JoeSportsFan

Today we take a look back at the interview we believe took place between WWF ("E") Chairman Vince McMahon and Mark Callaway, the man who would soon morph into the Undertaker at the Survivor Series in November of 1990. Callaway saw his contract at World Championship Wrestling expire earlier in the year, where he wrestled for 2 years as "Mean Mark Callous".  He moved north to Stamford, CT, with the hopes of becoming a key wrestling-cog for the Dubya, Dubya Eff. 
____

WWF Headquarters, October 1990

callousMcMahon: Mark, have a seat.  It's good to finally meet with you.

Taker: Well I'm excited to hear you're excited.  So just what, exactly, do you guys have in mind for me?

McMahon: Let me ask you a question: do you want to be a star?

Taker: Well, yeah.

McMahon: I don't mean just a star, I mean a superstar.  I'm talking about a guy who is indestructible, a guy who, when you walk down that aisle, people know you're going to destroy everyone in sight.

Taker: Sounds great!  So am I going to be "Mean Mark Callous" again, only better?  Or like the Ultimate Warrior or dare I say it, Hulk Hogan?

McMahon: No.  We want you to be INDESTRUCTIBLE like never before.  We want you to be impervious to pain.  We want you, ... are you ready for this?

Taker: YEAH.  Please. Tell me!

McMahon: You can't be stopped because you... are DEAD!

Taker: Dead?

McMahon: (Excited, eyes getting big) You like it?  You're DEAD.  DEAD!!!  DEAD, DEAD, DEAD!!!

Taker: Um, sure, I, I guess.  You really think people will buy into me being "already dead", though?  What, am I supposed to be an angel or Satan or something?

undertakerMcMahon: Nope.  You, Mark Callaway, are going to be ...wait for it...

…THE UNDERTAKER!

Taker: (stunned silence/disbelief).... the Undertaker?

McMahon: You're going to dress up like the morticians in the old Westerns and you'll methodically stroll down the aisle as "the dead man".  And the best part?  You don't feel a thing when you’re in the ring because you, my friend, are ALREADY DEAD!!!  DEAD, DEAD, DEAD!!!

Taker: I, uh, I don't know, Vince.  With all due respect, I don't know if people will buy into this.  It's 1990 after all. 

McMahon: Just consider this, since you're "already dead", you'll never lose.  Eventually you'll get a world title run.  It'll be great.  Plus, plus, plus... we can introduce new matches.  You can wrestle in Casket Matches, maybe bury people alive and best part is, whenever you need time off to heal injuries, we kill you off only to see you return as part of the superhuman, paranormal entity you have always hinted to be.

Taker: I thought I was already dead though?

McMahon: You were.

Taker: So... how can I "die" when I'm already dead?

McMahon: Don't question me, Mark.  If we say you die, that means you die… only you come back when healthy in some type of resurrection --- but you’re still dead, though.  We'll have it be a standard thing where a wrestler and 18 of his henchmen knock you out and either bury or burn you alive, and then…

Taker: You mean dead?  Bury or burn me dead?

McMahon: Whatever... just listen to me, alright?  Then you return from your “death” only to be more powerful and determined than ever before.  We’ll do the same thing over and over and over for 17 years.  You’ll die and close to your return, we’ll have “druids” appear, the lights flickering on and off, lighting bolts crashing down and fire to tease your return.  And we’ll put you with a scrub wrestler whose only attribute is being very, very large.  But because he killed you and you managed to resurrect, the feud will seem super important!

takerdruids

Taker: Sure, Vince.  Whatever you guys want.  Well, uh, I'm going to head on out.  Nice chatting with you, Vince.  Thanks a bunch.

McMahon: So you like it?!?!?!

Taker: Uh, yeah, Vince; I like it.  Yep; I like it.  Uh huh.

McMahon: GREAT!!! 

Oh, and uh, before I forget, we're going to give you a manager.  He’ll be holding an urn and you're going to look to him for strength and power whenever you start to tire.

takerbearerTaker: Ooohhhkay.  Um, who is going to manage me, Bobby Heenan?  Jimmy Hart?  Sensational Sherri?

McMahon: Don't worry about that.  We've got a guy in mind already. 

And we're going to call him -- GET THIS -- Paul Bearer.  He's like the pallbearer leading the casket down the aisle of a funeral procession, only he's "Paul Bearer" leading the "dead man wrestler named the Undertaker" down the aisle! 

Taker: Oh, uh, great.  Sounds uh, sounds good.

(Leaves Office talking to himself) I should have stayed in WCW.

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zelank, April 20, 2010 01:04 PM
loveeee u undertaker
Za Za, April 20, 2010 01:04 PM
Boy undertaker u look cute but scary in the others and now scary to but im like u i watch it all the time i love u loadsssssss i wish i could meet u and then watch u play a game
Nicky May Gathenya, April 20, 2010 01:04 PM
Wow undertaker u used to look really dead but now u look even deader lol no afence freak
jeff, March 11, 2010 02:03 PM
the undertaker look sweet
corey, February 8, 2010 06:02 PM
wow
Taker, December 19, 2009 02:12 PM
i don't care
woop, November 16, 2009 02:11 PM
takers the shit, fuck the biker look, i mean its badass and all but he is the dead man Satan in carnate. Its just the wwe writing is so fucking bad he'll never be like he was before. never
blaaa, September 12, 2009 03:09 AM
the biker bit wasnt mark at all he was is and always will be undertaker
ness, June 18, 2009 10:06 AM
"Rinas gashi" ti s'paske lidhje me anglisht s'pari e masnej edhe me bote!!!! kap mesoje anglishten s'pari e masnej shkruj naj mendim t'bukur e jo palidhje vetem sa me thon qe shenova diqka!!!!
rini, May 2, 2009 03:05 PM
ju boni hajgare krejt rren i kini
rinas gashi, May 2, 2009 03:05 PM
am from kosovo i thinc marc is man normal is going tu fitnes for 5 yers and is by fery strong man this is man i going to by plesa tell undertaker for mi
rohit, March 5, 2009 07:03 AM
Undertaker had once chokeslammed Vince Mc Mahon
74, March 5, 2009 07:03 AM
I thought Undertaker was really dead
rinas , February 12, 2009 09:02 AM
hello mark im rinAS GASHI FROM KOSOVO CITY PEJA I you the best
"vlad bazatu", January 9, 2009 04:01 AM
esti cel mai tare nu te lasa sa perzi nici odata sa numere marele cali si multi alti sa nr 123 nu castica uhu!!!!
"vlad bazatu", January 9, 2009 04:01 AM
esti cel mai tare nu te lasa sa perzi nici odata sa numere marele cali si multi alti sa nr 123 nu castica uhu!!!!
gael, December 12, 2008 09:12 AM
dont listen 2 them taker
Shane lee, December 9, 2008 06:12 AM
he should go back to the biker look because loads of people are getting sick
dominic t, November 28, 2008 06:11 AM
taker! yor better then this, go bak to the biker charecter
shyheim, October 12, 2008 01:10 AM
your not scary not like you to. but your number one fan. you and kane need to hook up to beat up then great khali and the new guy and then turn your back n kane and beat up on kane on the next pay per veiw in a infrono
THE DEAD MAN , June 5, 2008 07:06 AM
YOU ARE FEK IAM REAL HU HUA
m_a_f, May 30, 2008 11:05 PM
you did man undrtaker
Vince, September 4, 2007 01:09 AM
I told him he would have to cover his body in tattoo's, and learn to roll his eyes in the back of his head also. I wanted him to be my perfect creation. He would at least hold me over until the XFL took off.
old school, September 3, 2007 09:09 AM
So, uh, I haven't watched wrestling in a while. Have they killed the Undertaker again or something? Because at this point he has been killed more times than Jason, Freddy and Michael Myers combined.
Terry F., September 1, 2007 12:09 PM
I think Paul Bearer should join the pantheon of great wrestling managers, right next to Jimmy Hart, Bobby Heenan, and Mr. Fuji. He had a great prop (urn), a fantastically ridiculous voice (hee! hee! hee!), and an enduring visage, as is evidenced by the photo above. In other words, I love you Paul Bearer. May you always have a ring to hide under when danger approaches.
Kane, September 1, 2007 04:09 AM
Undertaker is a friggin azzhole.
alex, August 31, 2007 07:08 PM
Well, he did kill his brother in a house fire. Or something like that.
8====D~~( . )( . ) , August 31, 2007 06:08 PM
i win the battle of inappropriate names
This Guy, August 31, 2007 05:08 PM
It's so funny to think about 1990's Taker vs. today's Taker... i bet they had no idea he would catch on like that..

and WTF was up with the American Badass?? That angered me so much when they changed him like that... thats like having the perfect beer, and everyone loves it, but one day you decide that it needs to switch it up a little bit and you throw in some dog piss to the mix...

Val Venis, August 31, 2007 10:08 AM
There was no conversation between myself and Vince when it came to negotiating my character. We just threw a big party.

[ultra breathy deep voice]Because when Val Venis comes to a party, Val Venis *comes* to a party.[/ultra breathy deep voice]
Anthony, August 31, 2007 10:08 AM
I think a better transcript would be that of the conversation between Vincent Kennedy McMahon and Terry Taylor in 1988. I of course am talking about the moment a man was told he would be called "The Red Rooster".
8======D, August 31, 2007 08:08 AM
But they use it twice in 2007
Dan, August 31, 2007 08:08 AM
No one used the phrase 'wait for it' in 1990.

Dan, August 31, 2007 07:08 AM
No one used the phrase 'wait for it' in 1990.

Al Cowens

As the four fans in Section 312 found out the day this picture was taken, you do not want to heckle Al Cowens during a photo shoot.

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