Buckle up for a ride with Roddy

An hourlong sit-down with wrestling legend and Hillsboro resident "Rowdy Roddy" Piper

A sit-down with Rowdy Roddy Piper is a happening, a roller-coaster ride in stream-of-consciousness fashion orchestrated by one of the greats in pro wrestling history. Seat belts are required.

At 60, the World Wresting Entertainment Hall-of-Famer and longtime Hillsboro resident has slowed down  but only a little.

The legendary heel keeps busy acting, doing stand-up comedy, and hawking his own soda pop these days. The native Canadian christened Roderick George Toombs is a storyteller, and often the topic gets shifted in midstream. If you can hang on, though, its a worthwhile journey.

From an hourlong chat, sharing some nonadult beverages, and a lot of laughs:

Portland TRIBUNE: How is life as Rowdy Roddy Piper these days?

PIPER: Holy cow. What a life. Over the last 15 years, Ive been in 120 countries. Im known all over the world. I just got back from a tour with my one-man show in Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England. I did 26 hours of improv on stage in 13 days. Id do an hour and a half stand-up, give them a break and then go into a Q&A. Im asking, Am I boring you? They said no. It was a wonderful experience.

TRIB: Didnt you get your start in improv at Harveys Comedy Club in Portland back in the mid-2000s?

PIPER: I did. The owner, Barry Kolin, helped me put together my one-man show. An hour and 15 minutes on stage is difficult. Id never done anything like that before. It was as hard as it could be, but good.

TRIB: How much stand-up have you done since then?

PIPER: I spent a year and a half working the Comedy Store on Sunset Boulevard. Everybody there, including the guys who park cars, wants to be a comedian. Im in their Hall of Fame. Im not sure I deserve it, but Ill take it. My names on their wall, next to my buddy, Robin Williams. He was my friend.

TRIB: You recently took part in Monday Night Raw at Los Angeles, doing the open with the Iron Sheik. How was that?

PIPER: It was cool. Some of us old-timers  (Hulk) Hogan, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, (Ric) Flair, myself  were sitting together reminiscing. Hulk said, We could have swapped the (championship) belt back and forth, Piper, but no. I couldnt help but laugh. I wouldnt take a dive back then. We were all ribbing on each other, but it was a warm, class bunch of guys who have been through a lot of stuff together.

TRIB: You also were in Portland for the recent WWE show that celebrated Hulks 61st birthday. That was quite a cavalcade of some of the greatest names in wrestling history.

PIPER: Standing in the ring at one time were Hall, Nash, Hogan, Flair and Piper. Brock Lesnar comes in, and he looks at me and I said, You expect me to back down? Once you fight Andre the Giant 50 times, youre a pretty hard guy to scare. It was like, Vince, just put the money right here. Well go right now.

TRIB: What do you think of pro wrestling these days?

PIPER: The entertainment of the sport is so big right now. Its the biggest traveling show in the world. The respect for the sport has grown considerably, too. Its not a dirty business anymore. When I got into it, it was a very dirty business. Very black cloud; very disrespected business. It was very rough for a long time. Im proud to see what it has become. Im not mad at anybody. Well, Im mad at a lot of people, but mostly because of mistakes Ive made.

TRIB: You won a 20-man Legends Battle Royal in 2011 at WrestleReunion 5. Was that your last match?

PIPER: There is nothing I havent done in wrestling. I was voted by the industry the greatest villain in the history of my business. I guess it must be time to do something else.

TRIB: You made a recent appearance at a Rocket Fizz Soda Pop and Candy Shop in Beaverton that carries Rowdy Roddy Pipers Bubble Gum Soda. How did that product come about?

PIPER: My attorney in L.A. said these two guys have a candy store, would you say hi to them? We sat down in a little corner store and they said, We have all these stores rocking nationwide. Have you ever heard of us? I hadnt. They have a lot of celebrity soda pop. We decided to put a deal together. The Rowdy Roddy bubble gum is outselling all the others combined. Its being sold all across the country. God bless America.

TRIB: The name comes from your line in a scene in the John Carpenter film called They Live?

PIPER: Yeah. The saying was, I have come here to chew bubble gum and kick ass, and Im all out of bubble gum. So you want to make sure that store in Beaverton is stocked with bubble gum soda.

TRIB: You were born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. How long did you live there?

PIPER: Thats one of my major problems. I dont have a home. I was born in Saskatoon. When I was 6, I went to live at an Indian reservation, The Pas in Manitoba  as the only white kid. Its to this day the roughest Indian reservation in Canada. You didnt mess around.

TRIB: Were your parents not involved in your life?

PIPER: (Long pause) I had a great mom and dad. But I dont have a place that is home. Ive been on the road since I was 13.

TRIB: Why did you leave home at such a young age? Was it because, as some reports say, you were expelled from junior high? Because you had a beef with your father?

PIPER: (Another long pause) I was too much for that institution, for my folks at that time. I came along late. Money was tight, things were tight, and it was time to go. They didnt need me anymore. I lived in youth hostels for two years. I hitchhiked and would play my bagpipes. I played with a group of young musicians in the Rose Bowl when I was 12. I came in fifth in the world playing the bagpipes when I was 14.

TRIB: Thats how you got the wrestling character, wearing the kilt?

PIPER: It didnt start out as a character. Ill tell you what happened. I was 15 years old, wrestling (as an) amateur and also boxing Golden Gloves. I was also playing bagpipes in a band  four bagpipers, a bass drummer and two snares  that was playing the Winnipeg Arena one night. Somebody didnt show up to wrestle (veteran pro) Larry Hennig. I was going to get $25 to wrestle him and lose my amateur status. I had never even seen a match before. I went to play my bagpipe. I was wearing the kilt from the band. The announcer didnt know who I was. He just knew my first name was Roddy. So he said, Here comes Roddy the Piper.

TRIB: How did you do against Hennig?

PIPER: Shortest match in the history of Winnipeg Arena  10 seconds. He was 6-5 and weighed 320 pounds. I was a skinny kid, maybe 6-2 and 180. Broke my nose. It was sawdust for the floor in those days. But I caught on real quick after that.

Check back next week for part two of the interview.

TRIB: When you look back at your Hall of Fame career, what are the highlights?

PIPER: The highlight of my life is my four children. As far as wrestling, I was the first pro wrestler to star in a major motion picture that became No. 1 the weekend it came out (They Live). And I changed the course of wrestling from an interview standpoint. That started in Portland.

TRIB: Before we ask about that, you were one of the greatest interviews ever as a wrestler, and later became one of the best interviewers. What was your secret?

PIPER: Everything wasnt natural. I changed my pattern of speech, improved my grammar. I went from I aint got none to I dont have any. Live with Mad Dog Vachon for a few years  that in itself would kill most people. Hed do interviews and (tell other wrestlers), Im going to rip your eyes out, but then that would never happen. I started to realize whatever you said in the interview, you had to do in the ring. Otherwise you lost credibility and (fans) wouldnt pay to come back and see you again. I never said anything that I didnt at least try to do, or couldnt back up. (As an interviewer) With Pipers Pit, that revolutionized the entire business. All of a sudden we had doctors and lawyers watching. Am I sticking with the question?

TRIB: Not really. But thats OK, Im buckled in. How long did you wrestle in Portland?

PIPER: For only two years, maybe 1977 through 79, for Don Owen. When I was with the WWF after that, I wouldnt come back to Portland to wrestle (in competition with Owens cards) out of respect to Don. He was good to me. I wouldnt do it. I remember the first card in Portland with Don. I played the Scottish national anthem on the bagpipes. I played it like Jack Benny  just horrible. Id literally torture (fans) until they booed me. Don whips the microphone out and says, Stop it. I cant play the bagpipes, and neither can you.

When I first came to town, I lived in an apartment in Beaverton with Rick the Model Martell. Every night wed come home, thered be girls in it. Wed climb over the balcony. I used to read letters from girls: Roddy, I think youre great. Can you get me a date with Rick Martell?

TRIB: Why did you decide to make the Hillsboro area your home?

PIPER: Because of my wife, Kitty. I met her during my time wrestling here. She was working graveyard at a JoJos restaurant, the only place in the area to get something to eat late. She was 19, really cute. I went in there with my friend, Killer Tim Brooks. He told her, You come here. She didnt. I went back every day for six weeks, trying to get her (phone) number. Finally I gave her mine. We hooked up, went to Hawaii, partied for a couple of months. On Oct. 12, well have been married 32 years. In my opinion, she is the worlds greatest woman.

TRIB: So youve lived here since what year?

PIPER: I think 1984. Weve had two houses up on Bald Peak Mountain.

TRIB: Why have you stayed?

PIPER: We have really good people here for the most part. Portland, Oregon, is a good place if you want to raise children properly. It has a good pace. Vince McMahon wanted me to move. At one point, Vince tells Kitty, Go find a house. Ill pay for it if youll move to the East Coast. Kitty said, No, Vince. My kids wouldnt stand a chance there. Its been good, even though Ive had a few problems.

TRIB: At one point, you left Hillsboro for Los Angeles due to problems with local law enforcement officials.

PIPER: There were some things with my kids. I got four DUIs. I learned from it, though. I havent had a drink since 2009. And we had stalkers  two brothers. One did three years, the other five years in the penitentiary. Theyd robbed a gunstore, and I couldnt get anybody to help me, so I did it myself.

TRIB: What did you do?

PIPER: I stopped them from bothering my family. Its hard for people to understand. ... (long pause) the policemen, all in all, theyre really good. You need them. I just had an unusual situation. Im a different kind of guy. One night, I knocked out Mr. T, kicked Cyndi Lauper, chased Dick Clark back to his locker room, and slapped Little Richard. That was just one night.

TRIB: Youve had some injuries along the way.

PIPER: Been stabbed three times. Had 30-some car crashes. Went down in a plane and broke my neck. Have seven screws in my neck. Was electrocuted. I died on the operating table at Cedar-Sinai Hospital (in L.A.) one night in 2003. (Surgeons) brought me back (to life).

I had an apartment in Burbank. There was a fellow I had to get rid of. There was some money stolen. He came to get me. I was in my pajamas. I said, Just leave me alone. I got dressed and we drove off, and he found a pole and ran me into it. Boom! Then a couple of Suburbans ran over me. They called the ambulance. I broke my right ankle, cracked four ribs and (sustained) damage to my liver, my spleen, my back. They had to cut my chest open for a blood clot.

TRIB: How do you feel physically these days?

PIPER: Some things, you cant fix. My shoulder needs to be replaced. Its just, Ouch. But Ive had over 7,000 pro fights.

TRIB: Are you officially retired?

PIPER: In my head, no. But Ill be honest with you. Those boys are so big and strong now. It would be a dumb move for me to get back in there.

TRIB: You and Kitty have four children  Anastacia, Ariel, Falon and Colton. Did any of them follow you into the world of entertainment?

PIPER: Ariel is an actress. Colt was undefeated as an amateur MMA fighter. Hes been doing it since he was 17, but he hasnt done it the last two years. Maybe it was one of those things he needed to prove to himself. I dont know what it would be like to grow up as my son. When I knock out Mr. T, I dont know what happens at school the next day.

Colt still lives in Portland.

Falon is going to Oregon State in the fall. She wants to be a doctor. Pretty cool. Pretty expensive, too. Ariel is in L.A. She married a Green Beret. Anastacia lives outside of Philadelphia. She married a captain in the Army with two Purple Hearts.

TRIB: You have nearly 100 credits acting in TV and movies. What has been your favorite project?

PIPER: Ive never done anything I like, to be honest with you. Well, I just shot a film called Cabin. I did a role Ive never done before. That one might be OK. I havent done my best work yet. I started acting because a fighter cant get insurance. As an actor, I could get into the SAG (Screen Actors Guild). I needed it for my family.

TRIB: You survived a bout of Hodgkins lymphoma in the mid-2000s. How is your health now?

PIPER: The cancer is gone as far as I know. Ive passed the five-year mark. Its one of those things that haunts you a little bit, especially when you go as hard as I did. Im doing OK, but about a year ago, I was driving home and I couldnt breathe and almost passed out. I was trying to ignore it, but I had a blood clot in my lung and spent some time in the hospital. I need to start being careful. Im not sure were invincible anymore.

TRIB: It would seem as if whatever youve done, youve tried to have fun with it. Is that your philosophy?

PIPER: Fun is important. My childhood was very tough, both physically and emotionally. Now its about staying on the right side of life, with God on your side.

TRIB: When they write an epitaph for your gravestone, what would you like it to say?

PIPER: I told you I was sick.