Former WWE and WCW enhancement talent Barry Horowitz joined VOC Nation’s IN THE ROOM with Brady Hicks to talk about his career, what’s missing from today’s product, and how he wished to have done more in the WWE. Here is what Barry had to say:
On training under Boris Malenko: “I was trained by the best ever. He built (my) foundation. Between Boris and his sons Shelly and Jody, they taught me the fine intricate stuff that isn’t taught today; (things like) how to get into a ring and how to do a proper lock up. If you don’t have those little pieces, the puzzle doesn’t come together. He taught me respect of the business, the verbiage of the business, and the technical aspect of the business. The rest is (learning from) on the job training. Traveling with people like Ricky Steamboat, Bob Backlund, Greg Valentine…when you surround yourself with that kind of knowledge of pro wrestling and you’re listening and wanting to hone your craft, you can’t help but to do well in your life and your career.”
On his favorite promotion to work for: Jim Crockett Promotions. We traveled a lot by car. We only used a plane to go to Canada once a month. There are a lot of tiny towns in North and South Carolina. I was wrestling five or six nights a week. Tommy Young (referee) would drive, Boogie Woogie Jimmy Garvin man would be up front, and me and Rufus would be in the back. We were what you call ‘straight edge’. I would just sit there and listen and say nothing and learn.
On the science of being enhancement talent: “Some people needed tutoring. Take Ultimate Warrior; you’re not going to get over by running to the ring, jumping on the ropes, and looking good. Imagine if I made him look like a fool. He wouldn’t (have gotten over). You can’t just have anybody (as an enhancement talent). You have to have a guy with no ego, that can get a match over, not themselves. Not everyone can be Shawn Michaels, Hulk Hogan, or HHH. It doesn’t work that way. To be an enhancement talent, there is a proper (formula). You want people to feel like (the enhancement talent) put up a fight. Otherwise people would be bored.”
On not getting a bigger push in WWE: “I knew I was with the major promotion, I was making money, I was on TV. People loved to hate me. Even though they weren’t (going to push me) I made myself stand out. I just wanted to show people that I had talent and I wasn’t just some fall guy. I just wish after the Candido feud that I could have stayed there longer. They could have put me with someone else or did something else with me. I would have like to have gotten more respect or to have gotten more out of it, but I’m not complaining. (I feel like) if you hit the gym hard, show up on time, do your part…if you do all of that (and still don’t get a push) then someone just don’t like you, period. Maybe it was the way I combed my hair? What else can I say?”
On training under Boris Malenko: “I was trained by the best ever. He built (my) foundation. Between Boris and his sons Shelly and Jody, they taught me the fine intricate stuff that isn’t taught today; (things like) how to get into a ring and how to do a proper lock up. If you don’t have those little pieces, the puzzle doesn’t come together. He taught me respect of the business, the verbiage of the business, and the technical aspect of the business. The rest is (learning from) on the job training. Traveling with people like Ricky Steamboat, Bob Backlund, Greg Valentine…when you surround yourself with that kind of knowledge of pro wrestling and you’re listening and wanting to hone your craft, you can’t help but to do well in your life and your career.”
On his favorite promotion to work for: Jim Crockett Promotions. We traveled a lot by car. We only used a plane to go to Canada once a month. There are a lot of tiny towns in North and South Carolina. I was wrestling five or six nights a week. Tommy Young (referee) would drive, Boogie Woogie Jimmy Garvin man would be up front, and me and Rufus would be in the back. We were what you call ‘straight edge’. I would just sit there and listen and say nothing and learn.
On the science of being enhancement talent: “Some people needed tutoring. Take Ultimate Warrior; you’re not going to get over by running to the ring, jumping on the ropes, and looking good. Imagine if I made him look like a fool. He wouldn’t (have gotten over). You can’t just have anybody (as an enhancement talent). You have to have a guy with no ego, that can get a match over, not themselves. Not everyone can be Shawn Michaels, Hulk Hogan, or HHH. It doesn’t work that way. To be an enhancement talent, there is a proper (formula). You want people to feel like (the enhancement talent) put up a fight. Otherwise people would be bored.”
On not getting a bigger push in WWE: “I knew I was with the major promotion, I was making money, I was on TV. People loved to hate me. Even though they weren’t (going to push me) I made myself stand out. I just wanted to show people that I had talent and I wasn’t just some fall guy. I just wish after the Candido feud that I could have stayed there longer. They could have put me with someone else or did something else with me. I would have like to have gotten more respect or to have gotten more out of it, but I’m not complaining. (I feel like) if you hit the gym hard, show up on time, do your part…if you do all of that (and still don’t get a push) then someone just don’t like you, period. Maybe it was the way I combed my hair? What else can I say?”
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