Page 30 - ARUBA TODAY

A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Tuesday 20 March 2018

John Cena shares his love for kids and how they inspire him

By SANDY COHEN
LOS ANGELES (AP) — John
Cena has no children of his
own, but the WWE super-
star has practically dedi-
cated his work to kids.
Cena has fulfilled nearly
600 wishes for the Make-
A-Wish Foundation, more
than any other celeb-
rity. He's hosting the Kids'
Choice Awards Saturday
on Nickelodeon — one of
three projects in the works
with the children's network.
He's also lending his voice
to a new animated series
and will be producing a
new kids' competition show
called "Keep it Spotless."
The 40-year-old entertain-
er is also branching out in
print, with his first children's
book, "Elbow Grease,"
about an undersized mon-
ster truck with big determi-
nation. It is set for release in In this March 11, 2017 file photo, John Cena hosts the Kids' Choice Awards in Los Angeles.
October. Associated Press
He talked with The Associ-
ated Press about his abid- don't know exactly if I'd be mate experience with the up. But at the same time don't mind showing that
ing love for children. in my top 100. So for me to individual and then they it's about the values that because it develops plot of
AP: What's it like working be the name of like, 'I would get to go see them be a su- it's taken me four decades story, it develops sympathy,
with Make-A-Wish? like to hang out with this perhero (in a WWE perfor- on this planet to learn, like and you genuinely feel like
Cena: I try to put myself in person for the day,' that's mance). I'll do that as long don't be afraid to try some- I can relate to this person,
that perspective of if I had a pretty strong statement... as I can, as long as they're thing new, because if you even though it's this big guy
one thing to wish for, where It really is pretty magical asking me to do it. don't try anything new, who I have no connection
would I fall on that list? I when they get a really inti- AP: Why do you think you you'll never learn anything. with.
connect so much to kids? Don't be afraid to go out of AP: How have you been
Cena: One, I just have non- your comfort zone. Never able to find such purpose in
stop energy. I love energy take someone else's esti- your work?
and I love excitement, and mation of, 'You're not good Cena: I've swung and
I think kids have the same. enough' or 'You're not big missed so many times, I'm
They have such a lust for enough' as final, just use it glad nobody is keeping
life, such an honest and as motivation to try to keep track except me. I think
genuine attack on every pushing forward... So this with failure comes em-
day. And their responses, little 18, 19-page book kind barrassment and comes
too, their emotions: They of gives all of those lessons humility. A lot of the rea-
don't hide how they feel. at once, and I'm very, very son we spend valuable
You can tell when a child is proud of it. minutes wandering away
embarrassed. You can tell AP: You're playing a dad from purpose is because
when they're excited. You with a teenage daughter we're always afraid about
can tell when they're hap- in the new film "Blockers," what people will say and
py, and you can tell when opening April 6. How was it what people will think...
something you do makes to express such vulnerabil- I stopped caring about
them happy.... I love that ity onscreen? what other people thought
honesty. I think that's re- Cena: I think there's a cer- and started caring about,
ally what connects me to tain amount of intrigue in like, what am I going to do
young people, is they're like, well what does a big that's going to make my life
not trying to shade you with guy really, really act like? happy and make my life
anything. They'll give it to Are they really that jaded effective? ...Maybe that's
you straight. and hard-edged, or are why I'm trying all this crazy
AP: What can you say they actually human be- stuff: doing comedy, doing
about your new children's ings? I'm a human being, I a little bit of acting, read-
book? really am. I'm much more ing the news, hosting some
Cena: It takes from the ac- of a softie than I am Clint TV shows, doing animated
tivity I had with my brothers Eastwood in 'Dirty Harry." stuff, doing WWE still. It's be-
growing up in a family of So any chance I get to do cause those things make
five boys: a lot of rough- something like I'm doing in me happy and I'm not wor-
housing, a lot of harass- 'Blockers,' where the guy ried about — I feel confi-
ment — and I mean that in is just a fit guy but he's a dent in the performance
a brotherly way — a lot of stay-at-home dad... I don't I've given. I just try to do my
constant sizing each other mind being vulnerable, I best.q