DIR Return Create A Forum - Home
---------------------------------------------------------
TNA Fan World
HTML https://tnafans.createaforum.com
---------------------------------------------------------
*****************************************************
DIR Return to: ROH Chat
*****************************************************
#Post#: 25138--------------------------------------------------
Chat with Maria. Talks Punk, WWE & More
By: ChrissiCalvert Date: March 19, 2014, 3:54 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
It’s a pleasure to have you, Maria. My first question is how did
you decide to become a wrestler?
I was a big fan growing up. I used to watch it with my little
brother and dad. I started watching it again in high school. One
week when I was 22, I entered the Diva Search online thinking
nothing of it. Low and behold, I saw my photo on Monday Night
Raw and I got a phone call asking to come and audition. 10 years
later, I think it’s the best decision I ever made.
I was a bikini model at the time and had just done a reality
show Outback Jack. So I was already involved in entertainment,
but nothing big as WWE.
How was your overall experience with the Diva Search?
I enjoyed it a lot. I didn’t know what to expect. It was nerve
racking just like any other reality show and I definitely
learned a ton.
Did you enjoy more of the physical aspect of wrestling or the
entertainment aspect of it?
That’s always a tough question. People have asked me if I liked
the interviews or the wrestling. I love them both equally. There
were times like Wrestlemania where I had a match and it was an
incredible experience. But now working with Mike in ROH, I do
more of the entertaining and I enjoy that just as much.
Who were your favorites growing up?
My favorite female wrestler was Lita. I think it’s incredible to
know she’s getting inducted this year. She gave me a strong
female role model. My mom was a great woman, but my dad was
always the king of the castle, so to speak. Lita was a strong
female and did what she pleased and I admired that.
Because you’ve competed in the Lingerie matches, Pillow fights
etc, what do you think about WWE’s current product not
showcasing such matches?
I think they have great female talents nowadays. AJ and Natalya
are great wrestlers. Paige in NXT can hang with any of the guys
there. So I don’t think WWE is lacking when it comes to women
talents. I hope the girls get more and more time to get into the
spotlight because of how good they are becoming.
I was there at a time when there were different types of female
wrestlers. There were lingerie models and full time wrestlers
who came from the independent scene. So it’s a very similar time
nowadays. Mickie was on the independents before WWE, Melina was
a wrestler for a log time before she made it to the WWE main
roster and Candice Michelle went from being a lingerie model to
being excellent in the ring. It’s the same type of atmosphere
now, with the only difference being that there’s different
names.
There were only lingerie pillow fights and bikini contests for
the first couple of years that I was there and that fizzled out.
By the time I left, there wasn’t that much anymore. It’s
definitely changed from 15 years ago when WWE wasn’t a PG
product. But it hasn’t changed much from the time I was there.
You talked about female wrestlers coming from a wrestling
background and some from a modeling background. Considering the
dynamics of both of those backgrounds, were there any
personality clashes while you were there?
It’s pretty much the same as when a new kid comes to school,
there’s always that feeling of “Oh, it’s the new guy/girl.” I
think there are strengths to both types of women and I think the
combination of those two personalities can make for a great
show.
What are some of your favorite WWE moments?
When I won Diva of the Year, it was so unexpected. I also had a
non match against Michelle McCool who was champion at the time
and I felt the match really came together. Any time I worked
with Victoria or Beth Phoenix are matches I enjoyed.
One time I had a match with Beth Phoenix and she threw me up in
the air and I was supposed to land on my feet. But something
happened and I landed right on my butt. Beth, being the pro that
she is, grabbed me, put me in her finisher and that was the end
of the match. It wasn’t what was planned, but it’s what
happened, so that was a funny moment.
Also, there was this time when I interviewed Ric Flair. He was
someone I idolized growing up, so that was amazing. But at the
same time, I’ve never been a star struck person.
What was your working relationship like with Vince McMahon?
He was like a father figure to me. He would never ask me to do
anything that he wasn’t willing to do himself. He was the
inspiration behind my character. The first time I started doing
the ditsy character, he was there and gave me advice on how to
run with it.
Did you like portraying the ditsy character or did you feel like
you could have been use differently?
I struggled with it at first, but in the end I was thankful that
I did it. There were so many great moments that came out of it,
from working with Mankind, Cryme Time, DX, to wrestling Umaga or
Kurt Angle. None of those things could have been done without
that character, because my character was sympathetic and someone
the fans could get behind.
Plus, nowadays, it’s funny because I get calls from interviewers
who think I’m very stupid. And I get the chance to show them
that I’m not. A lot of times when I get a call, they’ll talk to
me with baby talk and just ask me dumb questions and think that
I’ll divulge the secrets of the universe or something because
they think I’m stupid. But within the first five minutes, it
changes and they realize I’m a lot smarter than they think. It’s
so funny getting those calls though, because that means I’ve
done my job.
So with that in mind, what is the most unusual question you’ve
been asked?
Just recently, I was interviewed by a newspaper. When I think of
newspapers, I assume that there will be some type of maturity to
the questions they ask. I expect them to be respectful of their
audiences from grandma down the street to a businessman to a
high school student or college student.
So this reporter really builds up this last question and says to
me, “I’ve researched this and I think this is a really important
question: How did Snoop Dogg taste?”
I found that to be incredibly insulting and it was just so weird
that it was for a newspaper. If it was for Howard Stern, I’d
expect that. But for newspapers, I’d expect things like “How was
your experience working with Donald Trump?” So that’s one of the
dumbest questions I received.
The way I answer questions like “How was it kissing John Cena?”
is that I’m an actress first. I sign a contract to play a role
and I get paid for it. It’s not reality, it’s a role.
So then maybe I can word that question differently for you. How
was it working with Snoop Dogg?
It was great. He’s a sweetheart. He did what he needed to do,
made a statement as big as he could and we shook hands after it
was over. And plus he gave Santino quite the bump.
Having dated CM Punk in the past, what are your thoughts on him
walking out on WWE?
I don’t know all of what’s going on in the wrestling world other
than ROH because I’ve been so busy with school. What I do know
is that Punk has worked incredibly hard to get where he’s at.
He’s the example you use when you talk about independent
wrestlers who come to WWE. He was the first in that transition.
He came from the independents and made a name for himself in
WWE. He’s already done the work and doesn’t need to do anything
else in his career to solidify the statement he has made. He
changed wrestling forever because he showed that some dirty,
stinky wrestler from Chicago can become a famous superstar. So
whatever he decides is the right decision for him.
Do the CM Punk chants bother you at all?
Not at all. Mike and I get them all the time and it doesn’t
affect our relationship or what we do. As long as the people are
reacting, we must be doing something right.
Moving away from WWE for a moment, let’s talk about your run in
ROH so far. How did you decide to work for them?
I think they actually picked me. I had been doing minimal indy
wrestling shows, doing signings here and there. I wasn’t
wrestling for a long time. Mike and I started dating and didn’t
really tell anyone at first because we didn’t know where it was
going to go. So after we had been dating for four months, I went
with him to an ROH show and everyone there was amazing. They
were so sweet and kind and I’ve always loved the ROH locker
room. And at Final Battle that year, they asked me if I wanted
to go out to the ring with him. I thought, sure this’ll be fun,
especially at the Hammerstein Ballroom, which I love. So I said
I’ll do it one time. And I did.
Then after that, I went to pre-tapes with Mike and they had
already arranged for me to be on pre-tapes with him and had not
talked to me beforehand. They just figured I would be there. So
it just happened. I didn’t sign a contract with them for a long
time. I actually signed one with them in May of last year. So it
was like “Yeah she’ll be there.”
It worked out great because Mike is such a good heel. Not only
that, but ROH also gave me the opportunity to work with the
Women of Honor. We shot 2 episodes of a series we’re putting
together showcasing women’s wrestling in ROH. It’s basically the
search for the new Women of Honor since we’ve lost a lot of our
originals like Daizee Haze and Sara del Rey.
There’s so much talent on the independent circuit now and it
makes my job easy. But at the same time, I need find talent who
will be dedicated to the Ring of Honor way.
Are there any independent female talents who stand out to you?
One that I definitely like is Jessica Havoc. Madison Eagles is
great. Kasey Ray is a tiny little thing, but she is a beast. She
can do every type of flip possible and she’s also going to be at
my bridal party. She stands out to me the most because she’s
beautiful and talented. She’s new, but she has fire.
What are some of the differences working for ROH as opposed to
WWE?
The schedule is the biggest difference. WWE has so many dates,
whereas ROH only has about 4-7 dates a month.
But ROH is just as intense. I love the locker room because it
has those fresh faces who want to make it in the wrestling
scene.
Do you see yourself continuing to work for ROH in the next few
years?
That’s really up in the air. You never know. There’s some guys
whom you never thought would go back to WWE because of what
they’ve said in the past or the drama that’s happened. But they
end up going back. So, never say never.
I really enjoy working with ROH and this new women’s division is
something I can really sink my teeth into and help it grow. I
want women to know that if they want to start building their
fanbase, they can come to ROH and we can give them that
platform.
You’ve expressed quite a dedication to the Women of Honor.
There’s no doubt that you care about the success of the
division.What do you think is the biggest challenge for women in
wrestling today?
The biggest issue is that there’s not enough spots for them.
Wrestling is and always has been a male-dominated industry.
Wrestling itself is tougher to get into than any other major
sport and it’s even tougher for women to get into wrestling.
Moving away from wrestling, you released an EP Sevin Sins in
2010. How did you gain an interest in music?
I’ve always been into music. I’ve always been a writer. I had
done Celebrity Apprentice and I was looking for another outlet
for my creativity. I met these great producers and we did these
songs. One of the songs on the EP was used for the podcast Mike
and I do called Mike and Maria in Wonderland and the song has
gotten half a million downloads. We’ve gotten questions like
“Where did that music come from?” So we’ve gotten attention from
that.
I would produce more music but it gets expensive. Also I’m
preparing for my wedding, so music’s on the back burner for now,
but I love doing it.
Would you ever consider a full time singing career?
I considered it, especially after I released my EP and people
were asking me to come and perform. But to be honest, I’m a
little scared when it comes to performing in front of a live
crowd. It’s ironic because I don’t mind wrestling in front of
people, but with singing I’d just chicken out.
Nowadays, I’m planning for my wedding, which is a full time job
in it of itself. Plus I’m a full time college student.
Speaking of college, where do you go and what’s your major?
I go to Illinois Valley Community College and I’m an art major.
I’m looking for a four year institution to finish my bachelor’s
degree. I thought about going into film or event planning. I
think someday it’s going to be a mixture of the two.
What factored into your decision to return to school?
The biggest factor was getting engaged. I’ve been in wrestling
for almost ten years and I’ve always wanted to go back to
school. Before I got into wrestling, I had already completed 19
credit hours. When I left WWE, I considered going back to school
then but the time wasn’t right until I signed with ROH.
Do you get recognized at college?
I do get recognized and it’s funny. One guy who works for the
school paper came up to me in the hallway and said “Oh my gosh,
are you Maria?” And I said “yes.” And he said “We gotta write
about you.”
There was this other time where a guy in my Spanish class asked
me to sign a Playboy for him and I did. And I’m laughing,
thinking “Here I am at college signing Playboys.”
There have also been students who wanted to get pictures with
me.
So yes I do get recognized, but I try my hardest to stay low
key. One guy said to me “You don’t look the same as you do on
TV.” I told him “Of course. I’m not wearing eyelashes or sparkly
clothes for class.”
But all in all, everyone’s very respectful. My professors are
understanding when I have to miss class for ROH. ROH has also
been supportive in my decision to go back to school.
What’s a possible institution you plan to transfer to upon
completion of your courses at IVCC?
One of my top schools is UMass online. They have a program where
they give you credit for what you’ve already done. I’ve produced
music videos, helped develop the Women of Honor, my writings,
etc. I can get college credit for all of that.
Would you plan on pursuing your Master’s degree?
I would like to continue my education as much as I can. I would
absolutely love to get my doctorate and use that as a character
on television. It would just irritate people so much.
What’s next for Maria Kanellis?
Definitely give a listen to my podcast. Mike and I give a ton of
insight as to what’s next for us. But what comes next for me is
building this women’s division and watching Mike Bennett’s
career skyrocket. We just recently did a show with Preston City
Wrestling in the UK. Just keep an eye out on the two of us. We
are enjoying this ride with all of our fans.
*****************************************************