"I make the Kliq click."
Inside Wrestling magazine, early 1998

Just when everyone thought they had the guy figured out, Hunter Hearst Helmsley threw a curve ball. Only a few months ago, Helmsley had the image of the prim and proper gentleman who held his fork the right way and followed all the rules of etiquette at high society gatherings in Greenwich, Connecticut. Now Helmsley is more like the punk who sat in the back of all your classes in junior high. Popping bubble gum, holding devil's horns behind people's heads, and waving silly signs are Helmsley's idea of decorum these days.Helmsley has become, well, a degenerate. Indeed, childish behaviour and foolish antics are probably prerequisites for entry into Shawn Michaels' new renegade group, Degeneration X. This outfit also includes Helmsley's bodyguard, Chyna, and Michaels' "insurance man," Rick Rude.The year 1997 has seen Helmsley suffer a few lows, including his shocking Intercontinental title loss to Rocky Maivia on Feb. 13 and his brutal feuds with Mankind and Goldust throughout the summer. But Helmsley experienced some tremendous highs as well. He defeated both Steve Austin and Bret Hart in a triangle match on Jan. 10 at the San Jose Arena. Five months later, he won the 1997 King of the Ring tournament.With this kind of success why would Helmsley want to ally himself with Michaels? As eager as these men are to win the WWF title, they should be rivals, not partners, right? Senior writer Harry Burkett spoke with Helmsley about this apparent conflict of interests and other topics after a WWF card.

Burkett: First of all, Hunter, I want to thank you for your time. I know you are anxious to enjoy the rest of your evening.
Hunter: How perceptive. Then again, I suppose it doesn't take a genius to realize how much I want to get this over with. I have places to go and important people to see. I don't count you as one of them.

Burkett: Fine. Everyone is talking about how much Shawn Michaels has changed over the past few months. He's gone from being WWF Poster Child to being a spoiled brat...
Hunter: I bet you would't say that if he was sitting here.

Burkett: Isn't telling you the next best thing?
Hunter: Don't get too bold.

Burkett: Ok. Everyone's talking about Shawn's transformation, but you seem to have changed even more dramatically. No offense, but you were seen as a snob versed in all manners of etiquette. That's not the same Hunter Hearst Helmsley I'm looking at today.
Hunter: What's that supposed to mean?

Burkett: I mean you no longer have that self-righteous air of superiority. Pink polo shirts have replaced your shirt and tie. You seem more down-to-earth now.
Hunter: I don't think down to earth, as you call it, is the correct term. Down to business is more like it. I now opt for a more casual look because Shawn and I are quite the men about town these days.

Burkett: You make it sound as if you and Shawn have become friends only recently. Shawn hinted that you two may have been in cahoots a lot longer. In fact, he suggests you two were the originators of The Kliq, along with some guys in another organization I could mention...
Hunter: Don't mention it. Whether I associated with Shawn Michaels a few days ago or a few years ago is of no concern to you. Period.

Burkett: Ok, let's talk about your relationship with someone else. Let's begin with Chyna. Both of you share the same mentor, the legendary Killer Kowalski, and you two seem to have developed quite a bond. She has put herself on the line for you on more than one occasion. Is she in any way responsible for your current demeanor?
Hunter: Chyna doesn't affect my behaviour in any way. I pay her large sums of money to be my bodyguard, not my advisor. That doesn't mean Chyna is not a very intelligent person. She is. I'm just saying I don't need someone else to make decisions for me.

Burkett: Are you suggesting that Shawn Michaels has not control over your career? It seems that your association with him will inevitably put your professional ambitions on the back burner.
Hunter: Look... I don't know what your name is and I don't care, but I don't like the assumptions you're making. You're trying to insinuate that I'm Shawn Michaels' lackey. I don't serve Shawn Michaels. We are equal partners. Degeneration X is a partnership of similar attitudes and similar goals.

Burkett: What are some of your goals?
Hunter: Well, it seems Shawn and I have ticked off a lot of people, including Bret Hart. Bret has always criticized Shawn because of his attitude, and now he's criticizing me. He always wants to act like the straight-laced hero, even when he's bad-mouthing American fans. Bret has shown the world what kind of phony he is. Now we're just rubbing his face in it.

Burkett: In your view, what is your attitude? And why doesn't Bret care for it?
Hunter: Our attitude is, "live and let live." Shawn and I don't go around sticking our noses in everybody's business and attempting to force our values on to everybody else. Life is for living, not for preaching and lecturing. That ivory tower of virtue, Bret Hart, is one of those people who hates anyone having a good time. Both Shawn and I work hard and party a lot harder. We are not in wrestling to be role models. We always give the fans their money's worth because we're the two greatest wrestlers in the world, but aside from that, we couldn't care less about the way they live or the way they think. Bret thinks that's irresponsible, but I think it's just a matter of priorites.

Burkett: If you believe in "Live and let live," why did you - as many people suspect - try to frame the Hart Foundation by vandalizing the Nation of Domination's locker room?
Hunter: What? Could you repeat the question?

Burkett: Was Degneration X responsible for the NOD's locker room being vandalized?
Hunter: Hmmmmmm. I'm sorry. I just don't know what you're talking about. Oh, wait a minute. No, you must be mistaken. You have to ask the Hart Foundation what happened there.

Burkett: Very well. Besides pulling pranks, what does D-X hope to accomplish in the WWF?
Hunter: We want to continue to make life miserable for a few old mules here in the WWF, namely Bret Hart, perhaps even the Undertaker. It's laughable when these guys claim to be legends in their own time. "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels is a real legend. All he had to do was strut his stuff and all the chicks out in tv land just fell in love with him. The only reason thy ever tore their eyes away from HBK was so they could fasten their gaze upon Triple H. Chumps like Bret Hart are just jealous because the pretty girls aren't oohing and aahing over them.

Burkett: I think Shawn has impressed you more than anyone else.
Hunter: He sure does impress me. Shawn Michaels went to the top of the WWF with a bullet. He's the main event, the showstopper, the...

Burkett: Okay, Okay, I've heard all that before. Where do you fit in the picture? Rick Rude doesn't seem to need much help doing the dirty work. What does Shawn Michaels really need you for?
Hunter: What does Shawn Michaels need me for?! I can't believe you are stupid enough to ask such a question. I'm the engine that makes DX run! I make the Kliq click! Shawn Michaels without Hunter Hearst Helmsley is only Shawn Michaels. But when you put HBK with Triple H, you've got the heart and soul of Degeneration X. That, my friend, is an unstoppable force.

Burkett: I didn't mean to imply that Michales cannot benefit from your obvious talents. To the contrary, I'm kind of surprised you are putting so much effort into DX when you could just as easily make it on your own.
Hunter: Certainly. But it wouldn't be half as much fun. Bret Hart wouldn't be squirming like a jellyfish, and the entire WWF wouldn't be in utter chaos right now. Together, we are too much for anybody to handle.

Burkett: Some people worry that your involvement in DX will slow down your successful singles career. Will you still try to regain the Intercontinental title?
Hunter: The Intercontinental title will be mine again whenever I feel like purusing it. Owen Hart would make an excellent target. That's the surest way of hitting big brother Bret where it hurts. The truth is that I have nothing left to prove. I beat the WWF's finest last spring and was declared King of the WWF.

Burkett: It's no secret that your long-term goal is to win the WWF title. How does aiding Shawn Michaels in his quest to defeat Bret Hart help you obtain that goal? You seem to have a serious conflict of interests here.
Hunter: There's no conflict whatsoever. There's room enough for two supreme talents in the WWF. Shawn can keep his European title, then I can claim the WWF World Championship. I can regain the Intercontinental title, then Shawn and I can snatch the WWF World tag belts if we feel like it. If we get bored, we can swap the belts around. It doesn't matter which one of us owns the straps. All that matters is that they're all coming DX's way.

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