The Minneapolis Star Tribune and Jim Ross’ The Ross Report podcast have more details on the death of Mean Gene Okerlund, who passed away yesterday at the age of 76.
The Tribune notes that Okerlund fell a few weeks ago. HIs son Tor said that “it just kind of went from bad to worse” after the fall. Ross noted that Okerlund was getting tired easier and had a hard time with balance when they talked during WrestleCade 2018 over Thanksgiving weekend.
Meanwhile, Jesse Ventura spoke with the Tribune about how he gave Okerlund the “Mean Gene” name. He said that he laughingly called him ‘the Mean Gene Hot Air Machine,’ and the ‘Mean Gene’ stuck.”
He added: “[Okerlund was] the best at what he did, the best straight man interviewer in wrestling history. You only had to tell him once. He’s like a carnival barker. … He was the best salesman. And he never did retakes. … Ninety percent of the time if there was a screw-up on an interview, it was not because of Gene. That’s how good he was.”
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