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Krista Interview: Talks about signing with WWE, Diva Search, and more |
» Reported by Adam Martin of WrestleView.com
» On Monday, September 26, 2005 at 12:16 PM EST
Jimmy Van of JimmyVan.com sent in the following recap:
Part one of my exclusive audio interview with WWE Raw Diva Search finalist and new WWE developmental signee Kristal Marshall is now online at JimmyVan.com in MP3 and Real Audio formats. You can also listen to a five-minute preview clip of the interview in Real Audio format at this link:
http://jimmyvan.win.lowfathost.com/kristal/part1/kristal-091305-clip1.mp3
Visit Kristal's MySpace.com page at http://www.myspace.com/kristalmarshall. And stay tuned for the launch of KristalMarshall.com soon.
Here is a text transcript from this 35-minute portion of the interview.
You're from California...
Kristal says she was actually born in New York, and her dad was in the military so she moved around a lot. She grew up in New Jersey as well as in California, so she's bi-coastal.
I heard that you're a former Miss California.
Kristal said she was a runner-up for Miss California USA when she was 17, plus she was a runner-up for Miss California Teen USA.
Prior to the Raw Diva Search, you were one of Barker's Beauties on "The Price is Right". Are you still doing that, and how did you ever become one of Bob Barker's girls?
Kristal said whether she's still doing it, it's tentative because they rotate the models, and sometimes they're on a lot, or not on at all. As far as how she got into it, she said she submitted herself and it took her six months to get on the show. She went to an open call and then got asked to come to a screen test. She subsequently got called back and became a Barker's Beauty.
JV joked that if somebody needs to know the right price to pay for a grocery product, she might be the right person to ask about it. He also asked Kristal about the Beauties' technique with respect to caressing the products, such as a blender.
"It's all about technique and everybody has their own little personal flare," Kristal said laughing. "My whole thing was, I always thought to myself, oh my gosh I can't live without this." Kristal joked that even when she showed Preparation H cream, she would think, this is the best thing ever, I need this.
You've been working with "The Best Damn Sports Show Period" on FSN. How did that come about?
Kristal said she got booked to do a series of commercials for "TBDSSP". They were a series of summer promos on the beach. She said she clicked with everyone there and they've been calling her back ever since.
JV said that they have wrestlers on the show all the time, and asked if she talked to anybody there about the Diva Search.
"No, not at all," Kristal said. "I went back last week and I was like, 'Hey did you see my homegirl Ashley Massaro? She was on,' and they're like, 'You know Ashley?' and I was like, 'Ya I did the Diva Search with her.'"
They didn't know you were doing the Diva Search?
"No they didn't know, I hadn't talked to those guys in a while," Kristal said.
JV joked that he is hurt to know that the people from "TBDSSP" aren't actually wrestling fans.
"Well, not everyone's perfect," Kristal said laughing.
You were in the Raw Diva Search, and you made it to the final four. How'd you hear about the contest?
Kristal said she was visiting her manager, and was told about the Diva Search. "I've always been a wrestling fan. I got into watching it when I was younger. I wasn't a diehard fan at first, but especially with the Diva Search, I've gotten a new appreciation and love for wrestling." Kristal said she went down to the casting call, and didn't hear anything for a while, but then they called her back for the major audition in LA. "There were so many beautiful girls there, oh my gosh," Kristal said. "It was pretty intimidating."
JV asked who her favourite wrestlers were growing up.
Kristal said Hulk Hogan, and Shawn Michaels. "I love the way (Shawn) wrestles, it's always fun to see him get around the ring." Kristal also mentioned The Rock and Steve Austin. "I think that (Rock) and Stone Cold have definitely brought wrestling to the mainstream and that's incredible, I respect that a lot." As far as the Divas go, Kristal said she loves Victoria. "She carries herself with so much class, and she's an excellent wrestler, and I like her a lot."
Initially when you went for the contest, it was probably more about the TV exposure and the contract than about a love for the business, but would you say by the end, it was an interest in the business that took over, or were you still looking at it as a potential TV career?
"I did not go into the contest looking for TV exposure," Kristal said. "I mean it is nice obviously, but that wasn't my intention." Kristal said she loves new experiences, and to throw herself into something new is a challenge and she loves that. "Just gradually working with the writers and the girls, and just getting a chance to be around the environment and the athleticism, I was overwhelmed by that and just could not think of another company to want to work for ever."
Leyla Milani talked about how intimidating it was having a thousand beautiful girls in the audition. How did that measure up to other auditions you've been on?
"Honestly the model types do not intimidate me. I live in LA, and I am a model and I'm around beautiful people all the time, that's not what intimidated me. But the athletes that were there, the women that you knew could handle themselves in the ring, and definitely were forces, those were the girls that intimidated me because just looking at me, a lot of people assume that, oh she's really small, she's really petite, she's not very athletic and I did not want that to come across in my audition so I was intimidated by the more obviously athletic women there," Kristal said.
JV said he talked to Amy Weber about last year's Diva Search, and she said there was some animosity with the WWE talent, but Leyla said that wasn't the case this year.
"It was never an issue," Kristal said. "That's why I have so much respect for Victoria because she was one of the main people that stuck out in my mind that went out of her way to make us feel comfortable." Kristal said she did pageants and she knows about the camaraderie, and to have somebody new come into an established situation, sometimes people can take it the wrong way. "I feel like all the superstars were amazing and they made us feel comfortable and at home, and I really respect them for that," she said.
How about the fans, how did the fans treat you guys at the live shows?
"The fans are the best part, that's why you do it!" Kristal said.
Did you ever hear any chants in an arena that made your jaw drop, or did you go into it thinking anything could happen?
"You have to go into this knowing anything can happen because that's the nature of the show," said Kristal. "Anything can happen, and it does happen," she said laughing. "It shocked me and it surprised me but I don't think that it was too far off from what I had envisioned in my head." Kristal said that some people said, "Show us your tits."
How would you describe the live experience compared to working in a studio?
"'Price is Right' is live," said Kristal. "Anything can happen. You're always on your toes and you have to be on. That's what makes the shows good. So in a sense, yeah there's room for mistakes and it's a little intimidating at first, but once you get out there and you hear the fans, and the lights, you're on. It doesn't matter really what happens, you just kinda go with it."
Do you think you had an advantage since you'd done live stuff before?
"No," Kristal laughed. "I think that my experience in pageants, that helped me a lot I think in the interview process, with the casting in particular. But as far as live events, every time right before you go out, I still get nervous."
Didn't you crawl into the audition room? What made you decide to do that?
Kristal said everybody was coming out of the audition talking about what they'd done, and she couldn't think of anything to do. But she felt thirsty, so she crawled in making like she was a cat going after milk.
Did anybody do anything shocking in the audition to try to stand out?
Kristal said they all went in individually so she doesn't know. However, she said that she and Elisabeth (another Diva Search finalist) both imitated cats, and both quoted "Napoleon Dynamite" in interviews not knowing that each had done it, and they've been the best of friends ever since.
What'd you think of Vince McMahon?
"Awesome," Kristal said. "When he's in the room, you know he's there."
On the July 4 episode of Raw, you participated in the Sgt. Slaughter Bikini Bootcamp. You blew through the course, coming in second to Elisabeth in 37 seconds.
"Okay let me set the record straight," Kristal says laughing. "Elisabeth is fast but if I ever have a rematch against her, I swear I would beat her. Just put that in there in bold," she said.
JV said he should get the two of them to Toronto and they can do an obstacle course in the park across the street from his location.
"Hey, bring it, I'm all game for that," Kristal laughed.
What did you think when you found out you'd be doing the Bikini Bootcamp obstacle course?
"I thought it was great. I mean I ran track forever in high school and junior high. I ran competitively at state level so I mean it was something I was definitely looking forward to," Kristal said. She said she'd done the hurdles, long jump and triple jump among other things. Her experience made her disappointed that she didn't win the Bikini Bootcamp.
JV said he figured they didn't get a walk through and had to go out there cold.
"Ah yeah, it's live, you know?" Kristal said.
In that same obstacle course, Leyla had a "wardrobe malfunction". One of the other contestants, Alexis (aka Leilene) has said she thinks it was deliberate, but Leyla says it was accidental. What do you think?
"It looked real to me. I mean, from where I was standing, it looked completely real from the reaction of the ref. Obviously it was real."
So you don't think Leyla conspired to try to make herself stand out.
"I don't think so. I really don't think so. I mean there's a lot on the line, I don't think that she would jeopardize her position in the competition. I doubt she would do that."
The next week, July 11, you had a talent contest. You stuck out in that you had a unique talent. You did a self portrait with body paint. Sometimes wrestling fans can be fickle, and they were harsh on you when you did that. If you had to do it over again, would you have picked a different talent?
"I wouldn't have picked a different talent... I think I would have picked a different approach," Kristal said. She said she would have done more body painting, like maybe painting a bikini on herself.
Where did the French accent come from?
Kristal said she spent three months in Paris so she was obsessed with French. "I'm a strange, eclectic person. If you talk to one of the girls you'll find out, I was the one always making everybody crack up... the fans didn't like it and I'm sorry, but some people did."
Did management say you could do any kind of talent you wanted, or did they give you a few ideas and you got to pick the one you wanted to do?
"We got to do whatever we want."
If somebody had come up with a controversial idea, do you think the company would have drawn the line? How flexible was management?
"I don't know, that's a good question actually," Kristal said. "You know I think from the casting and the girls that they selected, I think that they did a good job of weeding out people that would possibly do something to hurt themselves or anybody else or endanger any of the fans, so I don't think that would have been an issue with anyone really."
The July 25 episode of Raw, you had a hotdog eating contest. It seemed the girls weren't really into it, but you were the one girl that double-fisted.
"That sounds like a night out!" Kristal said laughing.
What did you think when you were told about that task, because Leyla told me that the buns were stale and the hotdogs were cold, etc.
"I was just thinking, that I hope that I don't throw up. There was a point when I was eating the hotdogs, and I did throw up, and then I swallowed it," Kristal said laughing. "That's pretty gross, but that's what happened."
Did you eat the soy dogs, or the beef?
"I'm a meat eater... I was eating the real stuff," Kristal said.
The week that you were eliminated, you were asked to do a pre-tape backstage with Coach. During the pre-tape, you took a pie to the face. You seemed to lose it more than the other girls and used some colorful language. What was that experience like, and were you really pissed when the pie came into your face or were you playing it up?
"Okay well, I was doing my pre-tape, and they prepped us and said you know what, when you go in there, make sure you sell yourself. I'm so focused, I said okay, this is what I'm gonna do, I'm gonna show conviction... next thing I know, there's a pie in my face." Kristal said she was pissed because she'd been up all night preparing. She was livid, and initially she thought Coach had thrown the pie. She questioned how Coach could do that to her, and she felt betrayed because she didn't know it had happened to the other girls. "I was thinking in my head, you f*cker, you f*cked me!" Kristal said she laughed about it the more she thought about it, but she didn't know until afterwards that it wasn't Coach, so she felt bad for going after him.
Did you try hunting down the guy that actually did it?
"To this day I don't know who hit me with the pie, I just know it wasn't Coach."
That aired after you'd been eliminated anyway, but in retrospect what did you think of that, since WWE did it for a reason to prepare you for the live experience. Do you think in retrospect you shouldn't have blown your cool?
"At the time I wasn't thinking about that. I don't think it necessarily hurt me or helped me. Maybe it did both because I think I showed a side to myself that maybe I might not have shown if I didn't get hit in the face with a pie. I guess I am a little bit of a firecracker and I have a temper. That came across, and I may swear like a sailor from time to time, that came out too."
JV joked that he's Canadian so swearing isn't a problem.
"My grandfather is from Vancouver," Kristal said. JV asked if she's been to Canada and she said no, but he said she might still get the chance.
The August 8 episode of Raw is when you were eliminated. Were you surprised by that?
"I felt like the last four girls were so solid and so different, I really didn't know who was gonna go. I honestly didn't. I felt that... I knew Ashley had a very strong fanbase, I didn't expect her to go. But between me, Elisabeth and Leyla, I mean we're so different. We're basically like napolitan ice cream... whatever flavor you like, we had it there basically." Kristal said their mindset was, whoever goes, they all loved each other even though nobody believed they all got along. "I did have a little friction with Summer, but that was just really minor." Kristal explained that the rest of the girls were open and shared a lot with each other, but Summer was reserved and that rubbed her the wrong way, but she still loves Summer. "Some personalities aren't just meant to really click."
JV said the one thing Kristal brought to the contest is that she looked different, and he said the stereotypical WWE Diva has the blonde hair, blue-eyed Barbie doll look. Stacy, Torrie, Trish, even Ashley all fit that mold. Obviously Kristal is African American. JV asked Kristal if that might have put her at a disadvantage, or if it might have been a benefit.
"Gosh, that's a hard question," said Kristal. "I never feel like being black is a handicap. I never feel like... basically I don't feel like my skin color is a weak point. Sometimes I forget that I am black, I don't really see people like that. So I didn't go into the contest or come out of it feeling that way. But somebody on the outside looking in... I think it is nice to see something different. But I don't know, I mean I got such a strong response from the fans, I don't think that it hurt me. I think it helped. I really think it helped. I like to think that I would help bring in some more diverse fans. I would love to think that."
Christy Hemme got the Playboy deal after signing with WWE after the Diva Search last year. Have you ever been contacted by Playboy and if not, would you ever consider working with them?
"I have never been contacted by Playboy... why is that, Playboy?" Kristal said laughing. "I love my body, I think all women should, and I don't think that posing tastefully nude especially in a publication like Playboy is a bad thing. I think it's empowering for a woman so, I'm all for it."
Christy did an interview in The Sun in the UK before SummerSlam, and she was asked about the Diva Search this year. She said, "I think we had more of a dynamic between each other last year and that made it more interesting... We kind of lost that in this year's Diva Search, as they all decided to be friends… and that's never fun!" She also said, "...with last year's contest there were stronger and very distinct personalities." What are your thoughts on all that?
"I think that's Christy's opinion. I think that in defense, we're all different. The girls last year were different... actually the whole concept is different between the two years of Diva Search. It's a little strange because this year there were more physical activities, there was more variety in the challenges and so I think that in a sense that, we didn't feel the urge to compete with each other or to get catty backstage because it was completely different than last year."
The July 18 episode of Raw, and there were a few instances of this with Elisabeth. You did a pre-tape asking who you would eliminate, and it seemed orchestrated in that Ashley said Cameron, and Cameron said Ashley. Simona said Summer, and Summer said Simona. Elisabeth said you, and you said Elisabeth. When I asked Leyla about this, she thought that maybe you guys decided among yourself to create rivalries to create more interest in the contest. Is this something that you and Elisabeth decided on?
"No we actually didn't do that, because if you look at the contest, Leyla didn't say somebody else either," Kristal said.
JV pointed out that there were only seven girls left in the contest by then, so Leyla couldn't have picked another girl.
"Well at the same time, it's like, we were separated backstage, we never had a chance to talk to each other. One person would go in, and we were kept separate the whole time. I basically said Elisabeth because she is a good dancer, and she is talented, and in my personal opinion because the both of us were so athletic, I felt she was my main competition. So I would have wanted to see her go but at the same time I do like her and still talk to her to this day so it's kind of like one of those things where I didn't want to hurt her feelings." Kristal said the way she feels about competition is that it isn't necessary to rip somebody apart to make yourself stand out, and she doesn't believe in bad-mouthing anybody.
The next week on Raw, you did the American Gladiators style jousting, and you and Elisabeth jousted and then you teased a brawl by shoving each other. Again, was this something that you and Elisabeth devised to create a rivalry?
"No, not at all. Actually afterwards (Elisabeth) goes, 'You hurt my neck!' ... It wasn't staged at all. I just felt like, Elisabeth is obviously a lot taller than I am so I thought that she had a slight advantage. So I just wanted to get her back and let the fans know that I'm not a punk, I'm not just gonna let her knock me off, so I had to give her a little taste of what I was all about."
Part one of my exclusive audio interview with WWE Raw Diva Search finalist and new WWE developmental signee Kristal Marshall is now online at JimmyVan.com in MP3 and Real Audio formats. You can also listen to a five-minute preview clip of the interview in Real Audio format at this link:
http://jimmyvan.win.lowfathost.com/kristal/part1/kristal-091305-clip1.mp3
Visit Kristal's MySpace.com page at http://www.myspace.com/kristalmarshall. And stay tuned for the launch of KristalMarshall.com soon.
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