Alundra Blayze On Her WWE HOF Induction, Paige Twitter Feud, Heat For Trashing WWE Belt, Her Podcast
I recently interviewed WWE Hall of Famer Madusa, f.k.a. Alundra Blayze, whose Full Throttle Podcast premiered last week with new episodes dropping every Wednesday at 8pm ET. You can subscribe to the podcast by clicking here, which includes a great three-part interview with Paul Heyman.
Below is the full interview:
I'm here with WWE Hall of Famer Madusa; Madusa how are you?
"I'm good. So we're going to back up a few steps here. So, you called me and said, 'hey, this is Raj. Is this Debra? Alundra? Madusa? What can I call you? I said, Madusa is good. Then I asked you if it's WFO, you said, 'no, it's Wrestling Inc.' I said, no is it "Wide f–king Open", so here we are, made in the USA baby, so here it is. Apparently you have a lot of questions for me. Some I will answer, some I won't, some I will just b—h slap you a bit because that's what we do."
To be b—h slapped by Madusa, that's been on my bucket list so it'll be awesome. Let's go way back. Were you a wrestling fan growing up?
"Oh my God. Way back. Let's see, when did I start? I trained in 83, probably before you were born. When were you born?"
I was born in 1975. I'm 41.
"Oh ok. You're still a baby. Okay, 83' started, I was just putting myself through school. I was going to be a Nurse. No, it wasn't really a goal of mine back then. Absolutely not. When I was approached, I was approached by some dude who became an amazing friend and awesome guy. I wouldn't be where I am at today Beaumont, Texas sitting in the Hilton and had some crawfish and talking to you. So, anyway he introduced me to wrestling. He was dating a girlfriend of mine. He was a Hollywood stunt coordinator, and he said, you would be good in the entertainment business. I said, dude, I'm standing right here, and so is my girlfriend, you're hitting on me? What a dirtbag. He goes, 'no really, I think you would be really good in the entertainment business.' I said, I'm not a stripper, I don't do poles. He said, 'no, not that.' You said you're a stunt man? Okay, I can be a stuntwoman, a gymnast, gosh, this is great, I can go to Hollywood! He said, 'no, not Hollywood... professional wrestling!' I said, are you f–king kidding me? No way dude! So he kept bugging me and bugging me for weeks and months, and I went down to his place and there were a bunch of sweaty and hairy men in masks, and there they were just throwing each other around, just a bunch of sweaty, hairy, stinky men in this 50 x 50 room, I just looked at those guys and thought that I can do this. I can throw around some of my gymnastics, mix it in there, so there it is, history, and here I am. I never looked back. I quit my nursing, and jumped in wrestling, made about $5 for 3 years, and thought to myself? What the f–k am I doing? But, it gets so deep, but one of your questions is a very long diatribe."
You mentioned that you were homeless before you signed with the WWF?
"Oh dude, I was homeless after I left, later on in life. I was homeless several times in my life, really bad, I depleted my savings, I was living in my car, they repossessed my car, yeah. I didn't have jack s–t man, but I was determined. I was always an innovator and motivator, and I wasn't even in the military. Man, I would have been great in the military, but I didn't have any brothers or sisters, never had a father. My mother did the best she could but we didn't have a relationship. Man, I should have been dead years ago, going down the wrong path, I didn't have anything. The only savior I had at the time... well, she's still alive today and she just hung up her Harley is my 94 year old grandmother, who is still kicking ass."
So, the last time you were homeless. You mentioned you were homeless a couple of times; was that before you signed with the WWF as Alundra Blayze?
"No, no, no. I wasn't homeless twice, I had bad moments... just that one time I was homeless."
So, how hard was it? Was that just wrestling in the 80's or was it just difficult for women during that time?
"Well, just all of it. I don't know how else to say it. Without saying, 'oh, poor me' after the Golden Era, I called it the Lost Era. That era of women's wrestling was just so hard to grasp so I was on a hiatus before I stormed in. I don't know, it was a horrific time... it was so hard, but I kept pushing through. I just kept at it. I just kept telling myself how good I was, and that I was going to change women's wrestling... I can just see it. It had just evolved. You know Fabulous Moolah did her best, it had gone through the next era which was fabulous. WWF started blasting with stars like Sherri Martel, Wendy Richter, Miss Elizabeth and then me. You can take a few out of each era; whether it was good or bad, it had made its mark. For what the reasoning was, like when I was there, from the independence, to AWA, to Japan, to WCW and then to WWE. I don't really remember. Hell, I don't even remember my own story. I will have to read my own book again."
When you did sign with WWF, they didn't really have a Women's division. It had been gone for a few years. Were you nervous at all about that?
"No, if it wasn't for Greg "the Hammer" Valentine, I can't say never because I am a determined girl, but he's good friend with Pat Patterson. He kept telling me that he had to give Patterson a call, because, that's the thing that they need because the Women's title was sitting in dormant for a long time, for about 10 years, and he said that they just need to give you a look, I said, I don't want your help, I never had any help, I don't want it. He said to just let me make the call... you're either going to make it on your own or not but it is up to you. I said, okay, fine, do it, whatever. Sure enough, they took a look and said, wow, and I flew in and was hired.
"We did the tournament, and I said right away that I was going to bring my style. It is different. I am going to change Women's wrestling to the next revolution; I'm going to make a revolution. I was a very strong person mind-wise. I was very gender defending and was very about equality and making a statement. I was so damn pissed when I got in and did my due diligence and said that this is bulls–t. Why is it Macho Man and so and so against, or Hogan and so and so against, and then the Women's match? I came from an era when they called it a Women's match. Now that s–t isn't going to fly. I want to be main eventing. Now, there's an evolution and all these things are changing and I had it, I said, nope. I want to start being on cards. I want my name, I want second billings. I want to have a match and I put that Japanese twist in America and they were just like, wow, and so the guys said that we aren't going to follow her. We're not following Bull Nakano and Alundra Blayze. So, at that time I was starting to make a change and was making a difference. When you are second billing all of a sudden. You have the main event, suddenly you have me vs. Bull Nakano and then you have The Undertaker and someone else, you know damn well you made your mark, yes sir."
Did Vince talk to you personally when they had to let you go?
"No sir, they didn't, he didn't. Nope, I just got a nice little letter from JJ Dillon. I still have that letter."
So, the next time you talked to Vince [McMahon] at the Hall of Fame, that was probably while you were WWF Women's Champion then right?
"Yes sir. The first time I saw him I was being inducted into the Hall of Fame. It was an amazing feeling; he was great. I am going to say this, I was just telling a friend about this the other day, through all the trials and tribulations, there was just something about Vince that I really liked. I dug him, I really like him. He and I never had any words, we didn't. He was being about business. I didn't take it as malicious, I just thought that it was bulls–t. But, I never had that big chance to make that big mark, of course you wanted to earn that big paycheck, but the women today, I find it very beautiful and find it amazing and am so glad they are where they are. This Woman's era is what I was trying to do, but of course it was completely different. The women didn't have the access as they did back then to promote yourself and to do great things. It's so amazing to see the girls do what they are doing. You are out there more and it is so much harder. During my era we didn't have cell phones, I didn't even have the internet... what was that? Those big ass phones like Paul E had were just coming out. I don't know, I think it's so good to see what has evolved from then and now. I am just so glad the women are being paid now and are given more time, and right now they don't think it is enough, but all I can say is go back 20 years; it's amazing what you guys are doing. Not just that, it is amazing because probably in 10 years they are probably going to say... oh, you wouldn't believe, you guys had it so good. It's just a good cycle. Life is life, you can't be mad or bitter because somebody advanced or they are successful, you just embrace and encourage it, which is how I feel. I love where Women's wrestling is now. I would like to see more brutal combat because I am just a brutal b—h in the ring. I would love to see more contact, more ass stretching basically, but hopefully that will come. Couple more Japanese girls are coming in there, so there will be some great matches. The Japanese girls they have now are going to make history."
Yeah, they have some great talent right now. You mentioned the current generation women. With Paige, you were going back and forth on Twitter. Were you just having fun?
"Her and I were having fun at first because I just love her to death. I really do, I understand and get her. Her mom is amazing, I get along with her. We were having fun at first and then it got twisted to where it could have been a possibility but then it didn't happen. Don't get me wrong, I'm not begging and saying, 'oh my God. I want one more match. I can be a superstar!' No, no, no, if anything, I would love to have a contract to show up once or twice a year to get my million you know? Nothing wrong with that, but give me that damn gig. Where is that women legend that can run out and do that crap?"
I know you get asked about this all the time. Throwing the WWE Women's Belt in the trash. I know Eric Bischoff really strongly had you do it, but were you surprised that it became such an epic moment that it did of the Monday Night Wars. Every time they show the Monday Night Wars that clip was in there. Before you were doing it, did you get the feeling that it was going to be remembered for such a long time?
"You know, that is a really great question even though everyone feels bad asking. It is one of those... it wasn't a defining moment of my career. I got let go, and it's the truth. I was disappointed and maybe a little pissed, but I did not go in there thinking, you know, I am going to think of something to get even. I'm going to take my belt and throw it in the trash can on WCW, and just demean it. I didn't even talk to Eric. I didn't have any ideas of how I was going to work again. I didn't have a job, so that wasn't a predetermined plan or idea. I wasn't even let go for 24 hours and Eric Bischoff called me and asked if I was interested in coming back to WCW, and I said yeah, what do you have? He said, 'well, we've been friends for a long time and we've worked together before so I have an idea... do you have that belt?' I said what belt? He said the WWF Women's title? I said, you know what, I do? Why? Why Eric? What's up? Him and I go way back to the AWA days, and he said, 'why don't you come on Nitro this Monday, I have an idea so this is what I am offering you, this is what I got, and we will take it from there and explode. Bring the title with you and we will talk.'
"I brought the belt and he said that this was my idea. I said that it was a great idea. I might get a pop, and if I am lucky it would get me some publicity and can get on some magazines, so sure I will do it, no big deal. I said to Eric that I needed to return the belt because it is Vince's belt, I needed that belt back. He said sure, no problem dude, I will give it to you. I said, no immediately. If I'm going to throw it in the trash and do a promo I need it back, he said, sure, you got it. It will be right back in your dressing room. Sure enough, as soon as I was done it was brought back to my dressing room, that was it. I didn't think any of it. I don't think anyone knew of the magnitude, I mean, did not know what it was going to do or anything. It was just to make a statement, nothing more. I can promise you that if it was Hogan or Macho or somebody, or a dude would have done that, do you know how much publicity they would have gotten? They would have been a god. I don't care what anyone says, no! A women just did not do that. I thought when I did it, I said, you know what, I am going to stick up for women. I was just let go and that was after the fact, this is the reason why. I need to start a revolution, I'm going to change this crap.
"Women aren't just a bunch of hoe-bags throwing around and I'm not going to wrestle in the mud. They knew I didn't like any of that crap; throwing me around in BBQ s–t or whatever the hell they were doing, all that bikini stuff. I was getting pissed. I noticed who they were hiring, all these models and I said, okay, I am f–king out of here. I am so disappointed in the f–king degrading of women and what you are doing with them in this business. Again, it was a different era and I said, you know what dude, you need to f–king move on, I'm out of here. After 17 or 18 years, I'm done, I'm moving on. 1999 I got a call from the Monster Trucks and asked if I wanted to drive Trucks. I said, I know I need a job but I am not driving an 18 wheeler, he said, no, a Monster Truck. I said that I had never even seen or one or been to a show, just like wrestling. So, they flew me out and I test drove and it became a perfect marriage... probably a perfect one. It was a natural. Man, I was hitting the cars and coming in through a freaking pond. I land on all fours and said, f–k, I am fired before I am hired. I get out of the truck. I said, look, I never drove one before, I was just test driving it. I love dirt bikes and 4-wheeler drives, and I just thought that it was kind of cool. They asked if I had driven one before this and I said no. They said that I was hired. That next weekend I was performing in front of 60,000 people and I had never practiced inside a Monster Truck my entire life up until 3 years ago during my first practice inside a Monster Truck after years of driving."
So, was that why you didn't go back to wrestling after 1999? Was it the racing because I know you won titles and everything.
"No sir, no sir, no sir. Let's just clear that. I was retired from wrestling because I was disgusted. I'm not disgusted at the girls personally because it was a new era. That was what the girls were doing, that was what Vince was doing with t–s & ass, playboy, mud bowls and all sorts of stuff. Nothing against the girls personally, but 97% couldn't wrestle, but that wasn't their fault. It was the right time for them, the right era, and that was okay, but that wasn't for me."
What you were saying about a woman doing the dropping the belt in the trash compared to a man doing it. They were doing some dirty stuff back then between WCW and WWF. I was surprised you got so much heat for that when WWF they have the Nacho Man and spray painting his hair and doing all that stuff. Did you get heat with the wrestlers?
"It's politics. It's like Democrats and Republicans. It's the same s–t, and then you have the damn liberals in between and there you go."
The thing that surprised me is that some of the wrestlers got upset at that.
"They did."
I'm just surprised because they know how dirty that war was. Why would they be upset with you when it was a WCW decision?
"Oh come on. Take a look. I can't believe you even asked me that. Do you know why some of them drink the f–king Kool-aid? Come on, why would they do that and go with it? I'm going to defend them even though they were against me. I'm going to defend them because back then was just like anything else else... it goes on today, but if you say anything against the grain, you may not have a f–king job, so you better be quiet. You can't speak about it. With all due respect, it happens in any job, you just keep your mouth shut, why get it public if you don't want it out there? Unless you are a 100% comedian and you are up on stage and busting out left and right then okay. I paid a ticket for you to insult me so okay, but on the other hand, you have to have a lot of respect and learn. I believe in history. History repeats itself, remember that? Okay, so you're still like 40-41, anyway, they were doing that back and forth. I don't know, you just have to be careful with what you say.
"Mick Foley will tell you that he drank the Kool-aid for a lot of years and he came straight out and said... I mean, I have so much adoration and love for Mick Foley because he said that after all of those years when he came up and talked to me after he found out that I was being inducted. He came up to me and said that he just wanted to apologize. He and I spoke on the phone a little bit here and there, but before I was being inducted I was kind of hush hush. He said, Duce', I drank the Kool-aid and I am so sorry. I said, what are you talking about? He goes, I drank the Kool-aid and I said some things, but I now understand why you did it. I nearly broke down because after 21 years later I had to live with this. So, for 21 years I sucked it up and kept my mouth shut and if you remember in those 20 years I didn't do one damn wrestling signing up until 1 year or 2 years ago, I did my first one. I only did 2-3 of them in 20 years because I am one of the boys. I am an old school, a different breed. Those who get it are second generation... they know what that is. Even third generation get it; like the handshake. If you shake like a flake you are really softly, or old, or little iggy's here and there. It's just some stuff that won't leave wrestling and it's just... I don't know. I understand why they didn't speak up for me because if they did they would have been blackballed, which was what I was trying to get to."
When you were saying that about not doing signings. You think that wasn't your choice? You felt like you were blackballed as well?
"No, No. That was my choice. I'm just a very different breed. When I am done with something, I'm done with you. I stepped away from wrestling. I did, I dealt with it. Not that I was mad or pissed at it, but I just needed to move on and reinvent Madusa. I need to be an innovator and go on. I was going to retire from wrestling and do something else, and then I got a call from Monster Trucks. Dude, I'm a gearhead. I love building Harley's and I thought this is great. I was just going to retire and live life and do whatever, and then I went into that and 17 years later here I am."
It's awesome that you had that type of career for that long period of time with stuff that you did, which can be really difficult like monster truck racing, that is just amazing.
"It is. The monster truck business, the people that are involved in the racing and the mechanics, are all really good southern mentality, great people, great guys, all amazing. Of course you have your quirks here and there throwing wrenches at each other, you know? When I first got hired, I told them that I didn't want to be a pre-madonna, or limos, I want to work on the trucks. I want to ride the semi's, they said, 'well, be careful what you ask for.' I went on the road for the first few years loading and unloading my truck, changing tires, transmissions, let me tell you, I worked my ass off. Again, I wanted to prove that not every woman is about lipgloss and 6 inch heels. I was a really hardcore athlete, even into the monster trucks, and I brought it out there. It's like in the 80's all over again, in the year 2000's, I felt like I was in the 80's and how everything worked. They just needed direction, they didn't know how to promote their talent. There wasn't any social media for them to advertise. I had gone out there and started cutting promos and they were like, what the hell? What is that? But, you know what, it put asses in seats and it built to where it is now. I am not taking full credit because when I first started, I wasn't the greatest driver, but I am as far as monster trucks that I am the only woman to ever win a championship in racing and freestyle, ever. I have held that title for 17 years."
You said how you kind of shut yourself out from wrestling for a time period, and then all of a sudden you are inducted into the Hall of Fame, and now you are just right there, huge weekend, everyone is watching you, and then you come out at WrestleMania. What was that like to get back into it in that big of a way?
"When I got that call I was getting ready to race for a big show in some stadium somewhere and I get this text saying, hey Madusa, this is Mark [Carrano]. Not sure if he called me Madusa or Alundra; but they are very proper over there, and I like it. It's really cute. Hey Alundra, this is Mark from WWE, can you give us a call ASAP. I thought, what?"
Was that the first you heard from them?
"In 20 years. Well, there were a little few things from around then, but I am going to save that for my podcast, my book, but let me tell ya, this is some juicy s–t. So yeah, I get the text and he's like, Alundra, can you call us as soon as possible? I'm thinking, oh my God, how did they get my number? This is bulls–t. All of a sudden, 5 minutes later, I took a pic of it, it was so cute saying, 'Um, Alundra, this is Mark, WWE are you there? This is really important.' I was thinking to myself, okay, who is ribbing me here? I ignored them again, and he said, no really, this is Mark from WWE, we need to speak with you. I said, oh man, I owe taxes, they're going to need my address or something. I said, okay fine, but why do I have to call? Why can't I text it? I think I texted him saying, do you need my address for taxes or something? I can just text it. He said, no, call me. I'm like, okay.
"I get out of the driver's meeting and put on my firesuit and am standing there with my firesuit around my ankles and I call and put it on speakerphone and I started talking, i said, hi, Mark? He said, 'hi, yes, this is Mark from WWE in Talent Relations. How are you Alundra?' I said, I'm good, what's up? I asked him if he needed my address or tax info? He just started laughing and said, 'no, he goes, but I do need to ask you a serious question.' I thought, oh s–t, something happened to Vince or something. He goes, 'well, we had a big meeting and we would like you to come home, and how do you feel about being inducted into the Hall of Fame?' I'm not kidding dude, my firesuit fell down below my ankles and I am almost naked, and I started screaming, are you freaking kidding me? This is a joke right? I'm like, you guys don't want me! He just started laughing and goes, 'no, new time and new generation Madusa. We love you and we really want you to come back, I promise. I'm like, wow, this is really nice. I'm thinking, okay, okay, let's see if it really sinks in and said okay.
"I hang up and am in shock and am about ready drive a 10,000 lb machine with about 1800 horsepower with my adrenaline going through the roof. I just grew some big balls and drive a truck because I am so freaking ecstatic. What was worse was that I couldn't even say anything. I had the biggest grin from ear to ear, and my crew chief was like Madusa? Are you okay? I'm like, I'm so good! I can't believe how good I feel. It was the greatest feeling that I will never ever ever forget. We got together and talked about what we were going to do and fast forward because there is a lot of good stuff that I will share later, and fast forward again, but I will say this, from the bottom of my heart, my God, I was so scared. I was so scared to walk in there and they're just going to diss me and whisper behind my back, and I'm like, God, I don't know if I want to do this. I'm just walking in with some baggage, so I don't know if I want to do this, and then I got there and I swear to God Raj, I never had the most welcoming ever in my life. Everyone was so gracious and so nice. Maybe it was because it was the Hall of Fame and it was your day, but it changed completely from when I was there and when I walked back 20 years later, I mean, it was night and day. They were still nice to me back then, but the monster of the machine and the changes were just incredible and breathtaking, and of course I saw the women and oh my God, those women. I'm talking from the fellas to the newbies, everyone was so gracious and nice. Not thought I had doubt the women would accept me at all. Maybe some were indifferent, or were not sure who I was or maybe felt different. They never showed or said anything. They just held their head high and were just a gracious group of women and I was so happy to see that. The commoraride there was good, and I was just so pleased. I mean, I could have probably burned all of them... I'm talking age wise, so yeah, it was so awesome.
"The most beautiful thing that happened to me that night was running into Vince and Nattie's introduction speech, just really lead and laid the platform for my speech. So I was very grateful, so grateful for Nattie. Nattie has to be one of the most amazing women that I met from that era to this era, and a woman is so grounded and so embedded into her integrity and her family and beliefs. A lot of people need to take note with her, she is such a great role model and it just warms my heart. Did you know that I really loved Brie Bella? I called her my gimpy child because she was like me and loved a green world, and let's not pollute, I have my own garden, she was so breathtaking. They are good girls, you can't hate them even if you wanted to. You can't hate them just because. Nikki, I love her f–king fire, she was so cute. She said something to me, oh I don't want to say it now?
I have to say that you are one of my most entertaining interviews that I have ever had. Why did it take you so long to get into podcasting?
"You're so funny. Thanks for the nice rub, I thank you. Well, listen. I will share one little secret with you. Really, I was beating myself up, I told myself that I wasn't going to do it, there was no way, and I thought, okay, what was I going to say? What am I going to do? I have lots of road stories and everything, but I was beating myself so bad about this podcasting. I was supposed to do my first podcast about 8 months ago, but I just didn't. What am I Raj? I'm an innovator, I'm a thinker, if I'm going to have my third career in my life, I'm not going to do a podcast just to do it so they can hear my f–king voice or want to hear my whatever, I want to do it with substance and of course someone wants the shock jock people and I don't want to shock jock. This is the time to shine baby, I have about 34 years bottled up and I have a lot to say, so yeah, it's about it's a podcast about women empowerment and strong women, but it's going to be about men and women and children and butterflies with peace signs, but you want to know what is most important about all those things put together?
"It's going to come from a woman's perspective, a woman's view, and it's not about pink hats and pussies on your head, this is about having some dude on and some male wrestler and have his ex wife on the next week because we've never had that other side to it. People are going to listen to it and they will think, wow, Madusa is going to do that? Most men are the ones doing the podcast except I want to give a major high five to Lilian Garcia, and to Rene Young for their two podcasts which are cute and different. You are the trailblazer, the first woman wrestler to have one. It needs to be done. It's needs a spoken word that needs to be spoken. The podcast won't be about bashing guys, but I mean, if someone else wants to come on and bash men, but it's not about bashing people or anything like that, but basing it on facts and stories. Am I going to have guests? Sure, intermittently, then you know, you are going to listen to my pothole for a whole f–king hour, which I won't say what else there is, but I have some stuff I want to do in a platform podcast, but you will never know."
How are people going to find the podcast?
"Thank you so much for having me. I am so appreciative. I have been gifted and thank you God for giving me life, I have life. If people want to know what life is call me. I love it, but anyway, you can go to Madusa.com and then it is like @Madusa_Rocks on Twitter and Instagram, and then there's Facebook, a website I just told you, and then my phone number is...ha ha ha...you're like, no wait, don't say that."
With your induction, when Nattie brought the trash out and you took the belt out, was that something you and Nattie planned the day of or had you been thinking about doing it for a while?
"Okay, can I ask you a question? Before I answer, and will you please tell me the truth. Okay, did you hear that everybody? He's going to tell me the truth. Did you hear that everybody? He's not going to be drinking the Kool-Aid, so did you see it? Okay, so you saw my speech, when that happened, the trash can came out and started wailing out all the things from the trashcan, what was your initial thought?"
It was WWE's idea to do the trashcan, to do the belt, my initial thought.
"What was your initial thought, like oh s–t, what your emotional feeling?"
Well, I was a big fan of wrestling during that era and I thought it was a really cool moment.
"Okay, you didn't think, oh, what a classless b—h or anything like that?"
No, not at all. Why would someone think that?
"Well, you would be surprised what I have been called so classless b—h is a compliment. So, the whole trash thing, listen to this. When I said that WWE is so epic, and how they treated me and how everything was so smooth. I had such an amazing experience. That was probably one of the most amazing moments I have had in wrestling, this whole experience of the induction of Alundra. We should do a documentary of the 'Induction of Alundra.' Should we say, induction or abduction? No, induction of Alundra, so anyway, the trash can incident when they called me and he said, 'Hey Alundra, this is Mark. We need to start teasing out there so can you just think of something, or take a picture of yourself, or can you take a picture of the belt and send it so we can Tweet it out.' I said, okay, but can I be creative or do anything? He said, 'okay, be creative, send it out and it'll have to be approved, but do whatever.' I thought to myself, okay, and I went and got that belt. That belt has been in a safe for over 20 years, along with that black cover to protect it. So I went and got the belt, grabbed a trash can and put the belt there. I'm going to wear a nice swimsuit, and then I'm going to put my feet up on the trash can and put the belt halfway in with my legs and my feet in the trashcan, I think that was funny, but there's no way they are going to go for it. I sent it to him and Mark said that this was the best, hold on. He sent me back a message saying that it was approved, I said what? He said, yeah, it's already going out. It was just like, are you kidding me? It was the biggest thing that they said okay.
"So, on that night, I'm making it perfect, and of course you overdo it. I said that I needed to make this real, I needed to let them know that I like humor and it is what it is and let's just have a good time. I wanted to get a trashcan, and retrash the thinking and say, here's the things that I did that built me up to here. I went to Tom, who is a great writer. I said, Tom, can you please get me one of those silver trash cans. I want to put some bbq sauce in there and other stuff, and I want to put the belt in there last. He said that the idea was phenomenal, it was great, but you need to run it by Mark. He said, I don't know, but it's going to have to be approved by Vince. I thought, okay, there's no way he's going to let me do this. So, I was so pissed off because they just dissed JR, and even now whoever the booker was at the time, but I didn't want to be in bbq matches in bikini's, and then when I got word that Vince was taking over WCW I went and trademarked the 'Madusa' name thinking, there's no way he's getting my name, I'm out of here. So, I went to Mark and told him the thing, he said, wow, you're digging deep, you know you need to go to Vince. I said, I know, but Tom told me to ask you, he said, okay, let me just run it by him. He comes back and goes, I don't know Alundra, Vince said go for it. I said, what? He goes, yeah, go for it, do whatever you want. I said, oh my God, you have got to be f–king kidding me, so all of a sudden a couple of days later I get a text from Mark saying, look at your new t-shirt. I go, what? I have a t-shirt? He goes, yeah, Hall of Famers get t-shirts made. I go, do you make them to sell them or just make them to give one to me? He's like, that's really nice, thanks. He goes, no, take a look at your new t-shirt. I took a look at it, and I'm not kidding, I almost fainted. I took one good look at the t-shirt and I never laughed so hard in my life. I was like, isn't that like a pirate shirt that people are selling? I said, who's shirt is that? Our department came up with that. We made that. I go, you have got to be kidding me. You have a trash can with my belt hanging over it saying, 'Alundra Blayze, WWE Hall of Famer,' they said, no, everyone approved it. I thought right away that WWE gets it. It's awesome.
"I believe that they realized it wasn't malicious, it was about equality, I needed to put food in people's mouth. I remember Vince was very disappointed and took it to heart. It was an ego thing, but I didn't mean to and he knows this now. It was my idea and I don't need to take credit for it. It was my stories. When I say bikini, I hated it, and I love JR so much, but when I pulled out his BBQ sauce, I thought, here, JR have a good BBQ plug. Then came the belt and that was when I said to myself in my speech. They could have said no at any time, but Tom said that I was all clear with my speech to go, I asked if there were any edits in my speech, and he goes no. I said, are you kidding me? Can you check the wording? Was everything okay? He said I have nothing to change. I said, okay cool. Dude, it was the most memorable time in my life wrestling at Madison Square Garden at WrestleMania 10, or whatever, but yeah. So, hopefully that answers your questions 40 minutes later."
Thanks again Madusa for your time.
"Thank you so much for having me. I look forward to speaking with you on my podcast."
You can listen to the full interview in the audio player below. You can check out Madusa's Full Throttle Podcast or subscribe to it by clicking here, which includes a great three-part interview with Paul Heyman. New episodes drop every Wednesday at 8pm ET.