The Resurrection of Jake 'The Snake' Roberts

In the eighties and nineties, one of the most recognizable faces in the World Wrestling Federation — now WWE — was Jake 'The Snake' Roberts.

Roberts was known for his low-key, cerebral promo interviews, as well as being considered by fans a distinctive ring technician.

He was probably known to most, however, as the wrestler who lugged Damien, a 110-pound python, to the ring in a cotton sack, emerging to crawl over the chests of prone opponents at the match's end.

Roberts is again on tour, but this time as a performer, reaching out to people about his past, his triumphs, his challenges and, most of all, savouring the chance to help others who may have sunk as low as 'The Snake.'  

• Listen to Jake 'The Snake' Roberts in an interview with CBC Up North host Jason Turnbull

Up North9:37Jake "The Snake" Roberts shares his story in northern Ontario

Jake "The Snake" Roberts is well known for his time as a wrestler in the 1980s, but he also struggled with many addictions. Now, he's clean and sharing his story. He's in northern Ontario this week.

The idea of carrying a snake to the ring came to him while travelling from arena to arena.

"Back in the day, as I was riding down the highway, smoking pot, drinking beer, telling stories," Roberts said,  "and, in between puffs, somebody started talking about Ken Stabler, who used to play for Oakland Raiders."

Roberts said he needed a gimmick to get to the big leagues, and as a tribute to Stabler, Roberts adopted the name of "Snake."

The gimmick didn't stop there, though. If you're nicknamed 'The Snake,' Roberts thought, you'd better have something to back it up. Carrying a snake to the ring seemed like an appropriate idea.

"And the more pot I smoked the better it sounded," Robert said. "I told several people about the idea, and next thing you know, it's been added to my thing."

'I'm terrified of snakes'

What comes as a surprise to many is how Roberts was never truly comfortable with the snake at his side.

"I had to deal with that thing night and day," he said,  "added to the fact I'm terrified of snakes. But you fake that smile and go right ahead. That's what it took to make money. When you're getting ready to sign a big contract, you tell nobody you're afraid of snakes."

Roberts' rise to stardom was followed by many lapses into drugs and alcoholism.

He faded in and out of the public eye — a triumphant return to the WWF in the nineties, followed by another descent into addiction.

But most guys, because of pride, go as hard as they could for as long as they could then drop.- Jake 'The Snake' Roberts

In many way, Roberts epitomized the decade he wrestled in: flashy, gimmicky, excessive and, ultimately, self-destructive.

"Well, they were running so hard back in the day," he said, "every night, sometimes 80 nights in a row, it's kind of hard to call in and say, 'yeah, I'm not going into work today' when you're doing 15-20 thousand dollars a week." 

"When you signed up to do this gig, you knew it was gonna be tough," Roberts said, "but most guys, because of pride, go as hard as they could for as long as they could then drop. You always just want one more week, one more week."

Trying to find 'clarity'

But it was a choice, Roberts said, and he doesn't appear to hold grudges.

"I don't blame [WWF president Vince] McMahon for that, we put up with it, and we gotta own up to that."

When his addictions became overwhelming, another wrestler, Diamond Dallas Page, took a chance on Roberts. Just as Roberts was nearing the bottom, Page encouraged Roberts to clean up, stay healthy, and confront his demons.

Roberts says addiction is a part of who he is. He neither shies away from talking about the sordid past, nor does he look nostalgically upon his past glories. He says every single day is a struggle.  

"I struggled for years trying to find clarity," Roberts said.

"It took 60 years, but  I got it now, and I hope that people can be helped by this the same way the Diamond Dallas Page helped me. He reached out and helped someone in trouble."

"I know it's hard to help people when they're' stealing from you, or lying," Roberts continued,  "but it's the addiction doing that, not the person. We're not bad people, we just have bad problems."

If I can save one or two more people, that would be awesome.- Jake 'The Snake' Roberts

These days the crowds may be smaller and the message slightly different, but Roberts believes that his past experiences can provide help to those in need.

"It's just like being in the ring, except there's no damn snake to throw out," Roberts said, "and it gives me a chance to stand proud after so many years of being a disgusting human being."

He said that, when he's "up there," he tells the truth.

"If there's someone who wants to talk about alcoholism, I'll talk alcoholism with them after the show, so I can be face-to-face. Because this a serious thing," Roberts said.

"If I can save one or two more people, that would be awesome."