Comic-Con Celebs Pay Visit to Ram Media

Celebrities attending San Angelo Comic-Con 2024 visited Ram Media on Friday, Jan. 26. Professional wrestler Ted DiBiase and actors Greg Evigan and Jesse Borrego recorded a Ram Radio podcast in preparation for the convention on Jan. 26-Jan 28.

The podcast opened with Zackery Carlock, ASU professor and faculty adviser to Ram Radio interviewing Greg Evigan and Ted DiBiase.

Evigan is an actor best known for his appearances in Broadway productions of  “Jesus Christ Superstar,” and “Grease,” as lead Danny Zuko, as well as on-screen in “BJ and the Bear” and “My Two Dads.” 

Evigan discussed moving to New York, his roles in the stage productions and the transition from the stage to Hollywood.

“I’m just gonna go for Hollywood,” Evigan said. “So I got in my car and then drove across and set it up.”

Evigan went on to discuss the differences between stage and film, auditioning for “BJ and the Bear” and his hesitation. His agent explained to him that the premise of the show was a guy who travels around with a chimpanzee. 

“I was like, ‘What, are you kidding me?’” Evigan said. “I don’t even want to go on that.”

The actor then explained that the audition for the show was more like a screen test, with a pickup truck set up with a stuffed chimp, after which he was offered the part by the producer, who initially thought he looked too young.

Evigan later passed the microphone to DiBiase, who noted that this was not his first time in San Angelo. 

DiBiase, known as “the Million Dollar Man,” explained the process of becoming a professional wrestler, starting with his college football career at West Texas State University, now known as West Texas A&M in Canyon, Texas.

DiBiase went on to say that he got his start with one of wrestling’s royal families, the Funks. He also explained that, before the era of WWE and Vince McMahon, territories around the U.S. were established, San Angelo being a stop in Bill Watts’ Mid-South territory.

The wrestler stories from his days in the WWF included his buying of the title from Andre the Giant, how his legendary villain role culminated into Wrestlemania IV and various stunts and antics in the ring.

He also explained that his title belt, known as the “Million-Dollar Belt,” studded with cubic zirconium and three real diamonds in the back, was worth a total of $40,000 at the time.

DiBiase discussed the wrestlers he did not like working with, wrestlers he wished he could’ve worked with and the toughest parts of wrestling.

“A cat always lands on his feet, but a wrestler always lands on his back,” DiBiase said.

The heel wrapped up the first part of the interview by talking about reconnecting with his family, finding faith after leaving ring competition and opening his ministry in Mississippi, the Heart of David Ministry.

The hosting of the podcast was then changed to student DJ Natalie Reid who interviewed Jesse Borrego, known for his roles in 1993’s “Blood In Blood Out,” TV’s “Dexter” and most recently, 2019’s “Phoenix Oregon.”

Borrego kicked off the discussion by discussing his childhood years and his first taste of acting, noting that by the time he began college, he had learned that he had “the gift.” He also said that he urges young performers to attend college. “Get your piece of paper, get that certification.”

“The higher education realm does two things: One, it gives you something to fall back on. Two, it also gives you a safe place to try to fly.”

The actor went on to say that he then began to build on every experience to form his skillset, finding his strengths and talents. 

Borrego commented on the push for inclusivity and representation in American film throughout the interview, how he looks for that and how it adds to a script that is brought to him. He then discussed superhero films, calling them “the death of American cinema.”

“To know that the source of the American narrative right now is comic books, give me a break.” Borrego said that he wants to see real stories that have never been done before. “Those are the real superheroes,” he said. 

Borrego also stated that he enjoyed San Angelo, noting it as an “artistic town and an artistic community.”

Borrego said that the people in college right now are the future of filmmaking and that he was pleased to see so many behind the cameras. “Find projects that matter,” he said. 

The actor concluded the interview by talking about his future projects, including his own production studio, Tolteca Productions, and working with his brother, James Borrego, who teaches and coordinates the radio, television and film program at San Antonio Community College.

Borrego encouraged listeners to attend San Angelo Comic-Con 2024, where he will be a part of a panel taking place at 2:30 p.m. “But I know they’re having other panels, there’s all kinds of great people at this Comic-Con,”  Borrego said.

San Angelo Comic-Con 2024 will be held at the Foster Communications Coliseum on Jan. 26-28. A full schedule of events and days can be found here.