During a recent interview with TV Insider, Kane commented on working with The Undertaker, being an elected official, his new book, and more. You can check out some highlights from the interview below:
On recounting stories for the book: “Part of my process was going, ‘I think this will be a good story.’ Also, I remember telling someone a story, and I don’t think it’s a really big deal. Then they think it’s really entertaining. So it’s about putting all that stuff together. I’d call people and basically go, ‘Hey, who was here? Where were we exactly?’ I can remember the big picture stuff, but I sometimes didn’t know the details. Then there are certain things that stick out in your mind that you know everything about it. When people mention an event, I can say that was such and such show at such and such arena. I did have to go through what I wanted to say. In some cases I’d have to go back and talk to some people who were there to jog my memory. Then there was the case I was talking to a friend of mind asking why I didn’t put a certain thing in the book. I said, ‘Well if I did,it would be a thousand pages. It was about what goes with the flow of the story of what is really important and doing it in a way that is entertaining and concise as possible. There is a lot of stuff I didn’t put in it that I wish I could. Maybe that will be used for another time.”
On his forwards being written by Undertaker and Rand Paul: “I can pretty much guarantee that this will be the only time in history The Undertaker and Rand Paul write a forward for the same book. I asked Mark [Taker] to do it, and he said he would be honored as well. It blew my mind. Of course, asking Senator Paul was much of the same. Mark has meant so much to my career and to me personally. That was not even a question that I would ask him to do it.”
On going from wrestler to elected official: “It came full circle. If you told me in 1995 that I’d be in an office overlooking the Knoxville Civic Coliseum, I’d look at you like you were nuts…I hope the book is an entertaining read for people because you have the crossover between my wrestling career and the political stuff. I was around and very much part of the ‘Attitude Era,’ so a lot of what people talk about I saw up close and part of it. That part is a great story I can tell.”
On wrestlers who would make good politicians: “They do great things for the community. Titus O’Neil in Tampa is doing wonderful things. Mark Henry does a lot of good stuff. John Cena, we know the work he has done with Make-A-Wish and other things. He can do whatever he wants because he is so talented and a good guy. I think there are a lot of people in the locker room that if they decided this was what they wanted to do, they’d be successful at it.”
On wanting a final match alongside Undertaker: “Even though Undertaker and I had a match with DX that has never happened before, it would be great to reunite the Brothers of Destruction. That is always so special. That would be for me the ultimate thing.”
On wrestlers having a more difficult time developing their characters: “It has become harder because there is so much more content and exposure demanded. We look at the internet and social media and all the different platforms we are competing against. One of the things that frustrated me is that we move so quickly sometimes it felt like you weren’t getting the depth of the storyline because you just had to put stuff out and things would get lost. That’s the nature of the business … You look at a guy like Bray Wyatt who has done a phenomenal job. That character has really taken off. It’s difficult. I think it’s harder than ever to get into that kind of patient story-telling. It’s unfortunate evolution of the business. But I think what Bray Wyatt shows is that we have a performer who can do it and given the opportunity, it’s still something that strikes a cord with people. To me, that’s one of the best parts of the wrestling business is the stories. Sometimes they get sacrificed a little bit to keep the machine going. So it’s nice to see a guy like Bray have that opportunity to really get over as a character in a unique storyline.”
