Reported by Adam Martin of WrestleView.com
On Thursday, June 15, 2006 at 8:20 PM EST

The following was transcribed by Victoria Lee of wrestlingweekly.com:

Wrestling Weekly once again went live on Tuesday, June 13th at 8pm Eastern with a wrestling legend.

With Les Thatcher on a plane coming back from the Cauliflower Alley Convention, Wrestling Weekly host Doc Young was joined by special co-host Bryan Alvarez from the Figure Four Weekly Newsletter and Wrestling Observer Live radio program.

Our first (and only live) guest was none other than WWE Hall of Famer and legendary wrestling announcer “Mean" Gene Okerlund. Host Doc Young admitted that Okerlund is his idol. Hm… Host a radio show: meet your idol. Sounds like a plan to me!

Here are only SOME of the highlights:

Gene said that he “snuck in" to radio through his brother’s job as a play-by-play man.

There’s nothing Mean Gene doesn’t like about working in radio. He said he likes the fact that it’s a “one-man show," and he doesn’t have to rely on camera men or lighting or any of the other issues one deals with when working on TV.

Gene said he didn’t expect to be as excited about the WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony as he was; but when he was backstage with all his friends and fellow WWE legends, he was very excited. He said he was proud to be part of that “hallowed hall"… Wherever it is.

Gene said there were some backstage antics at the Hall of Fame ceremony, as well as some heat between some of the stars. Gene said that Blackjack Mulligan “made a move" on Sensational Sherri, and vice-versa. He also said that there was very real heat between Hulk Hogan and Bret Hart, and Hulk and Steve Austin.

Gene confirmed that Bobby Heenan was rather dissatisfied with the speech made by Blackjack Mulligan for Heenan’s 2004 Hall of Fame induction. Gene commented that Blackjack “must have been smoking something," with the way he wandered during the speech.

Gene said that his relationship with Hulk Hogan is “on and off," but lately, they’ve been speaking about once a week. Gene mentioned how busy Hulk is with his VH-1 reality show, “Hogan Knows Best."

Gene talked about his jump from WWE to WCW in the early 90's and why he made the decision he did.

As for the “Scheme Gene" gimmick WWE created after he jumped ship, Gene wasn’t at all bothered by it. As the old cliché goes, “imitation is the most sincere form of flattery."

Who is the biggest name in wrestling history: Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, or Steve Austin? Gene said that all three of them should be on that same pedestal. He referred to Flair as “the total package," but added that nobody has the charisma of Hulk Hogan.

What is the highest number of bloopers Gene has gone through in one time to finally get a taped interview to come out right? Not surprisingly, it was with the Ultimate Warrior, and it took 38 takes to get the interview to come out right (or as right as it could get.) Gene commented that after 38 takes, he still had no clue what Warrior was talking about.

He told them not to go there - but they did: Gene’s most legendary blooper. During the first take for an interview at Summerslam 89, the backdrop fell down, leading Gene to say, “What the F*** was that?" (EDITOR'S NOTE: Gene probably tried to block this painful memory, cause in actuality, he said 'F*** it!' when the sign fell). They did four takes on the interview; but come time to air it, they accidentally aired the wrong interview, and it happened to be that first take. Vince wasn’t at the announce booth that night, so he told Jesse Ventura to cover for Gene. Jesse's brilliant job of covering started off with “Leave it to someone like that foul-mouthed Okerlund…"

Jesse Ventura was the man who gave “Mean Gene" his nickname, but Gene says he’s “not mean at all." In an interview, Jesse Ventura said “You’ll never believe who I was partying with: Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers!" Jesse asked him, “You do know who Tom Petty is, don’t you?" Of course Gene knows - Tom Petty “races cars"! Jesse laughed, “You’re mean, Gene."

Gene gets into the whole subject of pending litigation over Mean Gene's Burgers and his lawsuit with Hot Stuff Foods, Inc, over the use of his name. He tells as much as he's allowed to.

Gene tells who the funniest people he ever interviewed was, and which wrestlers made him uncomfortable or scared.

Many WCW wrestlers didn’t know that the brand was over until the day of its final episode, but Gene said that he knew WCW was folding 3-4 months before it officially did so.

Gene said that WrestleMania 1 was not “make or break" for WWE. If it would’ve failed, WWE would have ceased to exist. Gene commented that Vince McMahon has gone bankrupt before, getting to his events in Rent-a-Cars he rented on somebody else’s credit card. Gene believes that Vince deserves all he has, because of how hard he‘s worked for it.

Gene believes that he and Howard Finkel hould have appeared on Saturday Night’s Main Event this past March, and that the event should have “blended old and new." Gene believes that the wrestlers should have been put on the spot in their interviews like in the old days of wrestling, and not scripted like they are these days. Gene expressed this to Vince. Gene mentioned that there is another SNME in July, so who knows?

Gene knew nothing about the Gobbledy Gooker beforehand. When he saw the gimmick, he was grateful he wouldn’t have to be a part of it… Until Vince told him to put the Gobbledy Gooker over. Gene came out of it with bruised ribs. He said that the gimmick was the “biggest disaster." God bless Hector Guerrero, though. Gene doesn’t think it was a rib; but if it was, it was a great rib.

Gene knew the fans would be upset when Hulk Hogan turned heel in WCW, but he was shocked at just how huge the impact of his turn was. One time, Gene was interviewing Hulk, when a disgruntled fan threw a half-full beer can into the ring, which struck Gene right in the nose. Gene continued the interview with blood running down his face.

Poor Doc felt bad that he wasn’t in a suit and tie interviewing the great Gene Okerlund, but he shouldn’t feel guilty - Gene wasn’t wearing anything!

Check out the interview to hear all this and more, PLUS the entire Kevin Nash/TNA

Conference call from June 13th at www.wrestlingweekly.com

Wrestling Weekly is part of the Wrestling Radio Network at www.wrestlingradionetwork.com. You can also download the show at www.wrestlingweekly.com and www.audiowrestling.com. The Wrestling Weekly radio program, featuring Doc Young and Les Thatcher can be heard every Tuesday from 8:00-10:00pm EST at www.wrestlingweekly.com.