TV Guide: Trish Stratus Wrestles with her Funny Side
By Melissa Hank
The former WWE icon hunts for humour as the host of ‘Second City’s Next Comedy Legend’
So a retired wrestler walks into a comedy club … Nope, it’s not the start of some lame joke about punchlines – it’s Trish Stratus’ life.
After wooing the WWE for seven years, and racking up just as many Women’s Championships, the Toronto-born fitness model has gone into retirement (or has she?) to flirt with other pursuits.
Now that her stint in the swiftly cancelled – yet oddly entertaining – reality show Armed & Famous has ended, Stratus begins hosting Second City’s Next Comedy Legend next week on CBC.
Along with three judges (eTalk’s Elvira Kurt and Second City alums Mick Napier and Joe Flaherty), the crew travels Canada to find the newest member of Second City. Contestants have big clown shoes to fill: the sketch comedy troupe launched the careers of Mike Myers, Dan Aykroyd and Eugene Levy among others.
We chatted with Stratus (born Patricia Anne Stratigias and later dubbed “Trish the Dish”). And for someone who’s made her living putting the StratusFear into opponents, the five-foot-four terror is surprisingly effervescent.
TV Guide: From wrestling to comedy – what gives?
Trish Stratus: People don’t know this, but I’m part of the Second City family – I did a live show there in 2004. I had a broken thumb from wrestling, and I went to Second City to take some improv classes. Word got out, and I ended up putting on a one-night-only show. And ever since then I’ll pop in once in a while and perform. I just love comedy and improv.
TVG: Did you ever think of going into it full-time?
TS: I never thought about it until now, but maybe now that you’ve mentioned it … [Giggles.] That’s one reason I retired from wrestling – it takes up every moment of your time.
TVG: What’s it like going from being the main attraction in the ring to sitting on the sidelines as host?
TS: I wasn’t really interested in just saying, ‘Hi! These are the contestants,’ and ‘Here’s the commercial break’ – that’s not fulfilling for me. So I asked to be like Tyra Banks on America’s Next Top Model. She interacts with the contestants, and is a liaison for the viewer. She’ll bust it out.
TVG: Will you bust out a performance on the show?
TS: I can’t overshadow the contestants! [Laughs.] But comedy is in my personality, and I can just be me, which is really easy to do, because, you know, it’s just being me. [Giggles.]
TVG: A lot of people might think this is just like Last Comic Standing. True?
TS: It’s completely different because it’s sketch comedy, not stand-up. The closest comparison is probably Saturday Night Live or Mad TV.
TVG: You married your high school sweetheart last September. Is your husband a funny guy? They say women want a guy who can make them laugh …
TS: Yeah, he definitely is. We both have that personality – we’re known as the goofy couple. We’re the live entertainment for the night. [Giggles.]
TVG: So, who’s your favourite comedian?
TS: Jim Carrey. He’s excellent in The Number 23 – he’s just so diverse. I love that he’s Canadian.
TVG: So many other great comedians are Canadian – Mike Myers, Caroline Rhea – why do you think we’re so funny?
TS: I think we’re good at self-deprecating humour. We’re not afraid to poke fun at ourselves.
TVG: Before this show, you did Armed & Famous. What did you learn from doing that series?
TS: [In a sinister voice.] I learned how to shoot a gun. [Laughs] Sorry. It was such a unique experience. I took that job because I love challenges and conquering new things.
TVG: What was your most memorable experience?
TS: My first call was a house fire. Here I was, new on the job, and I end up telling this family that they lost everything. The mother and father were crying on my shoulder, and all of a sudden I was their grief counselor. I didn’t realize how many roles a police officer has. They go out every night, they’re putting their bodies on the line. It’s pretty admirable.
TVG: Will you come out of retirement from wrestling?
TS: I don’t know. With Wrestlemania coming back, people are like, ‘Are you gonna make a comeback?’ Wrestlers are known for not retiring permanently. My send-off was so unique, and great and grand, and I don’t want to cheapen the send-off.
TVG: So … no?
TS: Of course, if some girl was talking smack about me, I might have to respond! [Laughs.] If the right angle came up, then I might consider it. Because it definitely is still in my blood. I was in Muncie, Ind., and there was a show in a school gym and I got in the ring and I remembered that, yeah, I definitely still love wrestling.
TVG: What did you think of the Donald Trump vs. Vince McMahon feud?
TS: I couldn’t believe it was happening. It was brilliant, actually. I thought that The Donald would win, and Vince would have a new shaved look. Because he’s all about the self-deprecating humour.
TVG: Finally, what’s your favourite joke?
TS: I have this really awful joke ... Knock, knock.
TVG: Who’s there?
TS: Banana.
TVG: Banana who?
TS: Knock, knock.
TVG: Who’s there?
TS: Banana.
TVG: Banana who?
TS: Knock, knock.
TVG: Who’s there?
TS: Orange.
TVG: Orange who?
TS: Orange you glad I didn’t say ‘banana’?
Check out www.trishstratus.com for what’s new in the StratusPhere. Second City’s Next Comedy Legend debuts Tuesday, July 10 at 9 p.m. ET on CBC.
source: tvguide.ca
The former WWE icon hunts for humour as the host of ‘Second City’s Next Comedy Legend’
So a retired wrestler walks into a comedy club … Nope, it’s not the start of some lame joke about punchlines – it’s Trish Stratus’ life.
After wooing the WWE for seven years, and racking up just as many Women’s Championships, the Toronto-born fitness model has gone into retirement (or has she?) to flirt with other pursuits.
Now that her stint in the swiftly cancelled – yet oddly entertaining – reality show Armed & Famous has ended, Stratus begins hosting Second City’s Next Comedy Legend next week on CBC.
Along with three judges (eTalk’s Elvira Kurt and Second City alums Mick Napier and Joe Flaherty), the crew travels Canada to find the newest member of Second City. Contestants have big clown shoes to fill: the sketch comedy troupe launched the careers of Mike Myers, Dan Aykroyd and Eugene Levy among others.
We chatted with Stratus (born Patricia Anne Stratigias and later dubbed “Trish the Dish”). And for someone who’s made her living putting the StratusFear into opponents, the five-foot-four terror is surprisingly effervescent.
TV Guide: From wrestling to comedy – what gives?
Trish Stratus: People don’t know this, but I’m part of the Second City family – I did a live show there in 2004. I had a broken thumb from wrestling, and I went to Second City to take some improv classes. Word got out, and I ended up putting on a one-night-only show. And ever since then I’ll pop in once in a while and perform. I just love comedy and improv.
TVG: Did you ever think of going into it full-time?
TS: I never thought about it until now, but maybe now that you’ve mentioned it … [Giggles.] That’s one reason I retired from wrestling – it takes up every moment of your time.
TVG: What’s it like going from being the main attraction in the ring to sitting on the sidelines as host?
TS: I wasn’t really interested in just saying, ‘Hi! These are the contestants,’ and ‘Here’s the commercial break’ – that’s not fulfilling for me. So I asked to be like Tyra Banks on America’s Next Top Model. She interacts with the contestants, and is a liaison for the viewer. She’ll bust it out.
TVG: Will you bust out a performance on the show?
TS: I can’t overshadow the contestants! [Laughs.] But comedy is in my personality, and I can just be me, which is really easy to do, because, you know, it’s just being me. [Giggles.]
TVG: A lot of people might think this is just like Last Comic Standing. True?
TS: It’s completely different because it’s sketch comedy, not stand-up. The closest comparison is probably Saturday Night Live or Mad TV.
TVG: You married your high school sweetheart last September. Is your husband a funny guy? They say women want a guy who can make them laugh …
TS: Yeah, he definitely is. We both have that personality – we’re known as the goofy couple. We’re the live entertainment for the night. [Giggles.]
TVG: So, who’s your favourite comedian?
TS: Jim Carrey. He’s excellent in The Number 23 – he’s just so diverse. I love that he’s Canadian.
TVG: So many other great comedians are Canadian – Mike Myers, Caroline Rhea – why do you think we’re so funny?
TS: I think we’re good at self-deprecating humour. We’re not afraid to poke fun at ourselves.
TVG: Before this show, you did Armed & Famous. What did you learn from doing that series?
TS: [In a sinister voice.] I learned how to shoot a gun. [Laughs] Sorry. It was such a unique experience. I took that job because I love challenges and conquering new things.
TVG: What was your most memorable experience?
TS: My first call was a house fire. Here I was, new on the job, and I end up telling this family that they lost everything. The mother and father were crying on my shoulder, and all of a sudden I was their grief counselor. I didn’t realize how many roles a police officer has. They go out every night, they’re putting their bodies on the line. It’s pretty admirable.
TVG: Will you come out of retirement from wrestling?
TS: I don’t know. With Wrestlemania coming back, people are like, ‘Are you gonna make a comeback?’ Wrestlers are known for not retiring permanently. My send-off was so unique, and great and grand, and I don’t want to cheapen the send-off.
TVG: So … no?
TS: Of course, if some girl was talking smack about me, I might have to respond! [Laughs.] If the right angle came up, then I might consider it. Because it definitely is still in my blood. I was in Muncie, Ind., and there was a show in a school gym and I got in the ring and I remembered that, yeah, I definitely still love wrestling.
TVG: What did you think of the Donald Trump vs. Vince McMahon feud?
TS: I couldn’t believe it was happening. It was brilliant, actually. I thought that The Donald would win, and Vince would have a new shaved look. Because he’s all about the self-deprecating humour.
TVG: Finally, what’s your favourite joke?
TS: I have this really awful joke ... Knock, knock.
TVG: Who’s there?
TS: Banana.
TVG: Banana who?
TS: Knock, knock.
TVG: Who’s there?
TS: Banana.
TVG: Banana who?
TS: Knock, knock.
TVG: Who’s there?
TS: Orange.
TVG: Orange who?
TS: Orange you glad I didn’t say ‘banana’?
Check out www.trishstratus.com for what’s new in the StratusPhere. Second City’s Next Comedy Legend debuts Tuesday, July 10 at 9 p.m. ET on CBC.
source: tvguide.ca
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