Hart states that Heyman is the best.
As the talents of WWE were making the media rounds to promote SummerSlam, Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman appeared on ESPN First Take with Stephen A. Smith and Molly Qerim.
Smith and Heyman had a discussion about wrestling managers and Heyman called himself the greatest. Stephen A. brought up Bobby Heenan and Heyman said, ‘Screw him. He’s dead.’ Heyman added that Jimmy Hart is still alive so the Lord hasn’t answered his prayers.
Jimmy reacted to Paul’s comment while on Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling. He said there are many managers who were better than him and he called Heyman the best. Jimmy added that he still loves Paul.
I’m just telling you how I really feel (there are plenty of managers that were better than I was). The guy that hosts the thing, Stephen A. Smith, he said, ‘Heyman, I’d like to be a manager like you’ and he said, ‘You can’t. I’m the GOAT.’ He said, ‘Well what about Bobby Heenan?’ And he said, ‘Ah, screw Bobby Heenan.’ Then Heyman went, ‘And Jimmy Hart, he’s still alive. The Lord hasn’t answered my prayers yet’ (Hart laughed). I went, ‘Oh my God.’ But it’s okay, it is what it is. I still love Paul, he’s the greatest… This day in time, you gotta be so careful what you say, so you don’t get any feedback from anybody going, hey, you wished another guy was dead.
If Hart could get back into managing on-screen, he’d like to back SmackDown’s Pretty Deadly (Elton Prince & Kit Wilson). The duo reminds Hart of his era of wrestling. He stated that they talk big and get knocked around but they’re colorful. He thinks Wilson and Prince can draw big money.
Oh my God, there’s a new team that just came in with them (WWE). One of the kids got his shoulder hurt. He was formerly with NXT, and I wish I could think of their name. Deadly something right now — yeah, Pretty Deadly. I like those kids. You know why? Because they kind of remind me of my era. They talk big, they get knocked around but they’re colorful and they’re not real, real, big giant guys. I like them. I think they can really draw some big money. If I had the chance to do it again, that’s who I’d like to be with.
Absolutely (the way they dress is a throwback) and that’s what I like about them. I remember when I was on tour with Dick Clark, people would always ask me, ‘Jimmy, you looked so colorful when you were in WWE.’ The reason why is because Dick Clark sat down with me and the Beach Boys and everybody else on our first tour and he said, ‘Look, remember this, we’re here in front of an audience. Give them their money’s worth. If you dress like the audience, one day you’re gonna wind up sitting in the audience.’ Meaning, be colorful, give the people their money’s worth. Don’t come dressed how they are.
Following up on that, Hart was asked if he’d like to manage Roman Reigns. He believes his personality is too over-the-top for that. Hart feels that Heyman and Reigns click.
First of all, he (Roman Reigns) does a great job and Paul (Heyman) fits him so greatly, Paul fits him to a T. I think my character’s a little bit too over-the-top for that because I’m more like, ‘Whoa! Hey baby! How you doing!?’ That’s always been my thing. Up-tempo, never kind of laid back and I just kind of think Roman does such a great job along with Paul together and they really fit good together.
Hart is an an ambassador for WWE. The 79-year-old was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2005.
If the quotes in this article are used, please credit Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling with an H/T to POST Wrestling for the transcriptions.
