RVD Speaks On Marijuana-WWE Issue, Heyman, More

[Snitsky]

During a recent interview with BE! Magazine, former ECW and WWE star Rob Van Dam discussed a variety of topics including Paul Heyman, his transition from ECW to WWE, the new ECW, being busted for marijuana possession and more. Here are some highlights:

On Paul Heyman:
"Paul was the best wrestling promoter to work for, if you cared about freedom of expression. As an artist, working under Paul's tutelage helped old me into the non-conforming superstar I became, but made it challenging to be compatible with WWE's style."

On his frustrations with working in WWE:
"I was so frustrated by the adjustment to WWE style and politics that I'd often phone my wife, so she could talk me into staying. I've never felt like I needed a job or had to stay somewhere I wasn't happy."

On how the new ECW changed into something he didn't like:
"Just like everyone else, I was very disappointed to learn that Vince used a bait-and- switch tactic to get started and then turned his back on the original ECW to try to create something new."

On being sent home after his marijuana bust as the WWE and ECW Champion:
"Considering how burnt out I was from the travel, I welcomed the time at home. I even asked for more time off when they wanted me to come back. Although I wasn't happy that I had fu*ked up the plans for the ECW and the WWE, I have always felt proud to draw attention to the great injustice of marijuana prohibition. I've never given a public apology, because I'm not sorry when truth is exposed."

pwpix.net

[The Summer of Muskrat XVII]

May 25, 2009 23:06:41 GMT -5 Snitsky said:

During a recent interview with BE! Magazine, former ECW and WWE star Rob Van Dam discussed a variety of topics including Paul Heyman, his transition from ECW to WWE, the new ECW, being busted for marijuana possession and more. Here are some highlights:

On Paul Heyman:
"Paul was the best wrestling promoter to work for, if you cared about freedom of expression. As an artist, working under Paul's tutelage helped old me into the non-conforming superstar I became, but made it challenging to be compatible with WWE's style."

On his frustrations with working in WWE:
"I was so frustrated by the adjustment to WWE style and politics that I'd often phone my wife, so she could talk me into staying. I've never felt like I needed a job or had to stay somewhere I wasn't happy."

On how the new ECW changed into something he didn't like:
"Just like everyone else, I was very disappointed to learn that Vince used a bait-and- switch tactic to get started and then turned his back on the original ECW to try to create something new."

On being sent home after his marijuana bust as the WWE and ECW Champion:
"Considering how burnt out I was from the travel, I welcomed the time at home. I even asked for more time off when they wanted me to come back. Although I wasn't happy that I had fu*ked up the plans for the ECW and the WWE, I have always felt proud to draw attention to the great injustice of marijuana prohibition. I've never given a public apology, because I'm not sorry when truth is exposed."

pwpix.net

Not trying to turn this into a pro/con marijuana debate, but I'm one of the biggest pro-pot people around. But the fact of the matter is this YOU WERE DRIVING A F***ING CAR ROB!!!!

I'm completely against driving while high, and that's why you got suspended a month, not for the pot, but for driving under the influence!! Sabu wasn't driving, thus he only got fined. You were driving under the influence of drugs, NOT COOL!!

[Spankymac is sick of the swiss]

May 25, 2009 23:36:27 GMT -5 The Summer of Muskrat XVII said:

May 25, 2009 23:06:41 GMT -5 Snitsky said:

Not trying to turn this into a pro/con marijuana debate, but I'm one of the biggest pro-pot people around. But the fact of the matter is this YOU WERE DRIVING A F***ING CAR ROB!!!!

I'm completely against driving while high, and that's why you got suspended a month, not for the pot, but for driving under the influence!! Sabu wasn't driving, thus he only got fined. You were driving under the influence of drugs, NOT COOL!!

Pretty much. I'm not a pro-pot dude, or whatever, personally, whatever you wanna do on your own time is your business, but the dude was driving the car, he paid the consequences, acting like some kind of "pot martyr" isn't gonna help him.

[Chad1m]

He shouldn't complain about the new ECW taking a dump three months after it launched, his pot bust was one of the biggest reasons it turned farther away from the original ECW.

[KimberlyPagesBoyToy]

May 25, 2009 23:36:27 GMT -5 The Summer of Muskrat XVII said:

May 25, 2009 23:06:41 GMT -5 Snitsky said:

Not trying to turn this into a pro/con marijuana debate, but I'm one of the biggest pro-pot people around. But the fact of the matter is this YOU WERE DRIVING A F***ING CAR ROB!!!!

I'm completely against driving while high, and that's why you got suspended a month, not for the pot, but for driving under the influence!! Sabu wasn't driving, thus he only got fined. You were driving under the influence of drugs, NOT COOL!!

You sir deserve a brownie...whether it be fudge or something else is your call;)

[honsou]

May 25, 2009 23:36:27 GMT -5 The Summer of Muskrat XVII said:

May 25, 2009 23:06:41 GMT -5 Snitsky said:

Not trying to turn this into a pro/con marijuana debate, but I'm one of the biggest pro-pot people around. But the fact of the matter is this YOU WERE DRIVING A F***ING CAR ROB!!!!

I'm completely against driving while high, and that's why you got suspended a month, not for the pot, but for driving under the influence!! Sabu wasn't driving, thus he only got fined. You were driving under the influence of drugs, NOT COOL!!

This is an excellent point, he really should of apologized for driving under the influence.

[eDemento2099]

May 25, 2009 23:56:03 GMT -5 Chad1m said:

He shouldn't complain about the new ECW taking a dump three months after it launched, his pot bust was one of the biggest reasons it turned farther away from the original ECW.

WWECW was crap the moment it got on Sci-Fi (One Night Stand II was arguably when a lot of the crap started to settle in). It was crap long before the DUI incident.

[azz0r]

Nothing new to say, move along

[Alexander The So-so]

May 25, 2009 23:36:27 GMT -5 The Summer of Muskrat XVII said:

May 25, 2009 23:06:41 GMT -5 Snitsky said:

Not trying to turn this into a pro/con marijuana debate, but I'm one of the biggest pro-pot people around. But the fact of the matter is this YOU WERE DRIVING A F***ING CAR ROB!!!!

I'm completely against driving while high, and that's why you got suspended a month, not for the pot, but for driving under the influence!! Sabu wasn't driving, thus he only got fined. You were driving under the influence of drugs, NOT COOL!!

Agreed 100%

On a different topic, while I understand the whole "bait-and-switch" greivence regarding the new ECW, I still think that it's silly to still be holding a grudge against Vince for it to this day. Yes, it's not flaming tables, barbed wire deathmatches, and R-rated presentation 24/7, and yes, WWE treats it like a televised developmental at best. But at the same time, it was, for a long while, WWE's best-booked wrestling show by far. Besides, say that they had gone through with making it a revival of the "true" ECW. How would that have worked, in the long run? WWE's a PG product now, so they couldn't get away with the violence and mature content so synonomous with the original ECW for long. And more likely than not, the novelty and nostalgia of it likely would've worn off eventually, and when that would've happened, where would they go from there? Right now, ECW the show is fine as it is; a good minor show that showcases young, impressive talent in good matches.

Oh, and of course:

[Mozenrath]

May 25, 2009 23:56:03 GMT -5 Chad1m said:

He shouldn't complain about the new ECW taking a dump three months after it launched, his pot bust was one of the biggest reasons it turned farther away from the original ECW.

If him and Sabu owed anyone an apology, it'd be the ECW lockerroom for pretty much killing their chances.

Was it ever going to be original ECW? No. 2000 ECW wasn't even original ECW in spirit. Still, it would of had more of a shot.

[Can you afford to pay me, Gah]

May 25, 2009 23:36:27 GMT -5 The Summer of Muskrat XVII said:

May 25, 2009 23:06:41 GMT -5 Snitsky said:

Not trying to turn this into a pro/con marijuana debate, but I'm one of the biggest pro-pot people around. But the fact of the matter is this YOU WERE DRIVING A F***ING CAR ROB!!!!

I'm completely against driving while high, and that's why you got suspended a month, not for the pot, but for driving under the influence!! Sabu wasn't driving, thus he only got fined. You were driving under the influence of drugs, NOT COOL!!

Yea but IT'S NOT A DRUG. What is weed? A plant that grows. When set on fire it as a reaction when you inhale it. So if I went outside and set some grass on fire which there is a type of grass out there you do that every year. If I lets say do that and inhaled that smoke. Would that make it a drug? Drug is something that it's cemicials mixed together really. Not something that is naturally grown.

I don't do any weed or drugs but I do no the difference between what is a drug and what isn't.

["Hollywood" Cactus Matt]

May 26, 2009 8:31:20 GMT -5 Can you afford to pay me, Gah said:

May 25, 2009 23:36:27 GMT -5 The Summer of Muskrat XVII said:

Not trying to turn this into a pro/con marijuana debate, but I'm one of the biggest pro-pot people around. But the fact of the matter is this YOU WERE DRIVING A F***ING CAR ROB!!!!

I'm completely against driving while high, and that's why you got suspended a month, not for the pot, but for driving under the influence!! Sabu wasn't driving, thus he only got fined. You were driving under the influence of drugs, NOT COOL!!

Yea but IT'S NOT A DRUG. What is weed? A plant that grows. When set on fire it as a reaction when you inhale it. So if I went outside and set some grass on fire which there is a type of grass out there you do that every year. If I lets say do that and inhaled that smoke. Would that make it a drug? Drug is something that it's cemicials mixed together really. Not something that is naturally grown.

I don't do any weed or drugs but I do no the difference between what is a drug and what isn't.

First of all ... there are a lot of things that "grow in the ground," and they'd be considered drugs by the majority of people. Like ... psychedelic mushrooms.

And secondly ... do you really wanna get the thread locked? Because turning this into that debate is gonna do it quicker than anything, methinks.

[crnau87]

I Smoked pot once drove home and was completely fine. Anyone else have any case of being responsible while being high ?

[Hiroshi Hase]

RVD knew that management wasn't too crazy about him, so he should've been more careful with what he did on the road.

[Ryushinku]

May 26, 2009 5:11:49 GMT -5 Mozenrath said:

Was it ever going to be original ECW? No. 2000 ECW wasn't even original ECW in spirit. Still, it would of had more of a shot.

Agreed with that.

But judging from the answers, Rob doesn't seem all that big on the whole personal responsibility thing.

[Crazy Diamond]

What RVD did was stupid and wrong. I think they would have been more lenient if it had been alcohol because that's legal.

[thesunbeast]

May 25, 2009 23:49:46 GMT -5 Spankymac is sick of the swiss said:

May 25, 2009 23:36:27 GMT -5 The Summer of Muskrat XVII said:

Not trying to turn this into a pro/con marijuana debate, but I'm one of the biggest pro-pot people around. But the fact of the matter is this YOU WERE DRIVING A F***ING CAR ROB!!!!

I'm completely against driving while high, and that's why you got suspended a month, not for the pot, but for driving under the influence!! Sabu wasn't driving, thus he only got fined. You were driving under the influence of drugs, NOT COOL!!

Pretty much. I'm not a pro-pot dude, or whatever, personally, whatever you wanna do on your own time is your business, but the dude was driving the car, he paid the consequences, acting like some kind of "pot martyr" isn't gonna help him.

Here's the thing: Pot negatively influences your judgment (as does alcohol) and so yes, Rob probably already knew how dumb it is to drive while under the influence and didn't need anyone to tell him, but, when you are high, you re not in the right state of mind, and you will THEN make irrational decisions.

That's one of the reasons why I think mind-altering drugs are more dangerous for a society than non mind-altering drugs, it's because they're more dangerous towards innocent people, mainly because of the problems of decision making being switched over to the "feeling" side over the "thinking" side. Someone who is just a little tipsy on alcohol STILL might not want to drive home and refuse, but it only takes a little convincing to tell them otherwise when normally they would have been a "strict refuser", so to speak.

So I don't think the problem with pot is so much what it does to the person, as much as the problem is what the person does (or is willing to do) because of the pot.

[Deleted]

May 26, 2009 10:52:15 GMT -5 crnau87 said:

I Smoked pot once drove home and was completely fine. Anyone else have any case of being responsible while being high ?

Years of it earlier in life, but as it's not the law it can't be had. It indeed plays with decision making and reaction time behind the wheel, but I'd love to see those numbers versus someone who had been drinking in the same situation. They're a more credible threat to the "gonna kill somebody prematurely with vehicle" title imo.

Still, the law's the law. (unless you know someone) He knows he's technically wrong but feels the issue should be addressed. However, he and Sabu tooling around in a car with reefer and some pain pills doesn't really paint the picture of responsibility that you would want from your pro-pot debater.

[Shy Guy]

enough with the drug argument. anymore and this thread will be locked.

[eDemento2099]

May 26, 2009 4:10:19 GMT -5 Alexander The So-so said:

May 25, 2009 23:36:27 GMT -5 The Summer of Muskrat XVII said:

While I understand the whole "bait-and-switch" greivence regarding the new ECW, I still think that it's silly to still be holding a grudge against Vince for it to this day. Yes, it's not flaming tables, barbed wire deathmatches, and R-rated presentation 24/7, and yes, WWE treats it like a televised developmental at best. But at the same time, it was, for a long while, WWE's best-booked wrestling show by far.

I get what you're saying, and while that argument may be true, it isn't saying much (All WWE brands have sucked royally since the company became a McMonopoly).

Besides, say that they had gone through with making it a revival of the "true" ECW. How would that have worked, in the long run?

Good question. I guess my answer to that is that a *genuine,* prolonged ECW revival would not work, which is precisely why the WWE should have let the past be (Same goes for reviving the nWo and DX). It was a miracle that the first One Night Stand PPV turned out as great as it did; WWE should have left it at that.