Nick Dinsmore comments on if he thinks the Eugene character could work in 2020
Nick Dinsmore did an interview with Chris Van Vliet to talk about a wide range of topics.
Dinsmore is best known for portraying the Eugene character in WWE, but he actually started his pro wrestling career in 1996 and signed with WWE in 2004. The Eugene character was booked to be a special person with mental limitations and the overly excited nephew of Eric Bischoff, who was the Raw General Manager at the time.
He incorporated moves from his favorite wrestlers such as The Rock and Hulk Hogan. He also teamed up with William Regal. Dinsmore was with WWE until 2007 before he departed.
Many would agree that WWE couldn’t get away with doing the character these days as times have changed. Even if they did do it, they would receive public backlash.
Dinsmore gave his take on if the character could work if he made his debut now.
“One thing I know about WWE is that they can almost always make anything work. You know what I mean? When Eugene first started, I didn’t have my first match on TV for two or three weeks and in those first two or three weeks some people I had heard, like radio stations or news outlets were saying ‘What is WWE going to do with this character?’. But the minute I won my first match, then they know it’s an underdog story of a boy with a dream wanting to be a wrestler and he’s fulfilling that dream.”
Dinsmore worked for WWE on sporadic occasions and even became a coach in NXT back in 2013 before departing.
He also talked about if he was received as inspirational or controversial, the time he spent in rehab, The Rock helping take him to the next level, and much more. Other highlights from the interview were sent to us:
Was he concerned that fans would think he was mocking people with special needs?
“I thought about that going in but it was my opportunity but I was either going to sink or swim on it. But I had got so much positive affirmation afterwards. So many people said to me, ‘My brother has special needs and he told me that he can do anything because Eugene did it’. I heard that more times than I heard, ‘You’re making fun of people’. No, instead I heard ‘You’re giving them a voice’ or ‘Oh my God, there’s someone like me’. That’s what I want to be. That’s what WWE should be a representation of every type of person that there is around the world.”
How being in a storyline with The Rock elevated his career to the next level:
“When they put me in the ring with The Rock, that elevated me like oh my God. Then people knew who I was and then fans really got endeared to me because I was The Rock’s friend. They liked Eugene and he was funny and he was building, but that just put it over the top. It went from a slow build to oh my God, you’re a top guy now. You’re made.”