8/19/2001 2:07:00 AM
Recap Of Tom Zenk on Pro Wrestling Weekly Radio Show
August 15, 2001

Pro Wrestling Weekly
WWBA AM 1040 in Tampa, Florida
Wednesdays from 7-8 pm EST
Co-Hosts: Shannon Rose & Barry Horowitz with Producer "Slappy" Adam
 
 

Guests: Tom Zenk, Jeff Hardy and "Mene" Gene Okerlund
Report by: Ryan Briggs
 

TOM ZENK JOINS THE SHOW LIVE

- How is he doing? Excellent. "If I was doing any better I'd be twins." The last time he saw Barry was when he wrestled him in Savannah, a match which Barry called.

- How did he break into the business? He was Mr. Minnesota and Mr. Twin Cities, but wanted to segue into something that he could make money off his physique and looks. Road Warrior Animal, who did bodybuilding, told Zenk he would make a good babyface. He was trained by Ed Sharkey over a three month period, sent some 8x10s around and got booked by Bill Watts. He quit there, his father went into the hospital for an angioplasty, and the same day he went to Verne Gagne and got a job (in the AWA).

- What are his best memories of the AWA? Tom says working less and getting paid a lot. He says Verne was a good payoff guy. He ended up quitting a few times over money surrounding his trips to Japan, but he was trained there and the rest was history. He had a lot of fun, calls it a "ride from 18-36" and has no regrets.

- How does he compare his time in the WWF to WCW and which company would he have preferred to spend more time in? Zenk wishes the money was better in the WWF. He says he trusted Rick Martel to get him a spot but Rick  screwed him over. He thought it was him and Martel against everyone else, but it wasn't. In Japan they wanted to put them over Ted Dibiase and Stan Hansen in 1986.

- Tom says people are going to find out Vince is cheap; he's not going to pay the kind of money Turner paid Hogan to stay home, which was a joke.

- Was Rick Martel hard to work with? Tom mentions Rick's quote was "Hey, Tom. You know, there can only be one captain of the ship, and that's me." He says Martel got his own deal using the 'Montreal Connection'. Tom says he doesn't hold it against him because he wanted to get his eyes wide full of the backstage stuff in the business.

- Tom says Vince probably didn't know who he was when he and Martel came in, but the point is they got over in record time. He said he worked harder in the WWF than anywhere else. But he didn't like the attitudes of Terry Garvin, Pat Patterson and Martel. When he asked Martel how much he made, Martel lied to him. Tom says "I  was born at night, but not last night," to quote Chief Jay Strongbow.

- Tom remembers how the WWF treated Barry H, who broke his neck and was a great employee: they released him. He learned a lesson from Barry - that Vince doesn't care about the guys. He doesn't give them 401K plans ... they call themselves "independent contractors."

- Should there be a union in wrestling? Absolutely.

- He says in WCW there were always groups, like Flair's group. Tom signed his contract following talks with Flair and the booking committee. He says he isn't bitter, rather just telling the truth. He has nothing to hide because he isn't involved anymore. He thinks they pushed the wrong guys down there and ran it like their personal property. Tom is 42 right now, which is the age Flair was when he hired him. He says it's a young man's business.

- Barry says that it is to an extent ... but they need the veterans to break in the new talent.

- Tom says Flair didn't draw in the late 80's, which is why Jim Herd wanted to cut his contract. Zenk, Pillman and many other guys put Flair over, but in 1991 Flair "took his toys and left like a spoiled adopted brat" and went to the WWF.

- What are his fondest (and cleanest) memories of Brian Pillman? Tom says you have never seen anyone like that before. He says he reads on the Net of the guys who put themselves over by calling Pillman a friend and hanging onto his fame. Tom says no one did the things he did with Pillman. He calls him the "most hilarious, funny guy I've ever met." The last time they spoke, they talked for a couple hours. Tom says they (WCW) broke them up for no reason.

- Tom tells of one time where someone cut Pillman off. It was him and Owen Hart in the back, and Pillman and Rick Steiner in the front. Pillman drove into the car, whose driver pulled out a 9MM and took a shot. Steiner, who usually had a pistol, didn't have it that day.

- He does his (in)famous Dusty Rhodes impression, which has everyone rolling on the floor.

Barry Horowitz gives Tom a big wrap saying "Tom was never a prima donna. He was alwys respectful and the perfect gentleman. I put Tom Zenk in the same category as Pillman, Steamboat and Ricky Morton.  In my book, he can do nothing wrong."

- Tom Zenk leaves the show. Check out www.tomzenk.com, where the "Z-Man" tells it like it is!

THE "MENE" GENE FILES with "MENE" GENE OKERLUND

- He talked to Hulk Hogan recently and thinks he will end up in the WWF (note from Ryan: don't hold your breath). Says guys like Ric Flair, Lex Luger, Buff Bagwell, Goldberg, and himself should be working in wrestling. But in the meantime there are other projects going on.

- Saw RAW and was surprised at some of the content since Vince owns the marketplace. Did agree with Rock dropping the F-bomb and the angle with Stephanie. It's just his opinion and they don't have to take it.

- Gene says a clearance on syndication is what's needed. Showcase some marquee names on a 30 minute program and build to matches. He says they have to do things that are different.

- "Mene" Gene Okerlund plugs something then leaves the show.

- Now it's time for the "Technical Tour" with Barry Horowitz ... 1990 in Savannah, GA at the Savannah Civic Center. Barry, the old school heel vs Tom Zenk, the babyface. Barry mentions that Tom didn't say one word in the whole match. He says you really have to trust the heel. It was the last time he not only worked Tom, but saw him. Barry was flattered that Tom brought that match up first.

INTERVIEW WITH JEFF HARDY

- Is he concerned with his health when he wrestles? Yeah, he says he's "crazy nervous" whenever he goes out. All the risks he takes he worries about. He has been lucky enough not to get seriously hurt. He is going to try to live up the reputation that the Hardy's have established. They used to be crazy with highspots, but now they have slowed down and thrown in more psychology.

- How does it feel going from the very bottom to the top in the WWF? Great. Jeff says he feels like there is still a long way to the top, but him and his brother have accomplished a lot and are somewhat mainstream.

- What does the WWF have planned for him? Jeff says there is a lot to do with the Matt and Lita love storyline and the Hardys possibly breaking up. He doesn't think it will happen anytime soon, but once they do split up he thinks both of them will have success in singles.

- Interview with Jeff Hardy ends.

- Back from the break, Shannon runs down some upcoming Florida indy shows in a segment called "Matchcenter" and takes everyone's predictions for matches.

- Pro Wrestling Weekly wraps up. Thanks for reading and I'll see ya next week!

- ON NEXT WEEK'S SHOW: Kevin Kelly, Bradshaw and Brian Adams!