Dangerous Incorporated
12-21-2006, 12:03 AM
Transcript of Edge & Shelton Benjamin on "Showbiz Tonight" on CNN's "Headline News"
After clicking this link: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0612/20/sbt.01.html , scroll down till you see the following excerpts:
"Tonight, a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive, doing battle outside the ring. WWE wrestlers putting their lives on the line to support the troops in Iraq. Only SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the dramatic footage of a frightening attack. Two WWE superstars share their startling story in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT."
"VARGAS: And a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive, WWE wrestlers putting their lives on the line to support the troops in Iraq. Only SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the dramatic footage of a frightening attack. "
"ANDERSON: Sibila, tonight, we have a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive: WWE wrestlers putting their lives on the line to support the troops in Iraq. Only we have dramatic footage of a frightening attack. We`re going to have that coming up, and their startling stories."
"VARGAS: Also ahead, WWE stars go to Iraq to entertain the troops, and get caught in a very close call. We`ll show you the amazing video and hear about the wrestlers, Shelton Benjamin and Edge."
"ANDERSON: Tonight, imagine the world`s biggest wrestling stars coming under attack in Iraq.
World Wrestling Entertainment traveled to Iraq for the fourth consecutive year, and this time they got a taste of what U.S. soldiers go through every single day when a mortar round landed only a few hundred yards away from their ring.
With me here tonight in New York, the WWE`s Shelton Benjamin and Edge.
Welcome to you both. Thanks for being here.
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: OK. You guys were in Baghdad at Camp Victory. A mortar lands - what? - 300 yards away from the wrestling ring that was set up where you guys wanted to perform.
I cannot imagine this. Edge, did it really bring it home how dangerous the situation really was?
EDGE, PROFESSIONAL WRESTLER: Pretty sobering reality. because up until that point, it was actually fun.
You know, we were having coffee and - and eating breakfast and dinner and watching news with the - with these guys and girls over there. And you kind of forget where you are. And then all of a sudden, you realize you`re not in Boise, Idaho; you`re in Baghdad. And whether it was flying in and - and going in stealth mode and turning all the lights out and having to be completely quiet once we hit the airspace so we wouldn`t get attacked, to the mortar going after, there was definitely instances where you went, OK, we`re - we`re not in Kansas anymore.
ANDERSON: Yes, we`re watching the video right now.
Shelton, did every one just immediately react? Did the soldiers protect - what did they do? Did they tell you what to do?
SHELTON BENJAMIN, PROFESSIONAL WRESTLER: Basically, it was one of those things when - I mean, mind you, we work with pyro all the time, so we`re used to explosions. But in this particular case, what I got.
ANDERSON: Not this kind of explosion, yes.
BENJAMIN: Right. While our guys were kind of looking around, going, What`s going on? The soldiers were like, Get down, grabbing guys and throwing them on their (INAUDIBLE), and covering - literally covering them with their own bodies to protect them. So I mean.
ANDERSON: Probably went into autopilot.
BENJAMIN: Exactly.
ANDERSON: .to protect every body.
BENJAMIN: I mean.
ANDERSON: Well, you guys were clearly there to support the troops. But we all know - you know, there`s been a turn in - in America about how people feel about the war. A lot of people disagree with the war. Still support the troops, but don`t support the war.
Shelton, do the troops feel that? Are they frustrated by that in any way?
BENJAMIN: I think the troops are definitely frustrated by the fact that what`s being portrayed of what`s going on over there, because the media tends to show mostly the negative things. And they`re doing a lot of positive things.
I`ve never heard a troop - a soldier complain about any thing, the conditions or any thing. To them, it`s their job, and they take it very seriously, much like you or I would take our jobs. And they want to do a good job.
So for them, it`s a little disheartening when they see that the only thing America seems to be interested in is the bad.
ANDERSON: Yes. It`s pretty sobering. It`s pretty - pretty hard to hear that for them, I`m sure.
BENJAMIN: Right.
ANDERSON: Edge, we all know fighting, wrestling in the ring is fake. Shocker. We`re sorry.
But being over there, this was not fake. And a lot of people talk about how they never feel safe when they go over there - journalists, people who are visiting, people who are there for the troops.
Did you ever feel safe? Did you have a constant fear in the back of your mind?
EDGE: You know what? This was my first year going, because this year this fake industry had a broken neck. So I - I missed out on the first trip because of that.
So this year, I got to go, and felt safe the entire time, until we went in stealth mode. You know, they announced, we have to be quiet so we don`t get attacked. It`s like, Oh, OK. And when the mortar went off.
But other that - I - I mean, we were just sitting there watching CNN with the troops at dinnertime and - and really just getting to know people. I sat down with about a 22-year-old guy, and he said it was the - the sixth time he had been blown up. And I was.
ANDERSON: Oh wow.
EDGE: .woah! What - what do you - and he had this huge smile on his face and.
ANDERSON: Woah!
EDGE: .great positive attitude.
ANDERSON: Yes.
EDGE: And that`s the thing: he wasn`t complaining at all. And - and I think once you go over there and experience it and see what they`re actually doing, I think you get a different perspective for what they are doing, and you would support them more. Because they literally are building a country from the ground up.
ANDERSON: What an amazing story for that guy to go through it so many times and to keep that positive frame of mind.
Shelton, do you feel a - a deeper personal connection, very quickly? I - I know you`ve been three times now.
BENJAMIN: Right.
I actually felt a deeper connection with them ever since my first trip. I - pretty much my own personal little tribute to the troops is I wear a yellow ribbon on my uniform. So every time I perform, I`m showing my support for the troops. Because, like I said, I`ve been three times, and I mean, what these guys go through is really unbelievable.
ANDERSON: It is.
BENJAMIN: And they`re doing an unbelievable good job. And like I said, I personally felt guilty that I got to come home, and they still have to say and defend our country.
ANDERSON: Well, I`m sure they appreciate what you both did. Hope that broken neck is all healed up now.
EDGE: It`s better now.
ANDERSON: So Edge, Shelton Benjamin, thank you both for being here. We appreciate it.
And a special "Monday Night Raw," "WWE Tribute to the Troops: Christmas in Baghdad," airs on the USA Network Christmas Day."
Source: Gerweck
:lmao: Edge sticking it to the guy saying wrestling is fake. Edge should hae knocked him.
After clicking this link: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0612/20/sbt.01.html , scroll down till you see the following excerpts:
"Tonight, a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive, doing battle outside the ring. WWE wrestlers putting their lives on the line to support the troops in Iraq. Only SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the dramatic footage of a frightening attack. Two WWE superstars share their startling story in the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT."
"VARGAS: And a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive, WWE wrestlers putting their lives on the line to support the troops in Iraq. Only SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the dramatic footage of a frightening attack. "
"ANDERSON: Sibila, tonight, we have a SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive: WWE wrestlers putting their lives on the line to support the troops in Iraq. Only we have dramatic footage of a frightening attack. We`re going to have that coming up, and their startling stories."
"VARGAS: Also ahead, WWE stars go to Iraq to entertain the troops, and get caught in a very close call. We`ll show you the amazing video and hear about the wrestlers, Shelton Benjamin and Edge."
"ANDERSON: Tonight, imagine the world`s biggest wrestling stars coming under attack in Iraq.
World Wrestling Entertainment traveled to Iraq for the fourth consecutive year, and this time they got a taste of what U.S. soldiers go through every single day when a mortar round landed only a few hundred yards away from their ring.
With me here tonight in New York, the WWE`s Shelton Benjamin and Edge.
Welcome to you both. Thanks for being here.
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: OK. You guys were in Baghdad at Camp Victory. A mortar lands - what? - 300 yards away from the wrestling ring that was set up where you guys wanted to perform.
I cannot imagine this. Edge, did it really bring it home how dangerous the situation really was?
EDGE, PROFESSIONAL WRESTLER: Pretty sobering reality. because up until that point, it was actually fun.
You know, we were having coffee and - and eating breakfast and dinner and watching news with the - with these guys and girls over there. And you kind of forget where you are. And then all of a sudden, you realize you`re not in Boise, Idaho; you`re in Baghdad. And whether it was flying in and - and going in stealth mode and turning all the lights out and having to be completely quiet once we hit the airspace so we wouldn`t get attacked, to the mortar going after, there was definitely instances where you went, OK, we`re - we`re not in Kansas anymore.
ANDERSON: Yes, we`re watching the video right now.
Shelton, did every one just immediately react? Did the soldiers protect - what did they do? Did they tell you what to do?
SHELTON BENJAMIN, PROFESSIONAL WRESTLER: Basically, it was one of those things when - I mean, mind you, we work with pyro all the time, so we`re used to explosions. But in this particular case, what I got.
ANDERSON: Not this kind of explosion, yes.
BENJAMIN: Right. While our guys were kind of looking around, going, What`s going on? The soldiers were like, Get down, grabbing guys and throwing them on their (INAUDIBLE), and covering - literally covering them with their own bodies to protect them. So I mean.
ANDERSON: Probably went into autopilot.
BENJAMIN: Exactly.
ANDERSON: .to protect every body.
BENJAMIN: I mean.
ANDERSON: Well, you guys were clearly there to support the troops. But we all know - you know, there`s been a turn in - in America about how people feel about the war. A lot of people disagree with the war. Still support the troops, but don`t support the war.
Shelton, do the troops feel that? Are they frustrated by that in any way?
BENJAMIN: I think the troops are definitely frustrated by the fact that what`s being portrayed of what`s going on over there, because the media tends to show mostly the negative things. And they`re doing a lot of positive things.
I`ve never heard a troop - a soldier complain about any thing, the conditions or any thing. To them, it`s their job, and they take it very seriously, much like you or I would take our jobs. And they want to do a good job.
So for them, it`s a little disheartening when they see that the only thing America seems to be interested in is the bad.
ANDERSON: Yes. It`s pretty sobering. It`s pretty - pretty hard to hear that for them, I`m sure.
BENJAMIN: Right.
ANDERSON: Edge, we all know fighting, wrestling in the ring is fake. Shocker. We`re sorry.
But being over there, this was not fake. And a lot of people talk about how they never feel safe when they go over there - journalists, people who are visiting, people who are there for the troops.
Did you ever feel safe? Did you have a constant fear in the back of your mind?
EDGE: You know what? This was my first year going, because this year this fake industry had a broken neck. So I - I missed out on the first trip because of that.
So this year, I got to go, and felt safe the entire time, until we went in stealth mode. You know, they announced, we have to be quiet so we don`t get attacked. It`s like, Oh, OK. And when the mortar went off.
But other that - I - I mean, we were just sitting there watching CNN with the troops at dinnertime and - and really just getting to know people. I sat down with about a 22-year-old guy, and he said it was the - the sixth time he had been blown up. And I was.
ANDERSON: Oh wow.
EDGE: .woah! What - what do you - and he had this huge smile on his face and.
ANDERSON: Woah!
EDGE: .great positive attitude.
ANDERSON: Yes.
EDGE: And that`s the thing: he wasn`t complaining at all. And - and I think once you go over there and experience it and see what they`re actually doing, I think you get a different perspective for what they are doing, and you would support them more. Because they literally are building a country from the ground up.
ANDERSON: What an amazing story for that guy to go through it so many times and to keep that positive frame of mind.
Shelton, do you feel a - a deeper personal connection, very quickly? I - I know you`ve been three times now.
BENJAMIN: Right.
I actually felt a deeper connection with them ever since my first trip. I - pretty much my own personal little tribute to the troops is I wear a yellow ribbon on my uniform. So every time I perform, I`m showing my support for the troops. Because, like I said, I`ve been three times, and I mean, what these guys go through is really unbelievable.
ANDERSON: It is.
BENJAMIN: And they`re doing an unbelievable good job. And like I said, I personally felt guilty that I got to come home, and they still have to say and defend our country.
ANDERSON: Well, I`m sure they appreciate what you both did. Hope that broken neck is all healed up now.
EDGE: It`s better now.
ANDERSON: So Edge, Shelton Benjamin, thank you both for being here. We appreciate it.
And a special "Monday Night Raw," "WWE Tribute to the Troops: Christmas in Baghdad," airs on the USA Network Christmas Day."
Source: Gerweck
:lmao: Edge sticking it to the guy saying wrestling is fake. Edge should hae knocked him.