Jake Roberts has revealed why he picked snakes as part of his gimmick over a different animal.
The WWE Hall of Famer recently spoke to Chris Van Vliet for a new interview. He discussed things such as DDP helping him with his alcohol addiction, his iconic promos, DDT not being used as finishers anymore and more.
Talking about his famous gimmick, Roberts discussed how he’s actually not a fan of snakes and joked that he should have adopted a different creature-based character:
“I don’t like snakes at all. I’m terrified of them. They scare the piss out of me, and you never get used to getting bit. I should have been like Billy the bug, just carry a cockroach around.
You know, if I shoved a cockroach in your ear, that would mess with your head, yeah, yeah, especially your ear. Little cockroach dug in there.”
Because People Are Afraid: Jake Roberts
The WWE legend was then asked why he still chose snakes as part of his character despite hating them. Jake Roberts explained that this phobia which he shares with a lot of fans is the thing that made him a successful heel:
“Because of that, because most people are afraid of snakes. Your parents tell you from the get go, keep away snakes. And that’s ingrained in you.
It’s sort of something that is taught to us from the very beginning, and kids dig it, because mom and dad can’t stand it. You know, it makes mama squirm. I love to see your mother squirm. I still love seeing that.”
Roberts also revealed that he’s received more than 15 snake bites over the course of his career. He discussed how people are told not to move quickly when a snake bites but it’s the natural reaction for anyone. He recalled one such incident where he got bitten by a large reticulated Python who ended up tearing a chunk off his arm.
