Interview Recap - Barry Darsow

Posted in Interview Recaps by Jack at 00:24, Jul 15 2007

By Norrin Radd

Barry Darsow, also known as Krusher Krushev, Demolition Smash, and the Repo Man, was the guest on the July 11th, 2007 edition of the In Your Head radio show hosted by Jack, OneInchBiceps and Barbie Richards at http://www.inyourheadonline.com.

Barry was there to promote the NWA Legends Fanfest August 10th-12th in Charlotte North Carolina. For more information visit http://www.nwalegends.com.

When asked by which name most fans remember him by, Barry said it seems to depend on where he is. In the South it might be Krusher Krushev and in the North it might be Demolition Smash.

Caller, Brian Jones, then phoned the program to ask Barry two questions. His first was about something that he had read about Barry at onlineworldofwrestling.com, which stated that Barry went to school with many other future pro wrestlers - he wanted to know if that was wrestling school or high school. Barry said it was both actually. He went to high school with Curt Hennig, Rick Rude, Tom Zenk, Wayne Bloom, John Nord, etc.

Brian?s other question was about the first and only King of the Road match - what was it like competing in that match? Barry said it was great, it was ?his match?. Mike Graham asked him if he wanted to do a special match and Barry said yes. The King of the Road match was held in the back of a moving semi-truck. He and Dustin Rhodes were also released after the match for blading and those in charge feeling that the match was too bloody to air, according Barry. Much of the match was edited out before airing.

On the subject of censorship, co-host Jack, asked Barry if he felt that such censorship hurt professional wrestling when many of it?s most basic aspects are violent? Barry said he didn?t feel that censorship was necessarily a bad thing, but the King of the Road match was a pay-per-view match so it seemed odd.

Caller, Orangekorn, told Barry of how he was fan of his Repo Man gimmick as a kid, and that one of his favorite wrestling memories from his childhood was the Repo Man stealing Randy Savage?s hat. Orangekorn then asked Barry what his favorite Repo Man moment would have to be, and Barry said that probably the Randy Savage moment just mentioned would have to be since it also occurred on the very first edition of Monday Night Raw.

Orangekorn asked what it was like to wrestle with Bret Hart and Barry said that it was a pleasure. You knew you going to work your tail off and that you going to have a good match as well.

Caller, Riren, was curious to find out how the ?Hole-In-One? Darsow gimmick came about. Barry said that he played a lot of golf. Terry Taylor asked Barry what he wanted to do and Barry said he wanted to play golf. Taylor suggested he play golf on television and Barry agreed and said he?d be ?Hole-In-One? Darsow then. Barry said they didn?t push it as hard as they could have though because he had already been around for a while at that point and they were bringing in new guys that they wanted to push harder.

Golgo13, wanted to know if Barry was a better golfer than Larry Zybysko, to which Barry stated he would love to take on Larry. He played against a lot of guys everywhere he worked, but didn?t get a chance to play with Larry.

Barry then spoke about some of the other wrestlers that also play the game such as Jacque Rougeau, Sgt.Slaughter, Tito Santana, Rene Goulet, Chief Jay Strongbow, and Pat Patterson.

Riren asked Barry what it was like to compete in the opening of the Royal Rumble with his tag team partner Demolition Ax. Barry said it was different, but fun to do.

Co-host Jack asked Barry what it was about Minnesota that has produced so many great wrestlers. Barry said that he felt that it had to do with the fact that so many of the guys were so competitive with each other at that time.

Barry said that he hasn?t really done much to do with wrestling in the last 5 or 6 years, but he enjoys doing the fan fests and seeing some of the guys he hasn?t seen in a long time.

The strangest thing that Barry was probably asked to sign would probably be women?s breasts and butts, which wasn?t so bad.

He also said he wasn?t against doing the Krusher Krushev gimmick because it was one of his first big breaks in the wrestling business. Barry said it was fun to get the fans against you and that the Krushev gimmick was the most fun. Fans would legitimately go after him sometimes, slicing his tires, smashing his windshield and a few fans had come after him with a knives.

Norrin Radd wanted to know if Barry was ever against adding Crush to Demolition and Barry said that he wasn?t at all. He felt that Crush was a good guy and helped add to the team.

Barry said that the reason all the evil Russians in wrestling were bald was because of all the chemicals they put in their food as children. Ivan Koloff will also be at the fan fest and Barry said he was looking forward to seeing him again, he hasn?t seen him in years.

When asked if he felt that Mr. Fuji was a better as manager for Demolition than Johnny Valiant, Barry said he felt so. Mr. Fuji helped make them appear more evil.

Gibbering Mouther asked if Barry could combine two of his previous gimmicks to become a new one which two would he choose? Barry said probably Krusher Krushev and Demolition Smash. Gibbering Mouther suggested Krusher Krushev and ?Hole-In-One? Darsow, as an evil Russian golfer. Barry liked that idea.

Barry said he?s starting to do appearances now, but hasn?t done anything in the ring in probably 6 or 7 years.

He said it was also great to do some appearances with Demolition Ax, Bill Edie, again. They have more appearances together coming up in the future.

Barry felt they never really capitalized on the Demolition and LOD feud in WWF. LOD wasn?t really as strong with the fans as WWF was expecting them to be when they first came in and seemed end the feud early. Barry felt the feud with the Powers of Pain went as far as it could have gone though.
The Hart Foundation, British Bulldogs, and The Strike Force were probably the best tag teams that Demolition faced according to Barry.

Barry was friends with Mr. Fuji and was spared from being the subject of any of his ribs.

Barry wasn?t too sure why his tag team with John Nord was so short-lived except that Eric Bischoff wasn?t pushing tag teams at the time. Barry knew Eric Bischoff from Minnesota and said that Eric was always a good guy. He let him go at WCW and rehired him when he said he was going to rehire him, so he was always upfront with him.

Being in the ring with Andre the Giant at WrestleMania 6 was ?unbelievable? according to Barry. Andre was a good friend to Barry and a pleasure to be in the ring with him.

Brian Blaze asked if the Repo Man gimmick was his idea or someone elses. Barry said it was his and Vince liked it, it bought him a few more years with the WWF. He said it ehe most fun of all his gimmicks to do.

Barry said he has the Jakks Pacifics action figures of his characters and memorabilia from throughout his career. He even has signed WWF cards from all the wrestlers from back in the day.

NWA Legends Fanfest August 10th-12th in Charlotte North Carolina. For more information visit http://www.nwalegends.com.

Check out the actual interview in it's entirety at In Your Head radio and join the show live every Wednesday at 8e/9c pm at http://www.inyourheadonline.com.

Credit: Norrin Radd