By Gary Mehaffy for F4Wonline.com
Honesty isn’t exaclty a word associated with the wrestling industry. But with Jeanie Clarke, as with a famous brand here in the UK, you get exactly what it says on the tin: that being honesty.
Yes, she has been in the middle of some of the biggest and most well known wrestling angles of all time. Yes, she came with ‘Stone Cold’ when she was married to Steve Austin. But, as she puts it during my recent interview with her, she shouldn’t even be alive.
Jeanie had a well documented pill addiction, but she has come out the other side and is four years clean with a tremendous story to tell. And that story is laced with honesty that is rare in the industry.
During the course of our 40+ minute interview, we discuss her addiction, what caused and furthered it, how she came out the other side and what she is doing now to help others in the same situation.
We talked about how it affected her relationships with her children and how the wrestling lifestyle played its part in it.
We also talk about her relationships with Chris Adams and Steve Austin, and how Debra McMichael-Austin resented Jeanie and was a thorn in the side of allowing Steve to play a part in his kids’ lives.
We discussed the effect that Brian Pillman’s death played in her and Steve’s already strained relationship, as well as why writing her book last year was cathartic for her.
But ultimately, this is an interview about life, about how we can overcome obstacle in our life, always look forwards to what is coming next, and do it with honesty.