Mauro Ranallo: How are you Dawn Marie?

Dawn Marie: I’m doing great, how are you?

Mauro Ranallo: I’m doing very well thank you and I understand that you have Italian blood in you Dawn Marie, is that true?

Dawn Marie: I do have a little Italian blood in me.

Mauro Ranallo: Do you know what part of the boot the Italian blood comes from because you are talking to 100% Italian man here and I am very proud Italian heritage so any one who’s also from the boot I’ve got to show some love to.

Dawn Marie: You know I’m not quite sure, I think its Sicilian actually

Mauro Ranallo: Yea, I was gonna say, probably. After seeing some of your antics on ECW and Smackdown I think there is some Sicilian blood in you Dawn Marie.

Dawn Marie: Yea, that sounds good. I’m Greek also, Greek and Italian.

Mauro Ranallo: Very nice. Now how did a girl who graduated from the New York University stern school of Business get involved in the wild world of professional wrestling?

Dawn Marie: I’ll tell you, it was a complete accident. I had finished school; I had a great job in Manhattan. I was the director of an international reality consulting firm. Before that when I was actually in school I was pursuing acting and modeling career, well actually more acting and modeling just seemed to pay some of the bills. So when I was finishing up my last poster deal and just signing the autographs that we were talking about, the gentleman that came to my house for me to sign them, personalize them, autograph them and get rid of them quicker. He started talking about wrestling and I had been a long love of wrestling. I had always enjoyed watching it growing up and I hadn’t watched it in a couple years and we just started talking and he thought I was serious when I said “Oh I would love to do that.” He booked me on a small Indy show in the area.

Mauro Ranallo: Well now when you say you grew up watching wrestling you are from the north east. Were you a fan of the WWF or other territories? Who were some of the wrestlers you enjoyed watching when you were younger?

Dawn Marie: My absolute favorite growing up was Piper. You could have told me no different but I was going to be Mrs. Piper one day. Which is a funny story because when I was working at WWE and Piper was employed there at the time. Brooklyn Brawler knew that story because he had done some footage probably about a year or two earlier and I had forgotten I had gave him that information. I was picking Pipers brain one day about some heel stuff and interviewing stuff and he comes over and totally embarrasses me and told Piper “Did you know that when Dawn Marie was younger, she swore she was going to be Mrs. Piper?” And as you all know I don’t embarrass quite very easily but I have to say I definitely turned shades of red I have never turned.

Mauro Ranallo: A little crimson mask of a different kind coming over your face after that story.

Dawn Marie: Yea, I would definitely say that. It was quite embarrassing.

Mauro Ranallo: You talk about; you were picking Pipers brain for some work and kind of leads to an interesting question because obviously you know there are still a lot of veterans still involved with professional wrestling. Now a days with the reality shows and all of these diva search competitions and such. It seems that a lot has been lost in terms of not so much even paying your dues but really getting the essence of what the pro wrestling is and what it’s about and I’m just wondering who else was influence in your career? I guess Paul Heyman would have to be right up there as well or who are some of the people who really gave you your education in professional wrestling?

Dawn Marie: You know I was so blessed, not only with a great career but I was so blessed to have so many educated people, just experienced people in my career and in my life, pass through my life. I learned from the best, I learned from, I started out in the indys. I learned from Captain Lou, Sherry Martel. I had Missy Hyatt on the road at times. I had Buddy Landel, Sal Sincere and Devon Storm. I would say that Buddy Landel gave me a huge education of politics in the back. I would say Simon Diamond gave a huge foundation of ring physiology and just learning how to look at people and the perception isn’t necessarily the reality of who they are. He really helped me learn how to identify people that were fake, not fake, what there true intentions were. He was a huge influence in my life and in my career. Paul Heyman, bar none was probably right there next to Simon. He taught me how to do interviews, Paul gave me my opportunity. He gave me a stage to perform on and he just critiqued, critiqued, critiqued and taught me so much. You know when you go to WWE they give you a script to read, your interviews aren’t your own. What I was so lucky to have when I was with Paul Heyman was that he was really stretching that muscle at being creative and be able to go on the fly. He would say “Ok we are going to be in Georgia in this town you have 15 seconds, go.” “Ok you have 30 seconds, your in a program with Francine, this is what’s going to happen, go and you better hit your mark!” He taught me that. When I was with WWE I had Shane Douglas, Shane Douglas taught me timing, positioning, and you know keeping people credible. I had Lance Storm which taught me, aw forget it, if it wasn’t for Lance Storm I don’t think I would have ever made it for a very long time in the professional business because Lance took a language that I completely did not understand and pulled me to the side afterwards and would go through it over and over and over and explain why and when and where. He was awesome and protected me. When I went to the WWE I was blessed with greats like Eddie Guerrero, Chris Beniot, and Dean Malenko. Who else really took a long time to help me out, oh Arn Anderson, if you can’t learn how to be a great heel from Arn Anderson who the hell are you going to learn from? Eddie Guerrero taught me the art of getting up the right way and being snappy and fast and movement and momentum.

Mauro Ranallo: So you really seem, in just from the list of people you are mentioning that you are blessed because you really seemed to be taken under a lot of people’s wings and given a lot of great advice. We hear the horror stories of course in the business of how some of the women are treated and objectified. I wanted to ask you about that, obviously not so much yourself but do you find there are tougher expectations being a female where there’s the high premium on the cosmetic factor and the fact that it is the old boys network so to speak.

Dawn Marie: You know I’m so tired of hearing it’s the boys’ network, poor girls. It’s an opportunity. I don’t fault these girls and a lot of the old veteran’s men and women who feel faulty towards these women who are getting an opportunity by sending in an 8X10. I don’t fault them; I fault the people hiring them. But I do fault these green girls coming in because they don’t take the opportunity, it’s a paycheck. I don’t mean all of them, I think some of them. So when they say “Poor me, no one took the time to teach me. No one took the time to show me.” You know that’s bull. You have no one better in the world than the people working at the WWE right now to learn from. These people didn’t give me their education, I asked for it.

Mauro Ranallo: Right and you know kudos to you because as a lot of people know from listening to the show I come from a pro wrestling background as well. I broke in at 16 believe it or not; I grew up just like yourself, loving the business. I want to ask you, it seems like we are getting a lot of people from the outside the pro wrestling dome if you will coming in to the business. You mentioned it with these diva winners and some who look at it as a paycheck and stuff. And now here you are now that you have had a son, congratulations on that and congratulations on your marriage as well, that you’re looking at getting back in the business. Do you feel that, I mean are you pissed off at all that some of these women just show up from a bikini calendar or something and find themselves on Monday night television? Or Thursday night? Do you feel that puts you in a worse position having already been through it once or does that give you the upper hand now knowing that you want to get back and you’ve already been through the rigermaroll and obviously are a veteran and very effective character and performer?

Dawn Marie: Thank you, no I’m not mad. Like I said I’m not mad at them, I get angry if you want to use the word angry, I like to say I am saddened because I love this business. This business is an art, this business is a gift, and this business was given to me by the veterans that have taught me.

Mauro Ranallo: I applaud you for saying that Dawn Marie. That’s awesome that you feel that way because there are a lot people I think in your shoes or like I say now a days, I hope a lot of people hear this interview who are aspiring females in the business, not just them, everybody because it seems to me already that you do truly respect this industry and this business. Again I applaud you for that!

Dawn Marie: Thank you very much. So I’m not angry, like I said before I’m not angry at the girls that are there for a paycheck because they’re models, they’re actresses. They don’t have love in their hearts for this business but I do get angry at them if they choose to stay and try to make a career and don’t take the opportunity in front of them and learn my business because it is my business not theirs yet. They need to earn it and I don’t mean earn it by getting your butt kicked. I was talking about this with someone the other day where I segregate myself from some of these veterans who believe in oh let me kick their butt and hurt them and make them earn the respect in the ring. I don’t believe in that, I believe in that if I were to come back I would love with some of these people and show them why I love the business and why this business is so great and embrace them and teach them what I know. I truly don’t know it all but I can definitely teach them when walking in off the street and I would love to be able to do this. But let me tell you if they don’t respect the business or respect me for doing this and giving them my business then they’re going to get a beating.

Mauro Ranallo: Now I want to talk about some of your more memorable moments in the business of course this highest profile and we played a bit of a clip there coming in to the interview. You were really paired with Torrie Wilson for a while pushing the envelope with the infamous hotel room skit along with the Al Wilson marriage, death storyline. Were there any aspects you didn’t feel comfortable with when they approached you with them or was the fact that Paul Heyman was writing Smackdown at that time make it easier for you to trust the booking direction?

Dawn Marie: You know my job is to be a performer and an athlete and as a performer I don’t have to like what they ask me to do. In my job I wasn’t hired to like what they wanted me to do, my job was to perform it and do it to 110% of my ability. That’s my mentality.

Mauro Ranallo: Awesome, again color me impressed, wow. This is very enlightening for yours truly as well, thank you.

Dawn Marie: Thank you.

Mauro Ranallo: No seriously I have been around so many, I hate to say it but airheads if you will in this business who that all it is, is looking good and stuff. Of course and I did my research and watched you as a fan but I did not know that you were so well schooled in the business and such a fan. Like you truly get it and there’s that cliché that those who understand professional wrestling no explanation is necessary those who don’t know explanation will ever do and it is obvious to me that you do get it now unfortunately Dawn Marie you are released from WWE. I would have to say one of the most controversial in companies history deciding to let you go in July of 2005 while you pregnant. What were the reasons you were given for your release and looking on it now how do you feel about how that all went down?

Dawn Marie: Well I have to say I’m not allowed to talk about it. It did end up starting to be perused and I am not allowed to talk about it.

Mauro Ranallo: Ok and I totally appreciate and respect that. Now looking ahead though in terms of not being allowed to talk about that unfortunately or fortunately how ever you look at it we now have Ring Of Honor which of course is putting on their second pay per view and there is TNA which seems to be going in the direction of adding more female characters, you want to get back into the business are those companies you are approaching or would you like to go back to the WWE?

Dawn Marie: I love my business and I would love to have a finish, it’s the one thing I feel like I never finish not that anyone ever leaves on their own terms because that’s a fantasy for any wrestler. The one regret I do have and like I said before I was given this business, that I was never able to give it to someone else. I was never able to pass the torch; I wasn’t able to respect those who gave it to me by giving it to someone else. So I would love to have a finish some way, I don’t know if you read my blog, I did a blog recently on my myspace and basically what I am asking for from the fans is to have some support. I went through some rough times in the last couple of years. I had weight gain because I have a tendency to eat when I am sad or depressed and with a baby. I explained all of this on my blog and I just really need the support of the fans to come back because it’s been hard for me.

Mauro Ranallo: Right, I know after this interview if there is anything we can do, I know you have got a lot more fans and a lot more support from Fight Network radio listeners because you’re a very classy individual and someone who definitely deserve to get back into this business and teach some of these people a thing or two. Dawn Marie thank you so very much for doing this and how can people get in touch with you, fans or promoters, what’s the best way to reach you?

Dawn Marie: Well you can always reach me on my website Dawnmarieonline.com or off that website you can reach me on my myspace account Dawn Marie online.

Mauro Ranallo: Awesome, well Dawn Marie thank you so very much for this and we look forward to seeing you in the business one day soon.

Dawn Marie: Thank you so much, I am looking forward to it.

(Transcribed by Jenn Poczik)

Catch Fight Network Radio with Mauro Ranallo every Monday – Friday on Hardcore Sports Radio on Sirius Channel 186 at 3pm EST and online at www.hardcoresportsradio.com {plug}