You wouldn't know it if you saw Stacy Keibler and her tiny frame walking down the street, but the former WWE Diva used to throw down in the ring. What you will initially notice are her killer legs, which she's shown off both as a Baltimore Ravens cheerleader and as a jive machine on Dancing With The Stars. But did you know she's also a gamer? It's true, Stacy has loved video games since she was a kid and even had a Commodore 64. Are you in love, too? Those experiences and her outgoing character have now landed her a successful television acting career and as a hot commodity for video game awards shows and TV spots. She was even enlisted as the frontwoman for the XBOX Kinect game Your Shape: Fitness Evolved 2012. She took a minute from boxing the air to fill us in on her new game and talk a bit about her favorite team, the Baltimore Ravens.
Tell me a little bit about Your Shape: Fitness Evolved 2012.
This is so cool. It’s like having a trainer in your own living room. There are over 90 hours of activities that you can do, anything from cardio-boxing to dancing to jump rope. There is a section for each body part. If you feel too intimidated to go to a gym, you have no excuse any more because you can work out in your home. Even if you haven’t done some of the things before, like yoga, you can try it on the game, and if you like it and feel comfortable, you can go to an actual class eventually. I think it’s a game that has everything for anybody.
A lot of people think a video game couldn’t possibly be the same as real exercise. How can this game help people?
The Kinect scans your body, so you become part of the game. The only way to actually get points is if you have correct form. Even jumping rope, I thought it would be easy, but you have to get your feet to land exactly when the game is landing. You have to keep up that speed, so it really does help with form and you definitely break a sweat. There are also levels as you get better, because it tracks your scores. You can compete against other friends, it tracks your calories, and then you can unlock harder levels.
I know you did the video game awards again this year. How was that?
When I got the call, I was eager to go back, because I had a great time the last time I presented. Video games are so huge, so they should have their own awards show, but I think it's a cool show for debuting new video games and showing the popularity of everything having to do in the video game world.
How and when did you get into video games?
I’ve played video games my entire life, since I was a child. I’ve had every gaming system that has ever come out, I think, starting with a Commodore 64. So I've always loved video games. The time I get to play them just varies on how much time my schedule allows, but I love everything from single-person shooting games to dance games to fitness games to Guitar Hero. You name it, I love it.
Do you have a go-to game or system?
I really love the Kinect. I even really like the adventure games, where you’re jumping and reaching, you really work up a sweat. You're competing with your friends, but you’re also kind of getting a workout with it. That’s what I’m using the most right now is the XBOX Kinect. How did you get involved with the Friday Night Fights?
When Call of Duty came up to us with the offer, I was like, “Oh my God, I want to be a part of this franchise.” I tried out the game, and I got to talk to all the experts, so I really got to get some clues on how to play the game. I think I still have some work getting my brain to get my fingers to do what I want in that game. [Laughs.] It’s not as easy as some of the other games. But it’s such a huge franchise, so I’m happy to be a part of it. The show itself was just so much fun to be a part of, because it was the first time that you have people that are usually playing in the comfort of their own home on their headsets and they’re sitting in front of each other competing. There’s so much trash talk, and some people get very competitive with the other side, so it’s just a really fun game show.
What was it like talking to the experts?
You just realize that’s their job. One of the girls had just won $100,000 for winning some gaming tournament, and that’s a lot of money. Just having people like that and having experts, you realize how much video games have evolved into such a huge business now.
With you promoting a game, how do you continue to help kids realize that they need to get outside sometimes rather than just play video games all day?
That’s why I like games like this fitness game and the Black Eyed Peas Experience, which is a dance game. You are getting up and off the couch and burning some calories and having a good time. I think it’s great for kids to realize that there has to be a balance, whether you’re playing a game that gets you off the couch or you take a break to go ride your bike. Just getting your heart rate up a little bit is good.
Speaking of getting your heart rate up, you used to be a Ravens cheerleader back in the day. What role did that play in your life?
I feel like being a cheerleader and performing in front of 70,000 fans really prepared me to perform in front of a live audience every week in the WWE. I feel like it was just another stepping stone in my life to the next chapter.
Did that change what kind of fan you were at all?
Yeah, because when I entered the contest for the Nitro Girls to get into the business, I remember when I was cheering during the games, people were screaming that they were voting for me. It was really fun to have that hometown pride of the football fans voting for me to get into the WWE. I feel like performing in front of a live audience for that helped get me to the next place with the WWE and into Dancing With The Stars.
Are the Ravens your team?
Tell me a little bit about Your Shape: Fitness Evolved 2012.
This is so cool. It’s like having a trainer in your own living room. There are over 90 hours of activities that you can do, anything from cardio-boxing to dancing to jump rope. There is a section for each body part. If you feel too intimidated to go to a gym, you have no excuse any more because you can work out in your home. Even if you haven’t done some of the things before, like yoga, you can try it on the game, and if you like it and feel comfortable, you can go to an actual class eventually. I think it’s a game that has everything for anybody.
A lot of people think a video game couldn’t possibly be the same as real exercise. How can this game help people?
The Kinect scans your body, so you become part of the game. The only way to actually get points is if you have correct form. Even jumping rope, I thought it would be easy, but you have to get your feet to land exactly when the game is landing. You have to keep up that speed, so it really does help with form and you definitely break a sweat. There are also levels as you get better, because it tracks your scores. You can compete against other friends, it tracks your calories, and then you can unlock harder levels.
I know you did the video game awards again this year. How was that?
When I got the call, I was eager to go back, because I had a great time the last time I presented. Video games are so huge, so they should have their own awards show, but I think it's a cool show for debuting new video games and showing the popularity of everything having to do in the video game world.
How and when did you get into video games?
I’ve played video games my entire life, since I was a child. I’ve had every gaming system that has ever come out, I think, starting with a Commodore 64. So I've always loved video games. The time I get to play them just varies on how much time my schedule allows, but I love everything from single-person shooting games to dance games to fitness games to Guitar Hero. You name it, I love it.
Do you have a go-to game or system?
I really love the Kinect. I even really like the adventure games, where you’re jumping and reaching, you really work up a sweat. You're competing with your friends, but you’re also kind of getting a workout with it. That’s what I’m using the most right now is the XBOX Kinect.
When Call of Duty came up to us with the offer, I was like, “Oh my God, I want to be a part of this franchise.” I tried out the game, and I got to talk to all the experts, so I really got to get some clues on how to play the game. I think I still have some work getting my brain to get my fingers to do what I want in that game. [Laughs.] It’s not as easy as some of the other games. But it’s such a huge franchise, so I’m happy to be a part of it. The show itself was just so much fun to be a part of, because it was the first time that you have people that are usually playing in the comfort of their own home on their headsets and they’re sitting in front of each other competing. There’s so much trash talk, and some people get very competitive with the other side, so it’s just a really fun game show.
What was it like talking to the experts?
You just realize that’s their job. One of the girls had just won $100,000 for winning some gaming tournament, and that’s a lot of money. Just having people like that and having experts, you realize how much video games have evolved into such a huge business now.
With you promoting a game, how do you continue to help kids realize that they need to get outside sometimes rather than just play video games all day?
That’s why I like games like this fitness game and the Black Eyed Peas Experience, which is a dance game. You are getting up and off the couch and burning some calories and having a good time. I think it’s great for kids to realize that there has to be a balance, whether you’re playing a game that gets you off the couch or you take a break to go ride your bike. Just getting your heart rate up a little bit is good.
Speaking of getting your heart rate up, you used to be a Ravens cheerleader back in the day. What role did that play in your life?
I feel like being a cheerleader and performing in front of 70,000 fans really prepared me to perform in front of a live audience every week in the WWE. I feel like it was just another stepping stone in my life to the next chapter.
Did that change what kind of fan you were at all?
Yeah, because when I entered the contest for the Nitro Girls to get into the business, I remember when I was cheering during the games, people were screaming that they were voting for me. It was really fun to have that hometown pride of the football fans voting for me to get into the WWE. I feel like performing in front of a live audience for that helped get me to the next place with the WWE and into Dancing With The Stars.
Are the Ravens your team?
