Insight with Chris Van Vliet - David Arquette never wanted to win the WCW Championship, how he almost died in the ring, Scream

Episode Date: September 22, 2020

David Arquette talks with Chris Van Vliet from his home in Nashville, TN about his new documentary "You Cannot Kill David Arquette". He opens up about his indie wrestling career, getting redemption for himself, how he found out he was going to win the WCW Championship, the negative reaction he received after winning it, the Scream role that he originally auditioned before becoming Deputy Dewey, how he almost died in the ring after his death match with Nick Gage, being trained by AEW's Peter Avalon and much more!  Please subscribe and support the show by supporting our sponsors!INDEED - Get a $75 credit to boost your job post by going to http://indeed.com/BlueWire BETONLINE - Get a new sign up bonus by using the promo code BLUEWIRE at https://www.betonline.ag/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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It's Chrysmania, brother. That's a great question. Look at you, man. With the powerful questions. This is the Chris Van Vleecho. Chris Van Bleach Show. Ladies and gentlemen, Chris. All right, welcome back to the Chris Van Fleet Show.

This episode is brought to you by Indeed and Bet Online. And this interview is one that I've been trying to get for more than a year and a half. I first started reaching out to David Arquette at the beginning of last year. And I know that the beginning of 2019 feels like it was, you know, eight years ago at this point. But yeah, about a year and a half ago, it looked like we were going to do this interview at WrestleMania last year in New York. But I've said it before and I'll say it again. WrestleMania is both the best and the worst time to try to do interviews. The best because everybody connected with wrestling is in the same place at the same time. The worst, because nobody has time.

Everybody's schedules are just like insanely packed. So it actually worked out that we didn't do the interview then and that we're doing the interview now because his documentary called You Cannot Kill David Arquette is out now and it's incredible. If you've already seen this, you know exactly what I'm talking about. But wow, it's just, it's fantastic storytelling and an in-depth look into David Arquette, who he is and the relationship that he has with wrestling, which by the way has led to a pretty successful run as an indie wrestler. So we obviously talk about all that during this interview. And just a huge thank you to David for making the time for this conversation. And thank you to you

for making the time to listen to this. And thank you to you for subscribing to the show. And if you haven't subscribed yet, maybe take a second right now. Phone's in your pocket. Just grab your phone and subscribe on whatever platform it is that you're listening on. And if you have a free 60 seconds today, maybe you could leave a room. review on Apple Podcasts, and I'm going to keep reading one out on every single episode. This one is from Holotech. Hola? Hola? Hola tech? Titles this, whoops, with some fire emojis. I wonder what that's about. To my co-die-hard wrestling fans and wrestlers, this is the best podcast. It shows you where you can get to learn more about world-famous

wrestlers with their impacts and get the updated news on WWE. This podcast makes me, want to know more about the world famous past, current, and future pro wrestlers with their landmark. Stay tuned, whether you're at home, at the marketplace, driving, and anywhere. It's a great informative podcast. Well, thank you for that. I feel like I might have read a few words wrong there, but thank you. Or maybe you wrote the words wrong, and I just, I don't know what's going on there. But I appreciate you for leaving that review.

Appreciate everyone who has helped to make this one of the top wrestling podcasts. in the world. It's so crazy to see it on the charts there. So thank you so much for that. And you know, when you look at the list of films that David Arquette has been in, it's hard to not be impressed. But then at the heart of this, he's a die-hard wrestling fan. So he's this incredibly famous, very well-known Hollywood star. And at the heart of it, he's a wrestling fan, just like the rest of us. Of course, we talk about him winning the WCW World Heavyweight title and all the controversy that surrounded that. We get into the reaction he had from both people inside the wrestling world and outside of it. And it wasn't very positive on either end. He also talks about how wrestling

negatively affected his Hollywood career. And speaking of his Hollywood career, well, I can't imagine the Scream franchise without him. Spoiler alert, he's one of the few original cast. members whose character hasn't been killed off. Sorry if you haven't watched the screen movie. I don't feel like I'm giving anyway. He's in Scream 5 while they're filming. They're about just film Screen 5. So this is not a surprise.

So here you go. Oh, man. What a conversation. Ladies and gentlemen, David Arquette. All right. We're doing it, man. Thank you so much for this. I'm finally doing it.

Thank you. We've been talking about this since WrestleMania last year. Oh, my gosh. Oh, man. Sorry. But it's perfect timing. now. Your film is out. You cannot kill David Arquette. I just watched it last night. And I got to say, I was just blown away by it. Well, thank you, man. Thanks for checking that out. Well, I think a lot of

people think that this is just your journey in the wrestling world. But it is, but it's also so much more than that. This is your journey as a man is your journey as an actor. And it certainly, you know, is encompassed by everything that's happened in the wrestling world for you in the last 20 years. Yeah, totally. I did, you know, we do a lot of We have a company XTR who represents this movie, but we do a lot of documentaries. And I knew from good documentaries you on a subject that's really open, vulnerable, and, you know, accessible. So we went into it like, okay, you know, no holds barred to check whatever you want to do, like whatever you want to film. But, yeah, it got pretty crazy there.

Did you, like, was your plan to become a wrestler when you started making this film? I always knew I wanted to, like, prove myself in the wrestling world that I wasn't just some punk pushover actor, cheeseball. So that always stuck with me. That stuck with me while I was in WCW. I was like, let me do some stuff. I could do some stuff. Yeah. They were like, they didn't let me really do anything.

then, you know, they maybe tried one thing and I was just terrible. All I can remember is Jeff Dirk said, nutshot, nutshot, nutshot. Nutshot. I was like, oh, what? What if I? And then, so I had a nutshot. So that's probably stuff like that. Like, I didn't remember the spots. So they probably knew I couldn't do much back then. But I always wanted to learn.

I always wanted to prove myself. Did you feel like you needed to, prove this to yourself or prove this to the wrestling world? I wanted to prove it to myself, to the wrestling world. Just, I don't know. I wanted to, I don't know, it was this weird thing. It was like, I was completely like, I don't know, beating myself up. I've always beat myself up.

And like, the process of this film, I've figured out a lot of the reasons why I've been beating myself up. and how not to beat myself up and maybe like, you know, it also gives you confidence when you figure that stuff out and, you know, allows you to sort of be true to yourself and sort of perform on a higher level. But you've been a lifelong wrestling fan, right? Yeah, I sure have. So let's take this back, let's take it back 20 years

to, you know, where your journey in the public eye for wrestling really began. You're promoting Ready to Rumble, and whose idea is it to do this crossover with WCW? So I was like a fanatic fan as a kid and then kind of grew out of it and became like a graffiti artist and breakdance or stuff like that. And then ready to Rumble and I always sort of kept up with it, watched little things. But then Ready to Rumble came and got re-energized me into like that whole world. I was blown away that macho man's going to be in this movie. I was like, are you serious? I said yes, like on page 8 because I was like,

macho man's going to be in the movie. You're like, that's not just the character, actual macho man. Yeah, exactly. I was like, I did say that. It's not someone playing macho man, right? And it was like, no, real guy. And so our real wrestlers, I was like, oh, my gosh, this is a dream come true.

So then I got more into, but then, you know, after the run, I kind of, I'd go back and forth. I'd be like, I don't know, I'd always had this sort of sore spot. And I'd go to shows and people would be really like, you know, some people would be funny and like, hey, wait, champ, like, even joking, whatever. That's cool. But being really mean about her saying rude stuff to my girl, like stuff like that would be like, you know, almost getting into fights at a wrestling place. Wow. So I'd always kind of go in it out.

There was one fan who came up to me It was like, yo, the too sweet thing I was like, what? Because if you miss wrestling for like, you know, a few months or something, you'll miss a whole thing. I mean, Two sweets, a whole thing, but. Right. But I was, I don't know, I had,

I had gone through periods of just like, you know what, forget wrestling. I'm not going to watch it. I'm so mad at you. So it was just a bigger thing in my head than I ever thought, really. So when I... That's Vince McMahon calling you right now. No kidding.

So I, yeah. So when you were, you know, when you signed on for Ready to Rumble, was this already the idea? Was WCW already on board that you would start to do some sort of crossover promotions on Nitro? I don't know. Like in the movie, like I ended. up being the law and I go out and you know what I mean yeah I went to theaters and saw that movie right right awesome so I was like oh that's funny like it's kind of like to imitate you are like a silly little thing and you know they'll bring me in but no they just brought me in for the first thing I was just

supposed to kind of get involved I don't even remember what it was I think I jumped and tried to save someone and Jeff Jared like you know uh gave me his finisher but I don't know. I don't know. It kind of just steamrolled. Oh, one of the things was I was walking around backstage with one of these little like kids wrestling belts. Yeah.

I was having all the guys sign it. Because I am a fan. And then Vince Russo saw that. I think that's maybe where the little germany idea came from. He's like, oh, he's a fan. He's really a fan. Yeah. And then, yeah.

So I don't know. So what Vince Frousseau and I guess Eric Bischoff as well, comps you and say, all right, David, here's the plan. You're going to win the world title. How does that conversation go? It was actually DDP. He came up. I said, so what's the plan for today?

And he's like, you're going to be the chap. Shut up. Oh, really? What are we doing? And then he's like, no, seriously. I was like, what? You can't do that. you know, that's crazy.

And I, he explained to me, it's like, well, listen, you don't, I don't recall him saying you don't have to do it, but I think he may as, as he said,

like, if you don't do it, then it's all over. It's ready to rumble is over, the promotion of it's over, you won't be coming with us. But if you do it, then you stay to the pay-per-view.

And I think this is a combination of him explaining it and Vince Russo. And he's like And I was like I get to like stay with like Do this whole thing till the pay per view Because I was only supposed to be on a one or two Like the first thing I did got a pop

So then the second time they brought me back And that might have been the time that they I don't know But they said I could stay through the pay per view And I was like and I get to travel to you guys And be like part of the group I was like this is like a dream come true For a wrestling fan

and I always thought it was like this kind of like parallel with the movie like because I always kind of felt like that guy in the movie you know what I mean like he was a little young like behaved a little younger than I did we were very similar in a weird way of like loving wrestling so then yeah so then that was the kind of the clincher that I could tour with them for two weeks and go all across the America, my schedule was free. And I was, you know, it was, and the next thing I know, I'm on a plane with Paul Cogan and I'm sitting, and he's telling me stories, and Sting pops his head between the two seats. It's like, what do you read it? And I was like, what am I reading? You know?

He was just joking with me. It was like really one of the highlights of my life. So, I mean, wrestling is such an ego-driven business. business. But I think people also perceive Hollywood to be this very ego-driven business. I think it needs to be said. I think it needs to be out there and clear that you did not want to win the championship. You did not want to win the title. Yeah, but I also could have said no. I didn't really know how much I could have said no. Like, I'm an actor. So people tell me, like, here's your role. This is what you read. This is where you stand. And then we bring our little

pieces into it and say, well, what if, blah, blah, blah. But I didn't really think like I could, and I could have said no, but then I just wouldn't have been able to, you know, be a part of it. But it's, I mean, the equivalent is on a Hollywood set, you read the script and you say to the director, yeah, I don't think my character would do this. And that's not really how it works. Well, sometimes you say that. And then like, you shut the set down for about a half hour, hour debating, like, why

or you like find little ways of doing it anyway or not doing certain things. There's little tricks to it. Like, okay, can you play it more like, you know, you're sadder about this? Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, okay. And then you just sort of do it the same way. And they're like, listen, can you really try to be a little sadder about this? Like, oh, okay, like emotionally said, I got it, got it. And then you kind of do it the same thing.

and if you just keep doing that for so long, then they're just going to have to move on it. Because they're going to run out of time and money, right? Yeah, but that's like a dick way of doing that. You know what I mean? So you should talk about that stuff before you get to the scene on that day so that you don't slow production now.

And then in this case, I don't know. I did say it was a terrible idea. But we just never knew it was going to be taken as bad as it was. We thought people would be more on the like, ha ha, this is fun, like ridiculous. But like discrediting the belt and the legacy and the fact that it was held by all these different people and that it was me or something.

And then I was like an actor from Hollywood who wasn't like perceived as being tough at all or anything just this goofy guy. I mean, I still think like if it was Vin Diesel, you know what I mean? People have been a little bit more like, oh, yeah, but I can fuck Ben Diesel up. Sure.

You know what I mean? So, like, that's what my point is like, oh, yeah, really? You know, God bless Vin Diesel. I love the guy. I mean, it thinks he's incredible. But, you know, who knows? You know, Scott Kahn can probably beat up anybody in Hollywood. The guy's like a third-degree juetsetson black belt.

But nobody knows that. He also has bright hair, too. He does. He loves it. his hair. Did you realize, like, instantly? Oh, my God, this was a terrible idea. Or did it take a while for, you know, the backlash to hit you?

Oh, after we had done it? Yeah, no, like people were throwing stuff. Like, it was like, get him out of here. It was like, uh-oh, we awoke a dragon. Yeah. Yeah. That was a bad scene. You certainly didn't think that 20 years later, we'd still be talking about this thing.

Yeah, no, not at all. I didn't even think, like, I thought it would be more of a comedy spot, but obviously, like, when it comes to something that as important as the belt, you know what I mean, I just, I don't know. I don't know what I was thinking, really. I really just wanted to be a part of the guys. You know what I mean? Why I did this whole movie in the first place to be, like, just respected, you know what I mean?

Not looked at as like some pussy. Like, I don't know. It makes me so mad still. Like, you know, there's difference between guys that have been in fights before, you know what I mean, who don't take getting pushed around. And, you know, people that, too, and not to say that I'm like this tough, tough guy. And, you know, I've walked away from plenty of fights and, you know, not. But there's also, like, just something and like, I don't know,

even though people get a glimpse of who I am in this movie, it's only a glimpse. You know what I mean? They don't see some of the real crazy stuff that I've gone to in my life. You know what I mean? Yeah. You know, I think that if this had been the Cruiserweight title, if this had been the TV title, I don't think, well, I don't think it would have cared as much in terms of the promotion, but they certainly wouldn't have cared as much in terms of the legacy of that belt.

Absolutely. And I agree with that. And that's also why when I was first told, I was like, you can't, what are you talking about? This is crazy. But I also was like, one of the things that was in my head was that I'm kind of like the first fan that had become the champion. You know what I mean? Like I'm like a fan that's become the champion. I was like, I'm like the first, I said to Vince Rousseau, I said, I think I'd be like the first mark that it ever be the champion.

And it's like, what are you kidding? we're all marks and then i was like oh but you know that's not a term that people like like or something but essentially it's aside from a mark you know not that but we're fans we're all fans and that's one thing like that leads us all into this business is that you love it you love wrestling you've always loved it so yeah that's what connects everybody well then you were growing up you get into it It's like the harder, harder to keep loving it, to be honest with you. Because all this stuff happens, like on the road, different interactions with people, like all these lessons people are teaching you.

It becomes, sometimes it becomes a love-hating. You know, the interesting thing that I found is the closer that you get to the industry. Sometimes it's like you learn a little bit too much and take some of them to speak away sometimes. Yeah, totally. It completely does. I mean, yeah, it's not as glamorous for sure. I mean, some of the road stuff, some of the promoter stuff, some of the fan stuff is just really rough. Like some of the lessons, like some of the ribbing and all the stuff that comes along with it.

And it's some of the egos, like you never know who you're in the ring with or what they're going through. You know, a lot of the real, the pros are great, like the legends kind of guys, like Nicole Cabana. Like working with him, even Jack Perry was just amazing. Certain guys get it. RJ gets it, although sometimes he can't feel well-jid his knee in a little hard. So when you were growing up, who were the people that you, like which wrestlers did you love? I loved Snooka

was like why I'd jump off the top row I always loved that like him jumping off the top row Um

Hulk Hogan I was always a Hulkomaniac He was probably like one of my favorites Junkyard dog um Andre

I you know I hated Piper like hated him so much but then macho man and Miss Elizabeth were truly like

Miss Elizabeth was probably like one of the main reasons I watched. So it was just like infatuated with her. And it's so ironic, and you point this out in the film that your wife looks a lot like Miss Elizabeth. I'm telling you, I think like subconsciously it's really put that in my brain. It's like crazy. It's either bad or Wonder Woman. I have a huge Wonder Woman tattoo. So when did you get this idea in your head that you wanted to make this up to yourself, make this up to the wrestling industry,

and train, be an indie wrestler. I thought about it back in WCW. I was like, back then I was like, I wanted to prove myself then. I was like, I can do more than this guy. It's like, let me do something. They let me jump off the top rope like Snokewkew, but then Jeff Garrett rolled out of the way,

so I hit like an empty mat. But that was like my biggest, most spectacular move. And that one turned out, but then I oversawed. But still, I, So back then was like really like I walked around like everyone's treated me like I was some pushover like a little punk actor and they were all mad at me. So that's where it first started like wanting to prove myself. And then then I'd go through years of like watching wrestling and like and then getting mad about everything or going to an event and have someone be rude and be like I'm never watching wrestling again. And then I turned back into it.

So I always had this like push pull. And then when I have my stents put in my heart, I came out of the thing and I was like, told my wife I'm really been thinking about wrestling a lot. And she's like, what? Like she thought I had like a little mental break or something. But I was like, no, like you don't understand like how these people treat me. And I love wrestling and I just want to prove myself.

Do you understand how crazy. it sounds to have a heart attack, get stents put in your heart, and then decide, okay, now I want to be a wrestler. Well, it was like, it was like one of these major things I was thinking about as I was like, you know, going into surgery, coming out, I was like thinking about my family, like the highlights and some of the bad things that it has happened in my life. And I was like, oh, but, but well, I just wish that wrestling thing had been different. It was like a major, like, so then it just told me that there's something there's something I need to resolve or address or like, and I knew I had to lose weight.

So it was like, if I'm going to lose weight, let me do it like training to be a wrestling. I don't know. It's crazy. How much did this run in WCW affect your acting career? You know, they kind of tap on it in that. there's a lot of factors that affect an acting career. And, you know, I don't know, if you want to build a career a certain way, you know, you can do it. You can wait for the right parts, but you might not work for a year or two or you have to put your own piece together to, like, showcase your abilities.

But I don't know. It was like, I don't think it's like, there were a lot of factors. the AT&T commercials, you know, my personal life. So I don't, what it did have a big effect on was my self-esteem and my sort of own confidence. And, you know, that's what, it only hurts when you're reading the text and you believe them. If you don't believe them, you just brush them off. You don't even read them.

You don't even care. But if you believe them, then they like, hurt really deep and it's just really painful. So that's really what I learned throughout this whole thing that it's actually wasn't wrestling at all. It wasn't any of this stuff. It was myself, like believing in myself, having confidence and then treating myself right. Was it just training? Was it just working out? Or did you do other work as well, therapy, reading, meditation, whatever, that really helped you work on yourself? Yeah, all of that. stuff. I mean, I read a great book from called Love Yourself, Like Your Life Depends on

on it, was a really good one, and the untethered soul. Like a couple of really good. Untethered soul is fantastic. Oh, yeah. That's amazing. It's hard to get to think that way, but it's really incredible book. And then, yeah, a lot of years and years of therapy, years and years of addressing addiction issues and just, you know, and also just relationships and confidence and just like, I don't know, it's a believing in yourself thing. I kind of had to do this to prove to myself that I could do it. And then through that process, and also then nearly dying again, kind of having like just a new gratitude toward life and just new understanding.

I don't know. There's also like things you learn in the ring, like how to like hold to yourself, how to take your time, how to like, you know, how to, a lot of people are like, I can't, You know, you can't hit me like that or like, you know what I mean? Or like I hit them in a no cell or something like that. There are like moments where I learned stuff about myself even in those moments. So a big thank you to you for making this show possible by listening right now. And a big thank you to our sponsors.

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Don't forget to use the promo code bluewire at betonline.ag. That's blue wire, all one word. Blue Wire. Bet Online, your online sports book experts. Let's touch on the almost dying again thing because it happened in the ring for everybody who doesn't know. So this is a death match with Nick Gage, which on the outset is insane as it is. Having a death match, number one, but having a death match with Nick Gage is pretty crazy. Your jugular got cut. And what's crazy, no, no, my jugular didn't get cut. I thought it did. I thought it did. I thought it did. And that's when I walked out of the ring, I was like, yeah, no, my jugular.

So when did you realize that there was a problem? Because you're holding your neck here like, you know, you're going to be shooting out a whole bunch of blood. Yeah, I thought it was. I mean, I did. When I walked out of the rig, I still was like completely like, you know, freaked out and just my light flashing before my eyes and the whole thing. And then the place was all crowded, but everyone was. was silent and and

I hear Luke Perry and I can't see him but I hear him he said Davey it's Luke and I said Luke isn't pumping and he said it's not pumping because it had hit my neck muscle is what happened so I got like five stitches in my neck muscle and then a bunch of stitches

on the outside but I didn't know I didn't know and I didn't know but once he told me that I knew I wasn't like immediately dying. I didn't know how bad it was or whatever. But, uh, it's just so crazy. It's an interesting, like, moment in the movie where you're holding your neck,

you have this look of complete distraught in your face. You walk out of the ring like, I don't want to die. And, you know, I've got to get out of here. And then you kind of like turn around and you finish the match. Well, that's because Luke told me it wasn't pumping. But he's not a doctor. I know. But I knew at least I was.

wasn't going to bleed out. You know what I mean? That's what my mindset was. Because I didn't want to finish. Like, I wanted to have a wrap the story up. You know what I mean? I didn't want to leave the fans without a conclusion or just leave it like, I don't know. But I didn't, I wasn't thinking clearly, clearly, even to be in there the first.

Like, I wasn't sure what the difference between a death match and a, you know, hardcore match. I thought it was just like, okay, they use a few more different things. It's just they use more stuff. They can use more stuff. I didn't know that it was so frowned upon. Like, you know, after I learned that after the, you know, I was in the hospital. I was like, oh, people really hate, like, a certain segment of the professional population, like, completely frowns on that style of wrestling.

And it's funny. I guess it goes back to, like, I don't know, it's like you're a geek in the, circus or something. Like really like it's crazy stuff. It's like you know, I don't know. I don't know what it is. Did Nick suggest anything in the match

that you went? That's a bit too far. No, I don't I learned a lot like from that like I learned through the process like I don't know, so crazy. Wrestling, they don't really like they don't explain stuff

in a very clear way. Like they kind of like they use words that I don't really understand and like there's all these different motivations going on when people are trying to do stuff I'm literally like

coming in like with an open heart and like you know I always like approach it like people don't think I can fight so you know you run at me and I'll dodge and you'll hit the corner and then I I'll be able to do something to you because I've

you know, caught you off guard for a second. Like, you know what I mean? Yeah. I always look for ways of like not making them look better or whatever it is. But it's also weird. The people do other things that nobody's planned. I don't know. What a difference, though, from being on a movie set where every single word you're saying

is scripted out, every step you're taking is like basically planned out. We're in a wrestling match, it's like, all right, David, So I'm going to do one of these, one, two, three, then over here with the, okay, and then... Yeah, exactly. That's all you know. I know. That's what I'm talking about.

I literally have to go to somebody and I say, like, what does he mean? I'm still deciphering stuff. And there was something that was said in the match where it was like, this is where the ultraviolence happens. And I'll just go off the crowd or whatever. And I was like, I didn't say like, I was just like, oh, okay.

And that's sort of like, there's just things that I don't understand. I still don't understand. I'm like, I'm really, I'm open in game and like, you know, I'm a bit of a daredevil, but I just, I don't know. I've got it in over my head in this whole thing. Well, have you reached a point yet? You know, you've worked many matches. Have you reached a point?

where you're now okay with this? I don't know. Like, I love wrestling. I mean, I love being a fan, to be honest. I love wrestling. I love performing, like, entertaining people. But there's something about, I mean, aside from it being really painful,

which wrestlers don't say, apparently. Wrestlers never say something hurts or it's painful. So I'm obviously, like, still not there. I don't know how to like play it tough. Like I guess there's like some big thing about everyone being so fucking tough in this business or something. I don't know. You know, I don't know. Yeah, I mean, it's obviously a weird time in the world right now and there's not a lot of indie shows that are running.

But are you still taking bookings? Are you still wrestling? Not really. I mean, if I were to wrestle again, I'd want it to be with RJ as my tag. team partner or be a manager or something, but I'm not really, I don't, I can never win a belt. You know what I mean? I can never accept the fact of winning a belt. So it felt like I have anything to like try to strive for. Because if somebody was like, listen, you want to come like, you know, if it were a tag team situation, that's different. And if it was like in the process of like,

also kind of helping shine someone not that RJ needs my help at all because he's such a talent like the fact that he's not at AW WWWE's like just stupid it's all these people like I don't know

there's some narrow side like you know they only see like what they want to see or something sure if you ever come up with the suggestion that's a good suggestion but if it's not their idea I don't know. You run across it a lot in different forms of business,

but in wrestling, it's got these other elements that I still don't understand. I still, there's a lot about this business I still have no idea about. Because I'm like gullible. I'm a gullible person at heart. So it's a really bad thing to be in the wrestling business because I literally am a mark, I guess. You know what I mean? I'm a sucker. I'll go and I'm buying people's merch.

And, like, you know, I'm like, well, are they really mad at each other? Like, I'm still there. I don't know. I've been inside the locker room. I know all the, like, I know a lot of secrets, and I'm still completely, like, lost about it all. So I don't know. I just really, like, my whole thing's, like, I love it, and I love having fun, and I love entertaining people.

So that part I love. But there's other things that I don't love. You know, I think I was there at the genesis of your friendship with RG City. Yeah. It was WrestleMania 34, New Orleans. I'm chatting with RG, and I've known him for years. And he goes, I called out David Arquette, and he's actually going to do it. And I'm like, no way he's going to do it.

Like, no, like, tomorrow, we're making coffee in our underwear. I'm like, what? So when you saw this video of him calling you out, what made you decide, yeah, I'm going to do this. thing? You know, I knew I wanted to. You know what I mean? I'd already had my, the heart stints, I'd been thinking about it a lot.

Were you already planning to be in New Orleans for WrestleMania? Yeah. Okay. Yeah. I mean, I've been to WrestleMania as before. You know, it's always weird. I go like, I don't know.

It's always weird. I go, I haven't gone to, I've been to a few of them, but I don't know. It's always a, It's this strange relationship I have with wrestling where I love, it's a bit of a love-hate thing, but especially also with the fans, there's a love-hate thing. So, I mean, I don't know. It's gotten better.

Once I got into the indie scene, it got much better. Yeah. And also this time around was a lot better because people that didn't like ready to rumble, like the age group that did like it have now grown up, but now they're like, you know, in their 30s and stuff. They're like, oh, when that came out, I love that movie. But when it first saw it happen, then people hated it. So it's so weird.

I don't know. I don't really understand all of this. I'm sorry if this whole interview is kind of all over the place. This is great. I love it. Okay. Would you say in your acting career that screams the movie that most people, you know, would relate you to?

Yeah, totally. Yeah. And then my ex-marriage. Right. So, yeah. Silly is that a... Because of Scream. Yeah, exactly.

Right, so you and Courtney met on... Is it Scream 1? Yeah, yeah. We met right before Screen 1. Yeah. So... That was 25 years ago or something. Isn't that crazy?

Wow. When you first read the script for Scream, I mean, we look at it now as a legendary film. When you first read the script, there's some twists in there. There's some stuff in there we hadn't seen in horror films. Yeah. What did you think when you read it?

well when at first they wanted to see me for skeets roll and I was like that's not me at all I mean I came in and I said what's really interesting is the Deweyroll I think it would be so funny like because he was written as this big jock which is ironic and I was like I did like a big dumb jock and I think I was like I think it'd be I think there would be really I could do something really fun with that and sort of that's that's that's that's that's that's that's happened. West Grave, it's so cool. And, like, he's open-minded. And he's like, wow, it's really interesting. And he hadn't thought of it. So then it all worked out. And I also, like, I think I knew Gordon was doing it. And I always thought she was cute on friends. And really flirted with her. We first, like, all met as a casting. Was there a point where, like, I mean, Friends was massive, right? Friends was this massive,

huge head. Was there a point where that fame that she had with friends ever overshadowed what you were doing in your career? I mean, absolutely. It was like the one of the, you know, the biggest show in the world at the time. So it was really like, and it was like crazy time period anyway. There was like this new form of paparazzi was all like coming loose. Yeah, it was insanity. It was really crazy. Were there any roles that, you know, you said you were out for Skeets role and Screen. Were there any roles that big roles you were up for that you didn't get that we'd be surprised to learn about? Or something maybe you read for?

Yeah, I was like arrested development for Jason David's character. I was up for that, which was... Wow. Yeah, but I was a dumb dumb. I was like, I'm too young to have a kid at the time, which is such a narrow way of looking at stuff. but I also, I don't know, that wouldn't know, he was so great in that. So, yeah, just stuff like that. I mean, there must have been some big movie.

I mean, you were so hot in the 90s. There must have been some big roles that you read for. Shoot, yeah, the quick in the day. I don't know, not that it was like a big role, but. I'm half waiting for you to say, yeah, I read for Batman. Oh, no, no, they never called me for Batman. That would have been fun. Yeah, I don't, people still don't, I mean, know where to put me.

I don't know where to put me. I'm always like, I don't know. I always think I could just kind of like, I'm an actor, so you could research it and do the work and then do it. And like, I learned a horrible lesson on a play where I played Sherlock Holmes. It's like, okay, you can't just do everything. Some people are not right for certain roles. It's definitely like you do have to be a little more careful than I was in the past. But I mean, you said in the movie that you've auditioned, you've read for the last 10 years and you haven't been books.

But haven't you been doing a ton of like indie films? Yeah. So I had like this argument with the directors. My wife, who deserves all the credit and produced this movie, she just kicked ass on it. But she kicked me out of the editing room at some point because I was so like, specific about certain things. But after that line, I say, it's not like I haven't worked in 10 years.

It's just, I haven't gotten a job from an audition. So that's the line that that was from. I haven't gotten a job from audition because I'm just a terrible auditioner. Yeah, really bad. But I had worked. So I was like, you have to include that because then people are going to think, like, I haven't worked in 10 years and they've seen me in movies. So you can't, you know, rest of the kids.

fans, one thing about wrestling fans is like, you always have to make things hyper real. You know what I mean? They have to be so real because you have to explain stuff, you know what I mean? So, you know, I just like you don't want to try to like fool or pull the rug over wrestling fans. It's just not going to go well. Well, for better or for worse, wrestling fans never forget anything. That's true.

as you were aware of. But, you know, it's kind of sad to think that, like, your title win is up there with, like, May Young's hand and Katie Vic. Guess what? I'm also part of the Judy Bagwell thing, which I forgot completely.

They called me up and, like, want to come back and, like, you know, and I love this. I was like, sure, I'd love to come back. And somehow I'm involved in the Judy Bagwell thing, but it's weird. I looked it up and I had no recollection whatsoever of it, even doing it or being,

that's also like, what happens when you get older and forget like so much stuff. Like I don't remember like half of the late night talk show appearances. Someone sent me something of me rapping on Simbad. And I was on his talk show and I had no recollection of it. Is this just because you've gotten older? Is this because, you know, you didn't remember it at the time either.

I mean, I'll sure there's a lot of, a lot of reasons why car accidents, to all these, like, years of things. I don't know why, but yeah. Look, I think that if nothing else, wrestling may, so you might have died, almost died in the ring, but also wrestling, I feel like kind of saved your life. I mean, look at the shape that you're in right now. Look at the giant veins in your arms.

I work out all the time and I don't have those. We're a vainy. We're a vainy bunch, the art cats. We always have these vein brains. Definitely got the veins in your head, yeah. I know. I'm always worried about if, you know, you were going to, if I catch a vein. You get it?

Yeah. I can see that happening. So I think it was obviously a letdown with the coronavirus. your film was supposed to debut at South by Southwest, which ended up getting canceled. You guys have figured this out, though. You figured it out, and it's now out there. So how do you feel, after working on this thing for years, now that this thing is out into the world for everybody to enjoy?

I'm really excited. It's hard to, it's hard, like, getting people to know it's out there and, like, where to find it, and it's only out of North America and Canada. Well, please, this is your opportunity. Yeah, well, I know, but I don't know. It's like it's not out in the rest of the world, so it's hard for like to get a grasp of like everyone kind of,

I don't know, it'll get out there eventually. I think it's just part of the journey. Like I still, like after this whole thing, it's so weird, but I feel like I have to prove myself again. For some reason, I don't know why. I don't know what it is. It's like, let's do it again. Let's do it right.

trying. Let's do it. I don't know. I, I, uh, I don't know. It's been a really weird thing, like it coming out. It's like, okay, I've worked so hard. Almost done. Here it is. It's like, you know, it's getting a great response and people are liking it. And that's, I'm really grateful for that. But it's also like, you know, I don't know, people I'm really close to. It's like, hey, you know, no, yeah, I'm going to check it out. great documentary. It's a great film, not just a great wrestling documentary. It's just a great documentary with

great storytelling. A lot of times documentaries don't have a defined beginning, middle, and end. But that's exactly what you had here. Oh, thank you. Yeah, David Darg and Price James did a really great job directing it. Christina, my wife,

was just such a champion, producing it, and dealing with being on camera and all the stuff that happened to, you know, over the couple of years we were shooting. So, yeah, I mean, I'm really proud of the film. I'm really proud of that it captured that point in my life where my life was and that I made it out on the other side.

So when you look at your recent wrestling career, post-WCW, who were the people that you're blown away by that you were able to be in the ring with them? Oh, man. I mean, just I got to like be in the ring and wrestle with honky talk. The hockey talk, man, is like my favorite ever. And then like to be in the ring with him. Oh my gosh, that was amazing.

And I don't know. But this this time like actual wrestling, you think Paige was incredible. Colt Cabana, RJ City. But I mean, you also did stuff with Jerry Lawler, McFolley. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah, yeah. Mr. Anderson. Oh, yeah, Mr. Anderson was amazing.

Yeah, absolutely. I mean, all the legends, I mean, whenever you get to work with these guys, it's really humbling. I think at the end of the day, what the root of this story is, is anyone can accomplish anything. Like, you set your mind out. A few years ago, you said, I'm going to be a pro wrestler. I'm going to do this thing. I'm going to put in the work. I'm going to train.

And I'm going to have a match, which is going to lead to more matches. And you've done this. And if people aren't inspired by that, I don't know if they're heart beating in their chest. Thanks, man. That really was what it was about, you know, to believe in yourself. Like that's really the big message of this whole whole process. And to really like, go after your dreams, but just enjoy life and don't let people bully you. And that's really one of the main messages to stand up for yourself or believe in yourself.

So, you know, I don't know. But life's really funny the way it all happens and works so hard. Like, you know, life happens. So you have to go on and prove yourself again and go through something else. Like make another movie that, you know, or whatever. Like people can make their own movies now with their phones. And I don't know. Everyone likes to be, you know, want to be famous or something.

but it's really not about that. It's about just making work that is fun for you, like fulfilling. It's been such a pleasure talking to you. And then your story is amazing. So thank you for the time, David. Thank you, Chris. I appreciate it. Thanks.

It's been a wild ride. And I'm glad I got to sort of connect with you throughout the process, starting at the WrestleMania. Well, now is a way better time to have this conversation than if we did it a year ago. So I'm glad that it all culminated to this and made this happen. Hey, thanks, Matt. Appreciate you. Oh, so there we go.

David Arquette. Snap a screenshot. Let us know that you're listening. Tag me. I am at Chris Van Vleet. Tag David. He is at David Arquette. And where do we start here?

He's just such a fascinating guy with such a fascinating story. Check out his documentary. You cannot kill David Arquette. I promise you. You will not be disappointed. And if you, you're listening to this right now and you're thinking about starting wrestling training, think about this. David Arquette started training at age 46 after having a heart attack.

In fact, if you're thinking about taking the next step in anything in your life, think about this drive and this passion that David Arquette has and apply just like 1% of that to your life. And I feel like the results will just be absolutely amazing. This quote from Thomas Edison is just so fitting. Many of life's failures are people who didn't realize how close they were to success when they gave up. I'm going to read that one more time. Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up. Hmm. Hope you enjoyed this chat as much as I did. Be great. Be grateful. We'll see you on Thursday for an in-depth chat with Daniel Puter. Jim Rome takes on sports. Why? Because I have a job to do with rapid fire

takes. So I don't want to hear from you lava pigs on this notion today. No idea what you're talking about. You're complaining more than you like to breathe air. It's like you get up in the morning only to complain and cry and moan on social media about things that you don't even understand. He's the spitfire of sports smack. Take advantage of it, but get up in here. The Jim Rome Show podcast. What should be? Follow and listen on your favorite platform. You've been warned.