Trish Stratus Interview…and a Tough Enough Rant!

By now, I’m sure you’ve all heard that the WWE’s favorite diva, Trish Stratus, has announced that she will be rejoining the WWE as a trainer for the returning Tough Enough program. Now before I get into Trish Stratus, – not literally, she’s cute and all but she seems like a pretty lame romp on the mattress – allow me to vent on this Tough Enough ordeal.

For those who don’t know, I’m a former booker of a northeast pro wrestling company that closed its doors in 2007. While running the organization, I was fortunate enough to work with most of the original TNA roster, some current WWE stars and some of the most talented unsigned, unacknowledged and under appreciated performers on the indy scene. Unfortunately for them, their day to shine in the WWE spotlight will never happen. I’m not saying this to be a douchebag, I’m saying it because it’s true.

Years ago, you could argue that the individual talent themselves needed to work harder on their in-ring skills, their mic work or their gimmick in order to jump on the WWE’s radar. Now, you’re only qualifications have to be non-wrestling related. The creative writers were plucked from prime time comedic sitcoms, most of whom have never watched pro wrestling, had an avid interest in pro wrestling, or just plainly spent their time mocking it and cutting it down to anyone who would listen. The so-called divas, are simply a cattle of hot chicks that were too clueless to be real actresses and most were either former ring rats or were found greasing up a pole with baby oil and glitter. This is what makes the cut rather than a pure and well trained athlete such as Mercedes Martinez, Angel Orsini or Prime Time Amy Lee.

Now for the male competitors, it’s a bit different. I have no bone to pick with second or third generation wrestlers. It’s in their blood and a little nepotism is their birth right. Most male wrestlers are well trained, mainly because males in general are sports fanatics and athletes at heart. So earning a spot is more competitive to the scores and scores of dreamers and weekend warriors.

But on the flip side of that coin, I know a good deal of wrestlers who attended the casting of the revamped tough enough. All of them are qualified enough to earn some kind of TV time. Yet, when it came to the final round they were informed that they didn’t make the cut nor would their participation be featured on the show. Talk about a low blow to your downtown bonanza. Sure, I’m aware that in competitions and castings, its a matter of being the best of the best. But how can you say that with a straight face knowing that these athletes, who work hard at their craft every day of their lives were kicked to the curb for the likes of Miss USA??? Are you ribbing me??? Better yet, are you ribbing them??? Are you ribbing the paying fans???

It’s truly disgusting, yet nobody within the WWE seems to be complaining. Now that’s either because they don’t have the balls to speak up and voice their opinion to the great and powerful OZ (aka Vince McMahon), or because the boys behind the scenes are wagering on which wrestler is going to stretch out Miss USA like chewing gum before dumping her and wishing her the best on her future endeavors. It’s a damn shame what this business has come to.

So, that brings me back to Trish. Did you know that Trish has this crazy thing that she doesn’t like people touching her? I mean she seriously freaks out when she’s touched by people. Which I find ironic because she was performing in a full contact business where people had their hands all over her. In any case, we had the chance to briefly catch up with with the former women’s champion a few weeks before she decided to reappear on the wrestling scene. Here you’ll hear her talk about comparisons between the WWE Divas and the TNA Knockouts, the retirement of the WWE women’s title, and her thoughts on posing for Playboy.