INTERVIEW CLASSIC (10 Yrs Ago): Jim Ross says Lawler is a top ten all-time wrestler, talks about Benoit's son getting into wrestling, more

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This summer, diving to the many cools of San Antonio GPE. The city where families keep cool and refreshed all season, because we have something for everyone, but the number one zoo in the state. Plus, we're the theme park capital of Texas GPE. Plan today at visit san Antonio.com slash summer.

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A PW Torch VIP membership doesn't just give you ad-free access to these shows and a ton of other VIP exclusive podcasts throughout the week, but you also gain access to our unmatched vast library of wrestling history. our contemporaneous week-to-week coverage through our Pro Wrestling Torch Weekly Newsletters dating back to the late 1980s, along with streaming and download access to hundreds of retro radio shows from the 1990s, including some of my interviews with wrestling's top newsmakers in the 90s. And also our podcast library dating back to the year 2003. There's no larger, longer-spanning pro- pro wrestling podcast library than that that comes with a PWTorch ORG VIP membership.Now we're approaching 20 years of podcasting. Go VIP and dive into our post-paperview roundtables, our coverage of some of your favorite eras of wrestling, top name long form interviews, and special format podcasts that we've done throughout the years. PwTorch.com slash go VIP. We have a streamlined sign-up form and you can pay with PayPal ORG or directly with your credit card or debit card in one or two minutes.From right now, you can be a VIP member and diving into our library. PwTorch.com slash go VIP. Now, P.W. Torch and Spreaker bring you the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling ORG podcast.

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It's time for this week's interview classic, where Wade Keller interviews one of Pro Wrestling's ORG newsmakers.

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Ten years ago this week, Bruce Mitchell and I conducted an epic four-hour interview with one of the most recognizable voices of professional wrestling who's seen it all, Jim Ross PERSON. And today, in our 10 years ago, Wade Keller Pro Wrestling ORG podcast interview classic, we bring you part one of three of this four hour interview with Jim Ross who talks about life after WWE ORG including his new live Q&A shows at theaters discussion on wbwet network chris benoit's son getting into wrestling does Chris benoit belongin the wbbyt Hall of Fame did he ever say no to a controversial angle or humiliating request while working for Vince McMahon PERSON? How does he feel about his role in presenting the imposter undertaker and Razor Ramon and Diesel PERSON back in the day? And many other topics. So let's get to it. This is a good one.We'll have the next two installments for you soon also. This is the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Podcast ORG. You need be a classic for Tuesday, May 7th, 2024 in this interview originally live streamed on May 2nd, 2014.

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Welcome to the P.W. Torch Livecast. I am Wade Keller, editor and publisher of the Pro Wrestling Torch newsletter since 1987. That's right, when Ronald Reagan was president, the first issue of Pro Wrestling Torch was published. I just thought of that last week, and I can't get over it. And also, here I host of the PW Torch Livecast. You can also find my writing and the Torch reporting for this episode on Friday, May 2, 2014. I am very excited to have a first-time guest on Interview Friday, somebody who I have interviewed multiple times for the Pro Wrestling Torch Newsletter over the years for our Torch Talk ORG series, almost all of which I believe are available for VIP members in our archives, and that is good old JR PERSON, as he'soften known, but I like to call him Jim Ross. Jim, welcome to the show. Thanks, Wade PERSON, how are you? Very good. Thank you for joining us today. It is very much appreciated. We've been looking forward to having you on the show, and I'm excited about it.

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Good. I'm glad I could excite you.

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Thank you. I'll quote you on Twitter.

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Jim, you have gotten into the podcasting world.

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I knew when I had been doing audio shows over the years, I joked with Steve Austin about this when he was on the show in November last year.

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You know, I knew when I've been watching you on Raw in front of millions of people and Steve Austin wrestle in front of millions of people all those years, that eventually you'd make it to the big time and start doing wrestling radio and podcast. So welcome to the big time.

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Well, it was a long journey, but we finally made it.

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Yes, you did. Let's start with a plug for that. I was listening earlier today to your interview with Gail Kim PERSON and your commentary reacting to current events and also what listeners are having to say. You have followed in the footsteps of Colt Cabana, Steve Austin, Chris Jericho PERSON. And now you're in that group of some people with a lot of experience of professional wrestling doing weekly podcasts. And your podcast likeSteve Austin's and Chris Jericho's is that podcast one. Give that a plug. Let people know where they can find it and what kind of show you do and why, if they're live cast listeners, they should

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add your show to the mix. Well, first of all, it's at podcast.1.com or you can get it at iTunes ORG. It's free. Those are two good things that you need to remember,

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podcast1.com ORG, and it's free.

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And it's just, you know, gives me the opportunity to express myself on what's on my mind, I call it a little segment I do at the beginning of the podcast. And it gives me the opportunityto interact with a lot of my friends and people that I haven't been in contact with, and I kind of use that podcast to reconnect with several of our guests. And I try to ask them, I just try to have civil conversations and ask some questions that I think that wrestling fans would ask themselves if they had the opportunity. So it's a, it's largely a pro wrestling show.I may add, you know, I'm going to have some MMA ORG guests as time goes on, some people in the USC ORG. I probably have some NFL ORG guys on that are wrestling fans. You know, then on the open and close, I may throw in a little football, but not a lot. It'll always still remain for that target audience of pro wrestling fans. It's catered to them, it's designed for them, and I like being able to produce my own showand get my own guests. It's a fun thing. And I'm very surprised today I noticed, you know noticed it's number five in the iTunes ORG sports chart. And I thought that was pretty decent considering it we do one show a week and a lot of the shows thatwere ahead of us do multiple shows a week. I'm not lobbying to do two

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or more at this point in time,

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but for doing one show, it's holding its own very well. So for that I think everybody that downloads it and hope they'll give us a shot and try it out. Very cool. I heard a chime in the background,

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which means we are joined by Torch Senior columnist Bruce Mitchell. Bruce, welcome to Livecast ORG,

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to co-host today with Jim PERSON Ross. Good to be here, gentlemen. Excellent. Jim, I want to start off

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by taking a couple phone calls from VIP members on the VIP Express ORG line. And then obviously Bruce PERSON and I have a lot of topics we want to discuss with you. We also have some excellent email questions that we also want to fit into the show. So we'll just keep things moving rapidly and have a good time and express a lot of opinions here. And we'll begin with area code 917 on the VIP Express ORG line. Please state your name in the city or calling from. 911.Hello? Yep, that's you.

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600. Yep. Oh, Benny from New York GPE.

Speaker 20453.18s - 453.76s

Oh, great. Thanks, Benny PERSON.

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What have you got for Jim Ross today? Yeah, actually, I wanted to ask about David Benoit PERSON. Is that right?

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Yep, of course.

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He's, because I know J.R. PERSON spoke about this not so long ago. He's picking his wrestling debut in Calgary soon, and he seems determined to find some future in wrestling. And he recently spoke about that his dad should be in the Hall of Fame ORG.

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I just want to get your thoughts on that.

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And actually, if I can, I have a question for you, Wade PERSON, about the network.

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Yeah.

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I'm, yeah, I have the network to say, one. I enjoy it. And, but I was, honestly, I was pirating pay-per-views since 2007, and I jumped on the network now. And I'm just curious, you know, if you've gotten a lot of emails or tweets

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of people like me who are stopped pirating

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because of the network, that's basically all I got.

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Thank you for taking my call. Absolutely, thanks, Penny PERSON. Yeah, well, I mean, I'll give a short answer and then throw to Jim PERSON on it. I think it's great that there is a price point that for people who just wanted to see himbut could afford or couldn't rationalize spending that kind of money, chose to do something that they shouldn't have done, but access to shows for whatever rationalization or reasons they did without paying. I think it's great that there's a much larger number of people out there who are above board and paying money and contributing to hopefully, although we got a lot of no comments yesterday, hopefully contributing to what wrestlers earn, not just the pocketbooks of investors in Wall Street for all the money going to the network.Jim PERSON, I have heard anecdotes about that from people who are now on board as paying customers for these Sunday specials. We can talk about David Benoit a minute, but it's a good parlay into your thoughts on how the network is going. And, you know, give your opinion on that as a distribution model now and in the long term.

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Well, I think long term it's going to work out well because we continue to get more in the digital age. You know, if you'd ask me two, three, four years ago, if I was going to get on Twitter ORG, I would have asked you, you know, what is Twitter? I was trying to leave a clean lifestyle. I don't know what getting on Twitter ORG means. And plus I'm a happily married man. So all those things will come to my mind.But here I am on Twitter ORG. I just think it's a sign of the time. I think the digital aspect is a good format for them. You can access it virtually anywhere. You know, I'm not disconnected very often even when I fly because of the opportunity to have, you know,

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the Wi-Fi on an airplane.

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So with all that said, I think it's good for the long haul. And I have bought the network on the first day as available without any problems. I don't know if I was in a minority or the majority of how that worked out. But I watch it basically, you know, I don't really have a pattern on when I watch it. I like to know it's available to me whenever I want to watch it. But I can see where some people are, you know, a lot of the stuff on there is not new to mebecause I was, you know, I'm old. But for young fans and fans that didn't experience the 80s or things like that, you know, I think it's pretty cool. So I'm a fan of it. I hope it works out well for everybody. And I think it's really a neat thing.And I'm thinking that this summer, as I spend more time outside, I'm going to probably watch it more on my iPad PRODUCT just sitting outside by the pool and hanging out. So I'm looking forward to doing it in that garage.

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I watched Elimination Chamber on WWW, or not Elimination Charr WORK_OF_ART. I watched the, actually, it had to be the WrestleMania pregame and the first Ressamia WORK_OF_ART on my laptop outdoors before it got too cold here in Minnesota, I moved indoors. I just did it for exactly the reason you kind of just brought up, it had to be the WrestleMania pregame and the first hour rest of my laptop outdoors before it got too cold here in Minnesota GPE and moved indoors. I just did it for exactly the reason you kind of just brought up, like just for the novelty factor of being able to do

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something and carry that live show around

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in a way that I couldn't.

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We're about to go to a commercial break. Why listen to

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commercial breaks when you can go VIP and experience our shows with the ads and plugs removed? PWTorch.com slash go VIP. That's PWTorch.com slash go VIP. That's PWTorch.com slash go VIP for full details. Or go to Patreon ORG.Patreon.com slash PWTorch ORG VIP. Rate start as low as $4.99 to remove the ads and plugs through Patreon ORG. Full VIP membership starts at $9.99. To reach yourself to a streamlined ad and plug-free listening experience with a VIP or Patreon ORG membership.

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Bruce PERSON, I want to say anytime that there's an issue or a follow-up you want to ask related to the topic we're talking about, feel free to jump in when there's a pause. Otherwise, we'll definitely throw to you for your own topics as the show goes on. We're not in the studio together, so I just want to get that bit of business out of the way. Jim, I do want to ask you, would you have voted for the network giving all pay-per-views away for that $995 price tag or $999, or would you have had some second-guessing about going quite that far?Because I know there was a lot of talk about, well, some pay-per-views or all-paper-views or just some pay-per-views be on the network. And as we see these numbers come in, I'm sure there's a little bit of internal, you know, people who said, oh, we shouldn't do that. And they look at the numbers. Some people are going, hey, it worked out well. I'm glad we did it.Other people going, no, we probably shouldn't have or, you know, wait and see. Where would you come down on that?

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Well, I would have, first of all, had to do my due diligence to study the numbers and really crunch them before I could make a definitive opinion or a statement on that. But I do think that adding the pay-per-views to their $9.99 price tag was probably the most attractive feature that you could do because it's very easy to do the math on $999 times $12 and then versus how many pay-per-views you watched a year.I know personally I watch all their pay-per-views. I'm a good customer. I watch all the USC ORG paper views too.

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So it's a neat deal, I think.

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I think it was a great sales tool, a great marketing thing for WWW ORG to do the pay-per-views. I think it's a good idea. I just don't know. I don't have enough knowledge of how they crunch their numbers and all the other things like that to tell you, oh, it was a brilliant move. But I could tell you, from a marketing standpoint, the simple basic marketing philosophyof doing the math on the pay-per-views is a really smart deal. I don't know what they could have added on it that would have made me want to buy it more than the fact that I also got the paper views along with everything else on the network.

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Yeah, I'm sure a lot of people felt that way.

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I'm going to break in before we talk about David Ben-Wan, talk about our sponsor, Sherry's Barry's ORG.

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We have a special going on heading into Mother's Day.

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The place to go is Barry's.com, B-E-R-R-I-E-S. we're talking about David Benoit and talk about our sponsor, Sherry's Berries. We have a special going on heading into Mother's Day.

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The place to go is Berries.com ORG, B-E-R-R-I-E-S dot com, click on the microphone and type in wrestling.

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All right, let's go back to the program.

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David Ben-Wah, Jim, interesting question from Benny PERSON. Getting into wrestling, it's an interesting topic. One, he said he thinks his dad belongs in the Hall of Fame ORG. Hey, he's his, you know, he's his son, and I mean, you know, that's his opinion. But your perspective on David Benoit's PERSON potential in wrestling, how having that last name could help or hurt him, and if you know much about him and if you have an opinion on his prospects.

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You know, I met him a few times, but he was so much younger that it would not be fair for me to judge that he's going to be, he has aptitude and great agility and athletic ability and, you know, inherent instincts for the business because I haven't seen him work. He always seemed like a quiet kid, which doesn't mean anything. Chris PERSON was basically a quiet guy. I'm of the belief, and I will stick steadfast of this belief,that Chris Benoit would not want to be inducted into the WW Hall of Fame ORG simply because his induction would cause an amazing distraction. The issues of the last several hours of his life would be the focal point. And, you know, if it was just his wrestling ability and his journey and wrestling, and is he deserving? Of course. He was an amazing performer.But I think that when you get into that environment in the Hall of Fame ORG, I think it would be a train wreck of his, you know, at his induction. So I think that knowing him as I did, that would not be what he wanted because he was really an old school. I mean, he was making guys clean up after themselves in a locker room, which probably doesn't happen anymore. But, you know, I would have to, I also would be disappointed in the kid if the kid didn'tsay my dad should be in the Hall of Fame ORG. I mean, obviously he's going to think that, and he should, but I don't agree.

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And I hope that he does well. If this is his dream, everybody should be able to have a chance to live their dream.

Speaker 17996.14s - 1018.7s

The last name, gosh, you know, that's a hard one to say. I'm not sure. I think as time moves on, the last thing, but it might not be a big issue. But right now it might be still timely, or maybe the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear that name is murder suicide. And that's probably not the most marketable trait

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that one could be known for. Yeah, I think of Daniel Bryan and I think of Nancy PERSON. And, yeah,

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it's tough. Bruce PERSON, do you have anything to add or follow up on that?

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I think both those things are going to be very difficult for him.

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You hope there's some other avenues for him to explore

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as he explores his chances in pro wrestling.

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Yeah, yeah, it's tough.

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All right, let's go back to the phone lines and go to Air Code 952.

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I believe this is Brian.

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Please let us confirm your name and let us know what city you're calling from.

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This is, again, a VIP Express caller moved to the front of the line because he's a PW Torch ORG VIP member.

Speaker 91054.86s - 1072.72s

And I've been doing so for over a year and a half and proud to do it. I'm calling from Bloomington, Minnesota GPE. I'm inside the Mall of America FAC, only the first nitro. I had two quick questions. One was an oddball, and one was something to hear Jim Ross PERSON elaborate on, which is a privilege to be hearing and speaking to you, Jim PERSON. Thank you.

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The first one is about the WCW ORG rope. I understand that they were cables, and I know it's a odd question,

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but I was always interested in how that affected the talent. Can you speak about that at all in your time at WCW ORG? I think

Speaker 171088.24s - 1111.22s

I don't know that it was a big issue. I think it's like the thing would be analogous to it would be going from aluminum bats to wooden bats. You get used to it.You know, it might be a minor adjustment when you first get in there no different than the size of some rings. But I don't think it was ever a big – I've never heard of being a big issue.

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Jim, I heard when people went from W.EW to the WWF ORG in at least the early 90s in the old WWF rings, that the top ropes in the WBF ORG were less taught, and it was harder to do moves off the top rope because it wasn't all that common, I guess, you know, relatively speaking. Does that ring a bell? Because I think Sean Waltman PERSON has spoken to me about that.

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I can see that being a factor, obviously. But nobody, I'm just saying from I got to WWN 93 ORG, and I don't remember hearing it being a major issue.

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Right.

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You know, again, it's just something I think you get accustomed to

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and not a big thing, but, you know, I may be wrong about that,

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but I just don't think it was a major issue. Brian, what else have you got for Jim PERSON?

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The second question was in regards to the 1996 invasion by ECW ORG.

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I've heard Jerry the King Waller's thoughts on it during the ECW

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DVDs and such.

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I just wanted to know what Jim PERSON thought about it at the time being in charge oftalent relations and everything and thank you so much for LJR was a privilegeyou guys have a good one

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thanks

Speaker 91175.36s - 1177.9s

appreciate it I had

Speaker 171177.9s - 1202.66s

you know it was just a you know you're cast into a fictional television showand you you look at that was just a piece of creative, and I thought it, I had no issues with it. I didn't have any issues with ECW ORG. You know, a lot of those guys became real good friends, and we hired a lot of those guys.

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And so I had no issue with it at all.

Speaker 171207.2s - 1236.9s

It was kind of a novel idea. It seemed to pique some interest. It was a natural rivalry. So, you know, it seemed to me at the time to be, you know, pretty good television. I don't know how well the, you know, some guys may have taken themselves a little too seriously in the W.W.E locker room and the ECW ORG locker room as far as a rivalry is concerned.I never looked at that way, to be honest with you. So I thought it was fine. I had no issues with

Speaker 201236.9s - 1247.46s

it whatsoever. All right. Great. Appreciate the call, Brian. And I appreciate your P.W. Torch VIP membership, by the way, you can become a P.W. Torch VIP member by going to P.W. Torch VIP membership, by the way, you can become a PWTorch ORG VIP member by going to every single week for just a small upcharge.

Speaker 141248.84s - 1311.16s

Need an extra dose of positivity in your wrestling podcasts? Well, come join me, Alan Forrell PERSON, over in the ProRest Paradise at P.W. Torch VIP ORG, as we bask on the bright side of wrestling and focus on some of the great matches and shows from around the world, be it the US, Japan, Europe or Mexico GPE. There's always a place for wrestling's past in the Paradise FAC, too, and we've done fun historical shows such as the We Love Liger series, celebrating the glorious career of Jusin ThunderLiger, and our I Was There When WORK_OF_ART shows where our guests will join me to talk about a classic bout that they were in attendance for. We love variety and you can expect lots of it at the ProRes Paradise FAC. Detailed PW Torch VIP subscription information and a list of all the VIP benefits is available at PWTorch VIP info.com. And yes, all VIP podcasts are compatible with popular podcast apps on iPhone and Android PRODUCT devices, or you can stream them directly from our ad-free VIP mobile site. See you in the paradise.

Speaker 201316.32s - 1331.64s

All right, back to the phone line. Let's go to Area Code 865. Stephen from Tennessee GPE is calling on the VIP Express ORG line. Stephen PERSON, thanks for being a VIP member. And what have you got for Jim Ross today? Hey, guys.

Speaker 51331.84s - 1384.22s

Hey, Jim PERSON. Thanks for taking my call here. My question being this, I'm actually training right now to become a professional wrestler. And listening to this past podcast that you had with, you know, Kim PERSON, and you talked about the development of being a heel and being a face, and I just kind of got me thinking about something I've been going processing for a while. Do you think wrestling overall as a whole needs to go back to its roots to move forward?You know, the attitudeune era has been said and kind of just cashed in and all the deposits that wrestling had been doing for, you know, the 50 years up until that point, you know, as far as title changes and all of that. And so do you think thatwrestling now kind of needs to go back to its roots for its have the ability to move forward and maybe have them to the boom period? Good question. Jim PERSON, what do you think?

Speaker 171384.22s - 1426.82s

I think that I think that the business needs to emphasize the fundamentals more. It's not unlike any other business or any other sport or any other form of entertainment. There are certain fundamental elements that can't be compromised. I think there are a lot of those elements that are compromised today by all wrestling promotions. And, of course, I'll get charged for being bitter and stuck in the 80s or the 70s or some other generation other than now. But the bottom line of it is that some of the fundamental aspects of the business are ignored.You've got to have rules for heels to uh to help them become heels and maintain you know

Speaker 21426.82s - 1433.48s

uh maintain their their role their cast how they're cast in a production the issue of uh

Speaker 171433.48s - 1439.46s

you know a great heel of someone that you will pay money and travel to go see get beat and lose

Speaker 201439.46s - 1443.92s

and pay their dues you know and laugh at them or feel satisfaction that they've been humiliated yep

Speaker 171443.92s - 1513.16s

whatever it is so uh i think some of those fundamentals are lax. So, yeah, I'm a big believer that, you know, that they are, there are protagonists and antagonists. And I know that some people believe that nobody's totally good or totally bad, and there's a fine line and all these little clichés. And everybody's not, they're not a color, nobody's black or white, there are shades of gray and all these things,and I don't buy it. So I do think that fundamentals are essential to get back to in how the product is presented, by and large, industry-wide. Guys don't sell enough. Guys wrestle too quickly.People can't process all they're seeing. And if you can't, then you're losing your audience. If they can't catch a hold and suspend their disbelief and go along for the ride.So, yeah, I think we've got I don't know if we have to go back in time and all that stuff, but I think the fundamentals that are that the business is built upon that people are capitalizing on today and the various promotions needs to be emphasized more.

Speaker 201513.46s - 1516s

I think you phrased it well, Jim PERSON, because I think a lot of people,

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because you and I were actually going back and forth a little bit on Twitter with some of our followers on Twitter this afternoon before the show,

Speaker 201522.78s - 1550.2s

and there are people saying, you know, tweeners are important toers are important to wrestling and citing some wrestlers who were tweeters and even claiming Steve Austin during this hot baby-faced run that he had in the late 90s in the boom period, that he was a tweener. And I kind of argued, I guess it comes down to what a definition of a tweener is. But to me, if you're cast as a wrestler who's supposed to get cheered against heels who you're supposed to take satisfaction and losing to, you're not a tweeter. You're a baby face.But baby faces can, don't all have to be Bob Ackland PERSON.

Speaker 151550.2s - 1554.58s

You know, that there can be, and that's where I think people get confused when they say shades of gray.

Speaker 201554.68s - 1601.7s

To me, sometimes when people advocate for shades of gray in characters, the way that that gets executed takes away the core desire to see them either win or lose. And I think in the end, however somebody is cast, in the end, the goal has to be that you're trying to get, in almost all cases with rare exception, rare exception, you want to have everyone either rooting for them to win or you want everyone rooting for them to lose. You don't want that ambivalence. And that's where I think when people say, oh, go back in the time machine, you say go back to fundamentals. And I think that's a really good way to put it, because there's some fundamentals that make the pro wrestlinggenre work, and it's getting people to care about the outcome of a match, not, as you talked about on your podcast this week, in the lead up to Gil Kim PERSON being your guest, not just getting people to chant, this is awesome and holy shit, and that kind of thing.

Speaker 151602.26s - 1606.8s

Because then they're just reacting to, I thought you're totally right. They're just reacting to high spots in a match,

Speaker 201606.88s - 1634.96s

but that means they're not engaged in who wins or loses. And one final point I want to throw back to you for some thoughts on it. It's like to me that this is awesome chant is like cheering a slam dunk in a basketball game. It's okay to do it, but what you want ultimately in the end is the fans to be really, really excited about their team winning or really sad that their team lost. So you can have a little pop for a high spot,but in the end, if that's there absent of the fans invested in the outcome, you're not

Speaker 171634.96s - 1648.04s

even 10% of the way of where you want to end up. Yep, I agree. You know, it's not going back to wool tights and the baby faces wear white tights and the heels were black tights.

Speaker 151648.36s - 1649.54s

We're not talking that.

Speaker 171649.64s - 1661.66s

We're just talking fundamental. But fundamentals are imperative. Fundamentals of parading. Fundamentals of football. I'm a fundamental guy. I think there are certain – everything's got to have its foundation.

Speaker 81662.06s - 1663.96s

And there are foundations to every entity.

Speaker 171664.5s - 1679.6s

And you start chipping away at the foundation or taking shortcuts when you're building a new foundation, then the structure is not going to be sturdy. It's not going to last. So that's where I am on that deal. Fundamentals is all I'm talking about, not going back to a two-camera shoot and a stick mic.

Speaker 201679.86s - 1704.28s

Right. I think Bill Watts PERSON had that in mind when he became WVP, and it didn't work out for a lot of reasons that we don't have time to get into now. That's a whole two-hour show. But I think he really did want that. And in the ill-fated move of wanting the band moves off the top rope,he was doing that, not because he didn't want there to be high spots, even though we kind of missed out on a little bit of evolution of what fans were looking for by the time he got that job. But he did it because of what you said. There had to be rules to break.

Speaker 151704.86s - 1708.84s

And it was behind the times in the sense that heels weren't the ones going off the top rope at the time he got that job. But he did it because of what you said. There had to be rules to break. And it was behind the times in the sense that heels weren't the ones going off the top rope at the time.

Speaker 201709.08s - 1717.42s

Baby faces were. But I get the spirit of what he was saying. And I think there's a real lesson to be learned from Bill Watts' PERSON intent when he did take over that job a little over 20 years ago. Yeah.

Speaker 171718.56s - 1770.8s

Being thrown on the top rope was a spot that gave the heels an opportunity to get some heat. It was a taking the match away, made it look like it was a more violent, physical, athletic entity. All small nuances, but when you put all the good nuances together, you generally can get a pretty good product. I will agree with you that most of the guys who are doing off the top rope stuffwere the baby faces. But the issue was coming off the top rope put athletes in more danger. And that's what you wanted to try to create was that danger element in the process and a presentation. And it might have been some of them might have been ill-timed. You know, it's easy to go back and look at it now. But I think a lot of people at the time certainly misjudged the motive.Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 201771.14s - 1785s

If you're joining us midstream here, Jim Ross PERSON, who I argue is the greatest play-by-play man in professional wrestling history. I think Gordon Soli PERSON is probably the only other person in that conversation for people who live through his peak era. Bruce, is there a third candidate for Best Play-by-Playman WORK_OF_ART?

Speaker 91786.08s - 1787.56s

Lance Russell in Memphis GPE.

Speaker 201788.18s - 1796.9s

Yeah, I think Lance Russell more as an interviewer and play-by-play, I think he's probably a solid three. As an overall announcer, I got Lance in that top three, too. Yeah.

Speaker 171797.44s - 1840.58s

Yeah. Good man. Good man. Bob Caudillus PERSON are very underrated. I work with Bob PERSON, and Bob was very talented. It's hard for a play-by-play guy to find their timing and their stride as a color broadcaster on a television show.And my role was to do the play-by-play by design, by how it was produced, and Bob PERSON became my partner. And I would really love working with Bob PERSON. You know, our goal was always to put the talent over. We didn't have any untimely bickering sessions. And now I've had some good bickering sessions with guys, but the best ones were when it was when they were not ill timesand didn't distract from the presentation and the right.

Speaker 151841.02s - 1845.52s

But Bob PERSON was really good, and it's one of my favorite people I've ever worked with.

Speaker 171846.24s - 1847.1s

Jim PERSON, do you find a...

Speaker 81847.1s - 1848.18s

Wait, wait.

Speaker 201848.36s - 1848.9s

Yeah, please go to.

Speaker 81849.82s - 1856.1s

I mean, I grew up watching in wrestling, watching Bob Cottle do play-by-play for Middle Lane Championship Wrestling ORG.

Speaker 171856.4s - 1863.34s

And he was very good and very smooth in a time where you were looking for that next-door neighbor,

Speaker 201863.88s - 1869s

solid person to call you, to be a broadcaster and to call things.

Speaker 81869.18s - 1870.9s

And he was there.

Speaker 171871.06s - 1873.6s

He was a very good wrestling commentary.

Speaker 81873.72s - 1875.1s

I mean, wrestling, play by player now.

Speaker 201875.78s - 1934.1s

And we're not saying there's only been three or four good ones, but in terms of the elite who had a long-term track record in a successful territory that did good business, you know, Mark Loran PERSON's had his moments. McCarsh PERSON on the indie scene has done really good work. The long list of good announcers. But Jim Ross PERSON has some great calls.And as the show progresses here, I'm going to pull out some – we ran a Twitter contest, and we'll be announcing the winners next week where people could tweet, hashtag Sherry's Berries and include at P.W. Torch ORG, our Twitter handle, in the comment, and list their favorite Jim Ross PERSON moment calling action, either a match or a big angle. And I'll be thrown some of those at you a little bit later in the show, Jim PERSON, and get your reaction, some quick thoughts and memories on some of them that readers tweeted.You can follow us on Twitter, by the way, at P.W. Torch ORG. And you can follow me at the Wade Keller. And Jim PERSON, of course, you can follow at J.R. Is it JRS BBQ? That's it. JRS VBQ. Pretty simple.

Speaker 171939.5s - 1943.92s

You don't have to wait for the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Post Show EVENT to find out what I thought of Monday Night

Speaker 201943.92s - 1945.2s

Raw and Smackdown WORK_OF_ART.

Speaker 171945.26s - 1951.42s

You can check out my reports that are updated live throughout Raw and Smackdown at PWTorch.com.

Speaker 191951.42s - 1999.48s

My written report will tell you what's happening in detail in case you missed the show, and it will also analyze key segments and give my random thoughts and quips on what I am watching as it airs. So check it out every Monday night and Tuesday night at PWTorch.com. That also applies to WWE ORG pay-per-views. I cover those live at PWTorch.com with a detailed written report with star ratings.And of course, you can find other TV reports from other contributors to PWTorch, such as NXT, R.O.H. Impact Wrestling ORG and more. Check it out.p.wetorch.com. Your first stop for TV and pay-per-view written reports. Jim PERSON, I want to ask more about it also,

Speaker 201999.56s - 2019.4s

but I do want here at the midpoint of the show roughly to talk to you about your touring and doing live interaction in Q&A with wrestling fans on tour. And you've got a date coming up in Toronto GPE also. Talk about how that came about, how many shows you've done, and how that experience is different than maybe you anticipated before you started on the project.

Speaker 172020.66s - 2262.86s

Well, the idea came about kind of indirectly through Brett to hit me in Hart PERSON. He had made a tour in the U.K. GPE with a promoter there. And the promoter had mentioned to Brett PERSON that he would like to bring me over to do spoken word tours, they called them. And Brett PERSON got a hold of me and with the promoters' information, we exchanged some emails. And I put him in contact with Barry Bloom PERSON who's representing me. And they worked out the details for four one-night stands in the U.K. last summer.And I told Barry PERSON, he said, I think this is really going to be something we're going to want to pursue. I said, well, there's two things about it. One is if I'm any good at it, I'll consider pursuing it. And if I have fun doing it, I'll consider pursuing it. So I go do the four shows, and it really was a good experience. I had a lot of fun.And the ability to interact with a live crowd is kind of like doing a stage play or doing live Monday Night Raw back in the day. There's no net, no retakes, so here we are. And then surrounded by fans and then the interaction, I found out that the most stimulating part of the performance that I do are the Q&As. And the fans have things on their mind.They have things they want to talk about. And I am, I don't, no question is off limits. Ask what, you know, they paid your pay, look, you paid your money. You're kind enough to come to my show. Ask whatever you choose. I'm not so egocentric that I make up an answer if I don't know.I just tell them I don't know. Or if they ask an opinion, and they don't necessarily agree with my opinion, I don't know if either one of us are actually wrong because you're asking for someone's opinion. So I did that,and then when I left WWE in September, we had an offer, Barry negotiated with Live Nation ORG, and Live Nation ORG owns Ticketmaster, and Live Nation owns a bunch of venues, like House of Blues ORG and things of that nature. So Live Nation signed me up, and we did a show in New York City GPE. I did two shows in New York City, two shows in New Orleans during WrestleMania Week.We've got one coming up May 9th, next Friday, in Toronto at the Dan Fourth Music Hall FAC. Then we've got one coming up on Saturday, May 31st. It's the day before a WWPay-per-view in Chicago. I'll be at the House of Blues in Chicago. That's an afternoon show, a 2 o'clock show in Chicago on May 31st, last day in May. And, of course, tickets are a ticketmaster, hence Live Nation on the Ticketmaster ORG kind of helps.So it's really a cool package deal there. And I'm probably not going to work as many shows as the promotion would like for me too. They'd like for me to work about one a week, or one a year, one a week, and I'm really not that anxious to go on the road that much, and my wife has kind of encouraged me to not make that decision, you know. So I get it.So I'm going to do probably one a month, but then when football season comes in September, I'm done doing Saturday shows because I'm going to go watch all you play football, Oklahoma University ORG. So Idon't do the shows because I just got to have that payday. I do the shows because I have fun. I enjoy working with and in front of the fans. I still consider myself a fan, not a celebrityfor God's sakes. I started out as a fan. I'm going to die as a fan. So I have fun doing them. I still consider myself a fan, not a celebrity, for God's sakes. I started out as a fan. I'm going to die as a fan. So I have fun doing them. I like the Q&A's. I like the meet and greets.We kind of did my contract a little bit because they were wanting me to do the meet and greets in a shorter period of time once they saw how I did a meet and greet. And I'm not going to do a cattle call.

Speaker 22263.22s - 2266.32s

I'm not going to sign things from my head down and disregard people

Speaker 172266.32s - 2269.44s

or not want to take a picture or not personalize an autograph.

Speaker 22270.08s - 2271.28s

I think that's bullshit.

Speaker 102271.46s - 2272.1s

I'm not doing it.

Speaker 172272.5s - 2343.3s

So we extend more time for the meet and greets because I'm just not going to, I'm not going to blow people off who paid the most money. It makes no sense. It's bad marketing, bad promotion. And I still got that promoter in me in that regard. So that's kind of the genesis of it, and I'm having a blast doing them.Probably in 2015 we'll start in January, and we may move to one every three weeks because we have a lot of places that want me to play their room, and then I'll – but I can slow down a little bit by the time football of the rules around. So it's a great experience. I'm having fun with it.It kind of gives me that performance feel back, you know, where I can have a little fun in that regard. So I'm very blessed with this deal. It came along at the right place, the right time, and it's been a real neat deal for me. So between the podcast, being able to exercise my creativity, what creativity I have,which is arguable, and the one-man shows, you know, it's been a real good creative release for me. And then down in New Orleans, you know, Jim Cordette PERSON says, I want to come to your show.

Speaker 152344.1s - 2348.06s

So, you know, yeah, I'll get, you know, I'll put you on, I don't want to just put you on

Speaker 172348.06s - 2359.46s

the show. So he comes out and he, we do the Q&A's together on the first show. Then Steve, Stone Cold PERSON says, I want to come to your show. And I said, well, you know, you're going to have to do a run-in because, you know,

Speaker 02359.48s - 2363.1s

if you're going to be in the building, you need to come out and do the Q&A for these, let's do it.

Speaker 172363.54s - 2383.98s

So a little bonus thing for the, for the fans. And, you know, I'm probably going to have a few surprises in Toronto, a few surprises in Chicago. But it's a fun thing for me at this stage of my life to be able to go back out and interact with the fans and to be creative again. And I'm having a blast doing it. So that's a story on the one-man show.

Speaker 202383.98s - 2387.26s

So that's May 9th in Toronto at Danforth Music Hall ORG.

Speaker 172387.42s - 2388.78s

Tickets available on Ticketmaster ORG.

Speaker 202388.92s - 2391s

Just enter Jim Ross PERSON in the search box to find it.

Speaker 172391.62s - 2437.06s

Yeah, yeah, that's it. I think that's all you do. And they'll be available at the venue, both venues, the day of the show. So if somebody procrastinating, they haven't been paid yet or whatever, don't know what you want to do. If you decide you want to come the day of the show.The venue in Toronto GPE is the biggest one we booked. It's about 1,000 seats. So we should have plenty of room there. And the venue in Chicago, I think they told me the capacity for that one is about 800. And those are big crowds for this type of show.So we'll have room if you decide late you want to come. So that encourages the walk-up because sometimes people think automatically, well, I did give my tickets early, so it's sold out. Well, they're not sold out. That's good to know.

Speaker 22437.38s - 2438.22s

That's a deal.

Speaker 202438.82s - 2443.46s

Then May 31st in Chicago, a matinee show and afternoon show also.

Speaker 152444.12s - 2444.82s

Very good.

Speaker 172445.5s - 2447.12s

This Sunday, by the way, Extreme Rules WORK_OF_ART,

Speaker 152448.02s - 2449.94s

a WWE's Sunday special,

Speaker 202450.16s - 2451.12s

formerly known as pay-per-view,

Speaker 172451.24s - 2453.24s

still are known as pay-per-view because they still are in pay-per-view.

Speaker 202454.28s - 2458.52s

And we will have coverage of that in half-ar after the show ends right here

Speaker 22458.52s - 2460.18s

on the P.W. Torch Livecast ORG.

Speaker 202460.18s - 2626.72s

You can find this show live or on-demand at P.W.torch-livecast.com. We are the number one pro-wrestling talk show that you can find this show live or on demand at PWTorchLivecast.com ORG. We are the number one pro wrestling talk show that you can find every day that is hosted by full-time journalists covering the sport of professional wrestling. And we are here Monday through Friday and after major WWB pay-per-views and some TNA pay-per-views on Sunday nights. Monday, Bruce Mitchell PERSON, who has contributed to this show and is standing by to ask more questions and follow-ups. He is a senior columnist for Poursing Torch ORG. He's joined by Travis Bryant every Monday in the one-hour lead-up to Monday Night Raw at PwTorchLivecast.com.You can also listen to Travis Bryant and his host, Dre PERSON, talk wrestling at length on their show, our sister program, which is the East Coast cast available at blog talk radio.com ORG slash east coast cast. And then I host right here, the live cast on Tuesdays, with Jason Powell of the great website, pro wrestling.net. And we are on at 530 Eastern. And usually we dedicate most of the show to discussing Monday Night Raw WORK_OF_ART from the night before and other breaking news stories.Again, taking live phone calls throughout the show and email questions. Wednesday's Pat McNeil PERSON hosts with a special guest, often wrestlers, oftentimes indie wrestlers, or ex-wrestlers who are off the radar a little bit from a lot of people who just focus on Raw WORK_OF_ART. It's a really good show to check out if you want to learn about different side of the business than just what happened on Raw this week and the top stories of the week. And then Thursdays, James Caldwell, the assistant editor of PwTorch ORG.com, is joined by Greg Parks, a Torch columnist, and then Fridays is Interview Friday.But again, this Sunday night, a half hour after Extreme Rules WORK_OF_ART ends, join us here live at pwtorchlivecast.com for a call-in postgame show. And if you're new to the livecast, you can get archived interviews at PWTorchLivecast.com with Jake Roberts, AJ Stiles, Diamond Dallas Page, hardcore Holly, Justin Credible PERSON, Sean Waltman, known as Xbox, 1, 2, 3, Kid, many ex-WBWB writers, Stone Cold Steve Austin PERSON, Jerry Lynn, Jerry Jarrett, NWA referee, Tommy Young PERSON, Million Dollar Man, Teddy Biaz, J.J. Dillon, Mickey James, Scott Hall, Jerry Jarrett, Jimmy Hart, NWA referee, Tommy Young,million-dollar man, Teddy Biazzi, J.J. Dillon, Mickey James, Scott Hall, Nikita Kohloff PERSON, and so many more. Heck, TNA President Dixie Carter was on the show. Gold Dust PERSON, Rino, the late Paul Baird did two long interviews with us in 2012. And so much more. Those are in the archives. The full interviews, unedited, and now ad-free. The new ones are ad-free. All of the unedited ones, which means you get the VIP after show also available.One click away when you're a VIP member on the VIP website. So lots of advantages going VIP, and the place to go for that again is pwtorch.com slash go VIP.

Speaker 02631.72s - 2680.16s

Every Sunday night, catch wrestling night in America on PWTorchdailycast.com hosted by me, PWTorch columnist Greg Parks PERSON. Each week I'll welcome a co-host from the Torch ORG family to discuss the big shows in pro wrestling taking your calls and emails. You can listen live most weeks beginning at 8 p.m. Eastern. On Sunday nights with a WWE or Impact ORG Pay-P-P-P-P-view, we go on the air at the conclusion of that pay-per-view. You can listen live, but beginning at 8 p.m. Eastern. On Sunday nights with a WWE or Impact pay-per-view, we go on the air at the conclusion of that pay-per-view.You can listen live, but of course the full show is available for download on-demand anytime shortly after it airs. Visit pwtorchdailycast.com and click the live stream link to find the next scheduled live show link. Search PWTorch and Apple ORG Podcasts or your podcast app to subscribe. Wrestling Night in America every Sunday, PwW.Torchdailycast.com ORG.Jim Ross is my guest, Bruce Mitchell PERSON,

Speaker 202680.28s - 2712.6s

Purch PERSON, senior columnist, is co-hosting the show. And I want to go to an email question, Jim PERSON, following up on talking about announcing. And this is Jay from North Carolina GPE. And he said, I'd love to hear you speak about this, Jim PERSON. I was watching StarK 887 on the network, and it had my two favorite commentators on commentary, Tony Shabani and Jim Ross PERSON.I had no idea those two had worked together, although I assume they had at least for a few years. So my question is basically, what was your relationship like with Tony PERSON? I know Tony PERSON has openly spoken about how he was never that into wrestling, so that's something that always seemed odd to me. Jim, your thoughts on Tony PERSON?

Speaker 172713.52s - 2858.2s

He was, we room together, we traveled together. You know, the only tension we ever had was when Turner PERSON made the decision to put Tony in syndication for most of his work and put me on TBS ORG, there was a little tension there, but it wasn't created by he or I. That was a Turner PERSON decision. But you never did we ever have any personal issues. We've reconnected.I talked to him on the phone the other day for a good while. He's got a bunch of our products. I sent him a box of barbecue sauce and mustard and ketchup. He's going to be a guest in my podcast in July because he does Gwinnett Braves ORG baseball, among many other multitasking projects with WSB Radioand the Braves ORG organization. So he has a break. I think it's an all-star break or something in July that we'll tape a podcast. But we really basically got along just fine. You know, when we did the first class of champions, they're in Greensboro GPE, that was a big, that was kind of a bucket list thing for me because I think that was the first time I was ever in the Greensburg Coliseum FAC.And as a sports and a wrestling fan, that was and was a famous facility. And then, of course, it was the first class of champions. That was kind of a big moment for Turner PERSON. And Tony PERSON did the play-by-play, and I did the color. I was Bob Collarroll PERSON, and I had no issues doing it. You know, it wasn't an ego thing.Well, I want to be the first to speak, or I welcome us back from breaks, and all the things that play-by-play guy does. So I had a good time working with Tony PERSON. He was bright, and he prepared, and no issues. His first love is baseball, but there's nothing, my first love is football.But it doesn't mean that we can't distinguish ourselves within the world of wrestling. And I probably was a little bit more of a wrestling freak than him, but that's arguable, perhaps. But his first love without question was baseball.And now he's getting to live his dream, and I'm happy for him. He's doing good, and we're staying in touch. So that's a good thing. That's one thing that Twitter ORG kind of helps with, because I followed him and he followed me, and then we were able to direct message, and then exchange phone numbers, and off we go.

Speaker 02858.7s - 2867.26s

There's a whole generation, Jim, who don't know how difficult it was to connect to old friends until Facebook and Twitter came around. I mean, it's just so taken for granted by, you know, younger people today.

Speaker 172868.16s - 2869.4s

It was tough chasing them down.

Speaker 202870.2s - 2873.9s

Let's go back to the phone lines, and let's go to Eric Code 562.

Speaker 172874.02s - 2875.64s

This is Ruben J. PERSON, I believe, calling.

Speaker 202876.24s - 2877.48s

What's the you calling from today, Ruben PERSON?

Speaker 172878.94s - 2880.04s

Hey, from Los Angeles.

Speaker 202880.12s - 2880.6s

How are you doing?

Speaker 102880.86s - 2881.38s

Doing good.

Speaker 202881.42s - 2884.84s

Thanks for Colin PERSON. What have you got for Jim Ross today? Hey, Jim PERSON.

Speaker 102885s - 2910.04s

First of all, I wanted to say this last WrestleMania with the Daniel Bryan PERSON moment winning the championship could have really used your enthusiasm and your broadcasting. I really missed that this year. But my question for you is I'm a right now, I'm currently a red car interviewer, and I do want to talk about entertainment. And I've been wanting to break into wrestling. And I just don't know, you know, how to go about it.

Speaker 172910.04s - 3021.86s

I want to get any advice for people who want to break into, like, the announcing side of professional wrestling. Well, Rub PERSON and I would put together a reel, and the real of you working as an interviewer or a broadcaster, and it certainly doesn't have to be in wrestling. The basic, again, we're going back to that word fundamentals, the fundamental skills of how you enunciate your posture, your appearance overall, and that's not easy for me to say.You've got three bouts of Bell's Palsy PRODUCT, and you're not really HD-friendly, but you just build yourself a reel of your work. And I, and depending on what you do for your day job, take every opportunity that you can to do your work, even if it's not being not paid. Unless that's your, unless broadcasting is your gig, you've got to make money.But if you are just trying to get into the wrestling world, the WW ORG or whatever, they're going to want a reel. They're going to want a resume. They're going to want to see you and hear you. And if they like what they see and hear,then they'll bring in for an audition. And then you can, you know, you can do their style these days of storytelling or color or interviewing, whatever, you know, but you've got to understand that what they're looking for is the different, they're not looking for guys like me.They're looking for storytellers and narrators, which is fine. It's their ballgame. But that's the, you need to know your audience, as they say. You need to know who's hiring you. But they're going to want a reel and a resume and then keep your fingers crossed. But get all the practice that you can and put your best work on a reel.It's about two or three minutes long and say your prayers. Take your vitamins. Rubin PERSON, thanks for the call.

Speaker 203021.96s - 3022.72s

Any follow-up?

Speaker 173024.58s - 3025.48s

No, just thank you.

Speaker 203025.54s - 3031.04s

I mean, I appreciate the advice, and hopefully, you know, hopefully we have to see you do something with the WWE Network ORG.

Speaker 103031.98s - 3032.74s

Yeah, a bit of a look, man.

Speaker 203033.54s - 3034.16s

Great, thanks, Ruben PERSON.

Speaker 103034.2s - 3035.4s

Appreciate your VIP membership, too.

Speaker 203035.74s - 3036.62s

Really appreciate your support.

Speaker 103037.52s - 3040.54s

Jim, I want to relive some memories of your great calls over the years.

Speaker 203040.98s - 3149.64s

This is via Twitter. We ran a contest. We're going to be giving away some $50 gift certificates to folks who tweeted and included hashtag Sherry's PRODUCT Berries in the tweet to our Twitter account, which is at PW Torch ORG. I'm going to run down a few of them, and you can pick out a couple that you want to just give maybe a few brief memories on. It is great, though. It's gotto be nice as an announcer to have fans who remember literally moments in time in wrestling that are enhanced by the way that you called the match and the genuine excitement and the way with words that you had. And I said it years ago that the day that you left wrestling as an announcer, unless there was a magnificent replacement, it would change the way that I watched wrestling. It seemed like, with all the respect to Michael Cole and all the challenges he faces with the way shows are produced now, as Steve Austin PERSON laments, often on his show, too. It's just not the same.You were the last of the territory era, fundamental era. Let's treat it like a sport and act like the winner and loser counts, and we're on the edge of our seat every moment because a three count changes the universe. That type of intensity, I miss. And a lot of fans miss you, too. Chris Volante on Twitter said that his best J.R. call was the 1996 King of the Ring when fully was tossed off the cage. He remembers you yelling, they've killed him. Another one was Joey. Joey Splashwater on Twitter said favorite J.R. call is Austin's return match against Bischoff PERSON, pure emotion at its best.Also, another comment was the best JR moment was the last 10 minutes of raw before every pay-per-view during doing the hard sell. I want to read a few more to you, Jim PERSON, but anything jump out on those memories or those areas of specialty for you.

Speaker 173150.6s - 3159.76s

Well, you know, the Foley coming off the hell in the cell in Pittsburgh, I think that was 98, actually. But I might be wrong.

Speaker 23160.32s - 3165.5s

In any event, it was when it was a long time ago, 16 years almost.

Speaker 173165.96s - 3205.42s

It's amazing that people remember the exact wording. And I get reminded of that call every day. Somewhere on Twitter somebody will remind me of that. And then, of course, that audio has been lifted in the magical world of technology and put on, you know, NBA slam dunks and U.S.C. GPE fights and today again Clowny hits and different things.And then now they're picking out more of my calls. And I saw someone sent me one day from a hockey game where a guy, a player named Kane PERSON, scores a goal. And then one of my cane calls was lifted and put on there.

Speaker 103205.72s - 3206.6s

It's very flattering.

Speaker 173207.16s - 3211.74s

And I really didn't know at the time that they would hang around that long,

Speaker 103211.88s - 3214.52s

but it's pretty cool to be remembered.

Speaker 173215.56s - 3232.2s

And the nice thing about the WWE network is the fact that those calls are now going to be passed on to another generation. I get so many people that tweet me to say, we didn't know you were in wrestling before WWE ORG. I was only in 19 years before I got to WW ORG.

Speaker 03232.36s - 3235.66s

I kind of had a cup of coffee there, but all those are good.

Speaker 23235.66s - 3241.08s

And then that day, the sell on those pay-per-views was pretty imperative.

Speaker 03241.64s - 3253.08s

And you kind of know, you know, I get the feeling, I get the itch when I watch Joe Rogan and Dana White do their hard sell on Fox Sports One ORG before going into the pay-per-view.

Speaker 173253.52s - 3262.78s

They do about the same, it's the same theory to create some excitement and some sense of urgency, and that's something I can't miss.

Speaker 23263.66s - 3268.7s

And now, you know, the shows are produced to where the announcers lay out a lot,

Speaker 173268.7s - 3355.64s

and you go more of an organic with the crowd feels. And I'm not a big, you know, I'm not a big, philosophically, I'm not there with that. But, you know, again, it's what it is. But that Foley call is reminded of me daily. Austin and Bischoff PERSON was, it was just a great, there was a true antagonist in Bischoff who everybody wanted to see get his ass whipped.He was a great villain. And Austin was the hero, the John Wayne PERSON or whatever. And you knew, that's a situation where you knew that the gunslinger was going to slay the bad guy and that Bischoff PERSON deserved everything he was going to get. So it was a very anticipated moment. And as a fan, you know, I got caught up in the storylines like everybody else.I never played the role of a wrestling broadcaster. I never was that plaid jacket, playing a character guy, excepting the man on the moon. And that was playing Lance PERSON, and Lance was there. I still haven't figured that out. But I was never played the role. That was me being me, for better or for worse, quite frankly. I'll take the peak for that. If it was not good, it's just me. So there's been a lot of good moments. And I get reminded of them all the time, and it's nice people that aren't forgetting. Anytime you're watching WW Raw ORG or Smackdown

Speaker 193355.64s - 3389.54s

or AEW Dynamite ORG in particular, send us an email if you've got thoughts on the show or a topic you want us to address or a question for us. Wade Keller PERSON podcast at pwtorch.com. Wade Keller PERSON podcast at p.w.torch.com. If there's anything else going on in pro wrestling that you want us to address on our main podcast during our mailbag segments, that same email applies. Wade Keller PERSON podcast at pw.torch.com. We invite that interaction. Let us know what you think of what we're saying,and let us know what you want us to talk about and ask us specific questions. Wade Keller PERSON podcast at pw.torch.com.

Speaker 203394.3s - 3416.5s

I'll list a couple more here. Jason Jeremiah on Twitter said, Stone Cold PERSON is shaking hands with Satan PERSON himself. For the love of God, someone tell me this is not happening. That's one of his favorite moments. Another Jim Ross PERSON moment just Russomedia 14, stone cold, stone cold, stone cold. And Eric Fiera says the 2002 ladder match with Undertaker Hardy PERSON, climb the ladder kid, make yourself famous. Any thoughts on those, Jim PERSON?

Speaker 173416.92s - 3567.62s

Well, you know, the Austin PERSON stuff was easy because he was so over that if you're sitting at ringside and you're not being aloof or arrogant and he still let yourself be a wrestling fan, you couldn't help but get caught up in the moment. He gave me a lot of opportunities to have that bottom of the ninth walk-off home run call. And they all can't be that. But when he get one, man, you want to take it to the house on that deal.The Jeff Hardy PERSON Undertaker match was really a match or a program or a little situation on the raw that I didn't feel in the beginning because I didn't know how seriously people would take Jeff being able to beat the Undertaker PERSON. But then when they did the latter match stipulation, which is good booking, it kind of even the playing field a little bit that gave Jeff PERSON a better opportunity. And then the credit has to go out to Undertaker PERSON for being so generous and working withJeff PERSON as well as he did. So they just started telling this compelling story. And I got caught up in the fact that Jeff Hardy could beat the Undertaker PERSON. I mean, he's a made man. He's going to be famous. He's going to. And I kind of got into fact that Jeff Hardy could beat the Undertaker PERSON. I mean, he's a made man. He's going to be famous. He's going to, and I think, and I kind of got into that whole Jeff Hardy PERSON thing again,but the fans kind of prompted it. So it was unfortunate to me, and I liked both the Hardy PERSON kids. I hired them both, and I've written, you know, it's been challenging at times with some of their issues, specifically with Jeff PERSON. But I really care for those boys. I really do like them both.I wish that they both had, when they left WWE ORG, that they could have harnessed that potential somewhere else and really raised the bar for themselves. Because I never really thought that TNA ORG, and I'm not on a T&A knocking deal, I never thought TNA really booked Jeff PERSON as advantageously as they couldand take advantage of what they had. But, you know, everybody can bitch about booking. It's a subjective thing. There's a lot of right ways to do things in wrestling. But, you know, that was, I really had a lot of, I had a lot of emotion invested in the Hardee ORG's because I recruited them.They were wrestling fans. They were oversized. They weren't college, you know, jocks. They were just indie wrestlers that got there, got to the big dance. And Jeff Hardy PERSON had that intangible connection with the audience, that for whatever reason they reacted to him in a real positive way.

Speaker 203568.5s - 3578.84s

A few more, and then we'll move on a couple more calls here. Sean Ryder on Twitter, favorite J.R. memory, Rock Hogan, Mania 18 LAW. Hogan drops a leg, and J.R. shouts, he beat Andre the Giant PERSON with that move.

Speaker 153579.58s - 3586.24s

Another one, the big, bad grim on Twitter says, my favorite Jim Ross call was at Hell on a Cell 2011.

Speaker 203586.6s - 3601.06s

My God, they've got bolt cutters. And also, this is from Spencer Parente, who says, HBK kicks out of the tombstone against Taker PERSON, and Ross says, I just had an out-of-body experience. Any thoughts on those, Jim PERSON?

Speaker 173601.54s - 3609.32s

I remember them, you know, when people bring them up, you know, they start having these flashes of a video in your head.

Speaker 23609.52s - 3609.9s

Yes.

Speaker 173610.66s - 3653.6s

And it was just, I, it's just being a fan, Wade, and Bruce PERSON, it's just being that guy that always loved the business and always respected it and respected the fans. And I didn't have it past it, but I wasn't playing the the fans and I didn't half ass it, but I wasn't playing the role of this, I wasn't being an actor. Again, for better for worse, that was me. And so it was easy to do that job for me. I never felt great pressure on being a wrestling announcer because I was just going out there and being me.And some nights, I had good nights, and some nights I had horrible nights in my view. I'm my own worst critic. There's a ton of shows that are airing now on the WW Network ORG. I've never gone back and watched because I didn't think I did well.

Speaker 153654.46s - 3656.02s

There are very few pay-per-views I've gone

Speaker 173656.02s - 3660.22s

back and re-watched. But I get reminded of the good ones, and I appreciate it.

Speaker 153660.44s - 3662.24s

But, you know, the Undertaker

Speaker 173662.24s - 3689.1s

of Sean Michaels' PERSON match that I got to do in Houston GPE at WrestleMania 25 was absolutely a work of art. It was, again, Undertaker PERSON putting themselves in positions that made the match believable and attainable for a smaller guy to win, even a great smaller guy like Sean Michaels. And we forgot about size and weight and height and all that stuff.

Speaker 23689.1s - 3697.9s

So that was just a great – but they had such a – one of my big regrets in the business was not broadcasting Sean PERSON's last match.

Speaker 173698.8s - 3700.14s

That's a big regret.

Speaker 23701.18s - 3706.34s

But I got to do the one the year before, so, you know, as Lawler PERSON would say, one can't agree

Speaker 173706.34s - 3706.76s

forever.

Speaker 23707.5s - 3712.24s

Have you been close to announcing any matches on big shows that just didn't come to fruition

Speaker 173712.24s - 3715.06s

because one of the wresters wanted you, too, but it just didn't work out?

Speaker 203716.42s - 3716.94s

Oh, not.

Speaker 173717.36s - 3728.1s

I know that, well, I was told that both Sean and Undertaker PERSON really wanted me to do the

Speaker 203728.1s - 3735.94s

WrestleMania 26 EVENT match, but it just wasn't facilitated, and they tried, but, you know, it just

Speaker 173735.94s - 3736.64s

didn't come to be.

Speaker 203737.04s - 3739.94s

I think that's probably the most significant one that I'm aware of.

Speaker 173739.94s - 3746.52s

I know that, on the other hand, when I had, when we were in the U.K. GPE and my mom passed,

Speaker 03746.64s - 3751.2s

and that whole weekend was a horrific weekend because I lose my 64-year-old mother,

Speaker 153751.78s - 3754.22s

suddenly then I get Bell ORG's palsy on the air.

Speaker 03755.48s - 3761.18s

And I thought that second bout of Bell ORG's Palsy was probably going to end my broadcasting career.

Speaker 173761.18s - 3828.62s

So it was a very, it wasn't a good weekend, to say the least. broadcasting career. So it was a very, it wasn't a good weekend, to say the least. But I think that when I came backprematurely, I would read my face was still sagging and I had to hold my face up to enunciate. But Rock PERSON and Austinhad gone to Vince and had really lobbied for me to call their match at WrestleMania EVENT. It was their first WrestleMania match of three. And so that lifted my spirits, and kind of got me back in the game,because I really believed that the first bout of Bell ORG's palsy, I didn't know what the hell it was, so I wasn't, I read about it. I got information on it. Well, it's temporary, and, you know, you'll be fine in four weeks or six weeks. But, boy, the second bout was scared the heck out of me because I just didn't think I was going to recover from it. Well, it's temporary, and, you know, you'll be fine in four weeks or six weeks. But, boy, the second bout was scared the heck out of me because I just didn't think I was going to recover from it. And I kind of did, but then the third time I got it, I was, the paralysis around my mouth,they'll say, well, JR PERSON's always pissed off, or JR's always better because he never smiles. Well, you know, if I could smile, I would have a smile you couldn't blow off with a sandblaster.

Speaker 153829.12s - 3829.78s

But I can't.

Speaker 173829.98s - 3836.46s

Yeah, I can't. That's just, but I don't let it define me. If other people have a problem with it, it's their problem. It's sure as hell isn't mine.

Speaker 203837.18s - 3876.62s

Yeah, yeah, well put, well put. We'll hear for more from Bruce Mitchell in the VIP After Show EVENT, and we'll answer a lot more of the emails. We've got some good email topics. Topics I would not have thought to ask that we will be asking of Jim in the VIP After Show EVENT. I do want to note that Jim PERSON talks about these great moments and these great calls and that fans get to relive them on the network. I try to slip this in because we've gotten a great response from VIP members, including new ones,who have joined specifically to have access to our 26-and-a-half-year library of coverage of the pay-per-view era of wrestling. The torch started in 1987, and we cover the vast majority of wrestling pay-per-views and have my reports on almost every single pay-per-view.

Speaker 193876.72s - 3881.22s

During that time is available when you go VIP with breakdowns of each of the matches, star ratings.

Speaker 203883.6s - 3886.36s

Give yourself a reason to look forward to going to the mailbox each week

Speaker 193886.36s - 3947.4s

with a PWTorch ORG newsletter, paper copy subscription. Details at pwtorch.com ORG slash paper copy. It's 12 pages every week packed with my TV reports, along with exclusive features such as my cover story on the top story of the week, our pay-per-view roundtable reviews from the Torch ORG staff, exclusive feature-length columns from Greg Parks PERSON,Rich fan, Sean Radican, Alan Coonahan, and Zach Hedorn PERSON, Torch Talk ORG transcripts, the latest news, and more. PwTorch.com slash paper copy. Take a break from screen time and settle in every week with a mega dose of wrestling news and analysis with a pro-Ressling Torch ORG newsletter,paper copy edition in the year 2022. you can get a full year of home delivery for just $99. Or try us for an eight-week trial subscription. Pwtorch.com slash paper copy. To get some of those in before we shift to the VIP after show.

Speaker 203947.52s - 3955.82s

We're already in overtime past the live normal one-hour time slot. 4-4-3 is up next and then 2-1-9 is on deck. 4-4-3, please state your name and where you're calling from.

Speaker 153957.68s - 3958.6s

Jason from Dundalk GPE.

Speaker 203959.04s - 3959.94s

Hey, Jason, thanks for Colin PERSON.

Speaker 153960.08s - 3960.62s

What do you got for Jim PERSON?

Speaker 63961.1s - 3962.06s

Yeah, we can hear you just fine.

Speaker 153964.26s - 3969.12s

Yeah, JR PERSON, I guess most importantly, I just wanted to say thank you as a wrestling fan

Speaker 203969.12s - 3972.8s

and as a fellow Bells-Pauczy ORG suffer.

Speaker 63974.56s - 3983.26s

I think it was more important for me to call and say thank you. You've made bad programs tolerable and great programs, you know, classic.

Speaker 173983.88s - 3985.24s

So I just wanted to say thank you.

Speaker 153985.9s - 3986.7s

I appreciate it.

Speaker 173986.86s - 3987.5s

I appreciate it.

Speaker 63987.5s - 3988.46s

I always doing my best.

Speaker 173988.68s - 4005.98s

And, you know, you get those hands dealt to you that are sometimes not all your favor and you've got to throw your cards in for that hand. But I never gave up. And I'm still working. I'm still busy. So it's all good.So I appreciate your sentiment very much. Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 64006.96s - 4008.86s

I had two questions for you.

Speaker 154009.7s - 4014.54s

One, do you think that Vince McMahon PERSON appreciates what you did as head of talent relations?

Speaker 174015.46s - 4020.26s

For us fans on the outside looking in, you know, it's always well known that we, you know,

Speaker 64020.28s - 4037.08s

we don't like the way you're treated, but we also don't know all the inner workings, we kind of despise the way you've been treated, to be honest. Do you think that he appreciates what you did in your role as head of talent relations? Because that was, I mean, I've been watching forever. That was the best roster they ever had. I think he does.

Speaker 174037.38s - 4041.4s

He paid me well, and I gladly accepted all of his money

Speaker 154041.4s - 4046.08s

and all the stock I got and all the other financial perks that

Speaker 174046.08s - 4053.74s

came my way. So, you know, it's just the deal is that Vince PERSON and I have had philosophical

Speaker 64053.74s - 4059.26s

differences over the years. I had philosophical differences of my own father, as a matter of fact,

Speaker 174059.3s - 4095.34s

on some things, but it didn't stop me from respecting him, obviously, and loving my dad. God PERSON bless his soul. But the deal with Vince PERSON is that I would think, you know, he's been very complimentary of my work in talent relations. I think that probably part of the angst that he and I developed after, in the latter years, was because I was no longer living in Connecticut GPE and no longer in the administrative aspect of the business.Because I did do, I think, a decent job.

Speaker 24095.68s - 4099.8s

I think I did do, I worked hard, and I was very loyal, very dedicated.

Speaker 154100.6s - 4102.68s

But I've got to tell you, he took great care of me.

Speaker 24102.76s - 4105.22s

So I'm thinking, yeah, he appreciated it.

Speaker 04105.62s - 4112.48s

It's just, you know, when I left that role and left Connecticut and moved back to Oklahoma GPE,

Speaker 174112.68s - 4119.58s

I'm sure I don't think it's set real well with him. But I might be wrong on that, too. That's just a take. Who knows?

Speaker 204120.88s - 4125.02s

I really appreciate to call Jason. Any last words for Jim PERSON?

Speaker 64125.7s - 4143.88s

Yeah, I do. I could just go on and on about how, you know, JR, I got the chance to meet you in Baltimore one time. You were walking to your hotel with the stooges, and you were very gracious. Unfortunately, timing, because it was when you went to the U.K. GPE,and then, you know, you had the health problems and the unfortunate loss.

Speaker 04143.88s - 4147.4s

But me and my girlfriend, we really appreciate how gracious you were.

Speaker 64147.7s - 4149.32s

I'm sure you're going to hurry to get back to the hotel.

Speaker 04151.3s - 4156.46s

And, Wade PERSON, I just want to say thank you very much for giving us fans a chance to talk to our legends,

Speaker 64157.04s - 4158.64s

the people that we admire in the business.

Speaker 204158.94s - 4162.36s

And Bruce PERSON also thank you for the great work you do.

Speaker 64162.4s - 4164.9s

You really are my favorite columnist, and I just wanted to thank you guys.

Speaker 204168.24s - 4210.72s

I appreciate it, Jason, very much. And Bruce PERSON, you do too. Thank you. Chris Cruz, by the way, speaking of wrestling announcers, was on with Bruce Mitchell on last week's PW Torch Livecast. He hosted W.SW Worldwide Wrestling with Terry Funk PERSON. It was one of my favorite periods in terms of wrestling-announced pairs. They didn't last a long time. But boy, did they get heavy praise during their time together. They had great chemistry. Chris Cruz talked with Bruce Mitchell on last Friday's PW Torch Livecast ORG,and you can find that show at pwetorchlivecast.com. Chris Cruz told some stories about working for the WWF in the lead-up to WrestleMania 1 EVENT. He worked in the PR department and other amazing stories. Really good interview. Good job, Bruce PERSON, on that one. And Chris Cruz PERSON made it easy for you, though, didn't he?He did.

Speaker 84210.84s - 4226.24s

I want to thank the last call, too. I think I had my meet before I thought on. I appreciate it. Chris, you know, someone that worked in WWME ORG on WrestleMania 1 and then was at WrestleMania Authority ORG backstage. So lots of things to talk about with them.Absolutely.

Speaker 204226.72s - 4241.04s

And Cruz PERSON, yeah, Cruz is a really good interview. And, yeah, I absolutely recommend going out of your way to listen to that. All right. I'm next. Area Code 219. Please state your name in the city you're calling from.Hi, this is Mike from Indiana GPE.

Speaker 24241.46s - 4242.18s

Hey, Mike, thanks for Colin PERSON.

Speaker 204242.28s - 4246.3s

What have you got for Jim Ross today? Hi, Jim PERSON. I just Indiana. Hey, Mike, thanks for Colin. What do you got for Jim Ross today? Hi, Jim.

Speaker 24247.38s - 4265.8s

I just wanted to ask you a question. I remember recall when you were a host on Radio WWF about 20 years ago, and somebody had called and asked you a question about Jesse Ventura PERSON, and you said Jesse Ventura PERSON was a fool. So my question was, is that a work or a shoot? And if it was a shoot, do you still think that?

Speaker 174266.16s - 4269.1s

He was a heel, and I was a baby face, and I was just having fun.

Speaker 24269.1s - 4274.44s

Probably my, some people misinterpret my sarcastic sense of humor.

Speaker 174274.94s - 4275.28s

I know the thing.

Speaker 24275.4s - 4280.92s

Because on TV, all those years, unless the only person I really had issues with were heels.

Speaker 174281.48s - 4321.92s

Paul Heyman, you know, Lawler PERSON when he was a heel, that kind of thing. So my natural sense of humor is a little bit dry and can be a little caustic if you don't get it. And so that's maybe my fault in the presentation. I don't know. Jesse and I, I never, I don't hate Jesse Ventura PERSON. We never were very close. I thought that our partnership in WCW ORG under-delivered, and that was because of me. I've written about that.I've blogged about it and a podcast. I think I addressed that once in a podcast. The deal was my own ego, when I found out what he was earning,

Speaker 154322.42s - 4324.22s

and he was working part-time,

Speaker 174324.7s - 4386.82s

and he was making, like, you know, approximately three times what I was earning earning and he was working part-time and he was making like, you know, approximately three times what I was earning and I was working all the time. I mean, literally all the time. That it piss me off and my ego interfered, just being honest.And I think that we didn't have the chemistry that I wish we would have had but I don't blame that on Jesse PERSON. I blame on myself. We should have been a lot better than we were.But, you know, I didn't, on by partners I work with, other than Jesse PERSON, I've been able to develop a rapport with. And I went out of my way to make sure we had a rapport. And I didn't do that with Jesse PERSON. Because I knew coming in what he was getting paid, and I knew what I was getting paid, and I took that personally, and that was, that was, it should have been on me and the management, not me and Jesse PERSON, so I always take the blame for that. But I, you know, we, we don't always agree politically. We work together on the XFL ORG, no, no worries.Oh, yeah, that's right.

Speaker 24388.86s - 4395.14s

He's a very unique guy, and he's got very strong opinions, which are fine.

Speaker 174395.94s - 4399.24s

And some of them I share and some I don't.

Speaker 154399.9s - 4402.86s

So that's just, but I certainly don't hate him.

Speaker 174402.9s - 4405.28s

I don't hate anybody I've ever worked with or been around.

Speaker 204406.18s - 4448.08s

Jesse and I worked together at the same time at KFAN ORG radio back in the early 90s when he was the Minnesota Vikings ORG color commentator, and he stirred controversy at KFAN ORG too with the way he handled himself and really the lack of rapport, honestly, had with the producers and his broadcast team. And he came on My Progressing Focus show, which again is available for BIP members in our audio archives, and talked about that controversy with the Vikings and also jumping from the WBF to WSW ORG. So people are interested more in that chapter in wrestlingannouncing in Jesse PERSON's history, cannot get Jesse talking about it firsthand with me back on one of those old radio shows. Up next, Air Code 270. You're on with Jim Ross PERSON on P.W. Torch Livecast. Please state your name, the city you're calling from. Wayne.

Speaker 74448.62s - 4448.92s

Yes.

Speaker 204449.36s - 4449.88s

Is this me?

Speaker 74450.04s - 4450.46s

It is you.

Speaker 204450.66s - 4450.88s

Okay.

Speaker 74451.8s - 4452.66s

Name and city, please.

Speaker 204452.8s - 4453.26s

Name and city, please.

Speaker 74454.06s - 4456.42s

This is Todd and Columbia, first time, long time.

Speaker 204456.66s - 4456.9s

Awesome.

Speaker 74457.7s - 4462.54s

Hey, I have been a wrestling historian, I guess, for about 40 years.

Speaker 204462.64s - 4465.78s

And, Jim PERSON, I've always wanted to ask you this question, so I'm really excited about that.

Speaker 74467.04s - 4468.1s

I am a big fan

Speaker 154468.1s - 4469.66s

of Jerry Lawler growing up in Tennessee GPE,

Speaker 74470.5s - 4514.18s

and as a wrestling historian, I read a lot of what authors write, you know, the ECW Press ORG books and a lot of stuff on where Lawler fits into the history of pro wrestling and the great list. Becauseof his tenure and because of all he's done in the business, I always seem to think that, and of course it's the Homer PERSON and me, I always think he should be rated higher. And I just wonder where you think Jerry Lawler PERSON fits in in the tapestry of the greatest rest of all time. And also, what is his relationship with Heyman and Cornett? Those three always seem to just have this long history togetherthat I'd love to hear you comment on. And I really appreciate and respect to what you've done in the sport.Well, thanks.

Speaker 174514.82s - 4699.3s

I would put Jerry PERSON, looking at his entire body of work from the time he started and his longevity,to me, Jerry PERSON's a top-pin guy of all time. He was very effective as a baby face, who's very effective as a heel. He was as good as a promo guy as you're going to find.He was able to stay over in one city and one territory for an inordinate amount of time. I don't know anybody that's ever been over in a territory longer than Lawler PERSON. You know, Paterson had about 15 years in San Francisco GPE, and there have been other guys, you know, I guess, you know, Vern never left Minnesota GPE. But there are guys in that same conversation.All I'm saying is that Jerry from a Booker, Heel, Babyface ORG, on-air talent. It was a broadcaster. I got to have him in the top ten. As far as – because some of his work that people aren't familiar with, you know, it's too bad that library in Memphis GPE. It was kind of like the old proverbial red-headed stepchild.It's had a lot of homes. And I don't know if it's all intact in one place today or not. I'm sure if it was. It would be WWE ORG would have it bought. So they haven't bought it, so it tells me that there are issues there with that. The, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, I don'tthink Lawler and Cornett PERSON have any issues that I'm aware of. Lawler was one of Cornett's heroes when Cornett was growing up in Louisville GPE. So I'm unaware if they do. Now, one time, there was issues between Heyman and Lawler PERSON, but I think it was kind of, I think over the years it was kind of glorifiedor underscored because Jerry PERSON went to work and did some shots in ECW ORG. Jerry PERSON booked Heyman PERSON and Memphis when Paul PERSON was just getting thisrole going as a manager. I'm thinking that by today, and I'm not around them, but I don't know that there's any major issues whatsoever in today's world with Lawler and Haman PERSON, but there was some issues over the years.And generally when you get an administrator, like Lawler PERSON was a booker, and you have falling out with a talent, it's always over two things. I say this all the time. The two Cs, cash or creative. You can look at almost any ill-fated relationship, professional relationship and pro wrestling, and when they go south, it's generally over cash orcreative. So I would assume that's what it probably was over, but I don't think there's any significant issues there now at all. But again, you know, I'm home, like most everybody listening and watching Monday Night Raw WORK_OF_ART when Lawler PERSON's on. And, you know, I don't detect any hint in his voice that he's still pissed off of Paul Heyman PERSON for something. Very good. Appreciate that.

Speaker 194700.58s - 4737s

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Speaker 204741.5s - 4765.08s

Let's take one more call before we move to the VIP after show. Our time is limited, so I apologize to everybody on hold. Hopefully, we can do this again, Jim PERSON, sometime down the line and take more live calls. Let's go next to – I'm going to try to find an area code I don't recognize, just to reward somebody who might be a first-time caller. 9-12. Please state the name, and you're in the city.You're calling from 9-1-2. Marcus from Savannah GPE. Hey, Marcus, thanks for calling. 9-1-2. Marcus from Savannah.

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Hey, Marcus PERSON, thanks for calling.

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Are your first-time caller? I call it every once in a while.

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Everyone's a while.

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Okay. Well, go ahead. What do you got for Jim today?

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Yes, I just wanted to know about the promo Jim did that night on Vincent Mann PERSON, the night they debuted, the fake Ray's Ramon PRODUCT. I was just wondering

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what, did you have any

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a certain like script you had to stay within or did you have free range to say what you felt?

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I was, I was given bullet points. I was given a bullet points to get in the promo. But nobody handed me a script for me to memorize. That's what you're getting at.It was before everything was really written out word for word. So I was given a bullet points. And I remember, I think that interview was in Hershey, Pennsylvania GPE. And the night before, I believe we had a pay-per-view in Philly GPE. And I was riding with Jerry Briscoe from Philly to Hershey GPE. And I had been given the bullet points of what I was going to do the next night so I could prepare.And I kind of used Jerry PERSON as my muse or whatever you'd say. The poor son of a gun had to hear that promo for all that drive, that night, late night if we worked all day and night. And he told me at the end of the night when we finally got there, he said, well, I'm glad that the next time I hear that promo would be the last time I have to hear it.But he said if you can pull it off, it's really going to be good. But the idea of the fake razor and diesel was kind of lame. But, you know, my deal was not to judge creative. My deal was to go out and perform and do what I was asked to do.You know, it's that old theory, man, so southern mentality, I guess it's everybody's blue-collar mentality. You can take a man's money, do the job that he wants you to do, and the day you can't do that, then stop taking the checks. And I really like the checks, and I like saving that money. So for now, when I'm older, I ain't got to worry about working.So that was good.

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But I guess that was, would that be a pipe bomb promo in today's pipe bomb terminology?

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Probably.

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Probably.

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The coverage of that, the fake razor and fake diesel moment was a cover story in the browsing torch that week.

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And, oh, man, I remember writing that story and trying to figure out, you know, I wasn't mincing words, but it was like, how do you even cover something so odd like this and trying to figure out where they're going with it?

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It was just a corporate angle.

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It was getting back at Turner and all those guys had gone down to Atlanta. And, you know, it was it was uh it was just a corporate angle is to get back at turner and all those guys

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had gone down to Atlanta and uh you know it was all good I I and I was you know

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putting that role to be that guy and uh and it's funny versus well how did you like your heel

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run I said are you kidding me how long was that first of all I never thought it was very good at

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anything I did in the ring aside announcing yeah that's why I didn't like doing it, but I did it because that was

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my assignment. That was I was booked. Your old school guy, you get booked. You go do your job.

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If you pick to lose, you lose. You pick the win, you win. But do your job, and that's what I did

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on that night. But I never thought it was very good. I didn't think I was a good heel. I didn't think it lasted. The thing was kind of short-lived. And, you know, but again, you know, it's like being a football player. You're not going to start, J.R. PERSON, but you're going to be on special teams.Okay. Team player, let's go play. So that's what we did.

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Did you ever come close to saying no to anything?

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No, nothing. I mean, if you're going to kiss McMahon's ass in Oklahoma City GPE, that pretty well covers all the bases. What would you?

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What would you think? There were a couple of things when I did the angle of Michael

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Coleman ring that one of the agents, I don't remember who it was, it might have been Michael Hayes PERSON, I can't recall, or glarnitis,

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wanted me to do that I just physically couldn't get done. Yeah. And we called an audible, because, you know, I never had any wrestling training. I never was trained to take bumps. Obviously, anybody's seen me in the ring can testify to all these things I'm saying. The only thing that wasa salvation is that they didn't make me wear. I probably would have said no to have to wear tights.

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Yeah. Because going out there

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and looked like I just had a litter of pups, is not my exact dream

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performance. So thank God I could stay clothed.

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Or Howard Binkle PERSON.

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Yeah, I didn't need that.

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I didn't need that. Howard PERSON's enough.

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Bless his heart.

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So I just never, I never, it's what I learned from Bill PERSON.

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It's what I learned from my old man.

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I used to work and do all these chores in our farm as an only child.

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When I was 9, 10, 12 years old, stayed by myself in a summertime. But if I did my chores and I did everything my dad laid out for me to do, I got to watch wrestling on Saturday. So my caveat for doing all my stuff right and didn't do my schoolwork during the school year was I got to watch wrestling on Saturday. And my dad wasn't a big wrestling fan.So he let me watch the hour of wrestling at 4 o'clock. And then it got even more extreme because wrestling started coming on at 1030 after the late local news, 1030 Central. So for me to be able to stay up to 1030 to watch wrestling was a huge deal because my bedtime on the weekends was 9 o'clock. And my bedtime on

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the school night was 8 o'clock. So for me to get that 1030 thing, that took some negotiation

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and productivity. So that was a matter of learning negotiation and some, I had to be productive, and productivity.

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So that was a matter of learning responsibilities and doing what I was told to do,

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following through. And I saw, and then Bill PERSON, when I got to work for Bill, I did so damn many different jobs for Bill. It was ridiculous. I mean, I did a little bit of everything, and some of them I didn't like, but at the end of the day, they all helped me understand the business better. Some of them I didn't like, but at the end of the day, they all helped me understand the business better.And that's how I looked at when I went to work for WCW ORG and I went to work for events. I did what I was instructed to do to try to be a good employee. And that simple as that. And sometimes I like how I was cast. Sometimes I didn't. I'm sure an actor would tell you the same thing.And I'm sure that ball players had played on multiple teams will tell you, well, that was my favorite team. I love playing for the twins. And when they traded me to Pittsburgh ORG, I didn't like it. Okay, so that's the story. We all got a story like that.

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Jim PERSON, we will address a few more topics that I've saved, some good hot topics for the VIP after show for our paid subscribers, and we appreciate it sticking around for a few more minutes. Let us know on the other side of the music if your time is limited. But I do want to thank you for the time you've given us here on the free portion on PW. Torch Livecast. And you can find this show and all our shows on demand at pwtorchlifcast.com ORG.If you're new to the show, we interviewed right here on interview Friday on PwTorchLivecast. Scott Hall PERSON, our listeners for the great calls and the great email questions we're about to answer on the VIP after show. If you're not VIP, go VIP. PwTorch.com slash go VIP. And also just a final mention of our sponsor, Sherry's Bear ORG and I, before the show went onthe air. We're talking about how delicious Sherry ORG's berries are. We have both enjoyed our complimentary boxes this week from Sherry ORG's berries. Thanks to Bruce Mitchell PERSON. We'll hear for more from Bruce PERSON on the other sideof the music. That is the end of the free live cast. VIP members, hold tight on the other side of the music. Some really hot topics.Can't wait to get to. This is

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a lot of time. We invite you to email the show with feedback or questions or comments.

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That email address is Wade Keller PERSON Podcast at pwtorch.com.

Speaker 155250.42s - 5253.22s

That's Wade Keller PERSON podcast at pwtorch.com.

Speaker 195253.22s - 5267.24s

Also welcome your feedback on Twitter. You can follow us on Twitter at PWTorch and follow me at the Wade Keller FAC. That's at PWTorch and at the Wade Keller FAC. Searching for more great pro wrestling talk?

Speaker 165267.82s - 5298.22s

Then join me, Jason Powell, host of the three-weekly pro-wrestling boom podcast. Each week, you'll hear the latest news and analysis for me and my team at pro-wrestling.comnet along with other pro-wrestling media members. Plus, the Pro Wrestling Boom WORK_OF_ART podcast features long-form interviews with notable names in the pro- wrestling industry. Subscribe in iTunes, Stitcher, Downcast PRODUCT, and all your favorite secondary apps, or visit us directly atpwboom.com ORG. Once again, that's pwboom.com. Thanks for listening to our podcast. Did you know we

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also have a website? PwTorch.com, daily news updates, editorials, and my live TV coverage covering raw, dynamite, and Smackdown, and my live pay-per-view coverage for WWE and AEW ORG. Create a tab or bookmark, make it a daily stop, visit us throughout the day every day to keep up on breaking news and more. That's p.w.torch.com.

Speaker 145320.02s - 5382.04s

Need an extra dose of positivity in your wrestling podcasts? Well, come join me, Alan 4L, over in the ProRest Paradise at Peter Boutch FAC, VIP, as we bask on the bright side of wrestling and focus on some of the great matches and shows from around the world, be it the US, Japan, Europe, or Mexico GPE. There's always a place for wrestling's past in the Paradise FAC, too, and we've done fun historical shows such as the We Love Liger seriescelebrating the glorious career of Jusin Thunder Liger and our I Was There When WORK_OF_ART shows where our guests will join me to talk about a classic bout that they were in attendance for.We love variety and you can expect lots of it at the Prorest Paradise. Detailed PWTorch VIP subscription information and a list of all the VIP benefits is available at PWTorch VIPInfo.com. And yes, all VIP podcasts are compatible with popular podcast apps on iPhone and Android PRODUCT devices. Or you can stream them directly from our ad-free VIP mobile site. See you in the Paradise.

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One way that you can help us sustain our schedule of putting out podcasts throughout the week is by giving us a five-star rating on Apple Podcasts ORG. Just go to Apple Podcasts and look for our Wade Keller Processing ORG podcast and Wade Keller Porrasing Post Show and give us a five-star rating. We hope you think we've earned that score with our fast turnaround times and our quantity and quality of wrestling analysis throughout the week. So take a moment out for us and do a favor and give us a five-star rating at Apple ORG Podcasts. That helps us on searchreturns and helps us grow. And if you want, you can add a few comments about what you like about the programs in the comments section. Thank you so much. In 2012, NXT ORG transitioned into the

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