Source: PJ Star
He doesn’t drink alcohol or do drugs. According to World Wrestling Entertainment’s Web site, he claims luck is for losers, even though his arm is tattooed with good-luck charms. He has adopted the “straight-edge” movement of basing life around personal development.
C.M. Punk has arrived at WWE, and his unique lifestyle and wrestling abilities are catching on. In his WWE pay-per-view debut last month, Punk received arguably the loudest ovation of the evening. That means the cheers for him were just as loud, if not louder, as those for mainstays like Shawn Michaels and John Cena.
With WWE returning to the Peoria Civic Center at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Cue punk’d Punk with questions about young wrestlers and old “Simpsons” characters (more on that in a second) in this week’s Cue and A.
– John Sharp
What the heck does the name mean?
I’m not sure if you are a “Simpsons” fan or not, but there is a character, Mr. Burns – C.M. Burns. It’s an inside rib, as they say in the business. They didn’t have a name for me. Everyone since I was a little kid said I was a punk. My trainers threw me in the ring and threw the C.M. thing in there. I like Mr. Burns, what can I say?
You live by something called the “straight edge” lifestyle. Do you think this philosophy will catch on like Hulk Hogan’s 1980s credo of “train, say your prayers, and eat your vitamins”?
Well, honestly, I am not one to preach. I don’t throw my values to anyone else. Around the wrestling business … there are a lot who like to drink. It’s their decision. It’s my decision not to drink. It’s a lifetime commitment. I don’t know if it will catch on. I want everyone to realize that it’s an individual choice to freely think and do whatever they want to do. If I help someone abstain from drugs and alcohol, then that would be great.
Recently, WWE went to Iraq. Could you tell me about some of the experiences you had over there?
We got mortared over there. I wasn’t as close as one of our groups (was). As soon as it hit, a whole bunch of soldiers who were waiting in line for autographs, they ran out to the site of the bombing. It’s not a job where they go … 8 in the morning until 2 o’clock. There are men and women over there working 18-hour shifts. I have a whole new appreciation for the military as a whole.
There are many changes going on in ECW. First, Big Show is gone and Lashley is the new champion. It also appears that Paul Heyman is gone. Looking forward, do you think the ECW product is going to be good enough, or are you itching to jump to “Monday Night RAW”?
I’ll jump to “Monday Night RAW” after I get the ECW title. I’m a guy who wants to conquer everything I do. I think, inevitably, “Monday Night RAW” is an option for me.
You are considered a future WWE star. What are your thoughts on the current state of the sports entertainment industry?
WWE is the one and only place if you want to make a true living and if you want to be recognized across the world. They are on an upswing. With the crop of new talent we have coming up, I think I will hopefully be a part of the next boom period, and I hope that is around the corner in the next two to three years.
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WWE “Smackdown” and ECW come to the Peoria Civic Center at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. Tickets range from $21.50 to $61.50 and are on sale at the box office, Ticketmaster outlets and by phone at 676-8700.
