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1. You and Jesse "The Great” Ventura were always my favorite tag team. Did you enjoy working with Jesse?
-- Michael L.
Yes I did enjoy working with Jesse. He used to talk to me a lot about his days as a Navy Seal. Those were some great stories. We finally did a split, he went baby face, and I stayed heel, and we sold out venues against each other throughout the whole summer in the Pacific Northwest. He lost the big loser leaves town match, so you can thank me for sending him back to Minnesota, because if I would have lost and gone back to Minnesota, I would have been Governor instead of him! (Just kidding, Jesse.)
I first met Jesse when he was just a fan in the early 70s. He was at the Minneapolis Auditorium standing back by the dressing rooms, where all of us came out. When we met, he asked me to introduce him to his Idol, Superstar Billy Graham. I did, and he was like a kid in a candy store. The rest is history.
Thanks for asking, and I hope I was able to shed some light on the subject.
Where did you purchase your gear? You obviously were a bit of a fashion plate over the years. And how much gear did you normally carry with you on the road?
I only carried what I had to carry, depending on how many days I was going to be gone. The worst thing to carry around were the championship belts. The weight of them made it miserable, and the security at airports always wanted to look at them and get pictures with them.
I purchased most of it from Carl Hildeguard. My first red robe was made by Ata Johnson, Rocky Johnson's wife and The Rock's mom. She made it for me in 1976, just before I left Dallas, Texas to come to the Northwest as Playboy Buddy Rose. Bill Ash made some of my wrestling boots.
Does the WWE have to pay you any type of money to use your likeness on the DVD?
-- Derek Bedard
When I was with the WWF back in 90-91, we all had to sign a release form to be able to work for them. This gave them the rights to use my likeness wherever they wanted, without fear of me coming back with a lawsuit. After Vince lost that first lawsuit against him for the rights to a likeness, he made everyone sign releases from then on. As far as I know, it’s still the standard procedure.
How does someone take the Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka splash without getting injured?
Did you ever work with Chris Colt in the Northwest? What were your feelings about him? He seems to be a legend among wrestlers, but not as well known among the fans.
What do you think of those “knock-off” versions of Playboy Buddy Rose? I have seen matches featuring fraudulent versions of you, and some claiming to be Buddy Rose, Jr. Do you have any knowledge of these people, or have you lent any an endorsement?
You will be able to order that footage of what happened that day on my web site, in the near future.
How big is your video tape collection, and what would be your most favorite tape, your most watched tape, and your rarest tape?
Did you have any particular mode of attack when you were on the road, like renting a certain kind of car, eating at certain kind of restaurants, etc.? Did you try to save money, or were you more interested in comfort?
I ate at quality restaurants, but we all had to eat at fast food restaurants, depending on how much time we had to make it to the next town. I was fortunate enough to be home a lot in the Pacific Northwest, so I enjoyed many home cooked meals.
I know this is a stupid question, but what exactly did you sprinkle on yourself during the Blow Away Diet?
-- Brian Mekdeci
Jimmy would never hurt you when he came off a cage or the top rope. It jarred you a little, but you just raise up a little before the impact and it's easy going from there. He always landed on me perfectly, and I was never injured. He was one of the best ever to step into the squared circle.
Chris Colt was a main event star across the country. He just happened to come to the Pacific Northwest when all the top spots were taken, so he rolled with the punches. He loved it in the Northwest, and he was still making big bucks working prelim matches because he did his job so well. I loved and admired the man very much, as a friend and as a worker.
Yes I know all about them. I am not related to any of these men. I just feel that imitation is the greatest form of flattery.
I don't remember the year but when you dropped the PNW belt off the Freemont Bridge, was that just a way to bring in a new belt or was that actually your idea? I remember shortly after that you threatened to throw the new belt into Mt. St. Helens. I actually had a friend who was a scuba diver who went looking for the belt you threw off the bridge.
-- Mike Gallagher
I believe it was around 1979-80. I asked Don Owen if I could pull this stunt off, because the Northwest Title Belt looked ripped and torn, and it was very old. It had seen many generations of Pacific Northwest Wrestling. Don said I could throw it off the bridge, and we would order a new belt from Reggie Parks. Dutch Savage was upset because he wanted to keep it for himself, and mount it in his home. Don told Dutch that the Belt was a piece of crap anyway, so he let me throw it over the Freemont Bridge. I had the announcer Frank Bonema with me, along with my partners Rip Oliver, and The Destroyer. We rented a limo that Sunday afternoon at 1pm Pacific Standard time, and we drove to the top of the bridge, and tossed clear out into the Columbia River below.
-- Sonny Gutierrez
I have around 3,000 tapes, with more Pacific Northwest wrestling then anyone in then in the world. Don Owen never saved the tapes from week to week, so thank God I taped as many as I could. They are all my favorites.
-- Donna Parks
I would upgrade to first class 90% of the time on planes. The other 10% I flew coach because first class was sold out. When driving, I wanted to be comfortable, so I always rented a Lincoln Town Car. Bobby Heenan was the one who told me to fly first class, because it was a write-off on your taxes. He was right, as usual.
Simple question, easy answer. Tide washing detergent. It didn't blow away the fat, but I sure smelled Tide clean after that shoot.
