LARRY ZBYSZKO SHOOTS ON BENOIT TRAGEDY, WWE TV,
- 06/30/2008 (9:04:15 pm)
- Georgiann Makropoulos
AWA on ESPN Classic, TNA and more…
Show: The Interactive Interview courtesy of www.WrestlingEpicenter.com
Guest: "The Living Legend" Larry Zbyszko
Date: 7/1/08
Your Hosts: Patrick Kelley, James Walsh, & Nick "Griffin" Noel
Transcript By: Patrick Kelley
Chances are you either absolutely detested this man as he feuded with his hero Bruno Sammartino in 1980 or as he dominated the AWA in the mid to late 1980's. Or, you really learned to respect and appreciate him in his kinder and more gentle years as an announcer for WCW. Yes, I could only be talking about the "Living Legend" Larry Zbyszko. And, he's this week's guest!
Larry Zbyszko was my, James Walsh's, second interview ever nearly 6 years ago now. His interview with our show was so good despite the fact I had absolutely no idea what I was doing that it gave me the confidence to continue on for this long when I probably wouldn't have otherwise. Because of this, it truly was a treat and an honor for me to speak to Larry once again and to help him promote his sensational new book, "Adventures in Larryland" on newstands and in bookstores everywhere.
Join us as we bring you a fun, light hearted interview with one of our favorite performers of all time. Join us and listen in, free of charge, as the interview is available in the archive now. Also in the archive, you can still hear our initial interview with Larry! How cool is that?
Tune in and listen now at http://www.WrestlingEpicenter.com. And, thanks for reading/listening!
"The Living Legend" Larry Zbyszko:
- For the third time Zbysko steps into the Epicenter. It begins with Larry explaining just where Larry Land is: It’s wherever he goes. He then talks about what he’s up to which is basically just relaxing and playing golf for now.
- His new book “Adventures in Larry Land” has come out and he talks about it. He says that people have responded well and most readers have told him its very funny. Larry says that he’s never read a wrestling book before, but figured he’d make his as a “kid making his dream come true” kind of story.
- He feels that wrestlers need to be heroes for children in order to give them something to look up to.
- When talking about some of the stories in the book, Larry says that he was never one of the party guys (he doesn’t drink) and he was never as crazy as some of the others, but he liked watching the insanity take place. He names some of the crazy ones: Lou Albano & Mad Dog Vachon come to mind.
- In the book he mentions that he used to rib the guys as he was a pilot and would often fly some of the boys to the destinations. As a gag, he would take the plane in a nose dive just to get their reactions. He says that Tony Atlas freaked out the most.
- ESPN classic is showing some of the old AWA footage and he says that he loves that its on the TV. He wants to see more as there is some great stuff that they haven’t shown yet.
- Larry then talks about how he liked to stall before his matches and how it was part of his character. He then talks about how a lot of the guys do too many spots these days.
- When talking about working an hour long match, he says its very hard and the guys will have to know what they are doing and he feels that anything can be done.
- The Hardcore Style is bad for wrestling in his opinion and he feels that maybe the switch to more technical matches is probably a result of nobody making any money off of doing hardcore, and Zbysko feels that the real problem in wrestling is the lack of drama.
- He was never a fan of ECW. He didn’t like the hardcore aspect & he felt that Paul Heyman was a bad business man that hurt his wrestlers financially.
- Everybody has an Andre the Giant story, and Zbysko’s is a drinking contest between Andre & Chris Taylor. He says that he was close to Andre, but his condition depressed him and it really effected him in later years.
- The discussion then shifts to his book again, and he talks about an amazing story about Kerry Von Erich and his condition when came into play during a match. Pick up the book to hear the story. It’s crazy.
- He was asked to be in the original version of The Hills Have Eyes and he’s not sure if he would have become a big star if he had accepted the role. He then talks about being offered Jackie Gleason’s role in the last Smoky & The Bandit Movie, but the movie was never made.
- Zbysko feels that Vince McMahon can be beat, but it will be very hard to do. He thinks TNA still needs to make some big steps forward, but he feels that the WWE isn’t that good.
- He’s going to be making some appearances with TNA in order to promote his book and meet the fans.
- Scott Hall’s WCW debut was Zbysko’s idea and he says that something similar to that angle was attempted in the AWA, but it didn’t work out, so they tried to re work it into WCW, and that became the New World Order.
- James then takes the time to thank Zbysko and mentions that Zbysko was only his second interview and the one that gave him his confidence to keep up with the interviews.
- The interview ends with one last plug for the book. He says that some people have told him its too short, but he took that as people liking it so much they didn’t want the book to end.
- Zbysko is then asked about the Chris Benoit situation and how the media treated it, and he just said “that’s what the media does” but he also feels that attention needs to be made towards the abuse of steroids and all the physical abuse the wrestlers have to take.
Guest: "The Living Legend" Larry Zbyszko
Date: 7/1/08
Your Hosts: Patrick Kelley, James Walsh, & Nick "Griffin" Noel
Transcript By: Patrick Kelley
Chances are you either absolutely detested this man as he feuded with his hero Bruno Sammartino in 1980 or as he dominated the AWA in the mid to late 1980's. Or, you really learned to respect and appreciate him in his kinder and more gentle years as an announcer for WCW. Yes, I could only be talking about the "Living Legend" Larry Zbyszko. And, he's this week's guest!
Larry Zbyszko was my, James Walsh's, second interview ever nearly 6 years ago now. His interview with our show was so good despite the fact I had absolutely no idea what I was doing that it gave me the confidence to continue on for this long when I probably wouldn't have otherwise. Because of this, it truly was a treat and an honor for me to speak to Larry once again and to help him promote his sensational new book, "Adventures in Larryland" on newstands and in bookstores everywhere.
Join us as we bring you a fun, light hearted interview with one of our favorite performers of all time. Join us and listen in, free of charge, as the interview is available in the archive now. Also in the archive, you can still hear our initial interview with Larry! How cool is that?
Tune in and listen now at http://www.WrestlingEpicenter.com. And, thanks for reading/listening!
"The Living Legend" Larry Zbyszko:
- For the third time Zbysko steps into the Epicenter. It begins with Larry explaining just where Larry Land is: It’s wherever he goes. He then talks about what he’s up to which is basically just relaxing and playing golf for now.
- His new book “Adventures in Larry Land” has come out and he talks about it. He says that people have responded well and most readers have told him its very funny. Larry says that he’s never read a wrestling book before, but figured he’d make his as a “kid making his dream come true” kind of story.
- He feels that wrestlers need to be heroes for children in order to give them something to look up to.
- When talking about some of the stories in the book, Larry says that he was never one of the party guys (he doesn’t drink) and he was never as crazy as some of the others, but he liked watching the insanity take place. He names some of the crazy ones: Lou Albano & Mad Dog Vachon come to mind.
- In the book he mentions that he used to rib the guys as he was a pilot and would often fly some of the boys to the destinations. As a gag, he would take the plane in a nose dive just to get their reactions. He says that Tony Atlas freaked out the most.
- ESPN classic is showing some of the old AWA footage and he says that he loves that its on the TV. He wants to see more as there is some great stuff that they haven’t shown yet.
- Larry then talks about how he liked to stall before his matches and how it was part of his character. He then talks about how a lot of the guys do too many spots these days.
- When talking about working an hour long match, he says its very hard and the guys will have to know what they are doing and he feels that anything can be done.
- The Hardcore Style is bad for wrestling in his opinion and he feels that maybe the switch to more technical matches is probably a result of nobody making any money off of doing hardcore, and Zbysko feels that the real problem in wrestling is the lack of drama.
- He was never a fan of ECW. He didn’t like the hardcore aspect & he felt that Paul Heyman was a bad business man that hurt his wrestlers financially.
- Everybody has an Andre the Giant story, and Zbysko’s is a drinking contest between Andre & Chris Taylor. He says that he was close to Andre, but his condition depressed him and it really effected him in later years.
- The discussion then shifts to his book again, and he talks about an amazing story about Kerry Von Erich and his condition when came into play during a match. Pick up the book to hear the story. It’s crazy.
- He was asked to be in the original version of The Hills Have Eyes and he’s not sure if he would have become a big star if he had accepted the role. He then talks about being offered Jackie Gleason’s role in the last Smoky & The Bandit Movie, but the movie was never made.
- Zbysko feels that Vince McMahon can be beat, but it will be very hard to do. He thinks TNA still needs to make some big steps forward, but he feels that the WWE isn’t that good.
- He’s going to be making some appearances with TNA in order to promote his book and meet the fans.
- Scott Hall’s WCW debut was Zbysko’s idea and he says that something similar to that angle was attempted in the AWA, but it didn’t work out, so they tried to re work it into WCW, and that became the New World Order.
- James then takes the time to thank Zbysko and mentions that Zbysko was only his second interview and the one that gave him his confidence to keep up with the interviews.
- The interview ends with one last plug for the book. He says that some people have told him its too short, but he took that as people liking it so much they didn’t want the book to end.
- Zbysko is then asked about the Chris Benoit situation and how the media treated it, and he just said “that’s what the media does” but he also feels that attention needs to be made towards the abuse of steroids and all the physical abuse the wrestlers have to take.
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