Tuesday, March 6, 2012

"Macho Man" Randy Savage - The Lost Interview


**Please Note - This article was written prior to the untimely death of Randy Savage.

I have to admit that over the last 10 years, I’ve been pretty fascinated with pro wrestling shoot interviews. Once the wall of kayfabe came crashing down in the 90′s, it left a gaping hole for pro wrestlers o cash in on their experiences that were all but hidden from the common wrestling fan. Imagine the opportunity of asking your favorite wrestlers and childhood idols, “What did you think of this match?… What did you think of this feud?… What was it like working with this guy?… What is your relationship like with that guy?… What are your thoughts on blah blah blah?…”

Gotta give credit where it’s due to Rob Feinstein, owner of RF Video. While many others (including myself ) have conducted numerous interviews that pulled no punches and asked the hard burning questions, RF Video turned it into a business by shelling out top dollar to some of pro wrestling’s most “untouchable” names and scored lengthy three plus hour no questions barred shoot sessions. While other reporters swelled their chests with pride by having their names recognized in writers and media circles, RF Video actually cashed in and raked in fortunes. I can recall some of their early shoots with Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart, as they both told their sides of the Montreal story in great detail for the first time. RF Video was the first to introduce us to the real Scott Hall and Kevin Nash and allowed us to witness their grilling with questions regarding the WWE, WCW and nWo. Rob and RF gave us the best of the best – but they did miss one.

After all these years with all the greats and all the money spent, they’ve never scored a shoot interview with the legendary Randy “Macho Man” Savage. Perhaps the most iconic and mysterious figures in pro wrestling history. There have been numerous shoot interviews with the likes of Ricky Steamboat, Scott Hall, Diamond Dallas Page and the Honky Tonk Man who all discussed in great detail what it was like working with Savage, but we’ve all waited to hear Randy break from the Macho Man persona and tell his side of the stories, his matches and experiences, and his passion for the business.

For well over a decade, Randy Savage has fallen off the pro wrestling radar – popping up from time to time to release a rap CD, get married and collect a TNA payday. Yet he’s kept himself quiet and hidden from the public eye as he’s grown old, gray and almost unrecognizable.

Prior to WCW folding shop in 2000, Savage was on the sidelines in the middle of reinventing his image. During his downtime, the pop culture website IGN.com had an exclusive chance to catch up with the Macho Man and conduct a very rare video interview. Now this isn’t quite a shoot interview but it’s the closest you’ll find right now of Randy Savage out of character and openly talking about his career. How this interview hasn’t been widely circulated and prompted someone to track down Savage to make him an offer to shoot a new one is beyond me.

So I’ll be the first to send the bat signal out….ATTENTION ROB FEINSTIEN!!! It’s time that RF Video gets the first shoot interview with Macho Man Randy Savage. I know you’ve got the money, and I’m sure it’s cheaper and easier to do the 53rd volume of Scott Hall getting high and crying shoot. But just as Highspots shelled out the greenbacks to score the Ric Flair shoot, it’s time for you to up the ante and reel in Randy Savage.

Now until Rob drains his bank account and answers to his responsibility, I was able to track down the footage of Savage’s candid interview by IGN back in 2000. If you enjoy these videos, then make sure you keep hounding RF Video until they get the job done!





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