_________________________________________________________________ Q U E S T I O N S F O R T H E P R O S: With "Crazy" Luke Graham, Jr. _________________________________________________________________ [Interview conducted by Tony D. on September 11, 1999] TD: What's your real name, and what gimmicks have/do you use? LG: Jerome Jolly ... but no one except my folks have called me by that name in about the last three years.... So that kind makes it my original name ..... my " real" name is Luke ... TD: What height/weight are you? LG: I am about 5-11.... and weigh anywhere between 230 and 150 depending on the time of year! TD: What circuits do you currently wrestle in? LG: I have laid off a little lately.... but i have run with USWA, Main Event Championship wrestling, Arkansas Wrestling federation, Southern Championship wrestling, Moondog Championship wrestling and several others, currently i am working with Superstars of Wrestling out of Texas. TD: What titles have you held? LG: I have held AWF Championship, SCW Championship(Singles and Tag), MECW (Singles and tag) TD: When did you decide to become a wrestler? LG: Hell brother, I been watching wrestling for so long. who could really say? I guess in the days when the Mid South Coliseum was packed.... was when i first got into watching it around memphis... the glory days so to speak.... TD: And how did you get started? LG: Ugh. I got started on the concrete!!! and on the ground!!!!.. then. i got in the ring.... and boy was i glad... but i know that is not the answer you were lookin for .... i was an athlete for most of my young life.... 13 years of organized football, about 6 years of weights and throwing the shotput in h.s. and college... then who knows . one day you just end up in an outlaw group somewhere. and there you have it! TD: Who has been the biggest influence on your career? LG: Thats a tough question. there have been several influences... I guess you could say i am a pseudo mark for Handsome Jimmy Valiant.... I have always admired Ric Flair . both of those guys are the epitome of showmanship.... but i have to give Lawler credit as having the best mouth in the business, and the showmanship to go with it. And maybe Harley Race, Nick Bockwinkle, Dutch Mantell, and Austin Idol also. just a little... Each of these guys were/are great wrestlers and in my opinion some of the best to watch. So, I figure they were the ones.... Especially Valiant for being the first to tell me i had talent..... and Lawler for giving me my first break toward the big leagues..... TD: What has been the greatest moment of your career? LG: The greatest moment ??? I have never really thought about it so give me a second... seriously.... I think.... probably the most memorable. was one of my first matches.... a singles match.. I was known as Mr. Sandman back then...... But I think the biggest moment for me was walking out the dressing room door.. and watching about 750 people go bananas for me and the kids following me up and down the aisles... I hope that makes sense. TD: Who are/were you trained by? What kind of athletic background do you have before you became a wrestler? LG: I was trained by several different folks . none that would be recognizable by name... Werent you listening ???? i told you about that before !? TD: Who is your favorite wrestler to work with in the ring? LG: this may sound funny... My favorite wrestler to work with in the ring...was a kid named Tim Gibson..... there was some chemistry there..... he was my first tag partner... and we won the SCW straps together.... HE had all the excitement you could ask for.. and he carried the team back then talentwise.. but we knew what the other was thinkin and that made it fun... TD: Any major enemies? If so, who, and why? LG: ACTION JACKSON .... he knows why... I dont think Dundee liked me very much. but oh well...... But Action Jackson...... yeah you could say there is some BAD BLOOD THERE ... Were feuding now. he is wearing MY belt at SSOW.. This is legit.. there is PLENTY of heat there..... ask anyone that has seen the two of us in the ring or on the floor at the same time.... There are a couple promotors i'd like to run into in a dark alleyway..... but that big ugly AJ. yeah. he's an enemy.. i got some better names for him. but i am assuming that people read this..... and some of them may be kids.... and in the past.. back a couple of years ago..... me and Brickhouse Brown feuded really bad all over Arkansas..... TD: Which promotion gives you the most heat? LG: Hmmmmm , the MOST heat... at Superstars of wrestling..... its pretty hot.... getting hotter by the event.... I am the Crazy One after all...... I get heat most places. i would be hard to book me and not expect some kind of heat on me. but heat is not always a bad thing... i get good as good heat when the fans like me as i do when they dont. so.... who knows... I am happy with the way SSOW is going now. Im getting the big shots..... and the heat follows with it..... now if i could convince AKBAR to watch my back from some of these sneak attacks. now there would be heat ....AJ are you reading this??? TD: Do you ever consider working in the WWF, WCW, or ECW if they are interested in your talent? LG: Brother ..... are you nuts.....?? or did you just fall off the wagon ? what wrestler in his insane mind doesnt want his shot.... I consider it all the time. I just aint sure were really made for each other. they want huge guys.... and im not huge.... I like ECW . I like WWF, and i like WCW. not in any particular order. and yeah . if the money was right and they needed a guy with my talent and gimmick. id seriously consider going. but every wrestler dreams of the day he wrestles before 10s of thousands... i am no different. i think id like to work a year with WCW or WWF... but that is probably long enough...... okay .... im lying. i'd like to work three years. the boys at both organizations are on top of their games.. TD: If you had to pick, WWF, WCW or ECW? Where would you go? And why? LG: If I had to pick... i couldnt. I think that both have alot going for them. and i am not dodging the question..if i HAD to pick and only had one choice..... id rule out ECW but i think the talent levelin both organizations is almost par... whether you agree with their marketing strategies is irrelevant to a wrestler. you just want to work with the best. and you can find that at either WWF or WCW. TD: Do you have a computer? If so, what do you think of the reporters and sheet writers on the internet? LG: Yes, I have a cpu.. 450 mhz..I dont think of them much........some are worth reading. but many seem to copy news from the other.. very few actually have the inside scoop that they claim to haev. and most of the predictions are sheer conjecture..... read carefully. and you can find a few good writers . or a few good sheets. hell .. i read yours dont I? TD: Any advice you'd give a wannabee wrestler? LG: yeah . sure..... advice to a wannabe??? my advice... you really gotta wanna be. you have to be willing to pay the price. sacrifice your body for the show and the fans ( within reason) work when youre hurt. make beans for years..... i've been to shows where the promo wanted to pay me with FOOD STAMPS or hardees coupons .... drove hundreds of miles only to get stiffed for the pay off.... slept in the car when it was freezing. dressed in an unheated trailer when it was five degrees outside. . yeah . you have to really wanna....and then you have to have some athletic ability or talent.. but most of all you gotta be willing to pay your dues for years before you get anywhere close to a break..... TD: Any final comments for the readers? LG: nah... i dont think so. but thanks to you TD for the chance to air it out for a while...anybody interested can emaiil me with comments at crazyluke@crazyluke.com take care brother.... and thanks to the fans.....TD ....? u da dam man