Former WWE star The Honky Tonk Man spoke with SI.com about various topics. Here are the highlights.
On Kevin Owens being the current IC Champion: “I always thought the Intercontinental title was never the same since I wore it, but Kevin Owens is the one,” said the Honky Tonk Man. “I met Kevin on one of the independent shows. I knew he had been around for a while, and he has that desire and dedication. He wants to succeed, and he’s going to do very well.”
On dropping the IC Title to The Ultimate Warrior at the 1988 SummerSlam event: “When it came to the Warrior, that was a four-month deal that I knew ahead of time,” explained Farris. “We had to keep it under wraps, so most of the locker room didn’t even know. The buildup was done so, so well that it threw everyone off track and no one had an inkling that it was going to be the Warrior.”
On Vince McMahon: “Vince never forgets,” said Farris. “Vince is a rough, tough businessman. He’s a nice guy and the most pleasant person when you’re not doing business with him, but he’s a real tough negotiator, and he never forgets when someone screws up. I’m not going to say I screwed up, but I was not politically or professionally correct when I told him I was not going to lose the belt to anyone on national television. Our deal was that I wouldn’t, because back then, that would really hurt you. He never got over it, and he lost trust in me.”
On turning down a WWE Hall of Fame induction in 2010: “They offered the Hall of Fame when they were in Phoenix, but I was contracted to go to Wizard World of Comic Con,” said Farris. “I went to Toronto instead, and I don’t think they liked me doing that. But if I had a contract with them, they would want me to honor it, and I had a contract that I honored. Back then, there was also a no-compete clause for 90 days after you were inducted in the Hall of Fame, and I needed to work.
“I equate Vince to George Steinbrenner and Donald Trump. They control a lot of people, and have to manage a lot of personalities. Vince had to deal with a locker of fifty guys who were aggressive, had egos as big as Andre the Giant, and deal with all kinds of stuff on a nightly basis. I can remember calling the office at 4am to vent, and he answered the phone. Vince and Pat Patterson did it themselves. There was no corporate lineup with junior vice presidents – they did it. It’s amazing what Vince has put together. He has a WrestleMania that is bigger than a Rolling Stones concert.”
