In the RAW: An Insider’s View Outside The Ring…
October 2001
Reading Rocks! Good Booking WWF Superstars Kick Off Drive For Literacy
Reading is cool. That’s the message that Chris Jericho, Lita, Spike Dudley, Molly Holly, Terri and other Superstars brought to libraries around the country this summer. In July, the World Wrestling Federation kicked off a series of special readings to promote the American Library Association’s “Teen Read Week of 2001,” from Oct. 14-20. World Wrestling Federation Entertainment, Inc. is a sponsor of Teen Read Week. “Hopefully the kids that were there and those who saw it will pick up a book and give it a shot and see how it is,” said Jericho, who read to a group of 600 youths in Providence, R.I. “Because it’s not a chore and it’s not boring. It’s exciting. It’s a lot of fun to be able to pick up a book and get so engrossed in it that you don’t want to put it down.” U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) joined the Superstars in Providence. Kennedy, an education and adult literacy advocate, told the crowd that reading is important, even for Superstars like Lita and Y2J. “Just look at these two stars,” he said. “They work hard. They’ve lifted weights. They’ve run and they’ve wrestled to get where they are today. And they’re in fantastic shape. But you know what? They probably wouldn’t be here today if it hadn’t been for the fact that they worked hard in school and they learned how to read, and they read every day.” The crowd cheered wildly when Kennedy mentioned that Jericho earned a degree in journalism. “He’s got a lot of strength, and it’s not just in his arms,” Kennedy said. “He’s got a lot of strength upstairs, too.”