A few years ago I had a chance to interview Sarasota's own... and Legendary Wrestling Broadcaster Mean Gene Okerlund. We talked right after the passing of Wrestling Legend, Randy "Macho Man" Savage" who also called Sarasota home. Both men were friends and loved living in our paradise, here in Sarasota.
Yesterday, "Mean Gene" passed away at the age of 76, according to the WWE, which hailed him as "the most recognizable interviewer in sports-entertainment history."
A member of the WWE Hall of Fame, Okerlund got his start with the organization in 1984, and rose to prominence through his often testy interviews with superstar grapplers like Hulk Hogan and Randy "Macho Man" Savage.
Upon hearing the sad news, Hogan tweeted, "Mean Gene, I love you, my brother," while Triple H called Okerlund "a voice and soundtrack to an entire era of our industry."
Take a listen to the conversation we had, back in May of 2011, discussing the passing of Randy "Macho Man" Savage".