Hey, everyone. Welcome to the show. I was just
thinking, you know. Yeah. Imagine a life lived
in the extreme. Oh, yeah. From wrestling in front
of your family as a kid to battling addiction
under the bright lights of WWE. Right. And then
finding your way back. Absolutely. That's the
arena we're stepping into today. A world where
the lines between the personal and professional
get really blurred. Exactly. We're diving deep
into hell and boots. The autobiography of professional
wrestler Sarai Jade Bevis. Better known to a
lot of people as Paige. Exactly. And this isn't
just a wrestling story, though. Oh, no. It's
a raw and intensely personal account of a life
lived under extraordinary pressure both in and
out of the ring. It's like you get a backstage
pass to a world that most people only see. under
those bright lights but this one takes you into
the dressing rooms into the family arguments
and into some really really really dark moments
yeah you're right there with her from her unconventional
upbringing in a wrestling obsessed family in
norwich england right through her meteoric rise
to wwe stardom it's quite a ride it is and what
makes this book so compelling is her unflinching
honesty about the injuries the addictions, and
the fight to reclaim her life. The book really
gives you a sense of how wrestling was... just
in her DNA. It wasn't a career choice. It was
the family business. Totally. Like a birthright.
Yeah. I mean, you really get those vivid pictures
of those early days, like crammed in the back
of the van, surrounded by gear, listening to
her parents map out the night's matches. And
you can almost feel that energy of like the local
corn exchange transforming from a livestock auction
into this vibrant, sometimes chaotic wrestling
venue. What stood out to you most about that
early part of her story? I think for me, it was
that rawness. Like she doesn't romanticize the
struggle of those early independent shows. You
get a real sense of the dedication, the hustle,
the close knit, almost tribal nature of that
wrestling community. And it really grounds the
later fame and fortune in this like really real
hardworking context. It definitely sets the stage
for understanding her resilience later on. Oh,
absolutely. Because that upbringing. You know,
it wasn't glamorous. Right. But it instilled
this certain toughness. Oh, yeah. This deep understanding
of the business. Yeah. You know, for better or
for worse. For better or for worse. And speaking
of resilience, that's another huge takeaway from
Helen Boots. You witness her facing some incredibly
significant personal challenges, setbacks that
would have floored many people. For sure. And
yet she keeps finding a way to get back up, to
keep fighting. Right. It's genuinely inspiring
to follow that thread through the book. Her journey
definitely isn't a smooth trajectory. No. You
know, the book lays bare the immense pressures
of fame, especially, you know, arriving on this
global stage of WWE at such a young age. Yeah.
And you see the intense scrutiny that she was
under and the battles that she faced, not just
with her opponents in the ring, but also with
her own inner demons. And the expectations placed
upon her. Exactly. It makes her eventual return
all the more powerful. Yeah. And you know what
surprised me, given some of the heavier themes?
Yeah. Was the undercurrent of humor throughout
the book. Yeah. Soraya has this really engaging
way of looking back at even the most difficult
times with a kind of dark wit. Right. It prevents
the narrative from becoming purely bleak. Yeah.
And actually makes her more relatable. I think
so. Did you find that as well? I did. I think
that that ability to inject humor into challenging
situations. Yeah. It often speaks to a person's
strength and their perspective. Right. Like she's
saying, yeah, that was rough. Right. But I got
through it and I can even find a bit of irony
in it now. Right. Did that humor ever feel out
of place to you? You know, there were a couple
of moments where the juxtaposition was stark.
Yeah. But overall, I think it served as a really
effective way to break the tension and keep you
invested. Yeah. It felt authentic to her voice.
However, and this is one of the things I found
more difficult about the book, there are definitely
accounts of exploitation that she endured. And
those were tough to read. It's a crucial, albeit
uncomfortable, aspect of her story and potentially,
you know, the broader industry. Yeah. Her willingness.
to share those experiences as difficult as they
must have been. You know, it provides a valuable,
if disturbing, insight into some of the darker
realities that can exist within this world. Absolutely.
And it raises important questions about protection
and accountability. It does. And on a personal
level, watching her struggle with self -destructive
patterns at times was frustrating. especially
knowing the immense talent and potential she
possessed. Right. You wanted to reach into the
pages and offer some kind of guidance. That's
a natural reaction when you become invested in
someone's story. Yeah. And I think those periods
of struggle, they often highlight the complexities
of addiction and the internal battles that people
face even when they seem to have achieved external
success. Yeah. And it underscores that recovery
isn't always a straightforward path. So taking
everything into account, the captivating family
story, her incredible resilience, the surprising
humor alongside the difficult realities, I'd
give Helen Boots a strong four out of five stars.
Wow. It's a compelling and unflinching journey
that offers more than just wrestling anecdotes.
Right. It's a story about survival and finding
your way back. It sounds like a book that will
resonate with you whether or not you're a wrestling
fan. I think so, too. It's a testament to the
human spirit and... The power of perseverance.
If any of what we've discussed has piqued your
interest. And believe me, we've only scratched
the surface of what's in this book. You can find
a link to pick up Helen Boots on Amazon in the
description below. Yeah. And if you're finding
value in these deep dives, please hit that like
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future explorations into fascinating stories
and ideas. We really appreciate you spending
your time with us today as we delved into Soraya
Jade Beavis's powerful autobiography. Thanks
so much for tuning in. We'd love to hear what
resonated most with you. What was your favorite
moment or your biggest takeaway from our brief
discussion today? Share your thoughts in the
comments below. We're always interested to hear
your perspectives. And please do share this deep
dive with anyone you think might be interested
in Soraya's incredible journey and the many important
themes explored in Helen Boots. Yeah. Let's keep
the conversation going and see what insights
others have gained from her story.