Una Entrevista Reciente Con Carlito

[Providence Peep]

Story By: Steve Carrier

Former WWE wrestler Carlito Colon says he was miserable and depressed at the end of his WWE run before the company released him in May. He says being released was the best thing that's happened to him in three years.

"I had been asking for my release for a long time. I tried to finish up my contract, which I think was up in August. I had been trying to leave for about three years. For the last year, I was just miserable. I wasn't even myself. I was dying just to get away," Carlito said on the Right After Wrestling Sirius satellite radio show on Monday.

WWE's stated reason for releasing Carlito was a violation of the Wellness Policy. WWE also said Carlito refused to enter rehab. Carlito claims he didn't have a problem and was simply depressed working in WWE.

"I wouldn't say I got myself fired on purpose, but in that last year, I really didn't care. I wanted to get away," Carlito said.

"They wanted me to go to rehab. My opinion was I didn't need it. I'm not addicted to pills. I think what happened is I was depressed. That thing just creeps up on you. I have scripts (for pain medication); I have legit reasons for using them. I think I was abusing them as anti-depressants instead. I remember other people not in WWE would tell me to go to rehab because it looks good on paper. I said, 'One, I don't want to keep my job. Two, I'm not going to admit to a problem I don't have.'"

Also in the interview, Carlito vented considerably about the political mind games he felt WWE was constantly playing with him. Carlito used the satellite radio format to vent about feeling like he wasn't being used properly on TV.

"I was always grinding. I was always working. Mainly, I think - this is satellite radio, right? Mainly, my big problem was I thought they were f----- with me. I didn't like the mind games and all the bulls--- they were putting me through," Carlito said. "Maybe it was all in my head, but I just felt that's what they were doing with me. I could never get a straight answer. I get sometimes you have to take a backseat, but how long am I supposed to sit in the back?"

Carlito also addressed the reports that he gained a reputation for being lazy. He says he was frustrated when WWE tried to turn him babyface because he prefers playing heel and he didn't want to play political games, which created a perception that he didn't care about his job.

"They turned me babyface and I refused to be a babyface. It wasn't that I was being lazy, but it wasn't just me," Carlito said. "I'm a little disgruntled with the business. I actually have a lot of passion for the business, but I get to the point where I'm very frustrated with certain things. I'm a very vocal person. I don't keep my mouth shut. I don't kiss anybody's ass. I like to give input and if I don't agree with something, I'm not going to just stand by and keep my mouth shut."

Besides feeling depressed, Carlito says one of the main reasons why he was trying to leave WWE was because he felt he was wasting his prime earning years in WWE. Asked about whether he'll go to TNA, Carlito said he's open to whatever is available.

"I'm open to whatever. I'm listening to offers. The main problem I had with WWE is I didn't want to spend my prime years doing nothing. It was ridiculous what they were doing with me. I refuse to spend my good years doing stupidity. I don't want to be that old guy always looking for his chance to keep the young guys down. I want to have my run and give back to the business," Carlito said.

"I remember people would tell me to just play the game. I can't. I can't just play the game. I can't be fake. ... I love the business; I just don't like the politics. I want to be able to help out and give back in somehow. In WWE, I wasn't doing any of that."

Some other highlights of Carlito's interview:

-- On his brother, Primo: "I try not to influence him and let him have his own perspective. He's young and enjoying it. Right now, he's having a ball. I wish him the best. I don't try to put all my negativity on him. At the end, I was just bitter and miserable. It wasn't me. I was just going off on people and I was just so friggen' frustrated."

-- On what he would like to say to WWE fans: "My main thing is I just want to have fun again. I also felt I was gypping the people (in WWE) putting in three-minute matches that didn't mean anything. It just breaks your heart when you can give so much more."

-- On doing independent shows post-WWE: "This is all I know. I think I'll get my business back. Doing independent shows is fun for me. That's what the business is for me - just going out there entertaining people."

-- Carlito's final words in the interview: "I would just like to apologize for the past friggen' three years. And also I would like to apologize - because I disrespected a lot of people. I was just bitter and miserable. I was in a dark place."

"I'm still just bitter. I'm holding so much in. I'm glad I've had some time and I'm trying to take the high road. I put all the blame on me. I don't care."

[DrCrawford]

although i dont like the guy, i appreciate that he came out and spoke his feelings

[jskinnyg]

Originally Posted by DrCrawford although i dont like the guy, i appreciate that he came out and spoke his feelings

Seems like a candid & sincere interview... I really hope it was... I liked Carlito a lot...

To quote his best line... "I SPIT IN YOUR FACE..."

[Rammsteinmad]

Yeah, I really enjoyed Carlito since his debut in WWE. Definitely agree with what he's saying, when he debuted he was awesome, but as soon as he turned face everything just went downhill.

I'm happy for him if he's happy, and hope to catch him in TNA or ROH or somewhere.

[Schlomey]

burned lots of bridges. I could give a shit if/when/where he ever works again.

[Providence Peep]

A Puerto Rican who has a drug problem?!?!!??!? That's unfathomable!!!!

The thing is, he complains about the role he was in, but do you think if he had worked harder and improved himself instead of stopped caring, he may have earned a push and more air time? Did he think he would just be handed a push on a silver platter?

He had a mid card title on both SD and Raw, he was half of the first undisputed tag team champions at the sacrifice of a more popular team... what else did he want? Yeah, the WWE doesn't do right by everyone, but they obviously saw potential in Carlito until he just stopped caring. That's why he "won" those championships and why the WWE didn't want him going to TNA. Unfortunately for him, he is the one that caused his own career destruction in the WWE. There's no one else to blame.

[DrCrawford]

no , i dont think it would have changed him being unhappy putting on 3 minute matches and not being able to give it his all.

[Swiss Ultimate]

Originally Posted by Providence Peep Story By: Steve Carrier Former WWE wrestler Carlito Colon says he was miserable and depressed at the end of his WWE run before the company released him in May. He says being released was the best thing that's happened to him in three years. "I had been asking for my release for a long time. I tried to finish up my contract, which I think was up in August. I had been trying to leave for about three years. For the last year, I was just miserable. I wasn't even myself. I was dying just to get away," Carlito said on the Right After Wrestling Sirius satellite radio show on Monday. WWE's stated reason for releasing Carlito was a violation of the Wellness Policy. WWE also said Carlito refused to enter rehab. Carlito claims he didn't have a problem and was simply depressed working in WWE. "I wouldn't say I got myself fired on purpose, but in that last year, I really didn't care. I wanted to get away," Carlito said. "They wanted me to go to rehab. My opinion was I didn't need it. I'm not addicted to pills. I think what happened is I was depressed. That thing just creeps up on you. I have scripts (for pain medication); I have legit reasons for using them. I think I was abusing them as anti-depressants instead. I remember other people not in WWE would tell me to go to rehab because it looks good on paper. I said, 'One, I don't want to keep my job. Two, I'm not going to admit to a problem I don't have.'" Also in the interview, Carlito vented considerably about the political mind games he felt WWE was constantly playing with him. Carlito used the satellite radio format to vent about feeling like he wasn't being used properly on TV. "I was always grinding. I was always working. Mainly, I think - this is satellite radio, right? Mainly, my big problem was I thought they were f----- with me. I didn't like the mind games and all the bulls--- they were putting me through," Carlito said. "Maybe it was all in my head, but I just felt that's what they were doing with me. I could never get a straight answer. I get sometimes you have to take a backseat, but how long am I supposed to sit in the back?" Carlito also addressed the reports that he gained a reputation for being lazy. He says he was frustrated when WWE tried to turn him babyface because he prefers playing heel and he didn't want to play political games, which created a perception that he didn't care about his job. "They turned me babyface and I refused to be a babyface. It wasn't that I was being lazy, but it wasn't just me," Carlito said. "I'm a little disgruntled with the business. I actually have a lot of passion for the business, but I get to the point where I'm very frustrated with certain things. I'm a very vocal person. I don't keep my mouth shut. I don't kiss anybody's ass. I like to give input and if I don't agree with something, I'm not going to just stand by and keep my mouth shut." Besides feeling depressed, Carlito says one of the main reasons why he was trying to leave WWE was because he felt he was wasting his prime earning years in WWE. Asked about whether he'll go to TNA, Carlito said he's open to whatever is available. "I'm open to whatever. I'm listening to offers. The main problem I had with WWE is I didn't want to spend my prime years doing nothing. It was ridiculous what they were doing with me. I refuse to spend my good years doing stupidity. I don't want to be that old guy always looking for his chance to keep the young guys down. I want to have my run and give back to the business," Carlito said. "I remember people would tell me to just play the game. I can't. I can't just play the game. I can't be fake. ... I love the business; I just don't like the politics. I want to be able to help out and give back in somehow. In WWE, I wasn't doing any of that." Some other highlights of Carlito's interview: -- On his brother, Primo: "I try not to influence him and let him have his own perspective. He's young and enjoying it. Right now, he's having a ball. I wish him the best. I don't try to put all my negativity on him. At the end, I was just bitter and miserable. It wasn't me. I was just going off on people and I was just so friggen' frustrated." -- On what he would like to say to WWE fans: "My main thing is I just want to have fun again. I also felt I was gypping the people (in WWE) putting in three-minute matches that didn't mean anything. It just breaks your heart when you can give so much more." -- On doing independent shows post-WWE: "This is all I know. I think I'll get my business back. Doing independent shows is fun for me. That's what the business is for me - just going out there entertaining people." -- Carlito's final words in the interview: "I would just like to apologize for the past friggen' three years. And also I would like to apologize - because I disrespected a lot of people. I was just bitter and miserable. I was in a dark place." "I'm still just bitter. I'm holding so much in. I'm glad I've had some time and I'm trying to take the high road. I put all the blame on me. I don't care."

This explains a lot.

[Providence Peep]

As does this.......



"But I don't want to be a babyface, so I'll just stop caring all together.... Wah, Wah, Wah."

[Mr. Nerfect]

I get why Carlito was upset. I mean, from a performer's perspective, if you do something well to entertain people, you want to be able to do it. When you saw Carlito work on Superstars, his matches were just amazing. He had a fantastic one with John Morrison. He's also got personality, and can handle giving promos.

Part of the job is being a babyface, too. Granted, some guys are just natural heels, but part of the job is putting on a brave face and having a go being the good guy. A face turn for Carlito when it initially happened was actually very natural. He was getting cheered, had fans dressing up as him, etc. But I remember those reports where people were apparently on his back telling him to "be more like The Rock." Some artists just don't like to be censored. A lot of the talk of his "bad attitude" really came from that and when he was feuding with Ric Flair and they got bumped off the WrestleMania card for some random bullshit. I think even Flair spoke out about it (judging by reports), but that's when a lot of the love for Carlito switched over and he became known as a "lazy" guy, which I just don't think is true when you actually look at his work. The subtle little things he did to change his character when he turned on Primo were quite impressive (it was a darker Carlito than we had seen before), and the dude can flat-out work.

Personally, I'd love to see Carly Colon in TNA. He'd fit them perfectly. He's got personality, he's still got years left in the ring, and his style would fit any division TNA has. He'd actually make a great member of Flair's "Fortune" group. He could have some Elijah Burke/Ken Kennedy style success there (especially considering that he, like them, was once heralded as a "next big star" in the WWE).

I just hope he doesn't actually have a problem. Using pain pills as anti-depressants is still using them. I hope the guy is not kidding himself, and that if he does abuse medication, he stops. Hopefully now he is out of the WWE he can relax, work the way he wants, talk the way he wants, have his hair the way he wants, and can move past being "bitter" and start being better.

[Providence Peep]

Originally Posted by Noid Personally, I'd love to see Carly Colon in TNA

Personally, I wouldn't be surprised if we see him on "Cops."

Hopefully now he is out of the WWE he can relax, work the way he wants, talk the way he wants, have his hair the way he wants, and can move past being "bitter" and start being better.

Yeah, maybe he'd be better off in Tits 'n' Ass or in a high school gymnasium or stuffing burritos behind the counter at Taco Bell than in the number one company in the industry. He had every opportunity in the world in the WWE and blew it, so good luck, Carlito.

[Fignuts]

Saying "I'm not a babyface" in this day and age is pretty dumb, and a horrible excuse. Should have tried to better himself, and become better as a face, instead of complaining to everyone.

[Schlomey]

so he admits he is simply one dimensional and extremely hard to deal with.

[Providence Peep]

Originally Posted by Fignuts Saying "I'm not a babyface" in this day and age is pretty dumb, and a horrible excuse. Should have tried to better himself, and become better as a face, instead of complaining to everyone.

But of course, it's much easier to just give up or complain about things than it is to try to fix them.

[Providence Peep]

Originally Posted by Schlomey so he admits he is simply one dimensional and extremely hard to deal with.

Of course he was hard to deal with... When he was driving from city to city, he wanted to squeeze seventeen wrestlers into his two-passenger rental car.

[VSG]

Did you really have to change the title as well?

[The Pope]

Title translates to: One recent interview with Carlito

[VSG]

Thanks Doc, I had read this thread before the change!

[The Pope]

what site was the interview on?

[Volare]

Originally Posted by Carlito "I remember people would tell me to just play the game. I can't. I can't just play the game.

Well there's the problem.

[The Pope]

Originally Posted by Providence Peep "I remember people would tell me to just play the game. I can't. I can't just play the game."

Does that mean kissing Triple H's ass?

[Mr. Nerfect]

I have to say, I'm not usually offended, but your racism in this thread is actually somewhat disturbing, Peep.