Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling passed along this recap.
After his highly controversial and revealing comments in our first discussion, John and Chad welcome back former WWE Superstar Rene Dupree to the Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling. In an effort to clarify his statements and elaborate further on some of the more standout topics, Rene truly vents his frustration regarding WWE’s concussion protocol throughout his time under contract and how he feels management neglected warning signs of individuals who were suffering the effects of their injuries. It is another MUST LISTEN episode and is a sincere opening of a performers heart to the fans who have supported the careers of all the pro wrestlers that have suffered major injuries while on the job.
Full Episode Download Link:
http://tmptow.podomatic.com/entry/2015-10-26T21_00_00-07_00
Rene Dupree’s Opinion of WWE’s Concussion Protocol & Working Hurt: (w/ exact proof of injuries)
https://youtu.be/6vU_JFuS3kM
Asking for time off while his Mother was suffering from breast cancer and WWE’s partnership with Susan G. Komen:
“This thing with breast cancer awareness, this thing that is a big deal. I read an article that CM Punk said that this whole deal with Susan G. Komen is a scam. In 2004 my mother got diagnosed with breast cancer and it was during the run with me and Cena. I went to Johnny Ace because he always said “well I’m your boss Rene and if you’ve got problems you’ve got to come to me”. So I went to him and said what was going on with me and is it possible for me to fly home once a month or once every couple of months just to be with her and he said they could look into it. Well asking for time off is like the kiss of death, especially during the biggest push of your career. I don’t know if you guys realize this but cancer doesn’t go away in a weekend, it’s a process. So, I never heard from him again and basically they don’t give a sh*t about what is going on in the wrestlers personal lives. You are there to work and make them money and that’s all they care about. It makes them look good because they are a publicly traded company and if it makes them look good well whatever then. Good luck to them is all I have to say.”
Should he have gone to Vince McMahon directly:
“That’s what I should have done. I should have went to Vince or Stephanie but then again Johnny tells you that “I’m your boss and you’ve got problems then you have to come to me because I’m Talent Relations” then that is what you do. You go to your boss. Sometimes Vince has a lot on his plate so looking back if I could and this goes out to the talent out there if you have issues go to the f*cking horse’s head not the horse’s ass.”
An in ring accident with Matt Cappotelli that went untreated and Cappotelli’s revealed brain tumor soon after:
“When I was in the ring with the guy at a house show one time and he came off the second rope and I hit him with the dropkick it knocked him out. It wasn’t intentional and accidents happen but he gets knocked out and he is back in the ring again the next day. Fast forward about a year or so and the guy ends up getting a cancerous brain tumor and are they directly related? I don’t know but that just shows you the seriousness of treating concussions and diagnosing concussions. That happened in 2006 and they didn’t bother looking into it and maybe seeing a direct correlation between the two. They waited two years later until they were forced to by Congress. Cappotelli had a lot of potential and was just a really good human being. He was too good of a person to be involved in this type of a business. He was a great worker too. I remember having really great matches with the guy. But it’s like that Johnny Cash song, “What’s been kept in the dark, shall be brought into the light eventually.'”
JBL still being involved with WWE given his past reputation and how he hopes today’s talent has a better experience:
“They do business a certain way there. I think that the office for certain people such as him (JBL) puts him in those positions to test how far they can push them and see how far they can take it before they snap. I think it’s all a part of the game. Hopefully that has changed and I haven’t been there for nine years so hopefully it’s better and it should be the greatest place in the world to work and it is a lot of people’s dreams to be on TV and to do this for a living. But it kind of sours you when you have to work with assholes and it is such a competitive atmosphere because there is no place else to go. Hopefully it’s changed but he’s still there, good for him. It was probably worse, because I’ve heard stories from before I was there about the bullsh*t people went through which was even worse. Hopefully it’s changed and hopefully the guys have a lot better experiences then I did.”
Working with Paul Heyman and CM Punk in OVW and how his suggestion may have inspired Punk’s infamous promo style:
“Paul Heyman was in OVW and I was on one of my leaves and I would still go to OVW to train and keep myself in ring shape. He would have these meetings and say “guys I’ll be backstage at 10pm and anyone is welcome to come”. Well nobody showed up except me and Punk. We were the only two guys that ever showed up because I wanted to pick Paul Heyman’s “genius”. He asked us what makes a great promo and I said it’s simple. All you have to do is shoot and take whatever they give you and you just shoot on it from the heart. Well, what got Punk so over? When he started shooting. Maybe he knew it before I did or maybe he didn’t but I know he was deep in thought when I said that. Paul Heyman looked at me and started laughing. So take that as you will. That term (“genius”) is thrown around way too loosely.”
Rene Dupree also touches on his theory on Chris Benoit, Why Christian had to retire, His time in Japan, WWE creative stealing ideas, his reaction to the coverage of his comments, more on concussion negligence and his advice to people getting into the business.
Please subscribe to The Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling on iTunes and via YouTube by searching the Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling or visit the OFFICIAL Website of the Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling: www.tmptofwrestling.com & twitter.com/twomanpowertrip