Jacob Fatu

22:33Steph McMahon:Like you started learning this lesson or was it right away? No, it was right away, but it was in there. It was when I got my first cellmate. So when you go to jail, when you get locked up, you don't just get to go freelance. No, you go, you're locked down for 16 hours, two days straight. Like, so it didn't hit me until I went upstairs, and then we got a window. You look out that window, you could see what you could have had. You know what I mean? But freedom and life. You see people out there, even homeless people. Yeah. You know what I mean? Like, okay, they doing their thing. But it was when I had my first cellmate.

23:07He was an old Chinese dude, didn't speak English. And I didn't know who this guy was. You know, you got to check papers when you go up in there. I didn't know what this guy was in there for. All I knew was the old Chinese guy, he always asked for my soup because I never ate it. That was the only time he spoke English. You want your soup? I'm not good. I've been here for$16. That's the only thing you know how to say. You want your soup? You know what I mean? Like, no, come to WWE. Do we have catering over here? You know what I mean? But, yeah, that's when it really hit it. It was like, damn, dude, do you really want to go through this?

23:40Is this what your life is? And at the time, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do. so man a lot of like who has it figured out yeah i mean man it was looking out that window being locked up for the first time and that was the last and then the old man yeah man and then that was the last that was the first and the last where i made my mind up i mean i will go back and i never caught a case after that after i was 18 just to be clear you know what i mean 18 fresh Other than that, but man, when I end up, when I was locked up tapping in, it really just made me like open my eyes like, man, come on, man.

24:23Come on. It wasn't, and then I will go back to jail, but it'd be only for like probation violation. I was on ankle monitor. I'll cut it off and keep moving. But it didn't really hit me until I seen the Usos, TJ, Natty, and Harry on TV, man. I seen them on a Monday Night Raw and we're flipping through the channels we have one TV screen we're flipping through the channels in jail

24:48Steph McMahon:I don't want to say it like I was on the honor side I didn't know they had an honor side in jail I was in the honor side where we didn't have to wear the orange jumpsuit we had blue pants and a white t-shirt we were stepping it up a little bit but we were over there So 120 guys in one big dorm share one TV. They had one TV, and they were flipping through it. And Monday Night Raw come on. Who do I see? Jimmy and Jay cutting the promo. And this is when they were fresh husses. Right, right. Man, I thought they were college students for a little bit. They had on the vest, the little colored shirts, y 'all mean?

25:31But, man, they came out there. I see Natty, TJ, and Harry. and, man, that's kind of where I made my mind up. Like, all right, what do I really have? I got these kids. I got my wife out there taking care of me. No, Jacob, this shit is backwards. Because, you know, when you're outside, we can't get money. My wife, man, was taking care of me in there. And my wife loved me way before wrestling. Way before wrestling.

25:57Steph McMahon:So how'd you meet? Oh, man. And your wife's name is Elizabeth? Elizabeth, that's what I mean. Yeah, yeah. And huge shout out to Elizabeth You know what I mean And you met her and she actually Blew your picture up and now we got your picture When you met her at Wrestlemania Now we gotta hang it up in our living room So shout out to my wife For blowing up the picture Talk about a remarkable woman Man, cause I know I was hard to deal with I know I was hard to deal with I can't imagine It was hard No we're doing pretty good now Oh, yeah. Hey, listen, the only time she calls me is when the check clears every week.

26:37All right? Babe, I just want to let you know you're checked clear. Are you having a good day? All right. I love you. Bye.

26:41Steph McMahon:You're doing great. All right. That was random. All right? But, baby, thank you for checking the bank account. All right? I'm sorry. I don't know why I keep going yeet. But, see, I've been hanging around Jey Uso. See what happens? You get in the bloodline, you start doing this bull crap right here, dick. All right? No, but shout out Jey Uso. But other than that, tapping on my wife. Man, shout out to my wife, man. Man, I met her out there in L.A. You know what I mean? We was tapping in. And how old were you? Man, I was, we've been together. How old is Nana? We've been together for 18 years. I was 17.

27:18Wow. 17 and a half, yeah. Tapping in with you. Damn, girl, Liz, 17 and a half. Hey, we're doing good. Now we're over here to tell your story now. Hey, baby. But anyway, shout out to my wife, man. I met her over there. And I was tapping in with her one day. And I was like, you know, talking to her. And she ain't want to get with me. You know what I mean? She ain't want to give me no play. I was like, don't walk away from your future. She was like. Did you say that? I did. That's cute, though. You know what she told me? You can't even go get milk down the street. You know what I mean? Oh. I'm like, okay.

27:51Hold on now. Hold on now. You're like, I like her.

27:53Steph McMahon:And then what'd you do? How'd you get her? So, man, when I tapped in with her, I just kept going. I just, I'm not stop. I knew. Right? Yeah, you did. You felt it. Lightning struck you. Man, I just knew. But, man, when we tapped in, it was good. It was a hard journey, especially when I started wrestling. Right. When we first started wrestling. But hang on. Okay, okay. Don't skip to that. So she's pregnant. Oh, yeah. And you're in jail. Let me break it down. Okay, so, no, first two kids. Oh, my goodness. The first one was Nana. Shout out to Jani. I got seven kids, 20, 17, 16, 14, 13, 9, and 4. Yeah.

28:34God bless you. So we in the game right now. You know what I mean? Yeah. You're in it. Yeah. So she was pregnant. She got pregnant. And I wasn't there for Janai, you know. And this is when it was getting hard, when she was like, bro, I can't keep doing this. Like, you know what I mean? And shout out to my wife, because when I got out of jail in Sacramento, she's from L.A. Like, she came over here, and I didn't know she was coming the day I got out. Man, my wife called. I mean, she showed up the day I got out. I'm partying with my family. I'm out of jail. And she pulls up. She says, hey, man, we're going to California.

29:12If you love me and my kids, we're going to go to Cali. You know? And I love my kids so much, but I didn't want to leave from where I was at. And it was just me being hard-headed. But I'm glad I did move because when she made me move, excuse me.

29:27Steph McMahon:So what happened in that moment? Man, what happened in that moment when we was over there, I didn't want to move. You know, I'm fresh out. I'm with my family. I don't want to go. But I looked at her and she's like, bro, you talk about you love me. You really love me and my kids. You will move. Man, sis, I'm without a doubt. I said, bye to my mom and my dad. I said bye to my brothers. I hopped in that car and we left the next morning.

29:58That was probably the best fucking thing that happened. When my wife threw me in that car, it was like, let's go. I didn't want to move with my in-laws. I love y 'all. No hate, no hate. I didn't want to move with my in-laws. I didn't, but I understand my wife is the youngest from her family. And I knew if she drove all the way out here just to get me, she seen something in me. We moved to L.A. I was working as a bouncer. We was getting food stamps. You know what I mean? We had a couple kids by then, so our food stamp, you know, our price was up now. You know what I mean? We were hitting a little bit.

30:38But I bounced for$60 every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. And what I took with that$60 every week was give it to my in-laws, her uncle, for rent. And then not only that, I would get paid, go right to Walmart, get diapers, and I was just working. I was just working. And I was so grateful, so happy for that job, right? Yeah. Because that was kind of my first job, really. It was with my in-laws. So I had my first job with my wife. And then, man, I just kept working, kept working. And then the Usos brother gave me a call. I didn't realize my uncle and them had a school out there. You know, I'm from Northern California.

31:17Even though it's California, the same difference. But I ended up training. When I went to go train, they didn't want to train me at first. They didn't want to train me because before there was me, it was four more of my other cousins. And they all went through the same thing. Came, uncle trained them. They got in. No shade, no hate. You know what I mean? I love y 'all brothers. They didn't finish it. Right. They kept moving. So by the time I came, they was like, oh, hell no. Like, this is not this one. We know how this story is. This is the last one we needed over here. You know what I mean? And it goes back to David Heath, Gangrel.

31:53I was in the ring messing around, running up, doing backflips. I was landing on my feet at the time, y 'all. You know what I mean? I don't land on my feet no more. But I was landing on my feet at the time. You know what I mean? So he seen me running up doing backflips. And he was like, he went in the office and told my uncle, hey, man, I don't know who that kid is. Obviously, he's your nephew. But y 'all better handcuff him to a ring. Man, I walked in the office. They sat me down, had a meeting. Yeah, okay, but do you really want it? You know, they're asking me. I'm like, now I'm confused. I know if I want it.

32:26Maybe I don't. Now you're asking me, am I for sure if I want it? I'm here, right? But, man, they told me, go back home. My uncle said, nah, it's a no. Go back and really think about it if you really want it. I'm like, dude, I have nothing. You know what I mean? Yes, man. Trust me. I want it. Yeah, you know what I mean? But I had to, like my Uncle Rikichi said, sooner or later, they will tell on themselves. So I had to go back, regroup. I don't know why I had to regroup, but I regrouped because then I went back. And then I showed them and just talked to them. I really had to talk to them. I really had to understand, okay, they really had to break it down.

33:03Like, it's sacrifices. It's time away. Like, okay, man, but shout out to my uncle and them. They end up training me. What are some of the best lessons you learned even in that moment?

33:15Steph McMahon:Right. So when they, because you had to regroup, it's great. Right. Because they actually did see something. Yeah. And, but it's got to work for both sides. Right. Like you have to really want it. And, and, and if you do, they're going to give you everything. Absolutely. Right. Absolutely. But it's got to be right for you. It's got to be right for them. So you regrouped. And then what are some of the, like, what are some of those first things they said to you? The sacrifice you said is one. The sacrifices and, you know, kill everything with a smile. You know, I mean, you don't want to go to work.

33:49Steph McMahon:Can you talk about that? Yeah, you don't want to go to work and everybody's, everybody got problems. Right. Don't nobody want to show up to work and hear about your problems. You know what I mean? You know, so that's why we got. I got my own problems. You know what I mean? Dude, I got, hey, you guys have some kids? No? Well, what the fuck are you worried about? I'm like, yeah, sorry. I don't mean that. But yeah, you know what I mean? Nobody feels bad. But he taught me that. Like, no matter what people, like, man, kill everything with a smile. Just don't stress. No sell everything. And not only that, treat people good on your way up.

34:21Because you never know who you're going to see on the way down. You know what I mean? How about just treat people good?

34:26Steph McMahon:Just treat people good, period. You know what I mean? And you know what? That's something that I always tell to my kids. You know, like, you got to treat people good, man. And, like, my son got into it one day at school, and I told my son, hey, man, you know, you're good, you're sticking up for yourself, but, son, you don't, these kids might not have what we have. These kids might be going through their own problems. They might not get the love that you receive at home. So, you know, it's just trying to teach my kids something where I can't be, I can't teach them one thing and I'm doing another.

34:56Right. You know, I'm sorry, I don't know where we went with this. You got to lead by example, right? Yeah, you got to lead by example with it. And then another thing that my uncle and them told me, like, man, you got to just go through. And the only thing who can mess this up, Jacob, is you. You know? You don't need to be, oh, well, if he did that. No, none of that matters. You know? Because I know if anything gets lost, it's only because of me why everything's going to get lost. So, you know, Liz, all right, don't worry. I won't mess this up. We're doing pretty good right now. You know what I mean?

35:31Steph McMahon:you know what we were on was kindness to treat people good absolutely and this goes to another story just to treat people with kindness I see my uncle Yokozuna do this we've been blessed so much to where it doesn't now when people give money they're giving money to people recording and posting it nah we don't do that you want to show love just give love my wife said this Jacob you give$100 with a bad heart that don't mean nothing you give$1 with a good heart you know God sees your heart so you gotta bless because I know they don't do this in Cali because they'll take the homeless they won't take them to jail but they'll get sighted but out there in Florida I'm in Florida you see people holding signs right there in the middle of the road and I'm at a stop like in my wife's car I don't have a car yet I still got my wife's car but I'm in there and it's like okay hey, how would God feel if this guy's holding a sign?

36:33Whether he needs it or not, you're sitting there kayfaving him at the red light. No, man, don't do that. I'm not saying do it because God knows. If you got a good heart, do it. If you don't, don't do it. It won't mean nothing. But, man, you got to bless people. Because I know I'm here because I'm giving and because I've helped. I've done a lot of bad stuff in my life, but I know I'm here because of my heart. Yeah. I know I'm here because it wasn't hard. And I don't want to keep saying it, but we're going to say that. Tell your story, though. Y 'all know what I mean? You feel me?

37:04Steph McMahon:My daughter was saying something to me about. I was actually like, oh, I don't even know if I should say it. Tell your story. Tell your story right now. Tell your story. Well. It's the best opening. Yeah, it's too late. It's too late. I don't know if I should say this. We were talking about Anthony Fauci and potentially what, you know. And, you know, I was talking to her about evil and bad things. For sure. And she said, you know, she was really asking about, like, basically humanity. Yeah. And I said, well, honey, we're all human. We're all capable of bad things. Yeah. You know, it's true. We all are.

37:46Steph McMahon:Come on. And I think that's part of what scares us sometimes. I think that's, but we make a choice, right? And you choose to lean into the good and you choose to be a good person, you know, to the best of your ability. And of course, you're still going to make mistakes. You're still going to hurt people's feelings. But that's not your intent. Right. Your intent is love and good stuff. Yeah. Right. Absolutely. And just to tap in with that, I feel like a lot of people will take it wrong. You know, just like what you're saying, like, we don't mean to come off like that. Right. Right. Yeah. It's just, it's not, it's how you say things, but even when we say things the right way, people might take it wrong.

38:30Of course. Like, that's why I don't like the text. Because people take it wrong.

38:36Steph McMahon:That's true. And we were just talking about this. Yeah, I give a thumbs up, and she said that's like a middle finger. I'm like, heart it. I don't mean it. Tell me you love me. No more thumbs up. No more thumbs up. Yes. You know I heart now. Speaking of your daughter, man, I met Zoe. You know Zoe? She's like a sissy. Yeah, yeah. I met her over there tapping in, and I brought my kids over there to the PC. Yeah. I'm very family, you want to tell you. My kids are all, like, they know just to sit there, but my girls get a big kick. My girls, they love the business. Yeah, you were saying on the boat when we shot the ESPN, Stephanie's Places.

39:15Steph McMahon:Oh, come on. Shout out. Yeah. Shout out. That it was your girl. Tell your story now. We're going to keep it going. But I do remember when we was over there on the boat. And let me tell y 'all, man, that was my first time on a yacht. And even time when we were... Same. Even though, man, we were over there moving and grooving and doing an interview. I don't know if the camera caught me, but I'm just looking out the window like, man... You're in Miami on a yacht. I mean, man, it's just stuff like that that I really appreciate. So let's go there for a minute because that's something you kept saying, Roman kept saying, the Usos kept saying.

39:53Steph McMahon:It's like our elders would have never imagined us here right now. They wouldn't have. In that moment. At that moment, they wouldn't have. But I also feel like, you know, if they – I wish I for Sika, Yoko, Maga. I wish they would have been here, man, to see what they, you know, to see what they contribute to build was, especially with Umaga. I wish she would have been here to see how the Usos have been. They did a documentary called 10 Hours to Houston, and that had to be one of the realest things. That's why I'm so comfortable now, and I feel like telling my story, though, too, won't tell your story.

40:34It's because of the brothers, man. When they did the 10 Hours to Houston, it was just a good look, and it was a lot of things that I didn't know about it. You know, but I really wish their uncle and them was here. But I know they're looking down. They see what's going on. Yeah. Pretty sure they're pretty proud of, you know what I mean? I'd say. Yeah.

40:51Steph McMahon:Hell yeah. You know, it's a good look. They're fighting, too, over who had the most impact. Oh, come on, man. Hey, hey. You know what I mean? Okay, we're going to go here. We're going to go here. We're going to go here. We're going to go here. All right, dude? All right? Damn, we all got different hand things, right? Shout out to Red Cow. Sorry, Joe. I'll see you over there. Red Cow. Sorry, dude. I see you all there. Yeah, but it's a good look. It really is. I really wish they was here. But on another note, it's really cool to hear stories about them, you know, when we're doing like meet and greets and stuff.

41:21Right. And not only that, man, shout out to all the fans, man. Y 'all been giving us nothing but great love, nothing but great gifts as well from Umaga to Yoko, all the pictures you guys have been showing, even from Alpha and Sika. They showed us a picture and we did a California loop. They showed us a picture from 1987 with Alpha and Sika. In San Francisco. How cool. Man, so I just want to say thank y 'all just for sharing those memories out there for us. Y 'all know what I mean?

41:49Tapping in.

41:50Steph McMahon:Tapping in. Yeah, I think that's a new shirt for you. It's not tap out. Come on, man. We don't tap out, but we tap in. Oh, there we go. All right. Hey, Joe. Hey. I mean. Hey. Come on, dude. You heard it here first. That's a good one. Red cow, we tap in, but don't tap out, dude. Sorry, man. I keep putting Joe over with the red cow over there. Don't stop. It's great. I'm glad you're putting him over. He deserves to be put over. You talk about a hardworking guy. Man, come on. Right? Man, we was over there this morning at Mall of America. The biggest mall in America, if you guys don't know. We're in Minnesota right now.

42:29Yes. Yeah.

42:30Steph McMahon:Actually, I've never been. I can't talk about it like I've been, but I know of it. Man, sis, they had a parking lot that looked like a PLE parking lot up there. Yeah, we had to go underground. Then they had a shout-out to the Uso, Nick, who was running for us today. Oh, Nick is the best. Nick is the best. We made a wrong turn when we're going down. We look behind us, and he's running after the van. He's very real. So thank you, Nick. I appreciate it, Uso.

43:02Steph McMahon:We talk a lot about iconic stories on this show. And when it comes to sports entertainment or professional wrestling, no stories are bigger than the ones written by WWE legends. Superstars like Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock. Trailblazers like Trish Stratus and factions like the NWO and DX. Their legacies are unforgettable. And if you want to wear that history, you need the real deal. That's why you've got to check out WWE Shop and Fanatics. They have the ultimate lineup of official WWE Legends merchandise. We're talking classic graphic tees, premium vintage hoodies, and retro gear. Whether you're hitting a live show or just repping your favorite era on the street, Fanatics has you covered.

43:50Steph McMahon:Don't wait. Head over to wweshop.com and fanatics.com right now and grab your favorite Legends gear. what would you say is like i mean just to to go off on another subject for a minute right like what is it about the business that's so special from your perspective so because because i know how i feel about it right so besides like okay uh besides like the lifestyle and everything man it's really it's really the crowd like for us to go tell a story like that just to man for them to be invested because we know it's a work like they say it's okay yeah i get it times change but man i know for me when it comes to jacob fatu like you said like we a lot of people could like uh like uh attach to me because like come from the same story right right but i know when it comes to me i feel uh i feel like man you gotta bring i heard rock and uh stone cold say this you know for it to work you gotta be yourself turned up to the max right but the thing i really love about it besides the love besides all the good stuff it's like man just getting the fans involved especially during the match like okay like okay where we at just to tell that story because on the independence i was never able to tell the story because i was on the independence is we weren't doing nothing, but because you didn't know.

45:22Yeah, we didn't know. I didn't know how to work a camera. I didn't know about the red dot. I didn't know none of that. Shout out to Rico and all the cameramen. I see you. I see you. You see me, baby. Something that they've been teaching me over here, you know, but other than just the fans, man, it's just to really get good feedback, really from all the OGs about, you know, like what they say in this business, like you never stop learning. And I've always heard that. I heard Michael Cole say that on y 'all podcast when he was talking.

45:51Steph McMahon:But isn't that life? Man, it's life. Right? That's life. Hopefully we're learning forever. I feel like, man, when you could take wrestling stuff and take it on outside of the ring, I mean, when you come in the locker room, locker room at a kid, hey, what's up? I feel like man, even when we do that on our regular day life, when we're going through McDonald's drive-thru and just, hey, how you doing? Have a good day. My wife was like, man, see, they never heard that from people. It makes a difference. But this goes back to what you were saying, just treat everybody good, just even on the regular.

46:26I smile at people, right?

46:28Steph McMahon:And some people smile back and some people do not. Some people be like, all right, here's your food. So I lived in New York City for a couple of years, and I'm always myself, right? And I'm a smiley person. And I was always asked, like, where are you from? Are you so happy? Are you from around here, are you? You just wake up smiling. Like the movie The Smile. I know. To the point where it's a little creepy. Oh, that's a little scary. That looks scary. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, we don't smile like that. Yeah, yeah. Just a half smile. No. Hit up with the half. Thank you. Man, I told my cousins this. Sorry to get off the story.

47:10I told my cousins this way before I got signed. I was like, man, if Triple H ever offered me a job, When I walk in there, I'm just going to give him a hug. Like, before he even offers me a job, just thank you, thank you, thank you. It was like, well, how are you going to say thank you before he gives you a job? I said, see, that's the trick. You got to say thank you, thank you. Then he's going to be like, damn, I got to give him a job now. You know what I mean? So, I mean, it didn't happen, though. I was going to say, it didn't happen. It didn't happen. I did hug him at WrestleMania 42, and I did say thank you.

47:40You know what I mean? So, shout out to Ace, man. You know what I mean?

47:43Steph McMahon:So your favorite part about the business is your love of the business. It's the ability to take the audience on a ride and have them come with you. And I felt that with Roman. Man, it's a whole other vibe. When I was in that segment with Roman and Seth, man, I couldn't even feel my body. I was like, dude, am I having a panic attack? What's going on? Man, I walked in the back and, you know, a feeling like that, you know, like what Roman said, man, that's the magic right there. You know, and it was a good feeling. Yeah, that's when rock goes like this. It was a good feeling. I was also scared of the feeling because I couldn't feel my body.

48:26I was like, man, I don't want to fall out, dude.

48:29Steph McMahon:Yeah, for sure. So rock always does do that. I mean, I always don't realize it. I mean, of course, I know what it is, but like mainlining. Yeah, you're getting it in your veins and your blood. It's goosebumps. Oh, I don't like that. Well, no, he does the goosebumps, but this is different, right? I was like, here, draw my blood real quick. Yeah. Yeah. I mean. She's getting it set up. It's all good. Here, we'll go like, we'll just do this, dude. We'll just do this. I mean, am I just an idiot? No. You're not. Good. You're not. Right here, dude. Fuck, I don't know.

49:03Steph McMahon:She's tapping in. Let's go. I'm not tapping out. I'm tapping in. How about that? We tapping in, but we not tapping out. Perfect, dude. Man, we done made four t-shirts on this show already. Dude, we made four t-shirts. What are we doing? Okay, so when did your faith come into play? Have you always had faith? Was there particular moments? I mean, you just explained the 42, Fatou, right, and how. That's amazing. like that's I mean that's meant to be yeah right so are there other moments like that um you know because you talk a lot about faith man I do oh man um man there's a lot man my ride has and my ride has been none but amazing since I've been here uh with everything happening it just kind of goes back to your husband to where H was just like hey man we need some Jacob Fatu stuff.

50:08All right. We don't, we rather, we rather tell you to turn it down rather than us have to tell you to turn it up.

50:15Steph McMahon:Right. So man, ever since then, it's just been lit. But man, with the faith coming in, man, I'm talking about Taz, Street Profits, Johnny Gorgon. I'm talking about all these cats tapping in just to help me get better, you know, day by day with it. And it's cool because on another note, When you talk about the faith, it's all my fathers, my uncles, they all been here. And, you know, they all got either released or whatever for what reasons. But I take those as learning situations for me. Right. Okay. My dad didn't do this. Okay. Uncle didn't do this. All right. Okay. Do this. Don't do that. You know?

50:54So even though where I'm at now, I take everybody's thing as a learning situation for me. Like, okay, don't do that. Oh, well, you better go here. Don't miss that flight. You know? So I take all that and including every, I pick and choose from everybody. Take a little bit of info, do this, take this. This will work for me because certain things work for different people. You know, like, I don't like, I know for a fact, I don't, I will never go to the gym, like in the afternoon. I'm more of an early bird. You know, if my kids are up going to school, if they're getting up at seven o 'clock, I'm taking them at school.

51:28Like I said, I live in Orlando. Like I'm taking them to school at 740. PC opens at eight o 'clock. Why should I not be up going to grind? You know, my kids grinding. Okay, well, yeah, this is a good life. I appreciate it, but I know once I get comfortable, it ain't going to last that long.

51:44Steph McMahon:So can you expound, like, give us more on that? Yeah, absolutely. Okay, so for instance, like, my first year, I was doing nothing but this. I love you solo. And we were doing nothing but doing run-ins. Right. I got comfortable. I got comfortable hanging out. I just got comfortable. And it don't work. Because you got to stay ready over here. Okay, yeah, Roman's not here every day of the schedule. But let me tell y 'all something. When he shows up, oh, he's ready. Oh, yeah. Oh, he's ready. He stays ready. So why? Exactly. He stays ready. So why should we not stay ready? Right. You know, why can we not?

52:19Why should we not? And, you know, that's something when I got here, you know, I got comfortable to where it was like, no. Hey, brother, remember what comfortable got you. Right. Comfortable got you going to jail. Comfortable got you not caring. You know, comfortable will get you here will make you lose your job over here. I'm not saying no, but that's how I'm looking at it. That's how I'm holding myself accountable for things, you know. And you got to stay ready over here. You got to stay legit because if you're not, hey, bro, the dough right there. Hey, the show must go on. You can go without you.

52:52Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. That's like a parallel, though.

52:54Steph McMahon:You just said it's such a parallel to life because you're not only showing up for our fans, right? You're not only showing up for Roman, you're not only showing up for your kids, you're showing up for yourself. Yeah, you got to. Right? And that's, first and foremost, you're accountable to yourself. Yeah. Right? Exactly. And what are some of those, like, if you're comfortable talking about it, you don't have to talk about what it was, but, like, one of your lowest lows. Oh, man. and how and most importantly how you pulled yourself out of it because that's that's what we really want to talk about man it was my drug habit i had a big cocaine problem it was my drug habit popping e-pills like nah bro if y 'all ain't know bro jacob fatu is really one of them like this ain't no oh i'm from the streets oh no no bro i really had a struggle you know and And it wasn't, okay, my life is hard.

53:59No, it was my drug habits. You know what I mean? It was, like I said, it was around us where I lived at. It was just in our face. Like, I'm not blaming it on the community, no. Like, this goes back to what you said. Everybody has choices. I chose to do that. I chose out there to go get it in, including with me being on Independence. I was one foot in, one foot out. So my lowest times, it had to be when I missed Booker's thing. shout out to Booker T. Booker T always made everything happen.

54:30Steph McMahon:And Charmelle. Yes. Oh, man, let me tell you, I'm scared of Booker, but, man, his wife, oh, yeah, she don't play around. So, man, it was that. And then shout out to Booker because, man, we all came from over there. The Uso started. Book, I believe my cousin Zilla had a show at Books. He's from Houston. I fell out with Book. But hold on, let me tell the Book story. So I fell out with Book. I was supposed to do a show for him. 5.30 in the morning, still in the alley, Hennessy just still going. And it was just bad. I knew where I had to be. And when I missed this show, it went bad online. It just went bad.

55:11And my wife had a – I was out for three days. My wife had – she just – I had to get it together. I had to get it together for her and the kids. because, man, they got a point, you know, where, like, she was going to leave and everything. So happy she didn't. You know what I mean? Because I don't know. I would have not been here for one for my wife. But the lowest part was when that, the bookings stopped coming in because they stopped trusting me. And you were underwhelmed. Especially, I was. Especially if I'm known showing at Booker T's, like what makes you think all these other independent promoters are going to trust me?

55:53So it slowed the money down, you know? It really did. And then I was like, damn, I got to get back on the grind. But it wasn't even that. It was the drug problems, mission book show. Everything started to fall apart. I wasn't, you know what I mean? It was just bad. I wasn't even at home with the kids. I was outside. You know, it sucked. My kids look out the door. I'm just outside. I'm outside, you know. And my neighbors, nobody knew I wrestled. Nobody knew I wrestled. Because I never told, oh, I wrestled. I was never that guy. They just knew, oh, this Jake, bruh, big oost. Oh, he chilling. Oh, he get drunk.

56:26He getting hot was like, that was it. And then when that happened, after books, the money stopped coming in. Man, everything left and right. Now I'm drinking. Now I'm starting stuff with my family. Right.

56:39Steph McMahon:It was a spiral. Yeah, everything started coming down. Man, and I had to take a break. I took a break. My wife was just like, bro, you got to chill out. You know, this shit is getting out of hand, Jacob. Like you celebrating like you in WWE. You not even in WWE. Right, right. You know what I mean? I'm on the independence and I was blowing the check. Every time I got a bag, I was blowing the check. Why do you think? Man, it was. I mean, like, why did it all have to happen that way? It was my choices. It was me probably feeling like not caring. Because I was one of those cats, like, I could slap you right now.

57:18Tomorrow, see you tomorrow. Big Brad, what's up? You good? Like, it's just me. And that's a bad habit. Well, I used to have, you know. My wife was like, man, you can't have that. Can't have that. I don't care. I don't give a shit. I don't give a fuck. You know what I mean? Because once I get like that, it's bad. Sure.

57:33Steph McMahon:But is that a wall? Yeah. Is that a defense? Well, I feel like once I get like that, it's probably like I don't want to deal with anything anymore. I don't want to deal with it. It's the cycle. It's so easy for me to, ah, who gives a fuck? But that was also a bad thing. I thought me not caring, me just brushing, oh, who cares? I'll get over it. No, but what about them? They're not getting over it, all right? You got to say sorry or something or, I mean, I got to have a heart. So this goes back to my wife, like me being hard to deal with, her putting up with the drug stuff, her putting up with.

58:08And mind you, I told my wife, like, well, they're not worried about, no, but I'm with you, even though they don't know I'm with you. How you think I feel about the Internet talking about my husband? You know what I mean? So she really had to break that down. And also, like, you talk about you love your kids so much. You know, and this was, you know, go back to the lowest point in time. My wife had her tell me, man, you talk about us. You love us so much. But you treat me like shit. You treat us like crap. You know what I mean? And that's how I was going through at that time. And it wasn't her fault.

58:40Yeah, everything was my fault. And this goes back to what I brought up earlier. The only way everything could get messed up is if I mess it up. You know, I ain't here to blame people this and that. And that's exactly what she said. Why you feel like that? Who you blaming? Who? Who's the blame besides yourself, Jacob? You know what I mean? She showed you the mirror. Yeah, in those days. And now I think about it every day. I tell my wife, I think about where I came from every day. I think about how I, I think about this every day. And it's not for me to think about it. No, it actually helps me now.

59:12It motivates me. Like, trust me, walking over here, I was telling Javon about the interview. And then Javon, Javon, little bro, young OG. Shout out young OG for the lunch. He was like, you know how the bond talk. Big O's. You look a little nervous, bro. You good, man. He's like, man, you chill, bro. He call you auntie. Man, that's auntie, though. Yo type shit, bro. Auntie, hella cool, bro. She got you, bro. I'm like, well, thanks for that motivation speech, Javon. Hey, you never know. You know what I mean? But I told him something. So, hey, young OG. man I gotta stop doing Jey Uso's thing dude

59:57sorry it's supposed to be yeah I switch it up how about I go down instead of oh no you go down how about we'll go up we'll switch it up this time but to go back the tap back in the lowest times I appreciate those low times you know on Instagram everybody always posted the good times like you know what I mean what about the bad times right because the bad times who helped me get together that's what shapes your character I used to when they were hot bloodline bloodline I was working overnight at Lowe's and at Walmart you know what I mean and what were you doing I was a stalker girl I was the best stalker over there they couldn't mess with me I was stalking hot sauces hamburger helpers you know what I mean I'm a good stalker right So I would love to stack the hot sauce.

1:00:52S-E-O-C-K-E-R-N-T.

1:00:53Steph McMahon:He's not saying stalker. He's saying stalker. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Not like looking through your window, stalker. All right? I'm looking at. The Walmart stalker. Yeah. We're not talking about this stalker right here. He was the best stalker there. We're talking about this stalker right here. All right? Just move the box. He's right there. So I did that. And then even working at Lowe's. I used to work at Lowe's. for some reason these guys will have me stock the toilets because they were so big and so they seen a big guy over there but hey i ain't complaining it was a job but they're new toilets yeah yeah well they're a brand new one they want the one they want the one my uncle yoko and rikishi was saying all right all right but it's a great segment yeah and shout out to all our toilets who's been at our family reunions i'm so sorry i'm so sorry for all the toilets at our family were you doing?

1:01:44How did we get here? We appreciate the toilets too. You know what I mean? We gotta go yurt. My face hurts. You know what I mean? I'm so sorry. Yurt to the toilets, dude. Yurt. You know what I mean? Sorry. This is so random. I'm so sorry. Okay, we gotta switch the subject, dude. Hey, tell your story, toilet. Tell your story, toilet. You know what I mean? Yurt. Next guest.

1:02:06Steph McMahon:Yurt. Yurt. We locked in, baby. Sorry it smells like fresh fries and cheeseburgers up in here, Elise. Fucking cruel. No, because I said the same thing. I was like, damn, it smells like fresh fries up in here. Do you notice how it's starting to turn a little bit? Yeah. Because it does. I'm telling you. I still, I think it smells great. Oh, yeah, sorry. Then flies start to come in. Oh, I mean, we're only here for a short time. A good time? Not a long time? Are you ready to hold WWE history in the palm of your hand? Topps is bringing you closer to the action than ever before with WWE Topps Now, highlighting the biggest matches and milestones from WWE shows and PLEs throughout the year.

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1:03:39Steph McMahon:Be sure to subscribe to the WWE Topps Now mailing list on Topps.com and follow Topps on all social media platforms so you never miss a single moment. um not to go back to the lowest of the lows but i but i feel like or can you share how i know it's your wife i know it's your faith but like what is that moment that you finally turned it around and and how did you and let me also just let you know elise has spoken about this before but she has addiction in her family a loved one that yeah i've shared um openly with natty like my mom was she's been sober for 20 years now let's go shout out to lisa's mama though but so like hearing as soon as you started talking about it it's like you're you're upset so you do it and then you don't care how it impacts people so then you do it and it's like the cycle how do you how do you come out of that and do you remember the moment that you were like, I'm done.

1:04:47Steph McMahon:And how do you do it? It was when Bruce called when I almost got fired. Yeah, they offered me a contract in February. They gave me a call like two weeks later. I was just getting off a plane, you know, drunk, like all in one. It was that day when I couldn't tell my kids because when they gave me the contract, I went home. I told the kids, told the family. They're excited. We're ready to move. My in-laws, everybody know. Nobody knew nothing what happened that day. But it was that day. Man, it was that day. I woke up the next morning. Oh, man. I called Bruce. Yeah, well, I'm going to tell you right now.

1:05:33The way I felt last week, it's not looking too good. I hope I wish the best for you. That was the hardest shit. my kids asking me dad when we move I couldn't even tell them couldn't even tell them why because your dad wants to go get drunk because your dad wants to go have beers because your dad wants to for what what are you doing jay that's when everything switched went back home I'll never forget my wife is talking she's doing her makeup in the mirror and I'm talking to Bruce I'm in my top I'm in a towel I literally woke up called him in the bathroom I'm on the toilet I'm like dude and my wife is my wife is over there doing her makeup I hang up and she's like what happened I was like you know man you heard what happened I'm about to lose my job I was so stressed but man my wife having she said Jacob you'll be alright you done made it this far alright just if it comes it comes if it don't we gotta figure it out You know what I mean?

1:06:39That was the day. I stopped everything. I stopped everything so much to where I showed up at WrestleMania in Philly. When they seen me, they was like, dude, are you okay? You got too skinny, dude. What's going on? You know what I mean? And I remember Roman.

1:06:51Steph McMahon:Twice that I saw abs. Yeah, you know what I mean? Hello. You know what I mean? And I remember Roman told me, hey, man, let's get a little bit more weight. Let me be the lean one. I was like, well, I didn't know I was lean, dude. I was like, thank you, Roman, my triple chin. You know what I mean? Mr. OTC. Let me be the lean one. So that's when everything started, where I had to turn around. Ever since then. Yeah, how has it been since then? And I'm sure, is it hard every day? It is. Well, I thought it was going to be harder for the cocaine thing. But see, my thing was, like I said, so easy for me to walk across the street.

1:07:30I mean, like I said, people didn't know I wrestled on my block. But man, they loved me so much. It was good to where I had big breath to where I didn't have to pay for it. to where they just, you know what I mean? But now, hell yeah, it's Gucci. The only reason, because I know, and you know, man, we're going to talk about that, man. We're going to talk about it. I know that shit go up my nose. All this is gone. You know, that's how I look at it. You know, that's exactly how, but don't even, I got my brothers, I got my cousins, I got people that I know, but I don't even put myself around it though.

1:08:02You can't. You can't. You can't because now.

1:08:06Steph McMahon:right you're just thinking about it yeah but even if people didn't have it I just know you know Jimmy Uso says this divine movement Jacob you gotta move even if your wife and your kids was with you you know so and this is what this is what got me and Jimmy closer throughout those 19 days he would call me every day I always got into I always get into it with Jay I'm close with Jay Like, you know what I mean? Got that girl and solo. But me and Jimmy became closer because of this. Man, my brother guided me the whole way, called me every day, talking about Bible scriptures, just talking about what my name even meant in the Bible.

1:08:48Like, brother, do you know you wrestle with Jesus, not with him, but with him. You know what I mean? So just everything came in line. And shout out to Big Jim, Sister Naomi, mate. We love you, Trin. You know what I mean? You know what I mean? But it all started with Jim. And, man, when Jim tapped in, man, that day Jim called, and he told me, hey, bro, they're going to give you a second chance, bro. Man, I says, y 'all don't even know. Y 'all don't even know what that meant to me. Then when I came in and then made my debut, I remember seeing your husband at the debut. I had on a ski mask, you know, try to kayfabe.

1:09:28Michael Hayes had me doing on a ski. Michael Hayes had me in a ski mask during rehearsals, and your husband was like, Jacob, you can take that off. I got that. I got this ski mask on. I'm talking. I'm on the top rope. I'm on the top rope like, sorry, H, Michael Hayes said keep it on. He go, hey, he go, watch this. You know, Michael Hunter has the earphones on, and he got a click. So he's like, hold on, watch this. Watch this. Michael. Michael. Why is Jacob wearing a ski mask? Michael. Well, fucking we got a K-Fame. They don't know. Michael. Look at Jacob. You mean to tell me they don't know who this is?

1:10:13Jacob, take the goddamn ski mask off. Dude, I took the ski mask. Yes, sir. Took it off and I'm still standing on the rope like this. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Shout out to Michael Hayes, man. Hey, in words of Michael Hayes, the most famous words ever, which humbled me. Jacob, you need to go out there and wrestle like nobody knows you. Because what you did before you got here don't mean shit. And before you walk out, let me let you know. If you think you're over, you're not over. I'm like, yeah. Where did you come from?

1:10:46Steph McMahon:This is my first match. I don't even know it again. Yeah, man. But shout out to Michael Hayes, man. And put your scheme hat back on. Oh, man. Yeah. Then he threw that Michael Jackson hat on. It's so funny. Then he threw on his. You know what I mean? One day One day me and Michael One day me, Michael and Solo We was at work We don't know what color Michael Hayes gonna put on That boy had an all red Like he a part of the bloodline Right We didn't see him During rehearsals We see him Right before we're gonna walk out Michael Hayes All red Pants Jacket Solo All red I walked in there I got all red on So what did I do I said, hey, man, somebody better get a phone now and take a goddamn picture of this.

1:11:34This is the first and the last time y 'all gonna see this. You know what I mean? That's the last time Michael Hayes ever wore red.

1:11:41Steph McMahon:Except he had a fanny pack on. Yeah, yeah. Come on now. A saggy fanny pack. A huge, huge fanny pack. I'm sorry, Michael Hayes. P.S. You my dog, P.S. I love your saggy fanny pack. You love your fanny pack. You know what I mean? I love your saggy fanny pack. Shout out to Hayes. Shout out to Hayes. Yeah. Yeah. We were like, hey, hold on. We got to go up. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, man. Yeah. Shout out to Hayes for giving me the best advice ever. When you think you're over, you're not fucking over. Yeah. Yeah. So thank you, Hayes. That is great. Don't let it go to your head. Yeah. Yeah. Trust me, I'm still humble, Hayes.

1:12:22Still humble. I know. I can't wait to see Jay tomorrow. Like, hey, dude, now we're doing this.

1:12:30Steph McMahon:We've changed it. No more of this. All right, you're bringing this down. We got to go up. All right, we got to go up. I just feel like you're on to something. I do. Yeah, absolutely. Five t-shirts. Many things. You know what I mean? Damn, I don't want to leave, man. How long is this? I know, I know. Because you have to leave here in, what time is it? Oh, I shut my phone off. I know, I'm like, why? Don't worry. I don't know. 15 minutes. Oh. All right, well. we got 30 to go baby yeah well i'll say this though um what's it like having seven kids oh man because that's a lot of kids different personalities different you know what you you know what it is honestly if if i could really sit up and say this man i'm so grateful to have them yeah not only because they my kids it's i just love dealing with them i love dealing with different their different personalities but it's also teaching me as a parent on you know how to adapt to certain kids sure you know like i know this one just don't care i know this one likes i know this one's a little sentimental but it brings the dad out of me though yeah it really does and it's cool just to lace them up you know like uh i'd rather have them we rather have a good relationship and rather teach our kids and they'd rather come this way to come get it rather than going to the streets to go get answers.

1:13:53You know what I mean? So it's good, especially seeing them grow up, coming from them being babies to holding them, to them walking, to them now, you know, like, I'm tripping out. You know, my kids got to teach me how to use my iPhone. I know, I know. Hey, Dad, can you airdrop it to me? No, let me just text it to you. You know what I mean?

1:14:11Steph McMahon:I don't know what the airdrop is. Why do I have to airdrop it? And it's good, though. It's good having them, especially my older ones now. My older ones really appreciate everything we have now, you know, because they know where we came from. Every time I walk into my kid's room, girl, they're rearranging it. And I'm like, all right, you know, dad's going to buy a house one day. You don't got to keep rearranging your room. But to see the smiles on my older kid's face. You mean as each kid came along? Yeah. They had to rearrange? No, no, no. Like my daughter told two of my kids. No. Oh, gosh. Because you have seven kids.

1:14:43Do you guys remember the storks, like the cartoons where the birds just drop off the babies? That's what I feel like what happened to me. Every time somebody knocking at the door, I end up opening up, looking for the bird. Where'd the bird go? There was knocking, but it wasn't on the door. I was like, geez.

1:14:57Steph McMahon:I was like, geez. Man, when they all came one by one, it was just unexpected. You know when people playing? Okay, they playing. I didn't play on the hat. None of my kids. And they all just came organically, but they came at a special time in our lives when we actually, you know what I mean? Like our four-year-old, our youngest, we didn't expect, but he came at a good time. Yeah. He came at a time where we needed it. And to hear a baby around the house with laughter and smiles and damn, who didn't throw the diaper out? It's a good look. Not only that, I love cooking for all of them. So before I came, like I said, man, I was on food stands, man.

1:15:39So before Red Cow and all the restaurants, you know what I mean? Right. We was whipping up Sloppy Joe, Hamburger Helper, the whole nine. So, man, I love it. I love cooking for them. I just love, especially now, I thought I was going on the Indies. But even though we working once a week, man, this schedule is crazy. So now when I'm at home, you know, coming from the Indies to being here, I just make sure I turn my phone off, especially on the first day. I mean, my phone can't be off all day. I mean, because we working now.

1:16:08Steph McMahon:But that's great advice. At least the first day, I'll turn it off. Because, you know, that's leadership by example, too. Yeah. Right? Because everybody's like this now. Everybody. All the time. Including my kids. So my wife, we got my kids' phones. They never pick up when the dad calls, when I pick a call. But my wife takes their phones when they come home. Oh, that's good. Takes their phones, and, you know, she lets it be very clear. So they think I'm the scary enforcer of the bloodline. Nah. Shout out to Elizabeth. She's an enforcer, dude. All right? Maybe I got to hold up, too. because I was a whole...

1:16:42You know what I mean? Yeah. Maybe we give you a... Yeah, that's it. And some bowing. You know what I mean? Hold on. That was a good one. That was a good one. Sorry. Sorry. Another t-shirt, dude. Another t-shirt. You know what I mean? Yurt and bow. Yeah. You know what I mean? Hey, yurt, bow, and leave. Sounds like Brock Lesnar's t-shirt, dude. I'm sorry. I mean, I'm not there where Brock is, but you know what I mean? Shout out to Brock. You know what I mean? Yurt to Brock. You know what I mean? I don't want to get a five more. Yeah, F5 Joe before you F5 me, dude. I mean, but to have them, though, and just to spend time with them, like, man, it's the great, especially, like, my girls.

1:17:22I'm surprised they ain't calling me now. Dad, you with Dan Housen? What do you do? I'm going over the match. No, you can't see Dan Housen right now. So, man, and it's just, like I said, man, if it wasn't for them, I probably, I really believe. If I would have never had my wife and my kids, because we were talking about this the other day, some of us, the boys, man, if I were, well, I didn't say if I was single. Who said it? It would have never happened. And I told the boys that. I was like, no, I feel like if I was single, I would have never had the drive to really go work every day, to really drive to really get here.

1:18:00I would have never had that. I would have never had that.

1:18:03Steph McMahon:Isn't it so beautiful when the person that you love that you're closest to truly does make you a better person? Oh, absolutely. And make you want to be a better person. Absolutely. And you know, another thing that I always say, like what you said, it feels good to come up with somebody who came from the bottom with us. Because when they say, oh, Jacob, congratulations, you deserve it. No, brother, my wife deserves all this. I mean, she deserved this just as much as me. And I'm very grateful. Yeah, absolutely. man we can you're a real team man and and this goes back to my my mother and my father for them still being married and everything and and how long have they been married man they've been married since my father was 18 Tonga kid oh my goodness we'll talk about 1985 dude yeah 1985 and man uh hey shout out to your parents yeah shout out to my parents beautiful and then also Oh, you're, you know what I mean?

1:18:58And shout out, shout out to my mom, to my mom, just to share this story. My mom found out I was wrestling. You know, she came, they visited us in L.A., and she wanted to have a meeting. She sat me and my wife down, and she said, hey, listen, if you guys better be ready for this wrestling stuff, all right? I know my son's talented. If he has what it takes to make it, that's good. But if he does make it, you got to be ready to share your husband with the world. You got to be ready for women to be coming around. You got to be ready to raise these kids by yourself. You got to be ready to do everything by yourself.

1:19:35It's a beautiful life, but it sacrifices. My son's going to be gone. And my mom even told my wife, let me save y 'all a trip. Leave him right now. You know what I mean? I'm like, hold on. Easy, mama. Mama, what you doing? You know what I mean? But she said that y 'all should break up because I'm going to save y 'all it. Yeah, all the hurt. Break up. Yeah. Save y 'all. If y 'all not ready to do it together as a team, bounce. And shout out to my mom for breaking that down because we didn't even understand at the time. Well, you can't. We didn't. Yeah.

1:20:09Steph McMahon:What is she talking about? But then it's like when someone teaches you something like that that you just can't understand. It's like why I'll teach my kids lessons and things that they don't understand. And I know that they don't. Yeah. But when they're in that moment, hopefully the words will come back. Absolutely. You know, and the perspective will be there. Man, and. Hopefully. And boy, it did it. Yeah, yeah. Because now, like, that talk really helped us. Like, we got a lot of good. It was very, everybody's very helpful on the way up. But, man, if my mom didn't really break that down when we first started, like, I wasn't even training for a year.

1:20:46But, man, when she broke that down, it was like, okay. Like, it makes sense now, you know? And it just, I feel like it just brought me and my wife more together and more stronger for it because we can listen to everybody else. But, man, if you ain't a wife or a husband who's actually been in the business, like, I ain't listening. You don't know what it's like to be on the road. And I never asked my mom for that, you know? Yeah. But she laced us up.

1:21:09Steph McMahon:Because you didn't know to ask. I didn't know any, like, man, I was the type of guy when I first wrestled on the indies at my Uncle Rikishi's school, I thought having the belt, meant everything. I went in and tied my uncle in them's office and said, how come I don't have the bill? Why? Everybody likes me. This is a humbling situation. He said, Jacob, do you have your own car? I said, no. Do you have your own phone? Do you pay your phone bill? I said, no. Do you pay rent or do you live with Liz's family? I said, I live with her family. Then what makes you think you're better than any of my students out there?

1:21:45They have a job. They work a nine to five. They come over here and, man, come on now. I was like, okay. You know, like I really had to get broken down before they rebuilt me. And I'm glad it happened like that. So when my uncle and them say, oh, you got to have tough skin, even David Gangrel, you know, I was always selling. And they was like, hey, you're not going to get too far selling like that. You know, they really had to break it down. And I love my uncle and them because they didn't give me no special treatment. Like I said, there was four more of the cousins before me. So by the time I came, yeah, I'm not upset that they thought, oh, he's just going to fail again.

1:22:23Nah, hell no. I know when they felt me and they felt Jacob Fah too, they was like, oh, yeah, he's different. And it was different. Yeah, it was different. And not only that, like, I'm not saying my brothers and them didn't have their kids and their wife. Sure, sure. But there was nothing else left for me. I mean, man, it was nothing. I mean, I had great jobs. And shout out to my people that hired me at Walmart, Lowe's, and Coca-Cola because I knew I was not supposed to be working over there. The best stalker. It was people like that who helped me, who gave me a job, who helped me get through, you know, including all the people that I came up with and trained with, you know.

1:22:59And shout out to everybody at Knox, man, who I came up with because those are the cats, like, I don't want to say it, but it's the truth that always happens. Like, you have good people who's good at wrestling who can help you, who helped me since I first started. but they will never be up here you know what I mean?

1:23:16Steph McMahon:So doesn't this come back to what we talked about now a few different times is kindness right? And other people believe in you believing in you you know and giving you that chance that opportunity Man when they talk about it takes a village to raise somebody dude I'm that guy and I've been getting them but help left and right that's why every time when we go to cities shout out to the office I always request the minimum tickets that I can get just because like everybody's helped me I'm not saying I owe everybody anything but I remember the people who helped me I remember the people's couch that I was sleeping on I remember being poppin Jacob Fatu on the indies but didn't even have fucking money to get a dinner because I made sure I sent everything back home to my wife and my kids as soon as I landed.

1:24:14You know, the independence was different. As soon as I landed, I didn't have to wrestle. I was very grateful to get my money beforehand. But, man, everybody's been a good help. Everybody's been a great help. And I know that's why people gravitate towards me because I don't remember. I remember not being shit. I remember getting treated like nothing. I mean, it happens now sometimes when we're on first class. and I know it doesn't mean but I know how we dress and we look. You know what I mean? And shout out to Hunter. You know what I mean? Because man, I got my first class because I had an ass.

1:24:50Because Jimmy and Jay and I was like, you got an ass. You know what I mean? But it even happens in first class. I seen a guy, we're using a bag. Hey, everybody wash their hands at the airport. It's the craziest thing. I don't see people wash their hands at the airport. Nasty people.

1:25:02Steph McMahon:It's so gross. You come right out of the stall and you leave. And then go back to the story. wasn't like yummy. They treat us different too even when we were first class to where it was like I seen a gentleman not wash his hands and he like kayfabe me. I was like alright I can wash your hands. I'm going to the line. I'm showing up late to the board. He's on your flight. Yeah I'm showing up. He's standing right there in front of me and then I'm going and he turns around and he's like oh you part of first class only. I was like oh yes sir. Go ahead. He's like oh I'm not first class. Alright well excuse me.

1:25:37you're the same guy who didn't fucking wash his hands don't touch me dirty hands what are you doing dude don't go to Red Cow's if you don't wash your hands alright man sorry I gotta keep putting it over but yeah man that was that was turning that was the hollowest but man people have been none but grateful to me none but helpful I mean I'm even talking about the people who wasn't outside of wrestling like my neighbors Like, man, she had a family. And every time they would barbecue, man, they would come bless us with food. And like I said, my neighbors never knew what I did. But once they found out, oh, they went crazy.

1:26:15But I love how people just treat me without them not knowing what I do. Right. You know, including, you know, how I treat people. Like what you were saying. To where they don't even know what I do. But they're like, damn, man, this guy don't got to treat me like that. But, hey, I remember not being like that. I remember people and it's okay it's okay it happens I'm not mad at the people who's treating me like shit no I'm not like I'm not mad at them but man we here now right but you're grateful

1:26:45Steph McMahon:oh yeah for the ones oh man who treated you well I'm very happy for that I'm grateful for the hard times because the people who treated me well was the people that was you know what I mean who was there during the hard times like my neighbor like she didn't have a job she had five kids her son was selling drugs in and out but they always You know what I mean? Here. You know, they say you should love your neighbors. And you got to, you know? Because I don't want to go home and got to worry about my neighbor arguing. You know what I mean? But shout out to all the people, man, who's helped me. I'm very blessed, man.

1:27:17Including just like little things. Like I get lost in the airport. Even the people, hey, yeah, your gate's right here. Make a laugh. Like, yeah, I'm grateful for the people helping me out there. Me too, right? You know what I mean?

1:27:28Steph McMahon:Yeah, thank you. Thank you. And I said this before. You know what I mean? The people who's not really giving is so giving. You know, when I used to smoke, I don't smoke Newport cigarettes no more, all right? But just a little example, all right? Somebody, I used to ask my buddies for some cigarettes. Hey, man, can I get a cigarette, man? Oh, man, I got two more left. You ask a homeless person, I used to ask, OG, can I get a cigarette? Man, right here, nephew here. I'm like, man, they more giving than my bonus. So, man, it doesn't matter what you have, man. It just matters, you know what I mean?

1:27:59like how you do things, man, to treat people good at all times, you know what I mean? Because when you treat people good, when nobody's looking, man, somebody's watching, you know what I mean? It's just doing your good deeds, dude. Come on, man. And you know what? Sorry, I know we got to wrap it up, but man, you got me on the roll right now, you know what I mean? It's a good one. I woke up one day and I was like, just in a bad mood and just mad about every little things. Yeah. Man, I had to really check myself. Jacob, why are you upset? Over what? You got to check that clears, you on YouTube, brother, everything that you've been crying and praying over, you're living it right now.

1:28:36You know, so sometimes I got to check myself too sometimes, you know what I mean? You got to check yourselves. We're all here. You know what I mean? And go back to gratitude. Come on. Come on with it. I was just about to tap in.

1:28:50Steph McMahon:Sorry. You know what I mean? No, it's all good. You know what I mean? I knew it was coming. You know what I mean? No, it's a good look. it's a good look you know what I mean overall it's a good look so you're a good look come on man yeah I'm just trying to make my wife happy man shout out to Liz we're doing good Liz we're doing good dude

1:29:22Steph McMahon:I survived nine months in captivity, and I've spent my life exploring how other people survive what should have destroyed them. I'm Elizabeth Smart, and these are the Survivor Files. Every week, I'm with survivors who live through the unthinkable, abducted, stalked, controlled, and nearly silenced. These are stories about what it takes to make it out alive. Listen to The Survivor Files with Elizabeth Smart on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On the new podcast, Solita, we share the messy reality of traveling alone as a woman. I can wait four hours for the next bus or this random dude is offering me a ride on his motorcycle.

1:30:06Steph McMahon:I chose option B. I'm Julie Pinheiro, and I travel by myself because it's a rare space where I can say yes without asking anyone else first. I'm on a mission to reclaim the word solita, trading the pity for possibility. Listen to Solita on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

1:30:29Steph McMahon:If your bookshelf and your For You page are equally important to your personality, welcome home. Pro Society is a weekly podcast that's part book club, part group chat for anyone who thinks Pride and Prejudice and Love Island deserve the same level of discourse. Each week, we're connecting the dots between books, the internet and pop culture with your favorite writers, book talk creators and plenty of overthought opinions. I'm obsessed. I'm obsessed. Listen to Pro Society on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

1:31:03Steph McMahon:Hey, this is Hayes Davenport and Sean Clements. We host the podcast Hollywood Handbook. Each week we talk to someone in show business and try to help them with their careers and see what they have to offer us. Everyone has a good time and no one gets mad at their publicist for letting them do our show. We've had a lot of great guests like Sarah Sherman, Adam Scott, Danny McBride, Ben Stiller, and a lot of other big shots that wouldn't be where they are without us. Listen to Hollywood Handbook on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Good luck. Thanks for listening.

1:31:29Thanks for listening. Bye.