From Arda Ocal:
Right After Wrestling with Arda Ocal and Jimmy Korderas interviewed WWE Hall of Famer Tony Atlas. Highlights:
– His book “Atlas: Too Much Too Soon”, where the name of the book comes from and stories within the book
– Talking openly about his foot fetish, racism / sexism in wrestling, rules and locker room etiquette then vs now
– How he credits the “Saba Simba” character that many people criticize, for saving his life
– Jimmy recollects about Tony Atlas always being cheerful in the locker room and never being upset, and Tony explains why
– Talking about making $1500 in his first week in wrestling, and $75,000 his first year.
EXCERPT: “In the early 80’s, I went to LA. It was my decision to get involved in drugs which screwed me up at the beginning of my career. I became homeless in 1989. This lady saw me sleeping in the park in Maine, didn’t know who I was. I had been homeless for a year and half. I slept on the park bench. That day, it was 22 below zero and she invited me into her home. When Vince tried to get a hold of me, he didn’t know how to reach me. Vince didn’t know how to get a hold of me so a policeman told me he had a number of someone who wanted to reach me so I called Vince and he told me about the idea of bringing me back as Saba Simba. Before I went homeless I was 280 pounds, when she found me I was 190 pounds and when I went back to Vince I was 240 pounds. Saba Simba saved my life.”
INTERVIEW PODCAST: http://radio.thescore.com/episodes/tony-atlas-interview-dec-13-2010
RIGHT AFTER WRESTLING Radio
With Arda Ocal and Jimmy Korderas
Mondays, 11:05pm – midnight EST
The Score on SIRIUS Radio 98
iTUNES: http://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/right-after-wrestling/id379948064