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PAUL HEYMAN TALKS ABOUT SHANE DOUGLAS THROWING DOWN THE NWA BELT, THE EVOLUTION OF TAZ(Z), ECW STAYING ALIVE AFTER IT ENDED, A WWE TRYOUT SESSION IN CANADA AND MORE
by Chris Harrison

Paul Heyman of ECW was interviewed this afternoon on TEAM 1200 in Ottawa. The interviewers were Glenn "The Kulkster" Kulka, a former WWE developmental performer, and Lee Versage, a radio personality and fan of the wrestling business.

Paul Heyman says the new deal with Global is so big for ECW because Global is so huge, Canada has such a rich wrestling history, and because ECW's original run in Canada (on TNN) was not the kind of exposure they'll have now (Incidentally, ECW airs Friday nights at midnight on Global, a network in Canada, and the Canadian equivalent of one of the US' big four TV networks).

They talked about the match to air this Friday in Canada with Sabu vs. Paul Heyman. Heyman describes himself as the Dr. Frankenstein who created the monster that is Sabu. Paul adds that he's never been in an ECW ring, and since he's a masochist, it's also an Extreme Rules match.

Glenn Kulka brings up the WWE Tryout to be held in Ottawa at Scotiabank Place from 3-5 PM, before the Smackdown tapings. Heyman says it's the latest recruitment process, and what's interesting to him are the backgrounds of those coming out. Instead of "football players and frustrated rock stars", it's those training in mixed martial arts, Muay Thai, and amateur wrestlers.

They move to more about Paul Heyman and events surrounding him, beginning with Shane Douglas throwing down the NWA Belt, and the transformation of Eastern Championship Wrestling to Extreme Championship Wrestling. Heyman says the change was to break out from the regional distinction, but also from a branding standpoint, Extreme was a term that could catch on with others. The NWA at the time was something that stood for everything old about wrestling and the "Old Guard". ECW wanted to bring in the "New Guard" in wrestling. This shift would also allow them to the NWA Promoter in his place, the late Dennis Coralluzzo, who Heyman did not mention by name, but said that "we had a promoter in New Jersey who would call the fire department....and bust our chops because , you know, of overcrowding because we were doing sellout crowds and overflow." Heyman said everybody had an opinion of the move, and the whole industry stopped for a day.

Getting back to the Global TV deal, Heyman says that he's excited because it can bring ECW live events into Canada, and that he would love for the brand to become the premier brand in the country, ahead of Raw and Smackdown.

They move briefly to the reformation of ECW under the WWE umbrella. Heyman says the public clamoring for it is what brought it back.

Kulka asks about whether taking over for Jerry Lawler temporarily on RAW as the color man was a difficult thing. Heyman says he was happy to take a break. ECW was a labor of love, but the fight to keep it alive, and the final year of ECW, made RAW a nice break from it all.

Versage asks about ECW promos, and the development of characters. Heyman says an exciting part about the business is the evolution of the persona, taking someone's vision of themselves, and embellishing on it, trying to elicit from them a performance that no one else can get out of them. Raven equated it to the actor/director relationship. Heyman said you have to find layers in the personality. Using Sandman as an example, he was a cigarette-smoking, beer-drinking brute, but you see that he cares about his kids, and he cries about his kids, which fans can further draw themselves towards. You can find new depth to the characters people ordinarily see as one-dimensional by bringing out the human side. This was a real thrill for Heyman.

Heyman also points to Tazz, who started as a barefoot mute. Heyman says, "Tazz was almost like Umaga", but he evolved into a trash-talking tough guy from Red Hook who was trained in dojos. Tommy Dreamer's evolution is also mentioned, from a pretty boy to finding out what heart he had. Names Heyman also mentions are Rob Van Dam, Shane Douglas, the Dudley Boyz and Raven. Heyman makes a point to say, finally, "...let alone somebody like Mick Foley, who could've done it on his own no matter what."

Heyman says a performer has to have a burning desire. He notes, "Vince McMahon uses the expression 'I want people who crave success like an insatiable whore.' " The sacrifices and dedication are so grand that you must eat, live and breathe the business.

Versage asks if Vince McMahon is jealous of ECW's success. Heyman says that if that were the case, McMahon wouldn't have resurrected the brand. Heyman says the business opportunity is what motivates McMahon, not a gesture of charity.

Kulka asks if he can watch a performer for one night and identify him as a star. Heyman says he has his hits and misses. He says there's an "it" factor - someone who walks in a room and gets everyone's attention without even trying.

Heyman says ECW's exposure in a PPV on the stature of Unforgiven is everything they wanted, and is the greatest vindication for ECW because it outlasted Ted Turner's WCW and his billons of dollars. ECW was done "all on imagination, creativity and hard work".

Heyman closes by saying, "The fans are the biggest story of ECW. The fans.....kept buying the Pay-Per-Views and buying the books and buying the DVDs to the point where it had to be back. So it's all about the audience. In ECW, the biggest story always was the audience.....the big story in ECW was the interaction with the audience."

This interview aired on TEAM 1200 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada from 3:45-4:05 PM.

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