Paul Bearer’s son DJ Pringle was a recent guest on The Mike Roycroft Show, and below are some interview highlights:
On growing up with a backstage pass to the WWE during the Attitude Era:
“Most of the time it was during the summer because dad would bring home an itinerary with [a map of] the United States on it and make us close our eyes and pick where we were going to go for that summer, and it would be a 4-6 day tour. We’d go and hang out with the boys and stay there all day, just meeting people and getting to know them. These people are friends of my dad, it’s not just employees and co-workers, it’s friends. Guys would take kids under their wing. I remember this very vividly: when Mr. Perfect was alive, Edge and Christian would take Joe [Hennig aka Curtis Axel] under their wing. Seeing guys like that….they’re on the road all the time knowing they’re hurt, they’re worn down and and they don’t want to go to the next city, but they’re still upbeat and wanting to do what they love. It’s the brotherhood between the guys.”
On inducting his father into the WWE Hall Of Fame on Wrestlemania weekend with his brother:
“Busy, busy, busy weekend….we didn’t have time for ourselves at all. We were either in the hotel sleeping or we were at the arena or rehearsing or doing something. It was more walk-through than anything because with it being Wrestlemania 30, they want everything perfect so they’re going to go through it a million times and make sure everything’s right for tv. But what an emotional weekend….what an honor it was, what a weekend it was.”
On re-connecting with Ultimate Warrior during that weekend:
“The thing about Warrior is, he would remember stuff that you would have no clue (about), that you don’t even think about. He would say, ‘Yeah, I remember you two boys running down the hallway yelling Taker, Taker…’, and I’m just thinking to myself, I was only 4 or 5 years old at the time. But he was giving his condolences to us about dad, talking about how friendly dad was, how great a guy he was in the locker room and with fans and with his on-screen character. That was a pretty cool experience. [Later] I get a text message saying that Warrior died, and I said, I just talked to him 2 days before he died, looked him in his face.”
Nick was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and lived there until the age of 18, when he decided to pack his flack jacket and move to New York City.
