“Skinner” Steve Keirn on Training Roman Reigns, Not Finding Merit in WWE Hall of Fame, more
Show: Wrestling Epicenter
Guest: “Fabulous One” “Skinner” Steve Keirn
Date: 03/31/2023
Your Host: James Walsh
The Keirn Cronicles Volume 1 is on store shelves now and is a book that has gotten a lot of attention from all over the wrestling world including in mentions from CM Punk who wrote the forward. The first in at least 2 books telling the life story of a true wrestling legend, this book is an education on pro wrestling that all must read! This interview is an education as well!
You can pick up Steve Keirn’s new book right now on Amazon.com by clicking here!
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SKINNER:
On his father being a twice POW in the US Air Force:
“Yeah. What you’re talking about happened about 50 years ago. In fact, we just had the aniversary of his return recently, he came back home in 1972. Here’s what happened. I grew up in Tampa but that’s not where I was born. I was born in Ohio. Here’s what happened. My father was in the ARMY Air Core in 1942 during World War II. At 19 years old, he was in World War II in Germany in a battle called the “Bloody 100.” It was called that because it was the most notorious battle from shooting down B17’s. Well, he got shot down and was held captive as a POW for 9 months. He came home. Well, the war was over and there wasn’t much need for it. But, flying was his dream. So, he stayed in as an Air National Guard which is kind of like the reserves. This way, he could fly on the weekend. He also joined the Highway Patrol in Ohio. When the Air Force started in the early 50’s, he joined. I came around (was born) in 1951. We lived in Ohio for the first 6 months of my life, then we moved to Langley Air Force Base in Virginia, Okinawa where we lived for 2 years, and North Carolina for another 2 years. We ended up at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa. There, my dad got called to fly the fastest airplane ever, the F4 Phantom. His dream had come true! The only thing was, the Cuban Missile Crisis came along first and he flew up and down the coast as part of that. Nothing really happened. Then, he went to Vietnam and on July 24, 1965, he was shot down with the first Sam missile ever used. His mission was to fly over Hanoi, shoot up Hanoi, and then fly over the Sam Missiles and see how accurate they were. Out of 5 planes, my dad’s was the one that got shot down.”
On becoming a man from the experience:
“There I was, 13 years old, coming home on a summer day and there were military vehicles outside my house. A guy grabbed me by the arm real stiff and pulled me down the hall past my mother who was crying. I had no idea. Well, the military cars were a big signal. This guy sits me on the bed and says, “Son, your dad died today. He was shot down over Vietnam with a Sam Missile. It was the first one ever used. His plane exploded. He’s dead. You’re the man of the family now.” I started crying. I’m a pretty emotional person anyway but I was just told my dad died. He kind of shook me, not stiff but maybe kind of strength shake me and he goes, “You’re the man!” I was like, “That’s easy for you to say.””
On finding friends who later became wrestlers:
“Mike Graham and I went to school together along with Hulk Hogan, Austin Idol, and Dick Slater. So, when I was in school, I got to be friends with Mike. Mike was like the rich kid at the poor school. Mike shouldn’t have been at Robinson but his father Eddie wanted him to get tough so he sent him to Robinson High School. It had a reputation for being a little rougher and I think it was because it was mostly lower income families. So, I went over to Mike’s house and Eddie was a big patriot and he knew who my dad was. So, he said if I ever needed anything, I could ask him. So, I said, “Ya got 5 bucks?” (laughs) Nah, I didn’t say that. But, he was always so generous. And, they were mega rich and we were mega poor. He always took me fishing and hunting. I mean, I did a lot of stuff with them. Mike was an only child and Eddie didn’t mind including me. And, through Eddie, and I don’t know if it was intentional or not but he would start introducing me to people who were wrestlers and say, “His father is a POW i Vietnam.” So, it opened doors for me and people were real nice. But, it was still a struggle. Well, when I was about 16 years old, I started picking wrestlers up and driving them around. It was a very kayfabe business at the time. I mean, nobody talked about the business. Non-wrestlers were not allowed in the dressing rooms. But, I saw the guys after bloody matches and they were cut up and beat up. And, I was like, “I don’t want anything to do with this business!” (laughs) Being a pro wrestler was on the last of my list. But, when I needed to ask a “man” question, I would go to Eddie and he’d always give me advice. So, in a way, Eddie Graham kind of became like a second father to me. Well, I went away to college to Jackson, MS where Ted DiBiase lives now… I had no education background from school. My biggest accomplishment in high school was I was good in Phys Ed. (laughs) So, I was a skinny kid but while I was in college, some guys gave me steroids and I went from being 160 pounds to 240. When I went home to Tampa, Eddie Graham saw me and was like, “Oh my God!” (laughs) I told him! Cops got me into power lifting. Well, Mike got married and I was in his wedding, Eddie kept telling me if college didn’t work out for me, he had a place for me in wrestling. Well, college didn’t even come close to working out for me! (laughs)”
On breaking in as a wrestler:
“If you know anything about Florida wrestling history, breaking in to Florida wrestling is compared to the Dungeon up there in Canada. I started riding with Mike to towns and do things like ring announcing and such and then theys tarted working me in the ring… And they beat the living shit out of me! (laughs) Hiro Matsuda would stretch me to a deck of cards and then he’d have me do push ups and wrenches and by then, my sister could have beat me! He didn’t have to do all of that. He was capable of beating me without all of that. But, he’d have me as a rag doll in his hands! So, I went home and my mom was like, “What’s the matter with your face?” (laughs) I said, “Those are called mat burns, Mom. It is what happens when you kiss the mat with your face.” She goes, “Steve, I always thought wrestling was fake!” I looked back and I’ll never forget this, I looked back and said, “So did I!” (laughs)”
On if he wants to be in the WWE Hall of Fame:
“I get asked that a lot and sometimes I think of one of those voices in the distance. (laughs) Here’s the thing. This business is a work. So, the Hall of Fame is different than other Hall of Fames. Don’t get me wrong. The people that go in? They all deserve to be in there. But, they don’t all go in on their abilities as a worker. Sometimes it is different reasons. Sometimes it is nationalities, This year, I see Muta is going in the Hall of Fame. Nothing wrong with Muta, why is he going in the WWE Hall of Fame? What did he ever do for WWE? Did he ever work in the WWE? Andy Kaufman! I was there on the card the night Jerry Lawler piledrove Andy Kaufman and he was kind of a joke in the back. And, I never even thought he was funny! (laughs) I mean, he could barely ever get me to smile (on Taxi). I mean, he was no George Carlin! So, he’s going into the Hall of Fame. A few years ago, the Bella Twins were put in the WWE Hall of Fame. It was only a couple of years ago that they came out of FCW and now they’re in the Hall of Fame! So, I don’t put a lot of merit in the Hall of Fame. You’ve got the wrong guy on if you don’t want honesty! (laughs) Is it an honor? Absolutely, it is an honor. If it gives the guys a boost in their living and their ego, great! But, there should be other guys in. If the Great Muta is in, shouldn’t guys like Bobby Eaton be in the Hall of Fame? If the Rock and Roll Express are in, shouldn’t the Midnight Express with Bobby and Stan be in? I mean, I saw where Jeff Jarrett went in a few years ago after he stuffed the business up their ass when he refused to do the job to Chyna and started that whole other thing. So, do I give any weight to the Hall of Fame? No! (laughs) If they called and asked me if I would go in, the first question I would ask would be, “Why?””
On his trainee Roman Reigns facing Cody Rhodes, hos friend’s son, at WrestleMania in the main event:
“It is great because they are at the highest level on the biggest stage. So, they’ve stepped up to as high as you can go. And, I am partial to a lot of the second generation guys because of what they had to grow up with and what their families have done for the business. I’ve got kids of my own and they had to go without me at a lot of different functions because I was working. So, with Roman having his dad be a worker, Cody with his dad being a worker, they grew up knowing the business but not really knowing the business. I mean, I would miss so many holidays with my family. I can’t remember ever having a Thanksgiving dinner when I was wrestling because the Holidays were a busy time for us and if you ate Thanksgiving dinner, you’d throw it up in the ring! But, back to Steve’s opinion, I love that these guys are in the main event because they both look like men. They dress like wrestlers. They work out! I watched the show this past Monday because I knew it was the go home show before WrestleMania and I saw these two guys and they look like men! They look the part. And, I don’t see that in a lot of other shows.”
On wrestlers not looking the part:
“I see some of the shows and I see some of these kiddy looking guys, small guys, and not workout guys, or any kind of workout guys and they’re doing air moves and I try to relate and not be like an old dinosaur. But, here’s why I think the way I do. When I was a kid, Eddie Graham told me, “Kid, you probably won’t get into the main events until you’re in your 30’s because before that, the fans won’t accept you as a man yet.” When they see a young immature kid, they won’t see that person as a man yet. But, when they see a guy who is in his 30’s, they will see a man!
On what caused the change:
“I have a theory on it. When the local territories died and the matches on th e WWE show were all main events from all over the country – The Von Erichs, Ricky Steamboat, it was endless. Well, every match was a main event somewhere. But, now, it could be the first or second match! The difference between now and then is we worked with emotion. We made the audience feel. We took the people on a ride on a journey of good versus evil and that is what people got into. Now, it is about movement. Movement and memorization! They do high risk after high risk after high risk and moonsault after moonsault after moonsault. And, hey, that is what the audience has paid to see and expect and that is what they get. When I was working, 5 out of 6 territories, it was illegal to go over or jump off of the top rope. But, I look at it now and I’m like, “There is no way I would’ve ever been involved in this business!” (laughs)”
