paul heyman
WWE Hall of Famer Paul Heyman sits down with Graham Bensinger in New York City to reveal his unconventional rise to the top of professional wrestling. Heyman reflects on growing up as the son of a Holocaust survivor, hustling his way into Madison Square Garden at just 16, and his wild nights photographing celebrities at Studio 54. He also reveals the secrets behind his creative process, including the emotional story of wearing his father’s funeral suit for an on-camera breakdown. Plus, Heyman takes Graham to lunch at Del Frisco’s Steakhouse, the unlikely headquarters where he conducts much of his business.
paul heyman
CLIPS
“We weren’t supposed to be here”: WWE’s Paul Heyman on his mother’s Holocaust survival
WWE Hall of Famer Paul Heyman opens up about feeling like he is his mother’s “greatest disappointment” in life. He tells the harrowing story of his mother being sent to Auschwitz and separated from her family as a child, and admits that he feels that she has almost never allowed herself to be fully happy since then. He fondly recalls his Bar Mitzvah, which is the only time he saw her mother truly, fully smile.
Paul Heyman on his father’s most outrageous courtroom victory
WWE Hall of Fame promoter Paul Heyman gets emotional about the death of his father, who he insists is the greatest man he’s ever met. He launches into an animated story about his father, a personal injury lawyer, improvising an absolutely bizarre closing statement that won him the case.
Paul Heyman never wanted kids. Then 9/11 happened.
Paul Heyman on both the joys and challenges of being a single parent, telling Graham that he learned from his father never to panic. He recounts the story of his daughter getting into a bad car crash and how he focused on nothing except calmly making sure she was ok.
Paul Heyman: The hustle started at 11 with my mail order business
WWE Hall of Famer Paul Heyman tells the story of his very first entrepreneurial venture. At 11 years old, in search of the lobby cards for his favorite film, Angels With Dirty Faces, he came upon a movie materials supply store and started buying posters in bulk to sell at a markup over the mail.
Paul Heyman: How lying to Vince McMahon launched my wrestling career
Paul Heyman looks back on his high school years when he had already started a successful pro wrestling newsletter, The Wrestling Times. He recounts lying his way into a phone call with Vince McMahon Sr. and getting an MSG press pass that turned into the beginnings of his professional relationship with the king of wrestling.
Paul Heyman’s dad on his ADHD: “The kid can multitask”
WWE promoter Paul Heyman recalls that he was learning so much at home about history and English that he decided to go to his teachers and make a deal that, as long as he got all A’s, he wouldn’t have to come to class. For the most part, he succeeded.
Paul Heyman on going bankrupt after ECW: “Even the lowest day was a great day”
Paul Heyman recounts when, at the age of 28, he was booted from a wrestling job and almost began a career in radio opposite Howard Stern. He talks about backing out at the last minute from that, much to the chagrin of his manager, to book for the NWA. He also tells the story of how he single-handedly saved ECW, a Philly-based wrestling outfit that he brought into the modern day before it eventually filed for bankruptcy almost a decade later.
Paul Heyman: Vince McMahon is not a good man
Paul Heyman speaks on his conflicted feelings for the infamous king of WWE, Vince McMahon. He calls McMahon a “fascinating study of overcompensatory behaviour,” highlighting his ruthlessness and status as a dictator in the WWE creative department. He admits that he deeply admires McMahon’s work ethic, but does not think of him as a good man.
Paul Heyman’s creative genius: How he triggers WWE superstars
Paul Heyman discusses the incredible lengths he is willing to go to for a good performance. He tells Graham that he makes everyone he directs tell him their greatest fears and secrets so that he can manipulate their emotions before going onstage. He also reveals that for a breakdown scene of his own, he wore the suit he wore to his father’s funeral in order to convey the crushing weight of the death of his hero on screen.
“Happiness is a choice”: WWE’s Paul Heyman shares his powerful philosophy on life
Paul Heyman shares his insecurity about being seen in public out of character because it makes him feel vulnerable. He also shares his dreams of directing a masterpiece of a film, TV show, or album that will change the way people see him.
Paul Heyman defied doctors to appear on WWE Raw with a catheter and PICC line
WWE Hall-of-Fame promoter and manager Paul Heyman speaks candidly about a drug-resistant UTI he had a couple of years ago that spread regionally and resulted in a weeks-long hospital stay, catheter, and PICC line. He recalls being chewed out by his doctor for flying out on Monday nights and getting thrown around on RAW with the catheter and line still in.
Being booed or being cheered? Rapid fire with Paul Heyman
Pro wrestling promoter and commentator Paul Heyman answers our this-or-that questions presented by Twix.
Paul Heyman on marriage: “It’s a trap”
Paul Heyman speaks candidly about his dating life, speaking on juggling several relationships at once and stating that he would never be willing to marry because it’s a “trap”. Heyman says that he would never put a partner first or even second because of his commitment to his kids and chasing the “orgasmic” gratification he derives from his professional pursuits.
Paul Heyman on Studio 54: I succeeded because everyone else was high
Paul Heyman recounts his experience as a photographer and publicist at the infamous Studio 54, the wildest nightclub in all of NYC in the 70’s and early 80’s. He describes seeing an impromptu Prince concert, producing for Liza Minnelli, and an offer from his employers to pay him in pure cocaine.
Paul Heyman: Why I conduct business at a famous NYC steakhouse
Graham joins Paul Heyman and his son for a lunch at a New York City Steakhouse where Paul shares how happy he is to get to work with his son. He tells Graham that even though he is known for his work in wrestling, his children are what he considers his true legacy.
Paul Heyman betrayed his boss to jumpstart the Undertaker’s career
Paul Heyman tells all about his relationships with several notable wrestlers. He describes going behind WCW’s back to get the Undertaker to rival WWE. He also sings the praises of Brock Lesnar, calling him the greatest athlete on the planet and swearing that he’d still be UFC champion if not for his struggles with diverticulitis. When Graham asks about his relationship with Ric Flair, he opens up about their historic hatred of each other that ended in Heyman’s firing many years earlier, but says that they have mended their relationship after a wild night of drinking.