.
[upbeat music]
* *
- Hello. I'm Randall Park.
For the past few months, I've sat down
with candidate Dwayne Johnson
during his historic run for president.
We started out as interviewer-interviewee.
But then during the course of his campaign,
we became best friends.
[chuckles]
Now, during my acting days,
I learned to not pay attention to critics.
But if I did, there was one consistent knock
on our interviews: we didn't go deep enough.
So for the final two weeks leading up to the election,
Dwayne has agreed to give me
unprecedented behind-the-scenes access, 24-7.
Welcome to nature's iron paradise,
aka the Johnson Family Ranch,
where we'll be spending a--
[grunting]
Oh.
A peaceful weekend
before the final push on the campaign trail.
[sighs]
[reel clicking]
- Hey, Randall, it's good to see you, man.
- Hey, Dwayne, it's so great to be here.
- It's good to have you here with us, buddy,
as we bring this thing home.
Remember, nothing is off-limits,
so you can ask me anything.
- If you had to get rid of one breed of dog,
which one would it be?
Oh, uh, sorry.
That was a write-in question from one of our viewers.
We'll get to those later. [reel clicking]
- We were just discussing our election night event.
- Oh, right.
Uh, so I know you don't like
to count your chickens, Dwayne,
but all the polls show that on November 4th,
you will be our president-elect.
- Knock on wood, right? [both laugh]
- Oh, oh! - A fish.
- Oh, a fish! A fish!
Oh, oh, my gosh!
Look! - There we go.
[both laugh]
- Hey, you caught one! - I did.
- Oh, wow.
That's beautiful. - She is beautiful.
Wanna touch her? - I'm deathly afraid.
- You are? - Yeah.
- Okay, she won't hurt you. - Uh...
- Try it.
Ah! - Oh, gosh!
Okay. - [laughs]
- Yeah, let's uh-- - I'm gonna put her back.
- Okay. - All right.
- Great.
- Okay.
- That's a good-looking fish. [phone chimes]
- Oh, can you hold this for a second?
- Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, sure.
[phone beeps]
- * Desperado *
* Why don't you come to your senses? *
* Been out ridin' fences *
* So long now *
Love you guys. - [laughs]
I caught one!
I also caught one. Look.
- Look at that. Yeah, that's the lure.
- The lure? - The lure, yeah.
- It looks like a fish.
- Yeah, that's the whole point of it.
- Oh, okay. - Yeah.
- Uh, so, Dwayne, question. - Mm-hmm.
- Why "Desperado"?
- Ah, it's a group text with my daughters.
I send them a voice memo every week,
and I sing them "Desperado."
It's a little thing we do.
- Ah, it's a good dad move.
- I decided a long time ago
that I was gonna make my daughters a priority.
You know...
family comes first.
- Mm, now, is that something you learned
from your own father?
- Yeah, but not in the way you would think.
And I loved my dad, but we had a complicated relationship.
- With the tag team belts on the line,
these guys are leaving nothing on the table!
- Nice kick-out, Dad!
- Good sell by Afa.
- Captain Lou sweats so much for a man
who's just walking around.
- Rocky's in trouble!
Pat, he's gotta find a way
to tag in Tony Atlas.
[audience yelling] - [screaming]
- I tell you, the Samoans are in control!
[audience yelling]
- [grunting]
- Look at the power of the Soul Man!
[cheers and applause]
Can he get to the corner for a tag?
- Wait, that's not Tony Atlas.
Who is that?
[upbeat music]
[cheers and applause]
- Oh, my God.
That's Rocky's son, Dewey Johnson!
- Wow, Pat, what a son.
[cheers and applause]
[platform rumbling]
Looks like the strongest and the best boy in the world
to me, Vince!
- Dewey's a house of--
- Oh, my God!
Oh, my God! Do you see that?
Whoo-hoo! They won! - We've got new champions!
[all cheering] We've got new champions!
- The "Soul Patrol" are the new tag team champions
of the World Wrestling Federation!
[doorbell chimes] Unbelievable.
- Agent Fong, FBI.
Sorry to bother you, ma'am.
I'm here for Lia Maivia.
[percussive music]
- As you may remember
from our previous conversations, Randall,
the FBI got my grandmother on tape
threatening rival promoter Greg Yao.
- "Bang, bang." Gives me goosebumps.
[tires screeching] - FBI!
- Leave me alone.
I'm here to celebrate my son-in-law's victory.
- Mrs. Maivia, you can't be here.
You're under house arrest in an extortion case.
- This is a house.
- It has to be your house.
- [scoffs] Fine.
I have to go to the store anyway.
- Again, you can't leave your house.
- But I need groceries.
Eggs, bread, milk... - That's not how--
You know what, I have to go to the store anyway.
Just write down what you need.
- Sorry, I don't write down things for strangers.
[Curtis Mayfield's "Move on Up"]
- My grandmother was going through a really intense time,
but, man, I was just so pumped
about my dad winning the belt.
He promised to take us out to celebrate
when he got home, and he did.
When I was a little boy,
my dad was always a hero to me,
and now he was the champ.
- The other person in your party
has already arrived.
- Other person?
[applause]
- Hey. - Tony!
[laughs] Glad you made it.
- Aw, I wouldn't miss it, brother.
Hey, you brought your belt.
[laughs] Oh, yeah.
Let me hold it.
- Uh, but my dad said I could hold it.
- Sorry, son.
Co-champ trumps son of champ.
- No, it's-- - I don't make the rules.
- Here we go.
Now, you see this right here?
This is my son.
- [laughs]
- Sorry I'm late.
My sandal broke.
- [breathing heavily]
Mrs. Maivia, please...
- Ugh.
Fine.
Bring me back a steak.
- Okay, so, Dad,
I was thinking we could go over my thoughts on the match.
- What is that?
Huh? Is that math?
No math at the table.
[both laugh]
- I already know what you're gonna order, Tony.
both: Talapia.
- What's talapia?
- Oh, it's just a delicious fish
I eat every chance I get.
- Hey, when we go back on the road,
I'm gonna make you try tuna.
- Back on the road? - Yeah.
Yeah, Vince is sending us back out again
in a couple weeks. - Yeah.
- Sorry, baby.
That's the life.
- Listen, what people don't know...
- I hadn't expected I'd have to compete
for my dad's attention,
and I was jealous.
- And it's a bony fish, but once you get past that...
And I'm like, "Am I crazy?
All of these are just apples."
Because once you try a pedicure,
there is no going back.
I came to, I thought I was on another planet.
'Course I wasn't--I had just passed out in the Grand Canyon.
After about six weeks, I realize, this ain't a kitten.
It's a full-grown guinea pig.
[laughter]
So what grade you in now, little man?
- I'm in the shut-up grade!
- Wha--
[customers screaming]
- Dewey!
- Dewey, no! - [groans]
[crowd gasps] - Nice technique, son!
- Dewey, your muscles are too strong!
- Excuse me?
I don't mean to disturb your dinner.
I just wanted to say, congrats, champs.
both: Thank you. - Appreciate that.
Want me to sign that for you?
- Oh, this is for Mr. Atlas.
I have been a huge fan of your bodybuilding career.
You're a three-time bodybuilding champion.
- Well, thank you very much, young lady.
- Turns out I wasn't the only one who was jealous.
My dad had everything he wanted,
but all he could see was what he didn't have.
- Tomahawk chop?
Right here.
Hey, you wanna get fish at a steak place,
that's your problem.
.
- So did jealousy steal Rocky's joy right away
or was he able to enjoy his time on top?
- No, he definitely enjoyed his time on top.
I mean, he was so incredibly proud
of what he and Tony Atlas accomplished.
They were the first Black tag team champions
in WWE history.
How cool is that?
- That is very cool.
I'm so sorry, but I just have to say,
that dough looks beautiful.
- Ah, it's my famous cheat-day biscuits
from my cookbook...
"Can You Cook What the Rock is Cooking?"
Stanley Tucci Award-winning.
- That is quite an honor. - It is an honor.
- You know, I love that cookbook.
What I do is, I add butter to all the recipes.
- Wow, so your blood is just like mayonnaise?
- Oh, yeah. Yeah. - Yeah.
Anyway, did you feel
that your dad having a bigger platform
made him less available to you?
- No, not in Hawaii.
I mean, my dad was at the peak of his career.
We thought that that life was gonna last forever,
and, of course, it didn't.
So a couple years later,
he wasn't working for the WWE anymore,
and we couldn't pay the rent and we were evicted
out of our little apartment in Hawaii.
- * It's a brand-new day *
- After we got kicked off the island
but before we went to live in Pennsylvania,
my dad found work in Nashville.
And my mom and I were going to move there to join him.
- Dewey's landing
on the 10:00 a.m. flight tomorrow.
You take him to the apartment,
get him enrolled in school.
I'm gonna get the car shipped to LA
and then drive it to Nashville.
- My baby driving my baby. [laughs]
How's the packing going?
- It's emotional, Rocky.
We have a whole life here.
I just don't know what happened.
- Babe, this is just a bump in the road.
I don't need the WWF to be on top.
People are loving me in the Memphis territory.
Oh, hey, I gotta jet.
Jerry Lawler needs me to cut a few promos.
I love you.
- I'll think about it.
- [laughs]
- I'll talk to you soon.
Oh, and if you see Linda Ronstadt--
- Tell her to grow her hair back out, I know.
[phone beeps]
- Oh, no, Dewey.
Are you really gonna wear those pants?
- My god, I loved those pants.
If I have to leave Hawaii, at least I can leave in style.
- I know you're not thrilled we're moving.
I really think Nashville's going to be great.
Your dad said he's got a nice apartment for us.
I've heard there's a lot of beautiful parks
if you wanna...play frisbee.
- Frisbee?
Nah, I can't sweat in these pants.
- Hey, don't talk like that around the food.
[upbeat twangy music]
[engines roaring] - * Hello, baby *
- I hated that we were evicted off the island,
but at least in Nashville, I was gonna get a chance
to spend some one-on-one time with my dad.
* *
[indistinct announcement over PA]
I'm Rocky Johnson's son.
- Hey. Bob Owens.
Your dad asked me to pick you up.
Hey, you hungry?
So... [clears throat]
I'm what we call in the business a carpenter.
I go in, build the baby faces up,
get in a few punches, and then I lose with gusto.
I am undefeated at losing.
- I like your positivity, Bob.
But my question is, where's my dad?
So my dad's staying here?
- He said to drop you off at room 117.
I remember 'cause, uh...
that was my ex-girlfriend's weight.
Oh, hey.
Here you go. Little present.
Tell your friends.
[laughs]
[car horn beeping]
[knocking at door] - Dad?
- Hey, young Dewey! Long time no see.
- Bruno? - [laughs]
- Wait, who is this man in the motel room?
- That was my buddy, Downtown Bruno.
He was an old family friend,
and I met him when I was a kid in Hawaii.
But at that time, he was working
as a heel manager for Jerry "The King" Lawler.
[dramatic beats]
- Damn.
You grew up fast.
How old are you now?
- Just turned 15.
- Everyone always ends up taller than Bruno.
[laughs]
Get your butt in here, man.
- So you had no idea where your dad was?
- [groans] It was a different time.
Nowadays, we know exactly where our kids are
every second of the day, but back then,
no one knew where anyone was, and we were all good with it.
- Yeah, that's true.
I once got lost in Mexico for ten days,
and my parents thought I was in my bedroom.
- See? Simpler times. - Mm-hmm.
I was four years old.
- Yeah.
- And where was Rocky?
- Rocky's gonna meet us in a bit.
- Okay.
- You hungry?
[laughs]
I'm kind of a big deal around here.
I'm on Jerry Lawler's wrestling show.
Airs on the TV every Saturday.
- Hey, Downtown Bruno. Up yours!
- Let me tell you something.
You wouldn't even know what to do up there, brother.
Hm.
I'm kinda like the Tom Cruise of Memphis.
- We must've seen different Tom Cruise movies, man.
- [laughs] Could be, baby.
Could be. I'll tell you one thing.
It's a risky business out there.
- Well, there he is!
- Mm. - Dad.
[laughter] - Ah, get in here.
Oh, you looking good, son.
Hey, nice pants.
- Loved those pants.
- Oh, excellent pants, brother.
- Hey, Bruno?
You should, uh... - Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah!
You got it, Hoss.
- You know, Bruno is a heel, so...
- Can't be seen in public together.
For sure. - [chuckles]
Hey, sorry I couldn't pick you up at the airport.
Was in Tupelo wrestling at the fairgrounds.
Boy, I was over, big.
Bruno been treating you okay? - Yeah, it's all good.
I left my stuff at his place,
so we can swing by and get it later--
- Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no. No need. No need.
Actually you're gonna be staying there
for a bit while I'm on the road.
- What?
Mom said you got us an apartment.
- Well, here's the thing.
I didn't do that.
But I will. [laughs]
I've just been so busy with all these shows, you know?
Demand for the Soul Man is hot,
and I love to give the people what they want.
- For sure, but I'm supposed to call Mom later.
What am I gonna tell her?
- The truth.
You landed safely, we're together,
and we can't wait to see her in a couple of weeks.
Aw, son, ain't no need to worry her.
I got everything under control.
Okay?
- Okay.
Yeah.
- That's my boy. [laughs]
- Turns out that spending time with me
wasn't my dad's first priority.
- So what exactly was Rocky's plan?
[exhales] - Well, same as always.
Just make it to the next match,
and somehow, he could spin it enough
where it would all just kinda work itself out.
- That must've been hard, all that instability.
- Yeah, I mean, in retrospect, it was.
- [exhales]
- Can you not breathe on the radishes like that?
- All right, if you want dirty-ass radishes.
It's fine. No, it's fine. - I don't want filthy radishes.
I just don't want you breathing on them like that.
- All right, they're your radishes.
.
- Look, it was really hard growing up, but...
you know, as a kid, I didn't know anything different.
Me and my mom followed my dad all around the world
while he chased that dollar.
And I wound up doing the exact same thing.
- Mm. - Like when I went up to Canada
and played in the CFL.
Calgary Stampeders.
- Stampeders. [both laugh]
[exhales]
I--sorry, I forgot. - Come on.
- I forgot, I forgot.
- After not hearing my name called
in the 1995 NFL draft,
I was signed by the Calgary Stampeders.
The Stamps, man.
They were the best in the CFL
and they had already won three straight titles.
And up there, they call it the Grey Cup.
My plan was to destroy it in Canada
and then get signed by an NFL team.
And, you know, I came into Calgary
the only way I knew how:
with that Miami swagger.
- As one of the newest members of the Stampeders,
is there anything you'd like to say to the fans?
- We're going undefeated, baby.
18 and 0. Whoo!
[barking]
[laughs]
- 18...
- And 0.
- Trash collection's on Thursday.
You'll be sharing this place with three of your teammates.
- Where's the furniture? - At the store.
If you're on a budget
and you're looking for a deal...
This sex motel throws out their mattresses
once a quarter.
- Uh, I guess I'll take the least yellow one.
- Excellent choice.
- * This is how we do it *
[Montell Jordan's "This Is How We Do It"]
* This is how we do it *
* Sha-la-la-la-la-la-lo *
* *
* Sha-la-la-la-la-la-lo *
- How did that not help?
- Wait, you said 18 and 0 in the interview?
Now, that's my boy!
Come in strong and announce yourself.
- Oh, I let 'em know, Dad.
- Talk big. - Play big.
[both barking]
- Hi, honey.
I don't want to interrupt your barking with your father,
but did you get those American cheese slices I packed?
I bet they cost a fortune up there.
- I did, Mom. Thank you. They tasted delicious.
- Are they covering the O.J. Simpson case up there?
He's a football player, and he is innocent.
The FBIs, they don't know what they're doing.
- And on my first day of training camp,
I learned that the CFL had a different energy
from what I was used to at Miami.
Hey, what's up, fellas?
[dramatic beats]
- You got some nerve, rook.
18 and 0.
Disgusting.
- Hey, I put the league on notice.
- Look, we're not just football players here, Dwayne.
[dramatic beats]
We got longstanding ties with the community.
Most of the guys even have second jobs.
- I hate taking this energy into the station.
- Hey.
You okay to get your mail here?
Makes my job easier.
- And then he hung up his mail bag
and started putting on pads.
- Okay, that's definitely weird.
[laughs] But it's a different culture out there.
I mean, look at Rick Moranis.
- He's Canadian? - He's so Canadian.
- Wait, wait, wait, you had a girlfriend?
- Yeah, Dany and I had been dating a while.
We met at the U, in the weight room.
She was on the crew team.
She was the most driven person I had ever met.
She always knew what she wanted to be.
A boss. - Mm.
Same, girl. - Right?
- How come you never mentioned her before?
- Well, you never asked.
- I didn't want to get too personal.
- That's why we're here, brother--get personal.
- How are things in the bedroom?
- That's too far. - Yeah, I felt that.
- Mm-hmm. Anyway, Dany...was a badass.
[dramatic beats]
- And you know who else is Canadian?
John Candy. - King Ralph?
- No, that's John Goodman.
- Oh. - I gotta run.
Remember...
everyone in that building can see your talent,
so go shine.
- It's time to ball out.
[upbeat music]
- Hut!
* *
- But balling out was a lot easier said than done.
The CFL was a different game,
and it had different rules.
[whistle blows]
- Johnson, you're offside!
- I'm not! - You are!
- I am? I was offsides.
I was always offsides.
The D-line lined up a yard off the ball.
Yeah!
Great job, guys! [whistle blows]
- Johnson, get off the field!
- I am! - You're not!
- I'm not?
The field was wider.
Why didn't you say something?
You just left me out here?
Coach! 12 men on the field. That's a penalty!
- It's not! - It's not?
They had 12 players instead of 11
on each side of the ball.
Why? Well, that's just the CFL way.
And all I knew, I was catching on a lot slower
than I thought I would.
What the hell is this?
- Canada!
- Son, you didn't make the team.
But we see your potential.
So we're putting you on the practice squad.
You don't play in the games,
but you keep practicing with the team,
and if you do well, you can get back onto the main squad.
- [sighs] Okay.
Then that's what I'll do.
- Now, practice squad does mean
you'll be making less money.
- That's fine. Totally fine.
How much less?
- League minimum for first team guys
is 55K a year.
Practice-squad guys get 350 a week.
- Dollars?
- Loonies. - [sighs]
- Practice squad?
- Yeah.
- So what do you wanna do?
- I want to stay here, ball out on the practice squad,
make the team, kick ass, and get to the NFL.
- Okay.
Then that's what you'll do.
- That was it? - That was it.
- So you didn't try to spin it or work the gimmick?
- [laughs] No, I could see why you would think that.
Growing up, it was always look for the next place,
the next job, and if that didn't work out,
then we would spin it.
We'd survive, and we'd go on.
I met Dany when I was 18 years old,
and at that time, I had no real stability in my life.
But she made me realize that maybe...
there's a different way.
No spin. No gimmicks.
- Wow.
I feel like I'm witnessing your transition
from boy to man.
- [laughs]
That's my "Mowtownphilly."
- Your "End Of The Road."
both: Hey!
- [laughs] Boyz II Men, baby.
- * We belong together *
- * And you know that I'm right *
* Why do you love me and leave me?
* And never say goodbye? *
- That's good.
I think that's good. Yeah. - Okay.
- That was great. - Yeah, thanks.
- Look, obviously, that was many, many years ago,
but it's one of the reasons why I still value stability
these days, as a leader, as a partner,
and as a parent, which is why I still sing "Desperado"
into my phone every week and I send it to my daughters.
It's a little thing, but it lets them know
that I'm always thinking about them.
- We give what we didn't get. - That's right.
Just like when your parents see this,
they're gonna be horrified that you were lost in Mexico.
- Oh, no, they never watch anything I'm in.
Anyway, thank you for being so open, Dwayne.
I look forward to the next few weeks
and us really getting to know the man
who is going to be in the White House.
- [laughs] We'll see.
Knock on wood. [both laugh]
[dramatic sting]
[ominous music]
* *
- I think that's a good idea.