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Everybody wants to know, Trish ...
Stratus gets a one-on-one grilling
By
TJ MADIGAN - Calgary Sun
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It's probably safe to assume Trish Stratus is happy to be back in the
ring. Which means it's okay to skip the fluffy questions and get straight
to the good stuff.
In our first one-on-one edition, we ask Ms. Stratus about being a
bitch, paying attention to the Wrestling Observer, and whether Ashley
Massaro will find bodily fluids in her gym bag as part of her WWE welcome.
Everybody wants to know...
Trish, you got your start in the business on a "smart" wrestling
radio show. Coming from that background, is it a big deal
when your in-ring work is praised by the LAW guys or Dave Meltzer in the
Wrestling Observer?
"Oh my God, absolutely. When I heard they were praising me, I thought
'Wow, that means so much.' They're the truest fans of wrestling, and for
them to say those type of things really meant a lot. I have friends
who listen to the LAW every single week and I get updates on what they all
said.
"I think the fact that I was a real wrestling fan also made a huge
difference for me in the ring. That's why it's not going to work out for
some of these girls that come along that aren't fans of the business"
Wrestling is notorious for the hazing tactics on
newcomers. Should Ashley Massaro be worried right about now, or does that
type of initiation even happen to the girls?
"Sometimes it does, although I certainly would never be part of that sort
of behavior (laughs). In Ashley's case, I'm sure she got her hazing
when I was away and I didn't have to be involved. Hopefully, anyway.
"Although I did scare her before our first tag match, I winked
at the other girls and then warned her it's going to start when she goes to
the ring."
Trish, let's face it, you're a really nice person. And a
lot of people thought you could never properly transition into a heel. But
you did it so well that the question has to be asked: Were you surprised
at how good you were at being a bitch?
"I was surprised. You never know when you're going into that
kind of territory, but it worked because there's a realness to my
character. Not to the bitch degree, but the witty comments and the
sarcasm. So many people who know me watched it and said 'that was totally
you.'
"It's like John Cena, the fans know they're getting the
real him. I mean, I wasn't just playing the role of a
bitch. I was true to what I did before, and had the same
attitude, and it just happened to be bitchy because of who I was
positioned against."
What were you thinking, sitting at home with an injury, watching
the women's division being decimated?
"I thought about how there was a belt sitting upstairs that
nobody had called me about. Which means I must be the best women's
champ ever, right?"
Will you admit to being unimpressed with the new direction
of the women's division? All the firings, the lack of actual
wrestling, the Diva Search...
"You know, I frankly wasn't too interested in any of the women's stuff over
those few months I was out. There just wasn't anything interesting, except
for the Lita stuff. Obviously, she's done a tremendous character change,
but she had no interaction with any other females.
"But now, just the fact that there's a change in landscape is
exciting to me. What's interesting is the development of new
characters. You see Victoria come back to the heel role she's so good at, and fans love to hate her.
"I think there's potential in Ashley, and there's obviously Alexis
Laree being brought up too.
"Torrie Wilson is an interesting addition
to Raw because we were fitness models together. We came up the same
way and we've never interacted, apart from one invasion angle where we were
in a tag match or a bra and panties mach or something.
"She's obviously going through a much needed character change, and
now it's like having Batista and Brock Lesnar. You've never had these
guys in the ring. It's crazy to even think about it.
"So no, I'm never discouraged because I just want to be
entertaining, and that's exactly what I get to do."
Trish Stratus can be seen Monday nights on WWE Raw, and will compete in a
Diva battle royal at Taboo Tuesday, Nov. 1 on pay-per-view.
RELATED LINKS
Trish Stratus biography
Trish Stratus story archive
Visit the SLAM! Wrestling store!
Lots of Trish goodies ... go figure!
Trish Stratus: 100% Stratusfaction DVD
WWE PPV Series 8 Figure: Trish Stratus
WWE Ruthless Aggression Series 14 Figure: Trish Stratus
WWE PPV Series 7 Figure: Trish Stratus
T & A with Trish Stratus
TJ Madigan is a sports writer for the Calgary Sun. His unique Q and A sessions can be
read exclusively on SLAM! Wrestling.
