"My mom says I'm cool." (Photo courtesy BaltimoreSun.com)

In an interview with Kevin Eck of the Baltimore Sun, Mick Foley talked about his favorite subject — himself — and some media coming down the pike about his favorite subject — a book about himself and a movie about himself. (Do me a favor and stick with me here, I do some amazing math at the end…)

About WWE plugging the book:

Did you know that WWE was going to plug your book on Raw? What are your thoughts about them doing it?

I had a vague idea because I had gotten an e-mail from my publicist saying that someone from WWE had requested a copy of the book and asked me if I was OK with that. I said it was fine, and I received a phone call from someone who was not Vince McMahon telling me that they really appreciated the time I had spent there and that they were going to be mentioning my book. It was one of those things that I had to really see to believe. So even with a little bit of a head’s up it still caught me by surprise when it came on the air.

About an “open letter” he writes to every wrestler out there:

There’s a chapter in the book titled “An Open Letter” in which you speak to “every wrestler: past, present and future” on the subject of wrestlers dying young. Have you gotten any feedback yet from anyone in the business?

I have not gotten any feedback about that chapter. I’m interested to see what the reactions from younger wrestlers might be. I had addressed the developmental guys in WWE’s two developmental territories at the time – Ohio Valley Wrestling and Florida Championship Wrestling – and I wanted to do a chapter that would have the potential to reach anybody who was in the business or thinking of breaking into the business. I would like to think that trainers would be making this one chapter mandatory reading, even if they go run it off on a Xerox machine. I’m not suggesting they buy a copy for each wrestling trainee. But I think it’s a pretty good perspective from a guy who’s been around a long time and that it should be part of a conversation that other wrestlers should feel free to join in on. I don’t ever claim or feel like my thoughts or answers are the only ones that are important, but I do think when it comes to these really timely discussions that I do have a voice to add.

And about the movie:

The news broke last week that your life story is going to be made into a feature film. Tell me about that.

I had met with the director Christopher Scott several years ago and he convinced me that he had a unique way of telling a story that would lend itself to the big screen. I think I was really hesitant because until “The Wrestler” came out I don’t know if I believed that any wrestling story could be well told or accepted by an audience. So when I received another call from him out of the blue several months ago, I was very open to working with him. Together we worked out I think a really good way of telling a story that will appeal to wrestling fans and non-fans alike. I’m very involved in the process and will be writing the script for Scott over the next several months.

Will you play yourself in the movie?

Oh, man, those things have not been decided. I’d have to lose a ton of weight. So if you hear of me employing DDP’s YRG routine you’ll know that there may be a place for me in the movie.

I’ll be honest: “Countdown to Lockdown” is on my short birthday list, right behind the Chris Jericho DVD, some nice end tables, and herpes. And I’ll watch any movie about pro wrestling (I’ve viewed “Body Slam” at least a dozen times). But the main reason I wanted to post this interview is because of the embarrassing number of sentences Mick Foley starts with the word “I.” No, this interview wasn’t about Terry Funk or Vince McMahon or Dixie Carter, it was about Mick Foley. But at some point in your life, you’ve got to get tired of riding that tall mother fucking high horse, don’t you? Seriously, go look. In fact, I’ll even do the math for you: 24 out of 85. That’s almost a third. Does that sound like much to you? Because I can put it into greater perspective: He says “I” 77 times in those 85 sentences, plus variations of “I” (“I’d,” I’m,” “I’ve”) 19 times. Ninety-six references to himself in 85 sentences. The only way he could be more full of himself is if it was his face on all of his empty Chef Boyardee cans. -Eric