Torrie Wilson Interview

After spending more than nine years in the business, former World Wrestling Entertainment diva Torrie Wilson made the decision to walk away from the ring.




With the physical toll and demanding schedule the blonde bombshell had reached a breaking point in 2008.



Wilson saw the adjustment to home life an easy transition.



“It wasn’t hard for me at all,” said Wilson, who underwent surgery and physical therapy on her back.



“I was so run down from traveling that I loved every second of it. Maybe by the year-and-a-half mark, I probably started getting a little bored being at home but was able to schedule a few trips when I wanted to go somewhere.



“It’s also always hard to have friends outside the wrestling business; so it was nice to cultivate friendships and do a few things ‘normal’ people are able to do.



“[With the back], I still find that I do everything I did before. I can run and workout and everything, but it’s not something I would ever think about risking going back and getting back into the ring. The thought of taking a back bump scares me.”



Even though Wilson left pro wrestling, she finds time every once in a while to watch the current product.



“It’s crazy the last time I turned it on it was like I barely knew anyone on the shows,” said Wilson, who appeared last in a diva battle royal at WrestleMania 25 in Houston.



“There are only a few people left that I worked with. I think that WWE and TNA [Total Nonstop Action Wrestling] have incredible female talent. The women now are so athletic. It’s almost as if you have to be athletic and be able to work in the ring versus a few years ago when you just had to be pretty. I’m amazed that some of things that those girls do. It’s good to see that they have an awesome crop of girls on both sides.”



Wilson found WWE went PG since her departure.



“I often wish it was more PG when I was there because I was always doing some bra and panties match or something,” said Wilson.



“I always wanted to keep showcasing my athleticism and getting better. I think it’s great that they get to showcase that more. I still think they don’t get the time they probably should get on TV to have the longer matches and storylines. Sometimes it can also go a little too far PG. I mean it is pro wrestling after all.”



Another change is the elimination of the WWE women’s championship. The gold was unified with the divas championship last year.



“I kind of like that better, as I think it makes it mean more,” Wilson said. “There are not that many women on either show.”



Wilson has seen the evolvement of her former travel mate Michelle McCool. She is one of the divas she enjoys watching these days.



“To see how far she has come, even since I left, is awesome,” McCool said. “I think she is a great heel and such a great wrestler in the ring. I really appreciate watching her. I think Eve also has something special. There is just something about her that I like to watch. Of course, Tara over at TNA is always going to be one of my favorites.”



Outside the ring Wilson spent three years running her clothing store, Jaded. The Houston-based business closed its doors a couple of months ago.



“It was doing very well, but with the economy, it started not doing as well,” Wilson said. “Essentially, when I opened the store I thought I would be able to have a store in Houston and travel to LA and still keep my foot in the door, entertainment wise. I quickly realized owning a business makes it very hard to go anywhere. So I closed it down, and I’m actually moving back to LA in March to do more about the entertainment stuff.”



Along with some potential projects in Hollywood, the health enthusiast recently launched “Diva Trim,” her own branded fat burner. Wilson had success in fitness modeling before being signed by World Championship Wrestling in 1999.



“I’ve always taken fat burners since I’ve been in college just for energy or to lose a couple of pounds before a photo shoot,” said Wilson.



“I’ve had a few people approach me about getting something of my own. I actually ended up meeting with a manufacturer that is very good. I decided that I wanted to come with my own formula that I thought would be a perfect thing.



“We worked over the course of a year thinking of the things we would want in there. The fitness industry is where I started out, before I got into wrestling. So my heart has always been in that industry as well. It’s doing very well.



“One woman sent me a picture the other day. She lost 40 pounds in six weeks. It’s fun to see that.”



Wilson is looking for the product to be released in stores. She recommends a healthy mix of nutritious eating and exercise.



“It’s good to eat every couple of hours,” said Wilson.



“I tell people when they get on this fat burner that you kind of have to make yourself eat. Sometimes you have zero appetite. It’s not good to not eat all day either.”



Her healthy lifestyle and background helped her finish second in the NBC reality show competition “I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!”



“I feel like I always knew - from other celebrities that I met - that wrestlers in a sense are a different breed of celebrity,” Wilson said.



“But we are not prima donnas. We are just not that. It was comical in a way that the elements that didn’t bother me as much as some of the other celebrities. It was such a cool experience getting to know all of those people.



“I know how strong I am, but I did realize during that time the things that I could overcome. More than physical, it was pretty mental for me. Not to be able to talk to your loved ones for 30 days. That and being so close to the other personalities that were hard to be around and can’t escape was hard.”



With other projects on the horizon, Wilson doesn’t see a return to the business anytime soon.



“Nobody has asked me, but I’ve always been in the mindset of, I left wrestling,” said Wilson.



“I would like to move forward to other great opportunities. I guess if something was short term, then maybe. But that isn’t something I would consider right now.”



Fans can catch Wilson at various conventions across the country. The former diva is scheduled for Wrestlereunion 5 as a vendor guest Jan.29-30 in Los Angeles.



Wilson will also be available for photo ops and autographs at Wizard World Miami on Feb. 26-27 at the Miami Airport Convention Center. Kevin Nash, Candice Michelle and Savannah are also scheduled to appear. Visit wizardworld.com/home-miami.html.



The Playboy cover girl has an advisory for fans meeting her at signings.



“It’s crazy to believe since I did so much in wrestling and having posed for Playboy twice that I would be kind of prudish,” said Wilson.



“A fan came in one time with a bunch of photos from Playboy from the inside. He just kind of threw them on the table to get signed. I was so embarrassed and kind of hid under the table. I wanted to cover myself up. I don’t sign nude photos ever. All day long I felt bad for the fan, but I just don’t do it. It was not a fun experience. I just hope that doesn’t happen again.”



For info on Wilson’s Diva Trim, visit divatrim.net.