Shark Boy

Mick Foley talked about him in his book, ABC NEWS (20/20) featured him during one of their stories about pro-wrestling. He has appeared on MTV segment's about pro-wrestling. But for some reason he has remained the greatest secret in pro-wrestling history! Never before has such an act with such great stage presence and in ring ability remained such a secret!

AND NOW HE is here! LEWD's own CJDark has put on his scuba-gear and jumped head first in to the SHARK TANK! Just when you thought it was safe, from the depths of the ocean comes, SHARK BOY!

CJ: Since your debut on May 3rd in Taylor Mills, Kentucky against GQ Master's III (1997) you have worked with a list of athletes which reads like a who's who of the greatest workers in the business! I'd like to start this interview talking about your career to date. What would you consider your best match?

(Editor's note: The list of wrestler's Shark Boy has worked with so far in his young career include the following: Psichosis, Silver King, Billy Kidman, Eddy Guerrero, Shannon Moore, Gregory "Shane" Helms, Evan Kurageous, Tony Marinara, Mark Jindrak, Chuck Palumbo, Mike Sanders, Jamie-San, and Ian Rotten).

SB: Probably the three-way I worked with Billy Kidman and Eddie Guerrero at "Curtis Comes Home." They are the two smoothest workers I've ever been in the ring with and I'll never forget the experience.

CJ: That was a match which took place when you were working for World Championship Wrestling of course. In WCW you wrestled sans the mask and also as "Dean Baldwin". Did the "Baldwin" persona have anything to do with the "Baldwin's" in Hollywood?

SB: Actually, the one time I wrestled without the mask in WCW was as "Dean Roll." It was a situation where they needed somebody for Scott Norton to powerbomb, so that he would look strong when he challenged Goldberg later in the night. I didn't want to damage Shark Boy's reputation, so I worked under my real name. Dean Baldwin is a heel persona that I have developed and used in the past. He is like all of the other members of the Hollywood Baldwin family: a natural success. He's better than you because he's a Baldwin. Sometimes it's more fun to play the bad guy.

CJ: You signed a developmental deal with WCW in the summer of '99. Can you relay any information to us about the backstage atmosphere as you observed it?

SB: I learned a lot about how a major wrestling company operates during my tenure in WCW. I made a lot of friends and I saw some out of control egos too. Overall, I knew I was right where I wanted to be: in the big time, so to speak.

CJ: What was it like working in the "big time" under WCW management (Eric Bischoff)?

SB: It was confusing at times. They had us busting our butts at the Power Plant every day, Monday through Friday from morning till late afternoon, and then they just starting cutting guys one by one. Most of the cuts came after Eric was gone. Then, about three months after I was cut, they called me up and asked me if I wanted to work on the WCW Saturday Night tapings. I actually worked more shows for WCW AFTER they cut me than I did while I was under contract.

CJ: It takes many years of hard work and dedication to your craft to reach WCW or WWF. Were you treated any differently because you were the "new guy"?

SB: Of course. That's how the business works. You pay your dues and you EARN respect. It's not something that is just given to you.

CJ: What about Kevin Nash? Did you ever have any interaction with Nash?

SB: I consider Kevin Nash a friend. He asked me for one of my shark masks (available on the Merchandise page at http://www.SharkBoy.net) and he gave it to his son. He says his son runs around his house pretending he's Shark Boy. You can't beat that! I can't speak for his feelings regarding any of the other new talent in WCW, but as far as I'm concerned Kevin Nash is a great guy.

CJ: Let me turn my attention to the voice of public opinion for a second. Online over the past few weeks there has been an outcry to 'stop the insanity' so to speak and have the "Hardcore" wrestling style toned down. With the recent injury to Ric Blade (CZW) being used to point out these injuries are unwarranted. Do you have an opinion on if the wrestling world as a whole or in part has gone way overboard booking these hardcore component's?

SB: I just wish more parents knew what their kids were up to in the backyard. It's one thing when trained professionals attempt these stunts. I can even condone grown men who feel the need to be "hardcore." But when kids start jumping off their houses through burning tables, I just have to wonder "where are the parents?"

CJ: What do you think should be done about "Hardcore Wrestling"?

SB: Like I said, if you feel the need to be hardcore, that's your business. But you don't have to work that style to be successful in this business.

CJ: Mick Foley has stated on a few occasions, he thinks WWF should pick up Shark Boy for a developmental deal. Do you have any personal relationship with Mick Foley?

SB: Yes. Mick is a tremendous person and a real inspiration in my life. He really loves my wrestling persona and he always has kind words to say to me whenever we talk. He actually wore my "Think it's Safe?" T-shirt for good luck when his child was being born. I'll never be able to pay Mick back for all he's done for me. There's a great photo of Mick, Al Snow, and D-lo Brown celebrating my tournament victory at Pillman '99 on my website: http://www.SharkBoy.net. It's also where you can go to buy the shirt.

CJ: Of course Foley mentioning you must have been something which excited you professionally and personally.

SB: It's one of those things that money can't buy.

CJ: I know you debuted in 1997. But how did you get started in the wrestling business? Who trained you?

SB: When I was a junior in college, I saw an ad for a radio show in Cincinnati hosted by Les Thatcher. I listened to the show and wound up winning tickets to an indy show where I met Les in person. I told him of my love for the business and he said he was opening a wrestling school in a few weeks and I was more than welcome to come check it out. The rest is history.

CJ: What actually inspired you before hearing that radio show to have this desire inside of you to become a pro-wrestler?

SB: When I was 12 years old, I saw an episode of WWF wrestling where "Rowdy" Roddy Piper hit Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka over the head with a coconut. I just HAD to tune in the following week to find out what Snuka would do about it. I was pretty much hooked at that point. I started going around telling everybody that wrestling was what I was going to do for a living.

CJ: Any concerns on the state of pro wrestling as it stands right now?

SB: Time will tell. Right now, it's making for some great TV.

CJ: What makes you continue to get up and do this day in and day out?

SB: Wrestling is in my blood. I think about it non-stop. It would be harder to give it up than to continue to do it day in and day out.

CJ: Have you had any discussions with the WWFE?

SB: I've spoken to them in the past, but I've never actually set foot in a WWF ring yet. The HWA (Heartland Wrestling Association) in Cincinnati has just signed a WWF developmental deal. As a charter member of the HWA, I have to think this betters my chances of getting into the WWF.

CJ: Yeah, I understand Heartland Wrestling is going to be one of the major territories for the WWFE developmental talent. It should be very good for everybody involved with HWA. I have a few last questions and then we will wrap up this interview session. Where do you see yourself ten years from now?

SB: Hopefully making a living in the business and making my family proud of what I have accomplished.

CJ: What would you do to clean up societies major problems (violence, and illegal drugs use)?

SB: I just want to entertain people.

I feel like it's my job to make all the problems of the world go away for the ten minutes that I'm in the ring. For those ten minutes, the spectator can forget about all of his or her problems and just be entertained. I'm afraid those kinds of problems will never go away entirely.

CJ: That is a very realistic outlook and a very unique answer to my very tough question. I never thought about it that way. Lastly, give us a little sample of what it is like to be on the road (serious or humorous story about your experiences as an independent wrestler).

SB: Once I was traveling with a good friend of mine, Chip Fairway, and we drove to a show that had been cancelled at the last minute due to an impending snow storm. Nobody was there, just a note on the door. Obviously, we weren't going to get paid and neither one of us could afford to get a hotel room at the time. So we had to drive like hell just to get back to the bridge from Indiana to Ohio before the snow storm came and the damn thing was covered in ice. It started snowing on the way back to the bridge and Chip was doing 80 the whole way just so we could get back home. It was such a nerve-racking experience that the two of us just started laughing and telling jokes the whole way home. I'm happy to say we made it home in one piece that day. I'll never forget that experience.

CJ: I understand you have an official web site which has every bit of information a Shark Boy fan could ever dream of coming across?

SB: Anything and everything you could possibly want to know about Shark Boy can be found at my website: http://www.SharkBoy.net. Feel free to drop me and EMAIL while you're there... and thanks for following the fin!