"The Mouth of the South" Jimmy Hart doesn't get mad at people who say professional wrestling is fake. "Look, it's entertainment," he said while visiting Taylor's Skore Lanes recently to promote Wrestlemania 23.
Photo by Dave Gorgon
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Longtime wrestling manager "The Mouth of the South" Jimmy Hart says three big breaks define his career.
The first was when, after touring with his band, "The Gentrys," upon the release of their one hit, "Keep on Dancin'," he was asked by former Treadwell High School (in Memphis) classmate and professional wrestler Jerry "The King" Lawler to be his manager.
The second occurred after Lawler broke his leg, and Hart heartlessly dumped him on national television with this parting shot: "What do you do when a horse breaks his leg? You shoot him! Lawler's no use to me anymore."
That started a feud the fury and popularity of which cut Hart his third big break — a telephone call from World Wrestling Federation impresario Vince McMahon, asking him to join what soon would be an international sports entertainment juggernaut.
Hart recently visited Skore Lanes in Taylor, promoting Wrestlemania 23 and a charity event called "Bowl and Go" (for more information, visit www.bowldetroit.com).
Here, he talks about the real work of faking it and feuding.
Q: What's the key to managing in professional wrestling?
A: Well, you know what, I tried to adapt to everybody.
I always knew my place, which was to never outshine the wrestler.
Because being the manager with the megaphone, I can run around and get all the attention in the world. But I was the hood ornament on the Cadillac. You know, the Cadillac is really what you're buying.
Q: What's the most worklike part of your profession?
A: Trying, as you get older, trying to keep a look that the people still, uh, a lot of times when you see famous people after a time, you go, "Oh my God! What happened to him?"
So I've always tried to keep myself looking close to the way Jimmy Hart looked.
Q: You look great. You look exactly the way I remember you as a kid.
A: Well, God bless you for saying that.
You know, I don't smoke, and I don't drink. I'm not saying that works for everybody, but it's been good for Jimmy Hart.
Q: What's the key to developing an image? That's so important for wrestlers.
A: And I think that's one of the things that's missing now.
I think there's a lot of great wrestlers in the ring, but sometimes just being a great wrestler's just boring.
You know, when we toured with Dick Clark, when we were back on the bus tours in the '60s with the Beach Boys and Sonny and Cher and the Dave Clark Five and groups like that, Dick Clark told us, "If you dress like the audience, one day you're going to be sitting in the audience."
That's true in this biz. People pay to see entertainers look different than what they look like.
Q: When you think about the passing of time, what strikes you the most?
A: Who would believe that 23 years later, wrestling and NASCAR would be so popular?
It's something everybody used to make fun of, now it's two of the highest rated things on TV.
Q: Why do you think that's the case?
A: We relate to the fans, and I think people see us every week on TV and we're part of their family.
You know, we don't strike. We go 24/7.
Q: Do you get mad at people who say wrestling is fake?
A: No, because once Vince came up and said, "Look, it's entertainment," I think that ended (the debate).
I told somebody the other day, they said, "Do you think wrestling's fixed?"
I said, "No, the only thing that's fixed is NASCAR."
They said, "Prove it to me."
I said, "Well, isn't it funny that during the Bud Light Shootout, the Bud Light car always wins? And it's always the same 10 guys who wind up in the top 10."
I said, "Listen, except for a freak accident, these guys can bump and draft and do whatever they want. And think about it now, think of all the angles they're shooting now on TV — fights in the pits, vendettas. ... It's getting more like (wrestling)!"
I think they took a page out of wrestling, called everybody together and said, "Now look, here's what we're going to do. Stewart, let me tell you something, I know you didn't place in the top 10, but don't worry about it. We're going to let you win two of these other races."
Q: You know you're starting a feud between wrestling and NASCAR.
A: It don't matter! Put them on the stand; put Jimmy Hart on the stand!
It goes back to our angles that we shot years ago.
Q: You've got Wrestlemania 23 coming up April 1. Anything else?
A: I just got back from shooting a pilot for a Jimmy Hart reality show called "The Next Big Thing in Wrestling."
I feel like there's been some people in wrestling who's been overlooked and missed.
I'm the greatest wrestling manager in the world, so I'm going to take these five people, groom them, teach them how to talk, take them to Memphis where I started, get them ready, and then, and then ... Vince, I'm going to come door knocking, because I'm going to find the next big thing in wrestling, and get Jimmy Hart back on TV doing what he does best and that's managing.
Q: Has wrestling been a good investment for you? Because it sounds like you've made smart decisions along the way.
A: I don't know how "smart." — Sometimes it's better to be lucky than smart.
Q: I'm sorry to take up so much of your time.
A: We're fine, baby.
Q: Jimmy, thank you.
A: We love you guys!
Contact Staff Writer Bobby Ampezzan at 1-734-246-0851 or rampezzan@heritage.com.
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