Goldust Interview - Drug Problem in TNA, Teaming with Cody

[SAIYANS]

- Dustin Rhodes recently spoke with Mike Mooneyham of The Post & Courier about his return to WWE as Goldust and more. Here are some highlights:

His drug problems while with TNA:
"It was day in and day out, probably two years solid, and I can go through the list of things. A half gallon of vodka a day, probably 60 or 70 pills a day, plus other stuff like cocaine. It wasn't good, but I didn't care. I didn't see the other way. I only thought about where I could get my next fix. I didn't see what it had done to me or what it was doing to my family and everybody around me. And what it was doing to my career and especially my health. I was trying and trying and re-medicating myself. It just didn't happen. Enough was enough, and about 3 or 4 in the morning I crawled out in the rain and my wife was with me. I was like, 'I give up,' and I got on the phone and told Dad I wanted to go to the WWE rehab center. I haven't turned back. I've been clean and sober for five-and-a-half years."


Where he's at now:
"It was cool the way things worked out. I never could have imagined or dreamed where my career would be taking me the way it has with the Goldust character. It's awesome. I think I've stumbled upon the fountain of youth or something. I'm 44 years old and I'm down to high school weight (225). But I've worked hard for it the past few years. Plus being with Cody gives me more motivation. I've really enjoyed this storyline we've been doing. Now I realize that I can get out there and be clear when I'm working and really give a (darn) and get through a match without taking all that (stuff). That's really what it's about. And I'm enjoying it. I know what's going on now. It's cool."


Working with his brother Cody Rhodes:
"I've been watching him constantly for the past two or three years. In the beginning it was me sort of pushing for a match with Cody at Wrestlemania. Vince just kept saying no. It got to the point of me just turning on Raw to watch it. I suffered a shoulder injury in 2010. So I did the producing thing. Getting the chance to watch Cody grow has been very special since he is wise beyond his years."


"The other night at the pay-per-view I gave Cody a tag and I just watched him. I thought to myself: 'This kid's got it.' I felt good for him. He was just cleaning house, on fire, and the crowd was hot. It was very special. He's really doing well, and I am very proud of him. He is the future. If he wants to do something that I don't think is right, I tell him. I give him a different way to look at it and a different way to get into it. He trusts that. Sometimes he's a little impatient and hotheaded, but at the end of the day we get on the same page. Whatever he can learn from me, that's great. We've gotten so much closer since this has happened than we were in the past. It's just awesome all the way around."

Good to hear he took rehab seriously, and also I got admit, Goldust is just as amazing as he was on ecw

 

[PHX]

TNA badly needs a drug testing system cause that is insane that he was doing all of that while there. He's doing really well since coming back so hope he doesn't fuck it up and fall off the wagon.

 

[Deezy]

Evereyone loves a good comeback story, myself included. Big indictment on TNA's protection of their talent, but seeing as they are grown ass men, it really isn't up to the company what they do on their own time. They are grown ups, I'm so tired of this blame the employer philosophy people have these days, you don't hear people bitching at Christopher Nolan about Heath Ledger dying and he was the guy who gave him this dark character that supposedly gave him nightmares which lead to his sleeping pill problem.

 

[PHX]

Evereyone loves a good comeback story, myself included. Big indictment on TNA's protection of their talent, but seeing as they are grown ass men, it really isn't up to the company what they do on their own time. They are grown ups, I'm so tired of this blame the employer philosophy people have these days, you don't hear people bitching at Christopher Nolan about Heath Ledger dying and he was the guy who gave him this dark character that supposedly gave him nightmares which lead to his sleeping pill problem.

It's not their job to babysit them but it is their job to make their company not look like a joke. Having your performers out there fucked up putting on half assed performances or not showing up cause they are fucked up is not a good look.

 

[Keith]

It's not their job to babysit them but it is their job to make their company not look like a joke. Having your performers out there fucked up putting on half assed performances or not showing up cause they are fucked up is not a good look.

I do agree that the company bares some of the blame, they can stop them from going out there in that shape and be more senistive to the signs. It is mostly down to the wrestlers, but TNA should have made it clear that they don't except that sort of thing. Also they could look into helping talent in rehab like WWE do now.

 

[Deezy]

It's not their job to babysit them but it is their job to make their company not look like a joke. Having your performers out there fucked up putting on half assed performances or not showing up cause they are fucked up is not a good look.

If an employee shows up to work drunk or high, it's the employers right to iniate either a warning or just flat out fire their asses. TNA is a joke because of this. But what their talent do on their own time is not their responsibility.

WWE goes above and beyond on this matter, I think they do too much personally, but I do find it funny how wrestling fans assume Vince is evil and doesn't give a shit about the wrestlers. Can call it PR stunt if you want, they don't have to do it.

 

[PHX]

If an employee shows up to work drunk or high, it's the employers right to iniate either a warning or just flat out fire their asses. TNA is a joke because of this. But what their talent do on their own time is not their responsibility.

WWE goes above and beyond on this matter, I think they do too much personally, but I do find it funny how wrestling fans assume Vince is evil and doesn't give a shit about the wrestlers. Can call it PR stunt if you want, they don't have to do it.

That's pretty much what I was saying though? I agreed with you about it not being their responsibility to control them when it comes to their own time but they do need to outlaw it when it comes to them showing up like that at work like any other job.

 

[Deezy]

That's pretty much what I was saying though? I agreed with you about it not being their responsibility to control them when it comes to their own time but they do need to outlaw it when it comes to them showing up like that at work like any other job.

So we're all in violent agreement here, I don't know what TNA can actually do right about this, I mean their biggest stars have been busted numerous times and their Franchise player Angle had his rehab paid by WWE.....What the fuck was Dixie Carter thinking? This company is so bush league I can't understand how anyone could actually be a fan of that company....I meet some and treat them like holocaust deniers(sp?).

 

[SAIYANS]

I don't really get what a didnt pay for Angles rehab. They turned to Vince. Even Jeff's clean up was on Vince's dime I thought after he showed up drugged out. But this was common place in the Nashville days too as Hall showed up fucked up on ppv on Wednesday. Hell Test and Crash overdosed after short stays with them. Raven also was high as fuck in the Nashville days

I wonder what is worse them or old ecw as. King was disturbed by that place

 

[PHX]

Having a real drug testing system would be a big step. Being able to do whatever the fuck you want with no conquence just pretty much welcomes situations like Jeff Hardy being able to stumble down the ramp on live PPV fucked up. Probably won't though for the reason you just said most of their guys pretty much are on drug watch all the time.

I don't really get what a didnt pay for Angles rehab. They turned to Vince. Even Jeff's clean up was on Vince's dime I thought after he showed up drugged out. But this was common place in the Nashville days too as Hall showed up fucked up on ppv on Wednesday. Hell Test and Crash overdosed after short stays with them. Raven also was high as fuck in the Nashville days

I wonder what is worse them or old ecw as. King was disturbed by that place

TNA probably cause the ECW guys seemed to be able to perform their ass off while fucked up lol.

 

[The Cork]

70 pills a day, surprised he doesn't rattle when he bumps.

Dunno what wrestling can do to rid the painkiller problem. I don't want to see them start banning big bumps and get all safety nazi like football and NFL have done, I already hate that theres no classic chair shot to the head anymore.

 

[SAIYANS]

Doesn't the performance center employ therapists to work out muscles and such as physical therapy? I though I read they had a medical staff there to help take care of guys and girls. Treating the bumps and buries early is a start

 

[Keith]

Its true WWE have been very impressive when it comes to this sort of thing, but it did take them a long time to get there. I think the whole Benoit thing was a big wake up call for them. I don't remember them paying Angle's rehab bill, was that before he left them?

 

[SAIYANS]

Eddie changed the game. They put Eddie in rehab during the invasion much like. Road dogg and he fucked up like him. But when Eddie died of heart disease they started testing guys body, and that saved MVP from being another Eddie. From there with Benoit they tested the brain and because he was linked to signature it became a laundry list of drugs too


Kurt left them in ecw because he didn't need rehab and didnt have a problem. They paid for his rehab while he's been working for TNA. They paid for Jeff after the sting incident and matts too. They pay for any former employee.

For what its worth flair has been reported to have went to rehab after the whole THQ shit.

The other two guys I can think of who refused to admit they had a problem were Test, Carlito, and Umaga, as it was reported they refused to enter rehab and got released like Kurt. I guess they try to force rehab on to some people who must have it real bad in comparison to Jeff Hardy for instance in his return

 

[ThatGuyFromNukemHigh]

If an employee shows up to work drunk or high, it's the employers right to iniate either a warning or just flat out fire their asses. TNA is a joke because of this. But what their talent do on their own time is not their responsibility.

WWE goes above and beyond on this matter, I think they do too much personally, but I do find it funny how wrestling fans assume Vince is evil and doesn't give a shit about the wrestlers. Can call it PR stunt if you want, they don't have to do it.

They are still trying to get everyone to forget about Jake Roberts, and the Steroid scandal of the early 90's. Funny 30 years ago Vince would have drug dealers get the guys drugs before a match, now they cant even smoke a joint at home.