Booker T Thinks Freddie Prinze Jr.'s Potential Wrestling Promotion Could Be "Huge"
During the latest installment of the Hall Of Fame podcast, Booker T spoke about the potential of Freddie Prinze Jr's own promotion. The actor and former WWE writer is planning to launch his company within the next 18 months. He set out specific ideas, and Booker T thinks it could be huge for wrestling.
"That right there, man, that's huge, that's a huge load to partake," he said. "Trust me, I know, being in the business, as well as having my wrestling school now for 18 years. And my wrestling promotion now, I guess about 10 or 12. Man, I know how hard it's been for Reality Of Wrestling just to get to this point. And we're still, like, in our infancy stages, we are taking baby steps. We've still got so much further to go.
"I see someone like Freddie Prinze say he wants to start a wrestling organization. And not just start a wrestling organization, but really take this thing to another level for the wrestler. As far as all of his wrestlers he wants to be SAAG employees, he wants these guys to get benefits. He wants these guys to get insurance, as well as pension, and all of that. That right there is huge."
With Freddie Prinze wanting those involved to be part of SAAG, Booker T questions what that could mean. He wonders whether it will be more like Young Rock, with people portraying specific characters.
"Do I think something like that is really, really honorable? I really do. But to be able to kick something off like that in 18 months and actually make it work? Because one thing about professional wrestling: it is a performance. And what he's talking about as far as all these guys being SAAG, I am trying to figure out, is it going to be a show like Young Rock?
"With a bunch of guys playing wrestlers on a television show, like the show Heelz, or something like that? As far as finding the characters to play those roles, and then putting them all under a SAAG banner where these guys are actors, I am just wondering how that is going to play out. I am just wondering, can Freddie Prinze Jr. pull something off like that?"
Booker T is not sure whether or not something like this can be pulled off. But, because Freddie has Hollywood connections, the Hall Of Famer believes it would be a first.
"I know Freddie is a whole lot closer to the world of Hollywood than I've ever been," he said. "Maybe he knows something I don't. To be able to pull something off like that, would be a first. And it would be something huge for the business."
Despite this, Booker T did comment on wrestlers in Hollywood generally. He pointed out that they have typically been shunned from that world, which is why he wonders if Freddie's idea will work.
"Most wrestlers have been shunned from the world of Hollywood. It has been only a select chosen few that have been let into Hollywood to actually rise to a certain level. And that's no knock or anything, the ones that have got it done and pulled it off, like Macho Man Savage, man, he's gotten some big roles. Of course, The Rock, John Cena now, Batista, big ups.
"But only as of late, Hollywood has been really looking to wrestlers to take on certain roles and it's only been a certain, select few. That's why I am wondering how this thing is going to work out. Because if that was the case, there'd be a whole lot of other wrestlers in the world of Hollywood before now."
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit the Hall Of Fame podcast, with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.