The following is an excerpt from "Death Clutch," the new Brock Lesnar book written by Paul Heyman:
“My first year on the main roster in WWE was a blur. My second year was even worse. I was running into the grind. Same routine every day, day in and day out. The money was great, and I was buying a lot of nice things, but I had no time to enjoy any of it. That touring schedule just eats you up. I just kept thinking that there has to be a better way to make some real money.
The one good thing—okay, great thing—that came out of my second year was that I got to meet my future wife, Rena. I think it’s pretty common knowledge that I’m a very private man, and there’s a reason for that. When I’m on the job, in the ring, at the arena, I’m there to entertain you. I understand that. You paid to see me, and I owe it to you to make sure your money was well spent. But when I’m not on the job, I don’t think I owe anything to any-body. If you’re a plumber, and you’re out to dinner with your family, would you like it if the waiter walked up and said, “Hey, the toilet just backed up, can you come in the back and fix it?†Probably not. You are there to eat, not to fish tampons out of the drain pipe. When I’m enjoying some time with my family, I’m not at work. I’m not “on.†I’m not there to entertain anyone. I’m a husband and a father. I’m Daddy. That’s who I am, and all I want to be. So if some jackass wants to pose for pictures with me, it really burns my ass because he isn’t just imposing on me, he is imposing on my wife and my children, too.
I think everyone should have a right to privacy. Certainly, my family has a right to be left alone. My wife was on TV for a while, so she can expect some of the attention, I get that. But my children aren’t performers. What makes them fair game? What gives anyone else the right to take pictures of my children? Why does anyone think it’s okay to just walk up to me and act as if I owe them an answer to personal questions? Is it because they bought a ticket or purchased a pay-per-view? I’ve never been able to grasp that. Why can’t I just do my job? If I’m at an event, or out promoting something, that’s one thing. I expect to take pictures and sign autographs. That’s why I’m there. But I deserve a private life, too, and so does my family.
Over the years, I’m sure that being as private as I am has cost me a lot of money. I could be like one of those media whores that shows up anywhere there might be a camera just to keep my name out there, and to keep my face on the TV and in the papers so the endorsements will keep coming in. But that’s not me, and I can live with that. I like to stay home, spend time with my family, and be left alone. My life is my life. It’s nobody’s business what goes on in my house, or with my wife or my children. I won’t intrude on your private life. Don’t intrude on mine.
That’s why, in some ways, the WWE character I envied the most was Kane. He had the greatest gig ever, because he was a big star who wore a mask on TV. When he went home, he’d get to take off the mask and live a normal life. Nobody knew what he looked like, and no one ever bothered him when he went about his personal life. He must have had about as normal a life as you can have in professional wrestling. That’s probably why Glenn Jacobs (Kane) survived for so long in WWE. Maybe I should have worn a mask. I might have lasted just a little longer . . . or not.â€
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