 --> 00:18:54.133
♪ ♪
466
00:18:54.216 --> 00:18:56.719
We kept in touch via letter.
467
00:18:56.802 --> 00:18:58.638
♪ ♪
468
00:18:58.763 --> 00:19:02.308
In those letters he talked
about his regrets,
469
00:19:02.391 --> 00:19:04.977
his dreams, and his goals.
470
00:19:05.061 --> 00:19:09.565
♪ ♪
471
00:19:09.690 --> 00:19:12.943
"I've made the mistake.
I own up to it.
472
00:19:13.027 --> 00:19:14.570
I'm gonna do my time,
473
00:19:14.695 --> 00:19:17.573
and I'm gonna come out
and do better."
474
00:19:17.698 --> 00:19:21.952
I remember talking to him
about stick to the goals
475
00:19:22.036 --> 00:19:23.412
and not just the dreams
476
00:19:23.537 --> 00:19:25.498
because dreams
you have to wake up from.
477
00:19:25.539 --> 00:19:28.417
‐ He needed to stand on his own
two feet and be a man,
478
00:19:28.501 --> 00:19:33.172
so he was in the penitentiary
for 19 months,
479
00:19:33.255 --> 00:19:36.425
and then he came up
for parole.
480
00:19:36.509 --> 00:19:38.886
‐ "Booker T."
"Yeah?"
481
00:19:38.969 --> 00:19:42.473
They go,
"You're out of here."
482
00:19:42.556 --> 00:19:44.767
I was like, "Oh, man,
you kidding me, right?"
483
00:19:44.850 --> 00:19:46.602
You know, he's like,
"No, man, you're out of here.
484
00:19:46.686 --> 00:19:47.978
Get your stuff."
485
00:19:48.062 --> 00:19:50.147
When I left that prison wall,
there was‐‐
486
00:19:50.231 --> 00:19:52.316
there was this one guard.
487
00:19:52.400 --> 00:19:53.776
He was sitting
on his big horse,
488
00:19:53.859 --> 00:19:56.445
had this big cowboy hat on,
489
00:19:56.529 --> 00:20:00.074
and he said, "I'll see you
when you get back,"
490
00:20:00.199 --> 00:20:03.661
and got my 200 bucks.
491
00:20:03.744 --> 00:20:05.496
♪ ♪
492
00:20:05.579 --> 00:20:09.417
They put me on that Greyhound
and sent me back to Houston.
493
00:20:09.542 --> 00:20:12.128
Life was what I was gonna
make it from that point on.
494
00:20:14.964 --> 00:20:16.590
♪ ♪
495
00:20:16.674 --> 00:20:18.217
‐ One thing that you‐‐
when you got out,
496
00:20:18.342 --> 00:20:20.010
you wanted to get your son
Brandon back.
497
00:20:20.094 --> 00:20:22.179
You didn't have the money
in the bank,
498
00:20:22.263 --> 00:20:25.558
so you pulled one last heist.
499
00:20:25.641 --> 00:20:29.437
♪ ♪
500
00:20:29.520 --> 00:20:32.481
‐ I was a kid when Brandon
was born myself.
501
00:20:32.606 --> 00:20:33.607
I was 17.
502
00:20:33.691 --> 00:20:36.360
His mom and I,
we never was anticipating
503
00:20:36.485 --> 00:20:38.112
on getting married
or anything like that.
504
00:20:38.195 --> 00:20:42.158
It was two kids
having a kid, you know,
505
00:20:42.199 --> 00:20:44.160
not knowing anything
about life.
506
00:20:44.243 --> 00:20:46.495
When I ended up
going to prison,
507
00:20:46.620 --> 00:20:49.331
she was on drugs
really, really bad,
508
00:20:49.415 --> 00:20:53.294
and that's when the CPS
came into play and took him,
509
00:20:53.419 --> 00:20:56.422
and from that point on,
he was in foster care.
510
00:20:56.505 --> 00:20:59.008
I wouldn't say I abandoned him
or anything like that,
511
00:20:59.133 --> 00:21:03.012
but I definitely wasn't a dad
or a father in the beginning.
512
00:21:03.137 --> 00:21:04.680
♪ ♪
513
00:21:04.805 --> 00:21:06.974
Was I gonna leave my son
in foster care,
514
00:21:07.099 --> 00:21:10.644
or was I gonna go through
the system and get him out?
515
00:21:10.728 --> 00:21:12.396
And it was
a very simple answer.
516
00:21:12.480 --> 00:21:14.148
My mother raised eight kids.
517
00:21:14.231 --> 00:21:16.734
How could I look at myself in
the mirror and not raise one?
518
00:21:16.859 --> 00:21:19.195
When I came home, I was‐‐
519
00:21:19.320 --> 00:21:22.156
I got paroled
to my sister's house,
520
00:21:22.198 --> 00:21:25.242
and, you know,
521
00:21:25.367 --> 00:21:27.703
she was still in the game
selling weed.
522
00:21:27.828 --> 00:21:29.705
My sister's dealer, you know,
he was supplying,
523
00:21:29.830 --> 00:21:32.875
you know, 5 pounds here,
5 pounds there,
524
00:21:32.958 --> 00:21:37.421
and, you know, one night I knew
where the stash house was,
525
00:21:37.505 --> 00:21:38.923
and it was about 5 pounds.
526
00:21:39.006 --> 00:21:41.967
I crept in.
527
00:21:42.051 --> 00:21:43.636
I got all of it.
528
00:21:43.761 --> 00:21:45.346
I got out of there.
529
00:21:45.471 --> 00:21:47.014
‐ You stole from
a drug dealer?
530
00:21:47.139 --> 00:21:50.142
‐ I stole from
the drug dealers, and‐‐
531
00:21:50.226 --> 00:21:51.310
‐ But for the right reasons.
532
00:21:51.393 --> 00:21:52.478
You wanted to get
your son back.
533
00:21:52.603 --> 00:21:53.646
‐ It was for the right reasons.
534
00:21:53.729 --> 00:21:55.272
‐ You gotta have money
in the bank.
535
00:21:55.356 --> 00:21:57.233
‐ I needed money,
and‐‐and I needed it quick,
536
00:21:57.358 --> 00:21:59.318
and I just needed a platform,
537
00:21:59.401 --> 00:22:01.737
a springboard
to get out of that life.
538
00:22:01.862 --> 00:22:03.489
But I still needed
a little bit more help,
539
00:22:03.614 --> 00:22:05.157
and that's where
my brother came in.
540
00:22:05.199 --> 00:22:07.451
I asked my brother, you know,
for a little bit of help.
541
00:22:07.535 --> 00:22:09.245
I said, "I actually need you
to help me get a job."
542
00:22:09.370 --> 00:22:11.497
‐ You gotta get out
of this environment
543
00:22:11.622 --> 00:22:15.751
if you want to
be something in life,
544
00:22:15.835 --> 00:22:18.420
and that's pretty much
the conversation that we had.
545
00:22:18.504 --> 00:22:21.298
I'd been put in a position
to help him,
546
00:22:21.382 --> 00:22:22.633
and that's what I did,
547
00:22:22.758 --> 00:22:24.468
but it's up to you
to make it work.
548
00:22:24.593 --> 00:22:27.638
‐ First job he got me
was a security guard.
549
00:22:27.763 --> 00:22:29.890
[laughs]
550
00:22:30.015 --> 00:22:32.726
Fresh out of prison, he get me
a job as a security guard.
551
00:22:32.852 --> 00:22:35.855
And at the time my brother
actually let me stay with him.
552
00:22:35.980 --> 00:22:37.982
I had to prove
to the court system
553
00:22:38.107 --> 00:22:39.859
that I was worthy
of being a dad,
554
00:22:39.984 --> 00:22:40.818
and it took me about a year.
555
00:22:40.901 --> 00:22:42.194
You know, certain days,
556
00:22:42.278 --> 00:22:43.404
I had to make sure
I was there,
557
00:22:43.529 --> 00:22:44.363
keep a steady job,
558
00:22:44.488 --> 00:22:46.407
and I showed them that.
559
00:22:46.532 --> 00:22:48.325
They ended up granting me
full custody
560
00:22:48.409 --> 00:22:50.369
when Brandon
was five years old.
561
00:22:50.494 --> 00:22:51.871
We didn't have a lot.
562
00:22:51.954 --> 00:22:53.789
We had each other,
and we had our dog.
563
00:22:53.873 --> 00:22:57.209
We had our apartment,
and I had a job.
564
00:22:57.334 --> 00:22:58.627
Working that security job,
you know,
565
00:22:58.752 --> 00:23:00.462
it only lasted
for a few months,
566
00:23:00.588 --> 00:23:02.631
and then they found out
about my prison record.
567
00:23:02.715 --> 00:23:04.800
They told my brother that they
was gonna have to let me go,
568
00:23:04.925 --> 00:23:06.468
but the guy
that I had worked for,
569
00:23:06.552 --> 00:23:08.178
his name's Bruce Gasarch,
570
00:23:08.304 --> 00:23:10.431
saw me as a‐‐as a human being,
571
00:23:10.514 --> 00:23:12.308
and he saw my character.
572
00:23:12.391 --> 00:23:14.727
‐ I saw how hard he worked
and tried.
573
00:23:14.852 --> 00:23:16.645
We found another job for him.
574
00:23:16.729 --> 00:23:18.981
One of the properties
we bought was a mini storage,
575
00:23:19.106 --> 00:23:22.610
and he ended up helping me
run that property,
576
00:23:22.693 --> 00:23:25.654
leasing new tenants,
cleaning up the property,
577
00:23:25.738 --> 00:23:28.324
making sure that people
have paid their rent.
578
00:23:28.407 --> 00:23:29.825
‐ I was working for Bruce,
579
00:23:29.909 --> 00:23:31.619
and my brother, he was like,
"Hey, man,
580
00:23:31.702 --> 00:23:32.953
I know this guy
opening a wrestling school.
581
00:23:33.037 --> 00:23:34.330
You want to try it out?"
582
00:23:34.371 --> 00:23:35.998
‐ I'm Ivan Putski.
583
00:23:36.123 --> 00:23:38.000
If you've got what it takes
to be a professional wrestler,
584
00:23:38.125 --> 00:23:39.627
let me show you the ropes.
585
00:23:39.752 --> 00:23:42.796
You do what you like,
and I loved wrestling.
586
00:23:42.880 --> 00:23:45.424
Ivan Putski's Professional
School of Wrestling,
587
00:23:45.507 --> 00:23:48.802
that drew‐‐
"Hey, I watched him on TV."
588
00:23:48.886 --> 00:23:50.721
People would read that,
and they came in.
589
00:23:50.846 --> 00:23:53.140
‐ I'm like, "Hey, man,
you doing it,
590
00:23:53.265 --> 00:23:55.643
I'll try it out too," you know?
591
00:23:55.768 --> 00:23:58.646
Since I was a kid,
whatever my brother was doing,
592
00:23:58.729 --> 00:24:00.606
I wanted to be a part of it.
593
00:24:00.689 --> 00:24:04.652
We was like a tag team even
before we were a tag team.
594
00:24:04.777 --> 00:24:07.947
Wrestling school was $4,000.
595
00:24:08.030 --> 00:24:11.659
I knew I didn't have the money
for it, but I was blessed.
596
00:24:11.742 --> 00:24:15.079
My boss, he sponsored me
to go to the wrestling school.
597
00:24:15.204 --> 00:24:17.498
‐ He wanted to do something
to improve himself.
598
00:24:17.539 --> 00:24:20.292
You want to improve yourself
and I can help, I will.
599
00:24:20.417 --> 00:24:23.087
I had the money available,
so I helped,
600
00:24:23.170 --> 00:24:24.922
and if you're willing
to take a little chance,
601
00:24:25.005 --> 00:24:26.674
sometimes it pays off.
602
00:24:26.799 --> 00:24:28.133
♪ ♪
603
00:24:28.217 --> 00:24:31.679
‐ When Booker T and
his brother first arrived,
604
00:24:31.804 --> 00:24:35.391
they didn't know a thing
about wrestling.
605
00:24:35.516 --> 00:24:38.435
I mean, they were just green.
606
00:24:38.519 --> 00:24:42.231
I just showed them
how to get the holds on you,
607
00:24:42.356 --> 00:24:45.651
the bumps and the slams,
throw punches.
608
00:24:45.776 --> 00:24:47.403
I taught them
how to take their fall
609
00:24:47.528 --> 00:24:49.154
and how you protect yourself.
610
00:24:49.238 --> 00:24:51.991
Then we blend in
their personality.
611
00:24:52.074 --> 00:24:55.077
‐ Scott Casey was
the main trainer there.
612
00:24:55.202 --> 00:24:56.412
Ivan opened the school,
613
00:24:56.537 --> 00:24:58.080
but Scott Casey
opened our minds.
614
00:24:58.205 --> 00:25:02.292
We went 7:00 to 10:00
Monday through Friday
615
00:25:02.376 --> 00:25:05.045
for, like, three months
straight.
616
00:25:05.170 --> 00:25:07.589
This is what I'm clapping
on somebody's head
617
00:25:07.673 --> 00:25:10.467
and make it pop,
goes the weasel.
618
00:25:10.551 --> 00:25:11.969
♪ ♪
619
00:25:12.094 --> 00:25:13.887
And after that,
they give you a certificate.
620
00:25:14.013 --> 00:25:16.473
It's kind of like these online
gimmicks that you have today,
621
00:25:16.557 --> 00:25:17.891
you know what I'm saying?
622
00:25:18.017 --> 00:25:19.643
In 90 days,
I'm a professional wrestler,
623
00:25:19.685 --> 00:25:20.644
you know what I'm saying?
624
00:25:20.728 --> 00:25:22.980
So it's like, wow.
625
00:25:23.063 --> 00:25:25.941
‐ Booker was what you called
a natural.
626
00:25:26.025 --> 00:25:28.360
He caught on so fast.
627
00:25:28.485 --> 00:25:29.862
‐ [shouts]
628
00:25:29.987 --> 00:25:31.989
Come on! Get up!
629
00:25:32.072 --> 00:25:34.158
[shouting]
630
00:25:34.241 --> 00:25:36.702
I always wanted to be
the best student,
631
00:25:36.827 --> 00:25:39.246
you know, in the school,
so I would go and push myself.
632
00:25:39.371 --> 00:25:40.831
‐ Get up! Get up!
633
00:25:40.956 --> 00:25:42.458
[shouting]
634
00:25:42.541 --> 00:25:44.084
‐ I would run the ropes
for five minutes
635
00:25:44.168 --> 00:25:45.794
and I literally pushed myself
636
00:25:45.878 --> 00:25:47.463
farther than anyone
in there
637
00:25:47.588 --> 00:25:49.048
could ever think about
pushing me.
638
00:25:49.173 --> 00:25:50.632
[shouting]
639
00:25:50.758 --> 00:25:53.635
‐ Man, I got a jewel here.
640
00:25:53.719 --> 00:25:55.929
‐ Notice how I concentrate
mainly on the sweep.
641
00:25:56.013 --> 00:25:57.264
‐ Right.
642
00:25:57.347 --> 00:25:59.600
‐ We're pumping up
these massive quads,
643
00:25:59.683 --> 00:26:03.771
as the G.I. Bro
can only do oh, so well.
644
00:26:03.854 --> 00:26:06.482
[grunts]
645
00:26:06.565 --> 00:26:07.983
I was working
at the warehouse,
646
00:26:08.108 --> 00:26:10.652
and I had to clean up
one of the units.
647
00:26:10.778 --> 00:26:12.154
There was a old army
hat in there,
648
00:26:12.279 --> 00:26:13.906
and I was like,
"Oh, man, I like this hat,"
649
00:26:14.031 --> 00:26:16.366
and I went to practice,
and I wore the hat.
650
00:26:16.492 --> 00:26:19.161
Ivan Putski goes,
"That's who you are.
651
00:26:19.244 --> 00:26:21.205
From now on, you're G.I. Bro,"
652
00:26:21.330 --> 00:26:23.832
and I go, "G.I. Bro?
653
00:26:23.957 --> 00:26:25.793
All right, I like that.
It's pretty cool."
654
00:26:25.918 --> 00:26:27.211
♪ ♪
655
00:26:27.336 --> 00:26:29.630
Right after we finished
the course, actually,
656
00:26:29.755 --> 00:26:31.131
by the grace of God,
657
00:26:31.215 --> 00:26:34.009
Ivan Putski had
local television here.
658
00:26:34.134 --> 00:26:36.011
‐ Precious Johnny Valiant,
watching just like all you
659
00:26:36.136 --> 00:26:38.138
other fans
out here of the WWA,
660
00:26:38.180 --> 00:26:40.808
a local favorite here
in Houston, Texas, G.I. Bro.
661
00:26:40.933 --> 00:26:42.518
This guy is very charismatic.
662
00:26:42.643 --> 00:26:43.811
‐ G.I. Bro.
663
00:26:43.894 --> 00:26:45.646
‐ G.I. Brother, G.I. gravy.
664
00:26:45.771 --> 00:26:47.940
‐ Cranking it up.
Yeah, count him out.
665
00:26:48.023 --> 00:26:49.483
‐ Oh.
‐ Did he get him?
666
00:26:49.608 --> 00:26:53.445
Yes, he did.
Control. G.I. Bro.
667
00:26:53.529 --> 00:26:56.115
‐ I got a chance to wrestle
in the Sam Houston Coliseum,
668
00:26:56.198 --> 00:26:59.326
you know, eight weeks
out of wrestling school.
669
00:26:59.409 --> 00:27:01.328
I remember after
I started wrestling,
670
00:27:01.411 --> 00:27:03.872
I had to take payrolls
to the bank,
671
00:27:03.997 --> 00:27:06.291
and they go,
"Hey, aren't you G.I. Bro?"
672
00:27:06.375 --> 00:27:09.128
and I was like,
"Yeah, I'm G.I. Bro," you know?
673
00:27:09.211 --> 00:27:11.046
'Cause they're watching me
on television.
674
00:27:11.171 --> 00:27:14.341
‐ Everybody's favorite,
G.I. Bro.
675
00:27:14.424 --> 00:27:15.801
The G.I. Bro.
676
00:27:15.884 --> 00:27:18.804
♪ ♪
677
00:27:18.929 --> 00:27:20.806
‐ The kids, they would‐‐
they would just mob me,
678
00:27:20.931 --> 00:27:22.558
and they would just‐‐you know?
679
00:27:22.683 --> 00:27:24.977
And I was like,
"Man, what is going on here?"
680
00:27:25.060 --> 00:27:27.104
I got a new haircut.
Would you like to see it, man?
681
00:27:27.187 --> 00:27:28.355
‐ Yeah, I want to see it.
682
00:27:28.438 --> 00:27:30.274
All right.
‐ G.I. Bro.
683
00:27:30.357 --> 00:27:33.277
G.I. Bro's my name, and beating
people up is my game.
684
00:27:33.360 --> 00:27:35.279
Look in my eyes.
685
00:27:35.362 --> 00:27:38.532
That's when I'm gonna declare
World War III on you,
686
00:27:38.657 --> 00:27:41.076
and thank you [inaudible].
I'm a demon.
687
00:27:41.201 --> 00:27:42.202
[shouts]
688
00:27:42.327 --> 00:27:43.537
♪ ♪
689
00:27:43.662 --> 00:27:46.081
I don't think
I was ever asked one time
690
00:27:46.206 --> 00:27:48.959
what I want to be when I grow
up as a kid.
691
00:27:49.042 --> 00:27:51.086
I don't think
I was ever asked that once.
692
00:27:51.170 --> 00:27:54.131
Then I found myself
through wrestling.
693
00:27:54.256 --> 00:27:55.549
It was an escape.
694
00:27:55.674 --> 00:27:57.676
It was something
that I could do,
695
00:27:57.801 --> 00:28:00.137
and I could do it very well,
696
00:28:00.262 --> 00:28:02.764
♪ ♪
697
00:28:02.848 --> 00:28:07.644
Put my boots on and become
like a superhero for a moment.
698
00:28:07.728 --> 00:28:09.354
I realized I had something.
699
00:28:09.479 --> 00:28:12.691
I had a connection,
700
00:28:12.816 --> 00:28:15.152
and I was like,
"Wow, this is so cool,"
701
00:28:15.235 --> 00:28:18.447
and I had so much fun
finding myself
702
00:28:18.530 --> 00:28:25.537
as far as
possibly who I could be
703
00:28:25.662 --> 00:28:28.290
‐ After the Western Wrestling
Alliance closed down,
704
00:28:28.373 --> 00:28:31.877
Booker T and his brother
went to work for TAP,
705
00:28:32.002 --> 00:28:33.462
Texas All‐Pro Wrestling.
706
00:28:33.587 --> 00:28:36.256
I got Stevie Ray in an issue
707
00:28:36.340 --> 00:28:38.300
of "Wrestling Main Event"
magazine,
708
00:28:38.425 --> 00:28:39.968
and he got noticed,
709
00:28:40.093 --> 00:28:43.263
people up in Dallas
at the GWF, Global Wrestling.
710
00:28:43.347 --> 00:28:45.015
Skandor Akbar called him
711
00:28:45.140 --> 00:28:47.100
and wanted him to come up
to Dallas,
712
00:28:47.184 --> 00:28:48.727
and him and his brother
went up there,
713
00:28:48.852 --> 00:28:51.813
and Akbar
and "Hot Stuff" Eddie Gilbert
714
00:28:51.939 --> 00:28:53.941
took a liking to them
right off the bat.
715
00:28:54.024 --> 00:28:55.984
‐ They wanted to give
my brother a try‐out,
716
00:28:56.109 --> 00:28:57.986
and my brother
was going to Dallas,
717
00:28:58.070 --> 00:29:00.989
and of course, jumped in
the car, and I rode with him.
718
00:29:01.114 --> 00:29:02.908
‐ We finally walk into
Eddie Gilbert's office,
719
00:29:03.033 --> 00:29:05.077
and Eddie Gilbert was like,
"Who's that?"
720
00:29:05.202 --> 00:29:06.870
and I was like,
"Oh, that's my brother."
721
00:29:06.995 --> 00:29:08.163
‐ He goes, "Is he a worker?"
722
00:29:08.288 --> 00:29:10.040
and he goes,
"Yeah, he's a worker."
723
00:29:10.165 --> 00:29:12.626
He goes, "Have you guys
ever done any tag team?"
724
00:29:12.709 --> 00:29:15.087
and we go, "Yeah."
725
00:29:15.170 --> 00:29:16.546
‐ We were lying.
726
00:29:16.672 --> 00:29:18.257
We had never tagged together
before, ever,
727
00:29:18.340 --> 00:29:20.884
but we had tagged
against each other before.
728
00:29:21.009 --> 00:29:24.721
That's what we were saying.
We have tagged together, so.
729
00:29:24.846 --> 00:29:26.181
In that sense, I wasn't lying.
730
00:29:26.306 --> 00:29:28.475
‐ Boom,
that's how we got started
731
00:29:28.558 --> 00:29:31.895
in the Global Wrestling
Federation, just by accident.
732
00:29:31.979 --> 00:29:34.564
There was this wrestler
back in the day.
733
00:29:34.690 --> 00:29:35.983
His name was Mr. Ebony.
734
00:29:36.066 --> 00:29:37.442
Black guy, he wore a mask.
735
00:29:37.526 --> 00:29:39.486
I never knew who Mr. Ebony was,
736
00:29:39.611 --> 00:29:41.029
but he was one of
the black guys
737
00:29:41.154 --> 00:29:43.073
that was representing us,
738
00:29:43.198 --> 00:29:45.826
so we remembered Mr. Ebony.
739
00:29:45.951 --> 00:29:47.953
Why not be
the Ebony Experience,
740
00:29:48.036 --> 00:29:49.663
Booker T and Stevie Ray?
741
00:29:49.705 --> 00:29:52.666
‐ The Ebony Experience!
742
00:29:52.749 --> 00:29:53.709
[upbeat music]
743
00:29:53.834 --> 00:29:56.670
♪ ♪
744
00:29:56.795 --> 00:29:58.630
‐ The Global
Wrestling Federation
745
00:29:58.714 --> 00:30:01.300
was on ESPN at the time,
746
00:30:01.383 --> 00:30:04.011
and it was geared towards
747
00:30:04.136 --> 00:30:06.555
that afternoon
kids coming home from school,
748
00:30:06.680 --> 00:30:07.931
3:30 in the afternoon.
749
00:30:08.015 --> 00:30:09.141
There were 30‐minute show,
750
00:30:09.266 --> 00:30:10.892
and then there was
an hour show,
751
00:30:11.018 --> 00:30:13.186
and it was based out of
Dallas, Texas,
752
00:30:13.312 --> 00:30:15.105
in the world‐famous
Sportatorium,
753
00:30:15.188 --> 00:30:16.815
which I think
it's just world‐famous
754
00:30:16.857 --> 00:30:18.984
because it's old, ugly.
755
00:30:19.067 --> 00:30:21.653
It stunk,
no air conditioning,
756
00:30:21.778 --> 00:30:25.824
and there were rats
the size of dogs.
757
00:30:25.907 --> 00:30:28.493
It had atmosphere.
It had atmosphere.
758
00:30:28.577 --> 00:30:30.329
Let's just say that.
759
00:30:30.412 --> 00:30:32.331
‐ You almost took your life
in your own hands
760
00:30:32.456 --> 00:30:33.332
in the Sportatorium.
761
00:30:33.457 --> 00:30:34.624
Back then the police,
762
00:30:34.708 --> 00:30:36.209
if somebody tried
to stick you with a knife
763
00:30:36.335 --> 00:30:38.337
or hit you with
a whiskey bottle or something,
764
00:30:38.462 --> 00:30:40.047
they would bring them back
to the dressing room
765
00:30:40.172 --> 00:30:41.631
and literally let you
beat them up.
766
00:30:41.715 --> 00:30:42.632
It was the law of the west.
767
00:30:42.716 --> 00:30:44.384
[dramatic music]
768
00:30:44.509 --> 00:30:47.387
But there was a huge
racist element there too.
769
00:30:47.471 --> 00:30:49.306
People would sit there
and shout out
770
00:30:49.431 --> 00:30:54.269
some of the most vile things
imaginable at those guys.
771
00:30:54.353 --> 00:30:57.105
‐ And we got called the n‐word,
of course.
772
00:30:57.189 --> 00:30:59.483
They didn't want
to see us coons.
773
00:30:59.566 --> 00:31:00.692
‐ And those people called us
774
00:31:00.817 --> 00:31:04.154
every racial epithet
known to man.
775
00:31:04.279 --> 00:31:07.491
♪ ♪
776
00:31:07.616 --> 00:31:08.950
‐ It wasn't the first time
777
00:31:09.034 --> 00:31:10.786
I had dealt with racism
in my life.
778
00:31:10.869 --> 00:31:12.454
♪ ♪
779
00:31:12.537 --> 00:31:14.331
When I first got
in the wrestling business,
780
00:31:14.456 --> 00:31:17.459
a very, very famous man
by the name of Ox Baker
781
00:31:17.584 --> 00:31:20.295
told me, he said,
"Kid, you got a lot of talent,
782
00:31:20.337 --> 00:31:21.880
"but you're gonna come up
against
783
00:31:22.005 --> 00:31:24.633
a lot of obstacles
in this business."
784
00:31:24.758 --> 00:31:27.135
He didn't say racism
or anything like that,
785
00:31:27.260 --> 00:31:29.304
but I knew exactly
what he was talking about.
786
00:31:29.388 --> 00:31:32.808
You gotta figure a way
around it, under it.
787
00:31:32.891 --> 00:31:34.351
You may have to go over it,
788
00:31:34.476 --> 00:31:36.478
and that night we had to go
right through it,
789
00:31:36.561 --> 00:31:38.021
no matter what.
790
00:31:38.146 --> 00:31:39.356
‐ You want to see what
the competition's
791
00:31:39.481 --> 00:31:40.649
looking like out here?
792
00:31:40.774 --> 00:31:42.192
We got us a couple
of big homeboys
793
00:31:42.317 --> 00:31:43.819
from Houston,
looks like to me.
794
00:31:43.902 --> 00:31:45.195
‐ In the situation
that you're in,
795
00:31:45.320 --> 00:31:46.947
you gotta be able to adapt.
796
00:31:47.030 --> 00:31:48.615
You gotta be able
to figure it out.
797
00:31:48.698 --> 00:31:50.659
You have to face the fire,
and we dealt with it.
798
00:31:50.742 --> 00:31:52.953
‐ I gotta say, where did
these guys come up with this?
799
00:31:53.036 --> 00:31:54.621
The Ebony Experience,
what are they,
800
00:31:54.704 --> 00:31:57.541
a magazine or something
like that for ugly people?
801
00:31:57.666 --> 00:32:00.919
‐ But I learned the power
of entertainment that night.
802
00:32:01.002 --> 00:32:02.629
I did the Spinaroonie
in that match.
803
00:32:02.712 --> 00:32:05.465
‐ He did some type of
hop‐skip‐spin type thing.
804
00:32:05.590 --> 00:32:07.509
I never saw it before.
Did you see that?
805
00:32:07.634 --> 00:32:08.969
What was that, they used to
have them break dance moves?
806
00:32:09.052 --> 00:32:10.470
He did some spinning‐‐
807
00:32:10.595 --> 00:32:12.472
‐ The same guy that was
calling me the n‐word,
808
00:32:12.556 --> 00:32:15.016
he was totally excited
when he saw the Spinaroonie,
809
00:32:15.142 --> 00:32:18.812
and it totally changed him
all in one breath,
810
00:32:18.895 --> 00:32:20.647
and it was like,
"Whoa, what was that?"
811
00:32:20.772 --> 00:32:22.983
The fans started to change.
812
00:32:23.108 --> 00:32:25.944
Now the fans
are rooting for us.
813
00:32:26.027 --> 00:32:29.531
‐ Make it, Booker T!
Make it, Booker T!
814
00:32:29.656 --> 00:32:33.326
Make it, Booker T!
Make it!
815
00:32:33.452 --> 00:32:35.162
‐ It was like the Rocky movie,
man,
816
00:32:35.245 --> 00:32:38.039
when Rocky was fighting Drago.
817
00:32:38.165 --> 00:32:40.959
The Russian fans start rooting
for the underdog.
818
00:32:41.042 --> 00:32:42.377
‐ 'Cause when I did
the Spinaroonie,
819
00:32:42.502 --> 00:32:46.131
it seemed like everything
changed in that arena.
820
00:32:46.214 --> 00:32:49.468
I realized how much power
the Spinaroonie had,
821
00:32:49.551 --> 00:32:51.511
and not just in the
Global Wrestling Federation
822
00:32:51.636 --> 00:32:54.097
with those fans but throughout
my whole career.
823
00:32:54.181 --> 00:32:57.058
‐ Spinaroonie [indistinct].
[laughs]
824
00:32:57.184 --> 00:32:58.477
‐ We all love to dance.
825
00:32:58.602 --> 00:33:01.021
My mom loved to see us dance,
826
00:33:01.146 --> 00:33:03.690
and we all had good rhythm too,
still‐‐
827
00:33:03.815 --> 00:33:05.358
still have good rhythm.
828
00:33:05.442 --> 00:33:06.985
‐ My cousin,
come over here, man.
829
00:33:07.110 --> 00:33:08.987
This is my cousin right here,
man, you know?
830
00:33:09.112 --> 00:33:11.156
‐ The neighborhood boys
were always trying
831
00:33:11.239 --> 00:33:13.867
to outdo each other
with their dance moves.
832
00:33:13.992 --> 00:33:15.535
That was the competition.
833
00:33:15.660 --> 00:33:18.997
Michael Jackson had nothing
on my brothers.
834
00:33:19.080 --> 00:33:20.999
‐ He used to break dance
on the patio.
835
00:33:21.041 --> 00:33:23.043
That's where I learned
the Spinaroonie at.
836
00:33:23.168 --> 00:33:25.837
On his patio right around
the corner, you know?
837
00:33:25.962 --> 00:33:27.339
We'd be on that patio.
838
00:33:27.464 --> 00:33:28.673
We'd have the cardboard box
out there.
839
00:33:28.798 --> 00:33:30.091
We had a beat box.
‐ Yep.
840
00:33:30.175 --> 00:33:32.093
‐ We'd be out there
breaking ourselves, man,
841
00:33:32.177 --> 00:33:34.304
and‐‐but that's where the
Spinaroonie came from, yeah.
842
00:33:34.387 --> 00:33:36.139
‐ That's where they learned
those moves.
843
00:33:36.181 --> 00:33:37.724
That's where they learned
to spin,
844
00:33:37.849 --> 00:33:42.437
so that Spinaroonie came
from a pop‐lock dance move.
845
00:33:42.521 --> 00:33:44.356
‐ Ladies and gentlemen,
they're dynamic.
846
00:33:44.481 --> 00:33:46.983
They're sensational.
They're the Lockers.
847
00:33:47.108 --> 00:33:50.820
[funky music]
848
00:33:50.904 --> 00:33:52.739
‐ The Lockers, they were it.
849
00:33:52.864 --> 00:33:54.199
That was the best dance group
850
00:33:54.324 --> 00:33:56.326
perhaps in
the history of the world.
851
00:33:56.451 --> 00:33:57.827
♪ ♪
852
00:33:57.953 --> 00:33:59.538
Fred "Rerun" Berry,
853
00:33:59.663 --> 00:34:01.331
he used to be on the show
"What's Happening!!"
854
00:34:01.456 --> 00:34:03.333
He was actually
one of the Lockers,
855
00:34:03.416 --> 00:34:06.336
and just watching these guys
move the way they did
856
00:34:06.461 --> 00:34:08.380
and perform
the way they performed,
857
00:34:08.505 --> 00:34:11.132
I wanted to be in the group
when I was a kid.
858
00:34:11.258 --> 00:34:13.051
I wanted to be
one of the Lockers, you know?
859
00:34:13.134 --> 00:34:14.427
When I saw them
on "Soul Train,"
860
00:34:14.511 --> 00:34:16.930
I was like, "Man, how do I get
on 'Soul Train'?
861
00:34:17.013 --> 00:34:19.140
I gotta be a part of this."
862
00:34:19.224 --> 00:34:21.685
The pop‐locking craze started
curving off a little bit,
863
00:34:21.810 --> 00:34:25.397
and then the break dancing
curve started coming around.
864
00:34:25.522 --> 00:34:28.358
[upbeat music]
865
00:34:28.483 --> 00:34:31.152
♪ ♪
866
00:34:31.236 --> 00:34:32.612
I said,
"Man, I'ma try this now,"
867
00:34:32.696 --> 00:34:34.781
so any wrestling fan
around the world,
868
00:34:34.864 --> 00:34:38.201
you say Spinaroonie, they know
who you're talking about.
869
00:34:38.326 --> 00:34:40.120
Bad Breed,
you're going down.
870
00:34:40.203 --> 00:34:41.663
We're gonna take you out
into the ebony zone.
871
00:34:41.788 --> 00:34:45.000
We're gonna drop you off
into some ebony funk, man.
872
00:34:45.125 --> 00:34:47.294
It wasn't about how much money
I was making.
873
00:34:47.377 --> 00:34:49.671
It was just being able
to do something
874
00:34:49.796 --> 00:34:51.715
that you love doing so much
875
00:34:51.840 --> 00:34:53.800
that you would do it for free,
and my brother and I,
876
00:34:53.883 --> 00:34:56.678
we was making 125 bucks
you know,
877
00:34:56.803 --> 00:34:59.639
to make the drive all the way
from Houston to Dallas,
878
00:34:59.723 --> 00:35:03.268
and sometimes we would work
four times in one night,
879
00:35:03.351 --> 00:35:05.395
sleep on my sister's sofa,
880
00:35:05.520 --> 00:35:08.440
then get up and make the drive
back to Houston.
881
00:35:08.523 --> 00:35:11.860
‐ Junior wore out the couch
in my den.
882
00:35:11.985 --> 00:35:15.196
Stevie Ray, Lash, wore out
the couch in my living room.
883
00:35:15.322 --> 00:35:16.781
They would come every Friday,
884
00:35:16.865 --> 00:35:19.326
and I know they did that
for a couple of years.
885
00:35:19.451 --> 00:35:20.785
[cheering]
886
00:35:20.869 --> 00:35:22.329
It was just a great time
887
00:35:22.454 --> 00:35:26.458
to watch them get better
and more popular.
888
00:35:26.541 --> 00:35:28.376
[dramatic music]
889
00:35:28.501 --> 00:35:30.420
‐ The fans weekly warmed up,
890
00:35:30.503 --> 00:35:32.130
and they started
liking something
891
00:35:32.255 --> 00:35:33.882
that they didn't even know
they liked.
892
00:35:33.965 --> 00:35:36.676
all: Ebony! Ebony! Ebony!
893
00:35:36.801 --> 00:35:38.261
Ebony! Ebony!
894
00:35:38.345 --> 00:35:40.847
Ebony! Ebony!
Ebony!
895
00:35:40.972 --> 00:35:44.559
[cheering]
896
00:35:44.684 --> 00:35:46.936
‐ And then we started
getting more black fans
897
00:35:47.020 --> 00:35:49.189
coming into the arena.
898
00:35:49.314 --> 00:35:54.235
You just
couldn't say anything anymore.
899
00:35:54.361 --> 00:35:56.488
How you like that, baby?
900
00:35:56.613 --> 00:36:01.159
‐ Within a few months, we were
the hottest thing in Global.
901
00:36:01.242 --> 00:36:03.161
Everybody in the place
had a sign
902
00:36:03.244 --> 00:36:04.663
with
the Ebony Experience on it.
903
00:36:04.746 --> 00:36:07.332
[cheering]
904
00:36:07.457 --> 00:36:08.875
♪ ♪
905
00:36:08.958 --> 00:36:11.544
‐ We finally got to that point
to where we had to win
906
00:36:11.670 --> 00:36:14.964
the tag team championship, and
all of my family was there.
907
00:36:15.090 --> 00:36:18.343
♪ ♪
908
00:36:18.468 --> 00:36:22.430
‐ That night that they won,
we screamed, and we cried.
909
00:36:22.514 --> 00:36:25.058
It was so great,
and all I could think about
910
00:36:25.183 --> 00:36:27.644
was that I wish my mom
911
00:36:27.769 --> 00:36:29.646
was there to see that.
912
00:36:29.771 --> 00:36:31.815
♪ ♪
913
00:36:31.940 --> 00:36:34.317
‐ My brother and I,
we had accomplished something
914
00:36:34.442 --> 00:36:37.654
that we never dreamt
of accomplishing in our lives.
915
00:36:37.737 --> 00:36:39.489
♪ ♪
916
00:36:39.614 --> 00:36:42.659
We had watched wrestling on
television for so many years,
917
00:36:42.784 --> 00:36:45.954
and then we're the ones who got
the belts and holding them up.
918
00:36:46.037 --> 00:36:47.831
♪ ♪
919
00:36:47.956 --> 00:36:49.124
‐ These guys are superstars.
920
00:36:49.207 --> 00:36:50.500
You knew they were
going somewhere.
921
00:36:50.542 --> 00:36:52.460
There was not a doubt
in anybody's mind.
922
00:36:52.585 --> 00:36:55.213
‐ It was like
Hansel and Gretel.
923
00:36:55.338 --> 00:36:57.632
Somebody was dropping crumbs,
924
00:36:57.716 --> 00:37:03.263
and we were picking them up
and following the trail.
925
00:37:03.346 --> 00:37:05.598
‐ My brother and I,
we had regular jobs,
926
00:37:05.682 --> 00:37:07.976
and we worked in the
Global Wrestling Federation
927
00:37:08.101 --> 00:37:09.644
one night a week,
928
00:37:09.728 --> 00:37:11.813
and we did that
for 18 months straight.
929
00:37:11.896 --> 00:37:14.315
We were getting ready to work
one night, and the phone rang,
930
00:37:14.399 --> 00:37:16.776
and a man named Mike Davis
came in and goes,
931
00:37:16.860 --> 00:37:19.821
"Hey, man, Sid Vicious wanna
talk to you guys."
932
00:37:19.904 --> 00:37:23.074
‐ Sid Vicious had been
watching us on television,
933
00:37:23.199 --> 00:37:25.118
and WCW was interested in us.
934
00:37:25.201 --> 00:37:26.995
We were, like, really excited,
you know?
935
00:37:27.120 --> 00:37:30.290
Like, wow, Sid Vicious, man?
Wow.
936
00:37:30.373 --> 00:37:32.333
And WCW? Wow.
937
00:37:32.417 --> 00:37:33.918
‐ One of the biggest companies
in the world,
938
00:37:34.002 --> 00:37:36.087
and we had a great spot.
939
00:37:36.171 --> 00:37:37.922
‐ We just had to come up
with a name.
940
00:37:38.006 --> 00:37:40.967
Houston Heat might have been
put in there, Miami Heat.
941
00:37:41.050 --> 00:37:43.636
We was like,
"What about Harlem Heat?"
942
00:37:43.720 --> 00:37:45.513
Harlem Heat, okay,
you get a picture in your mind
943
00:37:45.597 --> 00:37:48.349
as to what Harlem Heat
should be,
944
00:37:48.475 --> 00:37:51.227
and boom, you start going
for it artistically.
945
00:37:51.311 --> 00:37:52.812
‐ We needed some cool shirts,
946
00:37:52.937 --> 00:37:55.648
and we didn't have no one
to make them for us,
947
00:37:55.732 --> 00:37:58.276
so I didn't know
the country group or anything,
948
00:37:58.359 --> 00:38:00.028
but it turned out to be
Brooks & Dunn,
949
00:38:00.153 --> 00:38:01.529
and they had shirts,
950
00:38:01.613 --> 00:38:03.656
and they had this cool flame
pattern on them.
951
00:38:03.782 --> 00:38:05.283
♪ ♪
952
00:38:05.366 --> 00:38:07.327
So I went and got us
some Brooks & Dunn shirts
953
00:38:07.410 --> 00:38:09.704
and had them tailored.
954
00:38:09.829 --> 00:38:12.582
We made the hats
out of the sleeves, actually,
955
00:38:12.665 --> 00:38:14.584
'cause they had flames
on them as well.
956
00:38:14.667 --> 00:38:16.252
The ensemble actually
came together
957
00:38:16.336 --> 00:38:17.796
and looked pretty cool.
958
00:38:17.879 --> 00:38:19.380
‐ You know, we're gonna see
a new tag team,
959
00:38:19.506 --> 00:38:21.966
the Harlem Heat,
and what an appropriate name,
960
00:38:22.091 --> 00:38:23.635
seeing that Harlem's been about
961
00:38:23.760 --> 00:38:26.513
100 degrees
the last two weeks.
962
00:38:26.638 --> 00:38:28.223
‐ You know, as a kid, you just
like all the bright colors
963
00:38:28.348 --> 00:38:29.766
and the energy,
964
00:38:29.849 --> 00:38:31.434
and I just feel like they
represented that, you know?
965
00:38:31.518 --> 00:38:33.436
It felt like they was
from around my way, like,
966
00:38:33.520 --> 00:38:35.146
you know what I'm saying?
How they talked,
967
00:38:35.230 --> 00:38:36.564
how they dressed,
how they carried theirself,
968
00:38:36.648 --> 00:38:38.441
and even they music was tight.
969
00:38:38.525 --> 00:38:41.778
Like, they had the best music
on WCW, like, probably ever.
970
00:38:41.861 --> 00:38:44.739
‐ Harlem Heat had cool
ring music.
971
00:38:44.864 --> 00:38:46.991
Like duh, duh, duh,
duh, duh, duh‐duh.
972
00:38:47.075 --> 00:38:49.994
[funky music]
973
00:38:50.078 --> 00:38:52.455
♪ ♪
974
00:38:52.539 --> 00:38:55.041
‐ We're gonna kill somebody
tonight!
975
00:38:55.166 --> 00:38:57.585
‐ [shouting] Sucka!
976
00:38:57.669 --> 00:38:59.295
‐ They were two guys
that were coming in
977
00:38:59.379 --> 00:39:01.464
who were bad to the bone, man,
978
00:39:01.548 --> 00:39:02.924
and they were gonna talk it.
979
00:39:03.007 --> 00:39:04.259
They were gonna walk it,
980
00:39:04.342 --> 00:39:05.802
and they were gonna
kick your ass.
981
00:39:05.885 --> 00:39:07.011
[laughs]
982
00:39:07.136 --> 00:39:11.015
♪ ♪
983
00:39:11.140 --> 00:39:13.893
‐ They had an aura about them.
They were big.
984
00:39:14.018 --> 00:39:15.311
They were intimidating.
985
00:39:15.436 --> 00:39:17.814
They were scary,
like big wrestlers should be.
986
00:39:17.897 --> 00:39:20.525
♪ ♪
987
00:39:20.650 --> 00:39:23.027
With the name Harlem Heat,
I mean, come on.
988
00:39:23.152 --> 00:39:25.488
You can't come up with a better
name than that anywhere.
989
00:39:25.613 --> 00:39:27.115
‐ Take a look at this punk!
990
00:39:27.198 --> 00:39:28.908
♪ ♪
991
00:39:28.992 --> 00:39:32.203
All the years my brother
and I slept in the same bed,
992
00:39:32.328 --> 00:39:34.664
we were a cohesive unit.
993
00:39:34.747 --> 00:39:36.499
♪ ♪
994
00:39:36.583 --> 00:39:38.543
Both of us brought the pain
in our own way.
995
00:39:38.668 --> 00:39:41.254
My brother was ground,
and sometime I would go air,
996
00:39:41.337 --> 00:39:43.631
but together we gelled.
997
00:39:43.756 --> 00:39:44.632
♪ ♪
998
00:39:44.674 --> 00:39:46.968
‐ It's the Harlem Hangover. Oh!
999
00:39:47.093 --> 00:39:50.847
‐ Thank you, I'm talking about
suicide Harlem Hangover!
1000
00:39:50.930 --> 00:39:52.849
On right now, bro!
1001
00:39:52.974 --> 00:39:54.726
‐ Harlem Heat did not
really have a gimmick.
1002
00:39:54.809 --> 00:39:58.771
They were just
big, black badasses
1003
00:39:58.855 --> 00:40:01.190
that really were themselves
turned up,
1004
00:40:01.316 --> 00:40:02.650
and when they talked,
1005
00:40:02.734 --> 00:40:04.861
I felt like if I ran into them
in the street,
1006
00:40:04.986 --> 00:40:06.654
that would be exactly
how they are.
1007
00:40:06.696 --> 00:40:09.365
‐ The moves you punks making,
the route you're taking
1008
00:40:09.490 --> 00:40:10.909
is gonna lead
to heartbreaking.
1009
00:40:11.034 --> 00:40:13.703
‐ This country hick town
of Tupelo, Mississippi,
1010
00:40:13.786 --> 00:40:15.538
gonna get a lot heat
raised up.
1011
00:40:15.663 --> 00:40:19.375
‐ Any gimmick that really works
1012
00:40:19.459 --> 00:40:22.587
is an exaggeration
of who you are.
1013
00:40:22.670 --> 00:40:24.547
‐ It was so easy
to actually go out
1014
00:40:24.631 --> 00:40:26.966
and know what it's like
to be in a fight
1015
00:40:27.008 --> 00:40:29.260
'cause when you've been
fighting your whole life,
1016
00:40:29.344 --> 00:40:30.803
you know what it feels like.
1017
00:40:30.887 --> 00:40:33.139
You know what it's like to get
hit in the mouth as well.
1018
00:40:33.222 --> 00:40:37.352
For my brother and I
to go out and produce drama
1019
00:40:37.477 --> 00:40:39.354
from a realistic perspective
1020
00:40:39.479 --> 00:40:41.064
was just our field house.
1021
00:40:41.189 --> 00:40:42.148
We were at home.
1022
00:40:42.231 --> 00:40:43.733
‐ We created these two guys.
1023
00:40:43.816 --> 00:40:45.735
Now we gotta be these two guys,
1024
00:40:45.860 --> 00:40:47.195
but a lot of times
I just wanna come out
1025
00:40:47.320 --> 00:40:49.238
and just bust out laughing,
1026
00:40:49.364 --> 00:40:51.115
but I gotta hold it in,
1027
00:40:51.199 --> 00:40:53.868
and I gotta try to keep
this mean look on my face, man.
1028
00:40:53.993 --> 00:40:56.537
I have to put myself
into this character.
1029
00:40:56.663 --> 00:40:57.747
I got to go into him
all the way.
1030
00:40:57.872 --> 00:41:00.249
What some [inaudible]
hillbillies,
1031
00:41:00.375 --> 00:41:01.960
stay on the hill,
sucka!
1032
00:41:02.043 --> 00:41:04.545
‐ We had so much fun
going down the road
1033
00:41:04.671 --> 00:41:05.880
in certain towns.
1034
00:41:06.005 --> 00:41:08.007
Somebody is gonna get
a Harlem Hangover.
1035
00:41:08.132 --> 00:41:09.968
People just hating us
to the point that where,
1036
00:41:10.051 --> 00:41:12.220
man, they just want
to kill these black guys.
1037
00:41:12.345 --> 00:41:13.721
‐ Ladies and gentlemen,
1038
00:41:13.805 --> 00:41:16.307
welcome to the Black Hills
of South Dakota.
1039
00:41:16.391 --> 00:41:21.688
250,000 bikers are here
for WCW Hog Wild.
1040
00:41:21.813 --> 00:41:23.815
‐ There's no black folks there.
‐ No.
1041
00:41:23.940 --> 00:41:24.941
‐ We're the only
two black folks...
1042
00:41:25.024 --> 00:41:26.401
‐ No, none.
1043
00:41:26.526 --> 00:41:27.986
‐ In Sturgis, South Dakota,
at that time.
1044
00:41:28.069 --> 00:41:29.696
♪ ♪
1045
00:41:29.821 --> 00:41:31.406
We almost started a riot.
1046
00:41:31.531 --> 00:41:33.408
What you want,
but you ain't gonna get it!
1047
00:41:33.533 --> 00:41:36.119
Just like all these suckers
out here, man.
1048
00:41:36.202 --> 00:41:37.662
[shouting]
1049
00:41:37.787 --> 00:41:39.497
‐ Even the Steiner brothers
was like,
1050
00:41:39.539 --> 00:41:41.082
"Hey, man, don't do what
y'all usually do every night
1051
00:41:41.207 --> 00:41:43.042
'cause y'all got
the Hells Angels out there."
1052
00:41:43.167 --> 00:41:45.211
We don't even know who
the Hells Angels are, you know?
1053
00:41:45.336 --> 00:41:46.879
We're getting ready
to go do what we do.
1054
00:41:47.005 --> 00:41:48.965
They're just gonna
have to watch this
1055
00:41:49.090 --> 00:41:51.509
'cause we getting ready to get
in everybody's you‐know‐what,
1056
00:41:51.634 --> 00:41:53.386
Hells Angels or not.
1057
00:41:53.511 --> 00:41:56.973
We get out the ring and start
talking trash to everybody.
1058
00:41:57.056 --> 00:41:59.392
[loud shouting]
1059
00:41:59.475 --> 00:42:01.185
You know, "I got a problem
with rednecks,
1060
00:42:01.310 --> 00:42:02.812
and as far
as I'm concerned,
1061
00:42:02.895 --> 00:42:04.981
everybody in here's a redneck,"
you know what I'm saying?
1062
00:42:05.106 --> 00:42:06.816
‐ [laughs]
1063
00:42:06.899 --> 00:42:09.819
‐ "Come on up in this ring
and watch what happen to you."
1064
00:42:09.902 --> 00:42:13.656
Now everybody's infuriated,
1065
00:42:13.740 --> 00:42:15.825
and by the time
we got through...
1066
00:42:15.950 --> 00:42:18.077
‐ Aw, yeah, we got
a [inaudible] going now.
1067
00:42:18.202 --> 00:42:20.997
‐ 25,000 motorcycles,
it sounds like.
1068
00:42:21.080 --> 00:42:22.999
‐ As far as you could see,
motorcycles and people,
1069
00:42:23.082 --> 00:42:25.918
and all of them revving
their engines at the same time.
1070
00:42:26.002 --> 00:42:27.378
‐ They're cranking up
the crowd.
1071
00:42:27.503 --> 00:42:28.504
‐ Oh, yeah.
1072
00:42:28.629 --> 00:42:30.173
‐ The fans are making noise.
1073
00:42:30.298 --> 00:42:32.425
‐ Because we just told them
what we thought of them.
1074
00:42:32.508 --> 00:42:35.303
‐ It don't get
any better than this.
1075
00:42:35.386 --> 00:42:37.138
[upbeat music]
1076
00:42:37.263 --> 00:42:39.098
[cheering]
1077
00:42:39.182 --> 00:42:42.060
‐ The Harlem Heat was able
to pull it off so well
1078
00:42:42.185 --> 00:42:44.312
that the people in Harlem
felt represented
1079
00:42:44.437 --> 00:42:46.314
by a couple of Texas boys.
1080
00:42:46.439 --> 00:42:48.524
‐ The Harlem Heat,
they are bad men
1081
00:42:48.649 --> 00:42:50.818
off the streets
of uptown Manhattan
1082
00:42:50.902 --> 00:42:53.571
in the heart of Harlem,
and gentlemen‐‐
1083
00:42:53.654 --> 00:42:55.656
‐ Shut up, Mean Gene,
'fore I slap a patch of hair
1084
00:42:55.782 --> 00:42:57.200
out of the top of your head.
1085
00:42:57.325 --> 00:43:01.079
Being able to talk about
certain landmarks in Harlem
1086
00:43:01.204 --> 00:43:05.750
that we fictitiously, you know,
thought up in our own minds
1087
00:43:05.875 --> 00:43:07.543
was really, really cool,
you know?
1088
00:43:07.668 --> 00:43:09.587
One of the places that we used
to visit all the time
1089
00:43:09.670 --> 00:43:11.589
was Artie's Pool Hall.
1090
00:43:11.672 --> 00:43:13.883
Three blocks south
of Artie's Pool Hall,
1091
00:43:14.008 --> 00:43:16.094
right on the corner
of 110th Street.
1092
00:43:16.177 --> 00:43:20.264
Gene, the graffiti is written
all over the neighborhood.
1093
00:43:20.348 --> 00:43:23.643
You looking at a couple
of straight OGs from the hood!
1094
00:43:23.768 --> 00:43:26.395
I've had several people
come up to me to talk about
1095
00:43:26.521 --> 00:43:29.023
when we were kids
back in Harlem,
1096
00:43:29.148 --> 00:43:31.859
did I remember them from,
you know, back in the day,
1097
00:43:31.943 --> 00:43:34.654
and of course you go, "Yeah,
yeah, yeah, I remember you.
1098
00:43:34.737 --> 00:43:37.281
Yeah, yeah, right."
You go right along with them.
1099
00:43:37.365 --> 00:43:39.492
Only clique you need to know
about is the Harlem Heat.
1100
00:43:39.617 --> 00:43:42.495
‐ Booker T has the most viral
wrestling moment of all time,
1101
00:43:42.578 --> 00:43:43.704
I guess, right?
1102
00:43:43.788 --> 00:43:46.249
'Cause he slips up,
says the n‐word.
1103
00:43:46.332 --> 00:43:47.625
‐ We coming for you,
[bleep]!
1104
00:43:47.708 --> 00:43:49.961
[somber music]
1105
00:43:50.044 --> 00:43:52.130
That was the problem
with ad‐libbing back then.
1106
00:43:52.255 --> 00:43:54.757
That's probably why they write
everybody's stuff today,
1107
00:43:54.841 --> 00:43:57.885
and that's a word that we used
a whole lot back in the day
1108
00:43:57.969 --> 00:43:59.971
when I was coming up,
and that's the first time
1109
00:44:00.096 --> 00:44:02.265
and the last time
any of my peers
1110
00:44:02.348 --> 00:44:04.142
ever heard me say that.
1111
00:44:04.225 --> 00:44:06.853
‐ It is a interesting lesson
to not get lost
1112
00:44:06.978 --> 00:44:09.647
in your character
or not being too real
1113
00:44:09.730 --> 00:44:10.857
when you're talking
about somebody,
1114
00:44:10.982 --> 00:44:12.567
but that's the risk you run
1115
00:44:12.692 --> 00:44:14.443
when you are as authentic
a character
1116
00:44:14.527 --> 00:44:16.237
as Booker T is, right?
1117
00:44:16.362 --> 00:44:19.490
‐ That's right, we finna hurt
these pups Harlem‐style,
1118
00:44:19.615 --> 00:44:20.950
if you know what I'm saying.
1119
00:44:21.033 --> 00:44:22.618
‐ When I think about
the early '90s
1120
00:44:22.702 --> 00:44:23.703
and I think about
the black characters
1121
00:44:23.828 --> 00:44:25.663
and your Koko B. Wares
1122
00:44:25.746 --> 00:44:27.165
and your Papa Shangos
1123
00:44:27.248 --> 00:44:29.667
and people who fit
a lot of stereotypes
1124
00:44:29.750 --> 00:44:31.460
but also did not get pushed.
1125
00:44:31.544 --> 00:44:33.588
[bell dinging]
1126
00:44:33.671 --> 00:44:35.381
♪ ♪
1127
00:44:35.506 --> 00:44:40.803
So watching two black guys
who go on to win championships
1128
00:44:40.928 --> 00:44:43.389
and did not back down
from who they were
1129
00:44:43.514 --> 00:44:44.473
was great to watch,
1130
00:44:44.599 --> 00:44:45.975
but also what's important
1131
00:44:46.100 --> 00:44:47.977
is that here
were two brothers, right?
1132
00:44:48.060 --> 00:44:50.813
‐ Harlem Heat!
1133
00:44:50.897 --> 00:44:53.566
‐ So seeing
a familial relationship
1134
00:44:53.691 --> 00:44:55.693
between black guys on TV
1135
00:44:55.776 --> 00:44:57.445
who genuinely
loved each other,
1136
00:44:57.528 --> 00:44:59.780
who celebrated together,
who had each other's back
1137
00:44:59.864 --> 00:45:01.157
was really empowering.
1138
00:45:01.240 --> 00:45:02.617
♪ ♪
1139
00:45:02.700 --> 00:45:04.535
‐ That was so important
for my brother and I
1140
00:45:04.619 --> 00:45:06.037
to go out there and represent
1141
00:45:06.162 --> 00:45:08.873
because we knew
young guys like we were
1142
00:45:08.998 --> 00:45:10.499
was watching us now.
1143
00:45:10.541 --> 00:45:12.835
♪ ♪
1144
00:45:12.919 --> 00:45:14.712
Harlem Heat will go down
in history
1145
00:45:14.795 --> 00:45:16.297
as being one of
the greatest tag teams
1146
00:45:16.422 --> 00:45:18.507
that ever put on
a pair of boots.
1147
00:45:18.633 --> 00:45:22.178
♪ ♪
1148
00:45:22.303 --> 00:45:25.473
‐ That was just me
and my brother being us,
1149
00:45:25.556 --> 00:45:28.392
natural‐born entertainers,
1150
00:45:28.517 --> 00:45:30.144
and that's what
we pride ourself on.
1151
00:45:30.228 --> 00:45:32.313
‐ Those are memories
that me and my brother
1152
00:45:32.396 --> 00:45:34.607
will live with
for the rest of our lives.
1153
00:45:34.690 --> 00:45:36.234
‐ It was a journey.
1154
00:45:36.359 --> 00:45:40.071
‐ It was the coolest
nine years of my life.
1155
00:45:40.196 --> 00:45:42.073
All‐time greats,
1156
00:45:42.198 --> 00:45:44.992
we're immortalized forever
in the WWE Hall of Fame.
1157
00:45:45.076 --> 00:45:46.869
♪ ♪
1158
00:45:46.953 --> 00:45:50.873
I never thought about
having a singles career,
1159
00:45:50.957 --> 00:45:57.630
never thought about it
until it happened.
1160
00:45:57.755 --> 00:45:59.298
‐ Now let's see how Booker T
can operate
1161
00:45:59.382 --> 00:46:00.633
as a single wrestler.
1162
00:46:00.758 --> 00:46:03.678
‐ ...somebody.
Now can you dig it?
1163
00:46:03.803 --> 00:46:05.846
I never thought about
having a singles career.
1164
00:46:05.972 --> 00:46:07.306
‐ A chance to reverse...
1165
00:46:07.431 --> 00:46:10.142
‐ Never thought about it
until it happened.
1166
00:46:10.226 --> 00:46:11.727
‐ Oh!
‐ Oh!
1167
00:46:11.852 --> 00:46:13.813
‐ I told my brother,
"Man, go ahead and go.
1168
00:46:13.896 --> 00:46:15.022
Go ahead and do your thing,"
1169
00:46:15.106 --> 00:46:17.358
and I gave him my blessing.
1170
00:46:17.483 --> 00:46:20.194
‐ As Booker T goes solo,
1171
00:46:20.319 --> 00:46:22.989
WCW starts getting
to this point
1172
00:46:23.072 --> 00:46:25.449
where they're the biggest
wrestling promotion
1173
00:46:25.533 --> 00:46:27.743
in the world.
1174
00:46:27.868 --> 00:46:31.163
WCW was using money
from the Turner Organization.
1175
00:46:31.247 --> 00:46:34.000
They were part
of a bigger corporation.
1176
00:46:34.125 --> 00:46:37.795
Scott Hall and Kevin Nash
end up leaving the WWE
1177
00:46:37.920 --> 00:46:39.964
for a lot of money in WCW,
1178
00:46:40.089 --> 00:46:44.010
and they start
this reality‐based storyline
1179
00:46:44.135 --> 00:46:47.513
of a takeover and formed
a group with Hulk Hogan,
1180
00:46:47.638 --> 00:46:50.516
who for the first time in
his career became a bad guy,
1181
00:46:50.641 --> 00:46:51.976
unheard of at the time,
1182
00:46:52.101 --> 00:46:54.729
and started
the New World Order.
1183
00:46:54.854 --> 00:46:56.939
‐ The following announcement
has been paid for
1184
00:46:57.023 --> 00:46:58.190
by the New World Order.
1185
00:46:58.316 --> 00:47:00.609
‐ When I came out
as Hollywood Hulk Hogan,
1186
00:47:00.693 --> 00:47:02.361
nWo, we took off like a rocket,
1187
00:47:02.486 --> 00:47:05.489
so the Monday night war started
getting really, really intense.
1188
00:47:05.573 --> 00:47:08.617
‐ We had "Monday Night RAW"
on the USA network.
1189
00:47:08.701 --> 00:47:09.952
[upbeat rock music]
1190
00:47:10.036 --> 00:47:12.538
They had "Monday Nitro"
on TNT,
1191
00:47:12.663 --> 00:47:14.165
on Ted Turner's network.
1192
00:47:14.290 --> 00:47:17.126
You're looking at
every single rating point,
1193
00:47:17.209 --> 00:47:21.130
every eyeball
we were competing for.
1194
00:47:21.172 --> 00:47:24.842
They beat us for 83 weeks
in the ratings.
1195
00:47:24.967 --> 00:47:28.095
‐ WCW became
the top game in town.
1196
00:47:28.179 --> 00:47:30.598
‐ The most powerful
organization
1197
00:47:30.681 --> 00:47:32.808
in professional wrestling.
1198
00:47:32.933 --> 00:47:35.728
‐ Honestly, I really didn't
care about the war.
1199
00:47:35.853 --> 00:47:38.022
It had nothing to do with me.
1200
00:47:38.147 --> 00:47:39.648
I was making a lot of money.
1201
00:47:39.774 --> 00:47:41.233
I was in a place in my life
1202
00:47:41.359 --> 00:47:45.279
that I'd never imagined
being in a million years.
1203
00:47:45.363 --> 00:47:48.616
‐ As they're concentrating
on the other big stars,
1204
00:47:48.699 --> 00:47:50.826
Booker T,
right under their noses,
1205
00:47:50.910 --> 00:47:52.870
is just getting better
and better
1206
00:47:52.995 --> 00:47:55.206
and better and better.
1207
00:47:55.331 --> 00:47:57.500
‐ My peers,
they always told me,
1208
00:47:57.583 --> 00:47:59.627
"There's only one Tiger Woods
of wrestling."
1209
00:47:59.752 --> 00:48:01.629
[laughs]
1210
00:48:01.670 --> 00:48:03.381
And I go,
"I appreciate that, bro."
1211
00:48:03.464 --> 00:48:06.300
‐ That's when he became
no longer a tag guy.
1212
00:48:06.425 --> 00:48:09.470
That's when it just‐‐like,
okay, he's a star.
1213
00:48:09.553 --> 00:48:12.139
‐ You can tell when somebody
has the it factor.
1214
00:48:12.223 --> 00:48:15.142
Booker T just looked
main event material.
1215
00:48:15.226 --> 00:48:17.686
He carried himself like the sky
was the limit.
1216
00:48:17.812 --> 00:48:19.146
He had it all.
1217
00:48:19.230 --> 00:48:21.107
‐ I used to raise the roof
back then.
1218
00:48:21.190 --> 00:48:22.817
When I used to raise the roof,
1219
00:48:22.900 --> 00:48:24.610
everybody used to raise
the roof with me.
1220
00:48:24.693 --> 00:48:27.154
♪ ♪
1221
00:48:27.238 --> 00:48:30.491
And it let me know that
hey, I was moving up.
1222
00:48:30.616 --> 00:48:32.618
You know,
it was the beginning of my run
1223
00:48:32.701 --> 00:48:33.828
as a singles wrestler
1224
00:48:33.953 --> 00:48:37.331
and a whole different life.
1225
00:48:37.456 --> 00:48:40.459
[funky music]
1226
00:48:40.584 --> 00:48:43.045
‐ I was born and raised
in Gary, Indiana,
1227
00:48:43.129 --> 00:48:44.880
had a great childhood.
1228
00:48:45.005 --> 00:48:46.590
I caught the entertainment
bug very, very early.
1229
00:48:46.674 --> 00:48:49.802
I started doing beauty pageants
when I was 12 years old,
1230
00:48:49.927 --> 00:48:51.679
so that was always something
that I enjoyed,
1231
00:48:51.804 --> 00:48:53.514
and then I was always
into dancing.
1232
00:48:53.639 --> 00:48:54.974
That was my first love,
1233
00:48:55.099 --> 00:48:56.725
so all that ended up
paying off.
1234
00:48:56.809 --> 00:48:58.811
You know, I went on to become
Miss Black America.
1235
00:48:58.853 --> 00:49:00.938
I ended up touring
with James Brown,
1236
00:49:01.021 --> 00:49:02.565
the Godfather of Soul,
1237
00:49:02.690 --> 00:49:03.983
so I spent three and a half
years on the road
1238
00:49:04.024 --> 00:49:05.443
touring with him
1239
00:49:05.526 --> 00:49:06.986
and then ended up
in sports entertainment.
1240
00:49:07.111 --> 00:49:09.488
‐ Here are the Nitro Girls.
1241
00:49:09.613 --> 00:49:10.990
‐ We met back in WCW
1242
00:49:11.115 --> 00:49:12.700
when she was a Nitro Girl.
1243
00:49:12.783 --> 00:49:15.536
♪ ♪
1244
00:49:15.661 --> 00:49:17.288
We started talking a little bit
1245
00:49:17.371 --> 00:49:20.124
on the movie set
of "Ready to Rumble."
1246
00:49:20.207 --> 00:49:23.002
Then we just gradually
became friends.
1247
00:49:23.127 --> 00:49:25.588
‐ He was always very polite,
very well dressed,
1248
00:49:25.671 --> 00:49:26.964
and he looked like
a businessman
1249
00:49:27.047 --> 00:49:28.799
instead of
a professional wrestler.
1250
00:49:28.883 --> 00:49:30.468
That was my first impression
of him,
1251
00:49:30.551 --> 00:49:33.471
but I will never forget
when I heard him
1252
00:49:33.596 --> 00:49:34.930
listening to Tupac,
1253
00:49:35.014 --> 00:49:36.474
and that surprised me
because to me,
1254
00:49:36.557 --> 00:49:39.852
I thought he would listen
to Frank Sinatra, not Tupac,
1255
00:49:39.977 --> 00:49:43.647
so I got to know
a few things about him.
1256
00:49:43.772 --> 00:49:45.149
He's a great guy all around.
1257
00:49:45.274 --> 00:49:47.485
I got to see he's really,
really funny.
1258
00:49:47.610 --> 00:49:49.487
He's really, really silly,
1259
00:49:49.612 --> 00:49:50.988
but we just kinda gelled.
1260
00:49:51.071 --> 00:49:53.699
We just kinda meshed,
and it was very exciting
1261
00:49:53.824 --> 00:49:56.243
to see Booker be able
to carve out a path for himself
1262
00:49:56.368 --> 00:49:59.330
because he was such
an amazing talent.
1263
00:49:59.413 --> 00:50:04.126
‐ WCW welcome you
to the summertime tradition,
1264
00:50:04.251 --> 00:50:10.424
the World Championship
Wrestling's Bash at the Beach!
1265
00:50:10.508 --> 00:50:14.637
‐ All the backstage drama
that went on that night
1266
00:50:14.720 --> 00:50:17.598
put more light on me actually
winning the championship.
1267
00:50:17.681 --> 00:50:20.017
Me winning it just would have
been me winning it.
1268
00:50:20.142 --> 00:50:23.479
‐ The title match is between
1269
00:50:23.604 --> 00:50:26.065
Jeff Jarrett and Hulk Hogan.
1270
00:50:26.190 --> 00:50:29.026
The story is that Hulk Hogan
wants to win,
1271
00:50:29.151 --> 00:50:30.569
doesn't want to lose
to Jeff Jarrett.
1272
00:50:30.694 --> 00:50:32.071
Jeff Jarrett's the champion.
1273
00:50:32.196 --> 00:50:33.489
The writer, Vince Russo,
1274
00:50:33.572 --> 00:50:35.491
he doesn't want Hogan
to be the champion.
1275
00:50:35.616 --> 00:50:37.409
He wants Jeff Jarrett
to hold on to it.
1276
00:50:37.535 --> 00:50:40.329
They can't come to an agreement
because Hulk Hogan,
1277
00:50:40.371 --> 00:50:43.082
in real life,
has a creative control clause
1278
00:50:43.207 --> 00:50:44.333
in his contract.
1279
00:50:44.416 --> 00:50:45.751
‐ There's a million stories,
1280
00:50:45.834 --> 00:50:47.461
and everybody has
their opinion.
1281
00:50:47.545 --> 00:50:50.339
All I know is,
when I signed on with WCW,
1282
00:50:50.464 --> 00:50:52.841
I had what's called
creative control.
1283
00:50:52.967 --> 00:50:54.677
I'm gonna exercise
my creative control.
1284
00:50:54.760 --> 00:50:57.012
I'm gonna go ahead and beat
Jarrett, one, two, three.
1285
00:50:57.137 --> 00:50:59.640
It went right up Russo's ass.
1286
00:50:59.723 --> 00:51:01.559
‐ What's Jeff doing?
‐ Hang on a minute.
1287
00:51:01.684 --> 00:51:03.102
What's Jeff doing?
1288
00:51:03.185 --> 00:51:04.520
Russo, I think, told Jarrett
to lie down.
1289
00:51:04.645 --> 00:51:06.522
What's going on?
‐ Jarrett's down.
1290
00:51:06.647 --> 00:51:08.315
‐ I know, and Hogan
is as shocked as we are.
1291
00:51:08.440 --> 00:51:10.484
‐ What in the world?
Jeff Jarrett.
1292
00:51:10.609 --> 00:51:14.154
‐ Oh, God, this is real life.
One, two, three.
1293
00:51:14.280 --> 00:51:17.575
‐ I took the belt, and I left.
‐ What the hell?
1294
00:51:17.700 --> 00:51:19.493
I think we're deviating
from the script.
1295
00:51:19.577 --> 00:51:21.829
I hesitate to say that,
but what the hell is going on?
1296
00:51:21.954 --> 00:51:23.414
‐ Is it a storyline?
1297
00:51:23.539 --> 00:51:26.458
Is this real life?
Is this some weird mixture?
1298
00:51:26.542 --> 00:51:29.378
Vince Russo's says they have
two world championships now.
1299
00:51:29.503 --> 00:51:33.257
‐ There will be a new WCW belt.
1300
00:51:33.340 --> 00:51:35.467
‐ Jeff Jarrett and Booker T
fight for it
1301
00:51:35.593 --> 00:51:37.011
later on in the evening.
1302
00:51:37.136 --> 00:51:39.138
‐ Opportunity has knocked,
and I will be damned
1303
00:51:39.221 --> 00:51:40.931
if I don't answer that door.
1304
00:51:41.015 --> 00:51:43.892
I am gonna do what I have to do
tonight to take that gold home,
1305
00:51:44.018 --> 00:51:45.185
take it around my waist,
1306
00:51:45.269 --> 00:51:46.812
and take it into
the next millennium.
1307
00:51:46.895 --> 00:51:48.230
Can you dig that, Gene?
1308
00:51:48.355 --> 00:51:50.858
‐ I can.
Tony, back to you.
1309
00:51:50.983 --> 00:51:55.487
‐ Not just did the fans
not expect this to be going on.
1310
00:51:55.571 --> 00:51:58.616
Me and Booker didn't expect
for it to be going on.
1311
00:51:58.699 --> 00:52:02.161
‐ I watched everything play out
just like America.
1312
00:52:02.286 --> 00:52:05.205
I had about ten minutes
to prepare
1313
00:52:05.331 --> 00:52:07.041
for the biggest moment
of my life
1314
00:52:07.166 --> 00:52:08.667
in professional wrestling,
1315
00:52:08.751 --> 00:52:10.336
but I was prepared for it.
1316
00:52:10.461 --> 00:52:12.713
I got there
by working my ass off,
1317
00:52:12.838 --> 00:52:15.841
and I started at the bottom
of that company,
1318
00:52:15.966 --> 00:52:19.303
and I went out and I performed
every single night.
1319
00:52:19.428 --> 00:52:20.971
‐ It's been a long journey,
a lot of titles,
1320
00:52:21.055 --> 00:52:22.306
but never the big one.
1321
00:52:22.348 --> 00:52:24.016
This is Booker T's chance.
1322
00:52:24.141 --> 00:52:26.477
♪ ♪
1323
00:52:26.560 --> 00:52:28.354
‐ When I finally got
in that position,
1324
00:52:28.479 --> 00:52:30.022
I always wondered
if the fans wanted to see
1325
00:52:30.147 --> 00:52:32.524
a black champion.
1326
00:52:32.608 --> 00:52:37.488
WCW hadn't had a black
champion since Ron Simmons.
1327
00:52:37.571 --> 00:52:40.157
It was a lot of questions
in my mind,
1328
00:52:40.282 --> 00:52:43.827
you know, if the fans really,
really wanted to see me
1329
00:52:43.952 --> 00:52:44.870
in that position.
1330
00:52:44.995 --> 00:52:46.330
I'm just so happy
1331
00:52:46.413 --> 00:52:50.626
that people looked past
my color and said,
1332
00:52:50.709 --> 00:52:52.086
"This is the guy."
1333
00:52:52.169 --> 00:52:59.218
♪ ♪
1334
00:53:01.512 --> 00:53:02.805
‐ Booker T and Jeff Jarrett
1335
00:53:02.930 --> 00:53:04.056
brawling through the crowd.
1336
00:53:04.181 --> 00:53:07.226
[indistinct shouting]
1337
00:53:09.895 --> 00:53:10.979
Two, three!
1338
00:53:11.105 --> 00:53:13.816
[cheers and applause]
1339
00:53:13.899 --> 00:53:16.735
‐ We've got a new champion!
‐ Oh, my God,
1340
00:53:16.860 --> 00:53:19.988
Booker T's the world champion!
1341
00:53:20.114 --> 00:53:22.324
‐ The crowd erupted.
They went crazy.
1342
00:53:22.408 --> 00:53:24.410
I was like, "Wow, man,
they really care about me.
1343
00:53:24.535 --> 00:53:26.745
They really wanted
to see me win."
1344
00:53:26.829 --> 00:53:29.123
It was a moment
that changed my life.
1345
00:53:29.206 --> 00:53:32.126
[dramatic music]
1346
00:53:32.251 --> 00:53:34.878
‐ It's one of my most fond
memories in my career.
1347
00:53:35.003 --> 00:53:37.881
I'm the guy that Booker beat
to become the world champion
1348
00:53:38.006 --> 00:53:39.758
for his very first time around.
1349
00:53:39.842 --> 00:53:41.677
I'm pretty proud of that.
1350
00:53:41.760 --> 00:53:43.178
♪ ♪
1351
00:53:43.303 --> 00:53:44.805
‐ He became champion,
1352
00:53:44.888 --> 00:53:46.932
and it was a great
crowning achievement for him
1353
00:53:47.015 --> 00:53:49.518
evolving
and elevating himself,
1354
00:53:49.643 --> 00:53:53.689
and Booker T, especially
for black boys and girls
1355
00:53:53.814 --> 00:53:55.858
who watched wrestling,
he is a hero.
1356
00:53:55.983 --> 00:53:59.445
♪ ♪
1357
00:53:59.528 --> 00:54:02.030
‐ Booker has so much respect
from all the guys
1358
00:54:02.156 --> 00:54:03.657
and girls in the locker room
1359
00:54:03.782 --> 00:54:06.785
that when he came back through
the curtain after winning,
1360
00:54:06.869 --> 00:54:08.662
people were standing there
and applauding.
1361
00:54:08.787 --> 00:54:10.998
I remember a few of us
had tears in our eyes.
1362
00:54:11.081 --> 00:54:12.541
It just really was
a special moment
1363
00:54:12.666 --> 00:54:15.294
to finally see him
rise to the top
1364
00:54:15.419 --> 00:54:17.838
because he really deserved it.
1365
00:54:17.963 --> 00:54:19.631
‐ Look at the fans standing,
1366
00:54:19.715 --> 00:54:22.301
and they're raising the roof
with Booker T,
1367
00:54:22.426 --> 00:54:25.220
the world heavyweight
champion.
1368
00:54:25.345 --> 00:54:30.851
What a moment in WCW history
this is!
1369
00:54:30.976 --> 00:54:32.519
‐ WWE was synonymous
1370
00:54:32.644 --> 00:54:34.521
with the best
in sports entertainment.
1371
00:54:34.605 --> 00:54:36.565
‐ How you doing, pal?
‐ I'm fine, thank you.
1372
00:54:36.690 --> 00:54:39.610
‐ And now we were
being challenged,
1373
00:54:39.693 --> 00:54:44.156
so it creates an atmosphere of
having to fight from underneath,
1374
00:54:44.198 --> 00:54:48.118
creating new
and unique storylines
1375
00:54:48.202 --> 00:54:50.245
new and unique talents,
1376
00:54:50.370 --> 00:54:53.165
and changing the way
we looked at the business.
1377
00:54:53.248 --> 00:54:55.083
♪ ♪
1378
00:54:55.167 --> 00:54:57.669
‐ It made WWE regroup,
1379
00:54:57.795 --> 00:55:00.297
taking the gloves off and
changing what the company was
1380
00:55:00.380 --> 00:55:01.799
and going with
the Attitude Era.
1381
00:55:01.840 --> 00:55:05.427
♪ ♪
1382
00:55:05.511 --> 00:55:06.762
‐ Oh, my.
‐ Oh, my God.
1383
00:55:06.845 --> 00:55:08.180
‐ Good lord, have mercy.
1384
00:55:08.305 --> 00:55:10.474
‐ Somebody's gonna get
their ass whipped!
1385
00:55:10.516 --> 00:55:13.227
When that energy comes out,
that intensity comes out,
1386
00:55:13.352 --> 00:55:14.853
and I look like
an ass‐kicking machine,
1387
00:55:14.978 --> 00:55:17.397
it was all about the attitude.
1388
00:55:19.525 --> 00:55:22.569
‐ Stone Cold is here!
1389
00:55:22.694 --> 00:55:24.404
Oh, yeah!
1390
00:55:24.530 --> 00:55:25.739
He got McMahon!
1391
00:55:25.864 --> 00:55:27.658
‐ Ahh!
‐ What do you think about that?
1392
00:55:27.741 --> 00:55:28.700
Huh?
1393
00:55:28.826 --> 00:55:30.202
♪ ♪
1394
00:55:30.327 --> 00:55:32.996
‐ A badass locker room
full of men
1395
00:55:33.121 --> 00:55:34.331
who had starved,
1396
00:55:34.456 --> 00:55:36.959
kicked, scratched,
1397
00:55:37.042 --> 00:55:39.628
clawed to get to the top
1398
00:55:39.711 --> 00:55:41.839
and who weren't afraid
to go out on a limb
1399
00:55:41.964 --> 00:55:43.257
and push the envelope.
1400
00:55:43.340 --> 00:55:45.592
‐ Oh, my God!
1401
00:55:45.676 --> 00:55:47.761
‐ The Rattlesnake
has struck!
1402
00:55:47.845 --> 00:55:49.471
[indistinct shouting]
1403
00:55:49.555 --> 00:55:51.974
‐ When we started kicking
the WCW's ass,
1404
00:55:52.057 --> 00:55:53.517
you know, we just took off,
1405
00:55:53.642 --> 00:55:56.186
and their infrastructure was
kind of unorganized
1406
00:55:56.311 --> 00:55:58.647
and kinda started falling
apart,
1407
00:55:58.730 --> 00:56:00.607
and then we just crushed them,
1408
00:56:00.691 --> 00:56:04.194
and then later on down the road
Vince would buy the company
1409
00:56:04.278 --> 00:56:06.613
from Ted Turner
for pennies on the dollar.
1410
00:56:06.697 --> 00:56:11.243
‐ I, Vince McMahon,
bought my competition.
1411
00:56:11.368 --> 00:56:12.244
That's right.
1412
00:56:12.369 --> 00:56:15.831
I own WCW.
1413
00:56:15.956 --> 00:56:19.126
‐ They raised the flag,
and they said, "We won.
1414
00:56:19.167 --> 00:56:20.627
The war is over."
1415
00:56:20.752 --> 00:56:22.546
‐ For all of us at World
Championship Wrestling,
1416
00:56:22.671 --> 00:56:24.882
a historic day
in sports entertainment.
1417
00:56:24.965 --> 00:56:27.259
This is the last "Nitro"
on the Turner Network,
1418
00:56:27.342 --> 00:56:31.638
so we're going out with a bang,
all the titles on the line.
1419
00:56:31.722 --> 00:56:33.682
‐ I didn't know
what was gonna happen.
1420
00:56:33.807 --> 00:56:35.809
I didn't see it coming
till that night.
1421
00:56:35.934 --> 00:56:39.688
I found out that I was gonna
be going out a dual champ.
1422
00:56:39.813 --> 00:56:41.315
♪ ♪
1423
00:56:41.398 --> 00:56:42.941
They closed the company down
1424
00:56:43.025 --> 00:56:44.943
as World Champion
and as United States Champion.
1425
00:56:45.027 --> 00:56:47.487
‐ Picks him up, Booker T,
lands on his feet.
1426
00:56:47.613 --> 00:56:49.281
He's got him!
Book end!
1427
00:56:49.364 --> 00:56:50.782
‐ Book end!
‐ Here it is!
1428
00:56:50.866 --> 00:56:52.242
One, two, could it be it?
Yes, it is!
1429
00:56:52.367 --> 00:56:53.702
‐ Yes, yes!
1430
00:56:53.785 --> 00:56:58.665
‐ Booker T is
WCW World Champion!
1431
00:56:58.790 --> 00:57:01.001
‐ That is the last
"Monday Nitro,"
1432
00:57:01.126 --> 00:57:04.296
what a night for Booker T.
1433
00:57:04.379 --> 00:57:07.507
‐ I didn't feel sad
like everybody else did.
1434
00:57:07.591 --> 00:57:10.260
I lost my mother
when I was 13,
1435
00:57:10.344 --> 00:57:13.597
so I always knew
nothing lasts forever.
1436
00:57:13.680 --> 00:57:15.849
I remember one the guys
actually talking to me,
1437
00:57:15.974 --> 00:57:17.809
and he literally
had tears in his eyes,
1438
00:57:17.893 --> 00:57:21.063
and he's like, "Man, Book,
it's the end of WCW, man.
1439
00:57:21.188 --> 00:57:22.564
It's over."
1440
00:57:22.689 --> 00:57:24.149
He goes, "Man,
what are you gonna do, man?
1441
00:57:24.232 --> 00:57:25.692
What are you gonna do?"
1442
00:57:25.817 --> 00:57:27.444
I said,
"Man, I'm going to WWE."
1443
00:57:27.527 --> 00:57:29.571
[laughs]
You know what I mean?
1444
00:57:29.655 --> 00:57:30.864
What else could I do?
1445
00:57:30.948 --> 00:57:34.868
♪ ♪
1446
00:57:34.952 --> 00:57:36.119
[laughs]
1447
00:57:36.203 --> 00:57:37.996
‐ I don't think we knew
1448
00:57:38.080 --> 00:57:41.208
that we were gonna keep Booker,
had no idea.
1449
00:57:41.333 --> 00:57:43.669
When you're looking
at the talent base
1450
00:57:43.794 --> 00:57:47.005
and you're looking at talent
that's available,
1451
00:57:47.130 --> 00:57:49.633
all of these top‐tier talents
1452
00:57:49.716 --> 00:57:54.846
chose to stay on their
AOL Time Warner contract,
1453
00:57:54.972 --> 00:57:57.808
stay at home,
collect their money,
1454
00:57:57.933 --> 00:57:59.142
not go to work.
1455
00:57:59.226 --> 00:58:01.937
‐ I sat at home for 17 months
1456
00:58:02.020 --> 00:58:05.440
and got paid bank‐‐bank.
1457
00:58:05.524 --> 00:58:08.110
‐ But then you have a guy,
Booker T,
1458
00:58:08.193 --> 00:58:12.864
who did have a pretty good
guaranteed contract
1459
00:58:12.990 --> 00:58:15.325
who said,
"Man, I want to work.
1460
00:58:15.409 --> 00:58:17.160
♪ ♪
1461
00:58:17.244 --> 00:58:19.788
I want to be a star
on the biggest platform I can."
1462
00:58:19.871 --> 00:58:21.790
‐ I was a performer.
I was talent.
1463
00:58:21.873 --> 00:58:23.500
Something I tell young people
all the time,
1464
00:58:23.583 --> 00:58:26.086
you know,
believe in your talent.
1465
00:58:26.169 --> 00:58:28.338
Do not forsake your talent.
1466
00:58:28.463 --> 00:58:29.881
Going into the WWE locker room,
1467
00:58:30.007 --> 00:58:31.883
those guys
didn't too much care for us.
1468
00:58:32.009 --> 00:58:34.052
They wasn't gonna treat us
special or anything.
1469
00:58:34.177 --> 00:58:37.139
They didn't want us there,
and I understood that.
1470
00:58:37.222 --> 00:58:39.349
I was ready to go out there
and show those guys
1471
00:58:39.474 --> 00:58:42.644
I was just as good
as I said I was.
1472
00:58:42.728 --> 00:58:45.647
‐ Booker had enough confidence
in himself
1473
00:58:45.731 --> 00:58:49.151
to step up and say,
"Put me in."
1474
00:58:49.234 --> 00:58:51.319
[cheering]
1475
00:58:51.403 --> 00:58:53.280
‐ Wait a minute!
What the hell?
1476
00:58:53.363 --> 00:58:56.450
[cheering]
1477
00:58:56.533 --> 00:58:57.659
‐ Booker T,
1478
00:58:57.743 --> 00:59:02.581
he's the WW‐‐WCW champion.
1479
00:59:02.706 --> 00:59:04.541
‐ The WCW champion
1480
00:59:04.624 --> 00:59:08.045
has just attacked
Stone Cold Steve Austin!
1481
00:59:08.170 --> 00:59:09.796
Oh, my God!
1482
00:59:09.880 --> 00:59:11.506
‐ Man, it was a good night
for me,
1483
00:59:11.631 --> 00:59:14.426
debut, drop Steve Austin.
1484
00:59:14.509 --> 00:59:16.303
‐ Booker T!
‐ I'm off and running.
1485
00:59:16.386 --> 00:59:17.804
Everything's beautiful.
1486
00:59:17.929 --> 00:59:19.431
‐ Right through
the announce table!
1487
00:59:19.514 --> 00:59:20.682
‐ My first thought was,
"Hey, man,
1488
00:59:20.807 --> 00:59:22.392
Booker T just came in here,
1489
00:59:22.476 --> 00:59:24.394
he just took away
what I do for a living,"
1490
00:59:24.478 --> 00:59:27.564
broke three transverse
processes in my back,
1491
00:59:27.689 --> 00:59:29.983
and I was in intense pain,
1492
00:59:30.108 --> 00:59:33.653
and I was like, "What
in the eff just happened?"
1493
00:59:33.737 --> 00:59:36.490
[somber music]
1494
00:59:36.531 --> 00:59:38.200
♪ ♪
1495
00:59:38.325 --> 00:59:40.827
There is that layer of hey,
man, we need to watch this guy,
1496
00:59:40.911 --> 00:59:43.163
or is he safe to work with,
1497
00:59:43.288 --> 00:59:45.040
or is he gonna do that to me?
1498
00:59:45.165 --> 00:59:47.292
‐ Steve Austin had the kind of
stroke at that time
1499
00:59:47.417 --> 00:59:48.752
in the company
where he could have
1500
00:59:48.835 --> 00:59:50.670
went to the office and said,
1501
00:59:50.796 --> 00:59:53.131
"Man, this guy's reckless and
doesn't know what he's doing,"
1502
00:59:53.256 --> 00:59:54.549
even though it wasn't my fault.
1503
00:59:54.674 --> 00:59:56.968
‐ When I look back at it,
he did everything right.
1504
00:59:57.094 --> 01:00:00.472
He executed with perfection,
but I was so sweaty,
1505
01:00:00.555 --> 01:00:01.973
when I hit the top
of that desk,
1506
01:00:02.099 --> 01:00:06.311
I just skipped off,
and my back hit a chair.
1507
01:00:06.436 --> 01:00:07.312
It was an accident.
1508
01:00:07.395 --> 01:00:08.814
Accidents happen,
1509
01:00:08.897 --> 01:00:11.358
but hey, man,
anytime the lead guy goes down
1510
01:00:11.441 --> 01:00:13.110
and someone has done
something to him,
1511
01:00:13.193 --> 01:00:15.779
yeah, you might have some heat
on you from the boys.
1512
01:00:15.862 --> 01:00:17.864
‐ You walk in the door
coming from somewhere else,
1513
01:00:17.948 --> 01:00:19.616
and you take out
one of the top guys
1514
01:00:19.699 --> 01:00:21.493
that's putting food
on all our tables,
1515
01:00:21.576 --> 01:00:22.911
that's not gonna sit well
with a lot of people
1516
01:00:22.994 --> 01:00:24.746
'cause most of these guys
never met him.
1517
01:00:24.871 --> 01:00:28.542
‐ Who in the blue hell are you?
1518
01:00:28.667 --> 01:00:30.127
‐ Coming into that company,
1519
01:00:30.252 --> 01:00:33.755
it wasn't gonna be easy for me
by any means.
1520
01:00:33.839 --> 01:00:35.632
‐ Hell, my name is Booker‐‐
1521
01:00:35.674 --> 01:00:37.717
‐ It doesn't matter
what your name is!
1522
01:00:37.801 --> 01:00:40.846
[cheers and applause]
1523
01:00:40.971 --> 01:00:43.890
‐ You can bring someone in
up at the top.
1524
01:00:44.015 --> 01:00:45.809
It's difficult for them
to stay there,
1525
01:00:45.934 --> 01:00:48.478
especially when you had
the kind of personality
1526
01:00:48.562 --> 01:00:51.148
and the kind of talent of
a Steve Austin,
1527
01:00:51.231 --> 01:00:52.816
Rock, Undertaker.
1528
01:00:52.899 --> 01:00:55.819
‐ Stepping into the ring with
the five‐time former W‐‐
1529
01:00:55.944 --> 01:00:57.946
‐ Here we go,
Booker T on the offensive!
1530
01:00:58.029 --> 01:01:00.157
‐ Booker T [inaudible]
The Undertaker.
1531
01:01:00.240 --> 01:01:04.786
‐ Rock, I would say
you're the sucka, sucka.
1532
01:01:04.870 --> 01:01:06.788
‐ Look out! Rock Bottom!
1533
01:01:06.872 --> 01:01:09.082
Rock Bottom!
Rock Bottom!
1534
01:01:09.207 --> 01:01:10.542
‐ Book hung.
1535
01:01:10.625 --> 01:01:12.460
Book hung and said,
"Y'all come on up to me."
1536
01:01:12.544 --> 01:01:15.964
‐ The bottom line is,
if you come to WWE,
1537
01:01:16.006 --> 01:01:18.008
you better be able to work,
1538
01:01:18.133 --> 01:01:20.260
and Booker T
could work his ass off.
1539
01:01:20.343 --> 01:01:22.220
He wasn't accepted
just 'cause we liked him.
1540
01:01:22.345 --> 01:01:24.347
He was accepted
because he was damn good.
1541
01:01:24.472 --> 01:01:26.683
‐ It was kind of
a Jack Nicholson,
1542
01:01:26.766 --> 01:01:29.102
"Wait till
they get a load of me."
1543
01:01:29.186 --> 01:01:31.980
Yeah, Big Henry, you better
lace them up tonight,
1544
01:01:32.022 --> 01:01:35.817
'cause we finna be moving
and flying and singing, baby.
1545
01:01:35.942 --> 01:01:39.321
The greats can't stick
to a script.
1546
01:01:39.446 --> 01:01:40.655
It's emotional.
1547
01:01:40.739 --> 01:01:42.574
♪ ♪
1548
01:01:42.657 --> 01:01:45.202
‐ To make it real,
it's gotta look raw.
1549
01:01:45.327 --> 01:01:46.745
It's gotta look uncut.
1550
01:01:46.870 --> 01:01:48.914
We're close enough to the fans
1551
01:01:49.039 --> 01:01:51.166
that want sweat
to fly all over them.
1552
01:01:51.249 --> 01:01:54.211
♪ ♪
1553
01:01:54.336 --> 01:01:56.630
That part is as real
as it possibly can get.
1554
01:01:56.755 --> 01:01:58.465
♪ ♪
1555
01:01:58.548 --> 01:02:00.091
‐ Book has a unique ability
1556
01:02:00.175 --> 01:02:02.469
to relate to the audience
and conversely,
1557
01:02:02.552 --> 01:02:03.970
and that's really
what you look for.
1558
01:02:04.095 --> 01:02:05.805
He's a man who gave it all.
1559
01:02:05.889 --> 01:02:08.558
If he had an opportunity,
he was going for it.
1560
01:02:08.683 --> 01:02:10.685
‐ I wanted the fan
that was watching
1561
01:02:10.769 --> 01:02:13.855
to have that same feeling
that I did.
1562
01:02:13.939 --> 01:02:15.857
It was a out of body
experience.
1563
01:02:15.982 --> 01:02:17.817
I could tell
what the fans were feeling
1564
01:02:17.943 --> 01:02:19.027
because I was one of them.
1565
01:02:19.152 --> 01:02:22.030
♪ ♪
1566
01:02:22.155 --> 01:02:25.325
‐ You would have never thought
that somebody with the talent
1567
01:02:25.367 --> 01:02:27.202
that he had in the ring,
1568
01:02:27.327 --> 01:02:30.038
he would have just as much
talent behind the scenes.
1569
01:02:30.121 --> 01:02:32.791
You can't just define him
as a wrestler.
1570
01:02:32.874 --> 01:02:34.000
He was a entertainer.
1571
01:02:34.084 --> 01:02:37.629
‐ Now, can you dig that, sucka?
1572
01:02:37.754 --> 01:02:42.300
[cheers and applause]
1573
01:02:42.425 --> 01:02:44.636
[indistinct chatter]
1574
01:02:44.761 --> 01:02:46.304
‐ Booker watches
a lot of movies.
1575
01:02:46.388 --> 01:02:48.640
He's always studied movies
his whole life,
1576
01:02:48.682 --> 01:02:50.600
whether it be kung fu movies
1577
01:02:50.684 --> 01:02:52.143
or, you know,
any type of action movies,
1578
01:02:52.269 --> 01:02:53.770
so I really do believe
1579
01:02:53.853 --> 01:02:55.021
that if he weren't
a wrestler,
1580
01:02:55.105 --> 01:02:56.523
he would definitely
be an actor.
1581
01:02:56.648 --> 01:02:57.983
‐ For you today.
‐ [laughs]
1582
01:02:58.066 --> 01:03:00.277
‐ The doctor authentic‐‐
‐ I'm serious, man.
1583
01:03:00.360 --> 01:03:03.989
‐ A lot of those movies
were my escapes as well,
1584
01:03:04.114 --> 01:03:07.033
and I used to skip school
and go to the Majestic OST,
1585
01:03:07.117 --> 01:03:09.744
and all those movies
made me feel a certain way.
1586
01:03:09.869 --> 01:03:11.705
I literally would go
to that place.
1587
01:03:11.830 --> 01:03:13.581
‐ A little bit more structure
here.
1588
01:03:13.707 --> 01:03:15.625
‐ I literally would be
in that movie.
1589
01:03:15.709 --> 01:03:18.420
I knew every line.
I knew every scene.
1590
01:03:18.503 --> 01:03:20.964
I knew what made
that scene work
1591
01:03:21.089 --> 01:03:22.716
because of what happened
before it
1592
01:03:22.841 --> 01:03:24.175
and what's gonna happen after,
1593
01:03:24.301 --> 01:03:26.052
and that's what wrestling
has always been.
1594
01:03:26.136 --> 01:03:29.806
So for me, my WCW career
was so serious all the time.
1595
01:03:29.931 --> 01:03:32.100
There was never
a laughing moment,
1596
01:03:32.183 --> 01:03:35.520
and then when I got to WWE,
everything changed.
1597
01:03:35.603 --> 01:03:37.689
Booyah!
Hey, what's up, suckas?
1598
01:03:37.814 --> 01:03:39.733
Your ass is about
to get whacked
1599
01:03:39.858 --> 01:03:42.861
by the five‐time
master Jedi champion!
1600
01:03:42.986 --> 01:03:46.489
Now, can you dig that, sucka?
1601
01:03:46.614 --> 01:03:48.491
[cheers and applause]
1602
01:03:48.575 --> 01:03:50.785
‐ He was always a comedian.
1603
01:03:50.869 --> 01:03:52.996
He always liked
to make people laugh.
1604
01:03:53.121 --> 01:03:56.750
‐ Tell me I don't
look like that!
1605
01:03:56.875 --> 01:03:58.251
‐ That just came,
1606
01:03:58.335 --> 01:04:00.295
and we would all do
little skits at home
1607
01:04:00.420 --> 01:04:02.297
and make up things,
so, you know,
1608
01:04:02.422 --> 01:04:05.383
just what kids do
who don't have a lot of money.
1609
01:04:05.508 --> 01:04:07.969
You have a great imagination.
1610
01:04:08.053 --> 01:04:09.804
‐ [exhaling sharply]
1611
01:04:09.929 --> 01:04:13.850
‐ Imagine what we could be
and what we could do.
1612
01:04:15.435 --> 01:04:17.729
‐ [laughing]
1613
01:04:17.812 --> 01:04:20.023
You‐‐you didn't say that.
1614
01:04:20.148 --> 01:04:22.484
Tell me you didn't
just say that.
1615
01:04:24.361 --> 01:04:26.738
You just gave me the key
to your heart, baby.
1616
01:04:26.863 --> 01:04:29.324
Yeah.
1617
01:04:29.449 --> 01:04:31.993
‐ It's like the actor in
a film that you've only seen
1618
01:04:32.077 --> 01:04:35.663
play a very serious,
badass role.
1619
01:04:35.747 --> 01:04:37.415
‐ Oh, my goodness.
1620
01:04:37.540 --> 01:04:38.666
‐ And then you see him
in a buddy comedy,
1621
01:04:38.792 --> 01:04:40.085
and you're like,
"Oh, my God,
1622
01:04:40.168 --> 01:04:41.961
I had no idea
this guy was so funny,"
1623
01:04:42.045 --> 01:04:44.005
and, like, it just opens up
a whole new world for you.
1624
01:04:44.130 --> 01:04:48.009
‐ Wah, wah, wah, wah, wah‐wah,
wah, wah, wah, wah, wah‐wah.
1625
01:04:48.134 --> 01:04:49.969
Look, that ain't me,
brother.
1626
01:04:50.053 --> 01:04:51.554
You know, I got to feel
what I'm doing, man.
1627
01:04:51.679 --> 01:04:53.098
I got bass!
1628
01:04:53.181 --> 01:04:54.265
You know,
I got to feel, man,
1629
01:04:54.349 --> 01:04:57.602
can you dig it, sucka?
1630
01:04:57.685 --> 01:04:59.187
[cheering]
1631
01:04:59.312 --> 01:05:02.982
Just because you know
kung fu‐‐wah!
1632
01:05:03.066 --> 01:05:05.485
Doesn't mean you know shampoo,
1633
01:05:05.568 --> 01:05:08.071
but that's all about to change
1634
01:05:08.196 --> 01:05:12.867
thanks to new
Yakamoshi shampoo.
1635
01:05:14.661 --> 01:05:17.205
It won't make your hair
look as good as mine...
1636
01:05:19.541 --> 01:05:21.126
But you gotta start somewhere.
1637
01:05:21.251 --> 01:05:23.169
Give me the script,
and let me make it
1638
01:05:23.294 --> 01:05:25.422
what I want it to be,
no matter what it is.
1639
01:05:25.505 --> 01:05:26.798
I don't care what it is.
1640
01:05:26.881 --> 01:05:30.677
Now let me check to see
if they're fresh.
1641
01:05:30.802 --> 01:05:32.262
‐ Creative tells us,
"Hey, man,
1642
01:05:32.345 --> 01:05:33.972
"you and Booker are gonna
have this brawl
1643
01:05:34.097 --> 01:05:35.807
in a grocery store."
1644
01:05:35.932 --> 01:05:37.225
Okay.
1645
01:05:37.350 --> 01:05:39.894
Here's a blank canvas
that Booker T and I
1646
01:05:40.019 --> 01:05:42.313
are gonna have an opportunity
to paint together.
1647
01:05:42.397 --> 01:05:43.440
‐ Action.
1648
01:05:43.523 --> 01:05:45.817
[can pops open]
1649
01:05:45.942 --> 01:05:47.360
We created magic.
1650
01:05:49.028 --> 01:05:51.656
‐ Austin‐‐
Austin attacking Booker T!
1651
01:05:51.739 --> 01:05:54.617
[both grunting]
1652
01:05:56.661 --> 01:05:58.329
‐ Get up, Booker.
We ain't done.
1653
01:06:00.039 --> 01:06:02.417
Want some ketchup
on that ass‐whupping, huh?
1654
01:06:02.542 --> 01:06:05.336
[both grunting]
1655
01:06:07.505 --> 01:06:10.258
I'm walking through the store,
up an aisle, down an aisle.
1656
01:06:10.341 --> 01:06:11.801
You're working
off of instincts...
1657
01:06:11.885 --> 01:06:14.137
I like shopping, Booker.
Ahh!
1658
01:06:14.262 --> 01:06:15.972
As if you were in the ring.
1659
01:06:16.055 --> 01:06:19.142
You know you're trying
to entertain people.
1660
01:06:19.267 --> 01:06:21.978
Let's go back for more burgers.
1661
01:06:22.103 --> 01:06:25.106
‐ Oh, Booker with a shot
to the jaw of Austin.
1662
01:06:25.190 --> 01:06:27.734
‐ Hey, Book, you got milk?
1663
01:06:27.859 --> 01:06:29.736
‐ Got milk!
‐ I'm action.
1664
01:06:29.819 --> 01:06:32.071
He's reaction,
and his reactions
1665
01:06:32.197 --> 01:06:34.324
were just off‐the‐chart gold.
1666
01:06:34.449 --> 01:06:35.492
You want to burp?
1667
01:06:35.533 --> 01:06:37.327
[both grunting]
1668
01:06:37.410 --> 01:06:39.662
‐ This is what wrestling is
right here.
1669
01:06:39.787 --> 01:06:40.997
The stuff that we do
in the ring,
1670
01:06:41.122 --> 01:06:43.333
that's one thing,
but this is wrestling.
1671
01:06:43.374 --> 01:06:45.251
‐ By the time
it was all said and done,
1672
01:06:45.335 --> 01:06:48.129
it was about $10,000
worth of damage to that store.
1673
01:06:48.254 --> 01:06:50.256
"Price check on a jackass,"
1674
01:06:50.340 --> 01:06:52.133
people still remember
that line.
1675
01:06:52.175 --> 01:06:53.301
Price check on a jackass.
1676
01:06:53.384 --> 01:06:54.719
[siren wailing]
1677
01:06:54.802 --> 01:06:57.972
‐ [Booker moaning]
1678
01:06:58.056 --> 01:06:59.933
Oh, I'ma get you.
1679
01:07:00.016 --> 01:07:01.976
‐ Booker T and I painted
a Mona Lisa
1680
01:07:02.018 --> 01:07:05.313
with a bunch of damn stuff that
you'd find in a grocery store.
1681
01:07:05.355 --> 01:07:06.981
‐ Who wants to see
the Spinaroonie?
1682
01:07:07.106 --> 01:07:11.152
‐ Who, at 6'3" and 260 pounds,
1683
01:07:11.236 --> 01:07:13.696
can do, like, the
Spinaroonie, you know,
1684
01:07:13.821 --> 01:07:16.533
the break dancing move up
on his shoulders, flip up and?
1685
01:07:16.658 --> 01:07:18.618
‐ It starts with the hand,
of course,
1686
01:07:18.701 --> 01:07:20.245
and then you drop to one knee.
1687
01:07:20.370 --> 01:07:23.456
All the centrifugal force
comes from the dreads,
1688
01:07:23.540 --> 01:07:26.084
you know, shake‐‐
once you shake the dreads,
1689
01:07:26.167 --> 01:07:28.878
it goes through the body
all the way down to the legs,
1690
01:07:29.003 --> 01:07:30.171
which gives you torque.
1691
01:07:30.296 --> 01:07:31.714
‐ Oh, wait a minute.
1692
01:07:31.839 --> 01:07:32.924
I think Booker T's
gonna give him‐‐
1693
01:07:33.007 --> 01:07:34.592
he's on the ground,
1694
01:07:34.676 --> 01:07:36.261
and he's taking a big old‐‐
and it's a Spinaroonie!
1695
01:07:36.344 --> 01:07:37.804
‐ A Spinaroonie!
‐ Oh, yeah!
1696
01:07:37.845 --> 01:07:39.222
‐ Spinaroonie!
Spinaroonie!
1697
01:07:39.347 --> 01:07:43.810
‐ Can you dig that, suckas?
1698
01:07:43.935 --> 01:07:45.603
♪ ♪
1699
01:07:45.687 --> 01:07:48.189
‐ The Spinaroonie in concept
is not, like, that silly.
1700
01:07:48.273 --> 01:07:50.316
Like, it's a cool way to get up
and get to your feet,
1701
01:07:50.400 --> 01:07:53.361
and it's just
a charismatic moment,
1702
01:07:53.486 --> 01:07:55.154
but over time,
1703
01:07:55.280 --> 01:07:58.408
the Spinaroonie kinda took on
a life of its own.
1704
01:07:59.701 --> 01:08:01.411
‐ Everybody had a roonie.
1705
01:08:01.536 --> 01:08:03.663
The most infamous night was
trying to get the Undertaker
1706
01:08:03.746 --> 01:08:05.039
to do a Taker‐roonie.
1707
01:08:05.123 --> 01:08:09.711
I think it's time
for the Undertaker‐roonie.
1708
01:08:09.836 --> 01:08:12.839
[cheers and applause]
1709
01:08:12.964 --> 01:08:14.299
‐ If you know the Undertaker,
1710
01:08:14.382 --> 01:08:16.759
like, he don't come out
of character ever.
1711
01:08:16.843 --> 01:08:18.261
‐ I tried to get him to do it.
1712
01:08:18.344 --> 01:08:19.512
You know, I tell the fans,
you know,
1713
01:08:19.637 --> 01:08:21.764
get the fans hyped up.
1714
01:08:21.848 --> 01:08:23.141
Get up!
1715
01:08:23.266 --> 01:08:26.394
[cheers and applause]
1716
01:08:26.519 --> 01:08:29.397
[fans chanting]
1717
01:08:34.444 --> 01:08:37.822
And Taker looks at me,
and he goes,
1718
01:08:37.905 --> 01:08:40.283
"I'm gonna kill you."
1719
01:08:42.785 --> 01:08:45.121
All the named players
on the card come out,
1720
01:08:45.204 --> 01:08:46.623
and literally,
1721
01:08:46.706 --> 01:08:49.626
we're 30 minutes after
we're off the air
1722
01:08:49.709 --> 01:08:51.878
trying to get the Undertaker
to do the Spinaroonie.
1723
01:08:52.003 --> 01:08:53.421
Everybody does the Spinaroonie.
1724
01:08:53.504 --> 01:08:55.798
‐ You want to see the Rock
do the Rock‐a‐roonie?
1725
01:08:55.923 --> 01:08:59.135
[cheers and applause]
1726
01:08:59.177 --> 01:09:00.428
‐ There ain't no way in hell
1727
01:09:00.511 --> 01:09:02.347
you could do
something like that.
1728
01:09:02.472 --> 01:09:05.933
♪ ♪
1729
01:09:06.017 --> 01:09:07.518
‐ Vince McMahon.
1730
01:09:07.644 --> 01:09:09.854
He does the worst Spinaroonie
I ever seen in my life.
1731
01:09:09.937 --> 01:09:16.861
♪ ♪
1732
01:09:19.947 --> 01:09:21.741
Out of all the wrestlers,
1733
01:09:21.866 --> 01:09:25.495
I've gotten everyone to do it,
except the Undertaker.
1734
01:09:25.578 --> 01:09:27.705
He's the only one,
still to this day.
1735
01:09:27.830 --> 01:09:29.624
‐ There ain't a chance in hell
I'm gonna get out there
1736
01:09:29.707 --> 01:09:31.167
and do the Spinaroonie,
1737
01:09:31.292 --> 01:09:33.878
so you might better
send the cavalry.
1738
01:09:33.961 --> 01:09:39.509
♪ ♪
1739
01:09:43.846 --> 01:09:45.598
[mysterious piano music]
1740
01:09:45.682 --> 01:09:48.768
‐ My first son,
he's 35 years old now,
1741
01:09:48.851 --> 01:09:52.647
we had a somewhat
of a rough life growing up,
1742
01:09:52.772 --> 01:09:55.149
and I thought it was due to me
being on the road a lot,
1743
01:09:55.233 --> 01:09:58.069
being on the road wrestling,
not being there.
1744
01:09:58.194 --> 01:09:59.779
When I got in
the wrestling business,
1745
01:09:59.862 --> 01:10:01.572
he went to stay with my sister.
1746
01:10:01.698 --> 01:10:05.159
‐ When he'd get a weekend off,
he would fly from Atlanta,
1747
01:10:05.243 --> 01:10:07.078
and he'd come back to Houston,
1748
01:10:07.161 --> 01:10:08.913
and they'd spend time together,
1749
01:10:09.038 --> 01:10:12.375
still trying to get
a relationship with his son.
1750
01:10:12.500 --> 01:10:14.585
It's just a process.
1751
01:10:14.669 --> 01:10:18.297
I'm sure they had
their ups and downs.
1752
01:10:18.381 --> 01:10:21.217
‐ My son turned 16,
17 years old,
1753
01:10:21.342 --> 01:10:24.804
and that's when it really got
tough between him and I.
1754
01:10:26.347 --> 01:10:28.641
It was always just rocky.
1755
01:10:28.683 --> 01:10:31.227
My son ended up going down
that same road that I did,
1756
01:10:31.352 --> 01:10:33.062
you know, getting in trouble,
1757
01:10:33.146 --> 01:10:34.564
you know, even as an adult.
1758
01:10:34.689 --> 01:10:36.274
That's why he's not here
right now.
1759
01:10:36.357 --> 01:10:38.401
He's sitting in a jail cell,
1760
01:10:38.526 --> 01:10:39.944
you know, waiting to see
1761
01:10:40.027 --> 01:10:43.990
exactly what's gonna happen
with his life, you know?
1762
01:10:44.073 --> 01:10:45.867
You know, he's still my son.
1763
01:10:45.992 --> 01:10:47.660
I'm still there for him.
1764
01:10:47.744 --> 01:10:49.162
♪ ♪
1765
01:10:49.287 --> 01:10:50.788
It was totally different
when I had my son
1766
01:10:50.872 --> 01:10:52.707
because I was a kid myself,
you know?
1767
01:10:52.832 --> 01:10:54.834
I was only 17 years old.
1768
01:10:54.876 --> 01:10:58.963
Not having that male presence
in my life was a huge factor,
1769
01:10:59.005 --> 01:11:01.132
but I tried my best.
1770
01:11:01.174 --> 01:11:03.676
I tried to make sure
I did the same thing
1771
01:11:03.801 --> 01:11:05.553
that my mom did for me,
1772
01:11:05.678 --> 01:11:09.015
and that was work my butt off.
1773
01:11:09.140 --> 01:11:11.309
I tried to give my son a image
1774
01:11:11.392 --> 01:11:13.686
that I wanted him
to actually be like,
1775
01:11:13.811 --> 01:11:16.689
but I didn't have the tools
to actually be able
1776
01:11:16.814 --> 01:11:18.483
to teach him everything
that he needed to know,
1777
01:11:18.608 --> 01:11:20.651
especially from
a educational side.
1778
01:11:20.693 --> 01:11:22.153
♪ ♪
1779
01:11:22.236 --> 01:11:24.655
‐ He was so young,
a young single parent
1780
01:11:24.739 --> 01:11:26.908
without a wife,
working hard,
1781
01:11:27.033 --> 01:11:31.037
building up his career,
a lot of time on the road,
1782
01:11:31.162 --> 01:11:35.166
but then when that second
phase of his life came around,
1783
01:11:35.249 --> 01:11:36.667
there was different dynamics
1784
01:11:36.793 --> 01:11:40.046
that played into
the role of fatherhood.
1785
01:11:40.171 --> 01:11:41.631
‐ Booker T!
‐ Hey, Booker!
1786
01:11:41.756 --> 01:11:43.049
‐ He was stable.
1787
01:11:43.174 --> 01:11:45.593
He was more established
in his career.
1788
01:11:45.676 --> 01:11:47.637
He married a wonderful woman.
1789
01:11:47.678 --> 01:11:48.763
‐ All right.
1790
01:11:48.846 --> 01:11:50.556
♪ ♪
1791
01:11:50.640 --> 01:11:52.183
Booker and I were married
1792
01:11:52.308 --> 01:11:55.478
February 5, 2005.
1793
01:11:55.561 --> 01:11:59.315
It was a beautiful ceremony in
my hometown of Gary, Indiana.
1794
01:11:59.440 --> 01:12:00.858
I only had, I think,
three months
1795
01:12:00.983 --> 01:12:04.195
to plan the wedding
because of our schedule.
1796
01:12:04.278 --> 01:12:06.197
Most women want to have a year
to plan
1797
01:12:06.322 --> 01:12:08.574
and find the perfect dress
and all that.
1798
01:12:08.699 --> 01:12:09.992
I didn't have time
for any of that.
1799
01:12:10.076 --> 01:12:11.494
It was definitely a whirlwind
1800
01:12:11.619 --> 01:12:14.872
and then right back to work
the following week.
1801
01:12:14.956 --> 01:12:18.125
‐ I was gonna quit the company
right after we got married.
1802
01:12:18.251 --> 01:12:19.669
I didn't want to be away
from Sharmell.
1803
01:12:19.794 --> 01:12:21.420
I didn't want to be
on the road all the time.
1804
01:12:21.504 --> 01:12:24.882
‐ He was considering
cutting back on his work,
1805
01:12:25.007 --> 01:12:28.135
and all of a sudden,
they decided to bring me in,
1806
01:12:28.219 --> 01:12:29.387
to bring me back.
1807
01:12:31.681 --> 01:12:33.724
So babe, I don't know
how you felt
1808
01:12:33.850 --> 01:12:35.643
the first time you saw
action figures
1809
01:12:35.726 --> 01:12:37.562
'cause I know you've had
action figures before,
1810
01:12:37.645 --> 01:12:39.438
but this was
my very first one.
1811
01:12:39.522 --> 01:12:40.940
‐ Yeah.
‐ This is amazing.
1812
01:12:41.023 --> 01:12:43.985
How many husbands and wives
do you think have this?
1813
01:12:44.110 --> 01:12:45.486
‐ Yeah, it's crazy,
yeah.
1814
01:12:45.570 --> 01:12:48.155
‐ He's always called me
his queen,
1815
01:12:48.239 --> 01:12:50.908
so we kinda just transitioned
that into wrestling.
1816
01:12:50.992 --> 01:12:55.329
The true life stories
make for the best work, right?
1817
01:12:55.413 --> 01:12:57.373
So it kinda just easily flowed
into King Booker
1818
01:12:57.498 --> 01:12:58.541
and Queen Sharmell.
1819
01:12:58.666 --> 01:13:03.504
All hail King Booker!
1820
01:13:03.629 --> 01:13:05.256
‐ Oh, look at this!
1821
01:13:05.339 --> 01:13:09.010
‐ Oh, must be good‐‐must
be nice to be the king.
1822
01:13:09.135 --> 01:13:10.803
‐ It was just entertaining.
1823
01:13:10.845 --> 01:13:12.805
It was something that people
had never seen before,
1824
01:13:12.847 --> 01:13:15.474
and then they had never seen
Booker T in that light before.
1825
01:13:15.558 --> 01:13:18.644
He was always rugged,
raw, you know, tough,
1826
01:13:18.728 --> 01:13:20.521
and now he's coming out
and just,
1827
01:13:20.605 --> 01:13:24.984
like, prancing around,
elegant and classy and pompous,
1828
01:13:25.067 --> 01:13:26.944
contradictory on every level.
1829
01:13:27.028 --> 01:13:27.904
I thought it was brilliant.
1830
01:13:28.029 --> 01:13:29.697
[regal music]
1831
01:13:29.780 --> 01:13:31.908
‐ It was such an awesome,
awesome time in my career,
1832
01:13:32.033 --> 01:13:33.159
so much fun,
1833
01:13:33.284 --> 01:13:34.869
but man, this fool's crazy.
1834
01:13:34.952 --> 01:13:36.078
He really is crazy.
1835
01:13:36.203 --> 01:13:37.830
‐ He would just open up
the cape,
1836
01:13:37.872 --> 01:13:40.666
and he'd have his scepter,
and he'd just twirl around
1837
01:13:40.791 --> 01:13:43.127
and look so very majestic.
1838
01:13:43.252 --> 01:13:45.254
All of the little things
that he did
1839
01:13:45.338 --> 01:13:48.382
really made
that character amazing.
1840
01:13:48.507 --> 01:13:51.427
‐ This guy is walking around
like he's royalty,
1841
01:13:51.510 --> 01:13:54.430
holding his pinkie
up in the air.
1842
01:13:54.513 --> 01:13:56.933
‐ I think he was just
making it up as he goes.
1843
01:13:57.016 --> 01:13:58.684
‐ As I ponder.
1844
01:13:58.809 --> 01:14:00.478
‐ He started speaking
in a bad British accent.
1845
01:14:00.603 --> 01:14:03.689
‐ Has become a much,
much better place since I,
1846
01:14:03.814 --> 01:14:07.068
King Booker,
has become ruler of it.
1847
01:14:07.193 --> 01:14:09.570
‐ He was almost like
Kevin Costner in "Robin Hood."
1848
01:14:09.654 --> 01:14:11.489
Like, he would float
in and out of the accent.
1849
01:14:11.572 --> 01:14:13.115
‐ If you got him too angry,
1850
01:14:13.199 --> 01:14:15.660
then his British accent
went right back to the hood.
1851
01:14:15.743 --> 01:14:18.329
‐ It's going to be
in a steel cage.
1852
01:14:18.371 --> 01:14:19.497
‐ Oh, hell no!
1853
01:14:19.580 --> 01:14:21.707
‐ What?
Oh, baby, baby.
1854
01:14:21.832 --> 01:14:23.459
‐ Hell no! Oh, hell no! ‐
Come on, baby, you‐‐
1855
01:14:23.584 --> 01:14:26.045
‐ Oh, oh, oh.
Oh, oh.
1856
01:14:26.170 --> 01:14:29.298
People would actually treat me
like a king as well.
1857
01:14:29.382 --> 01:14:31.467
I don't think I paid
for a meal the whole year
1858
01:14:31.550 --> 01:14:33.761
I was King Booker anywhere.
1859
01:14:33.844 --> 01:14:36.430
‐ This is Booker T
reaching that nirvana
1860
01:14:36.514 --> 01:14:38.099
of character development,
1861
01:14:38.182 --> 01:14:42.728
the culmination of all of
Booker T's years in wrestling.
1862
01:14:42.812 --> 01:14:46.607
All of that sort of led to him
finding this perfect character
1863
01:14:46.691 --> 01:14:48.859
that was undeniable,
I mean, to the point
1864
01:14:48.943 --> 01:14:51.320
where you gotta give him
the championship.
1865
01:14:51.404 --> 01:14:53.406
He became champion
as King Booker,
1866
01:14:53.531 --> 01:14:55.449
and it is as memorable
1867
01:14:55.533 --> 01:14:57.368
as anything
he's ever done in wrestling.
1868
01:14:57.493 --> 01:15:00.371
‐ The poor kid from Houston,
Texas,
1869
01:15:00.454 --> 01:15:01.414
has risen
to the top of the world.
1870
01:15:01.539 --> 01:15:04.792
‐ All hail King Booker!
1871
01:15:04.875 --> 01:15:06.252
♪ ♪
1872
01:15:06.335 --> 01:15:08.963
‐ King!
1873
01:15:09.005 --> 01:15:12.091
Booker!
1874
01:15:12.174 --> 01:15:14.343
[laughter]
1875
01:15:14.427 --> 01:15:17.972
Ooh, give me some, baby.
1876
01:15:18.055 --> 01:15:22.226
♪ ♪
1877
01:15:22.309 --> 01:15:23.477
[camera shutter snaps]
1878
01:15:23.519 --> 01:15:25.980
‐ Watch out, now. And...
1879
01:15:26.105 --> 01:15:27.148
We know that...
1880
01:15:27.231 --> 01:15:28.524
‐ [laughs]
‐ You look great.
1881
01:15:28.649 --> 01:15:30.693
We're the one person
we can count on
1882
01:15:30.818 --> 01:15:33.529
when all else fails,
and we really hold that dear.
1883
01:15:33.612 --> 01:15:36.073
[light music]
1884
01:15:36.198 --> 01:15:41.078
‐ For us, it's been
a team effort since day one,
1885
01:15:41.203 --> 01:15:43.664
us pulling together
and now having twins...
1886
01:15:43.748 --> 01:15:44.957
Hey, guys.
A boy and a girl,
1887
01:15:45.041 --> 01:15:46.250
eight years old,
1888
01:15:46.375 --> 01:15:48.669
I never imagined
in a million years
1889
01:15:48.794 --> 01:15:50.671
that her and I would have
kids running around.
1890
01:15:50.796 --> 01:15:52.339
It's pretty, pretty special.
1891
01:15:52.465 --> 01:15:54.133
Good day at school today?
1892
01:15:54.258 --> 01:15:55.634
‐ Yeah.
‐ Yeah?
1893
01:15:55.718 --> 01:16:00.473
I've been practicing
all day long, yeah, baby.
1894
01:16:00.598 --> 01:16:02.767
[laughs]
‐ No.
1895
01:16:02.850 --> 01:16:03.684
‐ [laughing]
1896
01:16:03.768 --> 01:16:05.311
You know, Sharmell and I,
1897
01:16:05.394 --> 01:16:06.687
we tried to have kids
for three years,
1898
01:16:06.771 --> 01:16:08.856
and things just
didn't work out,
1899
01:16:08.981 --> 01:16:10.608
and then, you know,
instead of one, you know,
1900
01:16:10.691 --> 01:16:12.818
God blessed us with two.
1901
01:16:12.860 --> 01:16:19.742
♪ ♪
1902
01:16:22.870 --> 01:16:25.331
I've watched them grow
over the last eight years
1903
01:16:25.414 --> 01:16:26.999
and not being on
the road wrestling
1904
01:16:27.041 --> 01:16:29.251
on a weekly basis
in a different town.
1905
01:16:29.335 --> 01:16:31.378
‐ How do you do a Spinaroonie?
1906
01:16:31.504 --> 01:16:33.422
Whoa!
1907
01:16:33.506 --> 01:16:34.590
[clapping]
1908
01:16:34.673 --> 01:16:37.843
[laughter and chatter]
1909
01:16:37.927 --> 01:16:39.428
‐ That part right there,
I think,
1910
01:16:39.512 --> 01:16:41.972
has been more special
than anything.
1911
01:16:42.098 --> 01:16:43.641
♪ ♪
1912
01:16:43.766 --> 01:16:47.186
‐ Wait.
[laughter]
1913
01:16:48.813 --> 01:16:50.731
Okay, don't eat it all
at one time.
1914
01:16:50.856 --> 01:16:52.566
‐ I'm not.
‐ [laughs]
1915
01:16:52.691 --> 01:16:54.652
‐ I was working on prefixes
and suffixes.
1916
01:16:54.777 --> 01:16:57.780
‐ So how much did Tessa save?
‐ Seven.
1917
01:16:57.863 --> 01:16:59.615
‐ $7? And how much did‐‐
‐ $7.
1918
01:16:59.698 --> 01:17:02.326
‐ Mm‐hmm.
‐ $7 and $7, so $14.
1919
01:17:02.409 --> 01:17:05.496
‐ In some aspects,
our kids are polar opposites,
1920
01:17:05.579 --> 01:17:06.831
but they're both
extremely talented
1921
01:17:06.914 --> 01:17:09.291
and so very, very smart.
1922
01:17:09.375 --> 01:17:11.335
Booker is an amazing dad.
1923
01:17:11.460 --> 01:17:13.462
He's so playful with the kids.
1924
01:17:13.587 --> 01:17:15.464
‐ Come on!
1925
01:17:15.589 --> 01:17:18.509
[laughing]
1926
01:17:18.634 --> 01:17:20.970
Finish him!
‐ Yes!
1927
01:17:21.011 --> 01:17:22.012
‐ Oh, no.
1928
01:17:22.138 --> 01:17:24.223
‐ My son, Kendrick,
is now really,
1929
01:17:24.306 --> 01:17:25.516
really into wrestling.
1930
01:17:25.641 --> 01:17:27.184
‐ I got him now, baby.
1931
01:17:27.309 --> 01:17:29.728
‐ A lot of times I catch
just spontaneous moments
1932
01:17:29.812 --> 01:17:31.230
between the two of them.
1933
01:17:31.313 --> 01:17:34.275
‐ Hey, come on.
‐ [laughs]
1934
01:17:34.358 --> 01:17:35.568
Oh, my God.
1935
01:17:35.693 --> 01:17:36.902
‐ I'm very fortunate
1936
01:17:37.027 --> 01:17:38.654
for the way our kids
are growing up,
1937
01:17:38.779 --> 01:17:40.865
and we're just afforded
this family
1938
01:17:40.990 --> 01:17:43.367
that Booker, unfortunately,
didn't have
1939
01:17:43.492 --> 01:17:44.618
when he was growing up.
1940
01:17:44.702 --> 01:17:46.370
‐ You got it! Yes!
1941
01:17:46.495 --> 01:17:48.664
Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!
‐ Oh, no!
1942
01:17:48.747 --> 01:17:51.000
‐ Yes! Yes!
[laughter]
1943
01:17:51.083 --> 01:17:53.794
‐ Of course,
Booker cooks really well.
1944
01:17:53.836 --> 01:17:55.087
He can cook better than me.
1945
01:17:55.171 --> 01:17:57.214
That's the only time
I'll admit that.
1946
01:17:57.298 --> 01:17:58.632
So I'll tell you
what I can do.
1947
01:17:58.716 --> 01:18:01.635
I can turn the oven on
for the French fries.
1948
01:18:01.719 --> 01:18:03.971
‐ I get anxiety
maybe three days
1949
01:18:04.054 --> 01:18:06.682
before I have to leave
on a one‐day trip.
1950
01:18:06.765 --> 01:18:09.059
I literally‐‐I'll be
sitting here, and I go,
1951
01:18:09.185 --> 01:18:10.811
"Man, I can't wait
to get back,"
1952
01:18:10.895 --> 01:18:12.646
and I haven't even gone.
‐ And he hasn't even left yet,
1953
01:18:12.730 --> 01:18:14.690
Yeah.
‐ [laughs] So...
1954
01:18:14.815 --> 01:18:15.983
‐ Every time.
1955
01:18:16.025 --> 01:18:18.444
‐ Because I do love
being a dad.
1956
01:18:18.527 --> 01:18:20.362
I do love being at home.
1957
01:18:20.446 --> 01:18:23.032
That's what's cool about,
you know, this stage of life,
1958
01:18:23.157 --> 01:18:26.827
and I can honestly say,
you know, it's the best stage.
1959
01:18:26.911 --> 01:18:30.206
I do want the memories
that my son and my daughter
1960
01:18:30.331 --> 01:18:32.249
have of their dad
1961
01:18:32.333 --> 01:18:35.836
be something that's gonna
catapult them throughout life.
1962
01:18:35.961 --> 01:18:37.463
They're gonna know exactly
what it's‐‐
1963
01:18:37.588 --> 01:18:39.131
what it means to be a dad.
1964
01:18:39.173 --> 01:18:41.800
They're gonna know exactly
what it means to be a mom,
1965
01:18:41.926 --> 01:18:43.969
and that right there,
at the end of the day,
1966
01:18:44.094 --> 01:18:46.639
you know, we've done our job.
1967
01:18:46.764 --> 01:18:52.353
♪ ♪
1968
01:18:52.436 --> 01:18:54.146
‐ Let's bring in now
our two‐time WWE Hall of Famer,
1969
01:18:54.271 --> 01:18:56.607
our good friend, of course,
Booker T, to the panel.
1970
01:18:56.690 --> 01:18:58.067
‐ Whoo!
‐ Let's see those rings.
1971
01:18:58.192 --> 01:18:59.652
‐ Which one of these?
Where my camera at?
1972
01:18:59.777 --> 01:19:01.278
‐ Right there.
‐ Right there? Oh. [laughs]
1973
01:19:01.362 --> 01:19:02.988
‐ Look at all that gold.
1974
01:19:03.072 --> 01:19:05.282
‐ Congratulations, sir,
last night‐‐
1975
01:19:05.366 --> 01:19:07.076
‐ If you know Booker,
1976
01:19:07.201 --> 01:19:09.370
I've never seen the guy
in a bad mood.
1977
01:19:09.495 --> 01:19:11.538
♪ ♪
1978
01:19:11.664 --> 01:19:14.166
‐ That feels good right there.
1979
01:19:14.208 --> 01:19:17.294
‐ Sports entertainment
is in his blood.
1980
01:19:17.336 --> 01:19:20.089
‐ Coming to the final chapter
of Wrestlemania.
1981
01:19:20.172 --> 01:19:23.842
‐ To see the guy
that I first met in the '90s
1982
01:19:23.968 --> 01:19:25.678
and to know Booker now,
1983
01:19:25.803 --> 01:19:28.472
his legacy
just continues to grow
1984
01:19:28.597 --> 01:19:32.434
because he's one of the guys
that wants to give back,
1985
01:19:32.518 --> 01:19:33.936
that is giving back.
1986
01:19:34.019 --> 01:19:35.980
‐ And I understand exactly
what you're talking about.
1987
01:19:36.105 --> 01:19:40.484
It will eat you all week
thinking about that, I swear.
1988
01:19:40.567 --> 01:19:43.279
‐ I appreciate
the words of wisdom.
1989
01:19:43.362 --> 01:19:46.031
‐ Holla. Stay up.
1990
01:19:46.156 --> 01:19:48.867
I love being around the events
to be a mentor.
1991
01:19:48.993 --> 01:19:50.452
‐ Off the European tour.
1992
01:19:50.536 --> 01:19:51.829
‐ Shine some knowledge,
you know,
1993
01:19:51.912 --> 01:19:53.831
let these guys sit under
the learning tree.
1994
01:19:53.956 --> 01:19:56.166
‐ An African‐American kid
coming up, you know,
1995
01:19:56.250 --> 01:19:57.710
wanting to do
what you were doing.
1996
01:19:57.835 --> 01:19:59.295
It was‐‐it was always
a sense of motivation,
1997
01:19:59.420 --> 01:20:01.839
so I'm just trying to‐‐
trying to pay it forward.
1998
01:20:01.964 --> 01:20:03.257
‐ So you gotta be champion
in the ring
1999
01:20:03.340 --> 01:20:05.175
as well as out of the ring,
all the time.
2000
01:20:05.259 --> 01:20:07.094
It doesn't cost you anything
to be nice to people, man,
2001
01:20:07.177 --> 01:20:08.929
and it'll take you
so far in life,
2002
01:20:09.013 --> 01:20:11.473
so definitely, man, just keep
doing what you do, bro.
2003
01:20:11.557 --> 01:20:12.850
‐ Yeah.
‐ I love the business,
2004
01:20:12.975 --> 01:20:19.148
and the business
have given me so much.
2005
01:20:19.231 --> 01:20:20.774
‐ Oh!
2006
01:20:24.695 --> 01:20:25.738
‐ It starts right here.
2007
01:20:25.863 --> 01:20:28.240
I had a dream back in 2005.
2008
01:20:28.365 --> 01:20:29.950
I said, "One day
I'm gonna open up
2009
01:20:30.034 --> 01:20:31.660
my own wrestling school.
2010
01:20:31.785 --> 01:20:35.164
I'm gonna teach kids
the proper way."
2011
01:20:35.205 --> 01:20:36.832
Good job, Callie, good job.
2012
01:20:36.915 --> 01:20:38.667
We come here Monday
through Friday.
2013
01:20:38.751 --> 01:20:41.545
The gym's open from normally
around 6;00 p. m.
2014
01:20:41.670 --> 01:20:43.088
It goes till
the last man leaves.
2015
01:20:43.172 --> 01:20:45.799
Bang, all right?
It's gotta be that big.
2016
01:20:45.924 --> 01:20:47.843
That's the thinking part, guys.
2017
01:20:47.968 --> 01:20:49.970
You're trying
to think storytelling.
2018
01:20:50.095 --> 01:20:52.473
This is my livelihood.
This is what I do.
2019
01:20:52.598 --> 01:20:53.974
This is my trade.
2020
01:20:54.099 --> 01:20:56.435
My knowledge
is never gonna go away.
2021
01:20:56.518 --> 01:20:58.312
And then bam.
2022
01:20:58.395 --> 01:21:00.898
I loved doing that spot right
there
2023
01:21:01.023 --> 01:21:03.901
almost more than any spot
that I ever did
2024
01:21:04.026 --> 01:21:06.153
in professional wrestling,
I swear to God.
2025
01:21:06.195 --> 01:21:09.031
Pop the crowd to where they go,
"Wow, that was awesome."
2026
01:21:09.156 --> 01:21:11.867
Add a little bit more on it.
It means something.
2027
01:21:11.992 --> 01:21:13.327
Think about the guy
in the cheap seats.
2028
01:21:13.410 --> 01:21:14.995
I want my youngsters
to be able
2029
01:21:15.079 --> 01:21:16.246
to create their own stories.
2030
01:21:16.372 --> 01:21:17.664
Okay, bro.
‐ I want to be with you,
2031
01:21:17.790 --> 01:21:20.084
brother.
‐ Hey, man, welcome to the club.
2032
01:21:20.167 --> 01:21:21.251
‐ Thank you.
2033
01:21:21.335 --> 01:21:22.961
‐ That's what it all
started out as,
2034
01:21:23.045 --> 01:21:25.672
and then it manifested into
2035
01:21:25.798 --> 01:21:27.424
us having our own
wrestling promotion.
2036
01:21:27.508 --> 01:21:30.010
♪ ♪
2037
01:21:30.135 --> 01:21:32.805
‐ This is really exciting.
We have a huge crowd tonight,
2038
01:21:32.888 --> 01:21:34.556
and all of our hard work,
I know it's gonna pay off,
2039
01:21:34.640 --> 01:21:35.974
and we're gonna have
a great show.
2040
01:21:36.058 --> 01:21:37.684
‐ Yeah, do you hear that crowd
behind us?
2041
01:21:37.810 --> 01:21:39.395
They're getting ready
to have some fun.
2042
01:21:39.520 --> 01:21:42.356
[indistinct shouts]
2043
01:21:47.361 --> 01:21:51.615
Then our fans coming to see
our own homegrown talent,
2044
01:21:51.698 --> 01:21:53.325
they are the stars of the show.
2045
01:21:53.409 --> 01:21:56.537
[indistinct shouts]
2046
01:21:56.662 --> 01:21:58.080
I mean, we got something here,
2047
01:21:58.205 --> 01:22:00.165
and we could take this thing
to the next level...
2048
01:22:00.290 --> 01:22:02.793
♪ ♪
2049
01:22:02.835 --> 01:22:04.294
And we're on our way.
2050
01:22:04.378 --> 01:22:06.964
♪ ♪
2051
01:22:07.047 --> 01:22:08.799
‐ Hey! [indistinct shout]
2052
01:22:08.882 --> 01:22:13.011
‐ [laughs]
2053
01:22:13.137 --> 01:22:15.764
‐ He had all the odds
against him.
2054
01:22:15.848 --> 01:22:18.142
If you were to pick out
the kid
2055
01:22:18.267 --> 01:22:21.520
that was gonna end up dead
by the time he was 30,
2056
01:22:21.645 --> 01:22:24.481
you would probably pick
Booker T. Huffman.
2057
01:22:24.565 --> 01:22:27.359
♪ ♪
2058
01:22:27.484 --> 01:22:28.652
He grew up.
2059
01:22:28.735 --> 01:22:31.321
He experienced life‐‐
2060
01:22:31.405 --> 01:22:34.116
good, bad, ugly.
2061
01:22:34.199 --> 01:22:37.411
Book did what it took.
2062
01:22:37.536 --> 01:22:39.204
He never went and said,
2063
01:22:39.329 --> 01:22:43.000
"Well, here's a shortcut
over here I can take,"
2064
01:22:43.125 --> 01:22:46.837
and the rewards matched
the hard work that he put in.
2065
01:22:46.962 --> 01:22:48.797
♪ ♪
2066
01:22:48.881 --> 01:22:52.301
He is a real‐life
success story.
2067
01:22:52.384 --> 01:22:53.802
‐ You ain't never
coming back!
2068
01:22:53.844 --> 01:22:56.263
You going down
for the one, two, three
2069
01:22:56.346 --> 01:22:59.683
because I got all my people
standing behind me 110%!
2070
01:22:59.808 --> 01:23:01.351
Hey!
2071
01:23:01.477 --> 01:23:03.645
‐ People thought that
he couldn't do something
2072
01:23:03.729 --> 01:23:05.397
because of either his race
2073
01:23:05.522 --> 01:23:06.773
or where he was from
2074
01:23:06.857 --> 01:23:08.233
or how he looked or the fact
2075
01:23:08.358 --> 01:23:10.652
that he didn't have
a formal education.
2076
01:23:10.777 --> 01:23:11.820
That's what drove him.
2077
01:23:11.904 --> 01:23:18.160
♪ ♪
2078
01:23:18.285 --> 01:23:20.662
Booker's just a survivor,
2079
01:23:20.746 --> 01:23:23.290
and when you see Booker T,
you take people at face value,
2080
01:23:23.373 --> 01:23:25.125
and you believe
in redemption stories.
2081
01:23:25.209 --> 01:23:27.377
‐ Those kids who told me
I wasn't gonna be anything,
2082
01:23:27.503 --> 01:23:29.129
I look back on them now,
2083
01:23:29.254 --> 01:23:31.965
and I say,
"How do you like me now?"
2084
01:23:32.049 --> 01:23:33.509
Guys, all of you gonna
get a chance
2085
01:23:33.634 --> 01:23:34.885
to make it through that.
2086
01:23:34.968 --> 01:23:37.554
Don't let anyone stop you
2087
01:23:37.679 --> 01:23:38.889
from making...
2088
01:23:39.014 --> 01:23:41.350
[cheering]
2089
01:23:41.433 --> 01:23:42.935
♪ ♪
2090
01:23:43.018 --> 01:23:44.978
‐ Statistically,
he wasn't supposed to be
2091
01:23:45.062 --> 01:23:46.980
on that stage
at Madison Square Garden
2092
01:23:47.064 --> 01:23:48.690
being inducted
into the Hall of Fame.
2093
01:23:48.774 --> 01:23:52.319
That made it all the more
special, because he made it.
2094
01:23:52.444 --> 01:23:53.111
He made it.
2095
01:23:53.195 --> 01:23:56.323
[cheers and applause]
2096
01:23:56.406 --> 01:24:03.330
♪ ♪
2097
01:24:10.629 --> 01:24:13.006
‐ I always ask God, you know,
why me, you know?
2098
01:24:13.131 --> 01:24:16.468
I've always asked God,
you know, why me?
2099
01:24:16.552 --> 01:24:18.262
♪ ♪
2100
01:24:18.345 --> 01:24:21.640
30 years later, it's really,
really hard to explain.
2101
01:24:21.723 --> 01:24:25.143
♪ ♪
2102
01:24:25.269 --> 01:24:27.187
The safest place
that I could ever be
2103
01:24:27.312 --> 01:24:29.982
was in the middle of the ring
painting my Picasso.
2104
01:24:30.065 --> 01:24:32.442
♪ ♪
2105
01:24:32.526 --> 01:24:35.028
I always wanted to perform
at the highest level,
2106
01:24:35.153 --> 01:24:36.738
and I wanted to be remembered
2107
01:24:36.822 --> 01:24:39.408
making people feel a certain
way when they watch me.
2108
01:24:39.491 --> 01:24:46.415
♪ ♪
2109
01:24:50.752 --> 01:24:52.629
[inaudible]
2110
01:24:52.713 --> 01:24:54.881
♪ ♪
2111
01:24:55.007 --> 01:24:58.594
And if you guys,
the fans are enjoying it
2112
01:24:58.677 --> 01:25:02.180
and having a good time,
we're doing something right.
2113
01:25:02.306 --> 01:25:04.766
That's what it's always
been about with me.
2114
01:25:04.850 --> 01:25:06.643
♪ ♪
2115
01:25:06.768 --> 01:25:08.854
Now, can you dig that...
2116
01:25:08.979 --> 01:25:12.774
all: Sucka!
2117
01:25:12.858 --> 01:25:16.153
♪ ♪
2118
01:25:16.194 --> 01:25:18.405
‐ I just want to say
it's on
2119
01:25:18.530 --> 01:25:21.033
like a big pot of neck bone,
baby.
2120
01:25:21.158 --> 01:25:23.660
I'm gonna put you in the pot
like I do the neck bone.
2121
01:25:23.744 --> 01:25:26.413
I'm gonna stir it up,
and it's gonna be on, daddy.
2122
01:25:26.538 --> 01:25:28.999
We gonna turn the thing
up to 1,000 degrees,
2123
01:25:29.082 --> 01:25:30.459
and we gonna burn everybody!
2124
01:25:30.542 --> 01:25:33.670
Five‐time, five‐time,
five‐time, five‐time,
2125
01:25:33.795 --> 01:25:36.298
five‐time WCW champion!
2126
01:25:36.423 --> 01:25:39.009
Now, can you dig that?
2127
01:25:39.134 --> 01:25:42.179
[crowd cheering]
2128
01:25:43.513 --> 01:25:45.307
Sucka!