By Shawn Valentino, PWTorch Specialist

When we were children, the superstars of wrestling we saw on television appeared larger than life. Unfortunately, like many of your parents I am sure, my family did not share my appreciation for the heroes that I watched with wide-eyed excitement. Although they did not forbid me from watching wrestling like some of my friends's parents, let us just say that there were no father-son trips to the local house shows. I had yet to reach double digits in age when the biggest extravaganza of them all, WrestleMania 3, came to my hometown, and at the time I could only dream of being part of such a spectacular happening.

Now, over two decades later, I have been to countless wrestling shows, including seven WrestleManias, and each time, I feel like that same awestruck youth that fantasized about seeing his heroes up close. One thing I had never imagined at that time, however, was that I would one day meet all of the men I grew up idolizing. Fans often wonder what the wild and wacky characters of the ring are like in person. I have had the pleasure of working out, partying, and even starring in a commercial with WWE superstars. I realize that many fans are curious as to what wrestlers are like behind the scenes. Today, I wanted to share some of my best experiences meeting wrestlers over the years.

Before I go on, I wanted to state that I feel that entertainers do not owe anything to the fans beyond giving them their money's worth for the hard-earned money they spend to watch them. Additionally, it is impossible to make a judgment on someone's true personality unless you know them personally. In fact, I have found that some of my favorite stars are amongst the rudest and unpleasant in person, but it does not interfere with my enjoyment of the characters they play. That being said, having come across these superstars many times, as well as having my positive experiences verified by my friends' accounts of their interactions with them, these are the most fan-friendly wrestlers that I have encountered over the years.

(10) The Divas

Yes, I know I am cheating here by lumping all of the Divas together, but if the WWE does not care enough to give them individuality, I am not going to either. I have been fortunate enough to meet virtually every WWE beauty over the years from Stacy Keibler to Torrie Wilson to Sunny to Trish Stratus. I have yet to have a bad experience with any of them, as they are invariably very friendly and grateful for their fans. They should be, because their shelf life under the WWE spotlight is quite a small one.

Some of my more memorable moments with the Divas over the years include getting drunk with Torrie Wilson at a bar, hitting on Kelly Kelly's mom, meeting Stacy at a local library, and being allowed to grab Trish's sensational derriere. This year, I had the opportunity to meet Debra McMichael on the day of her ex-husband Steve Austin's Hall of Fame induction. It was a fascinating conversation to say the least, and I must say that Debra is every bit as luminous as ever. Despite all of these encounters, unfortunately I will never get a chance to meet my generation's childhood crush, The First Lady of Wrestling, Miss Elizabeth.


(9) Jeff Hardy

When we think of Jeff Hardy, we think of the extreme enigma. He is the mysterious superstar with a rock star like quality, and ethereal aura. Despite his seemingly distant persona, the other thing "extreme" about him is his kindness and his ability to interact with fans. I admire Hardy as an entertainer, and while I would not call myself a fan of his, he is definitely a cool guy to party with in person, as you can imagine. I heard a story that when he was young, he approached one of his heroes for an autograph, who ignored him, and he vowed that he would never do the same. I have seen him in person many times, and though you can see the moodiness in his face at times, I have never seen him refuse a fan an autograph or a picture.

(8) The Big Show

When you are over five-hundred pounds, it does not take much to stand out in the crowd, but I must say that if there is one thing that outweighs The Big Show's immense body, it is his sense of humor and charisma. The guy is simply hilarious to be around, and if you are within ten feet of his radius, be prepared to be a subject of one of his zingers. When my spiky haired friend approached him for a picture, he ripped him for his haircut, asking him if he had just "pulled his head out of a horse's ass." Of course, the jokes are all in harmless fun and merely showcase his charming persona. If only the WWE could channel more of his humor and innate likeability to his character on television, perhaps he could be this generation's Andre the Giant.

(7) "Macho Man" Randy Savage

The Macho Man was my childhood hero, the very embodiment of coolness. In the mind of an innocent preteen who nearly cried when Hogan defeated him to retain the World Title, meeting Savage was something beyond comprehension. When I was in college, however, at the height of Monday Nitro, my friend and I had a grand suite and backstage passes at a WCW event. Unfortunately, the security was not accepting our passes, possibly because we did not have certain assets that wrestlers may be looking for after the show.

As luck would have it however, one wrestler just happened to be walking out of the back down the hallway. You can imagine the expression on my face as I saw the man I idolized as a child walk by. We stopped him to ask for a picture but he said he was in a hurry and promised that he would be back. Of course, that usually means that somebody is blowing you off. To his credit, however, despite the fact that he was obviously in a rush, he came back to us and did one of his trademark poses for a picture. It was a magical moment, and the picture was not necessary because the memory is implanted in my mind forever.

(6) "Stone Cold" Steve Austin

On television, Steve Austin was the toughest SOB on the planet, a take-no-prisoners badass that you did not want to mess with. When I was watching him play his legendary rebel character, I often wondered what Austin was like in real life. Despite some of the controversy surrounding his personal life, I have had the opportunity to meet him a few times, and he has been extremely nice and fun to be around. He even plays with his own image. When my friend asked him for a picture, Austin told him to "screw off." He began to walk away in shock as Stone Cold laughed and told him he was joking as he posed for a photograph.

I have had the good fortune of meeting Austin on the eve of two of the most memorable moments of his post-wrestling career. I spoke with him following the world premiere of The Condemned in Detroit, Mich. He was in amazing spirits, as the movie received a standing ovation from the audience. I also met him at the hotel bar a few months ago when he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. I had a beer in my hand and raised it in his honor. I thought it was a fitting symbolic tribute to the legend.

(5) Paul London

Living in Hollywood, seeing stars is generally not that big of a deal. On any given evening, you can spot a celebrity shopping in a designer store or driving by on Sunset Boulevard. Despite the topic of this article, I am not one of those people that gets amped up about meeting the rich and famous because they are just people like everybody else. There are a few select entertainers that I must say even put me in a state of awe. I will admit that shaking hands with Tom Cruise and Michael Jackson were unforgettable memories, as you know that you are in the presence of somebody every person in the world knows. In general, however, what impresses me is when somebody in the public eye can just blend in and be a regular person.

Now Paul London is not a household name by any stretch of the imagination, but most wrestling fans know who he is from years of WWE exposure. This guy is absolutely one of the coolest guys you can meet. In an industry where heads inflate like hot air balloons, he does not exhibit a trace of ego. When I was talking to him about how he kept a level head and mixed with the fans, he talked about how many of the performers were very insecure and how his steady upbringing made him who he is. He was not hesitant to speak his feelings about the dumber aspects of the business, like the Diva Search. His parents are both attorneys, and I warmly remember how he congratulated me for passing the bar exam and wished me good luck in my future endeavors. Unfortunately, now the WWE has done the same to him.

(4) The McMahons

The McMahons generally play the pompous, over-the-top billionaire heels on television. When they are off the camera, they are as nice as can be. To be fair, I realize that they have to be cordial because they are the faces of the company, but they all go above and beyond what is necessary to make their loyal fans happy. Stephanie, the queen of all bitches on television, is an absolute sweetheart in person. Linda is also an incredibly down to earth woman. I have seen Shane having drinks many times at the hotel bar during WrestleMania week, and he is always willing to talk wrestling with those who approach him.

Of course, the one everyone wonders about is Vincent Kennedy McMahon. I must say that one of the highlights of my life was being able to shake the hand of Mr. McMahon and as he put his arm around me to pose for a picture, I thanked him for a lifetime of entertainment. Like the Transformers, when it comes to the McMahons, there is more to them than meets the eye.

(3) John Cena

When I see John Cena on my television screen, I cringe. I find his promos unbelievably juvenile and his overall act so goofy that he makes The Miz appear to be the epitome of coolness. Despite this, I can even admit, that there is an innate charisma and magnetism that make him such a polarizing figure that draws such a strong response from both ends of the fan spectrum.

As I said before, however, it is important to separate the entertainer from the actual person, because Cena is quite simply marvelous to meet in person. Although I have heard rumors of him getting a big head recently, every time I have seen him, he has been nothing short of an extremely nice, down-to-earth guy. Having grown up in the same era as him, and idolized many of the legends he often salutes on his throwback jerseys, Cena is like the friend you watched wrestling with as a kid who happened to have the talent and the tools to make the big-time. Although I am not one for autographs, I have never seen Cena deny any fan a signature.

Although he may be The Dork of Thuganomics on screen, in person, he is the superstar you want to have a beer with. That is why the night after WrestleMania 22 in Chicago, when he was booed out of the building in the main event, I bought him a beer at the hotel bar and we shared a salute. Even when I do not like the characters the wrestlers play, I always respect their ability to take center stage and do what most can only dream of doing.

(2) Hulk Hogan

How do I begin to describe the contradictions of a lifetime of watching the Hulkster. Unlike most children of the late eighties, I hated Hulkamania and the man responsible for plaguing my television with lame promos and awful matches. As I grew up, I began to appreciate Hogan for his unparalleled charisma and his role in making me a wrestling fan. When he finally turned to the black and white and joined the NWO, it was one of the highlights of my wrestling fandom, and I loved the arrogant Hollywood character he portrayed. Despite the fact I do not enjoy his matches, seeing him live in an arena is an electrifying experience, and being in the arena when he fought The Rock at WrestleMania 18 was absolutely out of this world.

When somebody has the ubiquitous pop culture status of Hogan, you cease to believe that he is even a real person, much less dream of meeting him. Not only did I get to meet him, but I was able to speak to him the day of one of the highlights of his career, entering the WWE Hall of Fame. The aura that exudes from him in person is absolutely impossible to describe. It is as if superhero had flown off the pages of a comic book. At the same time, however, he is amazingly nice, and will engage in long conversations with his fans, something even mid and lower carders rarely do. He is similar to Cena in that regard, but with much more presence obviously. He has that mystical power to be able to make you feel like a kid when you are near him. It is a true gift to be able to be iconic and distant, but able to relate with the people in the back row. Hogan has this special quality, and it is why he has been able to weave his magical wand to captivate wrestling fans of all ages.

(1) Tony Atlas

One of the most unforgettable experiences of my life took place the week of WrestleMania 24. My friend and I were sitting in the lobby of the hotel in Orlando surrounded by the superstars of the WWE. He had also met countless wrestlers over the years, but he mentioned to me that his goal was to meet Tony Atlas, his father's childhood hero. Seemingly, like magic, who was to walk by a couple hours later but Mr. USA himself, looking as superhuman as ever. Incredibly, he came up to us, asking us if we can give him a ride to a local gym!

I have heard stories over the years of a time when close interactions between wrestlers and fans were more common, and how the stars would often find local people to help them around town. Little did I imagine that I would ever be put in that surreal position. The next few hours were incredible, as my friend and I joined Atlas at the health club and received personal training and exercise advice from a former Mr. USA. We both have decent physiques, but let us just say that this is one day we were embarrassed to be wearing a muscle shirt, as we looked like Gillberg next to Atlas. After working out, we had dinner with Tony at a Chinese buffet, as he criticized our unhealthy eating selections. Even though we never liked to listen to our parents when they scolded us at the dinner table, when Atlas told us we needed to eat more vegetables, our next plate of food was greener than an Irish hill.

I have met Atlas on a few different occasions over the years, and every time I see him, he is gregarious with all of the fans, and will sit down and talk to them as if he is one of them. Like Hogan, he has that rare quality of being able to appear larger than life yet be able to relate to everybody as if they are his friends. And for one magical day, he was our friend, and he taught us life lessons we will remember forever. I plan on writing a more in depth article on this experience soon. Mr. USA earns his nickname not only because of his incredible body, but because his All-American charm and charisma make him the coolest wrestler I have ever met.

As you can notice by the names above, there is a reason that the biggest stars in wrestling achieve their popularity. It is their ability to translate their enormous charisma and star power in a way they can relate to the masses, as well as their willingness to take extra steps to make fans happy. I hope those of you who wonder what their favorite superstar is like up close got a little idea of what it is like to meet them. Next week, we will have some fun and take a look at some of the least fan-friendly wrestling superstars based on my own experiences.

Please send questions, comments, and feedback to valentino.torch@gmail.com

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