5 Ups & 2 Downs From HBO's André The Giant Documentary

by Jamie Kennedy

1. Insight Into André's Mental Fragility

Andre The Giant HBO
HBO

As he grew older and further away from childhood, André's mental state became a worry to those who knew him best. Tim White, a WWF referee and the man tasked with handling André on the road, visibly chokes up in the doc when disclosing that The Giant would tell him that he longed to be a "normal man".

Everything, from sitting in chairs at restaurants and bars to climbing into a car and walking through the airport, was a struggle for André. White's sad story of this magnificent mountain of man privately breaking down into tears when he was teased for his appearance is heart-breaking.

To André, every single day was a reminder that he couldn't live a regular existence.

Telling close friends that he ached to live just one day per week as a smaller man, so he could have his own car, visit the cinema or blend into a crowd, shows the increasing mental fragility André battled through in adulthood.

Credit to HBO for uncovering the tragedy of André's size, the one thing that made him money, also being a burden to him personally.

What did you think of HBO's snapshot look at Andre The Giant's life and career? Let us know down in the comments section below!

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.