Jake Roberts has recalled a hilarious story from life on the road involving Paul Bearer, a hotel honeymoon sweet and a mirrored ceiling.
Paul Bearer’s involvement in the wrestling business began back in the early 70’s as a ringside photographer. He went on to become a manager under the name Percy Pringle as well as briefly wrestling as Mr X.
After taking a break from the industry for the birth of his first child and in order to gain a degree in mortuary science, Bearer resumed his managerial role in 1984. Using the Percy Pringle name, the real-life funeral director worked in Championship Wrestling from Florida and World Class Championship Wrestling. It was during this period where he first managed a young Mark Calaway, who would become The Undertaker.
The star joined the WWF in December 1990 and again linked up with The Undertaker, this time using the name Paul Bearer. The pair remained together for a number of years, and Bearer was an integral part of The Undertaker presentation.
Speaking on a special episode of his podcast, DDP Snake Pit, looking back at the legendary career of The Deadman, Jake Roberts also touched on Bearer’s important role. During the conversation Roberts also recalled a hilarious story involving Bearer and a mirrored ceiling.
“You’re exactly right. He made sure that he was an evil bastard. I mean, you can’t look at Percy [Paul Bearer] and say anything but evil. I’ll tell you a funny one about him though. You ready for this? At the time we were booked in upstate New York you know, in upstate New York they had those places that are you know, their honeymoon suites and all the real nice stuff you know, for people that are wanting to take a little vacation they go up in the mountains and casinos whatever you know, and we went up there and did a show.
We were staying at a hotel that had all these honeymoon suites and they gave him, all the guys the suites. I mean, I had one, course you know Taker had one and Percy had one.
Next morning I go down at breakfast and I’m sitting there and Percy comes up. He goes ‘Oh, Jake, what a horrible night.’ I’m like, what happened bro? [Percy] ‘The worst thing that could ever happen to a married man.’ I’m like did you catch your wife cheating on you.
[Percy] ‘No, she wasn’t cheating on me. So Jake, you got to understand where I was in that beautiful suite thinking about my lovely wife. And I got in the hot tub, had candles lit, drink some champagne. When I got out of the hot tub and so went over and I laid on that big heart-shaped bed. You know, buck-ass naked, that’s when it happened Jake.’ I said what happened? He says ‘I looked up and I saw the mirror on the ceiling. And I thought to myself your wife is one sick b*tch if she’ll f*ck you.’”
Paul Bearer remained with WWE until 2002, performing a number of roles backstage as well as being an on-screen character.
Bearer returned to the company in 2003 for a further two years, later heading back to the company for shorter stints in 2010 and 2012.
The legendary manager sadly passed away on March 2nd 2013, and he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame a year later.
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