Early in his WWE run, Booker T was warned about a supposed backstage rule. Don’t nap.
Speaking with co-host Brad Gilmore on his Hall of Fame podcast, Booker explained that he liked to spend downtime before shows sleeping.
I would just find a corner and go to sleep, you know. But I remember, I always think about the first time when I got to WWE, and I was in the locker room and I was nodding off, you know, and I was catching a nap.
Another wrestler quickly stepped in.
And this guy came in. He was so scared, and he goes, ‘Hey, Book, you know, hey man, I wouldn’t do that around here if I was you.’ And I go, ‘What?’ He goes, ‘Taking a nap. That’s not cool. You can get a lot of heat.’
Booker didn’t name the wrestler. Rather than back down, he decided to put the warning to the test.
He was really frightened, to the point where I go, ‘Let me test this theory, because I’m going to take a nap or they’re going to have to fire me.’
On his way out, he stopped Jim Ross, who had signed his WWE contract.
I passed Jim Ross and I said, ‘Hey, Jim.’ He goes, ‘Yeah, Book.’ I said, ‘If anybody’s looking for me, I’ll be in my car taking a nap.’
He goes, ‘All right.’ I kept walking. And he didn’t say nothing.
For Booker, sleep was part of getting ready to perform.
Because me taking a nap is me preparing for tonight. I’m getting ready.
And no one ever explained it to me. And no one ever said anything to me about taking naps, you know, my whole career.
Booker arrived in the then-WWF in 2001 after the company bought WCW. He went on to become a five-time WCW Champion and a two-time WWE Hall of Famer.