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On today’s episode of SiriusXM’s The Nikki and Brie Show, Dave LaGreca and Sam Roberts join the twins to discuss the launch of SiriusXM’s Pro Wrestling Nation 24/7, the evolution of wrestling as pop culture, the rise of women in the ring and more.
During the interview, Nikki & Brie open up about the stigma they faced when they left pro wrestling to build careers outside of the ring. Brie’s daughter Birdie also appears on today’s episode to interview Nikki.
The Nikki & Brie Show hosted by Nikki & Brie Garcia is available anytime on the SiriusXM app. New episodes every Monday and Thursday. Listen to the full episode HERE.
Transcription below. If used, please credit SiriusXM’s The Nikki & Brie Show.
Nikki & Brie Garcia discuss the stigma they faced when leaving pro wrestling & building careers outside of the ring (37:23-40:36)
Dave LaGreca: Pro wrestling has a stigma about it and you guys have been able, both of you, to do so much outside the world of wrestling. Was it difficult for you? When you left the WWE, was it a problem for you outside of wrestling where people looked at you as like, “Oh, you came from wrestling.” Did they look at you a little bit differently because of that?
Brie Garcia: Oh, yes. For sure.
Nikki Garcia: Well, no, big time. Even when we were really crossing over, like during the “Total Divas” and Bella’s days, but it was crazy how like certain stylists wouldn't dress us because they were like, “Oh, they're pro wrestlers,” or there were certain brands that wouldn't lend us clothes because they were like, “Well, we don't dress pro wrestlers,” and we really had to fight hard in that world to show them that there was so much more to female pro wrestlers, that we weren't just what they saw in the ring. We were so much more than that and we brought so much more, and so it was crazy because Brie and I had that really big fight outside of it and sometimes we'll still fight on that. It's still hard for mainstream brands to think, “Oh, they are worldwide. They do have these incredible fan bases.” It's really crazy and they'll sometimes invest in people that are only known in the US and they bring something to the table but not what us WWE superstars bring to the table.
Brie Garcia: You know what used to drive me crazy is they would be like that, but then they would realize pro wrestlers, their charisma and how loud we are, but they're like in a segment then would want us to like body slam someone or do a suplex. They’re like, “So, can you go into this segment and suplex the,” remember the guy in the Today Show when they were like, “After your interview, can you give him a suplex,” and we're like, “On the floor?” But it would be so fun to be about pro wrestlers, but then they always wanted you to do moves on everyone in mainstream. It was like one minute, you know.
Nikki Garcia: Well, you know, we fought, I think too, our generations and I think they're now coming around to it, but a lot of brands kind of use like, “We love strong women and women empowerment,” but you realize they were just using it as marketing. They really didn't actually want strong empowering women. They just wanted to dress some people up like it and pretend they were it, but when it came to actually using the girls that were that, it was like, “Oh, wait, wait, we really don't want them to be that strong or this or that,” so it's tough. I feel like at times it still is, but we've come so far and that's why when you look at the Bella Army, we're so diverse in who are fan bases because of the E! audience, because of just all our different audiences that come together, they're not just pro wrestling fans. They're inspired in different ways because, especially through the reality shows, we showed them how women can kick ass. We could go do a sport that's dominated by males, but then we could go be moms, we could go be career women, we could be great wives, great girlfriends, whatever it may be. We can handle it all, and so women who weren't even pro wrestling, they started to get attached to that, like, “Wait, I could kick ass in all my other things in life and still be this.”
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