Tony Atlas Speaks Candidly About Drug Use & Homelessness

Right After Wrestling with Arda Ocal and Jimmy Korderas interviewed WWE Hall of Famer Tony Atlas. Highlights:

– His book “Atlas: Too Much Too Soon”, where the name of the book comes from and stories within the book

– Talking openly about his foot fetish, racism / sexism in wrestling, rules and locker room etiquette then vs now

– How he credits the “Saba Simba” character that many people criticize, for saving his life

– Jimmy recollects about Tony Atlas always being cheerful in the locker room and never being upset, and Tony explains why

– Talking about making $1500 in his first week in wrestling, and $75,000 his first year.

EXCERPT: “In the early 80’s, I went to LA.  It was my decision to get involved in drugs which screwed me up at the beginning of my career.  I became homeless in 1989.  This lady saw me sleeping in the park in Maine, didn’t know who I was.  I had been homeless for a year and half.  I slept on the park bench.  That day, it was 22 below zero and she invited me into her home.  When Vince tried to get a hold of me, he didn’t know how to reach me.  Vince didn’t know how to get a hold of me so a policeman told me he had a number of someone who wanted to reach me so I called Vince and he told me about the idea of bringing me back as Saba Simba.  Before I went homeless I was 280 pounds, when she found me I was 190 pounds and when I went back to Vince I was 240 pounds.  Saba Simba saved my life.”

INTERVIEW PODCAST: http://radio.thescore.com/episodes/tony-atlas-interview-dec-13-2010

RIGHT AFTER WRESTLING Radio

With Arda Ocal and Jimmy Korderas

Mondays, 11:05pm – midnight EST

The Score on SIRIUS Radio 98

iTUNES: http://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/right-after-wrestling/id379948064

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