Mick Foley Talks His Comedy Shows, His Relationship With WWE, WWE Network

WWE Hall of Famer and former WWE Champion Mick Foley chatted with the Miami Herald to promote his upcoming comedy shows in the area, and also discussed some WWE-related topics. Below are some of the highlights.

On working hard to put together a show:

“I think it’s like anything else,” he said. “It’s a muscle memory process. It’s the same reason a pitcher with a lot of talent is kept in the minor leagues. In my case the more I do it the better I get, even if they are not the same stories and experiences. You learn to adapt to any situation and create different shows that audiences seem to be buying.”

Foley also mentioned other wrestling minds who have given shots at performing:

“Dolph is an interesting case because he is huge into stand-up comedy, so he wants to become a stand-up comedian, where as J.R. and Jim Cornette are telling tales from their wrestling days. Everyone has a unique set of stories.

“Jim Ross is a guy who does his homework. Jim Cornette is just a phenomenal story-teller who could really thrive in a Q&A atmosphere. It’s going to become a pretty crowded field in the next few years I think, as people see there is an audience for this. I don’t know if many people are going to be willing to put the work into it.”

“I don’t think there are going to be many guys like me and Dolph who show up on an off night unannounced to put in 10 minutes in front of 12 people. You really pay your dues the old fashioned way. I think once a few of these guys go out there and find out how painful bombing can be that some of these guys time on stage will be short-lived. But if they love it and work on it, they could gain an audience.”

His relationship with WWE and what he wants to achieve:

“I’ve accepted that WWE is too busy with their network to send someone out to check it out,” he said. “To me, it seems like a simple sidestep to a new form of entertainment. For whatever reason, I don’t think it’s going to happen. It makes perfect sense, but the less said about it the better. I’m tired of waiting for them to find out it’s a perfect marriage. I can’t make them and continue to do my own thing. I’ll continue to pursue my own [televised] special.”

He also praised the WWE Network:

“I need to see some of those shows on there. I’ve been on the road, so I haven’t had that much time to catch up,” Foley said. “I love what I’ve seen. I think it gives guys like me a chance to connect with a whole new audience. I think it is well ahead of its time. Maybe when the dust settles they will say, ‘Hey, Maybe we do need that Mick Foley special?’ The frustrating thing is once people see the show, they get and it far exceeds their expectations. WWE Network would be a perfect place to air the show to the exact audience who would enjoy seeing it. It’s frustrating that it hasn’t happened.”