A Pizzazz Magazine Exclusive

Publisher Don Lemmon

Pizzazz Magazine: First of all, what is a day in your life like? What do you do from waking to hitting the hay each day?

Ric Drasin: First thing in the morning I have my nutritious breakfast of egg whites and oatmeal. Check my emails and then go to the gym for my work out. My training has been a big part of my life for the past 40 years since I was 20 or even before that. I go 6 days a week. After I work out and have my protein drink, I usually go over to Toluca Lake for coffee, read the paper and then work on any scripts, projects or meetings that I have pertaining to my business. From there is lunch, usually at El Pollo loco for Chicken/Veggies.

After that I go home go on line and answer emails, work my website, maybe do artwork for anyone who's hired me to do a logo or animation for them. Work on scripts that I am writing and also on my 2nd book which is my life story. Around 5 pm, I get out of the house and go to Starbucks for coffee and re-evaluate my day and what I accomplished. Then there's dinner with my family and after that, we usually all gather in the den and watch tv, talk and just communicate.

Pizzazz Magazine: What would you say is the highlight of your life so far and how does it compare to your overall goals?

Ric Drasin: I've had many highlights in my life as I am involved in many things. I'm a multi talented, multi tasked person. I've always been an artist so to create is gratifying. I can do anything starting with cartooning, to silkscreening, tattooing, animation, airbrushing and then some. I'm also a musician (guitarist) and have been since the age of 10. I had a record deal with Capital Records in 1961 and won the Battle of the Bands at the Hollywood Bowl back then.

After High School, and training with weights, I began competing in bodybuilding and started winning many titles. This was a whole new artform for me but I wanted to carry it to the max. My Father at that time had got me involved as a kid going to wrestling matches and it caught my interest. I thought that maybe one day, I'd like to get into the business of Pro Wrestling. The weight training helped and at my age of 18, I could have a good start. However my Dad had gone into the hospital at that time and passed away during heart surgery. I was left with my Mom and Grandmother and went to work and college and focused on that for awhile. I still competed and was living in my home town of Bakersfield CA which to me had no opportunity of growth. I was too creative and too talented to stay there. I made a decision to move to Los Angeles and got a job with Kellogg's Cereal. Of course it wasn't what I wanted to do, but got me out of a small town.

Once I settled in Los Angeles, I found Bill Pearl's Gym in Inglewood and resumed my training there. It doesn't take me long to acquire friends and I made some good ones right off. I eventually moved over to Gold's in Venice and came face to face with Arnold Schwarzenegger. He wanted to work in with me on chest and I out benched him. I was a very good power lifter and I think it got his ego. At that point we began training together daily and he'd meet me at Zucky's Deli in Santa Monica for breakfast and on to the gym to train. During that time Arnold introduced me to Joe Weider who trained with us on weekends. I had come up with a T Shirt idea and Gold's had asked me to do a logo. I drew the little Bald-Headed weightlifter on a napkin and from that t shirts were printed. Little did I know that it would become the largest selling t shirt in the world. It inspired me to come up with more ideas and advertise my shirts in bodybuilding magazines. I put ads in the cheaper magazines and let the business grow. Joe Weider asked why I didn't do it in Muscle and Fitness and I told him that I couldn't afford it. He said if I would do modeling shots with products that he'd give me free ad space. One full color page. I took him up on it and in one year made over $80,000.00 off my designs. This was 30 years ago and that was a lot of money back then.

Shortly after that Joe Gold opened up World Gym and asked me to do a logo for them. I did the Gorilla that you see on all the shirts today. All these things are highlights. It's hard to say which one was best mainly because the all go in the same direction and have put me where I am today which is even more fulfilling.

I've carried my art ability to do many other things for people as well as design websites, logos, etc. I got into Pro Wrestling and made a good name for myself as The Equalizer and have been doing that up until 2 years ago. I own the AWF which is the American Wrestling Federation and run my own wrestling shows as fund raisers for schools. I've even taken that farther now and have just shot a TV Pilot called Slam U which is currently being approved by the networks. I've got a book out on how to promote Wrestling in the independent markets and currently have just finished a screenplay called The Midnight Bell which is about a small town group of wrestlers that encounter another group at a big festival for a midnight show that turn into Vampires. That's just a small snynopsis. But go HERE for more details.

Everything has been a highlight!!!

Pizzazz Magazine: Who was the first person to tell you getting into your profession was a crazy idea? At what point did you agree (even if it was momentarily)?

Ric Drasin: My Mom and Grandmother thought I was nuts for going into pro wrestling. I was raised an orthodox Jew and that's something that you just don't do. You're either a Doctor or a Lawyer. But, what the hell, I'm a rebel. So I picked pro wrestling. I told them that someday I'd own my own federation and be the businessman part of it which I did. I had taken lay offs at times and when I'd start back into a match, the first time my head would hit the canvas, I'd think to myself, that I was nuts.

Pizzazz Magazine: Have you made contacts using the internet that you know you wouldn't have made if it weren't for the web being so accessible?

Ric Drasin: I love the internet. I love the internet. Have to say that twice. What an unbeliveable way of getting information, learning, communicating, etc etc. How did we ever live without it. Look I met you!!! I've been able to reach old friends from the past, send business letters, get business, use my website info as reference, you name it. It's one of the best business tools ever. I'm still learning and will continue as long as it's around being that it's always changing.

Pizzazz Magazine: Funny how it usually works. We grow up wanting to be firefighters or nurses, then due to the glory of media, rock stars, actors, or millionaires and then reality sits in... We always end up being ourselves... Good or bad... What's your story?

Ric Drasin: It's fun being me! If I ever grow up, I want to be just like me. Seriously, so many people are down on themselves and low self esteem. I've developed myself with a 3rd eye. I have to look at myself as Ric, and as The Equalizer, and as a Dad, Husband, Grandfather and Friend. I've accomplished everything I've ever set out to do and really don't know the meaning of failure. I'm totally honest to a fault, but would never hurt anyone's feelings. My wife says I do way too many favors for people but if it puts a smile on their face, I'm happy. I love to motivate people and make them feel positive about themselves. I can look back and say that I've treated everyone right, no enemies, helped a lot of people and have done everything that I've wanted to so so far. Now I need to go to the next level again. We have plateaus and we constantly have to rise above them, re-invent ourselves and move forward.

Pizzazz Magazine: What one thing haven't you done you would still like to?

IC DRASIN: I'm in the process of it and that's producing my own TV series and producing my own film. However I will have them in production this year. At that point, I will venture on to another one.

Pizzazz Magazine: Tell me one of the negative aspects of your field you think everyone should know. Do not say there are none!

Ric Drasin: Well, I can direct this to Acting and Pro Wrestling. Of all the acting roles that I've done, I've been able to play different characters. But, because of wrestling and my look, I get called out on a lot of 'Biker' type calls. I've done many but it's time to move out of that. I've been pigeon holed into it. I'm 60 years old now, can still pass for 40 but would like to start playing judges, lawyers, doctors and if I go all white on my beard, it works. (see HERE) But some of the casting people only see me as a biker/wrestler. In time hopefully that will change. That's one of the negative aspects and you do have to re invent yourself a lot to change with the times.

Pro Wrestling- You can either follow the pack and be just one of the boys and take orders or you can move forward and promote yourself and your own shows. Not everyone can do that. Being just a wrestler you are open to abuse (financially) cause the promoter will usually screw you and your are subject to a great deal of injury and your career is over at 35.

I've ripped off my finger, torn both quads completly off, ripped both triceps, shoulder, knees and back. You name it, I've broken it. But, through all of that, when I was in a wheel chair, I went to the gym and did upper body until I could walk again.The training helped me heal faster and I was also able to get my book and script written during that time period.

Pizzazz Magazine: What are your 5 favorite websites?

Ric Drasin: IMBD for film reference, Ironage.us Bodybuilding up dates, Cauliflower Alley Club - news on old wrestling friends, Mine. www.ricdrasin.com and wife's www.randisfitness.com

Pizzazz Magazine: Tell me something people do not realize about you, maybe it's not a secret, maybe it's not anything special, but it could be something no one else has ever asked you about until now. What's boring to you is news to everyone else...

Ric Drasin: I've got a very hard look, which I developed for the characters that I play. It sells me and it scares people. But most people find out soon that I'm not like I look. What most don't know is that I have a deep compassion for people almost to a sadness. I see good in everyone cause everyone has a good side. I want to fix the bad side on people and make them see what they are missing. I can't always do that and it's frustrating. I don't think that anyone should have to suffer through life. I also love kids. They are our future. The innocence and the total honesty from them brings tears to my eyes.

Pizzazz Magazine: What's the craziest thing you have experienced in your work? Maybe it's something you witnessed and didn't participate in, but what would shock us, make us laugh or show us another side to things besides the obvious...

Ric Drasin: You asked for it. I body slammed a wrestler during a match once, years ago. I didn't know he had an upset stomach and he crapped him pants all over the ring.. E-W-E! It was horrible.

Pizzazz Magazine: Anything embarrassing happen when YOU were trying to look cool? What? Embarrassing and crazy are different things!

Ric Drasin: I was running at the park, it was raining, and as I was going down the sidewalk, cars were coming by and I slipped in a driveway, fell flat on my face and broke my watch. That was embarassing.

Pizzazz Magazine: The biggest lie about your industry ever is (this is not necessarily a negative):

Ric Drasin: That all actors and wrestlers are rich!

Pizzazz Magazine: The biggest PLUS FACTOR about your industry is:

Ric Drasin: That you can express yourself in many different roles and that you are doing what you love to do.

Pizzazz Magazine: Did the people around you change when you went out looking to succeed in this field? Sometimes those who weren't so supportive in the beginning, suddenly become supportive or possibly vice versa; they became thorns in your side....

Ric Drasin: Yes, they changed. I'm a softy and I like to stay in touch with everyone from my past. I send emails and updates on what I'm doing. It's self promotion yet I want my old friends to be proud of me. In return, I hear nothing from them, only silence. Very rarely does one call me. I went to a high school reunion. They all know what I do, but they were stand-offish. It wasn't me that changed as they may have thought, but it was their attitude towards me. I escaped the small town to live out my dream and make it happen. They did not and that' s not my fault. We all seek our own destiny. If you are satisfied to stay where you are, so be it. I'm happy for you, but if you need to rise to higher levels to achieve your goals, then be happy for that person as well. It has no bearing where you are our your friends in life, it's just what you want to achieve.

Pizzazz Magazine: What is your most frequently asked question and/or what question makes you crazy whenever asked but you somehow remain composed enough to answer?

Ric Drasin: How often do you have to shave your head? Duh! about the same as my face and ass.

Pizzazz Magazine: Who do you see on TV or hear on the radio that just makes you wonder how in the hell they got where they are today or who in the hell does that person know?

Ric Drasin: Our weathermen.

Pizzazz Magazine: Tell me a joke!

Ric Drasin: OK, this is also a fact. When I was 13 and standing in the synagogue at my Bar Mitzvah, I looked out among the audience and got a vision of wrestling fans at ringside. I looked at the Rabbi wearing his stripped tallas as if he were the referee. Way in the back was another 13 year old boy who's Bar Mitvah was coming up. That was my opponent and I was going to smack him silly and win his envelopes full of cash. It was all about winning the money.

Pizzazz Magazine: What is your favorite music album of all time and what music group do you listen to most often?

Ric Drasin: Hmm, being a musician and guitarist, my albums consist of guitar players. I like Chet Atkins but also like Gary Moore. That's one end to the other extreme.

Pizzazz Magazine: Who should hang up their hat in your business? Why?

Ric Drasin: Anyone who can't cut it any longer. Ric Flair is still wrestling in his 50's. I went till 58 but only small shows. He's still on TV and looks old and it's time to stop. Let the younger guys have it.

Pizzazz Magazine: Tell me your favorite movie genre, name a few titles too, and maybe the video or dvd you have watched the most:

Ric Drasin: Horror films and action films. I like and don't laugh Chain Saw 2, and Jeepers Creepers. I'm looking at it from a writer/producer angle and how simplicity gets the point across, unlike Van Helsing which I thought was way to busy to digest it all. I train wrestlers and tell them less is more. Do a little in the ring that means something. Same with a film, don't over kill. A good way of looking at this is if you go to a buffett and over eat, you won't digest it. Eat a little at a time and you'll walk away satisfied.

Pizzazz Magazine: What TV show do you miss from childhood... I used to love Land of the Giants and Dance Fever (kidding on that one)....

Ric Drasin: Dance fever was cool. I liked The Invaders. Kraft movie hours. The Kraft Cheese commercials were awesome and made me get up to eat every time.

Pizzazz Magazine: Ever had someone from your past try and track you down after realizing what you do for a living now and bug the tar out of you? I know this seems like the same questions as, "did people change" but it isn't meant to be....

Ric Drasin: People have tracked me down. But, I'm usually happy to see them. Some want to linger too much and spend the whole day. I haven't got the whole day to spend with anyone. Geeze that could get annoying.

Pizzazz Magazine: If you were anyone else besides yourself, who would you be (even for just a day, on a good day of course) and did you emulate them growing up?

Ric Drasin: My Son and to be able to see life from his eyes.

Pizzazz Magazine: Who is the most intriguing person in your business today besides yourself? Why?

Ric Drasin: Arnold Schwarzegger You know why! Look what he's accomplished!

Pizzazz Magazine: What did we forget?

Ric Drasin: I think we covered everything pretty much. Now that I'm 60, I love that round number and even though I don't look it, it's fun to tell people cause they never believe me. Staying in shape is a definite must. It will extend your life and keep your spirits high. I can only hope for more success and accomplishments. The main thing is, don't ever loose your sense of humor. You are not going to get out of this world alive, so laugh a lot!

For Ric Drasin's Official Website: CLICK HERE