I-Hate-You

AG: On the subject of stars, why do you think a couple of guys by the names of “RVD” and Booker T haven’t made it to that top level?

HHH: You would have to have Booker T and Rob Van Dam answer that.

AG: You don’t have a point of view on the situation then?

HHH: Here’s the thing, nobody is this business, Vince McMahon included, makes stars in this business, except the stars themselves. Booker T is not a top guy or Rob Van Dam is not a top guy is because they’re missing the piece of the puzzle that allows fans and I’m talking the massive fans, to connect with them. “Stone Cold” was hugely popular before the office ever got behind him. “Rock” made himself what he is and then the office pushed him. It’s the same thing with me and the same thing with a lot of guys. That’s the way it works and anybody that says this guy holds me down or the office doesn’t push me or anything, need to look into the mirror and say that’s is all on me.

AG: Looking back at the “Montreal Screw job,” do you believe that the right decision was made?

HHH: Definitely! Our business is what it is, sports entertainment. If a movie producer tells Mel Gibson that at the end of the movie you’re going to die, he doesn’t go back and say, “I’m a big star in North America, so I’m not going to die.” Bret Hart said, “I’m a hero in Canada, I can’t lose this belt and I’m leaving by the way tomorrow or whatever it is to go work for another company. Therefore you’ll just have to take my word for it, that I’ll get the belt back to you.” That couldn’t happen. If I came up tomorrow and said you know what, I’m a big star in the United States, I’m a hero in the United States, so I’m not losing anymore in the United States, do you think that would be ok? The same is the case for what Bret Hart was doing. What I get it that it’s real in Canada and not real in the United States? To me, the evil party in that was Bret Hart. He didn’t want to do business and yet he’s “gloried’ because of that. Vince McMahon owns a company where we tell the stories that he’s wanting to tell and Bret refused to tell the story, so Vince made it happen.

AG: Ric Flair has gone on record in his autobiography calling Mick Foley a “glorified stuntman.” What is your take on this whole situation, since you’ve had some entertaining matches with Mick?

HHH: I agree with the statement. I don’t believe that people read it the way that Ric wrote it, he puts Mick over. Mick Foley was a big star, which he is, but is Mick Foley Lou Thesz? No! Is Mick Foley a great wrestler? No! Let’s separate that out now. Lou Thesz was a great wrestler. Now what is Mick Foley famous for? Not his ability to work a hold for an hour or grab a top wristlock and do incredible wrestling moves or anything like that. He is famous for falling off the top of a cage, and he’s even more famous for barbed wire, thumbtacks and more stuff like that. What Ric was saying was basically the truth. Was Mick a great star? Yes! Did Mick draw a lot of fans to a lot of arenas? Yes! Was he a huge factor in the popularity of our business at a large time in the business, when business was white hot? Ya! I made a lot of money with Mick Foley, I will be the first one to sing his praises, but I do agree with what was said. Mick Foley is not a great wrestler, but he was great at what he did. To me I don’t see why Mick does take that as an insult, if he even does. It’s like saying Dennis Rodman wasn’t a great basketball player, but he could rebound a ball like nothing. There isn’t a lot of difference there. Ric put him over, but he said the truth about why he was over.

AG: How did you get the nickname “The Game”?

HHH: It came from an interview that I did with Jim Ross, when I was chasing “Stone Cold” and his title for the very first time. I was basically saying that I was tired of being overlooked and hearing announcers saying that in order to be successful in this business, you have to be a student of the game. I actually said “F” that J.R., “I am the game.” Then the next week when I came out on television, there were a lot of signs saying that Triple was “the game.” Then I continued to use it in interviews to where it caught on with the announcers and the fans.

AG: How involved are you in creating your own merchandise?

HHH: We all have input in that. They for instance ask if you’re going to be saying certain things or doing certain things, but I tend to not use catch phrases, so it ticks them off. It’s hard to stay a heel this long in the business, if you use a lot of catch phrases. If I have a lot of catch phrases, people start repeating them and it gets out of hand. There are things that I would say, if I wanted to say them all of the time, but they would become catch phrases and become popular and so on. Then you’re going against what your trying to, if you know what I mean. It doesn’t sell as much merchandise unfortunately, but that’s part of the deal.

AG: Where does the “Triple H” character end and your own personality kick in?

HHH: “Triple H” to me, is my own personality with the volume turned up. That’s the way Austin was, and to a degree I think that’s the way “The Rock” was. The best guys out there are the ones who actually feel what they do out there, unless you’re a character like George “The Animal” Steele or something. If you’re going out there pretending to be a wrestler, then you’re not going to be successful. People can see through that.

AG: Are you usually still in character right after you walk out of the building or has your real personality already kicked in by then?

HHH: It just depends on the scenario and the situation. There are times when a big group of people is around; I will very much stay in resemblance to the character. There was a time when I did it all the time, to continue the heat that I was already receiving. Now it’s a bit different, especially since I may be promoting a movie or a book. People will tend to see outside of the character that I portray on TV. People may see me doing an interview on Access Hollywood where I’m a nice guy, so I had to change that. It’s like that Eminem song “I am what you say I am.” If you want to treat me nice, then I’m a nice guy, but if you are rude about it, then I’m not going to be a nice guy and I won’t have any regrets about it.

AG: What is your official title with the company?

HHH: Wrestler!

AG: You don’t have an outside business title then?

HHH: I’m an independent contractor, just like every other single wrestler that we have under contact. It’s my only job with the company. All the extra business related tasks that I do, whether that is attending creative meetings or production meetings, its just extra. I’m not required to do any of that. I don’t get paid to do it. I do it because I care about the business. One of the things that people don’t understand is that Vince and I have had a creative relationship together, where Vince respected my opinion, for whatever reasons, as far back as the days of Shawn and me teaming together in “DX.” I was in on conference calls then to determine creative. In actuality it was before we did the “DX” gimmick. Half the time I’m in on these calls, it’s not about me. I’m in there talking about storylines, creative and other things for these other people. I don’t have to do any of it.

AG: There has been speculation that by the time your career is over, you will have tied Ric Flair for the world titles wins with 16. What do you think of this?

HHH: Ya if I’m a penis I’ve gotta go 17, right? If you’re going to believe the internet fans, then I’ve gotta go for 17. I’ve gotta beat Flair.

AG: If you’re going to do 17, why not do 18 or 19?

HHH: Well it’s just going to depend how old and beat up I get.

AG: I take it you’re not going to be pushing 55 and still doing the cage matches then?

HHH: I’m sure if you would have asked Ric Flair twenty years ago, if he would be out there at age 55, he would have told you no, but he’s still doing it. I have no intent on being in the ring at 55 years of age. Do I have intent on still being heavily involved in the business? Yes! This is a business that I’ll still be in for the rest of my life.