Tom Prichard On Possible Reason That The Bodydonnas Worked The WrestleMania 12 Pre-show

Dr. Tom Prichard is best known for his time in WWE as both a trainer and, before that, a tag team wrestler. First he was a part of The Heavenly Bodies alongside Stan Lane and then he portrayed Zip and teamed with Chris Candido as part of the Bodydonnas.

The Zip character never really got over and some think the gimmick was a rib on Prichard just as the polka dot-costume was a rib on Dusty Rhodes. Prichard was asked about that in an interview on the Two Man Power Trip podcast.

"No because Dusty made it work. Dream knew that Dream was a pro and Dream was a legend and Dream knew everything. Whether it was or wasn't or it was said or not. Whatever Dream's perception of it was all that matters because he took it and said if this is what you are going to do, I'm going to show you what I can do," said Prichard. "That is the attitude I should have took, but I didn't. I didn't take it with the Heavenly Bodies when we were doing our stuff too, I just was happy to be there so it was the same thing with this."

Tom's brother is Bruce Prichard who has held various backstage roles with WWE over the last 30 years. Bruce is currently the Executive Director of SmackDown and Tom was asked if his brother was writing for WWE at this point.

"I don't know if they had head writers but it was Vince, Pat [Patterson] and Bruce. I know that and I never discussed it with Bruce. Having someone, especially a family member in a spot like that is pretty touchy anyway. It is one of those things that you are damned if you do and damned if you don't," admitted Prichard. "If I were to have more drive than maybe things would have changed but at the same time we don't know.

"But it was Bruce, Pat and Vince and obviously they saw what they saw and we didn't do anything to change their minds or didn't try to change their minds or sway anyone's opinion. We thought we'll just work in the ring and they will see it and I'm not sure if you've heard this or not but what we do in the ring is just a minuscule part of what this business is about. It was certainly up to us to be more active or to be proactive but it was a different culture. It truly was and it was a different lay of the land and you were walking through the jungle every day with a new disease or new animal waiting to jump you from behind the trees."

The highlight of Prichard's time as a wrestler was winning the Tag Team Championships during the WrestleMania XII pre-show. Prichard appreciates the experience of being on the WrestleMania card but he laments not being more proactive in trying to get on the actual PPV portion of the event.

"It was being grateful to be there and thank you sir may I have another, but it's not WrestleMania it was on the pre-show. We were on the card in the WrestleMania card if that makes any sense but again that should have been us going to Vince and saying something if we had felt strongly about it," stated Prichard. "But were there diversions and distractions? Certainly. There were a couple of times where I felt, what do I say and what is my argument?

"I didn't want to do it at that time and this is how I felt then because I don't feel this way now, but I didn't want to come across as a pain in the ass. But I think if you don't become a pain in the ass or at least speak up for yourself, you are never going to get what you want and you have to do that. But it was bittersweet no doubt and it wasn't like we were The Revival and being guys that could tear the house down every day. We could have good matches ? and I hate to keep beating a dead horse ? but at the same time when you ask, is it the same as WrestleMania being on the pre-show? Anybody who has been there would say no it is not. You want to be on WrestleMania."

Prichard then hinted at backstage politics as the reason why his match was on the pre-show and he referenced the real-life drama between Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart which also involved Sunny.

"Let me get this straight? We have Sunny as our manager [of the Bodydonnas] and what was that main event again of WrestleMania 12? The Iron Man match with Shawn and Bret Hart," stated Prichard. "Well, I'm just saying looking down the card here that I don't have to explain or go any deeper. To say anything or go any deeper at that time with the situation being what it is ? not with Chris [Candido] and Tammy ? but could we have said something? Yeah, but could it have done anything? I doubt that very seriously. Look at the players and check your score card."