Jeff Hardy addresses wrestling promotions referencing his real-life problems in storylines
Former WWE star Jeff Hardy, who is currently working for TNA Wrestling, discussed his personal struggles over the years in an interview with Chris Van Vliet. Here are the highlights courtesy of ChrisVanVliet.com…
On separating Jeff Hardy the person and the wrestler: “It’s weird too, because my personal life kind of became my professional life back in 08 09. A lot of people [thought] that’s messed up, they’re going there. But I mean, in a way, I think it helped me, but also, looking back at it now, I go, Oh my God, was that the right thing to do? Because that is my personal life and now here we are in my professional [life]. It’s super interesting. The storyline and the feud with CM Punk was just so amazing, and that kind of helped make it that way, because we were complete opposites. But yes, there’s really no difference in Jeff Hardy. That’s why I’m excited too. There’s this alter ego of mine, alter Nero of mine named Willow, and he appeared in TNA, my last run in TNA. There’s a new mask with a brand new face plate. I haven’t tried it on yet, but when I go pick it up, and if it fits real good, I’m sure I’m going to get excited about possibilities with a way darker side of Jeff Hardy, or way more just spiritual, innovative character that Willow has never actually been in the past. The original idea with Willow is like nothing makes sense, because he’s not human. He’s just some alien, and he’s the God of my imagination. That’s kind of where it all started. But for him to be my dark passenger and kind of guide Jeff Hardy into this different zone in pro wrestling, I think there might be something pretty powerful within that idea.”
On drug and alcohol addictions: “There were times when I would wake up and I was just like oh my God, what am I doing? I would tell myself all the time, and I never got to the point to where I had physical withdrawals from not drinking. So with that, I was like okay, I must not be an alcoholic because I don’t get sick from not drinking. Then I’ll be sober for weeks and then give into it again. But then, man, when the DUI started happening, that’s when it really got crazy how much denial I was in because, man, I never have any intention of hurting anybody. So the thought of I could have possibly hurt somebody else out there on the road, I’m so sorry for that, especially for people who have lost loved ones in DUI accidents. But I needed something big to happen, that’s what happened. I went to rehab for the long haul, and it’s exactly what I needed, man. I’ve been so enlightened, there was a moment with the sun, actually, when I was in treatment in Florida and the moon, and I’m like, Okay, there’s something very special going on here with me getting sober again, because every time, my second time, when I came back to TNA, I had gotten sober and I was great. 2012 was one of my best wrestling years in my career, in my opinion, and that’s because of sobriety. To be back in that zone now approaching three years of sobriety, it’s just super exciting to keep doing exactly what I’ve been doing and prove people wrong in the process.”
On what he remembers from TNA Victory Road 2011: “I remember going out there, and I remember just Sting roughing me up and throwing me to the mat. So I remember, and naturally we say he shot on me, but Eric Bischoff told him to pin me because I was a zombie. It was obvious when you watched the tape and I was kind of MIA throughout that whole evening. Sting had talked about this one killer spot I was going to do. It was something like the twist of hate with the head in the chair, but I was going to take his finish the reverse thing in a chair and I was scared of that. Oh my god, I’m going to break my neck, I don’t know if I should do this. But anyway, I remember sobering up after that and Jeff Jarrett and even Hogan knew I had to go home and get straight. They gave me another chance and when I did go back I did this song called Resurrected. Bruce Pritchard was there, I believe, and he made me go in the locker room and apologize to everybody. I don’t think I’ve ever been that nervous in my life. I was so nervous in front of all these professional wrestlers that I admire and love so much, but I had to go in there and just admit, say I’m sorry for what I did on pay-per-view. But that was good for me. It helped me heal. So I just moved on from there and had a really good 2012 but yeah, such a dark time with Sting. Every time I’ve seen Sting since he’s just such a good dude and such a support. So I’ve just had a lot of dark, dark times from the alcoholism and the drug addiction stuff. It feels good to be on the other side of that.”