Gene Okerlund
Encyclopedia
Eugene "Mean Gene" Okerlund (born November 29, 1942) is a semi-retired American
professional wrestling
interviewer and announcer
. He is best known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling
. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006 by Hulk Hogan
. He is currently signed to lifetime employment with WWE and works for promotional programs mostly for television shows on WWE Classics On Demand and occasionally makes special appearances.
industry for a position at the American Wrestling Association
(AWA) in the early 1970s, where he occasionally filled in for ailing ring announcer and interviewer Marty O'Neill, eventually becoming O'Neill's permanent replacement by the end of the decade.
(WWF). He would stay with the WWF for nine years as their top interviewer, and was host of such WWF shows as All-American Wrestling and Tuesday Night Titans
.
In 1984, Okerlund and Hulk Hogan
faced Mr. Fuji
and George Steele
in Minneapolis. He was supposed to stay on the apron and let Hogan fight, but when Hogan gave him a high-5, the referee mistook it for a tag. Okerlund had to go in, but before his opponent touched him, he quickly got out of the way and tagged Hogan back in. The result: Okerlund pinned Mr. Fuji for the victory.
He sang "The Star-Spangled Banner
" at the first WrestleMania
.
On November 12, 1985, Okerlund, along with Hulk Hogan, Bobby Heenan, Ricky Steamboat
, Davey Boy Smith
, Corporal Kirchner, Dynamite Kid
and Big John Studd
, appeared on The A-Team
.
Okerlund was also part of one of the most infamous bloopers in pro wrestling history at WWF SummerSlam 1989
. Okerlund was set to interview WWF Intercontinental Champion
Rick Rude and Rude's manager Bobby Heenan
prior to Rude's title defense against The Ultimate Warrior
when the SummerSlam backdrop fell backwards. The shot of the SummerSlam backdrop falling can be seen in the video induction of Mean Gene at the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006. An off-camera Vince McMahon
could be heard saying "Nice glue", followed by a startled Okerlund yelling "Fuck it!", among other heated words with no audio. The cameras immediately cut away to a live shot of the crowd, with play-by-play announcer Tony Schiavone
and color commentator
Jesse "The Body" Ventura
attempting to restore order. After a short while, Okerlund's interview with Rude and Heenan went as planned. According to a shoot
interview with Okerlund, conducted by RF Video, the SummerSlam 1989 blooper was actually taped beforehand. Okerlund explained that the wrong tape was aired during the live broadcast. Meanwhile, a frantic Vince McMahon was on a headset instructing Jesse Ventura to cover for Okerlund. Ventura instead made fun of Okerlund's on-air gaffe and jokingly regarded Okerlund as a "troublemaker".
, he left the WWF, stating in an RF shoot interview, that although he probably could've re-negotiated a new contract with the WWF, he was never actually offered one, thus opting to become an interviewer for World Championship Wrestling
(WCW). His contract expired with WCW and he was off television for a couple of months in the fall of 1996. Mike Tenay took over Special Interviews and the Pay Per View Reports. After that, he was with WCW until it was sold on March 26, 2001 to the WWF.
During an interview with Booker T, Stevie Ray, and Sister Sherri at Spring Stampede 1997, Okerlund was talking about a clique when Booker T went on a rant in which he accidentally called Hulk Hogan a "nigger".
Always considered a neutral commentator throughout his career, he was given a "dirty old man" gimmick by Vince Russo
in WCW, where he would stare at the breasts of the women he interviewed and would lust after WCW interviewer/announcer Pamela Paulshock.
Due to a neck injury he suffered in WWE/WWF during his first stint there, he couldn't take any punishment from wrestlers to further angles or characters, as it is common practice for wrestlers to "rough up" announcers to do so. The best example of this is when he was about to be the recipient of a "Cutter" move from Chris Kanyon
, only for the camera to cut away. By the time the camera shifted its way back to his position he was already down, indicating he didn't really take the move. Okerlund did however get in the ring twice in WCW. The first would be in mid-2000 when he and Buff Bagwell
would face Chris Kanyon and fellow announcer Mark Madden
. Bagwell and Okerlund would win that match up. However, Madden wanted Okerlund back in the ring the next week in a one on one match-up. The two would wrestle again and Okerlund would win the match.
Okerlund then returned to WWF (renamed WWE in 2002), as his first post-WCW assignment for the company was as a commentator for the Gimmick Battle Royal
during WrestleMania X-Seven
on April 1, 2001, along with Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
. He would go on to host WWE Confidential
in 2002, which lasted for two years. Today, Okerlund still makes occasional WWE appearances.
Gene also hosts WWE Madison Square Garden Classics
, a weekly series, airing on the MSG Network
, featuring classic WWE matches that took place at Madison Square Garden
from the last four decades. He's also the host for the WWE Classics On Demand Hall of Fame section, which takes a look at a different WWE Hall of Famer each month.
Okerlund was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame
on April 1, 2006 in Chicago
, Illinois
by Hulk Hogan
. During his Hall of Fame acceptance speech, he quoted a Bobby Knight
speech and requested to be buried face down upon his death so his critics can "Kiss my ass".
In June 2008, Okerlund began hosting WWE Vintage Collection
, a program which showcases archive footage from the extensive WWE video library
.
On April 4, 2009, the night before the 25th anniversary of WrestleMania
, Okerlund inducted longtime WWE ring announcer Howard Finkel
into the WWE Hall of Fame.
On the June 7, 2010, edition of Raw, Okerlund appeared to help save Quinton Jackson
, who was being held hostage by Ted Dibiase, Jr.
, Virgil
, Irwin R. Schyster
, and Roddy Piper
.
Okerlund conducted the interviews on the three-hour "Old School" episode of Raw on November 15, 2010, where he interviewed John Cena
, Randy Orton
, members of The Nexus
and Mae Young
in similar fashion as to how interviews were done in the 1980s. Okerlund also appeared in a few Old School merchandising segments, promoting WWE's new Old School merchandise line. Okerlund made an appearance at Wrestlemania XXVII
in a segment with The Rock and Pee-wee Herman
.
"Mean Gene" by Jesse "The Body" Ventura
– an irony, considering that throughout the years many wrestlers and promotion staff considered Okerlund the friendliest person in the game.
His name has been associated with fast food concept, Mean Gene's Burgers, the brainchild of food-distributor Orion Food Systems (headed by two of Okerlund's nephews), which appeared on college campuses including Duke University
and his alma mater West Virginia University
, as well as a chain of pizzerias located within bowling alleys, Mean Gene's Pizza. These are owned by Hot Stuff Foods, which was headed by two of his nephews. Early in 2006, Okerlund and Hot Stuff split. Okerlund and one of the nephews were planning to start their own food company on the brands, but Hot Stuff sued, claiming they had "Mean Gene" trademarked. Okerlund lost, with the judge saying that Okerlund can't use the name "Mean Gene" for his new food company. Okerlund succeeded in canceling the trademark registrations held by Orion, but remains enjoined from competing with Orion.
Okerlund, like WWE owner Vince McMahon, is against smoking and once famously told an off-screen production member to "put that cigarette out" during a post Royal Rumble interview with Ric Flair.
Okerlund has been married to his wife Jeanne since March 27, 1964 and has 2 grown children. Gene's son Todd
starred on the University of Minnesota
ice hockey
team from 1983 to 1987. Todd played in the 1988
United States Olympics team that competed in Calgary
. He played four games with the NHL
's New York Islanders
. A chronic knee injury ultimately forced his early retirement.
In 2004, Okerlund received a kidney transplant, and fully recovered from the operation.
In his interviews, Okerlund would often refer to numerous celebrities as his "Close, personal, long-time friend."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional wrestling
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
interviewer and announcer
Announcer
An announcer is a presenter who makes "announcements" in an audio medium or a physical location.-Television and other media:Some announcers work in television production , radio or filmmaking, usually providing narrations, news updates, station identification, or an introduction of a product in...
. He is best known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006 by Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan
Terrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
. He is currently signed to lifetime employment with WWE and works for promotional programs mostly for television shows on WWE Classics On Demand and occasionally makes special appearances.
American Wrestling Association
He left the radioRadio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
industry for a position at the American Wrestling Association
American Wrestling Association
The American Wrestling Association was an American professional wrestling promotion based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that ran from 1960 to 1991. It was owned and founded by Verne Gagne and Wally Karbo...
(AWA) in the early 1970s, where he occasionally filled in for ailing ring announcer and interviewer Marty O'Neill, eventually becoming O'Neill's permanent replacement by the end of the decade.
1984-1993
He would stay with the AWA until the end of 1983, when he was one of many AWA personnel to join the expanding World Wrestling FederationWorld Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWF). He would stay with the WWF for nine years as their top interviewer, and was host of such WWF shows as All-American Wrestling and Tuesday Night Titans
Tuesday Night Titans
Tuesday Night Titans is a professional wrestling television program produced by the World Wrestling Federation...
.
In 1984, Okerlund and Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan
Terrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
faced Mr. Fuji
Harry Fujiwara
Harry Fujiwara is an American former professional wrestler and manager, best known by his ring name Mr. Fuji. He was infamous for often throwing salt in the eyes of face wrestlers...
and George Steele
George Steele
William James Myers , better known by his ring name George "The Animal" Steele is a former American professional wrestler and actor...
in Minneapolis. He was supposed to stay on the apron and let Hogan fight, but when Hogan gave him a high-5, the referee mistook it for a tag. Okerlund had to go in, but before his opponent touched him, he quickly got out of the way and tagged Hogan back in. The result: Okerlund pinned Mr. Fuji for the victory.
He sang "The Star-Spangled Banner
The Star-Spangled Banner
"The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States of America. The lyrics come from "Defence of Fort McHenry", a poem written in 1814 by the 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet, Francis Scott Key, after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry by the British Royal Navy ships...
" at the first WrestleMania
WrestleMania (1985)
WrestleMania was the first annual WrestleMania professional wrestling event produced by the World Wrestling Federation. It took place on March 31, 1985, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The attendance for the event was 19,121 fans...
.
On November 12, 1985, Okerlund, along with Hulk Hogan, Bobby Heenan, Ricky Steamboat
Ricky Steamboat
Richard Henry Blood , better known by his ring name Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, is a retired American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE working as a road agent. He was one of the few wrestlers who stayed a babyface throughout his career...
, Davey Boy Smith
Davey Boy Smith
Davey Boy Smith was a British professional wrestler, better known as "The British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith, who was born in Golborne in North West England, United Kingdom. Smith is known for his appearances with Stampede Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling...
, Corporal Kirchner, Dynamite Kid
Dynamite Kid
Thomas Wilton Billington , best known by the ring name Dynamite Kid, is a retired British professional wrestler who competed in the World Wrestling Federation, Stampede Wrestling, All Japan Pro Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling in the mid- to late-1980s...
and Big John Studd
Big John Studd
John William Minton was an American professional wrestler and actor who was born and raised in Butler, Pennsylvania, better known by his ring name, Big John Studd.-Career:...
, appeared on The A-Team
The A-Team
The A-Team is an American action adventure television series about a fictional group of ex-United States Army Special Forces personnel who work as soldiers of fortune, while on the run from the Army after being branded as war criminals for a "crime they didn't commit". The A-Team was created by...
.
Okerlund was also part of one of the most infamous bloopers in pro wrestling history at WWF SummerSlam 1989
SummerSlam (1989)
SummerSlam was the second annual SummerSlam professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on August 28, 1989 in the Meadowlands Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey....
. Okerlund was set to interview WWF Intercontinental Champion
WWE Intercontinental Championship
The WWE Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It is the original secondary title of the promotion. Currently, it is the secondary championship exclusive to the SmackDown brand...
Rick Rude and Rude's manager Bobby Heenan
Bobby Heenan
Raymond Louis "Ray" Heenan , better known as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan , is a former American professional wrestling manager and color commentator, best known for his time with the American Wrestling Association , World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation...
prior to Rude's title defense against The Ultimate Warrior
Warrior (wrestler)
Also see Warrior .Warrior is an American retired professional wrestler who notably performed under the ring names The Ultimate Warrior and Warrior...
when the SummerSlam backdrop fell backwards. The shot of the SummerSlam backdrop falling can be seen in the video induction of Mean Gene at the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006. An off-camera Vince McMahon
Vince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
could be heard saying "Nice glue", followed by a startled Okerlund yelling "Fuck it!", among other heated words with no audio. The cameras immediately cut away to a live shot of the crowd, with play-by-play announcer Tony Schiavone
Tony Schiavone
Noah Anthony "Tony" Schiavone is an American sports broadcaster. He is the play-by-play broadcaster for the Gwinnett Braves of the International League...
and color commentator
Color commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Jesse Ventura
James George Janos , better known as Jesse Ventura, is an American politician, the 38th Governor of Minnesota from 1999 to 2003, Navy UDT veteran, former SEAL reservist, actor, and former radio and television talk show host...
attempting to restore order. After a short while, Okerlund's interview with Rude and Heenan went as planned. According to a shoot
Shoot (professional wrestling)
A shoot in professional wrestling is a term that refers to any unplanned, unscripted or real-life occurrence within a wrestling event. Contrary to popular belief, the name does not originate from "shooting in" for a takedown, as in amateur wrestling - rather it is a carny term shortened from...
interview with Okerlund, conducted by RF Video, the SummerSlam 1989 blooper was actually taped beforehand. Okerlund explained that the wrong tape was aired during the live broadcast. Meanwhile, a frantic Vince McMahon was on a headset instructing Jesse Ventura to cover for Okerlund. Ventura instead made fun of Okerlund's on-air gaffe and jokingly regarded Okerlund as a "troublemaker".
1993-2001
After SummerSlam 1993SummerSlam (1993)
SummerSlam was the sixth annual SummerSlam professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on August 30, 1993 at The Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Michigan....
, he left the WWF, stating in an RF shoot interview, that although he probably could've re-negotiated a new contract with the WWF, he was never actually offered one, thus opting to become an interviewer for World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
(WCW). His contract expired with WCW and he was off television for a couple of months in the fall of 1996. Mike Tenay took over Special Interviews and the Pay Per View Reports. After that, he was with WCW until it was sold on March 26, 2001 to the WWF.
During an interview with Booker T, Stevie Ray, and Sister Sherri at Spring Stampede 1997, Okerlund was talking about a clique when Booker T went on a rant in which he accidentally called Hulk Hogan a "nigger".
Always considered a neutral commentator throughout his career, he was given a "dirty old man" gimmick by Vince Russo
Vince Russo
Vincent James "Vince" Russo is an American creative writer and author, well known for his work in the professional wrestling industry. He is notable for his tenure with World Wrestling Federation, World Championship Wrestling and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
in WCW, where he would stare at the breasts of the women he interviewed and would lust after WCW interviewer/announcer Pamela Paulshock.
Due to a neck injury he suffered in WWE/WWF during his first stint there, he couldn't take any punishment from wrestlers to further angles or characters, as it is common practice for wrestlers to "rough up" announcers to do so. The best example of this is when he was about to be the recipient of a "Cutter" move from Chris Kanyon
Chris Kanyon
Christopher Klucsarits was an American professional wrestler, best known for his work in World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation, under the ring names Chris Kanyon and Mortis.-Early career:After college, he began training under Pete McKay Gonzalez, Ismael Gerena and Bobby...
, only for the camera to cut away. By the time the camera shifted its way back to his position he was already down, indicating he didn't really take the move. Okerlund did however get in the ring twice in WCW. The first would be in mid-2000 when he and Buff Bagwell
Buff Bagwell
Marcus Alexander Bagwell is an American professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring name, Buff Bagwell. He is best known for his tenure with World Championship Wrestling between 1991 and 2001, where he was a five time World Tag Team Champion.-Professional wrestling career: Bagwell...
would face Chris Kanyon and fellow announcer Mark Madden
Mark Madden
Mark Madden is an American radio sports talk-show host in Pittsburgh and also a former World Championship Wrestling color commentator. -Career:...
. Bagwell and Okerlund would win that match up. However, Madden wanted Okerlund back in the ring the next week in a one on one match-up. The two would wrestle again and Okerlund would win the match.
2001-present
Battle royal (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a battle royal is a multi-competitor match type in which wrestlers are eliminated until one is left and declared winner...
during WrestleMania X-Seven
WrestleMania X-Seven
WrestleMania X-Seven was the seventeenth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on April 1, 2001 at the Reliant Astrodome in Houston, Texas. The event was the first WrestleMania held in the state of Texas...
on April 1, 2001, along with Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
Bobby Heenan
Raymond Louis "Ray" Heenan , better known as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan , is a former American professional wrestling manager and color commentator, best known for his time with the American Wrestling Association , World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation...
. He would go on to host WWE Confidential
WWE Confidential
WWE Confidential was a professional wrestling television program produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It aired on Spike TV late Saturday nights, following Velocity, from 2002 to 2004. It was hosted by Gene Okerlund.-Format:...
in 2002, which lasted for two years. Today, Okerlund still makes occasional WWE appearances.
Gene also hosts WWE Madison Square Garden Classics
WWE Madison Square Garden Classics
WWE Madison Square Garden Classics is a professional wrestling television program on the MSG Network, produced by World Wrestling Entertainment. It debuted in a two hour block on July 12, 2006 and was hosted by longtime wrestling announcer "Mean" Gene Okerlund.-History:On July 12, 2006, WWE...
, a weekly series, airing on the MSG Network
MSG Network
The MSG Network, now shortened to simply MSG, is a regional cable television and radio network serving the Mid-Atlantic United States. It is focused on New York City sports teams...
, featuring classic WWE matches that took place at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
from the last four decades. He's also the host for the WWE Classics On Demand Hall of Fame section, which takes a look at a different WWE Hall of Famer each month.
Okerlund was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame
WWE Hall of Fame
The WWE Hall of Fame is a hall of fame for professional wrestlers maintained by WWE. It was officially created on the February 1, 1993 episode of the World Wrestling Federation's Monday Night Raw television program...
on April 1, 2006 in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
by Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan
Terrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
. During his Hall of Fame acceptance speech, he quoted a Bobby Knight
Bobby Knight
-Indiana:When Indiana University was seeking a new coach in 1971, they turned to Knight. Knight was given the nickname "The General" by former University of Detroit and Detroit Pistons coach-turned-broadcaster Dick Vitale....
speech and requested to be buried face down upon his death so his critics can "Kiss my ass".
In June 2008, Okerlund began hosting WWE Vintage Collection
WWE Vintage Collection
WWE Vintage Collection is a professional wrestling television program from World Wrestling Entertainment showcasing action from the extensive WWE video library...
, a program which showcases archive footage from the extensive WWE video library
WWE Video Library
The WWE video library is currently the largest collection of professional wrestling videos and copyrights in the world. It is comprised not only of past and current works by WWE but the works of now defunct professional wrestling promotions dating back to the 1940s...
.
On April 4, 2009, the night before the 25th anniversary of WrestleMania
WrestleMania XXV
WrestleMania XXV was the twenty-fifth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on April 5, 2009 at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas...
, Okerlund inducted longtime WWE ring announcer Howard Finkel
Howard Finkel
Howard Finkel is a professional wrestling ring announcer currently working with WWE in a variety of roles. Hired in 1975 by Vincent J. McMahon's World Wide Wrestling Federation, "The Fink" was the first person brought in to Vincent K...
into the WWE Hall of Fame.
On the June 7, 2010, edition of Raw, Okerlund appeared to help save Quinton Jackson
Quinton Jackson
Quinton Ramone Jackson ;, also known as Rampage Jackson, is an American mixed martial artist and actor. He is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Jackson rose to prominence in Japan's Pride Fighting Championships where he was noted for his powerful body slams including a knockout victory over...
, who was being held hostage by Ted Dibiase, Jr.
Ted DiBiase, Jr.
Theodore Marvin "Ted" DiBiase Jr. is an American professional wrestler and actor signed with WWE, where he appears on its SmackDown brand...
, Virgil
Mike Jones (wrestler)
Mike Jones is an American professional wrestler, who most recently performed for World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Virgil, where he appeared on its Raw brand as Ted DiBiase, Jr.'s personal assistant...
, Irwin R. Schyster
Mike Rotunda
Lawrence Michael "Mike" Rotunda is a former American professional wrestler, perhaps best known under the name Irwin R. Schyster or I.R.S. for short. He is currently signed with WWE working as a road agent and making occasional appearances on WWE shows as Irwin R...
, and Roddy Piper
Roddy Piper
Roderick George Toombs , better known by his ring name "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, is a Canadian semi-retired professional wrestler and film actor who is currently signed to WWE. In professional wrestling, he is best known for his work with WWE...
.
Okerlund conducted the interviews on the three-hour "Old School" episode of Raw on November 15, 2010, where he interviewed John Cena
John Cena
John Felix Anthony Cena is an American professional wrestler, actor, rapper, and television personality. He is currently signed to WWE as a member of its WWE Raw brand....
, Randy Orton
Randy Orton
Randal Keith "Randy" Orton is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is signed to WWE wrestling on its SmackDown brand...
, members of The Nexus
Nexus (professional wrestling)
The Nexus was a villainous professional wrestling stable in the professional wrestling promotion, WWE, that competed on its Raw brand. The group originally consisted of all eight rookies of NXT season one and shifted their roster several times throughout their existence...
and Mae Young
Mae Young
Johnnie Mae Young is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler and currently a WWE Ambassador.Young was an influential pioneer in women's wrestling, helping to increase its popularity during World War II and training many generations of wrestlers...
in similar fashion as to how interviews were done in the 1980s. Okerlund also appeared in a few Old School merchandising segments, promoting WWE's new Old School merchandise line. Okerlund made an appearance at Wrestlemania XXVII
WrestleMania XXVII
WrestleMania XXVII was the twenty-seventh annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , held on April 3, 2011 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia...
in a segment with The Rock and Pee-wee Herman
Pee-wee Herman
Pee-wee Herman is a comic fictional character created and portrayed by American comedian Paul Reubens. He is best known for his two television series and film series during the 1980s. The childlike Pee-wee Herman character developed as a stage act that quickly led to an HBO special in 1981...
.
Personal life
In his AWA days, Okerlund was given the nicknameNickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
"Mean Gene" by Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Jesse Ventura
James George Janos , better known as Jesse Ventura, is an American politician, the 38th Governor of Minnesota from 1999 to 2003, Navy UDT veteran, former SEAL reservist, actor, and former radio and television talk show host...
– an irony, considering that throughout the years many wrestlers and promotion staff considered Okerlund the friendliest person in the game.
His name has been associated with fast food concept, Mean Gene's Burgers, the brainchild of food-distributor Orion Food Systems (headed by two of Okerlund's nephews), which appeared on college campuses including Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
and his alma mater West Virginia University
West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
, as well as a chain of pizzerias located within bowling alleys, Mean Gene's Pizza. These are owned by Hot Stuff Foods, which was headed by two of his nephews. Early in 2006, Okerlund and Hot Stuff split. Okerlund and one of the nephews were planning to start their own food company on the brands, but Hot Stuff sued, claiming they had "Mean Gene" trademarked. Okerlund lost, with the judge saying that Okerlund can't use the name "Mean Gene" for his new food company. Okerlund succeeded in canceling the trademark registrations held by Orion, but remains enjoined from competing with Orion.
Okerlund, like WWE owner Vince McMahon, is against smoking and once famously told an off-screen production member to "put that cigarette out" during a post Royal Rumble interview with Ric Flair.
Okerlund has been married to his wife Jeanne since March 27, 1964 and has 2 grown children. Gene's son Todd
Todd Okerlund
Todd E. Okerlund is an American former professional ice hockey right wing.Okerlund was drafted 168th overall by the New York Islanders in the 1982 NHL Entry Draft and then spent four seasons playing for the University of Minnesota. However his career was cut short due to a chronic knee injury...
starred on the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team from 1983 to 1987. Todd played in the 1988
Ice hockey at the 1988 Winter Olympics
At the 1988 Winter Olympics one ice hockey event was held, men's ice hockey. Games were played at the Olympic Saddledome, the Stampede Corral, and Father David Bauer Olympic Arena in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.Source:* Gold - * Silver -...
United States Olympics team that competed in Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
. He played four games with the NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
's New York Islanders
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. A chronic knee injury ultimately forced his early retirement.
In 2004, Okerlund received a kidney transplant, and fully recovered from the operation.
In his interviews, Okerlund would often refer to numerous celebrities as his "Close, personal, long-time friend."
Championships and accomplishments
- World Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
- Slammy Award for Best Commentator (1986)
- Slammy Award for Best Head (1987) with Bam Bam Bigelow
- WWE Hall of FameWWE Hall of FameThe WWE Hall of Fame is a hall of fame for professional wrestlers maintained by WWE. It was officially created on the February 1, 1993 episode of the World Wrestling Federation's Monday Night Raw television program...
(Class of 2006)