The Steve Austin Show – "Jerry 'The King' Lawler Part Two" (SAS CLASSIC)

Guest: Jerry "The King" Lawler
Host: Steve Austin
Release Date: September 18, 2025

Episode Overview

This classic episode features the legendary Jerry "The King" Lawler, as he joins Steve Austin for the second part of their wide-ranging conversation. Live from Hollywood, Steve and Jerry dive into classic tales from their wrestling careers—delving into backstage traditions, wild on-the-road antics, and iconic moments like the creation of Kamala and Lawler's infamous feud with Andy Kaufman. Packed with old-school wrestling history, rib stories, and behind-the-scenes insights, it’s a treat for any true wrestling fan.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Catching Up & Wrestling Memories

• Unscripted Vibe:
  • Steve opens with: "Just two cats from the world of pro wrestling talking." (02:00)
  • Jerry muses about telling "old war stories" and how memories become cherished as time goes on.
    • Memorable quote:

      "I remember somewhere... I would hear some of the older wrestlers sitting around telling these old war stories... if I ever get like that, somebody take a gun and shoot me... Well, somewhere out there, somebody's loading the gun right now..." (02:24)

• Audience Appeal:
  • Steve notes that wrestling stories are what his podcast audience craves. (03:11)

Life on the Road: Car Rides, Domelights & Ribs

• Dome Light Tradition:
  • Steve asks about the odd Tennessee territory tradition where everyone drives with their dome light on.
    • Jerry confesses:

      "Somehow I started that... I did it to keep myself from falling asleep..." (03:49)

    • Steve:

      "Here we are drinking beer with our dome lights going, this isn’t the smartest idea in the world. These guys would make real bad criminals." (04:33)

• On-Road Entertainment:
  • Long road trips needed entertainment—Jerry tells a famous rib of pulling over wrestlers with a blue flashing light, pretending to be a cop.
    • Classic memory: Kamala, new to the business, is tricked into standing on the highway with hands on his head, hopping on one leg.
    • Jerry:

      "I can't tell you how many times I've walked up and frisked the guys... One night, Kamala was the funniest story ever." (05:08)

The Creation of Kamala

• Origin Story (07:25 – 12:10):
  • Steve asks how Kamala the Ugandan Giant was created.
  • Jerry recounts meeting James "Sugar Bear" Harris and instantly envisioning a character inspired by a Frank Frazetta painting and National Geographic.
    • "We took him up there... painted Kamala’s face... put this old loincloth on him... had him come walking through this smoke... it looked like he was an African giant." (07:37)
  • Inspiration came from current events (Idi Amin) and artistic imagination.
  • Notable Details:
    • Discovered Kamala’s name in a map of Uganda.
    • Gimmick was so effective crowd absolutely bought in.
    • Jerry would hand-paint Kamala before every match for months.
    • Funny moment:

      "He said, Jerry, why did you paint a big banana on my stomach every night? I said, James, it’s not a banana, it’s a crescent moon." (13:12)

The Legendary Empty Arena Match with Terry Funk

• Backstage Context (15:35 – 19:53):
  • Lawler explains the pressure of drawing weekly crowds in territory days.
  • The empty arena concept came out of Funk’s promo realism:
    • "If I could ever meet Lawler on common ground where he had no advantage... I'll prove to everybody in Memphis what a phony he is." (15:35)
  • Unique challenge: No crowd, no noise but Funk’s own wild banter kept the match lively.
    • Jerry:

      "Terry was never quiet for one second... it made it seem so real." (18:37)

The Andy Kaufman Saga

• How Andy Came to Memphis (20:04 – 26:27):
  • Kaufman’s Dream:
    • Andy approached Vince McMahon Sr. wanting to wrestle, but was turned down.
    • It was Bill Apter who connected Andy to Jerry Lawler.
    • Andy’s pitch: Wanted to wrestle women as a heel and get real wrestling crowd heat.
  • Booking the Angle:
    • Andy’s infamous promos ridiculed Southern culture (soap, toilet paper), infuriating fans.
      • Station manager:

        "The people with their phone calls, they’re threatening to burn the station down." (23:44)

    • Lawler suggests Andy wrestle him for maximum heat.
      • "We need to keep this going. I said, you need to have a wrestling match with a man." (25:09)
    • The match culminates in Lawler giving Kaufman a pile driver.
    • Andy demands an ambulance and stays in the hospital—for three days—to sell the injury.
      • Steve (amazed): "Andy Kaufman shells out $300 to bring the ambulance out... so he's in the hospital for three days." (30:07)
      • Jerry: "Three days...he's working the gimmick." (28:16)

The David Letterman Incident (31:20 – 41:09)

• Going on Letterman:
  • The show’s producers scripted a reconciliation, but Lawler and Kaufman improvise a brawl instead.
  • On air, Lawler unexpectedly slaps Kaufman hard, knocking him from his chair and sparking true chaos.
    • Lawler:

      "I just slapped the taste out of his mouth. Knocked him right out of the chair, over onto the floor. And the music stopped...just like this hushed silence." (38:10)

  • Kaufman returns, screaming and cursing, hurling coffee, as Steve and Jerry recount the fallout.
  • The event makes national headlines and is later ranked among TV’s top 60 most riveting moments.

Kaufman the Man & His Legacy (41:09 – 46:21)

• Respectful and Eccentric:
  • Lawler describes Andy’s meditative pre-match rituals and his deep love/respect for wrestling.
    • "He never referred to me once as Jerry. He always called me Mr. Lawler." (42:14)
    • "I'd give up everything I'm doing in Hollywood...if I could just stay involved with wrestling." (43:18)
• The Battle Continues Until the End:
  • Their feud continued until Andy’s untimely death.
  • Andy kept coming back with new angles, including offering bounties and involving Ken Patera and Jesse Ventura.

Making "Man on the Moon" with Jim Carrey (46:27 – 59:07)

• Method Acting Madness:
  • Jim Carrey insisted on being "Andy" at all times, even off-camera.
  • Carrey wanted to actually take a Lawler pile driver, prompting debate and a clash with studio insurance.
    • Classic blow-up: Carrey tries to provoke Lawler, spits in his face, Lawler nearly loses control but stops.
• Bizarre On-Set Antics:
  • Carrey attempts to sell being injured, gets Lawler temporarily fired from production before reconciliation.
  • In a twist, Carrey later mails Lawler a handwritten note and a box of rare wrestler music LPs.

Fun Wrestling Anecdotes (59:09 – end)

• The Colossus of Death Enigma:
  • Steve asks about a bizarre masked wrestler who walked like Frankenstein ("Colossus of Death"), but Lawler can’t recall his name.
• Jimmy Hart & Crowd Size:
  • Steve notes Hart once bragged about being slapped in front of "355,000 people" (the Memphis TV audience).
    • Lawler:

      "That was our viewing audience...355,000 of those people were watching Saturday morning wrestling." (60:47)

• Classic Pull-Apart:
  • Lawler remembers the hilarious fake fight between Andy and Jimmy Hart, calling it "the best non fight scene you’ll ever see." (61:49)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Old Wrestling Tales:

  "When I first started in the business, I would hear some of the older wrestlers sitting around telling these old war stories...somewhere out there, somebody's loading the gun..." – Jerry Lawler (02:24)

• On Car Rides & Dome Lights:

  "Somehow I started that...it just became a habit and somehow caught on. Everybody started riding with their dome lights on at night. It was crazy." – Jerry Lawler (03:49)

• Kamala's Creation:

  "We looked into the map of Uganda in National Geographic, and Kamala was actually a name of a city...That's where we came up with the name." – Jerry Lawler (07:37)

• On the Letterman Incident:

  "I just slapped the taste out of his mouth. Knocked him right out of the chair, over onto the floor." – Jerry Lawler (38:10)
  "That was included in the top 60 most riveting moments of pop culture." – Jerry Lawler (41:09)

• On Andy's Deep Respect:

  "He always called me Mr. Lawler...He was the nicest guy ever. Most respected, loved the wrestling business." – Jerry Lawler (42:14)

• On Working with Jim Carrey:

  "He would show up every day on the set already dressed, already in makeup as Andy. Nobody, even the director...was allowed to refer to him as Jim Carrey." – Jerry Lawler (46:27)

• Fun with Memphis TV Ratings:

  "355,000 people...that was our viewing audience, that was our Saturday morning ratings." – Jerry Lawler (60:47)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:49 – Lawler explains dome light tradition in Tennessee territory
• 05:08 – On-the-road ribs & Kamala “pulled over”
• 07:25 – Creation and backstory of Kamala
• 13:12 – Kamala’s “banana” story
• 15:35 – The Empty Arena Match with Terry Funk
• 20:04 – How Andy Kaufman came to Memphis
• 23:40 – Lawler and Kaufman’s infamous “soap” promos
• 25:09 – Lawler convinces Kaufman to wrestle a man
• 28:16 – Kaufman stays in hospital for 3 days after pile driver
• 31:20 – Going on Letterman, plans for peace, actual chaos
• 38:10 – Lawler slaps Kaufman on Letterman
• 41:09 – The aftermath: National headlines, legacy
• 46:27 – Filming “Man on the Moon” with Jim Carrey
• 52:45 – Carrey spits in Lawler’s face, tempers flair on set
• 57:27 – Jim Carrey sends Lawler a mysterious “thank you” gift
• 59:39 – The Colossus of Death discussion
• 60:47 – Audience numbers and Jimmy Hart's infamous line

Final Thoughts & Outro

Steve wraps up expressing how much more they need to cover:

"Man, I've got six pages of notes I didn't even get to yet. So please say you’ll come back." (62:09)

Jerry promises a return for more classic stories. This episode closes as a masterclass in wrestling history, shenanigans, and the larger-than-life personalities that made the Memphis territory legendary.

For more Jerry Lawler:

• Twitter: @JerryLawler
• Website: KingJerryLawler.com

For more Steve Austin Show:

• PodcastOne.com/premium

A must-listen (or read) for wrestling fans who crave real talk, hilarious behind-the-curtain antics, and living history from the wild days of the territories.