Credit: VOC Nation Radio Network
Former WWF Announcer Mike McGuirk recently spoke about her time in the then WWF. Here are the highlights…
On her start: “My dad ran wrestling promotions in the Midwest, Tennessee, Oklahoma, etc. “Vince was looking to take his product, worldwide, and in order to support what was happening on television, he had to run live (shows) everywhere (across the country). Terry Garvin called my parents in 1984 and told them that Vince (McMahon) wanted to start running shows in our area, and asked if we had a wrestling ring. By that time, my dad was out of the business and I needed to make a living. I started that way, by just providing the ring. It started growing.”
On how she started ring announcing: “They originally had a male ring announcer from the radio. I was doing the timekeeping. They came to me and (asked me to do it). I was trying to feed two kids. No disrespect to Mel (Phillips), but I went to Vince and I sold myself as having a product that was unique at the time. There were no Divas. It was just hard work and what you could add to the show. I grew up defending this business. It’s what put the clothes on my back. I am very fortunate to be a part of that.”
On unscripted promos: “When I wasn’t working in front of the camera, my job was to produce the promos in the back. Vince doesn’t let you sit around. He’s always going to find something for you to do. The talent at the time wasn’t scripted; the only thing they knew is their opponent and where the show was going to be.”
On Vince McMahon: “Unbelievable. When I first met Vince at his home, he told me that he knew how tough my past was (with Bill Watts, and being divorced from B Brian Blair), and he knew that I was proving myself my entire life to my dad. He told me that he was giving me three wishes, and he would grant them for me. He told me that if I did what I was supposed to do, I would be there forever. He was very close to a father figure to me.” (McGuirk said she would still be there if I wanted to keep up with the travel)
On the party lifestyle of wrestling in the 1980s: “It was like living the life of a rockstar. (Hulk Hogan) rented a room and there were women passed out in the bathroom. One was in the bathtub on ice. I asked about her, and they said not to worry about her, she’d be fine.”
