During an appearance on the Stories with Brisco and Bradshaw podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Booker T commented on how he almost left WWE prior to winning the King of the Ring tournament:
“I was at that point where it was time for me to slow down. Sharmell and I had just gotten married. I went through a divorce and I know what it’s like being on the road, and just for instance, having a family. I told Vince that I was going to take a step back from the company. He said, ‘Why would you want to do that?’ I said, ‘I think it would be best for my relationship, just getting married and whatnot.’ He said, ‘Why don’t we just hire Sharmell?’ I went in to quit and he’s talking about hiring Sharmell. That kind of solved the whole problem.
I tell you, I did not imagine it working out the way it did. The King Booker thing, I think that evolved because of Sharmell, being a former Miss Black Miss America, as well as being my Queen. I’ve always called her my queen. In front of all my friends, she’s my queen. I think they thought, ‘Why don’t we do the King of the Ring and make Booker the King and have a King and Queen.’ I give her all the credit for making that happen. I’ll tell you this. I couldn’t have been the King that I was without Queen Sharmell. It would have never worked out.”
