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Well let me tell you something, Mean Gene! Brutha, RF VIDEO is excited to announce the latest edition of our industry leading shoot interview series. We sat down with one of the true icons of wrestling, 2006 WWE Hall of Famer Mean Gene Okerlund! Everybody knows Mean Gene and his distinctive voice as Okerlund has been a staple of pro wrestling for the last three decades. From the Minnesota based AWA, through WWF's national expansion, onto WCW during the peak of thier history, and back to the WWE, Mean Gene has seen everything there is to see in this business and he sat down with us to talk about it all.

Okerlund talked about his experiences with all the big names, including Verne Gagne, Hulk Hogan, Harley Race, Ric Flair, Vince McMahon, Andre the Giant, Eric Bischoff, and scores more. There's not a single personality in the industry Mean Gene hasn't spent time with! Mean Gene went through his legendary career that went all over the wrestling landscape. This exclusive shoot interview will provide Gene's uncensored thoughts on all the behind-the-scenes stories from the AWA, WWE, and WCW! Okerlund takes us through the ribs, the road stories, the best (and worst) at ring psychology and work rate, watching WWF explode, and working with Bobby Heenan among many other subjects. Gene is insiteful and a blast to listen to, making this shoot one DVD that all wrestling fans are going to want to add to their collection!

Were you a wrestling fan growing up
What is your broadcasting background pre-wrestling
How did you get into wrestling
Initial impressions of Verne
What kind of lengths did they go to in order to kayfabe you early on
How long was it before they smartened you up
Did anyone rib you
What was the hardest thing to grasp about announcing the shows
Did anyone give you bullet points and if so who
Who did you work the closest with early on
Initial memories of meeting Hulk Hogan
How did your friendship grow with him early on
Who were some of the guys you were closest too
Did anyone ever give you the feeling "oh your not one of the boys" since you are an announcer
How soon into it did you realize you wanted to do this full time
Who gave you the name Mean Gene
All AWA:
Early memories of Jesse
Memories of Crusher and Bruiser
Memories of Ken Patera
Do you think that Verne was too much a mark for himself
Do you remember a young Ric Flair
Memories of Nick Bockwinkel
What are some of your favorite matches you called that you even remember today
Was there one match in particular that you listened back to when you realized, "I am good at this."
What was a typical day of TV like
Memories of Ray Stevens and Harley Race
Memories of Larry Hennig
You seemed to be more relaxed than most wrestling announcers, did veterans take that as a sign of disrespect or you weren't taking it seriously
Did anyone ever approach you about something you may have said about them on commentary
Who was the best at psychology during that time period
Memories of Bruiser Brody
Memories of Bobby Heenan
Memories of Lord Al Hayes
Memories of Mr. Saito
How hard did Verne take it when Hogan left
When did it become apparent to you and the boys that Vince was expanding nationally
Do you think Verne really offered Iron Sheik 100 grand to break Hogan's leg
How did you wind up in the WWF
Initial thoughts upon meeting Vince
How did Verne take it when you gave notice
What was Vince's pitch to you
Did you offer Verne a chance to match Vince's offer
What were the differences when you first started in a typical day of tv for Vince as compared to Verne
You started as an announcer and moved to interviewer for Vince, why and how did that change come about
How did life change for you when the WWF blew up
Who's idea was it for you to start doing songs like on the Wrestling Albums, etc
What was doing TNT like
Was it hard for the guys to stay serious during those goofy segments on TNT
Who's idea was it for you to wear pantyhose on TNT when you sang Tutti Fruitti
Did Hulk change by the mid-80s with success
Who's idea was it for you to wrestle with Hulk in Minnesota
Did Fuji rib you at all
When you came over to the WWF, did anyone over there try to kayfabe you since you were new and an announcer
Were you surprised when you saw more of your old AWA peers come over
How real is the rivalry between Hulk and Jesse
What were the politics like in the 80s between Hulk and Roddy
How nervous was Vince going into the first Mania
You were the first person to ever sing the national anthem at a wrestlemania. Who's idea was that?
When did you realize that the WWF was now engrained as a part of pop culture
There is an infamous promo going around the Internet these days from the 80s with you and Wendy Richter where you just start laughing at her, do you remember that promo
Did you get any heat for the infamous "f*ck it" Summerslam promo with Rick Rude
How crazy did things get with the ring boy scandal
Who were your favorite and least favorite guys to interview and work with during this time
Do you remember the big fight between the Rougeaus and the Bulldogs
Did you see anyone crack due to the road schedule during this time period
Who would go over bullet points with you for promos during this time
How did Vince change with success
What were some of your favorite goofy skits that you did
How important was your role or that of the promo guy in getting someone over
How long were the tv taping days
Memories of the Ultimate Warrior
Memories of the post Royal Rumble interview with Flair and Hennig
Were you there when the Ultimate Warrior tried to hold up Vince at Summerslam
What do you remember about when Nailz attacked Vince
How was Dusty treated when he came over
Memories of Randy Savage and his issues with Elizabeth
Memories of Andre the Giant
Any good road stories
Any good ribs
Was there someone you saw or interviewed come in that you thought would be a big star that didn't make it or someone who surprised you
How accessible was Vince to you
What are some of your favorite matches during your time in the WWF
Did you ever have any problems with alcohol or the party lifestyle
Memories of Kerry Von Erich when he came over
Is there a time where you think the stress got to you and you weren't having fun
How did you wind up leaving
Did you want to stay
Did you leave on good terms with Vince
What were your initial post-WWF plans
Was it hard adjusting to life without the WWF
How soon did you make the deal with WCW
How did it come about
Initial thoughts on Eric Bischoff
Early on, what did you notice about the differences between WCW tv and WWF tv
Were you surprised when Vince created Scheme Gene
Talk about the hotline, was it a big money maker for you
Did you ever feel sleazy by some of the cheap teases you'd give for it
Do you think the Internet ruined that business
What do you think of wrestling newsletters
Did you think Nitro would work
You and Flair seemed to have great chemistry in WCW, why do you think that is
Do you think that Hulk was a good or a bad thing in the end for WCW
Did he try and look out for you there
What do you think of his reality show
How did things change with the explosion in the NWO
How out of control did things get in WCW
Was it frustrating with Eric's constant attempts at trying to work the locker room and the boys
How did you wind up in the Millionaires Club angle and memories of feuding with Pamela Paulshock
How did Eric change with success
Memories of another famous interview on the Internet, your interview with Bret on El Dandy
How much leeway did you have in both WWF and WCW as far as ad libbing
When is a line crossed between getting yourself over at the expense of the boys
Any good road stories from WCW
What was Eric's biggest mistake
How did things change when Russo came over
Do you think Russo was in over his head
Bobby Heenan talks a lot about Tony Schivonne being untrustworthy and slimy, do you agree
Thoughts on Mike Tenay
Thoughts on Mark Madden and your match
What are your thoughts on Vince making good looking women and guys interviewers these days as compared to guys with credibility and a wrestling background
Thoughts on Dallas Page
Thoughts on Goldberg
When did you realize WCW was in big trouble
How did you find out about the sale of WCW
Did you talk to anyone in the WWF
Vince is known nowadays for giving his announcers lines constantly in a headset, what are your thoughts on that
Thoughts on Jim Ross, Michael Cole, and Joey Styles
How soon were you contacted by WWE after the sale
Memories of initial conversations with Vince
How good was it to come back at Wrestlemania
Memories of calling the battle royal with Bobby
Do you think Confidential exposed the business too much
Do you think it crossed the line on the Elizabeth story
How did things change as far as production as compared to when you were last in the WWE
Thoughts on being inducted in the Hall of Fame
Talk about Vince today and changes he has made over the years
Thoughts on Stephanie and Shane
Thoughts on HHH
Thoughts on the deaths over the last few years with Bossman, Curt, Hercules, Hawk
Best ribs you ever saw
more road stories
Are you surprised by guys like Hulk and Flair who have been around this long
Who do you think will be the next big thing in the business
What are your thoughts on WWE looking out of the pro wrestling world for announcers and apparently preferring that you don't know anything about wrestling to get a job there
What advice would you guys to talent wanting to get a job in the WWE
Thoughts on seeing Lex Luger at the convention several months ago
Did you ever have any aspirations to book
What's going on with your Mean Gene burgers
If you were working an independent today and you were the same age as you were when AWA got you, do you think you would get a shot in the WWE
Who do you think deserves to be in the Hall of Fame
Thoughts on Bruno and Vince's relationship
Were you surprised to see Bret return
What made Pat Patterson a great finish man
Can a good television writer write good wrestling
Can the southern style of wrestling still get over today