10 Wrestling Facts We Didn't Know Last Week (Jan 11)

3. 'Mean' Gene Wanted Nothing To Do With Sgt. Slaughter's Iraqi Gimmick

It's hard to illustrate properly just how much heat Sgt. Slaughter had in the early-90s for aligning with General Adnan and Colonel Mustafa. A true patriot had turned his back on the United States amidst the Gulf War, and fans were seething that he'd joined forces with the enemy.

That heat was felt backstage in the WWF too, so much so that legendary interviewer 'Mean' Gene Okerlund told Vince McMahon he wanted nothing to do with the gimmick. To Gene, it was a disaster waiting to happen, and he confided in good pal Bruce Prichard that he worried about interviewing Slaughter in front of live crowds.

Prichard told this tale on his podcast, then admitted he once ribbed Gene about it.

In a pre-taped segment, Bruce put Okerlund on the spot by asking about Slaughter's motivations. Breaking character, Gene laughed, admitted he'd been railroaded into speaking on something he didn't want to and then said he was glad it had happened backstage.