Legend John Cena is a little bit older but much wiser about things than he used to be.
John Cena was a recent guest on Whiskey Ginger to discuss a wide variety of subjects. When asked about life on the road as a professional wrestler, Cena compared it to the life of a standup comedian.
“The great thing about WWE, and I think it runs parallel to standup, is when you book a 65-day tour if show four bombs, you still gotta make show five,” John Cena said. “Like it’s a pick-six, you got to get back in the field. So those nights where you stunk out the joint were like the most productive because you could really lean into the guys and lean into the guy you’re working with or the people around you who you trust and give you an honest opinion to be like, ‘Hey, this is what I was going for. And it didn’t work. Why?’
“And I’m sure you had mentors in standup comedy who would maybe bestow a few secrets after a few of these, and it used to be a little bit more of a fraternal society, where you kind of had to go out afterward to get some wisdom. Nowadays, the business has evolved and in great ways. I romanticize about that period a lot because it was just super fun. But guys are paid better, guys are treated better, less of a work schedule, so I don’t know how much that still exists.
“I know today; I just tried to pass on wisdom at the show. Because I don’t know the life, anybody lives. I don’t want to, you know, back then, there was a lot of camaraderie and brotherhood. And if you weren’t in, you were out. When I started, I tried to keep to myself, and keeping to myself; I was out. And I was like, ‘No, I really want to do this.’ People were like, ‘You do want to do this. You’re really dedicated. Just come here, kid, let’s have a few, and let’s talk about why you suck.'”
When asked who his favorite person to drink with was, Cena initially answered everyone before settling on WWE Hall of Famer “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair.
“I don’t think there’s a comparison to Ric Flair. He just has so much energy,” John Cena said. “He’s got such a tremendous lust for life. And I am drawn to that. I’m drawn to people who love life. There is a tipping point where it becomes counterproductive. You don’t want to live like today is your last day because it could be. But I try to find a little bit of balance. But man, he was always great.
“The late Pat Patterson was always great because these guys not only are there because they want to socialize and share, they have all this f**king wisdom. And they’re not like Ric, especially. And Pat, they weren’t jaded. Ric still isn’t jaded. Like we all have bad days, but he loves it.
“So he’s not one of those guys who will drink and be like, ‘F**k this. You don’t understand. They f**ked me, and this is how they f**ked me.’ Like whoever that element was, I just never went around. I just always gravitated towards people who were having a good time.”
The Leader of CeNation has been part of the WWE Universe for over 20 years now; in that time, his look has changed over the years. Cena reflected upon two times when fans got really upset about it.
“Two instances involving me changing my look, one I came back with longer hair and people were like, ‘You ruined my childhood,'” John Cena said. “And two, my hair’s thinning; I’m 46. So I came back, and they’re like, ‘Cena’s hairs thinning, what the F?’ Yeah, because I’m old, and that’s me. But people get so attached to the character they’ve grown up with for 20 years.
“Like, the penthouse has always been a little thin, but I always used to cut it really short. So you really couldn’t see that. And now, when I come back, I like having this sort of style because it’s versatile for somebody in the makeup chair. And they can create whoever they want, and I can walk out as whomever they want me to be. So I like doing acting. And having a little bit more on top in certain spots gets you a little more versatility. Yeah, but it was crazy to see people like crushed because I’m getting old.”
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What do you make of John Cena’s comments? Do you understand his comparisons between professional wrestling and standup comedy? Let us know your thoughts by sounding off in the comments section below.
If you use any of the quotes above, please credit Whiskey Ginger with a link back to this article for the transcription.
