Guillotine LeGrande
The ex PWF TV Champion
Picture Credit, www.stevecorino.com
What up all you DOI maniacs and welcome to another McInterview. Today I interviewed maybe one of the biggest heels in indy wrestling, Guillotine LeGrande. This is a great, informative interview, where LeGrande talks about all aspects of wrestling, including funny moments and bad reviews. Check out this whole thing here. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: How did you get into pro wrestling, and why did you want to get into it?
Guillotine LeGrande: I always loved wrestling growing up. Between wrestling and comic books it consumed my whole day. I grew up not knowing there was such thing as independent wrestling though. I was near the end of college in 1995 when I heard about a local group putting together a show. I just took the initiative and called them. I spoke to Sunny Beach who agreed to meet with me...talk to me about training and put me on that show to work security. I saw quickly that training with him would be costly and I didn't have that kind of money. Sunny's partner at the time, Dave Power of the Power Twins, was nice enough to put me onto a bunch of guys they called "the gerbils". The Gerbils were Paul Lauria, Mike Norman, Craig Casey and Mikey Whipwreck. I introduced myself to Paul Lauria at a show and he took a quick liking to me. He was about to start training a group of guys and I got in on that. In truth though, I spent hardly any money and had barely started bumping and running the ropes when I got the opportunity to work my first match. The company that used me that time (the original UCW) had a decent run and used me every show from then on, so the rest of my "training" was pretty much all in the ring.
Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: What was your training like, and did you ever want to quit during it?
Guillotine LeGrande: Well like I said, I wasn't "trained" in the way most guys are. Learning to bump didn't come easy for me. We bumped on Paul Lauria's kitchen floor in his basement apartment. Probably the only benefit of that was that to me there is no such thing as a "stiff" ring. Compared to that cold, hard floor, every ring is a joy. As for quitting, it was something I thought about fairly often. Still do. But wrestling is one of those things that once it gets in your blood; it’s near impossible to get out.
Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: Who were your favorite wrestlers growing up? Least favorite?
Guillotine LeGrande: We didn't have cable so I grew up with just WWF TV. My favorites early on were guys like Jimmy Snuka, Don Muraco, Bob Orton Jr, Tony Atlas & Rocky Johnson, Adrian Adonis, Dick Murdoch, and the Iron Sheik. As I got older, it was Roddy Piper, Paul Orndorff, David Schultz, Steamboat, Savage, Martel, and I guess you couldn’t help but me a bit of a mark for Hogan. I didn’t have any least favorites really. They were all heroes to me.
Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: You've worked for alot of promotions in your career. Which have been your favorite, and which have you not enjoyed?
Guillotine LeGrande: My favorite has to be Pro Wrestling Zero One in Japan. Wrestling is so respected and the fans are so appreciative there is no other experience like it. In the US it would be PWF and the HWA. I loved working for Mikey Whipwreck in his ?WA too. I've got some buddies in Jersey whose shows are a guilty pleasure for me. The pay is the worst but JWA/UWF and GWF are all alot of fun. I worked for a company in West Virginia called Appalachia Pro which was located in the middle of nowhere, but had an amazing draw and were the hottest crowd I can remember on an independent show other than ECW. There aren’t too many I haven’t enjoyed. I worked once or twice for USA Pro and could do without the 5-hour shows. There's no reason for a show to go that long.
Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: You worked in PWF for a while. What was your reaction when you heard it closed, and what do you think went wrong?
Guillotine LeGrande: I was sad when it came to decision time with the PWF. I was with them from day one. They always put a lot of faith in trust in me and towards the last six months I was also sharing the book with Steve Corino. It just came down to dollars and cents. If you’re losing the dollars it makes no sense to me to keep running. Steve truly didn't want to close it down, but with his growing overseas commitments and the hurt it put on his wallet, it was just the right thing to do.
Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: What do you think has been your best match? Worst match?
Guillotine LeGrande: As crappy as the Internet has treated me, I am probably my own worst critic. I can think of a single match that sticks out as my best. I have favorites though. I loved working with Chris Hamrick in PWF. Loved my matches with Mikey Whipwreck in PWF. Had a steel cage three way tag match in PWF that I'm kind of proud of. I loved working my tag matches with Jack Victory. Am also very proud of a tag match I had teaming with Kamikaze Kid (Craig Casey) against Paul Lauria and Mike Norman from NWA NY in 1999. We were all friends and everything just clicked. Is really nice when that happens. As for my worst match? Any of those first matches I had with UCW. I knew so little they are painful to watch now.
Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: You have won numerous titles in your career. How does it feel like to be a champion, knowing that the promoter has faith in you?
Guillotine LeGrande: I can't say it’s not a nice feeling. I took my first title very seriously. During our run as NWA NY tag team champions, I got injured with a herniated disc in my neck. I was in constant pain and surgery was recommended. I was on all kinds of painkillers. I took my responsibility so seriously that I continued to work with the herniated disc in my neck. Very stupid. I was working for a good guy in Rick O'Brien though. He recognized what I was doing and was very appreciative. The PWF put their TV title on me on their first show and never took it off of me. It was only at my request that I vacated it to stop wrestling there and just book. I just dont think someone can be an effective booker AND a champion in the same company.
Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: Do you have any pre match superstitions?
Guillotine LeGrande: No real superstitions. I try and pray before a match when I think of it. I like to chew gum if I can find some.
Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: What have been some of your funniest moments in the ring?
Guillotine LeGrande: Oh man, there are TOO many. I don’t even know where to start. I've split my pants in the ring twice. I got so blown up once I couldn't even lift my arms. The Christopher Street Connection kissed me while I was in a camel clutch which was funny because they never told me they were going to do that. In Japan, every night was a funny moment. All we do is come up with different ways to make each other laugh in the ring. Most of them have to do with hitting movie lines from either Super Troopers or Old School. Seriously though, I could write a short story about funny stuff in the ring. It goes on and on.
Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: What is a normal day in the life of Guillotine LeGrande?
Guillotine LeGrande: Its funny because somehow I've gotten a reputation as a real fun guy, but my life is about as boring as it gets. I spend WAAAY too much time on the computer. I download music, play spades on Yahoo and hook up with the occasional fat chick. I try and plan my day around The Simpsons and Seinfeld. I’m still a wrestling tape junkie. Im not one for working out much (big surprise there, huh?), but I do get a wild hair up my ass now and then. I try and do like 4 miles a day like 4-6 times a week.
Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: Who would you rather plan world domination with, La Resistance or The Quebeckers?
Guillotine LeGrande: Awesome question! I was a HUGE Quebecers mark..definitely them! Of course I could easily LEAD La Resistance, but I'll say the Quebecers. But of course any plan of world domination that involves Johnny Polo is doomed from the get-go.
Word Association
Steve Corino
- great friend, great mind, probably my biggest fan
CW Anderson
- one of my personal favorite performers and also a great friend
Mike Tobin
- i just worked him! real good kid. loves wrestling. was a pleasure
John Curse
- knows his stuff. good guy. i hope his NYWC soars
Chris Hamerick
- older than the dirt on jesus' sandals. truly talented. truly funny
Mike Quackenbush
- had a couple of real fun matches with him. loves wrestling. talented
Jack Victory
- teaming with him was one of my greatest thrills. still one of my heroes
Sandman
- was always very cool to me. broke guy code though
USA Pro
- they dont use me. shows are too long. frank goodman's on my list
ICW
- was sorry to see them fold. had a wild six man tag for them earlier this year.
JWA
- have been friends with these guys for so long. always fun.
NYWC
- great energy. good bunch of guys. lotsa fun
JAP
- ive never worked there but am friends with a lot of their guys. someone give fat frank my number!
ROH
- i wish i had the book there. super talented lockerroom
ECW
- incredible learning experience just being in that lockerroom. sad to see it go.
WWE
- DEFINITELY wish i had the book there!
Vince McMahon
- critics and smarks can say what they want.probably the most entertaining character in WWE. single-handedly changed wrestling- for the worse in my opinion. dont hate the player though, hate the game.
Triple H
- amazingly talented. awesome champion
Rick Martel
- great babyface. great heel. great worker
Bastion Booger
- i think we have the same workout regimen
Giant Gonzales
- i need airbrushed muscles like his
Declaration of Independents
- the internet needs much more like this
Guillotine LeGrande
- born about 15 years too late
Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: What career goals have you met, and what goals do you have left to accomplish?
Guillotine LeGrande: I've always kept my goals pretty small as they relate to wrestling. I've won some titles...I've been in magazines...I've worked a PPV..been on TV. My last time in Japan we took pictures for a Pro Wrestling Zero One video game which they say will be out in 2004. There's nothing that comes to mind that I have left to accomplish. I'm one of the luckiest slobs I know. I guess I'd like to somehow leave some kind of legacy in this sport..dont know how to do that though
Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: What do you think about the current state of wrestling?
Guillotine LeGrande: That question can be answered on so many levels. The current state from a business standpoint I cant imagine is very good with WWE on top and virtually NO real competition behind them. From a wrestling standpoint I worry. Younger guys watch what they see on TV which is so far from the wrestling I know. Its sports entertainment which certainly has its merits,but when I see a talented kid like Red on the shelf because of all the high spots he's doing...to get over and STAY over, I cant help but worry about all the kids behind him in line to try and do the same thing. I'm hopeful things will turn around though, just hope its sooner rather than later.
Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: What do you want to say to anyone reading this?
Guillotine LeGrande: I want to apologize for having wasted these last 5 minutes. If there were a way for me to give them back to you I would. Umm..support your local independents. Operative word being SUPPORT. Dont be one of these armchair bookers or internet smarks who think they know more than the guys putting on the show. Instead, since you're spending your money anyway- how about sitting back, relaxing, and enjoying the show? Point being, if promoters listened to internet marks I probably wouldnt work anywhere. I dont think I've ever gotten a positive review anywhere. But somehow kids I've managed to wrestle for 8 years now and I'm gonna keep wrestling. So I guess what I want to say is thanks for buying them tickets and KISS MY ASS!
I dont have a website anymore-
but you can check out my "Cutting Edge" on www.stevecorino.com
Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: Thanks for this interview.