The LJ Interview: WWE superstar Sheamus
Sheamus battling Christian at WWE Vengeance 2011Recently, ljen and I spent a few minutes talking with WWE superstar Sheamus. When the two-time WWE champion isn't settling the score in the ring, he's touring the country as a representative of the be a STAR Alliance to help raise awareness of the bullying issue.
Hot off his recent victory against Christian at WWE Vengeance 2011, I'm pleased to share our conversation with WWE superstar Sheamus!
Mike: How did you become interested in wrestling?
Sheamus: I started watching with my grandad in Dublin while my parents were younger but working. I loved the superhero vibe of some of the well-liked larger-than-life superstars. I loved the conversations, the promos, the glitz and the glamour, the arenas packed with thousands and thousands of people. I just wanted to be a part of it.
Mike: Speaking of larger-than-life characters, what was the inspiration for your wrestling identity?
Sheamus: I was thinking about stereotypes of Irish people: the stereotype of the drunken Irish paddy, Lucky Charms, leprechauns. I wanted something stronger. I wanted to bring a different taste of Ireland to WWE and the world. With The Celtic Warrior, I brought something different. Someone who wants to fight, someone who never backs down, someone who doesn't have a tan like everyone else. We get sun maybe once every two years in Ireland. Literally, we live in a country of rain!
I was born different, I look different, I may as well play that up and that's what I did.
Jen: How did you become involved with the be a STAR Alliance?
Sheamus: I had seen my fair share of bullying as a kid. When I'd seen the slogans running on WWE on TV, I actually asked to be part of because it's something I've experienced, my friends have experienced. Now, being a WWE superstar, the WWE's biggest target audience is young people. I believe we have a lot of kids' ears in a positive way. As superstars, we can create a positive influence. I wanted to be a part of that, I want to let kids know firsthand, speaking to them face to face, that bullying needs to be stomped out. Bullying is not right. It's important to educate these children on how detrimental bullying is and how negatively bullying can affect children's lives.
Mike: The idea of a partnership between the be a STAR Alliance and the physical, some would say violent, entertainment of the WWE is a curious combination for some people. What are your thoughts?
Sheamus: There's been talk about it before, of the WWE being hypocrites for what we do on TV and what we do with the be a STAR alliance. I've actually been asked this by children before. I've told them, "What we do on TV, on WWE on Monday nights, Friday nights and Sunday's show, some of the things we portray are not who we are in real life. WWE is an entertainment show." I think it's special relationship because we can be a positive influence. We have a huge voice we can use it to push the be a STAR message to a lot more children, a lot more houses a lot more communities and countries.
Mike: You've won multiple wrestling championships and you're the first Irish WWE champion. Over your career, you've had some great moments. Which stands out as one of your most memorable moments?
Sheamus captures his first WWE ChampionshipSheamus: I would have to say winning the WWE championship. I wasn't there that long. It took me five months on television and about two months on RAW. All of a sudden I find myself as WWE champion. I've grown up watching people like "Macho Man" Randy Savage, Brett "The Hitman" Hart, Sean Michael, Triple X, Stone Cold, all win the WWE championship.
Going back to be a STAR, when I was a kid I wasn't the biggest kid in the world. I was small, I was chubby. I took a fair amount of bullying, and took a fair amount of abuse and stuff like that. I was an easy target, to be honest with you. People have been telling me my whole life, "You won't do this." They'd laugh at me when I tell them what my dream was. My dream has always been to be a wrestling superstar.
And here I am, years later, I'm standing here in the ring, John Cena is lying on a table. I'm holding the WWE championship, the biggest prize in what we do. I'm literally just standing there and the adrenaline is going and I'm going crazy. And at the same time, I'm like, This is really happening!" It's just one of those surreal moments in my life.
Jen: What is your message to those being bullied?
Sheamus addressing teens at the St. Louis Sports Commission's Sportsmanship Initiative (Sept. 2011)Sheamus: Let the bully know that it's wrong. Not in a violent way but in a vocal way.
I remember being a kid and being bullied. A lot of the kids are afraid to speak up or share with someone because they think talking to someone is like a 'no-no' or it's a cowardly thing to do. The thing is, it's not. Talking to someone is the right thing to do. It's important to know that if you're being bullied then you need to talk to someone you trust: an adult or a school teacher. You need to let people know what's going on. If they are aware what's happening then they can stop this from progressing to other kids.
Regardless of a person's sexual orientation, their weight, how they look, their race, where they're from, or religion, that person should not be bullied because these are the things that make a person special.