On a recent edition of “The Snake Pit” podcast, Tommy Dreamer recalled his history with Jake Roberts that was formed in the 1990s in ECW, the massive influence Roberts had on him as a performer, and more.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On his first memories of Jake Roberts: “Massive fandom of Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts from his earliest beginnings. And I’m talking, I want to say the first place I ever saw Jake was Mid-Atlantic Wrestling when he was an underneath talent that would always have a good match. And then I saw his transformation, possibly where I hated him the most was Florida Championship Wrestling when he turned on Dusty with the — he was Santa, and Santa caused Dusty Rhodes to lose. And the reason I exist in this industry is because of the ‘American Dream’ Dusty Rhodes. And he screwed over my guy. And I hated Jake, and I’m one of those crazed fans that if you crossed me it was hard, hard, hard for me to get you back on the side. I wasn’t this like — I would still watch everything, but I would be like, ‘Man, you can’t trust that guy.’ Then I remember seeing him in Georgia when he was the Georgia Television champion. And then Mid-South, and even though Mid-South was becoming a babyface, I hated him. I still harbored resentment because of what he did to Dusty. I don’t let things go. It is still real to me.”
On Roberts’ influence on him: “Jake made me start liking him and massive, massive influence. My early ECW gear was based upon Maniac Mark Lewin, The Purple Haze, and Jake the Snake with the long, baggier pants. And of course, the DDT. I want to say that three people in the wrestling industry have made the DDT a believable finish. And the first person is the OG, it’s Jake the Snake. But Raven and I were the reasons — and Raven was such a big Jake The Snake mark. And I say that term because he truly was.
“And me, still trying to find a finish. Well, I’m in this feud with this guy and I really liked Jake, so why not? And it’s always been a homage, if you will, to Jake The Snake. Even the way when I’ll be like, you know, the signal Jake used to do where he’d do the clothesline and then he’d go for it, especially now that I’m 52, going to be 53. You know, it’s just me doing that. I’m going for it and teasing it is all stuff that Jake used to do because I’m currently watching him where the Barbarian just turned on him. And he went from the most hated to the most beloved.”
On the first time he met Roberts: “Oh, Hardcore Heaven. My first-ever main event in ECW, ’97 pay-per-view. Yes, Paul was a big surprise guy, and we’re also at Manhattan Center. I’d have to go back to the book, which I have right over here. Or was it this pay-per-view? So the first time I meet Jake, he invades RAW. You have to understand it was a much different time. We were a team, where WWE was individuals. And Manhattan Center, small, small place, the industry. WWE is getting their ass kicked by WCW, and they needed us to come in and show anything could happen on RAW. Really did kick off that era. We also all came dressed in tracksuits like the All Japan style. We all represented our brand of ECW, and I remember we all walked in and Vince was like the commander in charge and saw this new military regime come in, and we were all wearing ECW gear. And that impressed me. Vince impressed him a lot because he kept commenting on it.
“Anyway, the day went by, and Paul [Heyman] and I had to have a production meeting. Which, in ECW we had no production meetings. It was literally me and Paul driving in a car and writing stuff down. Or if Paul’s not there, ’97 he was at every show. He started not being at shows towards the end of ’97. And then I would just write out, you know, show whatever. So, I’m walking around the Manhattan Center, and then I hear, ‘Hey hey, kid.’ And I turn, and it’s Jake. ‘Hey, brother. Stand here, all right?’ And I’m standing there, and Jake is smoking a cigarette. And then the other side is Jack Lanza, and he’s smoking a cigarette, but like, they’re huddling, like they’re doing this most illegal thing in the world. And I’m just standing there, and then, you know, I see them both, and they come inside. And Jack Lanza is like, ‘Thanks.’ And then Jake goes, ‘Thanks, bro. Yeah, Vince [McMahon] hates people who smoke. If he thinks it’s you, you get all the heat, but don’t work here. I’ll see you later.’ So here’s Jake the Snake, my first time meeting him, and I’m asked to be a blocker so he and Jack Lanza could smoke cigarettes, because Vince McMahon hated cigarettes.”
