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Exclusive Interview With WWE Superstar Kofi Kingston

A huge thank you to Kofi Kingston and WWE for this amazing interview. For help and support with any type of cyberbullying or online abuse, please explore the links throughout the article below.

Have you ever been bullied? If so, what was the situation and how did you overcome it?

I was bullied over several things when I was younger. I specifically remember being bullied over my name, to the point where I would go home upset my parents hadn’t named me “Joey”.

I don’t know if I “overcame” it. I just endured it until it stopped. It wasn’t until I was older that I realized and really appreciated how special it was to be unique (if you need support visit our total access support section to see the ways we can help).

When you were younger, what would you do if you saw someone being bullied? Would you change how you handled that situation?

In some cases I would stand for people being bullied, but there were many situations where a group of kids would be giving another kid a hard time for some reason or another. Often times instead of standing up for the individual, I would jump in with the bullies and give the individual a hard time as well.

I would definitely change how I handled the situation, because I didn’t really think of it as bullying at the time. To me, it was just jokes, but words are very powerful and I’m sure that feelings were hurt.

Can you provide advice to someone who may be a victim of bullying?

It’s very important to realize that it’s okay to tell an adult about what is going on. If you see someone getting bullied, it’s okay to tell them to stop. A lot of people stay silent because they want to fit in; they don’t want to be considered a “snitch”. The only way bullying can be stopped is if we don’t accept it in any form. We must be brave enough to speak up.

Have you ever been cyberbullied? If so, what did you do to stop it?

As WWE Superstars, we get cyberbullied just about every day on social media! I’m not sure that it can be stopped. So instead, we just have to be confident enough in ourselves and not let the criticism affect us.

What is your favorite movie?

The Big Lebowski

What is your favorite food?

Don’t really have a favorite…

What is your favorite thing to do?

I love spending time with my family!

What was your favorite class in school?

I always liked English and Science.

When did you decide you wanted to become a wrestler?

I don’t remember a specific moment. It’s been my dream since I was little. I’ve always been a fan.

A big thank you to Kofi Kingston and to WWE for this amazing interview and for their ongoing commitment to our joint WWExCYBERSMILE campaign to promote diversity and inclusion online. Keep your eyes on our social media feeds because there are more exclusive activities to come – and be sure to enter our incredible WWE giveaway!

If you are affected by any negative online behavior you can check out our cyberbullying and online abuse help center or visit our total access support section to find out the best way we can help you. For further information about Cybersmile and the work we do, please explore the recommendations below.

Don’t forget to join the conversation by tweeting us @CybersmileHQ but remember to use the #WWExCYBERSMILE so we can find you!