Richard David Smith III
As a 260-pound, broad-shouldered scribe, I’ve always had a special affinity for the brawny writer. Ernest Hemingway, Charles Bukowski, and Jack Kerouac are among my favorites. While I can certainly appreciate the likes of Oscar Wilde and David Sedaris, I can more easily relate to a wordsmith who can throw down a shot of vodka and a punch just as gracefully as he can throw down a line of prose. Former WWE pro wrestler and current author Mick Foley certainly falls into this category. On top of that, one could even argue that Foley is a modern renaissance man. Before you laugh at that notion, consider this: Foley was both a three-time WWE champion and a two-time New York Times #1 best-selling author. How many people on this planet can say that? One thing is for certain, when Foley takes on a venture, it’s the real deal.
Playing the self-styled characters of Cactus Jack, Mankind, and Dude Love, Mick Foley earned the nickname “The Hardcore Legend” for his ability to sustain seemingly inhuman punishment in the ring. In a match against Vader in Munich, Germany, in 1994, Foley’s right ear was amputated. In 1998’s “Hell in a Cell” match against The Undertaker he was knocked unconscious after falls both off of and through the 16-foot Cell cage, finishing the match with one of his teeth lodged in his nose. As the injuries began to pile up along with the concerns of his family, his inevitable retirement loomed. Foley began to transfer this same sort of gritty authenticity to his writing when he penned his entire memoir by hand on 700 pages of notebook paper, ghostwriter be damned. This would become his first book, Have a Nice Day, which was released to rave reviews and remained on the Times list for 26 weeks.
Foley now brings his special brand of craziness and endearment to the stage as part of his new, one-man show: HARDCORE LEGEND: AN EVENING WITH MICK FOLEY, which can be seen Sunday, May 18th, at the Comedy Zone in Jacksonville. The show covers his life on the road as a wrestler and as a general observer of the human condition. Even if, like me, you are not a big fan of wrestling, you’ll probably still enjoy Foley’s relatable tales as a man who had to make his way in the entertainment industry through creativity and a tough blue collar approach in lieu of a chiseled physique and matinee good looks.
“At my shows I get a handful of people who had no interest in wrestling before the show but really find the show itself very enjoyable,” shares Foley. “I strive to create an atmosphere where someone does not have to be a wrestling fan to have a good time at my shows.”
Make no mistake, Foley is not performing his show in the same vein as a bloated Robert DeNiro playing has-been boxer Jake LaMotta in his pathetic last-pitch attempt at stand-up comedy in a desperate money grab at the end of Raging Bull.
“I wouldn’t be out there doing it unless the feedback I got wasn’t really positive,” says Foley. “I didn’t need to pry the jewels off my Championship belt like LaMotta. There were no jewels on my Championship belt. It’s a different scenario. I do it ‘cause I love it, and I think that’s pretty obvious once people spend a few minutes inside the Comedy Zone.”
Foley says that some of his most entertaining stories come from his years wrestling in Japan, where pro wrestling is taken to an even greater extreme than in America. In The Land of the Rising Sun, being thrown on a bed of piercing tacks and bloodied by smacks from barbed-wire covered clubs are par for the course.
“Those matches, while certainly wild, have created a mountain of humorous anecdotes,” says Foley. “As a fairly young man enduring these matches, I was aware that there was a surreal, humorous quality involved in the stories behind the making of the matches.”
For Foley, life on the road as a pro wrestler in the WWE provided a life-long education that ran the gamut of human emotions. Taking to the stage has allowed him to stay connected to the fans on the face-to-face level that he has grown to love without having to put life and limb on the line.
“Wrestling will try your soul for sure,” confesses Foley, “It will beat you up physically, it will break your heart emotionally [laughs], but if you’re like me, and you go through the journey with one eye and one ear open and an appreciation for the sport, you can learn a lot along the way. Certainly, I would put the education I received on the road up to any doctorate. We [he and his wife, Collette (seen in Wife Swap)] started looking at retirement the day after I was thrown off the Cell in 1998. Ironically, it was that really physical, scary moment that resulted in the first steps of this comedy journey because I realized then that I had to find a different way to connect with fans that didn’t involve a nightly pounding. A little safer and saner.”
When asked what is the main difference between stand-up comedy and wrestling, Foley simply states, “I’ve probably seen my last post-show emergency room.”
Foley is no stranger to Jacksonville. He remembers our city from back in his days with the WCW, from 1991-94, when Jax was one of their biggest markets. He also lived in Palm Coast. Foley knows the area so well that he had already planned the first destination on his itinerary once he gets here.
“I know a lot about Jacksonville, and I know that I will be hitting the Whataburger that I’m craving,” says Foley. “If anyone out there wants to know how to show their appreciation for my years of entertainment, the Whataburger gift card is a good way to go.” Catch Foley at the Comedy Zone on Sunday, May 18th. The show starts at 8pm, and tickets are $25-$30. Find out more by calling 904-292-4242 or on the web at www.comedyzone.com.
Extra Chuckles
Comedy Club of Jax
Headliners (plus two opening acts)
5/1 – 5/3: Bill Dwyer
5/8 – 5/10: Michael Malone w/opener Chris Buck
5/15 – 5/17: Erik Rivera
5/22 – 5/25: Collin Moultin
Showtimes
Thursdays: 8:04pm
Fridays & Saturdays: 8:04pm & 10:10pm
Tickets: $6 – $25
Rain Dogs
“Hot Potato Comedy Hour” is held every Monday @ 9pm.
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