Terri Runnels

{{Main|The York Foundation}}

Runnels was originally a make-up artist for CNN from 1985 to 1991, where she worked on Larry King's make-up. On the weekends, she did makeup for the wrestlers of Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP).{{cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/Reviews/2008/11/10/7368106.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121208142132/http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/Reviews/2008/11/10/7368106.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=December 8, 2012|title=Terri Runnels reveals brain, not body, in shoot DVD|author=Dean Johnson, Steven|publisher=SLAM! Wrestling|access-date=December 26, 2008|date=November 16, 2008}} When the company was purchased by Ted Turner in 1988 and renamed World Championship Wrestling (WCW), she moved to Atlanta and continued doing make-up for some of the wrestlers. Booker Ole Anderson eventually asked her to become part of the roster as a manager. Runnels debuted in 1990 as Alexandra York, a laptop-carrying accountant who led an alliance known as the York Foundation, a group of wrestlers with finance-themed gimmicks. The York character was created over a lunch with Tony Schiavone, one of WCW's announcers. She worked at WCW for two years.

Runnels debuted in the World Wrestling Federation at the Royal Rumble in 1996 as Marlena, a wrestler modeled after Marlene Dietrich. She debuted as a coolly unconcerned and indifferent television director-like manager, often sitting at ringside in her director's chair. With her cigar-smoking, seductive, nonchalant and mysterious gimmick, she acted as the manager of her (then) real-life husband Dustin, who was wrestling under the gimmick of Goldust. Complementing Goldust, the Marlena character too was representative of all things gold (sporting gold dresses, seated in a gold director's chair, carrying a gold purse sometimes consisting of actual gold dust used to throw in the eyes of Goldust's opponents). Often, Marlena took to lasciviously making out with Goldust when she wasn't coaching and encouraging him to do the same with his fellow opponents. The cigar-smoking aspect of the character came about because Runnels enjoyed smoking them in real life. The risque characters helped bring about The Attitude Era of the late-1990s and the Diva division. During a feud between Goldust and Triple H over the Intercontinental Championship, on February 16, 1997, at In Your House 13: Final Four, Marlena was choked by Chyna, who debuted as a plant from a ringside seat and later became the bodyguard for Triple H.{{cite book|title=If They Only Knew|author=Laurer, Joanie|publisher=ReaganBooks|year=2001|isbn=0-06-109895-7|pages=[https://archive.org/details/chyna9thwonderof00chyn_0/page/259 259, 269]|url=https://archive.org/details/chyna9thwonderof00chyn_0/page/259}} Later, Brian Pillman feuded with Goldust over Marlena.{{cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/Bios/goldust.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120720222246/http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/Bios/goldust.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=July 20, 2012|title=Goldust bio|publisher=SLAM! Wrestling|author=Milner, John M. and Richard Kamchen|access-date=December 26, 2008|date=June 4, 2006}} As part of the angle, Pillman won Marlena in a match and sent Goldust a picture of her handcuffed in a bed.{{cite book|last=Oppliger|first=Patrice|author-link=Patrice Oppliger|title=Wrestling and hypermasculinity|year=2004|publisher=McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers|location=Jefferson, North Carolina|page=103|isbn=9780786481361}} Pillman, however, died in the middle of the storyline. Originally, the plan was to have the rivalry culminate in an on-air wedding where Marlena would leave Goldust for Pillman. After the Marlena-Goldust alliance dissolved, Goldust revealed Luna Vachon as his new manager.

{{Main|Pretty Mean Sisters}}

Runnels later re-emerged in 1998, under her real name, as the on-screen girlfriend of Val Venis. When Runnels claimed to be pregnant with Venis' baby, he dumped her.{{cite web|url=http://onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/p/pms.html|title=PMS's profile|publisher=Online World of Wrestling|access-date=August 29, 2008|archive-date=December 30, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091230102325/http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/p/pms.html|url-status=dead}} She later joined forces with Jacqueline Moore, who had just ended her alliance with Marc Mero, to form the Pretty Mean Sisters (P.M.S.). They later formed an alliance with D'Lo Brown and Mark Henry, accompanying them to the ring for a match against Venis and The Godfather in December at Rock Bottom: In Your House.{{cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingArchive/dec14_rockbottom.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120629143630/http://slam.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingArchive/dec14_rockbottom.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=June 29, 2012|title=Foley screwed again|author=Powell, John|publisher=SLAM! Wrestling|access-date=January 5, 2009|date=December 14, 1998}} In January, Runnels claimed to have suffered a miscarriage after she was knocked off the ring apron by Brown.{{cite web|url=http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/wrestling/blog/2008/07/qa_with_terri_runnels.html|title=Q&A with Terri Runnels|author=Eck, Kevin|work=The Baltimore Sun|access-date=January 5, 2009|date=July 9, 2008|archive-date=April 28, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160428181627/http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/wrestling/blog/2008/07/qa_with_terri_runnels.html|url-status=dead}} Weeks later, Brown discovered that Runnels had never been pregnant.{{cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/t/terri.html|title=Terri Runnels' profile|publisher=Online World of Wrestling|access-date=January 3, 2009}} P.M.S. gained a "love slave" named Meat in May,{{cite book|title=WrestleCrap: The Very Worst of Pro Wrestling|author=Reynolds, R. D. and Randy Baer|publisher=ECW Press|year=2003|isbn=1-55022-584-7|page=[https://archive.org/details/wrestlecrapveryw00rdre/page/222 222]|url=https://archive.org/details/wrestlecrapveryw00rdre/page/222}} whom Runnels controlled using sex.{{cite book|last=Oppliger|first=Patrice|author-link=Patrice Oppliger|title=Wrestling and hypermasculinity|year=2004|publisher=McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers|location=Jefferson, North Carolina|page=101|isbn=9780786481361}} As a part of the storyline, P.M.S. used Meat for his body, forcing him to have sex with them. The alliance, however, broke up by July, when Jacqueline Moore became frustrated with Runnels' infatuation with Meat.

{{See also|The Radicalz}}

In late 1999, Runnels arranged the Terri Invitational Tournament, a best-of-five series, between Edge and Christian and The Hardy Boyz, with the winner receiving her managerial services and the sum of $100,000.{{cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCO/is_4_3/ai_80302525/pg_2|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060319001125/http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCO/is_4_3/ai_80302525/pg_2|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 19, 2006|title=Flying to the top|author=Varsallone, Jim|publisher=Wrestling Digest|access-date=December 22, 2008|date=December 2001}} The Hardy Boyz won the tournament, which culminated in a ladder match at No Mercy (with the prize money suspended above the ring in a bag).{{cite book|title=The Hardy Boyz: Pro Wrestlers Matt and Jeff Hardy|author=Peterson Kaelberer, Angie|publisher=Capstone Press|year=2003|isbn=0-7368-2142-2|pages=23–24}} Runnels spent the next few months as their manager, notably getting involved in a Steel Cage match between Jeff Hardy and Al Snow on an episode of RAW. She continued interfering in matches until she was injured when Bubba Ray Dudley powerbombed her through a table. She returned on February 27 at No Way Out and cost the Hardy Boyz a match.{{cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingPPV/nowayout2000.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120713175653/http://slam.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingPPV/nowayout2000.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=July 13, 2012|title=No Way Out for Cactus Jack? Triple H ends Foley's career?|author=Powell, John|publisher=SLAM! Wrestling|access-date=January 5, 2009|date=February 28, 2000}} She then became the manager of Edge and Christian, and the storyline originally called for her to come between the duo, resulting in them becoming singles wrestlers with Runnels managing Christian.{{cite book|title=Adam Copeland on Edge|author=Copeland, Adam|page=146|isbn=0-7434-8347-2|year=2004|publisher=World Wrestling Entertainment}} The storyline, however, was rewritten, and on an episode of SmackDown!, Edge and Christian—who would now continue wrestling as a tag team—revealed they no longer wanted Runnels' services. She, therefore, slapped Edge, who responded by spearing her.

Runnels began a rivalry with The Kat, and at WrestleMania 2000, Runnels (accompanied by The Fabulous Moolah) defeated The Kat (with Mae Young) in a catfight.{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/content/media/video/specialty_clips/wrestlemania_diva_matches/wm2000terrikat|title=Kat vs. Terri at WrestleMania 2000|publisher=World Wrestling Entertainment|access-date=May 9, 2007|archive-date=January 28, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100128072705/http://www.wwe.com/content/media/video/specialty_clips/wrestlemania_diva_matches/wm2000terrikat|url-status=dead}} Val Venis was the Special Guest Referee, but was distracted when Young kissed him in response to Venis making out with both Runnels and The Kat. This distraction allowed Moolah to pull The Kat out of the ring, and when Venis saw her out of the ring, he declared Runnels the winner. Post-match, The Kat attacked Runnels by stripping her black body suit off to expose her nude colored thong. The rivalry continued in an arm wrestling match at Insurrextion.{{cite book|author=Jerry Lawler|title=It's Good to Be the King...Sometimes|year=2002|pages=[https://archive.org/details/itsgoodtobekings00lawl/page/339 339]|publisher=WWE Books|isbn=978-0-7434-5768-2|url=https://archive.org/details/itsgoodtobekings00lawl/page/339|author-link=Jerry Lawler}} They later participated in a "Stink Face match" at SummerSlam, which The Kat won by first performing the move on Runnels.{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/summerslam/history/2000/results/ |title=SummerSlam 2000 results |publisher=World Wrestling Entertainment |access-date=May 9, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070621022644/http://www.wwe.com/shows/summerslam/history/2000/results/ |archive-date=June 21, 2007 }}{{cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingPPV/aug28_summerslam.html|title=Stunts highlight SummerSlam|author=John Powell|publisher=SLAM! Wrestling|access-date=July 13, 2008|date=August 28, 2000|archive-date=July 15, 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120715121001/http://slam.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingPPV/aug28_summerslam.html|url-status=usurped}}

On June 8, 2000, she competed in the first ever women's battle royal to determine the #1 contender to the WWF Women's Championship, but was eliminated by Lita. Runnels subsequently became the onscreen girlfriend and manager of Perry Saturn, who was a member of The Radicalz alliance.{{cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/Bios/raven.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120629212107/http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/Bios/raven.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=June 29, 2012|title=Raven's bio|publisher=SLAM! Wrestling|author=Milner, John M.|access-date=January 5, 2009|date=May 31, 2005}} She accompanied Saturn to the ring at Fully Loaded in July 2000, where Saturn defeated Eddie Guerrero for the European Championship.{{cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingPPV/jul24_fullyloaded.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120714162807/http://slam.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingPPV/jul24_fullyloaded.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=July 14, 2012|title=A bloody good PPV; WWF stars bleed for the company at Fully Loaded|publisher=SLAM! Wrestling|author=Powell, John|access-date=January 5, 2009|date=July 24, 2005}} Saturn, Runnels, and Radicalz member Dean Malenko also had a series of matches with Team Xtreme (The Hardy Boyz and Lita).{{cite book|title=Lita: A Less Traveled R.O.A.D.--The Reality of Amy Dumas|author=Dumas, Amy|publisher=Simon and Schuster|year=2004|isbn=0-7434-7399-X|pages=[https://archive.org/details/lita00amyd_2/page/221 221–223]|url=https://archive.org/details/lita00amyd_2/page/221}} The on-screen partnership lasted until Saturn, who had hit his head during a match, opted to continue seeing "Moppy" (a mop he believed was alive) instead of Runnels.{{cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/p/perry-saturn.html|title=Perry Saturn's profile|publisher=Online World of Wrestling|access-date=January 5, 2009|archive-date=July 27, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120727062111/http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/p/perry-saturn.html|url-status=dead}} As a result, she then became the manager of Raven, a member of The Alliance, who stole Saturn's mop and fed it into a woodchipper.

In late 2001, Terri replaced Trish Stratus as the host of the WWF recap program Excess. She briefly feuded with Stratus, resulting in a wet T-shirt contest between the two on Raw.{{cite news|author=McAvennie, Michael|title=WWE The Yearbook: 2003 Edition|publisher=Pocket Books|year=2003|pages=18–20}} During this time, she also became the backstage interviewer on Raw and began to wrestle occasionally against the likes of Molly Holly, Victoria and Stratus. She also became the subject of Kane's affections and they regularly flirted during backstage segments.{{cite web|url=https://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/2012-06-11/divas-favorite-demon-kanes-romantic-history/page-2|title=The Divas' Favorite Demon: The twisted, romantic history of Kane|author=Benigno, Anthony|publisher=WWE.com|date=June 12, 2012}} On May 27, 2002, she briefly held the perpetually contested Hardcore Championship when she pinned Steven Richards, though he immediately pinned her to regain the title.{{cite news|author=McAvennie, Michael|title=WWE The Yearbook: 2003 Edition|publisher=Pocket Books|year=2003|pages=156}} On the August 19 episode of RAW, Eric Bischoff placed her a battle royal featuring former Hardcore champions such as Tommy Dreamer, Bradshaw and Jeff Hardy.{{cite web|url=http://www.profightdb.com/wrestlers/terri-runnels-304.html|title=Terri Runnels|publisher=Internet Wrestling Database|access-date=January 15, 2021}} She eliminated herself immediately when the match began. On the September 2 edition of RAW she defeated Stacy Keibler in a "Lingerie pillow fight", but was hit with a clock by Keibler and humiliated after the match, thus igniting a brief feud between the two. Her final match was a losing effort alongside the returning Lita against divas Molly Holly and Gail Kim on the November 10 edition of Raw.

After eight years with the company, in March 2004, Runnels was released from WWE prior to a massive firing spree. In an April 2015 interview with Vince Russo, Runnels stated that she was flown up on April 1, 2004, to the WWE offices for a meeting with WWE executives Kevin Dunn and John Laurinaitis where she was told that they were parting ways with her; the reason she was told that she was flown up was because the WWE respected her.{{cite web|url=http://www.vincerussobrand.com|title=Vince Russo Brand - Interview with Terri Runnels - Apr 23 2015|publisher=vincerussobrand.com|access-date=April 23, 2015}} After leaving the company, Runnels spent time traveling the world.

On January 22, 2018, in the Raw 25 Years special episode, Runnels was honored as part of a segment involving women considered legends that contributed to the company's success, including Maryse, Kelly Kelly, Lilian Garcia, Michelle McCool, Maria Kanellis and the Hall of Famers Torrie Wilson, the Bella Twins, Jacqueline and Trish Stratus.{{cite web|title=WWE honors female WWE Legends: Raw 25, Jan. 22, 2018|url=http://www.wwe.com/videos/wwe-honors-female-wwe-legends-raw-25-jan-22-2018|work=WWE|access-date=January 22, 2018}}

In 2021, Runnels was listed by WWE.com as one of the women who made an impact outside the ring.{{cite web|url= https://www.insidesport.co/wwe-top-50-female-superstars-wwe-releases-the-list-of-all-time-top-50-greatest-female-superstars/|title= WWE Top 50 Female Superstars: WWE releases the list of all time top 50 Greatest female superstars|author= Gupta, Rohit|publisher=Insider Sport|access-date=June 1, 2021|date=April 2, 2021}}

During her tenure in the WWF, Runnels appeared on the show The Weakest Link in 2002 as part of a charity show where all the contestants were WWF personalities.{{cite episode|title=WWF Superstars Edition #2|series=The Weakest Link|series-link=Weakest Link (US game show)|air-date=March 10, 2002|season=2|number=28}} On the show, she played for the Ronald McDonald House charity, which houses parents of hospitalized children for reduced or no cost. Runnels was the fourth contestant voted out of the game.

Boatright grew up in Florida. She grew up as a Southern Baptist, but later became non-denominational. Runnels has worked with various charities, including the Make-a-Wish Foundation, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Children's Miracle Network, and Hermie & Elliott Sadler Foundation and Fit Kids Marathon.

She dated Brian Pillman in 1990 while they were both in WCW. In 1993, she married Dustin Runnels, whom she met while they were both working for WCW, taking his last name as her own. They have a daughter, Dakota, who was born in 1994. Dustin Runnels's strained relationship with his father Dusty Rhodes caused problems in their marriage, and Terri alleges that Dusty spread rumors about her that included infidelity and gold-digging. The couple divorced in 1999 after six years of marriage. Years after the divorce, they were able to have a "better relationship".{{cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingBiosR/runnelsterri_01nov07-sun.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130101041311/http://slam.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingBiosR/runnelsterri_01nov07-sun.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=January 1, 2013|title=Terri still having a blast|author=Leroux, Yves|publisher=SLAM! Wrestling|date=November 7, 2001|access-date=January 6, 2009}} In 2003, she began a relationship with Tyree Clowe, a US soldier 15 years her junior. The couple remained together for over five years.

Terri began dating former professional wrestler New Jack in 2009. Jack professed his love for her in an interview with host Fat Man After Dark on the Future Endeavors wrestling radio show and described some of the pitfalls, even today, of a mixed-race relationship.{{cite web|url=http://www.blogtalkradio.com/future_endeavors/2011/05/23/over-the-limit--review-results-new-jack|title=Over The Limit - Review / Results & NewJack|access-date=May 27, 2011|publisher=Blogtalkradio.com|date=May 23, 2011|archive-date=May 28, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110528170745/http://www.blogtalkradio.com/future_endeavors/2011/05/23/over-the-limit--review-results-new-jack|url-status=dead}} As of July 2011, the couple was no longer together.{{cite web|url=http://wwe-news.hackd.org/39407-a-Former-WWE-Diva-Terri-Runnels-Steamed-Over-Vicious-Allegations.html|title=Former WWE Diva Terri Runnels Steamed Over Vicious Allegations|access-date=July 15, 2011|publisher=hackd.org|date=July 13, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720134309/http://wwe-news.hackd.org/39407-a-Former-WWE-Diva-Terri-Runnels-Steamed-Over-Vicious-Allegations.html|archive-date=July 20, 2011}}

In August 2011, a Florida judge ordered Jack to stop selling nude and bloody photographs of Runnels. Runnels filed suit, accusing Jack of making libelous comments about her and requested that a court ban him from distributing sexually-explicit photographs of her. Jack said that he took the photos, that they belonged to him and that he should be free to pass them on to whoever he pleases. A judge in Sanford, Florida, temporarily banned Jack from distributing photographs of Runnels ahead of a hearing.{{cite web|url=http://msn.foxsports.com/other/story/ex-wrestling-couple-fighting-over-photos-081611|title=Ex-wrestling couple fighting over photos|access-date=August 17, 2011|publisher=hackd.org|date=August 17, 2011}}

On May 29, 2019, Runnels was arrested in Hillsborough County, Florida, and charged with felony possession of a firearm after bringing a loaded gun into the Tampa International Airport.{{cite web|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2838524-ex-wwe-superstar-terri-runnels-charged-with-carrying-concealed-weapon-at-airport|title=Ex-WWE Superstar Terri Runnels Charged with Carrying Concealed Weapon at Airport|work=BleacherReport.com|date=May 29, 2019|access-date=May 29, 2019}} She was later released on $2,000 bond and posted a video to her Twitter page, explaining her side of the incident.{{cite web|url=https://www.wrestlinginc.com/news/2019/05/terri-runnels-comments-on-concealed-weapon-arrest-video-654634/|title=Terri Runnels Comments On Concealed Weapon Arrest (Video)|work=WrestlingInc.com|date=May 29, 2019|access-date=May 29, 2019}} In June 2019, the charges against Runnels were dropped.{{cite web|url=https://comicbook.com/wwe/news/terri-runnels-escapes-jail-time-arrested-hand-gun-tampa-airport/|title=Terri Runnels Escapes Jail Time After Being Arrested for Bringing a Loaded Gun to Tampa Airport|work=comicbook.com|date=June 24, 2019}}

• World Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling Entertainment
• WWE Hardcore Championship (1 time){{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/classics/titlehistory/hard|access-date=September 29, 2009|title=WWE Hardcore Championship history|publisher=World Wrestling Entertainment}}
• Slammy Award (1 time)
• Best Couple (1997) – with Goldust{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/news/andthewinneris|title=And the winner is...|access-date=June 23, 2018|publisher=WWE}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Terri Runnels}}

• {{Official website|http://www.theterrirunnels.com}}
• {{wwe superstar|terri-runnels}}
• {{Professional wrestling profiles}}
• {{IMDb name|id=0750315|name=Terri Runnels}}
• [http://www.mlwradio.com/cigars--scars---superstars-with-terri-runnels.html Cigars, Scars & Superstars with Terri Runnels on MLW Radio Network] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191012050733/http://www.mlwradio.com/cigars--scars---superstars-with-terri-runnels.html |date=October 12, 2019 }}

{{WWE Hardcore Championship}}

{{Rhodes family}}

{{Authority control}}

{{Good article}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Runnels, Terri}}

Category:1966 births

Category:American female models

Category:American female professional wrestlers

Category:Female models from Florida

Category:Living people

Category:Professional wrestlers from Florida

Category:Female professional wrestling announcers

Category:Professional wrestling managers and valets

Category:WWF/WWE Hardcore Champions

Category:21st-century American women

Category:20th-century American sportswomen