The Blue Meanie And JBL Talk Bloody Incident At ECW One Night Stand

Former ECW and WWE superstar The Blue Meanie sat down for an in-depth interview with legends Gerald Brisco and JBL for an episode of Stories with Brisco and Bradshaw.

During the interview they discussed a wide variety of topics, but focused particularly on The Blue Meanie's and JBL's infamous past heat when both were in the WWE. Meanie spoke more in-depth about his perspective at the time, and how he didn't know he was doing anything wrong.

"It just comes down to it was a competitive atmosphere during the Monday Night Wars," reflects Meanie. "Everybody was a little bit on edge and stuff like that. I, myself, admit I had a comedy of errors on my part coming into the company. You know, my first weekend in I debut in Philly. We're supposed to go to Baltimore the next day and then go do Hartford for a Raw. So, me being the typical indie guy and never flying, I was like I'll drive the loop. I'll go to Philly, Baltimore, up to Connecticut no problem.

"And Earl Hebner said 'No, we actually fly you now.' So I was like 'Cool.' So, I do Philly and go to Baltimore. And in Baltimore I check in for my flight and I look at my ticket and go 'Well, dang. That's awfully close to the front of the plane.' I look to Al [Snow] and go 'Am I behind first class?' He goes 'Eh, it's pretty close up.' Al's not letting me off the hook, right?

"So, I get on the plane and I see my seat and I go 'Oh no, I'm done for.' I'm like, my first weekend in they're putting me in first class, right? So, I'm sitting there and I try to just be like inconspicuous. Hoping nobody sees me. It's me, Big Boss Man, Shawn Michaels, and one other person. And I knew I was in trouble. One guy comes in and gives me the look, another guy comes in and gives me the look. But it wasn't until Mick Foley walked into the plane and he goes 'Oh Meanie, oh Meanie, no. Meanie!' It was like a horror movie. I was like 'What Mick?! Please take me with you!'

"We take off. And we get to where we're flying and out of the back of the plane, and I don't know who says it, 'Why the f*ck is Blue Meanie in first class?!' I'm just like 'Oh my god!' If there was a door next to me, I would've done the nasty plunge."

This story eventually made its way back to Gerald Brisco and he learned about it. Meanie was driving back to the arena with Mick Foley and Bob Holly when he asked them for their thoughts on the situation.

"We land in Connecticut and I'm a bundle of nerves," tells Meanie. "I'm riding, it's me Mick Foley and Bob Holly. I was like 'Guys, did I mess up?' And they said 'Eh, you'll be alright.' I was like 'Nobody is going to poop in my bag, are they?' And Bob Holly goes 'I don't think they poop in bags anymore.'"

Meanie eventually sat down with Brisco and other office members and was able to resolve the entire situation. Brisco says that Meanie had no idea he was doing anything wrong, and that you have to be understanding with new talents when they first start.

Meanie admits he did not know he was doing anything wrong, and that he pretty much stumbled into the company. He notes that he doesn't know why he and JBL had heat, and Meanie always thought it was because of the plane incident.

JBL and Brisco went on to describe how the wrestling business used to be filled with a lot of ribbing and a lot of pranks. But that those pranks could also go too far. They also discussed how there used to be a lot of unwritten rules within the locker room that young talent had to learn, and fast.

Meanie then went on to tell a story about what he did the next time he received a first class ticket.

"When they brought me back to work with [JBL] for SmackDown, it was July 4, 2005," recalled Meanie. "And they flew me in the night before and we did a show. And we're catching a redeye out and I get my plane ticket and it's a first class ticket. I go 'Hahaha, fool me once. Hey, Mr. [Ricky] Steamboat, how would you like to sit in first class?' [He says] 'Nah, Meanie, I'm good.' [I go] 'You want to sit in first class?!?!' No, I didn't do that. But he was like 'No, no.' So I went to Tony Garea and went 'Hey Mr. Garea, how would you like to sit in first class?' [He replies] 'No, Meanie, I'm good.' Eventually I grabbed him [and threw him up there]."

Meanie says a lot of his issues in the WWE ultimately came down to him being green and not having the guidance he needed.

"There's a lot of things [where] I was just green and didn't know I was doing anything wrong until somebody pulled me aside and said 'Hey, this is what you should've done' and stuff like that," admits Meanie.

Brisco would go on to ask both men about their infamous brawl at ECW One Night Stand in 2005. This was the incident that saw JBL deliberately and stiffly attack Meanie during a brawl at the end of the PPV that left Meanie bloodied. JBL notes he has already apologized to Meanie and that he is sad the PPV is not remembered for the wrestling in the ring.

"I didn't know that Meanie already had a cut [on his head] from Sandman from a while back, I had no idea," said JBL. "As far as the incident, after Meanie came back in, I pulled him in a private room and I apologized. I said sorry for the whole thing, and sorry for my part. I was also sorry for the fact that ECW had such a good pay-per-view, and that what was remembered was me and Meanie rather that the good work that the guys had put in."

Meanie admits that after his initial WWE release that in interviews he wanted to be shocking and at the time had said that Bradshaw was an "a**hole." He goes on to say that he misconstrued everything as bullying. He also says the most important thing was what happened a bit later after the incident when they made up.

"The most important thing is we got to SmackDown on July 4, 2005," remembers Meanie. "And [JBL] approached me and said 'Hey, want to go talk?' I said 'Absolutely'. . . Here's the deal, you've all been to TV and there's signage everywhere. Catering, kayfabe, Vince's office. So, as we're walking I'm seeing less signage. And I'm like 'If me and John go into this room and there's plastic on the floor, I'm running.'

"We went in the room like two men, he shut the door behind me. He said 'Hey, we can either fight or make money.' I said 'Uh, I'd like to make some money, sir.' And we had a heart-to-heart talk. I explained everything at the time, how I thought he bullied me. He told me about his experiences with the NFL and playing for the Raiders and a little bit of ball-breaking and ribs, and stuff like that."

Brisco then interjects that JBL got his butt kicked for a week by Raiders' legend Howie Long, which JBL confirms to be true.

Meanie goes on to say that he felt out of place, and kind of felt like the new kid at school.

"I was like the new kid at school," shares Meanie. "When you get into the wrestling business you're always going through this process of re-establishing yourself. You could've been the coolest kid in grade school, but when you go to high school, you're a freshman. Then you become the coolest kid in high school and you go to college. Again, you're a freshman. Then you graduate college and then you have to become an intern and start the process all over again. I might have been whoever I was in ECW, but now I'm in WWE. They don't give a crap about what I did in ECW, I have to re-establish myself in that locker room."

Meanie say she didn't want to step on any toes. He just wanted to go into work and do his job, and go home without any heat. He notes that he wishes he could go back in time with the experience he has now.

JBL notes how much he has changed personally since then as well. He says he has learned how to treat people better and not rib people who are not in on it.  He says he likes to think he has improved as person.

"I've learned over the years if people don't know, you just don't bust their balls," reflects JBL. "It's construed wrong, it's taken wrong, and I didn't think about it at the time. I hope I'm a different guy now then I was then. [Brisco] will tell you I'm not. I still bust his balls."

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit Stories with Brisco and Bradshaw with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.