The Miz

Woodstock ninety nine. Baby, had no idea this was out there at all until that documentary came out on Netflix this year and they used me as like their first person, like guy. They didn't say it was the Miss, but everyone on the internet was like, is that the Miss? Is that the miss? It? Yeah, that was me. That was like eighteen year old miss out of high school going to honestly what I thought was the greatest concert I've ever been to. Hey, what's up? It is the

most musty w w E superstar of all time? The Miss or You may know me as Mike from the Real World and Miss and Misses and I am awesome. Well, hello everybody, and welcome to a brand spanking new episode of Off the Beat. I'm your host, as always, Brian Bob Gartner. Now, as you just heard today I got to sit down for a full interview with the Miss.

Why because he's the Miss and he is awesome. If you listen to the Live from Lake Tahoe episode, you've got a sneak peek into just how freaking awesome he is. But if you didn't let me catch you up, you probably recognize them is from his pure domination in the w w E. But there might be a group of you out there who knew him before he was a wrestler, when he was just planting the seeds of his future

career on the real world. Tough enough and well then just about every popular reality TV show of the early two thousands. The MSS is an entertainer to say the least, but he's also a true underdog. He went from being just well, the token real world guy to the only two time Grand Slam champion in w w E history. But that's not all. He's continued to crush the reality TV space and a number of ways, including his very own show with his wife Maurice MS and Mrs Mike

the Ms. He delights me. I don't know what it is. His spirit is so infectious. He's an interesting guy. I cannot wait for you to hear this conversation, but buckle up, okay, because it is going to be a wild ride here. He is everybody, Mike the MSS Bubble and Squeak. I love it. Bubble and Squeak, Bubble and Squeaker Cookie every month left over from the NAT before. What's up? Mike? Look at you? What's up? Buddy? How are you? Look

at you? Where are you? I'm at my house. This is like this is like our office alright, like like our production company's office. Okay. I I don't know why I keep feeling like I have to tell people I'm at a hotel room in Atlanta, Georgia. But I mean, we've got we've got a studio ready here, you know. I you know, I lived close to Atlanta, like right, I lived in mcdonnet, Georgia when I first started wrestling.

I'm from here originally. I know that I've listened to Off the Beat literally NonStop since it was before Off the Beat, So I know, I feel like I know everything about you, and well, we're gonna get to know more about you today. Mcdonn. Why were you here? Is this a training facility or what it was? So? W W E had a training facility called Deep South Wrestling. And once I got off the show Tough Enough, which

is a show where you could win a contract. It was a reality show for w W, but I didn't win, but I got a contract for Developmental and Deep South Wrestling and mcdonnoh, Georgia was where we trained. And yeah, your look says it all. Uh it's it wasn't the greatest place, but honestly, I really enjoyed it, like I loved I had such a blast. It was very grueling, hard work. It was a great place to dedicate yourself into a profession. Well, we're gonna talk about all of

that and more. I want to start going back now. My understanding is not just born, but lived in Ohio exclusively for a very long time. Born in Parma, Parmasana. Yeah, yes, I was born in Parma, Ohio, and um I lived there. My entire life grew up kind of I guess middle class, you know. Um, and it was it was a great place to live. Like I I still have friends to this day that I talked to on a weekly basis from you know, Cleveland, and uh, it's it's it's amazing.

It's like I've developed friendships that will last literally a lifetime, and they have lasted my lifetime. So growing up Parma was a great spot. I lived in a condo. It was like a eight square foot condo and yeah, I lived there basically until I got off the real world. How would you describe yourself as a kid? Exactly like my kids. I have a four and a half and three year old and they have way too much energy. Like when I say way too much energy, I'm like, I have a lot of energy, Like I know I

am high, like I am high energy person. But these kids, man, they they'll worry out tell you what. And now I really appreciate my parents even more having kids because man, it's it's gruel. It's it's not that it's grueling. It's it's great. You love them to death, but man, it is tough because they just want to play at all times and sometimes you just want to sit down and relax and have you time. But I'll try to talk to my wife and my kids would be like, dada, dada, dada.

I'm like, I'm just starting. I just want to talk to Maurice just for five minutes. Is that okay? That that that a It's like all right, you played basketball and cross country. Would you consider yourself like, were you an athletic kid? Was sports like was that your main focus and interest when you were a kid? Yeah, definitely, I was very sports oriented. I wasn't very good at them, Like I was a captain of the cross country and baseball team. I played basketball, football, I swam a year.

It was funny actually, uh my, uh, I don't even know if I had told this story before. So when I was in high school, I was on the basketball team, and my sophomore year I got on the varsity team and played the varsity team, and the next year I got cut and I didn't understand it, Like I was like, how do you get cut? And I wasn't like it wasn't like I was a rude person or a bad kid or anything that. Like, I was very devoted, very dedicated,

hard working. I just didn't understand how you can make the varsity team your sophomore year and then junior year nothing really, If anything, I got better and bigger and everyone liked me on the team, and it wasn't like there was some sort of thing. I didn't understand what happened. I went home and I was like dad, like, the weirdest thing happened, Like I got cut from the basketball team. My dad was like, yeah, I figured that, I got What do you mean you figured that? Bees? Yeah, I

got a fight with your coach um last year. I didn't want to tell you about it because I didn't think it would I thought it would blow over. But uh, I'm probably the reason why you got cut. Like my dad got in a full blown fight with my coach which got me cut from the team. Now here's how I know this is true. So I went for out for I was like, I had to do something during my I just get bored real easy. So I went to for the swimming team and I was one of

the best swimmers on the team. And the next year, this coach got fired and I tried out for the varsity team. Guess what, I made the team. So it was literally like like that was what happened, and it was crazy. And I know with off the beat you like to talk about acting. In my school we did have theater, but I never I never even thought about it because it was so sports oriented and I wish I did because I love entertaining, I love acting, but

I also loved sports. So I really didn't have the time to do the theater, but I'd always go to the plays and watch them and think, wow, these guys are so great at this. But you would go, you would go and watch Okay, Yeah, absolutely. Was a press into the student government and then senior editor of the year book. Like I was highly involved with the school. So uh, whenever you're like president of anything, you should go to everything is what I'm It was instilled in me.

So as president student government, I would go to all all the functions and try to just you know, meet people and talk to people and have a great time. And I would go to these things and they were so good, like even back then, like watching them, you know, watching some of the kids that would do the plays, I'd be like, wow, that's so amazing. And I never

thought I could ever do anything like that. Like coming from Cleveland, I was always like I want to be a basketball, baseball, football player, but I was never the athlete. And then once I got to college, I started realizing I was like, I don't I don't want to do business, Like I wouldn't mind peop Ohio and my pet Ohio has a great like theater school, like very good in acting. I didn't. I didn't even think to go there, and

nobody actually like that. I knew went to that side of the campus, but it was a really cool side, um is more artsy, and so I never went over there. But I was wished in high school and in college that I would have done theater. It wasn't until I got on the real world. It made me realize, screw everything, I'm gonna try and do everything I possibly can. Right, So okay, so let's let's take this moment for a second.

So you, I mean, your president of student council, your head of the yearbook, you're playing three varsity sports or whatever it is. So I mean, you're incredibly active and involved and you decided to go to Miami of Ohio study business whatever. But what what did you at that moment? What did you see yourself doing? Like? Where did you did your life going? You didn't. I didn't. I had

no idea, Like I thought. My dad owned a Mr. Hero, which is kind of like a like a hot subway sandwich if you will, like it's it's like a Cleveland version of like a better subway. Think of it like that. And so Billy Chi Steakes like I worked there. I worked there from when I would fourteen. I bought my first car because I didn't want my dad to pay for my car, because a lot of kids in school would have their parents buy their cars. I didn't want that. I wanted to buy my own car on my own.

So I spent like three summers just saving, saving, saving until I could buy my first car, which was a V six Firebird and it looked like kit and I thought it was the coolest thing ever. So I worked for my dad at Mr. Hero. Then I also worked at J. C. Penny as a stock boy, and Abercrombie and Fitch as a greeter. So I had many jobs. And then once I got into Miami of Ohio, which once you get done with with high school, you basically are like, all right, what do I do? I go

to college. That's that's the standard where where I'm from, you know, nothing else was even in my mind. So I went to college and I was like, all right, what do I do? Like, I don't know what I want to do with the rest of my life, my own my own business like my dad, So maybe I

should just go in business. And it was a very good business school, very public school to get into and so I went there and I just I would do terrible in all of my like business classes, but all of like like I did Greek mythology and art history and I get straight a's and it was just like I wasn't into the business side of it. And got into a fraternity. Yeah, I got into a fraternity, uh, Theta Kai. And then I saw I was watching I would sitting at home watching TV and it said, do

you want to try out for the Real World? And I was like, uh, yeah, definitely, Like I want to be on TV. Okay, so did you did you watch The Real World? Yes, you're a fan of the Real World? Then yeah, it was. It was the biggest show in in my demographic if you will, like you know, a teenager going out of you know, high school into college, like that was the prime time for the Real World.

I'll never forget like sitting at home sick when I was in eighth grade watching the seasons like the I think it was the third season San Francisco with Pedro and Puck, and I was like, this is the greatest show ever. And I and and now actually being on it.

I get people all the time that tell me like I watched the Real World or everyone has their season that they invested in that they watched, at least my generation does, and so it's kind of interesting to hear, you know, different people in their different views and what what show they watched, like because I was I was in San Francisco and New Orleans person that I watched those seasons of the Real World, and that's what made

me want to be on the Real World. You auditioned by sending in a VHS tape basically, guys that that would existed back in the sixties, what what was its eight and nineties two? I mean there was my camera phones. I know what was on the tape, all right, So I would videotape everything. So I would have parties at my house and I would videotape and I had the camera over the shoulder. I don't know if you remember

those back in the big, big order camp order. I had one of those things, and I would videotape everything. And so i'd video tape just different things that I would do in my life, partying, dancing, you know, hanging out with friends, that kind of stuff. So I edited an entire video together. Now nowadays kids can edit on their computers. Back then, we didn't have like the computers

and the editing tools to do that. So you had to hook up your camcorder to your VHS tape and press play on the camcorder and then record on the tape on the VHS and then stop at the same time. You're doing your left hand in your right hand and you stop it at the same time, and then you like fast forward on the camcorder and then you press record on your on your VHS and play and it's like that's how you edited. So that was my edited. Yeah,

that was my editing technique. And just how that is unbelievable. Yeah, it's pretty crazy. Wow, And what did you did? You deliver like a monologue like, yeah, I did a whole Like here's why you should choose me. I'm from Parmer, Ohio. I go to college. This is who I am. Gave him a whole thing. My parents were divorced when I was in fifth grade. Uh. You know, when you're going on in the real world, you tell them all your drama,

all your ups, all your downs. But I like to make it more entertaining and energetic, and so I uh, that's kind of how I did my monologue if you will. Okay, So this this is where I'm starting to go deep with you here because I want to know at this moment and obviously could change, But at this moment, what did you perceive as the greatest reason that you should be on the show? Was Yeah, Like, was there a quality within you that that you were saying to them,

this is why you should choose me. I'm the most fun person you'll ever have on your entire show. Like that, That's that was basically the gist of it. Like I am You're token frat boy that will literally go out and party and have fun, and I'm an open book. And I didn't realize that being an open book on

TV was so difficult for people like me. Whenever there was a camera around, like a professional camera anywhere, and I'm talking like if they were there was a news thing, and I would literally be up behind it trying to get on the TV to do an interview. If you look at Netflix right now, there's a show of Woodstock

train Wreck. I went to Woodstock ninety nine and I got in front of this camera and was like, Woodstock ninety nine, Baby had no idea this was out there at all until that documentary came out on Netflix this year and they used me as like their first person, like guy, they didn't say it was the miss, but everyone on the internet was like, is that the miss? Is that the miss of it? Yeah? That was me.

That was like eighteen year old miss out of high school going to honestly what I thought was the greatest concert I've ever been to. In that tape, and as you began the real world, are you playing a character? Are you showing yourself? I? I, uh so when I got on that show, like it's interesting. So I started in August and I didn't get on the show until February. Like that's how long the audition process took. So I sent in a videotape. Then I got had this fifty

page application asking everything and anything about my life. Then you do like a sit down interview where you have a camera in front of you and you videotape it and they're on your speaker phone and you are talking directly to the camera and they're asking you questions and these aren't your normal, average every day questions. Like the one question that sticks in my mind to this day

is Mike, you're an onion? And I peel Away, your fraternity at peel Away, your friends at peel Away, your family, what's at the core of Mike mazzanin And I literally was like at a loss for words, and I was like, I don't know, I I don't know. And it was an honest answer and an honest question. And then the next interview I had in person interview. And when I

was there it was like in Detroit. I had to drive from my me Bhio to Detroit in my Firebird, drove up there and I had to wait like fifteen minutes. So I saw all these girls and they were all going to prom so I kind of went up to him, sort of talking to him, not realizing that the producer is going to come down and see me talking to like ten girls. I was like, oh, wow, this probably

was a good thing anyway, So go up there. I talked to them in this interview, and you ever see people on reality shows and they're bawling, crying, and you're like, why is this person crying? Like, I don't get it.

I don't get like. That's that was my mentality until I got into that interview and they were not necessarily dissecting me, but asking questions that I've never been asked before, and questions that I felt meant something, and and it made me, I don't know, think, And you know, when you're just living your life, you don't ever have people. Sometimes you don't have people that really challenge you. And I thought this show was really going to challenge me.

And so I was like driving back from Detroit to Miami, I was like, I have to make this show. I have to make this show. This is gonna make me better and a better person. And so that's what happened. Like I got done, went on the show, and I didn't play a character. I was Mike until I was on the show, and I was just uncomfortable. Now was New York for the first time in my life. It was a big city, is a melting pot, all this diversity, so many people from different backgrounds, different ways of life,

different ways of thinking. And I am an unfiltered person, so I just speak whatsever on my mind, and I was hurting people's feelings and I didn't realize it and didn't know. And then finally, like everyone started not liking me. It felt like I was the outcast of the show. And it was the first time in my life, I've ever been an outcast anywhere. I was always able to fit in, always able to be a chameleon, if you will.

And this was the first time that I couldn't do that, and nobody liked me no matter what what I did. And so I created this character called the Miss, which was a w W E wrestler that was basically cutting promos on everyone. And so I would get hammered and literally just start cutting promos on everyone, telling him exactly how I felt. And everyone loved the Miss but didn't like Mike. And so everyone will always be like, do

the Miss, do the Miss, Do the Miss? Do the Miss. So I just keep on doing the Miss, keep on doing the Miss, keep on doing the Miss. So you asked, did I was I a character on that show? No, I wasn't. I was. I always look at the real world is as real as real can get with cameras in front of you. But the first week, so we had this, uh this tryout right where we all went to Palm Springs before we were on the real world.

It was a tryout. It was like twenty six people were brought there and they had cameras and everyone was talking about all these different things, like as soon as you meet them, like they were talking about religion. Uh, all these different issues that were at the time very important. But you don't meet them and say, Hi, I'm Mike Mazzen and uh, this is my religion, this is who I You don't you don't just do that. And that's

what everyone was doing. And I literally in an interview, I went, this is the biggest thing I ever seen in my life. But three days into that that shoot, I guess you can say people started getting real and it started you started forgetting about the cameras. So once you're on the real world, the first week is a little weird, but then it just becomes the norm and you're just in front of a camera. Yeah that makes sense. I mean this is fairly early early days of reality TV.

What was your experience with other people in your life about you becoming like a reality TV star? People supportive? Was it difficult for you or what happened? I was leaving college. There was no way my parents were gonna be like, yeah, great, you're going to do this show. And by the way, I wasn't allowed to tell anyone that I was going to be on a reality show. You had to tell. You had to be like, hey, I'm going away for a little while. So I debated

telling my parents. And the reason I've debated is because my parents have big mouths and they'll tell everyone. So I kind of like said it like this. I was like, Mom, Dad, I'm gonna go do this thing in New York and I think it's gonna be big and it's gonna help me and it's gonna be great. I'm gonna leave college. What what is it? I can't tell you. And so they were not happy with that, but I did it

anyway because I knew. I just knew there was something about it, something that was you know when you feel something and there's something inside you that are like, this is right, this, this is where I need to be, This is where I need to go. That was that moment. And if I didn't do that just then and there, I would sit in college plug probably flunk out, go back to Cleveland and stay there for the rest of

my life and never feel that fire ever again. So sometimes you get chances in life where there's a fire and you feel it and you're scared of it because everyone's telling you not to do it, and you're like, no, I can't. I have to do it. I have to do this. I have stick to my guns and I believe it. I feel like so many people don't do it because of what everyone else is telling them. I read you were a fan of wrestling when you were a kid. You create this persona the miss on the

real world. When does the idea began to come into your mind that that could be a direction that you you move. It didn't until I until I like, as a kid, you're not thinking just because I love a show, you're actually going to do it and be on it. Like I loved w w E. I loved it. I loved Ultimate Warrior. I loved the pain in his face, streamers on his arm, I loved his energy when he when that music hit and he came out, I was like, oh my god, that's the outside my Warrior, you know

it was. It was amazing to me. And these guys were larger than life, and I believed in him. I had every action figure that you could imagine. Like I talked about wrestling NonStop as a kid, and so you never believe as a child that you could actually become a w w E superstar. There's just no way, no option, and it's it's I never even thought of it until I got on the Real World and right, that's what

I was saying. So you at that moment you've created this, people are loving them, miss is this this is what starts the idea like maybe you could do this? Yes, I I was like, maybe I can do this. So as soon as I got home from the Real World, I was sitting in my bedroom in Parma, Ohio and my dad's condo, and I was like, am I going to go back to college or am I going to

pursue this? And so I was calling, like being to Murray, the production company that did Real World, trying to get on you know, the challenges, because that was the next thing. It was like, once you're on the Real World, I want to be on the Real World road Rules Challenges. And now today there's like ten challenges. They're like everyone anyone could be on it. Back then it was just Real World and road Rules, and I wanted to be

one of those cast members. So I got on the show and actually won the show, and so I got money. So I was like, because I was broke once I got off the Real World. You don't get paid like people were like, Oh, you're on TV, You're a millionaire. No, that's not necessarily true. I was on a reality show. I didn't get paid very much, like literally nothing. I went. I went. Actually, I maxed out my credit cards because I wanted to live the life of a person on television.

And so once I paid off those credit cards with everything everything I had left over, I was sitting in my room and I was like, all right, what do I want to do with my life? And I looked in the mirror and there was an action figure of the Rock that my my roommates gave me and were like, hey, I'm gonna be a w W superstar. So I went on Google. I checked up all right, wrestling schools. How do you how do you do it? Like? How does it?

Does it even work? So I saw ohil Valley Wrestling. Okay, I could go to Louisville and learn there, or I can go to l A with Ultimate Pro Wrestling. I'm going to l A. So I moved to l A. People from Buna Murray found me a place uh that I literally lived with roommates from Buna Murray and then I went to Ultimate Pro Wrestling pays to learn the art of professional wrestling, and then I was like, all right, what is wrestling? Wrestling isn't just wrestling, it's acting, it's improv.

So I went to acting school from Steven Anderson, who was a great acting coach. And then I also was like, all right, I need to go to Groundlings. I need to go to Improv Olympics. So I went to those two places and then the real world was like real world was like hey, awesome, yeah, So then real world was like, hey, do you want to do like when

you get off the real world? Pedro started this thing from real world San Francisco, where you would go to colleges and speak to students about your experience because it's so much like being in college, and they would pay you for it. So I started doing motivational speeches and I looked at that is a way to perform in

front of a live audience. So I would always have a promo in my mind of who the miss was, and I would cut a promo at each one, but then have this speech about motivating people to do stuff with their lives. And there was a kid that never graduated college getting paid to go to colleges to talk to students. It's crazy, right, So that's how I would make money. And then I started. I started making T shirts.

I got myself a logo for on a person that would that would do a logo for me for unnor Bucks because I wasn't really rich, so I started making a T shirt lines because I was like, all right, WW has a bunch of merch. All their superstars sell merch. Maybe if WW sees me on TV talking about being a w W superstar, they know that I'm trying to become a WW superstar by learning the professional art of wrestling.

I'm also trying to act. I'm trying to improv. I'm working on my body to get bigger because everyone was like six seven three pounds and I wasn't, uh so, what's gonna stand me out? And then also I wanted to make sure that my merch was out there that I could tell them, hey, I'm selling merch, like even though I'm not in w W, E I am valuable. I can, I can, I'm I can do something. So and the best part was when I would go on the challenges, people weren't jealous of the fact that I

was bringing T shirts and hats. They were supportive and that doesn't happen very often. And everyone from the crew from the cast members even to this day, have always been so supportive of of me and and and my dreams and everything that I've wanted to do. And they literally if you watched The Inferno, which I think it's on like either Paramount Plus or and Netflix, one of

the two. But if you watch that, people are all wearing my my my gear, like my T shirts and my hats with my logo on it, and I'm being the miss on the show and everyone's loving it. And by the way, the next season that was my I believe my last season, they basically said no one's allowed to do T shirts anymore or hats because I ruined it for everyone. Uh so you you do all of the this. I did not know this. You were going to improv Olympic. That's unbelievable. Um, you then go on

tough Enough talk a little bit about tough enough. So three years into training, I'm not making any noise through w w E. I've been backstage and every time they're like, hey we do an interview for w w E dot com. Absolutely no problem, whatever you need. And they never would give me a contract, never give me any like they just wanted to basically put me on dot com and say, hey, the miss backstage uh from the Real World loves w w A. But no one was. It wasn't catching anything.

I wasn't getting what we call dark matches. I wasn't getting these matches where you know, you could wrestle and show what you can do. And so I was like, man, I don't know if this is ever gonna happen. There's always those doubts, you know. And in three years, I did five um challenges, making it to the end on a lot of them. The MS was honestly, any time I would go anywhere, I was recognized, like it takes I always think it takes five seasons or five five

shows to really get recognized by everyone. Um, that's when it's like you're a staple. And so with the Real World on my fifth season, I was like, my god, I literally it's five Like everyone recognizes me, but I'm still not making any noise with w w E. And then I got a call, would you like to try out for Tough Enough? And I said I would love to, but I tried. I wanted to try out two years ago and they wouldn't let me because back then you

couldn't be on two reality shows. You couldn't be on Real World and The Challenges and Tough Enough because it was all at MTV. And they were like, well, it's not an MTV anymore, it's on CW. And so I was like, I'm in. He's like, all right, you have to try out. There's fifty people gonna try out. It's in Venice Beach. I was like, no problem, I make my way there, went to Venice Beach and tried out and made it onto the show that I believe there was eight of us, and they put us through the ringer.

Like every week we'd have to go to Connecticut and train, and the training would be like taking five bumps, and a bump is when you flat back onto the ground, Like think about like just straight back to your like if someone shoved you and you just landed straight on your back. So taking five hundred of those, you are sore, your body hurts, you're getting bumps, you're getting bruises, and you have to do it every day to train to

get ready to learn the art of professional wrestling. And by the way, I've already been three years in, so I knew how to do a lot of the stuff that they were training us to do. But you couldn't have a big head, you know, you couldn't be like, oh I know this stuff already, ha ha. Like I'm not gonna tell al snow and build a mop that absolutely not. Like, so, you know, we were training and it seemed like fans were getting into us, and it was through and vote on how you were going to

win or lose. And I've always been a punchable face. I guess you can say a bad guy. And so I ended up coming in second place. So I didn't win tough enough, and I'll never forget. They were like, you know, you impressed us so much that you know, maybe there is something for you here. And so they brought me up to Connecticut to commentate. I don't think I've ever told this story. Actually they brought me up. So Joey Styles brought me up with Todd Grisham and

Michael Cole. They all brought me up and I had to do a take of commentating and they told me, hey, we think we're thinking we might bring you in as a commentator or an interviewer. And it was the first time. I like, I said, but I want to be a WW superstar and they were like yeah, Like they didn't look at me like a w W superstar. They looked at me as a personality. But I saw something different.

I was like, no, Like, I love what you guys do, and I think you guys do a great job, but I want to be, like I want to be bigger than the Rock. I want to be bigger than than than Hogan. I want to be I want to be a superstar like and they were like, all right, okay, And so they gave me a developmental deal to go down and they didn't. They did not think I was

gonna be much of anything. To be honest, you could you could kind of tell they were like, hey, let's see what we got here, because I remember I was like, they gave me this developmental contract and I was like, I'm making more than this doing the real world and the challenges and stuff like I'm gonna take a pay

cut to do this. And I had to think about that, like, all right, are we looking at this is a career move because sometimes you have to take you know less because you see the big picture and you you see them more and That's exactly what I did. I said, Okay, I'll take less money, I will go there and I will train and I'll prove everyone wrong. And I became

the first ever Deep South Heavyweight Champion. Uh. The first thing they tell us is like, when you can sell out this territory like we called it, like a territory like Deep South Wrestling and mcdonnah Georgia. If you can sell out our little arena which is like two people, then you can go to Ohio Valley, which is like which is the other territory. If you can sell that one out, then maybe you can come to w W E and SmackDown and raw and then that's where you

know you can make some money. So we were selling out shows at Deep South Wrestling and I was the first ever Deep South Heavyweight Champion. And I was a good guy. People loved me. And Paul Hayman, who is a huge influential person in wrestling in the wrestling world like created e c W. He was was like, all right, we're moving you to Ohio Valley Wrestling. So I went to Ohio val Wrestling and Paul Haman was the first person that said you're not a baby face because I was.

I connected with the Deep South people, like all the people loved me and thought it was a baby face and would buy my shirts and everything like that saw me off the real world. When I went I was a good guy. I was absolutely good guy. You know, everyone's a big smile on my face. Hey cheer me, rah rah ra. So then I go to Ohio Valley Wrestling and they weren't cheering me. They were just it was kind of just men, you know, like all right, what do you got kid, Let's see what you got.

And it was a different territory. It was a different group, and I didn't realize like different areas. I don't know in theater when you go to like say Atlanta and then you go to Broadway, then you go to different is it different audiences? Do you do you do you feel the different audiences? Do you feel the energy? Okay, so it's the same thing. So we went to Oil Valor Wrestling and it was just different and I was like, oh man, and I wasn't getting we call it over.

We I wasn't connecting with the audience. And so Paul comes to me and goes, you know why you're not connecting? I go, no, He's like, you're not a baby face, You're a heel, which is a bad guy. And I was like, I don't know, man, down there is like trust me, you're a heel. So we sat up, we wrote this promo and I went out there and at it and I don't think i've ever went back since. It would just felt right. Oh my god. It was just having people boo me and hate me and get

under their skin. And I became the biggest bad guy in Ohio Valley Wrestling. And so then what happens. You get taken up to SmackDown in raw And this was another learning curve because right when I first got to SmackDown, which is where they brought me, it was on national television Live TV, and I was brought in as the host. And I'll never forget the first day I was there. I didn't know what I was doing there. No one

told me anything. I was just there like and they were like, Vince would like to see you, and I'm like, oh boy, I'm going in with that. I'm going to Vince like this is like the first real conversation, like I'm going to have with Vince McMahon. Walk in, I'm like, hello, sir, I'm really excited to be here, and he's and he sits down, he just he takes kind of a while, like he'll just stare at you and just wait, and there's that moment and he just waits to see what

you're gonna do. And I just sat there and stared at him. We're just staring at each other for an awkward amount of time, and he goes, we're gonna make you the host. I want you to be the Ryan Seacrest of w w E. And in my head, I'm going like, you don't ever want to hear your boss Like Ryan Seacrest is a hell of a talent, an amazing talent, incredible host, but when you want to be the biggest superstar in the world, you don't ever want

to be told you're the host of a show. But in my mind, I said, I'm going to get a microphone. If I can get a microphone and get this audience to absolutely despise me as the host, then they're gonna want to see me get beat up. And if they're gonna see beat up, they gotta put me in the ring. If they put me in the ring, they're never gonna want me to come out of that ring. And so for the next three four months, I was the host of SmackDown, and there was a lot of ups and downs.

Because I was such a good host on SmackDown, they made me the host of a Diva Search, which was where we which is where I first met my wife, by the way, which was w W E's version of tough Enough. It's for the women, trying to find the next women's superstar. And we went in there and I'll never forget. I forgot the phone number of like I'm on Live TV. We don't have Q cards, we don't have teleprompters. There's none of that stuff out there. Teleprompters, No, Brian, No,

we don't have teleprompters. We memorize everything, and whatever we forget, we just make up. You know. It's it's it's highly improm that's what. That's where my my my ground lays in prov Olympics come in, let me tell you. But so I forgot the number and I wrote it down on my wrist, but I was sweating so much that it wiped off of my wrist. And what is the number one thing you don't forget when you're the host.

It's the phone number you called to vote in like I forgot it, Brian and I it was the first time I felt cold sweat. I don't know if you've ever felt this, where you're out there and you forgot everything. Your mind goes blank and you nothing even you can't even put words in your mouth because there's nothing there, there's nothing in your brain. You're you're sinking and you know it, and it's just like you're in quicksand and you can't get out of it. And that's what I

was feeling while I was out there. Luckily, they played music and just introed, so I introduced all the girls and I was like, great, thank god they just did that. Um. But then I went back and I went to Vince and I was like, I am so sorry. This will never happen again. I will dedicate, I would do whatever it takes. I will figure out he goes. I know it won't happen again. I know you won't allow that to happen. And it never happened again. And from that

that point, I never wanted that to happen again. So I would cut promos on everything I'm talking. If I was stuck in traffic, I would cut a promo on the traffic. If I was in the shower, I was cutting promos on shampoo and conditioner. If I was if I was you know, running, I was cutting promos on the person running next to me, you know, or or running across from me, or the tree. I was cutting promos on everything. So even if I got that cold

sweat again, I would have something in my brain. And so from there, from hosting they were it worked like people hated me and despised me and wanted to see me get my butt whooped. So they put me in the ring and I went undefeated for like six months. And then once I got beat, I had to figure out what was next, like how do I elevate and evolve this character? And they brought me so there was three. There was raw SmackDown in E c W, and E

c W was like the C Show. You know it, we never say it, but it was the C Show. It was like where people are trying to figure out what they're doing. Veterans are in that area to kind of boost and you know, give it a rating, but you know it's kind of an up and coming kind of thing. And that's where I met John Morrison, who became my tag team partner at the time, and this

guy taught me so much in the ring. Like I had the charisma, I had the ability to connect with an audience, but my in ring skills were okay at best, you know, and I had to And even though I was training for three years on the independence, even though I was training envelopmental and doing well, I just still didn't connect in the like I was a reality star to everyone, and it's gonna take time to get them out of that reality star mode because I don't even

know about you. But in Hollywood. When I went to Hollywood, like I would tell people, Um, I was on the real world, and they would look at me, like, look at you. Like I couldn't get an audition, Brian, Like I was trying to audition for stuff before w W EAT and they wouldn't even let me audition because I was on the real world and people know exactly who I am. So then, you know, back then you weren't

allowed to know who the people are. You have to be very hidden, Like actors had to be very hidden because you know, you're playing a character and they didn't want to know your character. And so that's kind of where I set, so when I went to w w E, it was like I was still a reality star. People didn't like me, and I had to develop myself into a w W superstar and gain respect not only in

the ring, but outside the ring as well. Well. You have won the w w A Championship twice, the Intercontinental Championship eight times, United States Champion twice, eight tag team championships, giving you a total of twenty overall championships in w W E, and you became the ww E Triple Crown Champion and fourteen Grand Slam Champion. I mean, yeah, you were a reality star that nobody paid much attention to, kept pushing you into hosting and holding a mike as

opposed to doing what you wanted to do. How did that make you feel? Eventually when you when you began this this ascent really to the place where you are now. So when I first won the money in the bank contract, which is a contract that you can cash in anytime, anywhere to have a w W Championship match. So say the person just got done with the match, got slammed with a chair, is laying down and can't get up.

I could cash in that contract and say, hey, I want to match this guy right now for the w W Championship, and that's how I won the championship twice. Now is a bad guy. There's no better way to win than that kind of way. And once I won the first w w E Championship, there was so many naysayers, so many people that were like, this guy does not deserve the title. He's a reality star, he's an outsider.

I still get it to this day that I'm an outsider, you know, coming in looking in, even after eighteen years of being in this business, you know, still trying to harness that respect value. I guess that I want and so bad, I guess you can say. But when I

wanted that first w championship, nobody wanted it. And then I went on to main event WrestleMania, which is the hardest thing to do, and I was w W champion at the time, walked in the w W Champion as a bad guy in the main event of WrestleMania, and walked out the w w E Champion at WrestleMania with the Rocks help granted. But then the Rock gave me People's elbow at the end, which was fine because I walked out the w w E champion, uh, And that was that was one of the most incredible things that's

ever happened in my life. Because, man, I'll tell you what you try to get, like it's like getting an Oscar or an Emmy or you know, for me, you know, getting to be the main event. That doesn't happen very often, especially to a guy like me who people were so down on and didn't didn't expect to do anything in this business. And then to be able to go there and main event and do it then and then from there you think I'm a made man, But I wasn't.

Like I went on a deep downward spiral where I couldn't win anything, and then all of a sudden, you know, maybe like six years ago, I started understanding what I had to do to be a top talent in w w E. And there's a difference between you know, winning at w w E Championship and being a top talent and not needing a title and still being considered one of the most valuable superstars that w w E has. And so that's where I've turned my career into being Uh. I guess you could say a leading man like I

can be the main focus on Monday Night Raw. I could be the main focus on SmackDown. It's like, you know, I guess having a Michael Scott. You know, he can do so many different things. He can give you so many different emotions, tell so many different stories. Each superstar knows their role and basically is trying to become the biggest star in w w E, and everyone's there to

help it. Like I always look at The Office as such a great show of so many different characters, and everybody is, as we say, getting over and everyone knows how to get over and nobody everyone knows their role and what they need to do to get there. It's kind of the same thing fascinating past current w w E stars. Compare them two characters from the Office, say who would be whom? And why? Ready? Michael Scott. I

would want to be Michael Scott, to be honest. But but here's the thing, though, I can't be Michael Scott because I feel like I'm Jim. Because on Miss and Misses, which is my reality show on the USA Network, I do the Jim look to the camera almost not like

almost every episode. And the reason I do that and I love so I love what you know, Greg Daniels and and all your interviews with all the different characters, the crew, the cast, you know from you know, makeup people, the casting directors, every I loved all those interviews to hear the insights of reasonings on why. And I believe the reason that that Jim would look at the camera is because it's so absurd that someone needs to bring reality to this is this really happening kind of look?

And Jim would always have that look. And so in my reality show, if something so absurd is happening, and trust me, in my real day to day life, absurd things happen that you won't believe is happening, but it really is. So I have to give that Jim look to the camera to show like I'm in on this with you, like I know this is ridiculous, but it's really funny. So I I kind of I stole that from the office because I love the show so much. So I would reckon. I would say, I'm Jim. Um,

Michael Scott is is the lead. Every story can revolve around him, right, so I would say, gosh, it have to be like Roman Reigns or a John Cenah. Granted it's not the comedy aspect of it's not the airhead aspect of it. It's not the you know, I wouldn't call him airhead, but you know what I'm talking about, Like he's just so absurd. So I would say, as a lead actor, you'd have to have like a Sena

or a Roman Reigns as like you're Michael Scott. But like with the comedy aspect, I mean, Sammy Zane is doing some really funny stuff in w W E and the whole show can revolve around his character, so he could also be that Michael Scott. I didn't and prep you for this question, I'll just do one more. Who's Dwight Shrewd? Dwight Shrewd? Uh? Can Maurice be Pam because that's who I marry? And then Dwight Shrewd? Gosh, who would be Dwight Shrewd who's a weirdo and gets on

my nerves? Johnny Gargano right now is on my nerves or dex uh he who shall not be named uh shall is always on my nerves? So I guess if I'm Jim, then right now, in this moment, Johnny Gargano has to be Dwight because he's annoying. Okay, are you an athlete or you an entertainer primarily primarily entertainer. I love entertaining and I'm a I'm an athlete as well. Like it's a little bit. That's the thing about w

w E. There's nothing quite like it. It's why you always see the rock coming back to w w E because there's nothing like it. There's nothing like that live audience and that live feel. I imagine that's why you probably enjoy going back to theater because you get that live, instant gratification rather than waiting six two months to a year to wait for your stuff to come out and you're like, oh, like, yeah, I did that like a

year ago exactly. UM, have to talk about your wife, Maurice, your new reality show, Miss and Mrs. You work together both in the ring and outside of the ring. Is that correct? We met, like I said before, we met off the Diva Search. She was a contestant. I was the host and the first time, it's funny, like on TV you can see the first time I ever set eyes on Maurice and the first time she ever set eyes on me in the first conversation we ever had

is literally on television. Yes, so you like Jim and Pam. I know you are like Jim and Pam. You played out in front of the cameras. What do you think that your chemistry? How did that? How did that change you? And you're persona or enhance it? She enhances me in every way. She makes me a better person, pushes me when sometimes I feel like I don't need to be pushed, but she will push me into directions. And I always look at her as like she's a dreamer and a

go getter. And sometimes when I'm like, I'll we have this joke now because my buddy just came up with this book called There's Just One Problem, and she read the book and now she uses There's just One Problem. Because I always say she'll come up with an idea and I go yeah, but she goes yeah, but is there is there a problem? Is there just one problem? And I go, oh my god. And so I'm just trying to be a realist here, but she's sometimes her

like fans. So we have a production company called mad Reproductions. We have like six shows that we're pitching right now, and some of these ideas she comes up with, and honestly, most of these ideas are hers, like she derived him, came up with them, got the decks and the sizzles all together and squared away. And then I am always the one that's like, yeah, this is not really real,

and I's like, what this is real? Look, this is what we can do, this is what we can have, this is this is and then she does it and I go, wow, that's actually a really great idea. The good thing I have you. But she pushes me and she makes me a better person. And outside the ring, so say say we're in the ring and she's managing me. If you will, whenever you have your wife, you always want to show off. And I'm in I'm in a speedoh,

like I'm half naked, Brian, you know out there. And so when I'm half naked and I'm I'm wrestling, I want to show off in front of my wife. I want to you know, show her like, hey, look what your husband can do. So I'm always trying to do go, go one better, and go and add it. But on miss and Mrs we love doing this show, like you know,

we've had so much fun. It's our We're we're getting into our fourth season and we absolutely love it, and you know, it's a reality show that we're proud of that my parents are involved in and everyone loves my dad and Margaux and it's comedy and our little girls to see them grow up, Like we started this show

and Monroe wasn't even born. She's four and a half now, and literally I've been able to watch videos of my daughter getting born on the on the first season, and now I get to see her grow and it's been such a cool process, Like I'll always have those, like homemade videos that are really professional and we're televised, and I'll always have those to watch and see them grow. And sometimes it brings a tear to my eye, but it's a comedy, so you know it will tug on

your heartstrings, but it will also make you laugh. And it's kind of what The Office does for me, Like I still watch all the Super shows, like the Super episodes. I think was the most genius idea that they have. And I don't know if this is my favorite scene off the office, And I'm sorry to get off of topic, but my favorite scene off the Office is with you, and it's not the chili. I imagine everyone is says, it's the Chili. It's not and I think gets off of a Super episode and I don't know if this

actually aired on the real episode. So Jan has a baby. She brings a baby, she's singing with it and she's and people are asking her where did she get the sperm? And she's like, oh, it is a very high end v I P type place, and you go, was it next to the eye hop? And she gives the look and it's like, oh my god, Oh my god, she got it from where Kevin gave his Like this could beat Kevin's kid like that. That is my favorite scene.

That one, and and Creed coming in as a teenager like his hair done was two of my favorite scenes in the office. And did I stutter yes, Oh yeah. That was the biggest fight I ever had with the editors and writers when that scene in Baby Shower was cut. I thought it was the most genius I was. I am right, it was. It's in the Super show it now, and it's my favorite scene because the way you throw it out there and the look she gives you, Oh my god, it was like it was one of those moments.

It's like a moment that you that you yearned for, like in those type of shows where you she didn't never say anything, and the look she gives it's like, oh my god, that's where she got it. And it's next to the eye hoop, so prestigious, it's so p I P. It's next the freaking eyehop. So good, so well written. I don't know was that improv or was that like, oh that was the writer's that was so good. Well, look you're now you're also now doing straight acting. You're

starting in the Marine franchise as Sergeant Jake Carter. Do you find acting in that more difficult or easier than the entertainment stuff that you do on reality TV? And

from the w w E. They're all different. So being on a reality show is completely different than being on a series show, than being on a movie, than being in w w E. So with acting, and I was very fortunate on my first marine Marine three Home Front to be with Scott Wiper, who was the director, because he is very method in the way he does things, and he taught me kind of how to do that and I was, you know, I was green, and so he made me stay in my trailer and he would

make me watch before we even did the movie. We would sit there and watch like all these old school movies and the little things like the good, the bad, the ugly, and just the little things that Clin Eastwood would do that we're nothing. And then watching cool Hand Luke and watching Newman like literally be effortless and everything that he does. And me, I'm a try hard I want to try hard and do the best impossible can and everything I am and sometimes that isn't the character

and that isn't and I'm too big. I'm very big, especially when you're in a theater like I look at w W as a theater like if you have I have to play for the last person in the in the last row, so I have to be big and huge. But with the camera it's so it gets everything. So he was teaching me all these little nuances, these little things that I could do to be natural and normal,

and I'll never forget. I actually called the Rock and I texted him and I said, hey, man, I'm about starting my first movie, um getting ready to do my first scene. Is there any advice you can give me? And he called me and he was like, dude, the best thing that I could tell you and help you out with is just to be natural and it's gonna sound so easy and so weird. But once you get there, there's gonna be three or four cameras. You're gonna have to hit a spot that you're not that you can't

look at. You can't look at the spot, and you have to be normal and natural and it's action. You have to just make it feel and I was, and it was great advice because you know, sometimes you see in acting, you know you'll see a robotic kind of portrayal, and I didn't want to do that. And so luckily Scott Wiper was able to hone me and dedicate me, and then you know, I was given I didn't have to audition for Marine three. I was given it. And

then my next movie, Christmas Bounty. The producer of Marine three said, we gave you Marine three, but you earned Christmas Bounty, and then from there we I was the first. It was so Marine three was my first one. John Cena did the first, tabas did the second, and so every time they had a new marine. The first time

they made brought a marine back was me. So a Marine four, five and six was all me and I was like, I couldn't believe that they would give me, you know, like keep doing it with my character and elevating the character. And then I also did a couple you know, Supernatural and a bunch of other things. But I love acting, like I love getting into different characters. It's just so much fun. And that's why I love

off the Beaks. I like hearing other people's process in how they developed their characters, get into their characters, how they got their characters, how you know, some people didn't have to audition, some people did have to audition. Some teop to auditioned for years upon years and did an audition for that that actual show, but then they saw them off that audition and got them that thing. So every time I do an audition, I'm like, maybe I'm

not auditioning for this role. Maybe I'm auditioning for something else. So I'm always trying to get better and hone my craft and and be better as an actor, especially coming off of reality because people still look at me as a reality star. Well let me tell you something. Let me tell you what I admire about you. Right, Both Michael Scott and Wayne Gretzky said, you miss or you miss of the shots you don't take, you shoot your shot and let me just say this. You're pitching six

projects right now. You've got the reality show with your wife, You're doing stuff with w w E, You're acting in in other films. And in addition to all of those things, let me tell you something. It exhausts me looking at your Instagram. Its exhausts me because you are constantly creating content. You are constantly putting yourself out there. And now I'm gonna say something, and this is gonna sound negative, but I promise you it is not. I watch your stuff.

You know, we've gotten to know each other, we're friends. I watch your Instagram. Let me just say this, with all respect, some of it is is terrible. Okay, now I'm saying that. No, I'm saying that. I'm saying that in a funny way. But then the next day I'm scrolling through and I genuinely laugh. And so here's my point is you always and consistently shoot your shot, and when you do that, it's not all going to be perfect.

And that's not just how it should be in what you're doing, but I'm talking about in terms of acting as well. The boldness with which you try new things, set up different shots, put on God only knows what outfits in different settings, and you make a hell of a lot more than you miss. So I yeah, I mean we joked before when we talked in Tahoe that you are the consummate entertainer, and I mean that. I mean you are putting yourself out there consistently and regularly,

and you are are very often succeeding. So I wanted you to hear that from me. I respect the hell out of you and you're willingness to put yourself out and that is a lesson that regardless of what you're doing, whether it's sports or whether it's entertainment or acting or singing or any of the other folks that we're talking to here, that's a lesson that everybody can learn is

just keep keep shooting your shot. Well, thank you very much, man. Yeah, I want you to know, whether it's conscious or not, it's impressive. It's it's really impressive, and you're entertaining a hell of a lot of people, So congratulation. Times it is sometimes it is like I mean to do it, and other times I don't. I'll give you an example. So Mortal Kombat came out with a movie, right, brand new movie and once it came out, Johnny Cage wasn't in it, but I was trending worldwide that the miss

should beat Johnny Cage. So literally the next day I call my age and I go, hey, if this is an option, I will do whatever it takes to beat Johnny Cage in the next Mortal Kombat movie. And so they made calls and they're like, we don't have a script yet, Like this guy's already calling, Like I'm already like I'm already shooting my shot, like I've been stretching,

I am so close to getting the splits down. I've been working on my kicks, my punches, and like, this is a this is a thing I've even auditioned for, Like I haven't even audio for. It was just exactly it doesn't even exist right now, but I'm still preparing for it because there's something wrong with me, Brian. I really honestly believe there's something wrong with because I'm like,

this is something that I want. I really feel I can be it and really put everything I have into it and make it the character that it should be. And I know I could do it, and so it's all a matter of just seeing the scurrit and then literally getting the producers and they don't have directors of producers, they have anything done like but that that's that's all it.

Like I guess I do really do shoot my shot even when there is no shot to be shot, Like I'll still shoot a shot just to see if it if it makes it because you never know what's going in it can it can ricochet and hit something even better at times I can speak from personal experience on that. Uh, Mike the miss thank you so much for talking to me. My best to your family. I'm want to see on the golf course soon. Yeah, I'm actually go right, I gotta beat you and something you will beat me and

that and be honest with you. I mean you you played a hell you played a really good in Tahoe. Let me tell you. I think I was like eighty I out of eighty six. And then I look for Brian, You're like in the forties. Well and that is that is saying something because everyone there is like really good at golf. It's ridiculous there. But hey, I also wanted to say I really appreciate you having me on your podcast. I love Off the Beat. I loved like ever since

the beginning, when you're doing all the office stuff. I watched it. I love how you interview, I love how the information and the passion you have for it. And by the way, just for everyone out there, Brian is amazing at gambling, because every time I've gambled with you, I have one. I have one. I I went up. By the only time I win is when I'm next to you, because you literally tell me everything to do. Oh, I do have something else to say. When I talked to MSS in Tahoe for the podcast this is what

do we call this? A special A very special follow up? MS found a five thousand dollar chip and we made a lot of jokes about what to do with it. I told him he could just give it to me, and I would I would put it in a safe place. No. He went to Jonathan Thomas, the head of the American Century, and told him the story and said, this is for

the foundation, this is for cancer research. And the five thousand dollar chip that wasn't his that he found, fair and square ended up getting donated for cancer research through the American Century Foundation. So there you go. A good guy as well as a lucky guy. Yeah, very lucky very lucky. Well, thank you so much, Mike. That was so fun. I have loved getting to know you better and what makes the miss tick, or at least what makes Mike tick. To everybody out there listening, you're the

best as well. It's always great to spend my Tuesdays with you. I will be here next week, same time, same place, with another guest who some might say he's always watching. Mm hmm, what does that mean? You'll see next week? Off the Beat is hosted an executive produced by me Brian Baumgartner, alongside our executive producer Langley. Our senior producer is Diego Tapia. Our producers are Liz Hayes, Hannah Harris, and Emily Carr. Our talent producer is Ryan

Papa Zachary, and our intern is Sammy Cats. Our theme song Bubble and Squeak, performed by the one and only Creed Bratton