WWE star the Big Show takes on Andre the Giant's legacy

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WWE star, The Big Show, takes on Andre the Giant's legacy

WWE superstar, The Big Show, talks to Fox News about his 20-plus year career in professional wrestling, the 35th anniversary of WrestleMania, and challenging Andre the Giant's legacy.

WWE superstar The Big Show, whose real name is Paul Donald Wight II, sat down with Fox News to talk about his 20-plus year career in professional wrestling, the 35th anniversary of WrestleMania and challenging Andre the Giant's legacy.

Fox News: You’ve had an illustrious 20-plus year career in the WWE, what’s your secret?

The Big Show: I think my secret's always been adaptability. Even though I've been the same character for 20-plus years, my attitude in the business has always evolved to the needs of whatever I needed to do for the show. I think a lot of people give me grief for having a lot of turns, [having] more heel turns than NASCAR. No, that just means that the company has faith in me to get the job done at the time that's what they need to do and I'm able to execute it. I've just always had an open mind. I never forgot how much fun I have in the business. You know, a wise man once told me that, you know, when you're in a competitive business like this, treat every day like the first day on the job and you'll always be successful because the first job your mind's always open and it's not closed. And I've always kept my mind open to evolve in this business.

Fox News: What was the biggest piece of advice you ever received early on in your career?
The Big Show: I think the best advice early on in my career was by the Big Boss Man when I was still in WCW. We were just at a gym talking and he says “Remember kid, always be nice to everyone on the way up because you don’t see them again on the way down because nothing lasts forever “and I just thought you know what, he's right. Why have an arrogant crappy attitude for a business with a pre-determined outcome. So yeah, I've always tried to treat everybody nice. I mean, yeah, some people I don't get along with that happens. Some people probably think I was a jackass (...) but generally my attitude is I try to treat everyone [with] respect

Fox News: Looking back, what would you say was your biggest WrestleMania moment?
The Big Show: I've had a lot of great WrestleMania moments. I think the WrestleMania I'll never forget personally was having 40 yards of silk wrapped around me and hauled up my ass when I wrestled Akebono. So I basically was out there in a 40 yards of silk thong. And you know they packed that thing with water. You know the silk tightens. Yeah. Neither did I. And neither did. I just want you to know that day I personally endured a lot of discomfort and pain.

Fox News: Within those 20-plus years in professional wrestling, what’s one thing that comes to mind as embarrassing?
The Big Show: My sumo match versus Akebono, where I have 40 yards of silk crammed up my ass and it got down with water and tightened up. I would say that is probably the most embarrassing moment in wrestling. I don't have an embarrassing moment to tell you the truth. I mean personally I don't have any ego; I go out there and have fun. So if I'm making fun of myself, if I'm getting sprayed down by a septic truck by Eddie Guerrero, if I'm running around with a Mawashi, which is actually what that's called, the 40 yards of silk because it's literally 40 yards wrapped around and around and around. Whatever it is, I'm having fun with it. You know I think that's the thing that I would advise younger talent to do. Don't take yourself too seriously. Have fun and be in the moment because the crowd is going to have fun, you know. So if you have fun, the crowd has fun with you.

Fox News: You have been compared to the late great Andre the Giant many times. Was it ever a problem having to compete against his legacy?
The Big Show: Well, I think the only problem with competing against a legend like Andre, as far as his reputation, is — because there were different styles, though were very similar in size, the business was different when I came along compared to when Andre started, and the business has evolved since I started to where it is now. So for me, the toughest part was (...) it was an honor to be attributed to a legend like Andre, absolutely. [But it] was tough to make myself different, to get out from underneath that shadow of what's expected of me and to work like this or to be like this. I needed to learn to be Big Show, I needed to learn to be Paul Wight. So it took me a while to become myself. And that's just like I encourage any other talent now — to find out who you are and be the best you that you can be; don't try to be the next Rock or the next Andre or the next John Cena, be the next you.

Fox News: How does a WWE superstar spend their holidays being on the road so much?
The Big Show: Well, it depends. I mean, you know, it's funny — like this is the first time in 20-something years I don't have to fly out Christmas Day to go to work. You know, I'm not on the holiday tours this year, so I've done my time in the trenches so to speak. Usually I'm doing overseas trips for the troops I get home the 23rd in the afternoon, I'm home Christmas the 24th and do Christmas morning and after Christmas and I usually fly out because we have shows the 26th to the 30th, so usually holidays are very short. So this year I actually don't have any excuse why I haven't gone Christmas shopping for everybody because now I have plenty of time. So for the first time in 20 years I can't tell my friends, 'Oh, I got you a card and a gift in cash because I'm too busy I couldn't go shopping for it.' I don't have that excuse now. So I actually have to go shopping. I hate shopping.