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“So if anybody out there is looking for a wrestling announcer, you give ‘ol Tony a call” said former WWE and WCW announcer, Tony Schiavone, when PRWN talked to him from his Virginia home recently. We were there investigating allegations that, for months now, Schiavone has been pretty much doing absolutely nothing. “Remember WCW? I announced that. ‘Wild”.Schiavone is best known for his long tenure in World Championship Wrestling, in the 1990’s and through the company’s demise in 2001. He also worked brief stints for WWE, earlier in his career. After a five year absence, and taking into consideration wrestling personality’s tendencies to resurface, some were getting worried about Schiavone.
We talked to his long-time neighbor, Merle.
“After that there wrestling company (WCW) folded, he just came home and sat in his chair” said the 68-year-old widow and gardening enthusiast. “He’s been there ever since. He hasn’t even gotten up to go to the bathroom. I know. I watch people”.
If Schiavone had been just sitting in his Lazy-Boy Recliner for over five years, it wasn’t evident. Schiavone looked as if he’d actually lost weight. However, he did smell of urine, possibly proving Merle’s other claim true.
“He smell like urine anyway” said five-time WCW Champion, Booker T.
“I’m writing a book too” continued Schiavone, as we chatted. “It’s going to be called The Passion of Tony Schiavone By Tony Schiavone. Yeah, I talked to Vince (McMahon) about working out a promotional deal but we just haven’t crossed the t’s and dotted the i’s, if you know what I’m saying”.
Later in our meeting, Tony would reveal that, since being hired by WCW, he has actually lost the ability to read or write.
“He hasn’t just been sitting around” said Schiavone’s former broadcast partner, Larry Zbyszko. “I saw him at that awards ceremony in Atlanta . He was vibrant as ever; doing well. But there’s a 50% chance that I’m thinking of Todd Pettengill, so don’t take my word for it”.
So what is there left for a voice that defined wrestling for many late-90’s fans? Is there anything this once-towering giant of the vocal chords industry can do?
“Kellogg’s Cornflakes wants a Tony Schiavone voice-over” said Schiavone. “’Money’s got to be right though. You got to pay Big Shiv. That’s what I’m calling myself now, “Big Shiv”.
Kellogg’s Cornflakes denied any responsibility for having contacted Schiavone for a voice-over.
Tony Schiavone is going through the second-worst period of his life, the first being the years he worked for WCW. Thanks to the encouraging of PRWN, Tony will be attending a job fair within the month. He decided not to leave an address for any possible fan mail but said his followers should be on the look out for his book, The Passion of Tony Schiavone By Tony Schiavone, and his pending Kelloggs Cornflake’s voice-over.