Exclusive: Ted DiBiase Talks Ups and Downs of WWE Career, Bobby Heenan and More
Most wrestling fans know Ted DiBiase as the over-the-top character the Million Dollar Man, but the WWE Hall of Famer is now leading a life of service and using his story of failure and triumph to humbly teach others.
At 63 years old, DiBiase has used his notoriety of being the Million Dollar Man to become the exact opposite of his old character, transforming into a Christian minister who travels to churches, camps and conferences to help people.
In a recent interview promoting the release of his new movie The Price of Fame on November 7, DiBiase spoke to Ring Rust Radio about working on a film about his life, the origin of the Million Dollar Man character and his thoughts on the late Bobby “The Brain” Heenan.
While DiBiase has been open about his road to redemption and the bumps along the way, watching it all being told by his sons and the people who know him best on the big screen is something different.
When asked what he hoped the movie would accomplish, DiBiase just wants people to learn from his story and avoid making the same mistakes he did.
“What I really want people to really realize walking away from this is that what everybody seems to think in the world if I have this great job and I make a lot of money and a nice house and a big car and all the stuff that it’ll make you happy,” DiBiase said.
“Guys, I had that and not only did I have it, but Vince McMahon was promoting me. He was sending me everywhere first-class, Learjets, limousine, the whole star treatment, and I came to a place and realized that with all of that, if I didn’t have the love and respect of my wife and my children, I didn’t have anything.”
“I didn’t have anything that mattered. That’s odd for the guy that played the Million Dollar Man, who said money is everything, but it’s not. It’s so superficial you can’t believe it because I came from that place,” DiBiase continued. “That’s what this story is about, so I hope people come away with it realizing that happiness is not about money and being cool. It’s about character and integrity. It’s not about what you get as how much you give, and that’s what I am trying to do with my life now.”
After working through his problems and coming out stronger on the other side, DiBiase wants to let other people in similar positions feel inspired by his story. Leading by example is important to DiBiase, and the movie will act as a mold for anyone trying to change their ways.
DiBiase may be as far away from the Million Dollar Man character as a person can be, but that doesn’t change the impact he had on the wrestling business and the fans who watched. As one of the most dastardly heels in history, few men drew the kind of heat DiBiase earned over the years.
“The Million Dollar Man the character is actually a Vince McMahon original. It was presented to me and Vince kind of started laying it out,” DiBiase said. “In a moment when he was called away and I was just sitting there with Pat Patterson who at the time was his right-hand man, Pat looked at me and said, ‘Ted, if Vince can be a character in his own show, this is it, this is who he would be.’ It had never been done before. Vince said, ‘I chose you because you’re articulate; you carry yourself well; you interview very well; you are a great wrestler; you’re perfect for this.’”
It’s interesting to think of the Mr. McMahon character from the Attitude Era as a non-PG Million Dollar Man, but it’s clear that the basic premise of the gimmicks was similar. It’s also clear that Vince was 100 percent right about DiBiase being a perfect fit for the role.
During DiBiase’s run as a top star in the WWE, another person making a major impact was Bobby “The Brain” Heenan. On September 17, Heenan died, leaving a void in the wrestling industry that can never be filled.
The Million Dollar Man spoke glowingly in remembrance of the legendary manager.
“Bobby Heenan to me, he was the best. Of all the guys that have been managers that can pick up a microphone and talk, he was a natural and so good. His character like mine was so hated, it was like a little weasel,” DiBiase said. “Everybody wanted to kill him and that was the whole point. Bobby Heenan was as quick-witted off the cameras as he was on the camera and just as funny. A great guy and I just thought the world of him as a person.”
Many wrestling fans look at Heenan and DiBiase as two of the top performers in the golden age of wrestling. The Million Dollar Man had a character everyone could understand, and his demeanor made him easy to hate, making him the perfect heel for the time period.
Now, instead of causing wrestling fans to hate him through his actions in the ring and on the mic, DiBiase is using his notoriety and life experiences to help people understand there are better ways to live their lives.
Instead of leading their lives like the Million Dollar Man, chasing money and physical possessions, DiBiase is preaching about what matters, the unadulterated love of family and friends.
DiBiase will always be the Million Dollar Man to a large portion of wrestling fans, but now, through the Price of Fame film, he can impact a whole new generation. As DiBiase always says, everybody’s got a price!
For more wrestling talk, listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot topics or catch the latest episode in the player above (some language NSFW).
