Jeannie Clark
Encyclopedia
Jeannie Clark is a former professional wrestling
manager
and the former wife of three professional wrestlers
, including Stone Cold Steve Austin
. She was also known as Jeannie Adams and later became known as Lady Blossom and Jeannie Clark Williams.
broadcast on ITV
. The couple divorced sometime in the early-1980s. In 1983, in order to stay in the United States, Clark was shortly married to Billy Jack Haynes
. Clark then got together with Steve Austin
in 1989, and the couple got married in 1992. Both she and Austin engaged in a feud
with her ex-husband (Adams) and his second wife Toni Adams
in World Class Championship Wrestling
(WCCW) in 1990. Both Clark and Austin left the promotion for World Championship Wrestling
in May 1991.
's valet in 1990. She was given the name by Dusty Rhodes
, who said it was because her "chest was blossoming out of her top". During her debut, Blossom came down to ringside to distract Bobby Eaton
in his WCW Television Championship
match with Austin. Thanks in part to the distraction of Blossom, Austin defeated Eaton for the Television Championship. From that point on, she accompanied him to the ring until her departure from the company seven months later. The duo did not have a distinctive gimmick, but they tried to portray themselves as being a couple of high society. Austin came down to the ring in an extravagant robe, whereas Lady Blossom frequently donned a luxurious cleavage-baring
evening gown
. In a sharp contrast to her time in World Class Championship Wrestling, Lady Blossom did not get an opportunity to speak much on camera—she spoke on camera on less than a handful of occasions throughout her WCW tenure—perhaps due to her noticeable British accent. Blossom used her actions instead of her words as she did not hesitate to involve herself in Austin's matches in order for him to retain his WCW Television title. Blossom frequently interfered in his matches, although her interference backfired from time to time, and she occasionally took bumps.
On one occasion, Lady Blossom hopped onto the ring apron in an attempt to distract the referee from the action in the ring. As she was arguing with the referee, Tracy Smothers
inadvertently ran into her just as Austin had moved out of the way. Smothers' collision with Blossom jostled her and she fell to the floor mat a few moments later. Also, Lady Blossom constantly interfered in Austin's TV title matches with PN News
and thus he retained his title again due to her interference. Right when the 10-minute time limit was drawing near, Blossom interfered in the match just as Austin was about to be pinned, thus causing a disqualification. Blossom's most frequent method of a disrupting a match was to jump on the back of Austin's opponent just as he was about to be pinned. She then scratched Austin's opponent's face with her fingernails. Another instance in which Lady Blossom's interference backfired took place in August 1991 on an episode of WCW Power Hour during a TV title match pitting Austin and Ron Simmons
. Simmons was on the verge of victory in the match, but Lady Blossom entered the ring and jumped on his back to cause a disqualification.
For a string of weeks in October 1991, both Blossom and Austin did an angle involving a pair of brass knuckles
. During Austin's matches, Lady Blossom pulled out of a pair of brass knuckles that was underhandedly hidden underneath her cleavage and tucked inside one of the cups of her brassiere
. When the referee
's attention was drawn elsewhere, she pulled the brass knuckles out of her bra and hand the weapon over to Austin so that he could use them on his opponent. Unbeknownst to the official, Austin struck his opponent with the knuckles and then quickly handed them back over to Blossom. Lady Blossom then cleverly concealed the brass knuckles inside of her bra again and behave as if nothing ever happened. Austin then pinned his unconscious opponent for the victory. The couple's shenanigans worked for a few weeks, but they were caught within due time. At the conclusion of a match between Steve Austin and PN News on WCW Saturday Night
, Lady Blossom helped Austin cheat to win yet again. After the match, an enraged Dustin Rhodes came down to ringside to explain to the referee that Austin had cheated in his match by striking his opponent with a pair of brass knuckles and that the weapon
was hidden inside of Lady Blossom's dress. Both Blossom and Austin egged Rhodes on to prove to the referee that they had cheated in the match, but he reluctantly refused to place his hand down her dress knowing the potential sexual harassment
issues his action caused. Moments later, Madusa
arrived on to the scene to confront the perpetrators and attempt to verify Rhodes' claims. Madusa then did what Rhodes was much too uncomfortable to do by literally
taking matters into her own hands and sticking her hand inside of Blossom's dress. Madusa was quickly able to pull the concealed weapon out of Blossom's dress and show off her discovery to the crowd. Considering that the referee now had visible evidence that Austin did in fact cheat to win the match, he reversed his decision in favor of News.
Blossom made her final WCW (and wrestling) appearance on November 19, 1991 at Clash of the Champions XVII. Blossom's services were no longer required because Austin was joining Paul E. Dangerously's
Dangerous Alliance
and thus he did not need her as a manager anymore.
during their time in the United States Wrestling Association
. He was married at the time to his high school sweetheart. She has two daughters with Williams: Stephanie, born in 1992, and Cassidy, born in 1996. Clark divorced Austin in 1999 prior to WrestleMania XV
. Afterward, Clark and the kids moved to England. She is credited with helping Austin develop his "Stone Cold" persona; While he was contemplating a change in gimmick from "The Ringmaster," she told him to drink his tea before it got "stone cold," inadvertently inspiring the nickname.
She currently lives in her native England
. She also had another daughter with Chris Adams: Jade (who was legally adopted by Austin). Jade was born around 1982 and is married to professional wrestler Adam Windsor
. She was very close to Chris and kept in regular contact with him until his death in 2001.
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
manager
Manager (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
and the former wife of three professional wrestlers
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
, including Stone Cold Steve Austin
Stone Cold Steve Austin
Steve Austin , better known by his ring name "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, is an American film and television actor and retired professional wrestler...
. She was also known as Jeannie Adams and later became known as Lady Blossom and Jeannie Clark Williams.
World Class Championship Wrestling
Jeannie Clark, originally a model, was married to professional wrestler Christopher Adams in the 1970s and 1980s. She made one appearance on television in his corner in a match broadcast on October 28, 1978, in the country's World of SportWorld of Sport (UK TV series)
World of Sport was a British television sport anthology programme which ran on ITV between 2 January 1965 to 28 September 1985 in response to competition from BBC's Grandstand...
broadcast on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
. The couple divorced sometime in the early-1980s. In 1983, in order to stay in the United States, Clark was shortly married to Billy Jack Haynes
Billy Jack Haynes
William Albert Haynes, III is a retired American professional wrestler better known as Billy Jack Haynes.-Early career :...
. Clark then got together with Steve Austin
Stone Cold Steve Austin
Steve Austin , better known by his ring name "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, is an American film and television actor and retired professional wrestler...
in 1989, and the couple got married in 1992. Both she and Austin engaged in a feud
Feud (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling feud is a staged rivalry between multiple wrestlers or alliances of wrestlers. They are integrated into ongoing storylines, particularly in events which are televised...
with her ex-husband (Adams) and his second wife Toni Adams
Toni Adams
Toni Leah Adams was an American professional wrestling manager and valet who appeared in several North American regional promotions during the 1980s including the Universal Wrestling Federation and the United States Wrestling Association, although she was best known as the manager of her late...
in World Class Championship Wrestling
World Class Championship Wrestling
World Class Championship Wrestling ' was a regional professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. Originally owned by promoter Ed McLemore, by 1966 it was run by Southwest Sports, Inc., whose president, Jack Adkisson, was better known as wrestler Fritz Von Erich...
(WCCW) in 1990. Both Clark and Austin left the promotion for World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
in May 1991.
World Championship Wrestling
Clark, known as "Lady Blossom" replaced Vivacious Veronica as Steve AustinStone Cold Steve Austin
Steve Austin , better known by his ring name "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, is an American film and television actor and retired professional wrestler...
's valet in 1990. She was given the name by Dusty Rhodes
Dusty Rhodes (wrestler)
Virgil Riley Runnels, Jr. , better known as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, is a semi-retired American professional wrestler currently working for WWE...
, who said it was because her "chest was blossoming out of her top". During her debut, Blossom came down to ringside to distract Bobby Eaton
Bobby Eaton
Robert Lee "Bobby" Eaton is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, who made his debut in 1976. Eaton is most famous for his work in tag teams, especially his days as one-half of the team the Midnight Express. Under the management of Jim Cornette, Eaton originally teamed with Dennis...
in his WCW Television Championship
WCW World Television Championship
The World Championship Wrestling World Television Championship was a professional wrestling championship in World Championship Wrestling....
match with Austin. Thanks in part to the distraction of Blossom, Austin defeated Eaton for the Television Championship. From that point on, she accompanied him to the ring until her departure from the company seven months later. The duo did not have a distinctive gimmick, but they tried to portray themselves as being a couple of high society. Austin came down to the ring in an extravagant robe, whereas Lady Blossom frequently donned a luxurious cleavage-baring
Cleavage (breasts)
Cleavage, anatomically known as the intramammary cleft, is the space between a woman's breasts lying over the sternum. Cleavage is exposed by a garment with a low neckline, such as ball gowns, evening gowns, swimwear, casual tops and other garments....
evening gown
Evening gown
An evening gown is a long flowing women's dress usually worn to a formal affair. It ranges from tea and ballerina to full-length. Evening gowns are often made of a luxury fabric such as chiffon, velvet, satin, or silk...
. In a sharp contrast to her time in World Class Championship Wrestling, Lady Blossom did not get an opportunity to speak much on camera—she spoke on camera on less than a handful of occasions throughout her WCW tenure—perhaps due to her noticeable British accent. Blossom used her actions instead of her words as she did not hesitate to involve herself in Austin's matches in order for him to retain his WCW Television title. Blossom frequently interfered in his matches, although her interference backfired from time to time, and she occasionally took bumps.
On one occasion, Lady Blossom hopped onto the ring apron in an attempt to distract the referee from the action in the ring. As she was arguing with the referee, Tracy Smothers
Tracy Smothers
Tracy Smothers is an American professional wrestler.-Early career:Tracy started his career in the Memphis promotion on Saturday morning TV. Steve Armstrong and Tracy Smothers started teaming as The Southern Boys in Florida Championship Wrestling in 1987 where they feuded with The New Breed...
inadvertently ran into her just as Austin had moved out of the way. Smothers' collision with Blossom jostled her and she fell to the floor mat a few moments later. Also, Lady Blossom constantly interfered in Austin's TV title matches with PN News
Paul Neu
Paul Neu is an American professional wrestler. He is perhaps best known under the ring name PN News and for his stints in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling...
and thus he retained his title again due to her interference. Right when the 10-minute time limit was drawing near, Blossom interfered in the match just as Austin was about to be pinned, thus causing a disqualification. Blossom's most frequent method of a disrupting a match was to jump on the back of Austin's opponent just as he was about to be pinned. She then scratched Austin's opponent's face with her fingernails. Another instance in which Lady Blossom's interference backfired took place in August 1991 on an episode of WCW Power Hour during a TV title match pitting Austin and Ron Simmons
Ron Simmons
Ronald "Ron" Simmons is an American semi-retired professional wrestler and retired American football player. He is recognised as being the first Black world heavyweight champion in professional wrestling and the first of only two African Americans to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship,...
. Simmons was on the verge of victory in the match, but Lady Blossom entered the ring and jumped on his back to cause a disqualification.
For a string of weeks in October 1991, both Blossom and Austin did an angle involving a pair of brass knuckles
Brass knuckles
Brass knuckles, also sometimes called knuckles, knucks, brass knucks, or knuckledusters, are weapons used in hand-to-hand combat. Brass knuckles are pieces of metal, usually steel despite their name, shaped to fit around the knuckles...
. During Austin's matches, Lady Blossom pulled out of a pair of brass knuckles that was underhandedly hidden underneath her cleavage and tucked inside one of the cups of her brassiere
Brassiere
A brassiere is an undergarment that covers, supports, and elevates the breasts. Since the late 19th century, it has replaced the corset as the most widely accepted method for supporting breasts....
. When the referee
Referee (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling referee is the official figure that makes sure that wrestling matches move smoothly in an attempt to maintain kayfabe. The referee also has the ultimate power in the ring...
's attention was drawn elsewhere, she pulled the brass knuckles out of her bra and hand the weapon over to Austin so that he could use them on his opponent. Unbeknownst to the official, Austin struck his opponent with the knuckles and then quickly handed them back over to Blossom. Lady Blossom then cleverly concealed the brass knuckles inside of her bra again and behave as if nothing ever happened. Austin then pinned his unconscious opponent for the victory. The couple's shenanigans worked for a few weeks, but they were caught within due time. At the conclusion of a match between Steve Austin and PN News on WCW Saturday Night
WCW Saturday Night
WCW Saturday Night was a weekly Saturday night TV show on TBS produced by World Championship Wrestling. The program existed through various incarnations under different names before becoming WCW Saturday Night in 1992...
, Lady Blossom helped Austin cheat to win yet again. After the match, an enraged Dustin Rhodes came down to ringside to explain to the referee that Austin had cheated in his match by striking his opponent with a pair of brass knuckles and that the weapon
Weapon
A weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...
was hidden inside of Lady Blossom's dress. Both Blossom and Austin egged Rhodes on to prove to the referee that they had cheated in the match, but he reluctantly refused to place his hand down her dress knowing the potential sexual harassment
Sexual harassment
Sexual harassment, is intimidation, bullying or coercion of a sexual nature, or the unwelcome or inappropriate promise of rewards in exchange for sexual favors. In some contexts or circumstances, sexual harassment is illegal. It includes a range of behavior from seemingly mild transgressions and...
issues his action caused. Moments later, Madusa
Debra Miceli
Debrah Ann Miceli is a Monster truck driver and former professional wrestler. She is best known under her ring names Madusa or Alundra Blayze. Her early career was spent in the American Wrestling Association, where she held the AWA World Women's Championship one time...
arrived on to the scene to confront the perpetrators and attempt to verify Rhodes' claims. Madusa then did what Rhodes was much too uncomfortable to do by literally
Literal and figurative language
Literal and figurative language is a distinction in traditional systems for analyzing language. Literal language refers to words that do not deviate from their defined meaning. Figurative language refers to words, and groups of words, that exaggerate or alter the usual meanings of the component...
taking matters into her own hands and sticking her hand inside of Blossom's dress. Madusa was quickly able to pull the concealed weapon out of Blossom's dress and show off her discovery to the crowd. Considering that the referee now had visible evidence that Austin did in fact cheat to win the match, he reversed his decision in favor of News.
Blossom made her final WCW (and wrestling) appearance on November 19, 1991 at Clash of the Champions XVII. Blossom's services were no longer required because Austin was joining Paul E. Dangerously's
Paul Heyman
Paul Heyman is an American entertainment producer, best known for his career in professional wrestling as a promoter, manager, commentator and journalist. He is also an occasional actor in film....
Dangerous Alliance
Dangerous Alliance
The Dangerous Alliance was a heel professional wrestling stable that made a name for itself in World Championship Wrestling in the early '90s and the American Wrestling Association in 1987, with Adrian Adonis, Randy Rose, and Dennis Condrey making up the AWA incarnation of the group.-American...
and thus he did not need her as a manager anymore.
Personal life
Clark initially began her relationship with Stone Cold Steve AustinStone Cold Steve Austin
Steve Austin , better known by his ring name "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, is an American film and television actor and retired professional wrestler...
during their time in the United States Wrestling Association
United States Wrestling Association
The United States Wrestling Association or USWA was a professional wrestling promotion based in Memphis, Tennessee. It was founded by former CWA owner Jerry Jarrett.-Foundation:...
. He was married at the time to his high school sweetheart. She has two daughters with Williams: Stephanie, born in 1992, and Cassidy, born in 1996. Clark divorced Austin in 1999 prior to WrestleMania XV
WrestleMania XV
WrestleMania XV was the fifteenth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation , which took place on March 28, 1999 at the First Union Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
. Afterward, Clark and the kids moved to England. She is credited with helping Austin develop his "Stone Cold" persona; While he was contemplating a change in gimmick from "The Ringmaster," she told him to drink his tea before it got "stone cold," inadvertently inspiring the nickname.
She currently lives in her native England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. She also had another daughter with Chris Adams: Jade (who was legally adopted by Austin). Jade was born around 1982 and is married to professional wrestler Adam Windsor
Adam Windsor
Adam Bryniarski , better known world wide as Adam Windsor, is a British born professional wrestler from Coventry, England.-Early life:...
. She was very close to Chris and kept in regular contact with him until his death in 2001.
External links
- Profile at Online World of Wrestling