Rick Boogs has revealed one of the strangest character ideas he ever pitched during his time in WWE, and it revolved entirely around being unable to see without Rec Specs sports glasses.
Speaking with Chris Van Vliet, Boogs explained that before debuting his guitar-playing persona, he pitched a comedy-based gimmick inspired by his real-life poor eyesight.
“I wear these Rec Specs. Really strong prescription, I’m legally blind without them, so I just kick so much ass when I have my Rec Specs on, but every match, whatever the cut-off is, they get pulled off my head and then I can’t see.”
According to Boogs, the gimmick would have centered around opponents knocking the glasses off during matches, causing him to wildly swing around the ring before eventually recovering once he got them back on.
“I get them on, I can see everything crystal clear and I fire up and kick his ass.”
Boogs said WWE officials thought the idea was funny, but they viewed it as more of a short-term comedy spot rather than a full character.
“They’re like, ‘Yeah, it’s funny but that’s like a one-off thing.’”
Boogs disagreed with that assessment and believed there were multiple ways to keep evolving the gimmick over time. He even imagined comedic entrances where he forgot the glasses entirely and couldn’t make it to the ring on his own.
“My music starts playing and I’m like, ‘I don’t have my Rec Specs.’ And they have to carry me out there because I can’t even see how to make my entrance.”
The character never made it to WWE television, with Boogs eventually becoming known for his over-the-top guitar entrance and energetic performances instead.
Even so, the pitch offers another behind-the-scenes look at the unusual ideas wrestlers sometimes bring to WWE creative while trying to stand out in a crowded roster environment. In Boogs’ case, the concept may never have happened, but fans can already imagine how chaotic and entertaining it could have become.
Read (and WATCH) the rest of the interview here
