Through The Shattered Glass

by Jeanie Clarke

  Dusty was really warm and after a brief discussion which only lasted a few minutes, he asked if I could start immediately. Around the time I was being interviewed, Steve had been paired up with another valet named ‘Vivacious’ Veronica, but I was not even aware of that when I was offered a job that I hadn’t actually pursued.

  When I told Steve all about Dusty’s offer to employ me, it delighted him. The prospect of me working as his valet meant that we could be on the road together every day, but I knew that I needed to get my business in order before I joined full-time.

  Being on the road, I knew it would be impossible to run Genies remotely. I had to accept that there was insufficient time to train someone to run the company, whilst I was performing in other states. As a result, I gave up the business I had started from scratch to be with Steve. It was a big risk, but I wanted to be with him.

  There was no time for me to sell the house, so I placed it on the rental market. I relocated to the same complex as Steve, in a three-bedroom apartment that could allow Jade and her nanny to join us without delay.

  Before we moved, I went to see Chris, to let him know I was due to start in WCW with Steve. He was angry that he had not been consulted on our intention to work for Turner, and said that he should have been given the opportunity.

  I could understand Chris’ frustration, since he was the driving force of the ex-wife angle which had made stars out of Steve and me. But instead of being supportive of the mother of his child and his standout pupil, he was bitterly jealous.

  When the dust settled, I went along for my very first WCW TV taping on 3rd June at the Boutwell Auditorium in Birmingham, Alabama. Steve and I couldn’t continue the ‘ex-wife’ storyline feud without Chris and Toni, so it no longer made sense for me to use the name Jeanie Adams. It was bland and no longer had any relevance, but I hadn’t really given this any consideration when Dusty called to see me.

  “Hey Jeanie, have you got yourself a name?” he asked in his unmistakable lisp.

  “Well, no, I haven’t really thought about it. What would you suggest?” I murmured.

  “From now on, you’ll be called Lady Blossom!” he proudly announced.

  Lady Blossom? I hated the name but with no alternative, and the fact that I did not want to upset the booker on my first night in, I was stuck with it. I later learned that the handle was due to my ample bust, which was apparently ‘blossoming’ from the dress I was wearing that night.

  Although I never cared for my name change, I managed to keep some facets from my previous valet role. I continued to be adorned in luxurious revealing evening gowns, which I just loved picking out to wear. Best of all, the organisation wanted me to be an even bigger bitch on-camera. I would be far less verbal in my assaults but, rather, a silent-but-deadly siren.

  I was told that my first appearance would instigate a major run for Steve, as he was scheduled to win the WCW World Television Championship from ‘Beautiful’ Bobby Eaton after my interference would help him win the match.

  At the time of my arrival, there were already two other female stars working in the promotion: Missy Hyatt and Terri Boatright. We all got on really well, and with Toni no longer around me it was nice to have some other females to help me feel welcome backstage.

  Missy worked as a ditzy interviewer, host and commentator on a number of WCW shows. She and I had actually first met during her World Class days in Dallas when she was managing her then-boyfriend John Tatum, well before I considered a career there.

  When I first arrived in WCW, Missy was such a good friend to me. She took the time to show me around, and even recommended local hairdressers and clothes stores. She was in a relationship with the young actor Jason Hervey, a star from the hit coming-of-age drama The Wonder Years. The two of them would rollerblade backstage like a couple of teenagers. I was even invited to attend one of Missy’s birthday bashes in downtown Atlanta. I’m still close to Missy, and she remains as much fun as she was back when we first met.

  Missy Hyatt, former WCW wrestling manager and announcer: “Jeanie was cool enough to allow me to pull a rib on Steve Austin. The night that Steve Austin was scheduled to win the WCW TV from Bobby Eaton, I hid the title before the match. Steve was frantically looking for the title out of fear that his first major title was going to be scratched off. Jeanie stooged that I hid the title, so I tossed the title at Steve and said ‘Welcome to the Biz, Kid’. I think if I did that in 2015, all I would earn is a bunch of stunners from Steve. Thanks Jeanie for stooging on me.”

  Terri on the other hand had initially worked as make-up artist for WCW, but had since been operating as an on-screen character under the name of Miss Alexandra York.

  Her adopted persona was that of a laptop-carrying whiz who led an evil alliance of corporate sell-outs known as the York Foundation, formed of babyface turncoats Terrence (Terry) Taylor, Richard (Ricky) Morton and Thomas (Tommy) Rich. Financed by shrewd stock market investments, she played the megalomaniac figurehead of a corporation who used her riches to try and buy success in World Championship Wrestling.

  In reality, she was a really sweet girl, who was dating Dusty’s eldest son Dustin. Trying to escape the shadow of his famous dad and forge a legacy of his own, Dustin Rhodes was really showing some promise and fire in the ring. He was working hard to prove he earned his place on the roster and he was determined to overcome the accusations of nepotism made against him by some of the industry’s veterans. As two girls who were both in relationships with rising stars, Terri and I had a lot in common and we loved to hang out backstage, talking about our dreams for the future and other girly chat.

  I was seriously impressed with that first taping, and compared to those held at the Sportatorium it was a serious change. Gone were the days of sitting crammed into a tiny office; WCW talent had separate dressing rooms with private showers, catering, make-up, agents and crew on hand to take care of everything and it was all so organised. The professionalism completely blew me away and I was really struck by the quality of the whole presentation. I was even taken aback by the green ring-jacket of the company’s top star, Sting, which was an amazingly ornate and beautifully crafted item in itself. Why that’s stuck with me I’ll never know, but seeing the care taken in the production of a wrestler’s ring wear alone made me realise that absolutely everything was of such a high standard.

  Backstage, Steve was blown away to be winning the title from Bobby as he was a veteran worker whom we both admired. Eaton was renowned for his selfless ring style, and had finally been given a run with a singles championship after years of working in tag team competition, as a member of the famed Midnight Express. We ran through the match and I have to say that Bobby was one of the most genuine and nicest guys I’ve ever met.

  Bobby was so professional and took the time to go through absolutely everything I was going to do in the match. Nothing was too much bother and he was so patient, really helping out too by holding my hands into the rehearsal. On the show, he really sold the finish when I went to scratch his eyes, which was the cue for Steve to win the match and the championship.

  Bobby Eaton, former WCW wrestler: “I enjoyed getting the chance to work with Steve (Austin) and Jeanie, or Lady Blossom as she was known to fans, right off the bat when they came to WCW in 1991. We had a lot of fun with their first few matches in WCW, when Steve ended up beating me for the WCW World TV Title. Jeanie was always kind and treated me with much respect when I was around her and I hope she felt the same about me."

  So within a few short weeks of working for the promotion, ‘Stunning’ Steve had won the TV Title and it was partly due to his evil new valet in her debut appearance.

  It was not a bad way for the pair of us to make a first impression in WCW.

  As well as the surprise of us being pushed up the ranks so quickly, an even bigger one came to me on the car journey back from that first show.

  Steve asked me to marry him.

  The proposal really took me off guard.

  “But, wha
t about your wife? Are you getting a divorce?” I asked.

  Steve reassured me, telling me that Kathy was a devout Catholic and had specifically gone to the Catholic Church to request an annulment. He said he wanted for us to get married as soon as the annulment came through. Between our new careers, plus living next door to each other, we were around each other constantly.

  Of course, I said yes.

  After months of being held apart, we were now finally together, and truly happy.

  With Steve as the new WCW World Television Champion, 1991.

  10 THE TOLL OF THE ROAD

  With Steve and I together again, our careers were rapidly taking off in WCW as we were booked to a strong start. Although our day-to-day existence was basically travelling and wrestling, Steve and I had lots of fun on the road.

  We got to see so much of the country, and many of its most unique, offbeat and historic landmarks.

  During one stopover in Milwaukee, Steve wanted to see the infamous Oxford Apartments, where the notorious serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer had dismembered and murdered his victims. Dahmer had just been arrested and it was a huge news story. Steve always maintained his curiosity of the macabre, and he was really keen to visit this real-life ‘House of Horrors’. We went there after an evening’s card, but as we looked at the apartment block it had a sinister aura that cannot be conveyed in words.

  I got totally spooked and insisted we drove away in a hurry.

  When we drove between venues we would spend hours sitting listening to the radio and just taking in the scenery from the windscreen, absorbing miles and miles of Americana. However, as our mileage increased, the novelty of touring soon faded. A sense of adventure was being replaced by overwhelming exhaustion.

  This was our travel itinerary for just one week from 12th-18th August 1991:

  Roanoke, VA to Gainesville, GA (395 miles)

  Gainesville, GA to Anderson, SC (80 miles)

  Anderson, SC to Fayetteville, NC (279 miles)

  Fayetteville, NC to Chattanooga, TN (493 miles)

  Chattanooga, TN to Chicago, IL (604 miles)

  Chicago, IL to Milwaukee, WI (92 miles)

  Milwaukee, WI to Danville, IL (236 miles)

  It equates to 2,179 miles. Or to put it another way, it would be like travelling the entire length of the UK two-and-a-half times over, and is just 501 miles shy of a coast-to-coast drive across the USA. On top of the travelling, we had to eat, sleep, perform, spend time in the gym and find time to do all the other essential day-to-day activities as well. Often, by the time we got to TV tapings, I was so tired that I would fall asleep backstage.

  It was a tough transition as I adapted to the unrelenting physical and mental pressures of life on the road. Until you have lived the life of a touring performer, it is hard to understand the strain that it puts on your mind and wellbeing.

  If we were flying, we usually had a 6am departure time, requiring a check-in by 5am which necessitated that our rental cars needed to be returned prior to that as well. It meant that we would often be getting up at 3am in order to check-out of our hotel. As our show from the previous night would finish late, by the time we found somewhere to eat, we usually were not able to get to bed until at least midnight, which just left under three hours until we had to get up – and this was on a constant cycle.

  I dreaded each of these early morning struggles as I tried to manoeuvre through the airports with my handbag and a couple of cases containing all my evening gowns, matching shoes, make-up and accessories. I could never comprehend how the wrestlers could even function after taking the sheer amount of physical punishment that they took in the ring.

  It is because of this gruelling schedule that substance abuse became so prevalent in the industry. Once we were on the next flight all anyone wanted to do was catch a few hours’ sleep and so one drug of choice was Soma, a muscle relaxant which is usually used to treat musculoskeletal conditions, but it was used by many to provide a short sharp fix to get some sleep. Although it effects are short-lived, it’s also highly addictive. I used this drug frequently just so my body could get some rest. As the only female who travelled on the house show circuit, I too was starting to succumb to the self-abuse and medicinal quick-fixes that made it easier to endure the grinding routine.

  As well as Somas, Valium was another favoured drug to give the body some rest. Hand in hand with these were drugs needed to combat their effects, in order to shake off the lethargy. Then there were steroids used by some of the talent to keep in good shape and these were frequently washed down with alcohol, painkillers and even recreational drugs.

  Before long, the body of a user can’t function on its own. It needs drugs in order to sleep, wake-up and function on a day to day basis. It takes away control of how the body operates. As a result, even the smallest of activity is dependent on a chemical fix.

  It can become the start of the long, slippery and painful descent into addiction.

  As soon as we landed, it was time to get the rental car, drive to the hotel, go the gym, then to the arena and on and on it went.

  Fatigue wasn’t the only thing which wore down the body on the road; many were also dealing with the physical effects of being in the ring.

  Sam Houston, former WCW wrestler: "It’s such a hectic pace that you just have to keep going. It’s a driven profession, because the moment you can’t go then someone else lower down the level is ready to step in and take your place. So there’s a lot of pressure to maintain and that’s the biggest problem.”

  In order to maintain a career in the business, many stars would fall to substance abuse in order to stay at peak performance. Taking bumps night after night resulted in bodies that were constantly wracked with aches and pains which were treated with other drugs.

  I also became increasingly aware of a stream of ‘mark doctors’ who became more visible on the scene. These were crooked doctors who would prescribe drugs such as Vicodin and Xanax in exchange for backstage passes, or even autographs for their kids.

  It was frightening how easy it was to get hold of drugs on the road, and although I wasn’t consuming them on the levels that some others were, I was now starting to crave them to cope with the arduous lifestyle of the business.

  Standing in an arena full of screaming fans, knowing millions more are watching you on TV around the world, is an amazing natural high and there’s nothing like it. But it could not compensate a loneliness and intense emptiness that I was also experiencing as a mother being hundreds of miles away from her child.

  I was starting be overcome with an extreme sense of guilt for not being around my daughter. I felt so empty being on the road and having to leave Jade in the care of someone else. I missed her immensely when I was away, and my only comfort came from the knowledge that the work away from home would provide us with a better and more secure life in the future.

  Coupled with the separation anxiety, I was now starting to become unwell, and had started vomiting at the beginning of almost every day. The months of stress and exhaustion had finally caught up, and it was now taking a physical toll on me. I could not wait to get some much-needed rest.

  Whenever Steve and I got a few days off it was time to just go home and unwind. He would catch-up with paying his bills and walking his dog, Abby, who had been brought up from Dallas. All of the precious free time I had was spent with Jade.

  Sadly, this relaxation would soon end and it was time to pack our essentials, and reluctantly hand Jade back to her nanny as we prepared to go back on the road again.

  Despite the rigours of travel, the summer of 1991 was an interesting time for those who worked in the promotion. Ric Flair, who had been the enduring World Heavyweight Champion of WCW, and its forerunner Jim Crockett Promotions, had abruptly left the company after an irreconcilable dispute with the Executive Vice President of WCW, Jim Herd. On top of that, with Sid Vicious having already departed for an opportunity with the WWF, Stan Hansen returning to Japan and Nikita Koloff intending to take som
e time away from the promotion, it was clear that there was a dearth of upper level heels to work with the company’s shining heroes.

  It seemed that there was a huge financial investment being made into the production values of our shows to compensate, making the product seem more sleek and professional on the surface. Additional money was being spent on lighting, pyrotechnics and visual effects and there were rumours of contract negotiations with some of the top drawing talent of the WWF, which was still dominating in the mainstream as the industry leader.

  Meanwhile, some of the brightest new stars from the smaller territories were being acquired to freshen up the promotion to make it even more exciting. Even a few of our old colleagues from the USWA were also starting to join the company including Cactus Jack and Matt Borne, who was now repackaged as a rugged lumberjack called Big Josh.

  Another star had been campaigning to join the Atlanta office, and had sent in some tapes to impress the booking team of WCW. I was backstage at a house show, when Dusty asked to speak to Steve.

  Dusty explained that Chris Adams had been looking to continue the ex-wife storyline in WCW, and suggested the company could start with the ideas that had never been used in the angle. The material that Chris had sent over really impressed Rhodes, who wanted to see if Steve was open to resuming his on-screen feud with Chris.

  Having been performing in WCW without any hands-on guidance from the booking team, I had missed Chris’ direction, and I felt that his presence could be a real asset to the team.

  Steve, however, felt differently. He told Dusty that he wouldn’t work with Chris again, and explained that the angle had been run into the ground already. Deep down, I knew the real reason for Steve’s refusal to work with Chris. Holding a grudge over the broken promise on pay, he had grown to resent him and would never trust him again.

  Dusty accepted Steve’s input and kindly informed Chris he wasn’t required due to a surplus of recently-hired talent.