miami herold Al interview Anticipation mounting for Snow, Tough Enough finalists By JIM VARSALLONE jvarsallone@herald.com The night before the finale of Tough Enough, WWF star and Tough Enough trainer Al Snow waits in anticipation. ``This is like Christmas Eve for me,´´ said Snow who spent many weeks with the Tough Enough participants. ``It´s pretty exciting, and the kids are getting pretty wired up. It´s going to be a big, big night.´´ Who will win? ``It´s anybody´s race,´´ he said. Tough Enough airs live from WWF New York at 10 p.m. [EST] Thursday, September 27 on MTV. Being so close to the competitors, Snow must have some insider info. ``At this point, I still don´t know who is winning,´´ Snow noted. ``They haven´t asked my opinion, but I´m sure the judges will. I´m sure the trainers will have some input, and Vince McMahon will have something to say and others, too. ``It´s going to be tough. You get attached to them all and want to see them all succeed and achieve their dreams.´´ No matter which man and woman of the five finalists win a WWF contract, Tough Enough is already a success in terms of ratings. The combination of WWFE and MTV created a reality-based show -- unscripted and unstaged -- that gave viewers a taste of what it takes to become a pro wrestler. ``At no time did anyone come up to me and ask me to change something,´´ Snow said. ``None of the producers. None of the executive people. Nobody came to me and said we need more of this or that. Everything you saw was natural. The executives just took it and created a watchable story. ``Nothing was rehearsed or scripted. A lot of the fun stuff that happened was something I did when I got bored to entertain myself. Any of the confrontations or situations arose because of the personalities involved.´´ Thirteen talented, charismatic male and female athletes lived together, trained together, played together and competed against each other to achieve their ultimate dream -- contracts with the World Wrestling Federation. Five worked hard to reach the finale. Only two will win the ultimate prize. ``Three of the five won´t win tonight [September 27],´´ Snow said, ``but that doesn´t mean that´s the end of the road for them. It may not be their time tonight. Six months from now, one may get that big break he or she may be looking for. Or maybe a year from now. ``I believe those who don´t win will pursue this further. They´ve survived 15 weeks of sheer hell. They have the desire.´´ Each winner receives a 1-year WWF contract. ``The winners will be going to a developmental territory [Ohio Valley Wrestling or Heartland Wrestling Association],´´ Snow said. ``I know they will be on WWF TV in the very near future with their first match on SmackDown! on UPN. ``With the TV exposure and the character development on Tough Enough, they´ve got a leg up on the wrestling world. They´ve already got established audiences. Who´s to say if they go on SmackDown! and really click, they may not go to OVW or Heartland.´´ So many reality based shows burst onto the scene, but Tough Enough offered something different. Viewers learned the truth -- the time needed in the gym, the physical wear and tear on the body practicing moves and holds in the ring, the pressures of weekly travel from arena to arena, the psychological drain from being away from family and friends. ``Unlike other reality shows, this was the rarest because you didn´t watch people come on the show to degrade or humiliate themselves or back-stab for monetary gain or humiliate or degrade each other just to be TV stars,´´ Snow said. ``They wanted to pursue a dream to become a WWF star.´´ This is an opportunity to achieve something few have been able to attain. Many years pass before the lucky ones even have a glimmer of hope of signing with the WWF. The minority receives a tryout, a dark match to test their skills. Fewer ink a developmental contract with some of the WWF feeder programs like OVW or HWA. WWF Tough Enough allows one lucky, very lucky man and woman to sign a WWF contract, a one-year deal. Most would give their right arm, first born, IPOs for a one-month deal. ``I´m sure the winners will be treated with respect in the WWF locker-room, but they will have to earn any respect beyond that -- which is the nature of the business,´´ Snow said. ``They are going to have to earn their spots -- just like anybody has to. ``There are going to be those wrestlers who are going to be resentful and initially will be hard on them. But if anybody is going to be resentful or bitter toward these kids and the opportunity they received, it should be me more than anybody else. ``The reason I say that is because I worked 13 years thanklessly and in anonymity simply because I love this business and wanted to get the opportunity, and I finally did. I went through hell and back, and if anybody should be spiteful toward these kids, it should be me. ``But I´m not. You´re going to have those guys who will be bitter and resent the opportunity. At the same time, if anybody was in these kids´ shoes when the opportunity came up, they would take it just like these kids did. I dare any wrestler to argue that point with me and say they would rather suffer and pass up an opportunity like this.´´ Tough Enough inspired those with no wrestling experience to participate. With the success of the original, Tough Enough II is already in motion. The sequel seeks men and women who have wrestling experience. ``This time through we will be able to show more character development, more personality portrayal and promos,´´ Snow said. ``That will give the show something different from the first one.´

Articals about Tough Enough TOUGH ENOUGH PRESS RELEASE 6/12/2001 TOUGH ENOUGH CONFERENCE CALL 6/14/2001 NY Post Article NY Times on Tough Enough WWF Magazine July 2001 Article Tough Enough Spoof Houston Chronicle Pre-Show Webcast Business Wire John"Big"Gaburick Interview Al and Tazz on Opie & Anthony Show About Chris Nifong

Entertaiment Tonight 6/20/2001 Re-cap-Please take note that this report is credited to Lordsofpain.com which was cut and plasted because your webmaster lives in Seattle and because at this time those damn Mariners are so hot,that the Baseball game was on in place on E.T.-Your Webmaster Jeff Wilen sent in the following to Lordsofpain.com: Earlier tonight, a WWF Tough Enough preview was shown on Entertainment Tonight. They called it an all-new reality show that puts wrestlers into the ring. They showed Triple H and Chyna, and said both had an active in-ring role for the show. Clips of Triple H showing the contestants what "fake" wrestling punches were like were shown. A clip of Tazz chewing out a female contestant for sleeping during one of his speeches was shown. They also showed Kurt Angle. They said the field of over 5,000 audition tapes will be narrowed down to 13 wrestlers who will vie for a spot, and asked if they were tough enough to survive. The winner will be announced in a live TV special from Time Square. They showed lots of WWF in-ring highlights, and some of the contestants. At one point, they showed Jacqueline asking a cute contestant if she could hang with her and if she even worked out at all. They also showed several more try-outs, most of them ridiculous. The judges (Al Snow, Jacqueline, etc.) pick the final 13. The final 13 will live, play and train together. Ken Mok, the executive producer of the show, said that due to stress and injury, he didn't think there would be enough contestants to make it through production. The contestants are judged on physiques, athleticism, personality (interviews) and are drug tested.

Entertainment Weekly week of 6/18/2001-With it's ability to weave effortlessly between fact and fiction(while only occasionally observing the fourth wall) the World Wrestling Federation is granddaddy of reality TV.It's no wonder,then,that their first offical entry in the genre gets it so painfully-dare we say,poignantly-right. Equal parts Scared Sraight,the Real World,and Enter the Dragon,Tough winnows 5,000-plus applicants down to 13(eight males and Five Females),shacks them up in a Connecticut house,and,under the tutelage of WWF Superstars,subjects them to grueling 13-week regimen of browbeating and body slamming. At the end of the ordeal,two winners will land contracts to compete professionally for the WWF,Says Al Snow,a WWF grapler and one of Tough's dojo masters" "The training is like the costar of the show,and the actual star is their dealing with the reality(of becoming a Wrestler)as oppose to the fantasy" In other words,don't even think of calling this wrestling show fake

Q: How did you get involved with Tough Enough? Tazz: "I got involved in Tough Enough because Vince (McMahon) knew in ECW that I trained people. Perry Saturn and I ran the ECW school. He (McMahon) heard I was a very aggressive trainer. I have a rough edge. I was not a drill instructor-type but I can be a prick at it. The name of the show is Tough Enough and he wanted to bring that part out of it. As a trainer, I'm a natural heel. That wasn't a gimmick, because I really feel that way when I train people. I don't want to make it easy because it wasn't easy on me. It's tough to succeed in this if you do succeed. If you suck and five years later you're saying Tazz trained me, it's a bad reflection on me. If these guys suck and we make it easy on them and not work them, it hurts the credibility I have with my peers. That's what me and Perry discussed. It was the same with me and Al (Snow). Anyway, Vince came to me and said, 'Do you want to do this?' I said I would love to." Q: Since I haven't gotten a tape from the WWF yet, can you describe Tough Enough to me? Tazz: I want to talk about the show without sounding like a shill. But that is my job, to sell matches and talent because they pay me well to be a shill. Anytime anyone is annoyed when I do shill -- and Paul (Heyman) is the same way -- just hit the mute button on the left corner of your remote. That being said, Tough Enough is a sweet show. You don't have to be a fan of wrestling to like this show. Anybody who wants to see people try and succeed in their goals and watch them get broken down by mental, physical and emotional torture will love this show. Unlike Survivor and a lot of other silly (reality-based) shows, there's a lot of inside stuff. There's a lot of difference in the way you train when you get to this level. And you get to see what goes on in the house with people who made the cut. I didn't get to see them like that. All I got to see was the dojo training, so I'm excited to watch that end of it. Most people who read your stuff are wrestling fans and I know they're going to love the show." Part of an Interview with Alex Marvez of the Observer 6/15/2001

The WWF called a conference with media and Greg of WWF Tough Enough. Greg was the contestant that everyone picked to win, but was forced to leave due to a severe back injury. - When asked about his injury, Greg stated that he is still dealing with the injury. Some days are completely fine while others are fill with unbearable pain. Greg has received many calls from indy promotions, but is in no condition to get back in the ring. - Greg said that when he was called on by Triple H to take a few punches, he considered it a top memory for himself. He also recalls on how good it felt to get a compliment by such a pro for taking the bump correctly. - When Greg was asked about possibly pursuing an acting career, he said he would be much more interested in wrestling. However, Greg did say he would audition. - Greg also stated that he has kept in touch with Josh since his withdrawal from the Tough Enough competition. He was also asked who of Harvard Chris, Darryl and Bobbie Jo would he like to hang out with. Greg said he would like to hang with Chris.

Part of an Interview with Jackie miami herald Jackie interview Wrestling Diva defines Tough Enough By CHRIS YANDEK She is the WWF Diva who can look good and kick butt in the ring. I had a chance to speak with WWF star and Tough Enough trainer Jacqueline. How are you? Jackie:``I am doing really good.´´ What is your view of the WWF Tough Enough show and being a trainer on it? Jackie:``The Tough Enough show was long, and a lot of hard work, but I really did enjoy doing it. I also enjoyed being one of the trainers.´´ What connection was there between you and Tough Enough contestant Shadrick? Jackie:``Well Shadrick was really a good guy. He was really sweet, and I could tell he wanted it real bad. But Shadrick just did not have it. You know I kinda felt sorry for him cause you see, he just could not get it, and this type of guy you really just want to do well. But he could just not do it and could not get it. I really enjoyed working with Shadrick. It was really sad to see Shadrick go, and I wish him all the best.´´ What did you think about the women competitors on the show? Jackie: ``The women competitors on the show had a lot of heart. They really worked hard, and I think they have a lot of respect for the business now. They see now it is a lot of hard work and it is just not a cake walk. Some of the females really surprised me on the show cause some of them picked it up really well, so I was really surprised.´´

I think you are going to really enjoy Tough Enough when it debuts in a couple of weeks on MTV. I've seen some of the raw footage and it is very entertaining. I will hopefully see an edited version of the first show in a few days and will update you here. Thursday June 21 is the date of the first broadcast in the states.-The Ross Report 6/8/2001

"I tell you what though,I'm really happy for Al because of what I have been told by Kevin Dune,he said this Tough Enough is going to make Al a star,from what I hear he does a really great job with those kids"-Mick Foley

Byte This! June 8, 2001 Kevin Kelly tells Tazz to talk about 'Tough Enough'. He said that the first episode will delve into the auditions. Tazz got into the faces of a lot of people on that show. Tazz said that he yelled at everybody, because those people didn't deserve to be out there. Tazz said that he caught a sneak preview, and it's going to be awesome. Kevin asked Tazz if he was the star, and Tazz says that he is not the star. Al Snow, Jackie, and Tori were in there as well. It was a group effort. Paul and Kevin say that Tazz WAS the star, and Tazz said that they would say the same thing if Al Snow were sitting there..

Raw 5/28/2001 WWF NY Al:Well JR tonight at WWF NY,I'm having a blast with my friends here on Memorial day with my friends from JFK and Samuel Roberts Crew,but besides that I have been working on Tough Enough for the last two and a half months it's been an incredible experience and it's a for sure must see show for any WWF fan out there who wants to know what it takes to be a WWF Superstar And lets face it it's got to be the coolest job without a dought and I know what you people are thinking,oh God not another reality show,but let me tell you something the difference with this show is these kids didn't come on this show just to be tv stars,these kids came on this show to persue a dream,and follow their hearts,and they went through hell and back to do exactly that

Original Tough Enough Participant Application

Interview with Josh

Tough Enough News Raw (May 21), they showed the first commercial spot promoting the 'Tough Enough' series slated for MTV, confirming the premiere date of June 21st. Looks good--showed Tazz yelling in a girl's face, mud wrestling (of all things!), contestants training and jogging, and so forth; with a montage of Superstars from Stephanie to Triple H, but, curiously enough, no Al Snow...Hopefully, not an omen of things to come... From the Ross Report 5/12/2001-Tough Enough tapings are now ready for a June launch on MTV. I have not seen any footage yet; however, I am told everyone is ecstatic with the content. Al Snow, Tazz, Jacqueline and Tori have all done a superb job with this project and will, hopefully, benefit from the weekly exposure the new TV show will provide." Bebe's Backlash Report Two hours later and I still can't believe it, no not the outcome of the main event, but the fact that I a lowly peon in the world of wrestling was standing not 15 feet from our beloved Prince of Hardcore. He was in a skybox balcony smiling down and waving just like royalty he is. I first noticed Al about a half hour into the show while trying to wade through the human sea that is the nose-bleed section of the Allstate Arena. I'd be able to spot him anywhere. At first I was almost glad to have seats in the balcony so close to my hero. I then quickly cursed myself for not bringing my camera, then kicked myself for not bringing an Al Snow sign. I tried to incite a chant of "AL SNOW RULES!" but, unfortunately it didn't catch on. Risking neck cramps and jealous glances by my boyfriend, I then spent the rest of the evening looking up and to the left every five seconds to see what he was doing. So here is what everyone wants to know: the Al play-by-play. (Bear in mind all observations were made from about 20 yards away and I am typing from memory.) Kurt Angle vs Chris Benoit: Al, accompanied by Tazz and several people who I can only assume are the cast and/or crew of Mtv's "Tough Enough", spent the 30 minute match talking amongst themselves. Later Al and Tazz go inside the skybox and shoot a segment for the show. Shane vs Big Show: Al steps inside skybox once again and re-emerges with a plate of food. He spends most of the match eating. Matt Hardy vs Christian vs Eddie Guerro: Another segment for the show(I think). Al comes back but Tazz seems to have disappeared along with half the group. Al then drinks something (beer? soda? grape kool-aid?) from a medium sized paper cup. Later after the match, he either is talking on a cell phone or has a head ache and has his fingers in his ears. Stone Cold and Triple H vs Undertaker and Kane: Al seems uninterested in this main event as he looks to be taking a nap, leaning his head against the back of his chair with one arm over his eyes. (or possibly his head ache was bothering him.) He perks up near the end of the match to encourage Kane to get up by joining in the crowds clapping. Could it be he didn't know what the outcome would be? (gotta root for your old friends, eh?) The most exciting part of the show was in the leaving. To exit, I had to pass directly under Al and Co. Soon others noticed him and started shouting to him. He looked down to his fans and raised his hand in recognition. I suddenly found myself without a voice and only able to return a limp wave. A small chant of "HEAD HEAD HEAD" breaks out but like my attempt earlier, it soon died out. So goes the story of Al Snow and thus ends my brush with greatness. Until next time... Reporting for The HEAD, The "Fabulous" Bebe LeBruja Everett sent this in to Lordsofpain.com Hello last night(5/1 Smackdown tapengs)- I attended Smackdown! in Indy and I read your report and they all missed something. In the "club" section there were 3 guys and two girls with Al Snow! They had three or four camera men filming them all night long, the crowd even chanted a head chant at Al and he threw his arms up for everyone a few times. But I think the guys and girls were from Tough Enough because when Tazz came out (Tazz and Al are trainers on the show) he wore a Tough Enough shirt and the guys and girls all stood up and were cheering and yelling where as the rest of the show they just sat there and watched. Just thought I would pass this along. Greg Beckley, who sent Smackdown spoilers last night, also sent this in Another couple of things that I just thought of: In one of the upper-level suites, there was a camera crew and lighting for something. I tried to get as good a look at who was up there through some cheap binoculars I borrowed, but wasn't sure who all was there. Before the show, one person up there was waving to the crowd, and everyone around me was saying it was Al Snow (very possible, it looked like it could have been him from a distance). There was an athletic-looking individual up there on whom the cameras were focused on. If it was Al Snow, perhaps it was an MTV camera crew filming part of a Tough Enough episode. That would make sense.-credit-Lordofpain.com The last day of shooting for Tough Enough was May 11,2001. The show was scheduled to begin airing on June 21 on MTV for the one-hour special. There was then 12 half-hour shows airing after that.-credit JR

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Al has signed a $200,000 5 year contract extension with the WWF.  The 38-year-old star has said that once the deal expires he plans to move on to other forms of entertainment: "Hopefully in four years I will have found new challenges," said Al. "I'll still maybe have some affiliation with the WWF, because the company is moving into other areas as far as forms of TV and entertainment and movies. I'd like to do that." Al, whose wrestling career spans 18 years, is set to work along side Tazz and Jacqueline for the MTV/WWF reality series, "Tough Enough."  The series will document the discovery and creation of the next male and female WWF Superstars.

The MTV/WWF show "Tough Enough" CD features: Alien Ant Farm - "Smooth Criminal" Disturbed - "Stupify" Godsmack - "Awake" Saliva - "Superstar" Powerman 5000 - "Bombshell" Papa Roach - "Dead Cell" Buckcherry - "Slammin'" Deftones - "Digital Bath" Drowning Pool - "Bodies" Halfcocked - "Drive Away" Mudvayne - "Dig" The album released through Dreamworks.

Interesting Note About Tough Enough Finalist Tom 8.10.01 Tom, the Tough Enough contestant who was due to be on the show but was left off at the last minute, actually did want to be a part of the show. He is 18, but still lives at home with his parents, and thus needed consent forms. His parents, for some reason, refused to sign the consent forms, and therefore Tom was forced to bow out of the show.