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Sunday blog, Austin-Punk, NXT, S'Slam, Dez Bryant, Roger Clemens, Bones Jones, OU Sooners, WWEShop.com for JR's
Sun, 08/26/2012 - 12:50pm — J.R.
Happy Sunday or what ever day you're reading this. Let's cook...
SummerSlam the live event grossed over a $1.1M gate last Sunday in LA. Goes to show you that a well promoted event with attractions that fans want to see will still sell even in today's disposable income challenged society.
If you have the attractions that fans want, they will come. 'Light,' gross ticket sales or PPV buys tell brutally honest stories.
My personal list of tryout athletes to be offered WWE contracts was short...very short from the group we saw last week in LA. The overall effort was good but the general conditioning of many of the prospects was not. That's inexcusable.
Watched Summerslam in the THQ suite and did not miss announcing the show whatsoever. Loved watching the crowd and listening to them as well as the suites had no WWE video or audio. There's no better marketing tool or focus group than the paying customers.
Some media members need to smarten up and stop blaming the business for the poor decisions made by adult men and women who find themselves in financial distress or with other issues at the end of their 'run' in sports entertainment. I've had countless conversations with performers who are almost insulted that the conversation about their irresponsible ways of every day life are even being addressed. Sadly some spouses of these immature adults enable the problem by 'needing' elective, cosmetic surgeries, designer bling and expensive cars. Most, somewhere along the way, even forget to file their tax returns while being too busy at the mall. What does one do when advice is offered, professionals being put at talent's disposal and the 'stars' still disregarding common sense guidance.
Speaking of the mall, is Dallas Cowboy Dez Bryant like 13 years old mentally? First he couldn't pay for unneeded bling, then Dez got banned from a mall for wearing his pants so low that his ass was apparently exposed and now his employer is allegedly banning their star wide receiver from strip clubs. Will numb nuts like Colin Cowherd pick up on this matter or will he revert back to the same tired material he generally uses when speaking of the pro wrestling genre? Bryant has a union that should be helping him notwithstanding his agents, etc. A pathetic sign of the times.
Huge strategic error on the part of UFC star Jon Bones Jones by not taking a replacement fight to save UFC 151. This apparent, selfish and ill thought out decision cost many, many people pay days which is sad. What if Bones had lost the fight? Would it have killed his career? Obviously not. It actually might have enhanced it. If Jones did lose, he certainly would have had an 'out' that the media could have highlighted. Win or lose if Bones had saved UFC 151, he comes out a hero but instead he is now scorned and this follows his recent DUI and his new, Nike deal.
Irony...Ryback gets @Goldberg chants (which I have no issue with) and gets knocked by some of my Twitter followers @JRsBBQ because his singlet is airbrushed ala RVD as if that's a mortal sin. At the same time, the higher skilled Dolph Ziggler is compared to HBK, Billy Gunn and Curt Hennig because of his hair, attire, and in ring moves but that's o.k. Too many fans have zero patience when it comes to the slow build for Ryback. Some fans want immediate results or so it seems. God forbid that they would have lived in the territory era when some main event programs lasted a year or more while some stars were built over a 12 month or more period of time.
NXT was the best night of TV that we've produced in Orlando to date. NXT Champ Seth Rollins got a great 'rub' from WWE Champion @CMPunk. The impromptu tag bout that occurred after the official taping ended between Punk/Rollins vs. Cesaro/Ohno was simply outstanding. We called it just for the Hell of it just in case it ever airs on a DVD, etc. It was really fun.
Big E Langston continued to take giant strides and is a star in the making if he continues to steer the course and gets a break once he debuts on one of the WWE rosters which I feel will happen some day soon. Just a gut feeling.
Michael McGillicutty can be a star and he is beginning to really bring it. The duo of Tyson Kidd and Justin Gabriel impressed me as does the team of Ascension every time I see them.
Paige is the top young diva in NXT for my money and the young lady from England has a bright future.
I'm really enjoying the new TV persona of the talented South African Leo Kruger.
Some fans attending NXT taping either REALLY love the villains or they REALLY need attention.
To address an on going question...Yes I'm still employed by WWE, Yes, I love working in the talent development program, No, I don't miss not being on Raw every week, Why, because unless you do it, air travel 51 weeks a year is a pain in the backside with security lines, oversold planes, the overall lack of customer service by some airlines, etc. For those that truly believe that I feel I've been 'demoted' because I'm broadcasting NXT and not RAW, you are sadly mistaken and misguided, trust me.
Food ideas from recent experiences: ham steak cooked in a pan with only JR's BBQ sauce and no other seasoning. Outstanding. Simple to do too.
Plus, JR's Main Event Mustard on a turkey pastrami sandwich. Nothing but money.
WWEShop.com does ship JR's products outside the USA contrary to what their website says.
Old wrestlers trying to rekindle their once successful careers is unfortunate but I get it when these talents need the paydays. It's sad but understandable. If they're booked properly and not in serious bouts that are too long it usually works o.k. However, Roger Clemens coming back to pitch professionally at age 50 makes no sense to me especially considering that Clemens has to be financially secure but apparently not so emotionally secure when it comes to his ego. Even though the Houston Astros are the Washington Generals of MLB and signing Clemens will help them "buy a house" and get some media attention for something other than playing bad baseball, this whole matter just tastes like bad BBQ.
Hope to hit El Paso this weekend to watch my Oklahoma Sooners kick off the 2012 season versus UTEP at the ridiculous starting time of 8:30 in El Paso and 9:30 in Oklahoma thanks to the TV folks who own the game and now call the shots in every league.
Follow @WWEgames or @THQ for info on when you can see my sit down interview with Stone Cold and CM Punk. It's worth the watch and it's not so long that it becomes the never ending tale. Plus, I encourage you to catch the panel discussion that I moderated for WWE13 the night before SummerSlam which went really well and was extremely well received. It was light and funny and I think that you will enjoy it. I'm unaware of when each piece of business airs but it should be soon.
Thanks to all that support our family efforts at http://www.wweshop.com. Check out all the great offers there now and save 20%.
Boomer Sooner!
J.R. | |
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Shawn Daivari Interview - Why He Left WWE And TNA Wrestling, Working Independents
Shawn Daivari joined Inside The Ropes radio on Thursday night. Here are some highlights of what he had to say:
His WrestleMania moment with Hulk Hogan: "We were in the dark about that. Hulk was a surprise. We only found out at 3pm that day that it was happening. We just showed up and we were told we'd be doing something but we didn't know what. Pat Patterson pulled us aside and said "you're working with Hulk" we were like "What the f--k?!"
Why he left WWE in 2007: "My contract was coming up and they offered me a new 3 year deal and I kind of thought if 2007 was any indication of how the years 2008,9 and 10 are gonna be, I don;t know if that's something I'd be interested in. Once they knew I was leaving they started jobbing me out. Kurt Angle put in a word to Terry Taylor that I wasn't resigning and thats how I ended up in TNA."
Why he asked for his release from TNA Wrestling: "It was Russo. it was a couple of things. TNA are structured very different to WWE. The tv and live events stuff are like two different beasts. When i re-signed, Terry Taylor, Jeff Jarrett and Dixie Carter put together a great deal with similar money that I made in WWE. A lot of that hung on my being on TV and PPVs, which were written by creative, at the time by Jeff Jarrett. Once Jeff got pushed out the door and Russo came in and didn't like my character and thought it was dated, I wasn't on many TV or PPV events and now this contract was no longer a deal worth f--k all to me. Had I known that, I'd have maybe made an effort to go back to WWE instead of re-signing with them. I harassed Russo night and day, he hates my guts. Russo is one of these writers that doesn't like other input on ideas. Every idea he has whether it's good, bad or indifferent is his baby. Anytime you present Russo with an idea that isn't his, he doesn't like it."
On going back to WWE or TNA and why perception is so important on the indy scene: "Oh yeah I think so. I'd be surprised if this last TV run was my last one. But when I go back I can't be misused. I have to be booked correctly because I can't jeopardise my career on the independents. If you looked at my calendar April through mid June i haven't had more than 3 days off in a row and when you think about it my last prominent TV run was in 2008 with WWE, if you don't count TNA, whereas I know guys that have been on TV more recently, won more belts than I have that can't buy a booking now. That's something I'm really aware of. Tyler Reks is an example. Next year he'll have been there one more year than I had. I was there 4 years, he'll have been there 5 and when they let him go, nobody's gonna give him a substantial booking of a plane ticket, a hotel room, food expenses and promote him, they'd rather get a Hacksaw Jim Duggan or Chris Masters. If you hang on for too long when your wheels are spinning, you might make a bit more money in WWE, but when you leave you won't get another booking in this business. When you become s--t on TV, that's what you're perceived as. Drew McIntyre is getting dangerously close to that point. If he hangs on another year and doesn't do anything worth a f--k, I'm gonna see a hard time for a promoter to call him and offer him a $1000 dollar booking, $400 plane ticket, $100 hotel room, advertising. You're talking almost a $2000 investment hoping that say 200 people at $10 are gonna come out to see Drew and thats not including the cost of the building, paying the other talent. When you render yourself invaluable, its hard. Whereas if he'd seen the writing on the wall after the stuff with Vince McMahon on TV, and quit then, he could go places and people would remember him as the Scottish guy on SmackDown that did all the good s--t, Vince's chosen one or whatever."
To hear the full interview where Daivari also talks about working in The Garden with Shawn Michaels, the controversial angle with Undertaker on SmackDown, his run in TNA, A fun TNA Wrestler's Court story, His thoughts on Dixie Carter, What he thinks of WWE's product these days and much more head over to http://www.facebook.com/t...idenetwork.
source: The Inside Network/WI | |
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C'mon, get 'em, TNA!! Vince needs to feel as if he's being threatened before he'll actually put something enjoyable on TV!
Impact Wrestling Rating Highest In Months
This past Thursday's episode of Impact Wrestling garnered a 1.15 rating and 1.717 million viewers.
The numbers were up from recent weeks. Last week's episode scored a 1.06 rating and 1.46 million viewers, while the week before that did a 0.89 rating with 1.21 million viewers.
PWTorch noted that the rating for last night's show was the highest since the show went live this summer. It was also the highest rated episode since the February 2nd show, which scored a 1.16 rating. For more details on the rating and demographic information, click here.
source: PWTorch/TV By The Numbers
[Edited 8/27/12 7:11am] | |
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http://loudwire.com/fozzy...usic-more/
Fozzy’s Chris Jericho Discusses ‘Sin and Bones,’ Balancing WWE Career With Music + More
 Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com
Chris Jericho boasts a career that only he, and he alone, has been able to accomplish. Along with an incredibly decorated tenure with WWE, a job that comes with a notoriously grueling schedule, Jericho serves as the vocalist for hard rock band Fozzy. Balancing two of the most demanding jobs on the planet, on top of being a father, is a mixture that would quickly burn out the average person, but Jericho takes on the challenge full-force while keeping his fans strongly in tact. We recently spoke with Jericho about Fozzy’s new album ‘Sin and Bones,’ the upcoming, ‘Evil Dead’ inspired music video for ‘Sandpaper,’ Fozzy’s entrance into the Loudwire Cage Match Hall of Fame and he is able to balance a life devoted to music and professional wrestling, among other topics.
Check out our exclusive and in-depth interview with Fozzy vocalist Chris Jericho below:
Q: ‘Sandpaper’ is the first single from ‘Sin and Bones.’ Is that any indication of what fans can expect from the rest of the new Fozzy record? Yeah, absolutely. There’s certain songs that you pick to be a single because they’re a little bit more radio friendly, so there’s definitely other songs on the record that are in that style. There’s some longer songs, there’s a few more songs that are a little bit more unorthodox, but we thought ‘Sandpaper’ was the best cross-section for what we’re doing now. We discovered this on the ‘Chasing the Grail’ record, that basically what we do best is very heavy music with very melodic choruses, and I think ‘Sandpaper’ is the epitome of what the new record sounds like. If you could take the perfect cross section of ‘Sin and Bones,’ ‘Sandpaper’ would be it.
Q: I recently read the video for ‘Sandpaper’ is going to be inspired by the ‘Evil Dead’ movies. Is there anything more you can tell us about that? It all stemmed from an idea that I had because I was, for whatever reason, just thinking about how to do a video where the song is a very big section that’s sung by somebody else, by M. Shadows [ of Avenged Sevenfold]. I wasn’t sure if he was going to be in the video. We said, ‘How can we do a video for a song that has somebody else singing and not have me doing that part, so I thought, ‘What if my back is to the camera?’ You do that point-and-shoot camera flying through the woods like ‘Evil Dead,’ and then as soon as it hits ‘Sandpaper,’ I turn around and my eyes are all white.
It kind of started from that and then we said, ‘What if we do a whole Evil Dead-type homage?’ And then we found this bad-ass cabin in the woods in Atlanta, and just everything kind of fell together from there. We found, right by the cabin, there was a civil war burial ground, and there was this creepy bridge that was near it, and the cabin couldn’t have been more perfect for what we were looking for. It looks exactly like the little Evil Dead cabin. Then we started doing all the effects that were involved, all the gags that were involved, the point-of-view camera and being attacked by the vine. It’s just really, really cool. Then we just filmed M. Shadows’ stuff too, so he’s going to be in the video. So I think it’s going to be something no one else has seen before. It’s very, very cool and it’s just what we wanted.
Q: I can’t wait to see that. I’m such a huge ‘Evil Dead’ nerd. Yeah, man, it’s going to blow you away completely. Nobody has really done a video like this before, and I’m the same way, I’m a huge Evil Dead fan and a huge horror movie fan. It was almost like getting to kill two birds with one stone. It was really fun.
Q: So when it comes to Fozzy in general and the new album, ‘Sin and Bones,’ are there any vocalists in particular that you’re trying to emulate? No, I mean, at this point in time, after all the touring we’ve been doing for ‘Chasing the Grail’ and after how successful it was, I discovered that if you’re touring as much as we have, you really get to know your wheelhouse about what you’re doing vocally and what you’re doing live. So when you get to the studio, you can use all those tricks and use all those ideas and thoughts. So, I don’t really try to emulate anybody, I’m just being Chris Jericho at this point.
It is funny, though, because people have said over the years that I sound a little bit like Ozzy, who I never tried to sound like, but there’s definitely that quality in there. We did a B-side on the record, and did ‘Fairies Wear Boots’ by Sabbath. It was like, people think I sound like Ozzy without trying, so what would I sound like if I tried to sound like Ozzy? It’s hilarious, because you would think that Ozzy was actually in the studio with us. It worked really good, it was fun. At this point, I’m more interested in the Chris Jericho style of singing, it’s exactly who I am and what I do. I think it’s unique and I think it’s good to the point where people hear my voice and they know it.
Q: You guys did a stellar job of promoting our Cage Matches and ended up winning five in a row and entering the Loudwire Cage Match Hall of Fame. Is that a good representation of a natural competitive nature that you have? Yeah, I mean, you have to have that with anything you do in life, especially in show business, especially in rock and roll. You have to have that competitive element. It was funny because when the first Cage Match came up, we didn’t know if other people were into this or if it was the just same ten people voting over and over again. But we found out that Loudwire had a lot of readers and a lot of notoriety for doing the Cage Match. Actually when it was first presented to us, we were up against Motley Crue’s ‘Sex,’ and our record company said, “It’s probably going to be hard to beat Motley Crue, but you’re in this thing, so give it a try.” And I was like, “F— it, if we’re in it, lets try it.”
And then we were losing for a while, but we eventually took over Motley Crue and won. To me, it was a big deal. You know, here’s one of the most legendary bands of all time and we can beat them. Then we beat Fear Factory and then we beat Papa Roach and then we beat Linkin Park and then we beat Slash — it was like each band was bigger than the next and we just kept steamrolling. It did mean a lot to me and I thought it was cool. Like I said, I don’t know how may people were voting, but I don’t care. All I know is Linkin Park has over a million twitter followers and we beat them. That to me, means something, and it was very important to us and it was a big honor for us to be involved. So just that we can say we’re in the Loudwire Hall of Fame, it does mean something to Fozzy and to all of our fans who voted. We got everybody to vote; that’s for sure.
Q: Yeah, there were a lot of votes and it’s definitely a testament to the dedication of your fans, I think. It’s just a long career and, you know, the ups and downs, the trials and tribulations … We’ve been in this for thirteen years and now that we’re kind of getting to the next level and there are so may great things happening with the band, and have been for the last two or three years. I think, not only are we getting so many great new fans, but the fans who have been with us from the start are as loyal as they come, so it’s cool to kind of see that pay off.
Q: That competitive nature, it must spark something within you when you see a truly great live band. Who are some of those live bands that make you go, “Holy hell, I need to try to be as epic as these guys.”? It’s interesting, I guess about a month and a half ago, I was going to Atlanta to see the the Iron Maiden ‘Maiden England’ tour. When I got there, I just put two and two together and realized that Orion Fest was the next day in Atlantic City with Metallica and Avenged Sevenfold playing. So I just called M. Shadows and I’m like, “When are you playing?” and he said, “Were playing on Sunday.” So I created a little road trip for myself and I went to see Maiden on Saturday and flew to Atlantic City the next day to see Avenged and Metallica.
So in a 24 hour period, I saw three of my favorite bands. All three of them, in different ways, put on clinics on what it’s like to be a great live band. And obviously, you can’t really get much bigger or much better than Maiden or Metallica when it comes to presence and their stage show and energy. But then Avenged, being one of the younger bands, they’re amazing too as far as working the crowd and having that total confidence and their vibe on stage. That’s something not a lot of bands have, and you know, we strive for that too.
We’ve been critically acclaimed, shall we say, for our live performances. Word of mouth has really gone around that we’re a very entertaining, energetic live act, but that’s mostly been in Europe for whatever reason. We’ve done most of our touring in Europe and the UK, and we’ve always done very well there. And that’s why we’re really excited to do the Uproar tour, where we’re going to be going coast to coast in the States, in our own country, and I think some people have seen us because we’ve played a lot of shows in the States, but there’s really a lot of people that are seeing us for the first time. Or side note that, because I think as much as people can hear our music and can hear how the band keeps growing musically, I think when you see us live, it’s a whole different ball of wax, it’s a whole different vibe and it stems from the fact that we are very much big Metallica fans, Avenged Sevenfold fans. You have to know your audience and be able to take them on a ride and they should have a great time and that’s what we do. We don’t accept substitutes for people having fun and for people being involved in our shows. We’ll go the extra mile every time and we’re excited to get on the road and show what it is that we do.
Q: I actually saw two of those ‘Maiden England’ tour dates myself and they were absolutely phenomenal. And ‘Seventh Son’ is one of my favorite records. Yeah, me too, it’s actually my second-favorite Maiden record. Being a longtime Maiden fan, I think I saw that show [original Maiden England tour] when I was 14. But you know, to see the show, and not just all of the props and all of the effects and all the production of it, but just to hear the band just killing it and Bruce [Dickinson] sounding better now than he did 20 years ago — it’s great to see because I think what’s going on in music, which is really cool, is that age is kind of becoming irrelevant now for people. It’s more about, ‘Is the music good?’ Are people excited about the bands? You see just as many kids at these shows as you see people who are in their 40s and who are in their 50s and everybody in between. So I think music and metal has become almost evergreen in the same way that the Stones, or Motorhead, or the Ramones — there’s people there that are of all ages. It’s that way for Maiden and Metallica as well, where age is becoming irrelevant. It’s just about this rock and roll band and these great tunes that all ages of people who love music can enjoy.
Q: You’ve have accomplished a great deal when it comes to wrestling. And then Fozzy of course, and books, and movies, and ‘Dancing with the Stars’ and all that stuff. Do you find it difficult to kind of just sit back and do nothing for a couple of days or even a week? Not really, the thing with me is that when I was a kid I had two dreams: I wanted to be in a rock and roll band and I wanted to be a wrestler. I’m the first person that’s ever done both of those things and I’ve been through the ringer because of it. A lot of people go, ‘There’s no way you can do both’ or ‘It’s not real,’ but it’s much like Jared Leto in 30 Seconds to Mars. He’s an accomplished actor and a great rock ‘n’ roll singer. It’s a weird thing for people to kind of realize and accept, that it’s legit. Now it’s happened, and especially over the last few years, people don’t really care that I’m a wrestler, they just care that it’s a great rock ‘n’ roll band and it is what it is. So all of those do stem from the fact that I am a creative person.
I don’t put boundaries on myself, and if it’s something I think I can do, then I do my best to make it happen. But the routine when I’m at home, hanging out with my family and my kids, I don’t do anything. I don’t go out, I don’t have friends … I may have friends, but no one that I’m going out to see movies with or hang out with at the bar. I just stay at home and hang out with my kids. That’s the trade off, even when I’m on the road, or working I’m at 1000 percent. I have no limits, no boundaries. When I’m at home, I’m 1000 percent about family and that’s the only way that I can make it work.
Q: Being on the road for such a tremendous amount of time, is there any specific inspiration that the road offers you as a songwriter? We’ve never written a ‘Turn the Page’ like Bob Seger or a ‘Whiplash,’ Metallica, but what I get from the road is I keep my eyes open at all times and I’m always looking for song titles that intrigue me. And that’s how I write my lyrics; backwards from song titles. You see like ‘Spider in My Mouth,’ or ‘Sandpaper,’ or ‘Dark Passenger’ or ‘She’s My Addiction’ — any songs like that have titles that I’ll write down and then work my way backwards from there. I think also because we’ve been so many places and seen so many things, it gives you a different mindset as far as what to write about. You know what I mean? I don’t just write about “The moon in June, with a spoon” type of stuff. I try to think of songs that are a little outside of the box and I try to be unique and original with every song that I write, including every title. If I think of a song title, I always Google it to see if anybody else has it and see if you know, a song like ‘She’s My Addiction,’ I couldn’t believe that there’s never been a rock song with that title before. I thought of it and then I did some research to make sure no one had done a song like that so it would be original, and off I went.
Song titles mean a lot to me because when I was a kid, I used to look at the back of records and if I saw a title that intrigued me, I instantly liked that song before I even heard it. You know, I remember ‘Disposable Heroes’ [Metallica] or ‘The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner’ by Iron Maiden or something like that. It’s like, “Wow, I love that song already and I haven’t even heard it yet.” So, I’m very much into making sure song titles are something that sound intriguing right off the bat.
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They couldn't just have Brock completely go over Trips, huh? Now they gotta have a rematch, presumably so that Trips can win this one?? Fuck you, WWE!
New Report On When Triple H Will Wrestle Again, Reason For Speech On RAW Last Night
Since SummerSlam, the Triple H vs. Brock Lesnar rematch has been speculated for WWE's Survivor Series and Hell in a Cell pay-per-views.
Now The Wrestling Observer reports that word coming out of RAW was Triple H won't be wrestling again until WrestleMania 29. No word yet if this means Lesnar's WrestleMania opponent will be Triple H or if it means they have nixed the rematch altogether.
WWE originally didn't have a Triple H speech planned for RAW this week. Last night's segment was done because of the crowd reaction they received at SummerSlam. The feeling was that fans didn't take Triple H's "retirement" serious enough at first.
source: F4WOnline
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CM Punk Says He's Wanted To Shut The Rock Up For Years, Talks Why Rock Has Been Silent
Machinima Sports has an interview with CM Punk who discussed WWE '13, facing Steve Austin, The Rock and more. You can check out highlights below:
Who from the Attitude Era helped develop his character: "Nobody, I've been CM Punk since I was 15 years old... I was nicknamed Punk when I was a little kid, 'cause I was a little punk into the Ramones, listening to the Clash, listening to punk rock music. I was the first guy to punch someone in the face and not ask questions. So that's who CM Punk is and that's where it came from... But a guy who I really liked and admired from the Attitude Era was 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin."
If he will wrestle Austin: "It's not up to me. I'll fight Muhammad Ali, I'll fight Rin Tin Tin, I'll fight anybody. Steve Austin knows that. He's got a bum wheel, he said? We'll see about next year, see what's hurt or injured or what else the excuse will be come next year. I'm not a hard guy to find, I'm the WWE Champion."
Facing The Rock at the Royal Rumble: "I've got a date with the Rock come Royal Rumble 'cause apparently somebody on the Board of Directors in their infinite wisdom just likes to grant title matches... Make no mistake about it, WWE's no joke, any Sunday I could lose this title, I could lose this title tomorrow. I don't plan on it, but I'm saying that the possibility lies within. I have to hold on to this... I have to hold on to this until The Royal Rumble so I can shut Rock up myself, because that's what I've wanted to do for years and I'm gonna get my chance... Rock, you know what's comin' for you. There's a reason why he's been silent, and it's not because he's busy shooting a movie, he knows this time he's finally bitten off more than he can chew."
The full interview is below:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature&v=LQATBsH6coY[\youtube]
source: Machinima Sports | |
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Oh, my poor baby!!!!!! I had to bail her out last week!
WWE Diva Arrested On Friday For Driving Under The Influence, View Her Mugshot Photo
WWE Diva Cameron, real name Ariane Andrew, was arrested on a charge of Driving Under the Influence.
The Funkadactyl was arrested on Friday at 2:44 AM in Hillsborough County, Florida. She was released on a $500 bond.
source: WI | |
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Smackdown Spoilers (to air 8/31):
World heavyweight champion Sheamus comes out to the ring and cuts a promo. He acknowledges Triple H. He is interrupted by Damien Sandow, who comes out to a lot of heat. He rips the crowd and Sheamus and leaves. SmackDown General Manager Booker T comes out and says that Sandow will face Sheamus tonight.
Rey Mysterio defeated Cody Rhodes via pinfall. Rhodes attacked Mysterio after the match, but Sin Cara made the save.
Kaitlyn defeated Natalya. Eve was on commentary.
Backstage, Booker T comments on RAW and says AJ off her rocker. Vickie Guerrero approaches Booker and tells him that she will do something about her.
The RAW rebound aired.
Sheamus defeated Damien Sandow by countout after Sandow ran to the back.
A still frame of Triple H was shown on the Titan tron with the quote, "Game Over?"
The Prime Time Players defeated Tyson Kidd and Justin Gabriel.
Alberto Del Rio is in the ring for a promo and talks trash about Sheamus. Kane enters the ring. Kane apologizes to Josh Matthews for throwing him over the barrier at SummerSlam. Kane vs. Del Rio is up next.
Del Rio pinned Kane after Ricardo Rodriguez interfered. Kane then attacked Matthews after the match and leaves him laying.
Highlights from Triple H's promo on RAW are shown.
Vickie Guerrero comes out and introduces Dolph Ziggler. Ziggler vs. Randy Orton is up next.
Randy Orton defeated Dolph Ziggler via pinfall with the RKO. Was said to be a really good match.
Dark Match
source: WI | |
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Major WrestleMania Celebrity Says He's Returning To WWE
Boxing superstar Floyd Mayweather appeared on the Cipha Sounds & Rosenberg Show on Hot97 and discussed his involvement with WWE. During the interview, Mayweather said that he was close with Triple H and that he was "about to go back to WWE." Mayweather went on to reveal that he will be appearing at WrestleMania 2013. You can check out his appearance below:
source: Hot97/WI | |
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damn u know how 2 pick em man ..first a she male, then a old woman, a hoeski, a skipper and now someone that gets behind the wheel of a car drinking ..smh man, he has such an amazing body of music that it's sad to see him constrict it down to the basics. he's too talented for the lineup he's doing. estelle 81 | |
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How did I know that of ALLLLL the stories I posted, THIS was the one you were gonna comment on?? You're just a negativity lover!! She made a mistake, okay??!!!!! She had a couple of fruity drinks but she didn't have anything to eat for the past couple of days, so the alcohol went straight to the brain. At least she's not in a circus like your baby momma, Nicole Bass!
And you should know by now that the only "she-male" I know of is the one in your bed every night...Chyna. I won't even dignify the rest with a comment. You're just a sad Cena lover, crying out for some attention. | |
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see if she didn't eat, it's ur responsibility as her man 2 make sure she's taking care of herself..see u is a slacker no wonder stephanie is leaving yo ass and coming with me cause she knows i can treat her like a lady and care for her. she was probably drinking cause between u and brodus y'all are embarassing her
and u need 2 stop with ur lies about chyna and nicole bass cause ur always talking about them so it means u really want them or had them and they dissed u and that's why chyna is doing adult films cause she wanted some real meat
okay i'll make u happy and comment about Phil talking about dwayne ....U GO PHIL TELL IT LIKE IT IS! man, he has such an amazing body of music that it's sad to see him constrict it down to the basics. he's too talented for the lineup he's doing. estelle 81 | |
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Man!! This post was chock FULL of nothing but HATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hate and jealousy. Mad because all of your fantasy girls (Beth, Nattie, Tessmacher, Molly, Velvet, Kaitlyn, Tara, and the list goes on and on) don't want to talk to you but are ALWAYS talking (among other things) to me.
You know what? I'mma go Kcool on yo' ass! | |
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Devon Suggests He's Leaving TNA Wrestling, Bully Ray On The Way Out Too?
Devon, whose contract with TNA Wrestling is reportedly set to expire this week, suggested on Twitter Wednesday evening that he's parting ways with the organization effective immediately.
The TNA Television Champion wrote, "I would like to thank the tna fans for making the last seven years fun . im sure we will see each other again down the road real soon.
"im ready to see where god bring me to next. i cant wait . i see big thing on the way "o and HELL NO IM NOT RETIRING."
It would appear that his departure is due to both parties being unable to reach an agreement on a new contract. He re-tweeted a message stating, "I'll say this you boys deserve what ever you're asking for plus 25%."
Bully Ray, whose contract will also expire this week, suggested on Twitter that he will part ways with the organization in October at Bound For Glory, which takes place in Phoenix, Arizona.
"Dont mattah where ya start..mattahs where ya finish. See ya in Phoenix!! STRONGEST THE LONGEST. #BULLYNATION," he wrote.
source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter | |
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http://www.tmz.com/2012/0...ry-police/
WWE Star Cameron Busted for DUI ... Allegedly Tries to Bribe Cops
WWE superstar Cameron -- a member of the Funkadactyls -- allegedly offered police $10,000 to let her go after she was arrested for DUI last week ... this according to police. TMZ obtained the arrest report filed by police in Tampa Bay, Florida ... which shows Cameron -- real name Ariane Nicole Andrew -- was arrested at 2:23 AM on Friday morning outside Tampa International Airport. The report says Cameron blew a .20 ... more than twice the legal limit in Florida. After cops took her into custody, the report says Cameron offered one of the officers $10,000 to "let her go because she would lose her job." In the docs, cops say Cameron listed her employer as the WWE. Cops say Cameron had a male passenger in the car ... who told police the two had been drinking martinis before getting in the car. Cameron was booked for DUI ... but eventually released. A rep for WWE ... "Ariane [Cameron] did not alert us to this matter, we are investigating and will take appropriate action." [Edited 8/30/12 9:43am] | |
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Backstage News On Brock Lesnar's WWE Future, Rumor On Triple H's Rematch
Following WWE's SummerSlam pay-per-view, it was believed that the Brock Lesnar vs. Triple H rematch would not happen until November's Survivor Series pay-per-view. Now that match is being rumored for October's Hell in a Cell pay-per-view. It should be noted that no date is confirmed but the rematch is in WWE's plans.
Regarding Lesnar's future with WWE, we noted a few weeks back that most within WWE expect Lesnar to be offered a new contract once his current deal expires at WrestleMania 29.
Lesnar is said to be very happy with his current deal and most believe he would sign another contract if WWE offered him the same stipulations. The 2012 SummerSlam buyrate will likely play a huge factor in what WWE offers Brock next time.
source: F4WOnline | |
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http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam...54091.html
Yes! Raw GM A.J. is sure enjoying her role
By PATRIC LAPRADE - SLAM! Wrestling
Raw General Manager AJ Lee is really having a breakout year with the World Wrestling Entertainment. She's been involved in a love triangle with two of WWE's best in CM Punk and Daniel Bryan, she won the THQ Superstar Challenge, she will be portrayed in a Scooby-Doo movie, she will have her own character in the WWE 13 video game and most of all, she has been hand-picked by none other than Mr. McMahon to be the next Raw GM. On September 10th in Montreal, she will certainly have huge decisions to take, as this Raw edition will be the go-home show for the Night of the Champions PPV. After six long years since the last taping of Raw, the Montreal fans will surely expect a lot from the new sheriff in town.
On last Monday's Raw, AJ announced that John Cena would be facing CM Punk in Boston at the Night of the Champions PPV. Perhaps Montreal could get a sneak peak of what Night of the Champions will look like between these two. But another title could also be at stake at that PPV and it's the Divas title, held by Layla.
"Right now Kaitlyn is the number one contender at the Divas title, so maybe she'll try to cash it in before Night of the Champions or be smart and she'll wait until Night of the Champions," teased the former Chickbuster member about her ex-teammate.
Before she became that powerful woman, she was known to be the "Geek Goddess" and the "Crazy Chick." But since the 1000th episode of Raw, on July 23rd, AJ Lee now wears power suits and has become an ever more important and influential woman within the WWE.
"Yeah, I mean, I think you have to grow up in the situation in which you are placed and with the responsibilities, you need to look the part. But I still wear bracelets and I don't wear high heels, because that would be an injury waiting to happen! So it's a little bit of both. I like to think that I can combine both worlds together," AJ told SLAM! Wrestling.
The 25 year-old from New Jersey is really enjoying every minute of it. On top of having a new role, she will be a character for the first time in the next WWE 13 video game.
"Oh my gosh, yeah, I mean it's so surreal to actually be a fan of video games and now watching myself in them," she chuckled. "It's cool to still be an active competitor in the video game world I guess and get to wear my power suits on TV. I don't know it's been a very good year, I'm so fortunate so many things on my pocket list kind of happen in one year and also with my action figure, it's been pretty surreal and amazing. And now, with the role I'm having, I mean I love being general manager."
Even though she wasn't in WWE 12, she managed to win the THQ Superstar Challenge at the last WWE Wrestlemania's Fan Axess, defeating in the final none other than "The World's Strongest Man" Mark Henry. It was perhaps an even bigger Wrestlemania moment for her than the kiss-of-death she gave Daniel Bryan later that weekend.
"Hahahaha! I will always be able to say that I had a win over Mark Henry! That is real life! I have the trophy on my desk!" she crowed.
If this year's Wrestlemania was an awesome one for her, next year's in her own courtyard at the Meadowlands Met Life Stadium in New Jersey should be even better, or at least more special.
Would AJ preferred to be a wrestler on that show or the Raw GM?
"I'm so torn, I want this position to last long, it's so much more fun and it's amazing to have all that power and I'd like to stretch it as long as I can," she said. "Being part of Wrestlemania is amazing to me. There's a little 13-year-old inside of me that was a wrestling fan and the idea of wrestling at home, minutes away is so amazing. So if I was really selfish, I would do both, I would book myself in a match!"
Meanwhile, AJ will also have her character portrayed in a Scooby-Doo movie, a co-production between the WWE and Warner Bros.
"Oh my gosh, there's definitely a checklist of amazing life experience milestone and being immortalize in a cartoon character is certainly bizarre," she admitted. "We did the voiceovers and I hit on Scooby and Shaggy, so this is the most bizarre moment of my life! This is pretty cool!"
It has been a big summer for comic book movies, yet surprisingly AJ has not seen the most recent Batman movie, The Dark Knight Rises.
"Everyone keeps asking me that and it's hilarious because I still haven't," she confessed. "This entire month I've been home for two days and I'm a weird introvert so it's hard for me to go to the movies and it's a popular movie so there's a lot of people there. Being part of a big group is hard for me. So I'm gonna wait until it calms down or wait to watch it at home. Watching it on a plane would be the ideal scenario though."
Pro wrestling, comic books and video games have been what AJ has been doing since she's a teenager.
"I was the less coordinated person. I really had to force myself to become athletic, and wrestling was the only thing I wanted to do and I had to work really hard to get good at it," explained AJ.
So instead of sports, she turned her attention to other interests.
"The very first video game I played was on Nintendo and it was Excitebike. I was really bad at it," remembered Lee.
She also loves to read, especially pro wrestling biographies. "The first [of] Chris Jericho's and Eddie Guerrero are my favourites," she added.
Twitter is also a big part of AJ's life as she considered herself Twitter friendly. In fact, she is so Twitter friendly that during the SummerSlam weekend, since it was so hot in Los Angeles, she asked her followers on Twitter to "Yes" responsibly!
To "Yes" responsibly -- so, it's a verb now?
"Yeah it is, it's a verb," she laughed. "It was so hot out there and there were actually people passing out, and there were stretchers, we were out just for a couple minutes, and people were into the yes chants and I was like, just be careful. It's a verb now. I've stolen the yes from Daniel Bryan and I made it into its own verb now!"
In Montreal on September 10th, she will need to tweet in French as well to be able to reach a maximum of fans.
"I learned French in high school but I forgot everything since. But I'm sure if I try hard I could put something in French in Montreal, but I will ask them to please forgive my terrible spelling," answered AJ, who will visit Montreal for the very first time.
The fans in Montreal are known internationally to be rabid wrestling fans. With the first Raw tapings there in six years and being the last show before Night of the Champions PPV, one can except AJ Lee to play a huge role and to create a big reaction from those great fans that will be in attendance that night.
And if you really want to make sure that happens, there's no other choice than to tune in Montreal, at the Bell Center on September 10th, same AJ-time, same AJ-place!
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see ur about 2 get ur girl fired u no can hold ur drink ass lol man, he has such an amazing body of music that it's sad to see him constrict it down to the basics. he's too talented for the lineup he's doing. estelle 81 | |
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They are not gonna fire Naomi. The girl can actually wrestle and it's a shame they have her in this kind of role. Although, I'm sure she's not complaining about being on TV every week.
She got a lot of praise for a match against Natalya that they had at a house show last week.
She'll be fine. JERKIN' EVERYTHING IN SIGHT!!!!! | |
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I couldn't have said it better myself, Paris. Thank you! It's nice to finally see some class visit this thread again besides myself. | |
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Jump to the 0:09 - 0:10 mark.
[Edited 8/31/12 2:25am] | |
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Apparently, L4OA goes by the alias Joel Luke. http://www.tmz.com/2012/0...lt-stolen/
TNA $6,000 Belt JACKED From Under Stagehand's Nose
TNA's heavyweight championship belt -- valued at roughly $6,000 -- was stolen earlier this month from right under a stagehand's nose ... but thankfully, the suspected thieves have been caught ... with the help of TECHNOLOGY.
TNA sources tell TMZ, the alleged belt-snatching took place on August 18th in Ottumwa, Iowa before a non-televised event while a stagehand was unloading props from his truck. We're told the stagehand turned away for a split second, and one of the suspects grabbed the $6,000 belt -- along with a $400 replica -- and took off. The two suspects were later identified by police using surveillance footage. 33-year-old Joel Luke and 39-year-old Forrest Jamison were arrested Wednesday before posting bail and being released. Luke was charged with 2nd-degree theft and Jamison was charged with accessory. 
The belts have since been returned to TNA -- and somehow, the stagehand still has his job. [Edited 8/31/12 14:06pm] | |
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well at least the belt looks better than alex's hero's belt that has the intials J.C. man, he has such an amazing body of music that it's sad to see him constrict it down to the basics. he's too talented for the lineup he's doing. estelle 81 | |
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Jesus Christ doesn't wear belts, so there! I hope you feel stupid!! | |
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Cameron Reportedly Suspended By WWE
Arianne Andrew, who appears as Cameron for WWE, one of Brodus Clay's "Funkadactyls," has been suspended by the sports-entertainment organization, according to F4WOnline.com and PWInsider.com. F4WOnline.com reports that she has been suspended for 15 days. The suspension went into effect Friday and will expire on Sept. 14.
The suspension stems from the fallout of her arrest for driving under the influence on Aug. 24 in N. Hillsborough County, Florida. According to the police report, the WWE Diva blew a 0.20, more than twice the legal limit in Florida. She compounded the matter by attempting to bribe the arresting officer with $10,000 to "let her go because she would lose her job" and not notifying WWE officials of her run-in with the law prior to the news story surfacing online. A company spokesman told TMZ.com, "Ariane [Cameron] did not alert us to this matter, we are investigating and will take appropriate action."
According to PWInsider.com, WWE officials are displeased that Andrew did not notify of them of her arrest, instead finding out about it online. Another factor leading to her suspension was embarrassment of the dance performer being spotlighted on the premiere episode of WWE's children's program on The CW, Saturday Morning Slam.
Andrew flew with the Raw roster to Australia last week for their live event tour of the country. After appearing at Thursday's show in Brisbane, she did not appear at Friday's event in Sydney, when her suspension went into effect, nor Saturday's show in Melbourne.
source: PWInsider/F4WOnline | |
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http://www.metro.co.uk/sh...e-champion
Mike 'The Miz' Mizanin: Hulk Hogan inspired me to become WWE champ
Wrestler Mike 'The Miz' Mizanin talks to Metro about becoming a WWE champion, being booed by 16,000 people and being concussed at WrestleMania 27.
- 1st September, 2012
 Mike 'The Miz' Mizanin is the reigning WWE Intercontinental Champion
Why did you want to become a wrestler? When I was a kid, I was inspired by those larger-than-life characters such as Hulk Hogan and The Ultimate Warrior. I did the reality show The Real World, which made me realise I could do anything I wanted to in life. I’m from Ohio and the expectation was you go to high school, then college, then come home and get a job and a family and that’s where you stay. The Real World showed me I don’t have to do that small city thing – I wanted to become a WWE Superstar and I did it.
Was starting your career in reality TV a help or hindrance in becoming a wrestler?
It got me comfortable with cameras and being in front of an audience. I was already a showman, I went to a wrestling school and learned the art of wrestling and I’m here today.
If wrestling hadn’t worked out, what were you going to fall back on?
I’d probably be in Cleveland, Ohio, running a business like my dad does. He runs a chain of sandwich shops. I’ll probably run a couple of those too.
What’s the worst job you’ve done?
Working for my dad. I flipped burgers for him when I was 14 at one of his stores in a terrible neighbourhood in inner-city Cleveland. I’d have grease all over me and smelled of fried food all day. I earned enough money to buy my own car, though – I was so proud. It was a 1988 Firebird that barely ran.
What’s the worst injury you’ve sustained?
The worst injuries are to your head. I got a concussion on WrestleMania 27. I took a tackle off a table and landed on my head on the concrete. It gave me a scare. WWE has an impact assessment and you aren’t allowed to work until you pass it. I had a week off, which is scary because you never know what’s going to happen.
Your gimmick was to be the most annoying person possible – how did you set about doing that?
Most people backstage will say I’m the most annoying person around – I don’t know why. I don’t consider myself egotistical or cocky but everyone else does. I’m a good guy. They might cheer for John Cena or CM Punk but they should be cheering for me. I don’t know why they don’t cheer for me but if they don’t like me, then tough.
What is it you do that annoys everyone?
People say I talk a lot about myself but I can’t help being the most must-see WWE champion of all time. Maybe the reason I’m the way I am is because the fans don’t give me the credit I deserve and I retaliate by letting them know what I’ve achieved.
How is The Miz persona different to your own personality?
The Miz is like if you turned my personality up to 100 and then ten more. Mike is more low-key. I just like chilling out with my dog. The Miz is the workhorse. He’s the one who gets me off my butt to fly to Europe for promotion then go to Australia for our tour.
What’s the worst advice you’ve been given?
I get bad advice all the time but I ignore it. I probably didn’t help myself when I first started because I didn’t want to wear trunks. I told myself I’d never be the guy wearing trunks in the ring. I didn’t want to wear Speedos and be like everyone else but then I realised that, if I wanted to establish myself, I needed to be taken seriously by the audience. So I ditched the gimmicks and went to trunks.
Are the feuds for real or are you one big happy family?
It’s a bit of everything. In a group of 100 people, not everyone is going to be your best friend. You have people who have tiffs with each other, then have people who are good friends. I’d say I get on best with Zack Ryder because he has such good stories. Dolph Ziggler is an incredible talent and Chris Jericho is one of the best in the ring today.
You recently did an action film – do you want to establish a career as an actor away from WWE?
I’m having fun in WWE. It’s not every day you can get into a ring and have 16,000 people boo you. I’m enjoying it. If I can do movies at the same time, I will.
What are people’s misconceptions of you?
That I’m awful, I suck, I should quit or get fired, that I don’t belong in WWE – I get all these on Twitter all the time, along with: ‘Please die, Miz.’ The way I look at it is: don’t be a bully, be a star. I meet people all the time who rant at me but they’ve made me who I am today. People always told me I wasn’t good enough or athletic enough and proving them wrong is what’s fuelled me to achieve what I have.
Have you ever been attacked by an animal?
My dog Flake tries to attack me all the time but he’s a miniature pinscher so it doesn’t work. I enjoy his courageousness. | |
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Pete Gas Interview - Vince And Shane McMahon's Relationship, How Mean Street Posse Was Formed
Pete Gas of Mean Street Posse fame appeared on Inside The Ropes Thursday night. Highlights from the interview are as follows:
Meeting Hulk Hogan for the first time, when he was a teenager: "Vince was renting a house near where the house he's in now was being built. Vince was cool, he let us drink in the house, he let us drink beer but the one condition would be, we gave him our keys and we weren't allowed to leave. He knew kids would be kids and so he would go and get us some beer. So we're swimming in the pool and we hear Vince's car pull up and we hear a harley davidson coming up with it, so we go out and see Hulk Hogan get off the bike, coming towards the house and he's carrying our beer. So at the 15th Anniversary of RAW, I had mentioned that to Hogan, I went over and introduced myself and fortunately he remembered me, I was honoured. I told him "the last time I saw you" and I'm telling him the story and he's looking at me and he says "so I was carrying your beer?" and I was like "well, yeah I guess if you think about it you were" and he said "So you owe me one? Go get me a f--king beer!" I went up to the concession stand and got him a beer, I guess that was my payback."
How Mean Street Posse was formed: "It was the idea of a few people. Vince Russo, Ed Ferrara and Chris Chambers who really ran with it. They wanted Shane to have some heat going into WrestleMania. One day Shane called us to come to his office, I'll never forget it was a Friday. Rodney and I used to work out at the Titan building. He called us into his office. He says to us, "Sunday at 10 o clock, can you go over to the studio, and dress really preppy? Here's the script." He then ripped it up and said "f--k the script" and told us to tell stories about what we did as kids and he told us Chris Chambers would splice it and fix it and we'd be on Monday Night Raw. It was supposed to be a 2-3 week little stint. They brought us to Albany the week before WrestleMania for RAW. By the time we got to WrestleMania, I remember sitting in the front row, Isaac Hayes was in the row behind taking pictures of us. There were a bunch of signs with our name on it. We went and about ten days later, Shane handed us cheques and he said "Do you guys have any vacation time?" and he said "We wanna take you on the road for a little while."
Bradshaw almost injuring him early in his career: "We were facing Faarooq and Bradshaw, The Acolytes, and Bradshaw went to hit me with a steel chair and I took it, straight to the head. Now Shane had told us certain things about respect and that after the matches you shake hands and thank the other guy for the match. So I wasn't going to let him know I was hurt, so I shook his hand afterwards and said thank you. He told me six months later that through doing that I earned his respect. The next day, two specific people approached me. Mick Foley, checked if I was okay, and Chris Jericho, who told me that I proved I was tough and next time to put my hands up if I get hit with a chair shot.
Shane McMahon leaving WWE and his relationship with Vince: "They're very close. Vince was the best man at his wedding. There's no animosity there. Shane keeps things very close to himself. Shane had something to prove to himself, he wanted to do something for himself and start his own business. As far as his relationship with his family, they're so close. A couple of weeks ago, Shane's company went public and he was in New York ringing the bell and I know his father was right by his side."
In the interview, Gas talks in detail about his WWF run, working with Gerald Brisco and Pat Patterson, winning the WWF Hardcore title at WrestleMania 2000, and recalls a wrestlers court story about Teddy Long being put on trial by the Acolytes for being cheap. The audio interview can be accessed at www.facebook.com/theinsidenetwork.
source: WI/Inside The Ropes | |
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http://www.chicagonow.com...id-otunga/
Chicago Focus: David Otunga
He's been called Punk, Dawson Alexander and more recently David Otunga. WWE wrestler David Otunga (ironically his birth name) was kind enough to talk to me about his wrestling career, seeing his wife and the challenges that he faced on a movie set, among other things. With WWE Raw invading Allstate Arena this Labor Day, Otunga is ready to come back to where he was born and raised and show he loves returning home.
You live in Chicago along with your wife (Jennifer Hudson) and you are back this Monday for WWE Raw. What is it like for you to return to your hometown?
It’s unbelievable. I love coming back here. It’s fun for me because most of the fans don’t know I’m from here. For my character he is billed from Hollywood, California so it’s always fun to be back without the majority knowing I’m coming home. I was born and raised here and the law firm I worked at was in downtown Chicago. Coming back to where you were born and raised, does the excitement of the crowd give you that little bit of extra motivation to your character?
Oh definitely. I always want to put on a great show and being back where I grew up I want to do something a little different. I want to preform to the best of my ability, and with all my friends and family coming, I definitely have to kick it up a notch. You have been part of a reality show, the WWE and now a movie with Halle Berry. What has been the toughest on you in terms of learning your role?
I guess it had to be the reality show (I Love New York). There was a lot more information that I could process at one time. The film was unbelievably fun because it came to me second nature. With the WWE, the acting classes, and the improv I do it was very easy to blend in. The only major difference was me having to shave. I haven’t shaved in many, many years but it had to be done and it helped me get into character. A few wrestlers have done movies in the past and some have said that it was a challenge to get into the acting role. How did the movie creators and actors accept you when you were asked to play this role?
They were really excited. When I arrived on set a lot people started asking me questions about workouts, diets and the WWE. Then before you know I have a big crowd around me and a lot of people would be wondering what’s going on. They enjoyed having me though and it was different. Hacksaw Jim Duggan has a 2X4, Triple H has a sledgehammer, but you have a coffee mug. How did that prop develop as a part of your character?
Funny you should mention that because I’m drinking out of it right now. The thing about the coffee mug, is that it’s really me. One day I started using it on camera and people are led to believe it’s a part of my character. But it’s really me and not just my character's role. The gateway to the WWE for you was being a part of the group called "Nexus". Then slowly you branched out to becoming a legal counsel for many WWE wrestlers and executives. Was the lawyer role something that was always on the back burner or did you pitch this idea to the creative department?
That was something that I did definitely. I was kind of turning into the A-lister and Hollywood star person but I’m more of a different character. I really am a lawyer and no one else is which sets me apart from everybody else. One day I went out to cut a promo and I was supposed to talk about something else but did the lawyer thing and they loved it. So we stuck with and it felt pretty good. You have been more of a manager per say, instead of a wrestler in your career in the WWE. Recently, you have been getting a lot more singles matches. How has that transformation been from being a manager to the ring on a more permanent basis?
Well you know it’s something I’ve been I’m waiting for. It hasn’t been that difficult but I’ve been looking forward to it for a very long time. I enjoy being in the ring and it was more excitement than anything to be back in that wrestling role. I am very goal oriented and want to see my character go to the top. I am hoping to have the creative freedom to do that and let it pan out the way I would like. It’s exciting for sure and hopefully in the next few weeks my character continues to grow. Jennifer Hudson is your wife and both of you have very busy schedules. What are her thoughts on you being a professional wrestler and the difficulties of seeing each other on a weekly basis?
She knows that I love it and really enjoy it. That right there is what makes her special. She likes to see me happy. It depends on often we see each other because like you said we have crazy schedules. When I was filming the movie in Los Angeles , she was doing the same in New York so that made it a little more difficult. But we work it out the best we can. | |
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http://www.jrsbarbq.com/b...ookers-boo
Raw Thoughts, King & Punk, NFL Refs, JR to El Paso, WWEShop.com ships outside the USA, Kane's Funny, Booker's Book, Sauce It!
Wed, 08/29/2012 - 7:29pm — J.R.
Just got home from a quick trip up to Green Bay and have these random thoughts...
Enjoyed the first segment of Raw a great deal. Punk and Lawler's verbal exchange was intriguing and motivated me to want to see them wrestle. @CMPunk and @Jerry Lawler delivered.
Backstage skits are largely, in my opinion feast or famine. The Anger management scenes were entertaining especially when Kane named off a list of some of his indiscretions including "burning a couple of people."
The HHH highlights brought back some great memories for me including The Game's 2X3 fall bout with @steveaustinBSR in Vegas on PPV which was the night after I called an XFL game in the rain in Chicago. I was at the right place at the right time to see and broadcast HHH's career truly evolve in WWE and his bouts with such men as HBK and Undertaker are some of my all time favorites.
HHH's promo certainly left the door open as to his in ring future. I'm thinking that he won't be able to walk away just yet from competing but time will tell.
The last segment of Raw inside the cage was a superb way to end the three hour broadcast as it paid off an issue, Punk vs. Lawler, and put the WWE Champion back with his #1 contender, John Cena, who Punk will face in the main event at Night of Champions PPV. Punk is at the top of his game while King is undoubtedly one of the best ever inside the ropes. I can assure you that Jerry had more fun, even in a losing, painful effort, in the ring Monday night than he would broadcasting ten Raws. Punk getting several staples in his head after contacting the steel cage is not exactly the way I would want to start a multi hour flight to Australia.
I have the privilege of flying to El Paso Friday with the OU Football team as they open their season Saturday night LATE vs UTEP in the Sun Bowl. Game time is 10:30 eastern/9:30 central live on Fox Sports cable. We're due to arrive back in Norman Sunday morning at approximately 5:30 a.m.
JR's products from http://www.wweshop.com are great tag team partners for tailgate gatherings. Let's keep the momentum rolling from a great summer of business as our family brand continues to grow.
Contrary to what it says on their website, WWEShop.com does ship JR's outside the USA including the UK, Canada, Mexico, and Australia, among several areas.
The next time we are back @FullSail for NXT will be Thursday September 20 when @JohnCena will be the special guest. Those tapings just keep getting better and better.
Young talents have to realize that they HAVE to improve or they will be bypassed by someone who wants it a little bit more. One thing is for sure, young wrestlers cannot make it to the Promised Land simply by investing in their careers while they are at work either training or at a live event. It's a full time investment of their time including daily DVD study. The process is going to continue to get more challenging to not only get a contract but to 'make it.' Competition is good for everyone.
Gotta start taking JR's All Purpose Seasoning with me on these road trips. Makes room service and other meals so much better. It's a great dry rub as I've touted but it honestly makes virtually anything one would season great.
Booker T gave me a copy of his new book Tuesday while I was in Green Bay and I'm going to start on it soon. I've heard nothing but great things about it and Book really opens up about his life before wrestling that included a stint in prison. Booker is living proof that if one doesn't quit their journey that arriving at a desired destination is doable.
Some of my Twitter followers @JRsBBQ, over half a million strong, and I disagree on the perception an athlete gets when they tap in a bout. I say it is real and a long time part of Pro Wrestling and obviously MMA. I say that if executed properly it is a great way to end a contest. Others, I suspect younger fans, think it is demeaning to the talent.
Met some nice folks today in O'Hare Airport who said that they had "grown up with me as the soundtrack of their youth." Didn't know if I should hug them in empathy or shake their hand in thanks. However, one dude was bald and gray and I almost 'carded' him as he looked older than me.
Really proud of @GrishamESPN and @TheCoachESPN for their tag team effort hosting SportsCenter on ESPN. Two great guys and who have both found their true calling. Both will evolve into big stars for their network much sooner than later. Todd even gave JR's BBQ a shout out I'm told Tuesday night. Cool.
Mark my words, the NFL will rue the day that they did not get their new deal done with their on field officials. Replacement Refs can't adjust to the speed of the game in a matter of weeks and the number of bad calls that are likely to to occur the first week of the NFL season will be alarming. I expect the strike to then be settled rather quickly BUT with no preseason the bad calls and timing issues will likely not go away any time soon. The NFL picked the wrong hill to die upon...again. | |
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Chris Jericho Discusses Triple H's Legacy, His Best Run, If Ziggler Is The Next Big Thing, More
Chris Jericho was on Busted Open with Dave Lagreca and Doug Mortman. You can hear Busted Open from 2-4 ET on Sirius 94, XM 208, and Sportszone 860 on the internet. Here are some highlights: Vince knew and I knew for the entire run that I would be leaving as soon as the new record came out (Sin and Bones). We knew the entire time what my time frame was. Originally I was supposed to leave at the end of May and then I signed for another 3 months, and the record got pushed back. But I didn't know until the day I showed up, actually ten minutes before Raw started in Fresno that we were doing this contract vs contract thing. So I didn't even know this was going to happen. I just figured I would have a match with Dolph and that would be the end of it. So people who think that there is some long, drawn out, plan. I t really wasn't. It was about ten minutes before the show started and I was like "Oh, we are doing a contract vs contract thing? Oh ok." So there you go, a little special behind the scenes look.
Is Dolph Ziggler the next big main eventer?
Times have changed so much in that guys are learning on the fly. Dolph is one of the best guys on the roster but he is still learning as are a lot of the other guys. People say "oh Damien Sandow is the next guy or Kofi" .These guys are still learning. In time, I think these guys will be amazing, amazing performers. But right now they are still on their way up the learning tree. So yes I think Dolph is going to be an amazing performer. Yes I think the Miz is going to be a great performer. Lots of guys are getting into that zone, but they are still learning. It's not like what it was in my day. I worked for nine years before I came to the WWE. There are guys now who have been working there nine months that are on the show. It's a different world out there right now than the way it used to be. There is a lot of great, great performers or potential great performers that are on the way to getting there.
On the importance of experience in wrestling:
It's not so much experience time wise, it's also experience with who you are working with. This is the cold, hard fact that nobody in the WWE has been working in wrestling longer than me with the exception of The Undertaker. I've been working longer than Kane, longer than Triple H. If you throw in Kane, Triple H, Jericho, Undertaker, geez who else has long term experience where you can go in with a young guy and instantly identify their strengths and weaknesses.? We can tell them, "you need to work on this and this is amazing. Keep doing what you're doing on that end." It's not just about having good matches, it's about knowing what to do. Knowing how to put together good matches, feeling things. How to react when things don't go the way you want them to. Right before I left there was a tag match between myself and Zack against Dolph and Miz. Putting together the match, there were things that were obvious to me that they were still figuring out, which is cool and ok with me. But I was like wow this is second nature for guys that have been around a long time and they are still figuring it out and when that light bulb comes on and they already have ninety percent, but that last ten percent is what makes you a great performer. Some guys never figure out that last ten percent and when the guys do, that's when they become guys you can base companies around and put in main events.
Did it bother him when a guy like the Miz who had little experience, had the WWE title? No, because that's the world we live in now. It's not like what it used to be back when I came in 1999. I bet when you look at that roster in '99, I bet you would have at least eight to possibly twelve legitimate, main event, superstar, amazing character, amazing workers. I bet there was at least ten. Now, there is probably four and with potential for four or five more. The experience level and the character development is completely different now.
When will the time come for the WWE to rely on their young stars instead of the older stars? We are pretty much at that point now. It's more necessity than anything. When Daniel Bryan first came in a couple of years ago, you saw the evolution of the character. He came in as like the NXT nobody, then gets fired and then comes back as a nerd and as a vegan. The vegan thing came about because Vince hates vegans. Vince would say "how could you not eat steak?" He made vegan into a heel tendency. I always knew Daniel Bryan would get over because once again look at his career path. He had gotten over everywhere he had been. You can make jokes that he wrestled in a bingo hall or a gym, but getting over is getting over whether it's in front of 200 people or 20,000 people. It's the same principle. How do I get the crowd on my side either as a heel or a babyface? He always had that, he just figured a way to do it. That's what all the other guys are going to have to start doing. They are already kind of making that switch. If you look at Wrestlemania this year, what's the top three matches? You had Undertaker vs Triple H with HBK, all part timers at best. You had Cena and Rock, one workhorse who works every show, the other part timer at best. Then you had Punk and Jericho. So three of the six were on Raw the next night. Sooner or later it's going to have to get to that point. There is still pure business at stake. What are people going to pay to see? It does take time for people to accept some of these guys as legitimate money-making main eventers that you would pay to see.
Talks about his creepy promos leading to his return: It all started with the Myans saying 2012 would be the end of the world. So I thought it would be cool to come back with the end of the world as you know it in the sense of kind of like the old Y2J promos where the whole company kind of went into the tank and it's the end of THAT world and the beginning of the new world with Jericho laying claim to what is his. It was meant to be something ominous based on the Myan thing saying the end of the world is coming. 2012 is the end of the world and this was the end of the world as we know it. The world has now changed because I am back to reclaim what is mine. It started with "the best in the world thing". It was a natural feud with CM Punk. But sometimes people read into these things too much. People still ask me "who was the girl?"I worked on this with a guy named Adam Pennucci who worked on all of my promos since 1999. I asked him the question "who's the girl"? He said "I don't know, I just find her really creepy and I like the idea of it". So I was like, "cool, put it in there." Then people were asking, "was it Stephanie McMahon, was it AJ Lee, was it Kharma, was it Michelle McCool?"There was no girl. It was never anything to do with a girl. It was just another creepy imagery to have two creepy kids conspiring with each other. People were finding clues that didn't exist. People were pausing it and looking at the Bible quotes and how it leads to Jericho. They were pausing it frame by frame and this girl is supposed to be Stephanie McMahon and the boy is Shane McMahon. There is a book on the floor that says Jericho on it. It was all speculation and people getting into it. I didn't want to come back the same, I wanted to come back different. The viral thing was my idea, where the YouTube thing on Raw on the bottom of the screen, where it's very subtle. I like stuff like that where it makes people think. The silent treatment was all Vince's idea. I had a big long promo that would have explained it right off the bat why it was the end of the world as you know it and why I was coming back to reclaim what was mine. Vince said "no I don't want you to say anything." It worked so well that we said let's not say anything for a whole month and see what happens. We are not as smart as you think by putting messages on the tiles of the floor. This was all done on a shoestring budget and I never saw the clips until they were done.
On his feud with Dolph Ziggler: Originally I was supposed to feud with Sheamus, and then it was Daniel Bryan. Then the day of Raw, they said I was doing something with Dolph. I was like "what happened to Daniel Bryan and Sheamus?" They said it changed and I was fine with it. I've been doing this long enough that I roll with the punches. I couldn't wait to work with Dolph but I needed a story. What's the story? They said "we will think of one later." I said "I don't like that". I need to think of one now since I have a promo tonight with Dolph. We cant think about this next week. That's when I came up with the concept of everyone was b---hing that Jericho never won a match on PPV. I don't think of things that way. I win if the match is great. I win if people enjoy the match. Winning and losing, who cares? It doesn't matter. As a heel especially, you can win one out of ten matches and you're fine. Once I came back from suspension, the tide had already shifted. The heel was gone. People wanted to cheer for Jericho. When that finally happens, you just got to go with it. I thought it would be real interesting to go with the "you can't win the big one" scenario. But sometimes the writers will write "this old broken down guy who is on the last legs of his career." I'm like "wait a second, broken down? I'm in the best shape of my life, never been hurt, I've never missed a match and it's not like I lost EVERY match. I beat Sheamus on TV, I beat Punk on TV and I beat Kofi a million times. I wanted to focus on the storyline of "he can't win the big one." It gave us a great place to go. You always have to have a good storyline. Without a storyline, it's just two guys in their underwear rolling around half naked.
What he thought was his best run in his career: When I came back in 2007, I thought that was the best work of my career as far as really showing who I was as a performer. The story I did with Shawn Michaels and I'm not bragging when I say this, but to me it's one of the best storylines in WWE history. Blackjack Lanza told me that the last time I saw him a few months ago. I thought that was the best example of storytelling in wrestling. I was working with the greatest of all time. When that angle was done, I went into a thing with Mysterio which I thought was one of the best things I've done as well, then did the thing with NXT guys. When I came back this time I was like "who am I going to work with?" There is Punk and Cena, but there is no more Shawn Michaels or Undertaker or Triple H, or Eddie Guerrero. I still want to have great matches, but I also want to pass of the experience, pass the knowledge that I have on to these guys, so when I go they can become the main event guys of tomorrow. Just like Shawn did with me.
On Triple H's legacy: He is a great worker. I think he is almost underrated as a worker because of all the side baggage that people have put on him. I worked with him when I first came in. He is a great worker and really helped me out. I'll be honest with you he is doing a great job behind the scenes. It's not an easy job. He is being thrown in all the way. Vince is making him do everything. He is in charge of all the meetings, he is in charge of all the side projects, and I think what people forget is the "Attitude Era" was a lifetime ago. When I started being Y2J again, a lot of people didn't know who that was. That was ten years ago. There are a lot of new fans and kids watching and girls, and new people just starting to watch 3 or 4 years ago, so they don't know the legacy of Triple H. The "You tapped out" chants at Summerslam was not what they wanted, but his legacy to me is one of the best workers that was in the company and he is going to be the guy to take the company to the next level in the next 10, 20 years.
source: Busted Open/WI | |
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