During a recent edition of The Steve Austin Show (transcript via wrestlinginc.com), Steve Austin and DDP spoke about working with Booker T on WCW and their relationship with him. Here are the highlights.
Page on his relationship with Booker T:
“I really got tight with Book when he was doing GI Bro.” Page recalled, “and I walked in the bathroom and he’d already been in Harlem Heat. He had already been this and he had been that. And he was doing his single’s thing and they didn’t know what to do with him at that point. I mean, he’s a thoroughbred athlete, and he could talk, and he had tons of charisma, so whatever, I figure he’ll find his own way. So I walk in there, and this is how Booker T is, he’s putting on the face paint makeup for GI Bro and I just looked at him, and I go, ‘Book, how’re you doing?’ He goes, ‘I’m good, D.’ He goes, ‘I’m real good.’ I said, ‘dude, you have the best attitude I’ve ever met in this business.’ He goes, ‘D, do you know what I was doing before I got here? I was mopping floors. I was digging ditches.’ He goes, ‘I’m just happy to be here.’ He said, ‘I’m just going to keep working till I get over.’”
Austin on his relationship with Booker T: “Man, Book, we got along as soon as I met him in WCW.” Austin continued, “them, him and Stevie [Ray] were a tag team at the time, but we [were] always joking around, s–t we do to pass the time like that. [Page] know[s] Booker is a real confident guy, hell of a worker, hell of a worker! And a great promo. He started this rumor, some of the magazines, I forget exactly how he did it, but he goes, ‘so-and-so says I’m one of the top five workers in the world.’ Not just the United States, the world! And, dude, when you’re in the [pro wrestling] business, when a guy throws out a statement like that, you think, ‘hold it! Where did that s–t come from? How can he be the number five worker in the world or in the top five workers in the world?’ It was a rib! And everybody bit. Nobody knew whether to s–t or wind their watch!”
“Me and Book used to love to work together.” Austin divulged, “one time, we [were] in the ring, and, Goddamn, he lit me up with the stiffest damn right jab. Dude, I mean, he hit me so damn hard, it was like, dude, instantly, I’m usually real patient, but on that one, I said, ‘dude, that receipt’s coming right now!’ Man, I threw a right hand and it caught him. We finished the match, but it was an instant receipt. And I was laughing in the back. He was laughing as well. I said, ‘Goddang, Book, if you and me ever get in a fight, I know I’d kick your ass because I took your best shot and the only reason I didn’t knock you out is because my right arm doesn’t straighten out.’ He started laughing. Good dude.”
