Interview with Lanny Poffo (Part 1 of 3)

Wrestler and Author on Children's Literature and Non-Smoking

May 1, 2009

"Leaping" Lanny Poffo a.k.a. "The Genius" recounts his introduction to writing children's poetry and his passion to deliver a clean living message.

In the early 70s, Lanny followed his father’s footsteps, close behind his brother “Macho Man” Randy Savage, and became a professional wrestler. He spent time working for the NWA territories, and for ICW, where he was a one-third investor. In the 80s, he and his brother headed for the World Wrestling Federation, now known as World Wrestling Entertainment.

"Leaping" Lanny Poffo and "The Genius"

His first WWE gimmick was that of the acrobatic “Leaping” Lanny Poffo, who recited limericks written on a Frisbee before each match. In 1989, he convinced WWE brass to allow him to turn heel, and he became known as The Genius. He still recited his own poetry under this gimmick, only from a scroll, and while wearing a cap and gown.

A shining moment for Lanny was a count-out victory over Hulk Hogan on NBC’s Saturday Night’s Main Event. Still, Lanny admits that wrestling opened the door for a mission that has given him a great sense of purpose. For him, that purpose has been writing and making a difference in the lives of young people.

When asked about his earliest writing inspiration, Lanny recounts the encouragement of his fifth grade teacher, with whom he is still close today. He says, “She said that my writing assignment about myself and how I spent my summer vacation was wonderful and, from that moment on, I knew I wanted to be a writer.”

Lanny says that this teacher has always been his “guide”, but a budding writer still needs additional guidance. He tells a story about a night in Nashville, Tennessee, when he bumped into what he believed to be an average wrestling fan, and who turned out to be Shel Silverstein. He names Silverstein’s children’s writing as being very inspirational to his own mission.

In 1991, he bumped into Shel Silverstein again, this time at the Miami airport while switching flights. Though he had already self-published one poetry collection, Wrestling with Rhyme, he explained to Shel that he wanted to write on a topic that would make a difference to young people. That difference, first and foremost, is the importance of clean living. Shel’s message to speak on what is most important to him captured Lanny in such a way that he missed his flight back home.

His first poetry collection, Wrestling with Rhyme, is a 172 page book that covers every major wrestling star of the day, including the Junkyard Dog and Hillbilly Jim. A vital aspect of this collection is that it allowed Lanny to establish himself as a positive role model for clean living. Being a figure in the sports entertainment that the youth loves so much, he realized that he could use it, and his knack for writing, to grab their attention and deliver a much more important message.

Since then, he has published a second collection titled Limericks from the Heart and Lungs! (White Bouquet) and has become a motivational speaker in schools, known as “Lanny the Non-Smoking Dad.” Lanny says, “Four thousand kids in North America start smoking every day, and I want to be part of the solution.” The collection is aimed mostly at ten year olds, but includes limericks aimed at teenagers, and college students.

The copyright of the article Interview with Lanny Poffo (Part 1 of 3) in Children's Verse is owned by Derek Clendening. Permission to republish Interview with Lanny Poffo (Part 1 of 3) in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.