Triple H Chat with USATODAY.com, before the release of Wrestlemania: The Insider's Story.
Thursday, March 8, 2001, 6:00 PM ET
Are you interested in the real skinny on the World Wrestling Federation? Ask WWF superstar Triple H. He'll be taking your questions and comments on the new book Wrestlemania: The Insider's Story, written by XFL president and longtime World Wrestling Federation employee Basil DeVito Jr.
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Milwaukee, WI: What do you like most about wrestling in the WWF?
Triple H: Just the thrill of being in front of arenas packed with fans, and going out and performing. There's nothing like that- being in front of a live crowd. For me it's a living dream.
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Los Angeles, CA: Triple H- Hats off to you. You are one of the best in the business today. My questions are: 1) Does the WWF give you complete creative control over your character? 2) Do you get along with guys like Stone Cold off camera? Thanks... RF
Triple H: Thank you for the compliment! No, nobody in the WWF has full creative control. We all have input, but the final say is Vince's. As fas as getting along, behind the scenes we're like a big family- a bunch of brothers. Sometimes brothers fight, and sometimes you get along.
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Hattiesburg, MS: What is your personal favorite Wrestlemania moment of all time?
Triple H: It's hard to say, because there are so many. But just for epicness, the 93,000 fans in the Pontiac Silverdome when Hulk Hogan slammed the Andre the Giant.
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Colorado Springs: Do you have some sort of "normal" life away from the ring?
Triple H: Normal is all relative. I do not have a wife, and I do not have children, but I'd consider myself normal.
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Kansas City, Missouri: You are in such great shape. What is your workout philosophy? And do the other wrestlers follow a similar viewpoint toward their bodies and staying tough?
Triple H: Each guy follows his own individual workout plan and routine. It's up to each of them to train and stay in shape. As far as I go, I train 5 days a week. I was into bodybuilding since the age of 14. When I don't work out, it bothers me. I probably train about an hour and a half a day.
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Dale City, VA: Do you ever look back on old tapes of when you wrestled?
Triple H: Sometimes. But if I watch old tapes I watch old wrestlers I consider to be great. I watch my matches and learn from my mistakes, and try to keep on improving.
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Gaithersburg, MD: What is the hardest part about being a WWF Superstar?
Triple H: The schedule, the travel, the constant demand of your time and your personal life. You are what people think you are on TV. I'm not complaining, but sometimes when you're tired it can be an issue. I love what I do, though.
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United Kingdom: To Triple H: How many more Wrestlemania's do you see yourself appearing in? From Lisa Holub, East of England.
Triple H: It depends on my health. If physically I can stay in shape and do what I do to the best of my ability, I'll compete. But I don't want to be the wrestler who hangs out longer than he should. I want to out on top and be happy with my accomplishments.
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Washington, D.C.: Who was your toughest opponent you faced at a Wrestlemania?
Triple H: To date, probably the Rock. He and I have had some huge battles, and we've been rivals for about 4 years. It's always a struggle between he and I.
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Huntingtown: How much can you bench?
Triple H: I don't really train for strength, but I'd guess somewhere in the 400 pound range.
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Bakersfield, CA: What steps did you take to begin your quest to making it to the WWF? Was it hard?
Triple H: First off I looked at myself realistically to figure out whether I was big enough. Then I had to put everything into making it. Then I found a school where I could train. I studied tapes, wrestled as often as I could, made trips and wrestled for practically nothing, and solicited agents. You've gotta go after it if you want it.
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Carbondale, IL: First off I have to say you are by far my favorite wrestler. Now, my question it, when do you think we're gonna see the next Triple H championship reign?
Triple H: If I have anything to say about it, sooner rather than later. It depends on what's right for the business. When the time is right, I'll be the champion again.
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Huntsville, AL: What has caused the WWF to shift from a younger target audience to an older target audience?
Triple H: I think that in television, there's a key demographic for business, and that's what we go after. We made our product more acceptable to the mainstream.
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Rochester, NY: My son and I have watched you for years and we noticed that you have changed greatly in size. What type of body enhancing drugs do you take? What is your age and how long do you plan to wrestle?
Triple H: I don't take drugs. I've been training since the age of 14. When I got into wrestling I was 280 pounds (I'm 6'4"). I wanted to be faster, so I dieted myself down to 235. But at that weight, I felt I was too thin and getting injured too often, so I bulked up again. I'm about 250-260 now.
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Delran, NJ: Hey Game! Being arguably the best wrestler in the business, will you continue to be the evil heel for the rest of your career, or is there a chance that we could see you as a good guy in the future?
Triple H: The one thing you never say in the WWF is never say never. I prefer to be a heel. I prefer to be hated. But you have to go with what people want. Anything can happen.
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Rye, NY: Aside from the Al Snow anatomy show you have mentioned in the past, what's your most embarassing moment both in the ring and while cutting a promo?
Triple H: One time I was wrestling Henry Godwin when he was the pig farmer. He had a bucket of slop. Everything that could have gone wrong did, and at the end the crowd and ref were laughing... and so were we.
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Bergholz, OH: When will the WWF ever become as mainstream as NFL or NBA? It seems no sports broadcasters or reporters take the WWF seriously enough to even post results and that includes USA Today. They can report on hamster-powered cars though.
Triple H: That's the thing that bothers me- we're kind of in the neutral lost zone. The sports world doesn't want to touch us because they say we're fixed. Entertainment doesn't touch us because we're athletes. In Canada, we're reported on all the time. I wish they'd do that in the U.S. If we're the #1 show on cable and have business and live events and pay-per-views, then I think people would like to read about it in the paper.
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Fort Washington, MD: What's the new book, Wrestlemania: The Insider's Story about?
Triple H: It's pretty much what it says. It chronicles the 17 years of Wrestlemania, telling the behind-the-scenes stories. What it took to take it from Vince McMahon's vision to being one of the most popular, the most watched forms of entertainment in the world and become a household word. It's a lot of great stories about what took place with the celebrities and the wrestlers. It comes with a DVD that shows great footage you couldn't see anywhere else. If you're a wrestling fan, it's a must-have.
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Jacksonville, FL: I really enjoyed the Wrestlemania book. Especially the DVD insert. My question is, what is it like, personally, to be in the main event at Wrestlemania?
Triple H: It's hard to explain the feeling you get of the fulfillment of a dream. There's accolades in our business, and they may sound hokey, but when you become the WWF Champion, they have the faith you can carry the highest award. To carry the belt to the industry and know that the weight of Wrestlemania depends on you and your opponent is a lot of pressure. But it's the greatest feeling in the world. It's a great feeling of success. It's like playing in the Superbowl, and not only winning, but making a 90 yard touchdown run int he last 30 seconds of the game.
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Comment from Triple H: Thanks to all the fans out there. Many people think that because I'm so evil on TV I'm like that all the time. We all put our bodies and lives on the line to entertain you. Please keep hating me.
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Comment from USATODAY.com Host: That was the last question for Triple H. Thanks to everyone who joined us!