TSC Interviews: Former WWE star/Motivational speaker Marc Mero

Who is Marc Mero?

Well, that depends who you ask.

If you ask a guy like Lance Storm or Dean Malenko, they may have some choice words for the guy. If you ask the hundreds of kids he's helped through the years, I think they would have a more positive feeling on the former WCW Television and WWE Intercontinental Champion.

You see, Marc Mero is not like a lot of former professional wrestlers. More often than not, much like ex-football players, it is hard for someone to go from being in the spotlight to everyday life. That's evident by the number of premature deaths of former wrestlers. It's a damn shame. Mero was actually on that path to self-destruction, but cleaned himself up just in the nick of time.

When we saw Mero on Fox News and CNN back in Summer of 2007, it would be easy to say the guy was just trying to make a name for himself off of the Chris Benoit tragedy. What a lot of people don't know is that the man formerly known as Johnny B. Badd actually does charity work and runs a foundation called Champion of Choices, which strives to help kids and young adults make more conscious decisions that can affect their lives for years to come.

Last time I checked, that's a damn good cause that deserves some exposure.

So people may hate on Mero and as far as he's concerned, let 'em hate. Speaking for myself, I didn't truly learn about the rigors of the real world until I went through some problems of my own in the form of brutal honesty and reality. Sometimes kids need to go through that to learn. Mero doesn't sugarcoat his trials and tribulations, in addition to the issues that plagued his colleagues' lives. I commend him for that.

Are some of his stories vivid and brutally honest?

Yes.

But they are stories that are true and need to be told. I mean would you rather baby a young guy all his life and then let the real world swallow him whole?

As a 20-year-old going on 21, I can see where Marc is coming from. You got to show kids that life can be hard, but it's ultimately about the choices you make that will get you through those trials and tribulations.

As far as him being a "bad person" and all, that remains to be seen because when I spoke to the former Golden Gloves boxer, he exuded nothing but class. Those hundreds of schools that call him for speaking engagements echo my sentiment.

But I'll let you decide for yourself.

I truly believe once you're done listening to my interview with Marc Mero, you'll realize that he's a good guy that messed up in his life in the past and has achieved redemption by reinventing himself through his philanthropy and motivational speaking.

Is he proud of everything he's done in the past?

No, but neither am I regarding some past choices I've made. I think anybody else would say the same thing. People can make mistakes to an extent, but it's ultimately about how you move on from those and better yourself from lessons learned.

That being said, enjoy my interview with Marc Mero—a guy that's been to hell and back and can say that he found redemption and a new meaning to life. If that's not inspirational, I don't know what is.

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Marc Mero's career in pictures

As Johnny B. Badd, Mero held the WCW Television Title three times.

With then-wife Rena "Sable" Mero during their WWF/E run. Marc Mero won three New York State golden gloves in boxing before entering pro wrestling.

One of the lucky men to hold WWE's Intercontinental Championship.

Mero towards the end of his WWE run with Jacqueline Moore.

Mero and his lovely wife.

Champion of Choices. Helping young people one day at a time.

For more information on Marc Mero and Champion of Choices:

Champion of Choices site

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