Legendary wrestling announcer Gene Okerlund has passed away at the age of 76. WCCO Alum John Hines was a long-time friend of “Mean” Gene and joined Paul and Jordana to talk about their friendship.
“He was a good guy. I knew him back in the early 80’s when he was part of Cohen, Okerlund and Smith, an advertising agency.”
That’s where Okerlund’s talent for promotion was formed.
“People who lived here and people who are listening to you right now would remember Budget Power and Thompson Lighting,” said Hines, “Those were Gene Okerlund’s two big clients. Gene-o was so good at bringing businesses into prominence.”
But their friendship extended beyond the professional sphere.
“For many, many years, I knew him from when I would spend my summer weekends at Big Sandy Lake up near McGregor because he had a cabin across the lake from me,” Hines said, “And he would call me on Saturday afternoons and say, ‘Johnny, are you gonna be out amongst ‘em tonight?’ And we’d end up at Pier 65.”
In recent years, Okerlund became a repeat guest on the radio.
“Whenever any of wrestling’s greats would leave us,” said Hines, “Gene-o was the guy to go to. He was the guy to call because he knew them all.”
Hines said that the banter between Okerlund and other announcers on the air was a product of their relationship behind the scenes.
“Bobby Heenan, these gentlemen all became friends, and he and Jesse [Ventura> were friends all the way through. Jesse created that moniker for him, ‘Mean’ Gene Okerlund.”
Hear the entire interview with Paul and Jordana: