Alex Wright says becoming famous at only 18 years old briefly changed his behavior until his fiancée gave him the reality check he needed.
Wright reflected on the personal side of his rapid rise in WCW during an interview with Bryan Asbury on Developmentally Speaking, available through the show’s official YouTube channel.
Looking back on the attention that came with television exposure, Wright compared fame to an intoxicating substance.
“Fame is one of the worst drugs you could get.”
Wright was still a teenager when he suddenly became recognizable throughout the United States and began receiving celebrity treatment in public.
He admitted the attention eventually affected him.
“After half a year I developed… a little bit big head.”
The situation changed when his fiancée joined him in the United States and immediately noticed the difference.
“Hey, listen. You’re just the same Alex Wright like before. So quit being an idiot.”
Wright did not resent the blunt assessment.
“That’s what I needed.”
Wright used the experience to discuss the addictive nature of attention in professional wrestling and why some performers have difficulty walking away once the spotlight begins to fade.
His sudden popularity was closely connected to the distinctive Das Wunderkind presentation that made him immediately recognizable. Wright also explained elsewhere in the interview that his famous dancing became one of the primary reasons fans remembered him so quickly.
WrestlingHeadlines has recently published several other stories from Wright’s retrospective interview, including his recollection of WWE proposing a Hulk Hogan storyline after WCW closed and his explanation of what happened to the Berlyn character.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit Developmentally Speaking, with a h/t to Wrestling Headlines for the transcription.
