“Stone Cold” Steve Austin has been known for three things over the course of his career in the wrestling business – raising hell, kicking butt and drinking beer. As he leaves the industry behind, aside from a few appearances at major events, Austin has developed a different persona in podcasting and television.
On Sunday night, Austin will debut his new television show on A&E called “Stone Cold Takes on America.” The premise of the show centers around the six-time WWE champion doing the things he never got a chance to do because he put his mind, body and soul into the squared circle for several decades. He embarked on a journey in an RV to experience all kinds of new adventures.
Austin told Fox News Digital in a recent interview that among the most difficult things to do was to try to compete and be the best at something he has never done before. He admitted there were some situations that were downright “painful” to be in while he had to really get a good grasp of the ropes in others.
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“Stone Cold” Steve Austin talked to Fox News Digital about his new show. (A&E)
“Well, one of the things you would sit there and laugh at – taking someone’s order at a steakhouse, waiting tables for an evening when I did not know the menu. Here’s the thing, the show is called ‘Stone Cold Takes on America,’ you know, I’ve lived my life as Steve Austin so you know I’m not going up to your table and throwing down a menu, saying if you wanna order a steak gimme a hell yeah,” he said. “I don’t have that shell of protective armor ‘Stone Cold’ provided me. That’s not what I’m doing during the show.
“When I was doing the things that I loved or doing the things that I always wanted to do but never had a chance, man, I was all in. But on some of the other stuff, which I would consider sort of fish out of water stuff, man, some of it was extremely painful because I was just trying to do a good job and I wasn’t relying on humor or just to try to make a spectacle of it. I was really trying to perform. I would say in some of those segments, I actually failed. Maybe they’ll be entertaining on TV. Some of it was hard. A lot of it was adventurous. Some of it was adrenaline filled. And quite frankly, some of it was very painful.”
Austin said he learned a lot when he was put into new types of situations and mostly that experience doing some of the jobs he experienced matters a lot and the average or above average person cannot just walk off the street and thrive in a new environment. It takes learning and practice.
Steve Austin backstage at the 52nd Emmy Awards Show at the Shrine Auditorium, Sept. 12, 1999 in Los Angeles. (Bob Riha, Jr./Getty Images)
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“What I learned, and this is going to sound basic. I’m not really a philosophical kind of guy with words of wisdom. But whatever you do in life. the things that you end up being really good at are the things you have repetition at and experience matters,” he told Fox News Digital. “Like take for instance, like any time I showed up to do someone else’s job that’s my first time to ever try that. I’m a real competitive person – if they could do it, I could do it. Eh, not so fast.
“When I first started in the wrestling business, way back in the day, I was terrible. I was God awful. By the time I finished up, I was pretty dang good and I was able to draw a lot of people into the building. It took me a while to get that good. So, some of the things that you do in life – I think the things that you do most are the things you get the best at. And this was kind of a deal where I got a chance to go to a lot of things that I never had a chance to do and also a bunch of other situations.”
Even as “The Texas Rattlesnake” claimed he does not get too philosophical with his words, he offered some advice.
The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin on “SmackDown.” (Getty Images)
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“I would say to anybody out there, man, if you’re on the fence about trying something or getting good at something, man, I say go for it,” he told Fox News Digital. “Put your fears behind you and strike out and do as many things as possible. Live your dream life because life doesn’t last forever. And when you look at the totality of everything, not to go out on a limb here but we’re not here forever so the time that you are here for, experience as much life as you can and excel at the things that you want to.”
As far as bucket list items go, Austin said he checked a lot of it off the list with the show. He said he loves driving experience, but while filing the show, it was not all smooth driving.
Steve Austin in poses June 12, 2000 in Los Angeles. (Getty Images)
Austin told Fox News Digital there were some issues with the RV initially and had another driver give him the bird at one point.
“We’re going through a traffic circle, just leaving my house about 10 miles from here, and you yield to the left. So any time you’re coming, you’re yielding to the traffic on the left. And I blow through there and this guy doesn’t yield to me and I just lay on the horn and he gives me the middle finger.
“I got three cameras on the dash, I got my copilot Lauren, who’s my producer, and I know that I’m on television so I kinda keep the parameters at a family-friendly vain but yeah. I used to teach driver’s ed when I was in college so I’m real strict about driving rules and laws. … Me in an RV, I’ve been camping my whole life but just obey the traffic signs and al the rules when you’re on the road with Steve Austin.”
“Stone Cold” Steve Austin takes on new challenges in “Stone Cold Takes on America.” (A&E)
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“Stone Cold Takes on America” premiers Sunday at 10 p.m. ET/PT on A&E.
Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.
