WWE Legend the Big Show was a recent guest on the Sam Roberts Wrestling Video Podcast. You can watch the entire interview in the video below. The following are a few highlights:
On Why He Grew Out His Beard:
I just wanted to change my look a bit. I actually grew it for a TV series that I was trying to get a part for called ‘Frontier’ and things went along well for that and they changed the script, but that’s Hollywood. I talked with the Director and Writer and we talked about some things we wanted to do and then they went in a different direction with the show, but that stuff happens. Never believe in anything Hollywood tells you until it is shot and you get the check and you see it on the screen.
On Why His Match Against Big Show Didn’t Happen:
That was going to happen anyway, to make a change for me and do things and that just happened to coincide with the angle. For whatever reason, the ‘powers that be’ it didn’t work out. I think it didn’t work out because without the risk of going into bullying because I once called him ‘Fat Shaq’ I think it is a huge undertaking [for Shaq] because it’s one thing to say that I am going to be part of WrestleMania and have a huge Single’s match and then you think that I am going to be around 80,000 people in a profession I am not trained in. My end of it is pretty easy because I have worked with Kevin Greene, Floyd Mayweather, so I understand how to work with a non-wrestling athlete, but I think there were other issues; not sure if it was scheduling or other commitments, but there were other things where Shaq and I couldn’t get together because of time and in all sincerity it sucks because he is a good dude, he is a ‘Larger than Life’ personality and it would have been fun, but you know as well as I do, this business doesn’t wait on anyone. There are a lot of factors to prepare someone for Mania; you have to do Raw, you have to do interviews, it’s not like you just do it and show up at Mania, there’s prep work that goes into it and nothing can get done for the prep-work.
On Losing Nearly One-Hundred Pounds:
I wanted to look different. I’ve been The Big Show or Giant for 27 years. I had this thing in the back of my head where I had to be 450 because I was that guy. Not to sound like an old school guy but I lived my character, you want the size and presence where people recognize you, but now I am 370. I think Mark Henry weighs more than I do. I was 463 when I started, so now I still move slow, it takes me a while to get started but once I start I run all night so that’s still good. As long as I take time in the morning to stretch then I am fine, I have miles left in me.
On When He Will Retire:
I have a little less than a year. This is most likely my last WrestleMania, it’s really not a bummer. I’ve had my fantastic moments, I’ve had a blessed career. I’ve gotten to work with anyone and everyone that is in the business. I have gotten to see the new crop of guys coming out and the new future superstars that are coming up now and have had a chance to work with a lot of them, so I have no regrets and am grateful for everything I have done here, but nothing lasts forever and I think a guy my size who has lasted this long is a pretty impressive accolade.
