Exclusive: Teal Piper & WOW (Women Of Wrestling) Founder David McLane On GLOW, MJF & Jeanie Buss
WOW – Women Of Wrestling returns for its second season on Saturday, September 7th at 8pm EST on popular cable network AXS TV, which is also the U.S. home to New Japan Pro-Wrestling. The upcoming 12-episode fall cycle finds the trailblazing promotion back with a vengeance as a slate of new Superheroes and returning superstars vie to pry WOW’s coveted crown from reigning champion Tessa Blanchard along with an intense tournament to crown new WOW Tag-Team Champions.
Another exciting new development for WOW -- which was created by GLOW visionary David McLane -- is the company's recent signing of Teal Piper, daughter of the legendary Rowdy Roddy Piper (and participant in the upcoming AEW All Out event). I had the pleasure of interviewing both Piper and McLane on an August 2019 media call. Highlights from that Q&A are below, while more on WOW – Women Of Wrestling can be found online at www.wowe.com.
Prior to announcing your entry into the wrestling world, you were a rising singer/songwriter. Do you still plan on pursuing that path?
Teal Piper: Yes, actually. I have my next single being released on October 1st called "Anonymity." I think that's something I get from my family. I'm very creative and I don't like to limit myself to one thing in life. I definitely plan on continuing that path in my life. But right now wrestling is coming first and foremost. I think it's something that I just need to be focused on and need to be doing. But I pretty much do everything do everything when I want to do it. (laughs)
Also on the family end, many people have referred to MJF as "the next Roddy Piper." Is that something you like to hear?
Teal Piper: Who are these people? I want names. How dare they? (laughs) No, MJF, I think he's a very talented, awesome wrestler. I love to watch him. But there's never going to be another "Rowdy" Roddy Piper. I think it's just credit to my dad, as well as him. He's very much his own character and he has his very own legend that he's building. I've never been a fan of people going "He's the next this or that." Give him the credit he deserves but there's never going to be another "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, and that includes myself. He was one in a lifetime. I don't know how to explain that.
At what point did you realize that GLOW was actually influential and not just a fine piece of nostalgia?
David McLane: I think the answer to the question is the moment I was doing it I recognized it. I say that being humble. When I was doing it I knew it was something special at the time, and I knew that it would have a place that would be memorable. I don't know how I knew that, I didn't know the future, I didn't know I was going to leave the company. But I just knew it when I was doing it.
No one knows the real story of GLOW, no one. Netflix has a show on that's very successful and I think the writers get all the kudos for capturing the essence of the sisterhood of the women that tried out for GLOW. But no one knows the true story of what it took to get the thing on and get it going and the business and everything that went on with it. Subsequently I was just fortunate enough and blessed to know I was doing something special when I was actually doing it.
Has there been a WOW moment that makes you most proud so far? Is there an accomplishment you are most proud of?
David McLane: Wow, what a question to hit me with. Usually I'm not tongue-tied. (laughs) There's many of them, so I don't want to discount one by saying one in particular. But this goes back to what AXS TV is going to release next Wednesday. My proudest moment, I get choked up, when Jeanie Buss got in the ring -- and you'll see what she did in the ring next Wednesday -- that was one of my proudest moments. What took place in the ring with Jeanie Buss was a proud moment. You'll all get to see why next Wednesday when AXS TV reveals it.