1985 Bears Coverage: Will Bears’ `Fridge’ catch on as TV star?

Every day of the 2015 Chicago Bears season, Chicago Sun-Times Sports will revisit its coverage 30 years ago during the 1985 Bears’ run to a Super Bowl title.

Will Bears’ `Fridge’ catch on as TV star?

Marla Paul; Ray Hanania; Lynn Sweet; Robert Feder

Originally published Nov. 4, 1985

William “Refrigerator” Perry is huddling with a new set of coaches – off the field in a television studio.

Because of his sudden superstar status, the Fridge is enjoying super media exposure. He’s been on the “Today” show and is slated for an appearance on David Letterman Nov. 11.

The Fridge, who has never had to worry about his camera angle on the football field, suddenly has to pay attention to such things. So he’s been meeting with a group of specialists to polish up his act.

“He had never even been in a TV studio before,” said Jim Smith, a senior vice president of talk-trainers Communispond Inc. Fridge was told to expect to talk about his weight and “the fact he was big even when he was little,” said Smith.

His trainer rates him OK so far, but concedes his client was “a little nervous” in an interview with Bryant Gumbel.

“He can do better, and I think he will,” said Smith, who is advising the Fridge to “be himself . . . He’s a warm, friendly kind of guy.”

But the acid test will be Letterman, who doesn’t mind making fun of guests. “If somebody wants to take an aggressive negative stance, William will be prepared for that,” said Smith.

These days, the Fridge can catch anything thrown at him.