Former ECW star,Electra,and NWA TNA announcer,Ed Ferrera were guests this
week on Chairshots radio.The show can be heard excusively at
http://www.chairshots.com 24/7.Rod Siciliano is the host.Here are some
thoughts from Electra on the passing of her ex-husband and friend Alex Rizzo
aka Big Dick Dudley:
-On what happened the day Alex Rizzo passed on:"The day he did pass on, he
woke up, he had stomach pains all week because of a change in prescription
on Monday. And he woke up, he had stomach pains all week, he had woke up
and tried to go to the bathroom and actually couldn't urinate. So he became
a little concerned because he did have the sensation to go. I know it
sounds really gross but this is the truth. So he called my sister-in-law
and he asked her what to do. Should he go to the hospital because he really
felt lousy. She told him to try a glass of cranberry juice, thinking is was
likley a urinary track infection or something to that effect. Then if he
still couldn't go and didn't feel good maybe it was a good idea to go to the
doctor but it didn't seem like any kind of a big deal. Which that, the
woman he was with, I'd assume, I'm not sure if they were married or not, I
don't think they were. I think it was a boyfried/girlfriend type of thing,
who was living with him, he sent her out to get some cranberry juice. So
she came back and poured him a glass. He went into the living room to sit
and drink his juice. He just didn't want to be bothered becuase he didn't
feel very well. He got up to use the lavratory, and that's where he just
fell face first and passed away.'
-On how she met Alex: 'It's real funny actually on how we met. When I had
come back from actually Moolah's camp in South Carolina. I really needed to
learn to work like the American workers. Which would be off of the left
because Moolah trains off to the right, more like to go to Japan or
overseas, that's where there is more work for the women. So I started
training at Johnny Rodz`s school,which at the time was at the Galaxy Gym, it
wasn't yet at Gleason's. And me, Tazz, Alex and this guy Bialo(?), who died
a couple of years ago, The Giant, were his only American students. So we
all actually met together at one time. At Johnny Rodz`s camp at Galaxy
Gym.'
- On how much the wrestling life style contributed to Alex's death: '175
percent, it was what killed him. I know it sounds cold and horrible but
it's, the wrestling business killed him. Let's just say he was no choir
boy. We're going to be honest. It's a known fact that he did have a pill
problem a couple of years back which he had went to rehab for and cleared up
but once the damage is done, it's done. People don't realize that they get
off the stuff but once you damage the body, it's damaged forever. That's
it. There is no fixing it. He fell into a depression after ECW and this is
what happenes. They start up with the pills, 'Oh my back hurts. Let me
take some pills'. It starts off as a pain thing. You know, they masked the
pain then it turns into a part of every day life.'
-Whether or not pain killers are a huge problem in wrestling: 'Yes and no.
If that makes any sense. I think Vince has got a pretty good stanglehold
over who works for him and you know, it's basically, in my opinion, it's
look like it's to be a no tolorence type of situation, but outside of that
situation, I'd assume, yeah, like people I run into, things that I really
don't do the indy curcuit because of that. I just don't want to be involved
in the middle of that stuff.I`m not a choir girl either and I've had my
share of drinks in the past. I was never one for the drug seen.'
-On whether there was a lot of use of painkillers in the ECW locker room:
'I wouldn't say it was alot of guys. It was a select few. And the select
few who did, that ruled their life. Basically. They almost lived for the
high. But it wasn't in abundance. It wasn't like the entire company was
walking around on pain pills. Becuse it wasn't that way at all. But there
were a select few that were...bad. Alot worse off than Alex was. That's
why I'm amazed he was the first to go.'
-Her advice to anyone abusing pain pills:'You don't even realize, that you
think it's good for your body but it is totally not. This just goes to show
he was clean when he passed away. It was a change of prescription and his
liver was just too weak to handle the stronger medication. It does such
damage. People just don't realize what it is actually doing inside your
body. They feel good for the minute or the moment you are taking them, but
you know you've got a problem when you have to snort the pain killers
opposed to swallowing them. That's when you know there is a problem.'
An emotional interview with Electra.It`s something all wrestling fans should
hear as it sheds a lot of light on an ongoing problem in the world of
professional wrestling.Our thoughts and prayers go out to her,her
daughter,and the rest of the family on this tragic loss.