By Wade Keller, Torch editor

Lead actor in "The Wrestler," Mickey Rourke, was interviewed on CNN's Larry King Live last night. The following are some key wrestling-related highlights...

-On whether he had to learn how to wrestle to play Randy the Ram: He said he had no idea what pro wrestling was like. He had a preconceived idea, but he couldn't have been more wrong. He said having a background in boxing, and knowing pro wrestling was predetermined, "I thought I could do that in a heartbeat." He said he trained for about four months with Afa the Wild Samoan. He said after the first two months he had three MRIs and realized pro wrestlers aren't just entertainers, they're athletes.

-King asked if the WWF (sic) liked the movie. Rourke said he was worried about the premiere. He said Roddy Piper, Ric Flair, Lex Luger, and Brutus Beefcake all came. He said he was just visiting their world. He said he didn't care what anyone thought except for them. He said afterward, Flair told him, "Hey, brother, you're one of us. I couldn't have been paid a higher compliment." He said the comeraderie between them is very special. He said he's had dialogue recently with Vince McMahon. He compared what he did to pro wrestling to what Stephen Spielberg and George Lucas have done to films. "He's taken fat guys in Speedos from the old days and now these guys are in the gym, they're all fit, terribly athletic."

-Regarding Vince McMahon: "I think he's a good dude. I think he has honorable intentions." He said he wants to do whatever he can to go to WrestleMania in Houston to support them because they're embracing of his movie meant more to him than anything else.

-On what was hardest about making the film: He said the emotional stuff was the toughest because he visited some painful, dark places from his real life. He said the training was also tough since he had to go from 192 pounds walking around to 226 and had seven months to do it.

-On the scene in the grocery store: "I begged him not to do that scene because it I think it brought up issues of shame with me because it was too close to the belt. Here's somebody who used to be somebody who's now working in a deli." He said he wanted to hide in the back as a dishwasher. He said personally he remembered people at the 7-Eleven recognizing him in recent years as someone who used to do movies.

-Chris Jericho joined the show via satellite. He said he has seen "The Wrestler" and complimented Mickey's performance. "I thought that Mickey did a tremendous job and he hit the ball right out of the park. He made no mistakes in his performance as Randy the Ram."

-Jericho added: "The movie represented the minor leagues of wrestling very well. It was a nice representation of what it's like to be on the way up and what it's like to be on the way down. It's not representing what I do in the WWE and who I am, for example, as the best in the world at what I do. I think Mickey's performance was immaculate, he made no mistakes, but I think he did make a mistake on the red carpet at the SAG awards where he mentioned WrestleMania and called me out because if he got his wish and had a confrontation with me at WrestleMania, I think the ending of the Jericho-Rourke movie would not turn out very well for Mr. Rourke as it did for 'The Wrestler.'"

-King characterized that as a challenge. Jericho disagreed. He said he was just answering his calling him out. He said there's a difference between playing a wrestler and being a wrestler. He said if he faced him he'd learn things he never found out pretending to be a wrestler. Rourke smiled and said he does his thing very well. "Perhaps I did put my foot in my mouth." King asked if he'd wrestle him. Rourke said, "If it was up to me [pause], no, it's not my world. I was a professional fighter. Would I box him in a boxing ring or a bare knuckle match, yeah. Wrestling, that's his world. That's what this man does." Jericho said, "Very interesting, Mr. Rourke. You should have thought before your spoke. Be careful what you wish for, it may come true." Rourke wished him all the best in Houston.

-Things got repetitive here, as Jericho repeated that he respected his acting in the movie. "You offended me and that's the last thing you want to do is disrespect Chris Jericho, believe me. Because you may have respect for me and my world, but I don't have respect for you. I really don't." Rourke said he's going to take the high road and wish him the best. Jericho said he is a very nice guy, and it takes him a lot to throw hi off kilter, but next time think twice. Jericho said he's an entertainer just like Rourke, but their worlds are different. He said he knows that, but he doesn't know for sure. Rourke complimented Jericho for "looking sharpe tonight." Jericho said, "I'll be waiting, Mr. Rourke."

-In the next segment, Rourke said he'd love to mix it up with Jericho, but he has to turn down some of the crazier things he used to do. He said it took him a decade or so to change.

Keller's Analysis: The whole final exchange was awkward as heck as Rourke seemed amused by Jericho's attempt to cut a promo on him, but he didn't play into it, or at least didn't effectively do so. He made it seem like Jericho was trying to goad him into a fight, but he wasn't interested. Jericho also contradicted himself by saying he thought he was great in the movie, but that he didn't respect him for what he does. Just odd and clunky. The whole exchange came across cheesy and forced on Jericho's part, breaking in and out of work mode.

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