Insight with Chris Van Vliet - Jackie Redmond On Joining WWE, Backstage Interviews, CM Punk, Triple H, The Rock, WrestleMania

Episode Date: January 15, 2026

Jackie Redmond (@Jackie_Redmond) is a broadcaster and interviewer currently working with WWE. She sits down with Chris Van Vliet in Washington, DC to discuss how a phone call from Michael Cole led to her joining WWE, the unique way she got into broadcasting, her dream job of reporting on the NHL, interviewing Triple H and The Rock after the wild WrestleMania 40 press conference, if she has any interest in getting in the ring, and more! Please support our sponsors! PURE PLANK: The future of core fitness! Use the code CVV to save 10% on Pure Plank designed by Adam Copeland & Christian: https://gopureplank.com/cvv AMERICAN FINANCING: NMLS 182334, nmlsconsumeraccess.org. APR for rates in the 5s start at 6.196% for well qualified borrowers. Call 866-721-3300 for details about credit costs and terms or visit https://Americanfinancing.net/Chris SEAT GEEK: Use my code for 10% off your next SeatGeek order*: https://seatgeek.onelink.me/RrnK/CVV Sponsored by SeatGeek. *Restrictions apply. Max $20 discount NORDVPN: Exclusive deal! https://nordvpn.com/cvv Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! PRIZEPICKS: Download the PrizePicks app today and use code INSIGHT to get $50 bonus credit in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup! For more information about Chris and INSIGHT go to: https://chrisvanvliet.com If you have ever enjoyed any of these episodes, could I ask you to please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcast or Spotify? It takes less than a minute and makes a huge difference in helping to spread the word about the show and also to convince some hard-to-get guests. Follow CVV on social media: Instagram: instagram.com/ChrisVanVliet Twitter: twitter.com/ChrisVanVliet Facebook: facebook.com/ChrisVanVliet YouTube: youtube.com/ChrisVanVliet TikTok: tiktok.com/@Chris.VanVliet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ladies and gentlemen, Chris Van Flee! Oh, good clap. That was a good clap. I used to love, like, when I first started out, I did a lot of, like, not live stuff. I did a lot of shoots. Yeah, yeah. And I loved to do the clap, and I always was like, I have great clap game. Like, it was such a thing for me.

When you would do the countdown, the three, two, one, do you say one? Some TV people just three, two, and then they're right into it? Um, when I first started, I would say the one. Yeah, I would say the full countdown. I remember when I started in Miami. I would three, two, one, and I would start talking, right? And I remember my boss pulling me aside a few weeks in. Can I talk to you about something?

Like, what did I, what did I do wrong? After you say one, can you pause for a second? Because you're going three, two, one. We're here right now. Like, we need a beat. When you first start, like, you just don't realize. Like, I, even to this day, like when we finish shooting something that's not live, at the end, you're supposed to have a pause, right?

Like the end of an interview, the end of whatever, end of a scene. Yes. And I am so bad. Like, you're supposed to wait until whoever is behind the camera says clear. Yeah. And I never wait. Like, Kassama knows. W.W.E's Kassama knows.

Like, she'll wait. And I'll never. I'll always break before she says clear. I can't do it. You're supposed to like stare at the camera and just keep staring at the camera. It's so weird. Oh, it's the weirdest thing. It's strange.

Yeah. How long have you been in broadcasting? Since 2011. So that would be... I know. I know. It's crazy. Wow.

It's nuts. I feel like I've been doing it for like five. Like it doesn't feel in the moment like I've been doing it as long as I have. Until you start thinking about all the things that you've done, the successes, the failures. Then you go, oh yeah, I guess it's been that long. 2026 is 10 years in WWE for you. Well, is it? Right?

Didn't you start doing things in 2016? Well, okay. So I did. I did stuff. I had like a five-year chunk, then a break for like four. And now I'm back. And I've been backstage for two years and with the company for four straight. But I guess so maybe it's a decade combined.

Or 10 years since your first appearance, right? Yeah, we could, we could go with that. I honestly, I don't know the year that I first covered wrestling. It was a show called Aftermath on Sportsnet in Canada. Like wrestling, Cardo's no aftermath, even outside of Canada. And so I did that show when Renee left. So that would have been 2013.

Like, when did Renee leave? Or when did she join WWE? I get 2013, 2014, maybe. That was when I first covered WWE. And then, like, when you first made your first appearance with WWE, like NXT stuff, right? It would be... No, I never did NXT. Never did NXT.

I did studio shows in Strait. Stanford starting in 2020, 2021? I did raw talk and talk and smack. It's been a lot of wrestling. It's been a lot of wrestling. Yeah. You know what? I like owe a lot to WWE because when I first started in broadcasting, I was cutting highlight

packs. I was not on the air in a consistent capacity at all. And one of the first opportunities I ever had to cut my teeth as a host was aftermath, it was a wrestling show. And I got a call and they said, René is leaving. Do you want to host this show? Do you watch wrestling? And I said, well, I watched it for like four years as a kid.

I had like an obsessive face. I haven't been watching it. But I can. I can absolutely get back into it. And so that was my first ever, like real hosting gig, I would say, in sports. What was your first introduction to wrestling growing up? Oh, my gosh. My sister and I were obsessed with the Hardy Boys.

That was what like brought us in. We just thought they were so cool with everything that they did because they were extreme, right? Like they were hardcore. So they brought us in, but then we were very much the rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Triple H and Stephanie McMahon's romance. Like that was the era where we started watching. We used to go to the movie theater to watch the pay-per-views. I remember that.

Yeah. Yeah. Because we grew up in a, it says you're from Toronto, but where are you actually from? So I was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, raised. in London, Ontario. So London's like two hours outside Toronto. Well, the internet is lying by saying, there's a lot of lies about me on the internet. Let me tell you, like maybe the most fake news of anyone in broadcast. Like I think that if you grow up in or around Toronto, the internet will just say Toronto. Like, it says Toronto about me, but I'm from Pickering. It says Toronto about you,

but you're from London. Yep. That is really not that close. Like I went to college in Toronto. I started my broadcasting. Ryerson? I did not go to Ryerson. So I was on the wait list for Ryerson. And for anyone outside of Canada that doesn't, Ryerson is like, or was in my day, like the journalism school to go to. That's where you got to go. Top tier, right? I was on the wait list. And I went and did an orientation at Guelph Humber, which was a combination of the University of Guelph and Humber College, four years, degree and a diploma. And I went and I fell in love with it. It was a small school. The professors that I met and got interviewed by, just like, it was one of those moments where you're like, this just feels right? And so I accepted, got everything ready.

Week one of semester one, I get an email from Ryerson. Hey, you're in. And I was like, I'm already, I'm set up. Like, I can't. Yeah. Yeah. But that, you're right. Ryerson was the place. I went to Ryerson for four days. I don't think I've ever told this story publicly. What? What happened? I went to Wilford Laurier University for my undergrad. Yeah. Communication Studies degree. And then I was so not ready for the real world. So I'm like, I'm going to go. Is anybody ever? Right. I was not feeling I'm still not ready for the real world. But I'm like, I'm going to get a postgraduate degree. Sure. In something. So then I applied to a bunch of schools and I'm like, I'm just not ready to dive in to the real world. That summer, I got an internship at Checks TV in

Peterborough. Checks TV. I remember Checks TV. Does this still exist? Yes. Oh my God. Checks TV in Peterborough, Ontario. My internship ended up turning into a job. Yeah. And then I got accepted at Ryerson. I'm like, well, you know what? Having those two extra years of, you know, that journalism degree, I think that would really help. And then I went there and realized I was learning way more in an actual newsroom than I was being in a classroom. Yeah. And I remember we had an assignment that day writing, whatever it was. And I just spent the entire time researching, how can I drop out and not lose my money? And the answer was tomorrow. And I went, Oh my gosh, really? I guess I'm dropping out tomorrow. So you got your money back. I got my money back.

and I got my job at Czechs TV back. I called my boss and I said, I think I'm going to drop out of school. He's like, I'm not telling you to drop out. But if you'd like to, your job is waiting for you. Wow. That's kind of cool. But it is interesting that like that is the school

when you think about journalism, you think about broadcasting. That's the school. That's the one. And you know what? Like education is important. I think everyone should get an education. But what you learn once you enter the real world

that you're not ready for, it really is all about what you do after. Yeah. Like the education is important. and those years are great, but it's all what you do after. Like, what school you go to does not guarantee you success in life. Absolutely. And it's funny that, like, I was learning so much more in the real world.

And that's kind of, it's just an interesting lesson of like, nothing beats that real world experience. Yeah. And what you will yourself to do, right? Like, if you're not willing to put yourself out there, take chances, fail, do all of these things, then you're not, you know, no one's just. handing you your dream job when you step out of school, right? And so at least most people, some people, I guess, they just like have a twist of fate. But for most people, like, you kind of got to, you got to go for it. You got to make decisions. You got to apply for things. You have to

succeed and fail and fail again and just figure it out. So what was your dream job growing up. Hockey. That's what I always wanted. I wanted to be on hockey night in Canada. That was my dream. And so that's what I chased for a really, really long time. And I'm so. so lucky that I now do that for a living. I work with Wayne Gretzky, which is so weird. Oh my gosh. The idea that even in my wildest dreams as a kid, right, like dreaming of being on hockey night and Canada, I was like, oh, maybe one day I'll work with like Don Cherry, you know, like I never imagined a scenario where Wayne Gretzky would be on the panel in the studio talking to me out in the field. Like that was never something that I thought could be a real thing.

And to put things in perspective, hockey night. in Canada is the show if you grew up in Canada. Ron McLean, Don Cherry, everybody's watching hockey on Saturday night. Golden standard, right? Like that, like hockey in Canada, I guess, would be what, you know, football is in America, right? Like, that is the upper echelon of sports in Canada. And that's what I always wanted to do. So that's what I chased for a long time.

And then I got it. And I was happy. And I was doing a two-hour studio show every single day covering, hockey covering the entire league. I still to this day owe everything to that show. And WWE has been a really great bonus. Wow. Yeah. Did you play hockey growing up? I did. I did. I started skating when I was three or four. Started as a figure skater. And then my sister started playing hockey right away when she was like five. And I'll never forget the day I asked to play hockey. I was at my sister's tournament. She was really good, like maybe better than me, but that's

fine. And she was in a tournament in a semi-final game. And she, she like, not like stick speared a girl in front of the net. She, like, Roman Raines speared somebody in front of the net. All hell breaks loose. It's crazy. They end up winning the game going on, winning the gold medal in that tournament. And I remember telling my mom, like, I want to do that. Like, I want to be a part of whatever that is. Like, I want to do that. And my mom cried because she loved my figure skating. I was only okay. She thinks that it was so good. I was like, Mom, I was not going anywhere in figure skating.

But yes, and then I switched. I started playing hockey when I was nine, which in Canada is very late. Yeah. Very late. But I was all right. Did you fall in love with broadcasting before that? Or was it just like specifically just hockey broadcasting?

I wanted to be on hockey night in Canada. So I wanted to, I had a dream of being on hockey night in Canada, but I also was so passionate about hockey that I would have done anything. Like I would have done PR. I would have done marketing. I would have worked for a team. Like I was open to anything. I just wanted to be around it.

For me, I think that when I went to high school, which is such a, high school is such a weird place, right? Like, you don't know who you are yet. You're trying to fit in. You're uncomfortable and awkward a lot of the time. And for me, when I really realized that sports might be an avenue for me was when I got to high school, and I started to be a little bit more, you know, you're going through puberty. You're like, you're not, you're like becoming more aware of how people perceive you and stuff. I started to like get insecure.

And I realized that I was most confident when I was talking to people about hockey. Like that's when I felt most myself. And so I was like, I need to chase this feeling. That's where I feel like me. It's where I feel like I belong. And so I started sort of chasing it that way. But I was open to doing anything. But I like attention.

I like being on camera. So I'm not surprised that I ended up where I did. And the way that you got your break, the way that you got on TV, it's, I mean, it's pretty crazy. Yeah. Yeah. I was on a reality show. I won a contest. As a lot of people told me when I first started out, you're just a contest winner.

And I was like, I'll show you. I will show you that I'm not just a contest winner. Yeah, the show was called Gillette Drafted, the Search for Canada's Next Sportscaster. And so it was very picture-like American Idol, but for broadcasting. That's what I did. It was on season three. And there was different iterations of the show. The show I was on, there was a top 10.

We had a challenge every week. There was a bottom three. And then someone would get eliminated. And the whole tagline of the show is, you will not be drafted. At the end, one person gets drafted. They get a one-year contract to work at the Score Television Network, which doesn't exist anymore, but it got bought by Sportsnet. I remember this show.

I don't remember. I would already move from Canada. They need to bring it back. It was a great show. It's a great idea, too, because think of how many people are growing up dreaming to do what you do for a living. So many. Right.

And they don't see what that path is. Obviously, it's changed quite a bit. Yeah, big time. Right? Like, I think that when we were growing up, the main screen that we watched was a television screen. Yeah. Now, most people are watching the screen in their pocket all the time.

It's crazy. It's changed a lot. It's changed. big time, but I think that show could still work in a new 2025 type form that incorporates the internet and social media. Like, we're still covering things, just covering them in different places, right? Like, you're a great example of that. So, yeah, that's how I got my start. It was the best. It was a traumatic experience, but it was awesome. Why was it traumatic? Because the season that I was on was very much a season where people were cast.

It felt, I don't know this for sure, but it felt like half of the cast was cast because it was like, okay, they could actually like work at the score television network. And some of the cast it felt like was brought in for the drama, the entertainment sort of side of it. So behind the scenes, we were all, we all got along great, but there was definitely some, there was some cutthroatness to it for sure. We had each challenge in the first like four weeks, there was an immunity you could win. So if you won the challenge, no matter what happened in the following challenge, you could absolutely tank. The judges could not eliminate you if you won the immunity. I won three of the first four immunities.

So people started being not very nice to me, which is like funny now, but at the time I was like crying on television. Yeah, it was bad. Wasn't Renee one of the judges on this? Yes, Renee Piquette, W.W.E knows her as Renee Young. She was a judge. And to this day, I always say, like, Renee is literally one of the reasons that I got my start in sports. And she's the best.

And she's an amazing human. And we're still friends to this day. Like, she has been so, so, so great to me. It's like, there aren't words really to describe how great she's been to me. So I love her. Hi, Renee. When you started doing things with wrestling, did you reach out to Renee to say, hey, like, what do I need to know here? You know what's funny? So Renee and I, for a long time, sort of had like these like,

sort of like parallel careers a little bit. So when she left the score, I started hosting Aftermath, which she had hosted before me. Actually, when she came to WWE, I wrote one of her reference letters to get her green card or visa or one of those things. I remember her reaching out and asking me to write a letter. And so I wrote her a letter of recommendation. So when you do dive headfirst into wrestling and you haven't been watching for a few years, do you like figure out like, I need a crash course in this? I need to figure out what do I need to know? Who do I need to know?

You know what's so great about wrestling at the time? So this is again, we're going back to like 2014, something like that. I hadn't watched wrestling in probably, I don't know, eight, nine years at that time. I had seen because I was a sports fan and I worked at a network that had the rights to I was aware of some of like the bigger things that were happening. But the great thing about WWE is like you watch for like three weeks and you're right back in. You know what's going on. Like there were times I had to go back and be like, oh, like, what's the history here?

Like what is the, what is this person's journey before I kind of stepped in and started watching it again? But aside from that, you know, it's like a soap opera. Like you watch a couple episodes and you know what's going on. Who are your favorites now? My favorites now. It's such a hard question because I know these people now. So it makes it a different question to answer. But I love watching Eoskei.

I think she is so, everyone thinks she's so badass. But she's just sometimes like when I remember to go out on the floor and just watch a bit of a match instead of watching on a monitor backstage, I go out there. And when I see it from the floor, I'm just amazed at which. she does. And she's like fearless. She's not afraid of anything. Like she will do anything. And I love her for that. So I love watching her. Jay Uso, I think is super fun. CM Punk. You seem to have a great friendship with CM Punk. Yeah. See, I cross past with CM Punk prior to joining WWE because he's such a hockey fan. So I knew him through hockey. So when he came back, I instantly DMed him. Like, I was, I was leaving the venue and I was like, you little shit. Like, I didn't know you were coming

back. Like, this is crazy. And I was still pretty new at that time. So for me, I was like, oh my gosh, like, you know, it's an intimidating world. Everyone's so nice and welcoming. But it's a big world with big personalities. Everyone's focused on, on, you know, what they have going on. So when I first started, I was very much like in my shell. I was shy. So when punk came back, I was like, oh my God, a friendly face. I know this person, which is so crazy because like his reputation prior to coming back, you know, like it just amazes me some of the things that people say about him because for me, he's always just been an absolute pleasure. So nice, so professional. Just awesome. It feels like liking hockey in the real world is like liking wrestling in the real world.

Like, you find a wrestling fan, like, out and about. Yeah. And you're like, wrestling, amazing. And I feel like hockey's the same way. I think that they are similar in the sense that the fan base is, especially in the States, right? Like, in Canada, it's like everyone loves hockey. Yes.

In the U.S., there's pockets, right? And those pockets are not casual at all. They are absolute diehard, extreme fans. And I feel like wrestling fans are that way. They're not casual about wrestling. They are extreme about wrestling. And I think hockey is similar in that it's a bit niche here. But when you come across somebody that loves it as much as you do, you instantly connect.

And there's an amazing dialogue that happens, I think. You're a Leafs fan, right? I am, yeah. Yeah, I am too. Oh, I'm so sorry. It's so brutal. I like to. The painful experience.

Yeah. I like to remind people in a joking fashion that the Leafs haven't wanted to Stanley Cup since there were five other teams in the league. Yeah. The original six. It's awful. Right? I've never even seen the Leafs in a final.

No. Like I've never even seen them compete for a cup. Well, I don't think it's happened since that. It hasn't happened in my lifetime. No. Yeah. If it's, if they've been to a final, it predates me. Yeah, it's rough.

And CM Punk does not let me forget how rough it is. I literally have, I'll plot my, my text chat with CM Punk right now. Oh, boy. I guarantee, I think the, so the last thing you sent me was a picture of a Tim Horton's cup with a timbitt. Oh, Timmy Hose. But Monday, this is what I get from him. We're not talking. There's no conversation happening here, okay?

This is out of nowhere. Unprompted. Haven't seen him because he hasn't been at Raw the last couple weeks. It says, it's a picture of like a bottle of eggnog and it says introducing lay an eggnog. And it's got a Leaf's logo on it. And then you open it up and you play it. Like, this is the stuff this man sends me. Like our entire text chain is just him.

Here's another one comparing the Leafs of the Titanic. Well, that's, you know, because they were at the bottom of the Atlantic and they have trouble when they hit the ice. It's like, this is the stuff this man sends me. This is our whole friendship. It's just him ridiculing me for being a Leafs fan. How do you hit back at that? You can't. So there was a Monday Night Raw where Punk is walking into the

You know, we have these like a rival shots now, which I think are so cool. Yeah, me with a suitcase. Right. He's walking in. I think in this particular one, he like got out of a car and walked right through the curtain. Camera followed in the whole way. But he sees me off camera sitting on a road case. Okay.

And it's like April, late April, early May. And you're just minding your own business? Minding my own business. I've been nothing but kind to this man. And I'm sitting there just, you know, enjoying the show. And he yells off camera as he's walking by. You, Redmond, how about those leafs? Or how about those maple leafs, Redmond?

Because they had just been eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, like they always are. And the internet went insane over that. And so many people were like, well, why don't you just rip him that the hawks suck right now? They're terrible. And they were terrible that year. But they won three Stanley Cups in 10 years in Punk's lifetime. There's nothing you can say. Yeah.

The hawks could suck. they could finish last in the league for five years in a row, and I still couldn't use it as an insult. Because he'd be like, yeah, but from 2010 to 2020, we won three Stanley Cup. And the Leafs are coming up on 60 years without a Stanley Cup. Wow. No.

It's awful. What a friend. And this year, they're like, they might not even make the playoffs this year. It's awful. I remember the big thing growing up, it would go from Go Leafs Go. Yep.

to then golf leaves golf. Yeah, I remember that too. Yeah. Listen, one day, one day. One day. They're going to do it. And you know what? All of this pain and ridicule from other people will be worth it.

Because the parade, the party that will happen in Toronto will be completely unmatched. It'll be like nothing you've ever seen. And we'll be there. We'll be there. I'll tell you one thing. It doesn't matter what's going on in my life. I could be like due to deliver a baby and I will be there. Like I will be there.

Like we saw the excitement when the Raptors won. And we saw the swell of excitement that was happening when the Jays were so close, right? So close. At least they won in our lifetime. Two. They've won two. Yeah, they've won two in our life. We were kids.

Children. The swell of excitement that was happening, like we were right there and just a few outs away. it was about to happen. Yeah. When the Leafs win the Stanley Cup, it's going to blow all that out of the water. Oh, it won't even come close to touching what that reaction will be. Yeah. People will flock to Toronto from all over the place.

Yeah. Not just in Canada. Like, there are Leafs fans everywhere. So, Original Six, that's why. They've been around forever. You know, it's hard to believe that it's already been over a month since John Cena's final match. And I'm grateful to say that I was able to be there. in person in D.C. with some amazing tickets from Seat Geek,

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And make sure to click the link in the show notes to download the app and have that code automatically apply to your account. so you can use it later. Big shout out to Seekkeek for sponsoring this episode. The United States Soccer Federation present the U.S. Soccer Podcast. My name is David Goss, and I'm joined by my co-host, Megan Clemenberg. And now we're giving people an inside look at the World Cup. Time's ticking. I think you can feel the intensity.

All the guys are wanting to really stake their claim, and they want to be on that World Cup roster. There's no doubt about it. Hosting the World Cup on the home soil comes with its pressures, but we're just really excited just as the people are. U.S. Soccer Podcast, presented by Henco, follow and listen on your favorite platform. You still live in Canada? I do, yeah. You're on the East Coast?

Nova Scotia. So you... Home of Sydney Crosby, Brad Marshon, and Nate McKinnon. Okay. Where all the goats live. No, I'm just kidding. You probably have the toughest travel of anyone in WWE. I like to think I'm on the podium, at least.

I don't... I'm sure there are a couple people that might be able to compete with me, but... I do customs every week. And I get direct flights maybe once every three months. So you get direct flights to New York? New York, Toronto, Boston. There used to be a- I'm sure there's a few others.

There used to be a direct to Philly. Okay. There's a direct to Orlando, but only in the summer. No, or only in the winter. Oh. I can't remember. That would make sense for Disney World? Only part-time.

Yeah. So you're connecting once or twice every travel day. Yeah. I try to keep it to one. But there are times that I connect twice. I take three planes sometimes, yeah. What's the toughest city to get to or toughest area of America to get to? Ooh.

So I haven't been sick for six weeks, but six weeks ago I was also sick. And I actually didn't. It was the first time I'd called in sick in any job in like since pre-pandemic, probably. We were supposed to go to New Mexico and that was going to be like a 24 hour travel day for me. It was like three flights, long layovers.

It was going to be really rough. Man. Really, really rough. Luckily, the universe was like, well, I'm going to give you a different kind of pain. You're sick. I was like bedridden. I couldn't move.

I'd strep throat. Did you feel like when you first started working for WWE that you realized that you had a Canadian accent? Oh, I realized. it before because I worked at NHL Network in New Jersey. So NHL Network, for people don't know, 24-hour hockey network airing only in the U.S., which is weird because hockey's so popular in Canada. It has to do something to do with sports nets, rights deal with the NHL. Anyways, they boxed out at NHL Network. So NHL Network and MLB Network are in the same place,

and they're run by the same people. And so in the off season, before I got tapped on the shoulder to come join WWE, I would cover baseball. And I would do a show called QuickPitch, which was all highlights. And on that show, you have to say the word out a lot. And so my Twitter, every time I hosted that show, would just be full of people being like, ah, the Canadians hosting the baseball highlight show because I love the way you say out, or I hate the way you say out. But when I go home, my friends and family all say I sound American now.

So there's certain words, I guess, that I say that now. that now sound American. And now that I've been living in Nova Scotia for six years, there are certain words. People say I sound like I'm East Coast. Well, the East Coast accent is a little bit different from the Ontario accent. Yes, big time.

Right? There's a little more Canadian to it. Yeah. But I feel like what I tell me... Do I sound Canadian or American to you? I think you sound neutral. Okay. Do I sound Canadian or American to you?

I think you also sound neutral. Okay. So this is how I see it. High five. I know. I love this. Wow. Non-regional dialect.

Look at us. Everyone around us, though, or at least around me doesn't agree. I think I've lived in the U.S. now for 15 years. Yeah. I think I've now assimilated to the non-regional regional dialect. I don't think that I think it took a little bit of work for me. But when I say to my parents, when my parents come to visit and I'll like just giggle about something they say,

oh, it's so funny your Canadian accent. My dad's like, I don't have an accent. I'm like, I know you don't think you do. But you do. You have a little bit of an accent. It's funny. It pops out once in a while. Backstage people will point out, like, when I say sorry, I get that a lot.

I think there's, like, a handful of words. Yes. So, like, out about. But even that, you just said that American. I know. You did. I've assimilated. But it's not like, what I don't get is that Americans think when I say out or about

that I'm saying, like, oh, you're saying a boot. I'm like, no, I'm not. So for people that don't know what we're talking about, can you give me the difference between the way a Canadian would say it? Yeah. And the way an American would say it? So a Canadian says about, right? About.

Yeah, you're pronouncing every letter in there. Yes, there's a U in there. Out, about. Whereas Americans do this thing where they go, about. It's more of a W. Yeah, about. About. Or out.

Out. You know what I mean? I do know what you mean. But then Americans will exaggerate how much we pronounce the... Sorry, you bought that. Yeah. Like, oh, a boot. When I first moved to the U.

my friends came to visit like two weeks in. I was living in Cleveland, Ohio. And I said, so are we going out tonight? And they're like, what did you just say? I said, are we going out tonight? And they're like, why are you saying it like that? I'm like, what do you mean like that? I'm saying it like you're supposed to say it. Yeah, you're like, I'm with it. They're like, you don't. That doesn't work. Like, we don't say it like that. But I think it's out about sorry, sorry. Sorry. Yeah. American say sorry. Tomorrow? Tomorrow? Oh, tomorrow. I'm never thought about. Tomorrow is another one. Tomorrow. Yeah, that's American. Tomorrow, yes. Tomorrow. Instead of tomorrow. You know what really bothers me? This has nothing to do with

American Canadian. You know the phrase like tomato tomato? Yes. Nobody says tomato. It's the dumbest phrase ever. And then to take it one step further, potato potato? Yeah, even worse. What? Even worse. I'll have some mashed potatoes, please. Yeah, like nobody in the history of earth has ever said potato, okay? We need to cut it. Enough. Tomato. It makes no sense. So did you work on saying after people were calling you out on that?

Honestly, I didn't work on it. I think if anything, I leaned more into it. Oh. Yeah. You wanted to sound working. Like now, I mean, because the great thing about wrestling fans is that, like, they notice everything. Yeah. Every single thing.

So any time, like, I don't remember what it was. I think I was interviewing the new. day maybe. And I said sorry. And I emphasized the sorry on purpose, being like, I bet you fans will notice this and clip it. And they did. I was like, my guys and girls. Yeah. When I, I hadn't moved to the U.S. yet, but I was in the States for something. Yeah. And I was listening to Ryan Seacrest on the radio. And do you remember what Ryan Seacrest catchphrase was? Seacrest out. Oh, yeah, that's right. It was. Seacrest out. And I remember being like, oh, if I, ever want to get a job in the U.S. I've got to like at least sound like I'm you know I don't have I don't

belong to a certain place. Did you come up with a catchphrase? No, I should I should know but I was just I was listening in the car out sea crest out out out out out and like trying to figure out how to say it. So that because when I moved to Cleveland there's a very specific accent in the Midwest. Sure. And like I couldn't pick up that accent. That wouldn't make sense but I just wanted to make it sound like I was at least from could be from anywhere. I think that's the whole idea. Yeah, you could be anywhere, be from anywhere. You could be from anywhere.

Yeah. So how did WWE bring you in for this job originally? So I was in Montreal covering the Stanley Cup final between Montreal and Tampa. And I mean, this business is funny, right? Because years prior to this, because that would have been 2021, around 2016-20s, 17, again, Renee Piquette calls me and is like, hey, WWE might be interested in you. Like, what do you think? I told them I'd call you first just to see kind of what you think. And she's been such a great person to me. I know we talked about her earlier, but, you know,

whenever I've reached out to her for any type of advice, she's always been there, even as the years have passed. So she had called me and told me that my name had been brought up and asked me what I thought. And I said, well, what is the gig? And I was still in Toronto at this time. And she's like, it would be hosting. She goes, but, you know, I see everything you're doing in Canada right now with like misplays of the month and you're hosting, you know, our equivalent to sports center on the weekends. You're doing all this great stuff. Like, I feel like they might like put you in NXT. You might be in the middle of nowhere, not on TV. Like, do it. Like, experience outside of WWE isn't the same as experience inside of WWE.

And she goes, so I don't know, like, if you'd be into it. So I said, you know what? Let me think about it. And at the same time, I got an opportunity at NHL Network. And so I ended up not doing the WWE thing. And it never went further than a combo with Renee on the phone. Like, it was very much like early stages like, hey, your name was mentioned by somebody. And so I end up taking the hockey show, my dream job, right?

I'm covering hockey two hours a day, live television. Best thing for me to ever happen as a broadcaster because when you're live for two hours straight, oh man, you make some mistakes, but you learn how to kind of roll with the punches, right? So years go by and I'm covering the final in Montreal. And I'm not even joking. I get a phone call. I don't know the number.

I pick it up and it's Michael Cole. And he's like, hey, I know your agent. I got your contact info from your agent. We are looking for someone to host our sort of post shows, our raw talk and our talk in smack. And we're kind of changing them a little bit. We want them to be a little bit more like a real sports post show where, you know, you come into a studio, you talk about what happened. Maybe you go back to the venue.

There's an interview. Yada, yada, yada. And so I literally get a cold call from Michael Cole, which is so weird. Like, I'm in Montreal, and I'm like, I can't wait to text my sister after this and be like, Michael Cole just called me. How weird is that? And I guess my agent was supposed to give me a heads up, but like didn't get me the heads up in time that the call was coming. And so I had been on their radar.

And yeah, he called me and I said, do I have to stop doing this hockey show that I'm doing? And he said, well, where's the hockey show? And I said, it's in New Jersey. He said, well, Connecticut's a 90-minute drive. It's only twice a week, Mondays and Fridays. You do both. it's fine with us, if it's fine with you. And so I did the audition, and he called me pretty much after the audition and said,

you got it if you want it. It's yours. And yeah, so I started, those were crazy days because I was doing, our show was four to six Eastern time. So on Monday, I'd be on the air four to six live. And then I would leave from NHL Network and drive right to Connecticut. Get there basically with the traffic and stuff right on time for Monday night, raw to start, watch the show and then go live again. Wow. What was your audition like?

It was pretty straightforward, honestly. I'm trying to remember right now for some reason. Did they give you a script you had to memorize or were you pretending to interview a superstar? They gave us, no, we didn't do a pretend interview. It was with Matt Camp, who was with the company at the time. And I think they gave us like an old show from like a raw, a couple weeks prior. And obviously watched that show before I went in. And we just had to go in and do. basically that show minus the interviews. So it was basically like, honestly, it felt more like a chemistry test as opposed to like a traditional audition. So we just talked about what happened on raw and I threw to break and did those types of things. And that was that. I've never been a big

teleprompter girl. So even if they wanted me to, I would be like, unless it's like a sponsor read, I don't want it. What I love about the pre-show and the post show is it makes a PLR. feel big. Like it gives it a feel like you're watching football on a Sunday. Does it? Because that's the goal. So I'm glad you're saying that. Especially after the show when the panel is like in the parking lot and there's thousands of screaming fans and chanting fans. Yeah, it gives it a really big like stadium feel. And it should feel that way. Because when anyone that's gone to a PLE knows that that's what it feels like when you're there. Right? Like it's a big event. There's so. many people, not even, like, people talk about this for WrestleMania all the time, but I would

even argue just like a regular PLE. People are coming from all over the place to see this show. And so I think that that show does, the post show, does a good job of sort of bringing the viewer at home into that feeling, that vibe of actually being there. And I think for people who have never been to a PLE, there's a buzz in the city, especially if it's something big like Mania or SummerSlam Survivor Series. Everybody in the city, we're not everybody, but there's a big majority of people in the city that are there just for wrestling. It takes over.

Yes. Every time you're walking down the street and you're stopped at a stoplight, there's a wrestling shirt to the right of you. There's a wrestling shirt to the left of you. Then you speak to people and like, oh, wow, you're from the UK or you flew in from Australia for this. It's nuts. And it's just so big.

And I think that there's this misnomer of like, oh, the end. event is in Washington, D.C. or Los Angeles or New York, it's just people from that area. Like, the amount of people that fly in for it is huge. Even when you're on the outside, like, you know WWE is a global entity. You're aware of that. You know it's big. But once you're traveling with the company and going to all of these events, it really is mind-blowing. Like, I don't know that there's anything like it. Like, what, I don't know there's any other sport that parallels just how far people are willing to go to watch a show consistently. Like, it's like that all the time. It's not just a one-off thing. Yeah. It's nuts. You do a really great job of making it feel

authentic. Like, it doesn't feel like it's just like, so you've got a match against so-and-so tonight. How do you feel? Like, you do a really good job of making it, like, within that world, feel like this is a real, yes. Okay. Well, thank you, because that's like the best compliment you could give. me, honestly. It's funny because when I first started, I felt like I did not do a good job of that at all. I think I got very in my head about not, about saying exactly what I was supposed to say and not like screwing it up. But I think over time, one of the things I love about what we're doing with WWE right now is we are, you know, we are trying to be more authentic and we are trying to be more real about what we're doing. And, you know, WWE has really been great for me in

terms of being like, hey, you don't need to like follow a script. Like if we talk beforehand that like this is the question that we need you to ask, you can, however you get there is fine with us. If you, you know, do it within the allotted time. And so that's been really helpful for me, that I kind of have that support where it's like, hey, just do it how you. would do it in hockey. So what is it? This is the angle. This is what we're trying to push.

But you don't have to, you don't have to ask it in the way that it's written. So like in hockey, you would ask maybe it's the obvious question. There was a big goal in the second period or there was an injury or something. You would ask the obvious question. You're doing a similar thing in wrestling too. Yeah. But you're trying to get to whatever the final destination is, I guess. Exactly.

So it's, you know, we're all obviously I'm kind of a setup girl. right, in WWE, where I'm trying to, I'm trying to help superstars go where they need to go. And so what I am, I very much consider myself sort of like a tool in that way, where it's, I'm trying to refrain from like, I'm trying to help them get over because like that, I don't, like that, I have nothing to do with that. But it is about sort of setting the stage for someone to get their message across, get their emotion across. And that's not always done with words, right?

Like sometimes that's done with body language or the way that you react to somebody. I think a great example was a couple weeks ago when I tried to interview Jay Uso and he was just down and out and crashing out and upset. And my whole thing was there, there, at least my mindset was like, it's not about what I'm saying right now. It's about how I'm reacting to him because every interview I've ever done with that man has been fun and exciting and happy and intense and bubbly. and this one is not that. Yeah.

So how can I, if this was real, you know, I hate saying that, but like. If there wasn't a script. Yeah. Like, how would I actually be reacting in that moment if someone that I, like in hockey, right? Like there are certain people that I have great, great relationships with. And I interview them all the time. If one day I interviewed them and they were treating me completely different than they normally do, how would I react to that?

And so I tried to sort of encompass that. into that interview. And I think I did okay. But I don't ever want to act. So I'm trying to like, for me, it's all real. You know what I mean? Because like, the story is still real. What we're doing is still real. This is still Jay Uso's career. This is still a man that wants to be a single champion, a world heavyweight champion. That's all real. So when people criticize and say like, oh, it's fake, it's me, it's this, it's that. It's like, these careers are real. These people care about these things. They care about winning and losing matches, and they should.

It's their career. Do you have to flip a switch in your brain to go between NHL mode and WWE mode? Or is it just broadcasting for you? I think, I don't know if there's like a switch that I flip, but it's definitely different. Because with hockey, I'm sort of, and this is a credit to TNT and some of the other people that I've worked for, I am sort of able to sort of push in the directions that I want to push. And so I have a little bit more freedom in terms of like what I want to ask or what I want to report on and those sorts of things.

But with wrestling, I get to have more fun. Like I get to sort of show a little bit more personality when the opportunity is there, especially on something like the countdown show or the post show and some of the long form interviews that we do. But I don't know if there's a switch, but it's different. I do think it's a different hat for sure. What does a typical day look like when you get to raw? Oh my gosh.

Coffee first. And I usually like to do a lap just to see like who's kicking around. So I try to like shoot the shit with some people in the morning. Then I go to hair and makeup. That's the first stop. And then usually like I'll know what the show, the plan for the show is the night before. Like I'll have an idea of what's going on. And then it's just about pre-taped backstage segment or a live.

Our PLE days are really different because we've got a two-hour live show. So that is like a whole other different type of prep. But I'm always trying to talk to superstars and talk to people that aren't superstars that cover the products just about what's going on and where we think things are going. And what are we like clinging to as fans? Like what are we interested in? and how can I work that into a report that I'm doing or a question that I'm asking? Because I don't want to ask, like, how do you feel? And if I'm going to ask that, I want to at least, before I say, how do you feel,

give some sort of context or something that either the superstar, like, it either triggers the superstar or it triggers the audience. One of those two things. So for me, it's like a question can never just be a question. You need to give a reason for the question, or you need to have the lead up to the question be something that evokes like an emotion in someone. It doesn't have to be the person you're interviewing. Maybe it's the audience. But I just, I'm always trying to come up with something. Because if I just ask, and I have, there's clips of me just asking, how do you feel or what's next for you? But just know inside I'm dying that I'm asking it that way. Like I hate. when I ask questions like that. Do you get thrown into predicaments where it's like, we need you right now.

It's you with this person and we're live in 30 seconds. And you've got to figure out. Okay. I have been, and I love this person dearly, like one of my favorite people backstage. And this is probably a year and a half ago. This is a while ago. But we are getting ready for a live shot backstage

where I'm interviewing this person. And we're like 20 seconds away. don't even have eyes on him. Don't know where he is. I haven't seen him. Like we had chatted earlier in the day. Like, yeah, we have a backstage. It'll be great, whatever.

But we're getting close. And I haven't been doing this job that long. And, like, it's not like hockey, right? Where I could just be like, this is what's happening in the game. And I can just sort of dance a little bit and throw it back to the booth. I can't just freewheel a WWE storyline.

Like, you have to be very careful about, you know, what you say and kind of where you're going. And you don't want to speak for a superstar either, right? So it eliminates the ability to be like, oh, I spoke with so-and-so and they said this. Well, I didn't. So I can't do that. And so I'm starting to panic a little bit. And literally, like, we're in the 10 count.

And finally, Sammy Zane shows up and we're ready to go. And I was like, oh, my God, Sammy. I was so nervous. I was like, where is this man? But he was fine. And he nailed it and we were great. And it was a wonderful segment. And he's so like, Sammy Zane is brilliant, like actually brilliant.

So you know when you're working with someone like that, that it's all going to be okay. As long as they show up on time. That must have been so nerve-wracking, though. Yeah. Oh, yeah. It was scary. But, you know, it's nuts too because these guys are, you know, getting ready for massive matches. Sometimes they have multiple segments backstage and they're all live and they're running all

over the place. So it's pretty, it's pretty wild what they do. But yeah, it was, that was one moment where I was like, oh, my God, he's going to, I remember looking at Tommy Colin and being like, he's going to be here, right? And he's like, you'll be here. It'll be fine. It's like, okay. You did an interview with Triple H right after the WrestleMania 40 press conference in Las Vegas, and things went wild during that. Oh, gosh, yeah. So you're interviewing Triple H and then out of nowhere, the rock just shows up and they start exchanging words. The look on your face, I think, tells the whole story. The jaw drop, the most natural crazy jaw drop of my entire life. The crazy thing about that situation was I didn't even know I was interviewing Triple H until

eight minutes before that. So we're getting close to the end of this presser, right? And producer comes up to me as like, hey, we weren't planning for this, but, you know, some shits, about to go down. And I think we need to hear from Hunter after this, right? Like, we need him to kind of, like, give us something to kind of put a cap on everything that's going on. It's like, okay, that's no problem. So like, just pay attention. And, you know, as soon as it's done, like, he's going to come out a gorilla and he knows he's going to chat with you to get, basically, we want you to get this, like, instant live reaction from the craziness that just happened. So I find that out late. And I'm like, oh, and I'm still like, I don't know, was I like a year into this job maybe? So for me, Hunter is still

a very, like, intimidating presence. I've met him. I've talked to him. He's lovely. But we're not like, buds. I don't know him that well. I'm like, oh, man, I'm interviewing Hunter. This is like, can't blow this. This has to be good. And then I interview him. And I, like, I should know better at this point that basically 99% of the time when I'm interviewing someone, it will be interrupted. Like, that's pretty much a staple of what I do. But I had no idea that Dwayne the Rock, motherfucking Johnson, was going to come out, yell at Hunter and drop F bombs all on live television.

And I truly, people do not believe me to this day that I did not know the Rock was going to do that. I did not know, like, hand to God, did not know that that was going to happen. And so when it did, that was a very real reaction from me. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I felt like I was like teleported back to being like 10 years old. And it's the attitude era and the rock and Triple H are yelling at each other.

Like, what is going on? You know? It was a very surreal, surreal moment for me. And I don't say that a lot. Like that was one where I was like, is this my life right now? That was that moment, that press conference in general, really sold the story of WrestleMania 40. It was huge.

It was massive. Because I don't know if people remember, but leading up to that, it's like, where are we going with this? What's happening here? And then that was like a fever pitch like, oh my gosh, like this just got real. And it felt like that, that disdain coming from the rock

felt very real to me. Like I was like, wait, are they actually fighting? Are you guys good? Because right before that, Rock had slapped Cody Rhodes. Yes. The infamous slap. The slap heard around the world.

Right. What a five fingers say to the face. I was like, nothing couldn't be more shocking than that. Wrong. Wrong. Welcome to WWE. It's a nice reminder, though, for you of like, anything can happen. Anything can happen.

And to me, it's like, that's the best part of what we do. It's the best thing about resting and what I love about it so much. It's not just that, like, anything is possible. but that like you just, it doesn't matter how long it's been since the last time you were shocked, you will be shocked again. And you're always just kind of waiting

for that feeling to come. And when it does, it's so great. It's so fun. Like, that happened. And for the entire week following, I think every day I must have had like 20 conversations about it. From all different like walks of life too, right? I think when,

when WWE hits a moment, and really gets it, it transcends wrestling. Yes. Right? Like hockey people are reaching out to me. Bruce Boudreau is texting me. I've got people from home that I know aren't necessarily wrestling fans texting me. Did I just see you interviewing Triple H and the, like, what was that?

And so that was a moment that I think didn't just hit for wrestling fans. I think it hit just in pop culture. I think it really was something that a lot of people thought was awesome. It was. Yeah. Do you have a... I still want to see, like, the rock in Triple H, like, get physical one more time. Oh, man.

Can that happen? Triple H says no. Is that a pipe dream? Probably. I think with Triple H's health, I don't think him having a match is possible. But there have been moments like Triple H. Kevin Owen's got in Triple H's face. Yeah.

And we're like, ooh, look at this. Okay, so maybe not a match, but maybe just a little more spiciness. Sure. I would love to see those two kind of go at it again. The final boss and like, you know, the boss in WWA, right? There's something there. I think so. Maybe.

Listen, I'm watching. Do you have a piece of advice that you got early on in your career that kind of stays with you when you continue to do this day and day out? Man, there's so much. And a lot of it is cliche, but it's cliche for a reason. for me, you know, I think it was my dad that said this to me the first time it was said to me. And it's going to sound really lame and textbooky. But if you follow, like, if you stay genuine and true to what's actually in your heart and you follow that, you will fail, but you will never regret.

And so for me, I've tried to make decisions in my career based around that mindset of like, okay, I don't know what to do here. well, don't do what you think people expect you to do or what you think people want you to do. Do what is actually true to yourself. And whether you succeed or fail, like, it will be the right thing for you. I don't know if that makes sense, but that's kind of how I've always been. And I think back to, you know, we talked about my original dream, right, was to cover hockey. And I worked at a network that got, you know, a $5 billion rights deal. my first year there with the NHL. I thought this is it. I'm going to get to cover hockey. This is going to be great. And I did some American Hockey League games. And I was trying to cover the NHL and it just wasn't happening. And eventually, and I won't, I'm not going to name any names or anything like that, but there was someone in a position that could have put me, you know, in a hosting or reporting or any role, really, to cover hockey. And the feedback that I got was, you know, she's good, but she doesn't stay in the box. Like, she doesn't really stay in her lane. Like, she's got a little bit too much

personality. It wasn't said in those words. It was said she doesn't stay in the box. But that's what they meant. Yeah. Right? I was a little too, you know, young. I was a little too, like, youthful. I would like, if I interviewed an athlete and they said something funny, I would laugh. Like, when I started as a woman, like, that wasn't really, it sucks to say, but like, if you and I are sitting here and you say a joke or you make a comment that I think is funny and I laugh. When I first started out in sports, that would be considered flirting, even though it's just two people having a conversation, right? And so, yeah, the feedback I got was she doesn't stay in the box. And so I had this moment where I went, man, do I need to be more serious? Do I need to lock

down and get my, like, Joe broadcaster voice on and, like, just like deliver the news and, like, not show any emotion, not show any personality. Like, do I need to do that to be successful? And, you know, I had people in my life, thankfully, that were like, listen, you have to make a choice. You can be what everyone wants you to be, and you might be successful, but will you be happy? Or you could just do it your way and do what's true to you and work really hard. And you might not succeed, but at least you'll fail being you. and if you succeed, well, that's the ultimate prize because you'll be happy and successful

and you'll be doing something that you genuinely like as opposed to maybe ending up in something that doesn't fulfill you. That's such great advice. Yeah, right? And I can't take credit for it. Like, you know, my dad and my sister and my mom are the people that kind of really drove that home for me to just be like, listen, if you're going to fail,

fail being you. Because there's like, even sitting here thinking about it, now there's like no worse fate than chasing a dream being somebody that you're not. Yeah. Because you can fail anyway. I don't even think there is such a thing as failing. You know what? That's a whole other conversation that we can have too.

Right, because it's this idea of like that just, you maybe didn't know it at the time, but that took you one step closer to where you're at right now. Yeah. Right? So it's not win or lose. I have lots of examples of that in my life. It's like I have this. And I don't remember where I got it from.

But whenever I'm going through, and this business, you know, it's ebbs and flows of confidence, right? Like sometimes you feel great. There's a great quote. It's like, some days you're the statue, some days you're the pigeon. And so like, right? And so that's life, right? Like, you're not always going to be like 100% confident and everything's going right. Like sometimes things aren't going to be going right.

What's your mindset in those moments? And so I'm always trying to look for the win. Where's the win? Because there's always a win there if you're willing to look for it. And so in my career, there's been things that I wanted that I didn't get. I had a chance to be on Hockey Night in Canada. I thought this was my gig. It was a role where you would do, this is when social media started to become a little bit more present in broadcast. Hockey Night was going to have a social media segment. And in addition to doing that like 90 second, two-minute hit every Saturday on the biggest sports show in Canada. you would also do features with hockey players that would air on, I don't remember what the app was called, but it was like one of SportsNet's first apps. And I was like, this is it. This is perfect. Interviews? I think I'm good at those. Social media. I have Instagram. I'm like, I'm like an early adopter to some of these things at my network. And I applied for it. And so did one of my great friends actually, Sophia Yerksovich. Shout out. She covers the Bruins now. And I thought

this is going to be my gig. This is it. This is my break into hockey. They hired Sophia. They didn't hire me. They actually hired me for a different job, which was the highlight desk on the weekends. And I could have been so bummed and I could have been like, man, I didn't get the hockey job. I've got to been down on myself. But I said, you know what? I'm going to take this weekend gig and I'm going to absolutely crush it. Like, I'm going to learn from this and I'm going to become a better broadcaster and it's going to be incredible. And it led me, all of that led me to where I am now. So it's like sometimes like the biggest nose are really just redirections. You know, it happened to me even prior to that. I was covering, I mean, everything under the sun at Sportsnet.

And I got offered a gig doing Canadian diving, not even international diving, Canadian diving, okay? Wow, that is niche. They literally told me no one else wanted to do it. Like literally. We're going to send you to Gattano, Quebec. You're going to cover Canadian diving. I knew nothing about Canadian diving. And I worked with Alex de Petit, and he helped me learn a lot in a very short period of time. And I took it and I said, like, I don't know anything about this. This isn't what I want to do. But again, I'm going to try to crush it when really what I wanted to do was hockey. And little did I know that the person producing this product for SportsNet was hired from outside the network was a guy that had retired and was just doing stuff to kill time after retirement.

But apparently he had been very, very, very high up in the Canadian sports scene, had produced Olympics, all this stuff. And he thought I had something. So he emailed the news director at Sportsnet and said, hey, this girl's pretty good. I think you should take a look at her. I think you should look at her and try to use her on your highlight desk. And that was how I ended up. getting an audition for that.

And I think that that's such a nice reminder of like, whatever the stumble is right now may end up turning into something else down the line. And just know that like I think at least when I first started out, I'm sure it's still this way for some people. Like if you want to cover WWE, right, you think that the only way to get there is to cover WWE. I'm a great example that that's not true as well. And for me it was like I thought I had to be doing hockey, doing hockey, doing hockey.

I did horse racing, I did wrestling, I did diving, I did swimming, I did Canadian college football. Do you know how many people don't watch that? A lot. I did so many things, right? Yeah. Thinking like, how is this going to get me to hockey? But eventually I got there because the industry is small and experience is experience, especially when you're talking about like being in front of a mic or being on camera or writing if you're a writer. like, doesn't matter what you're writing about. You're still gaining experience and knowledge and honing your craft. So don't say no to opportunities just because they're not exactly what you want to do in the end, I guess.

Yeah. Right? Do you think you'll ever do anything in the ring? I mean, I don't have any desire to like be in a match or anything like that. You know, if this was 20 years ago, you would be in a storyline. You would be probably involved in a match. I do wish that superstars yelled at me more. I'm not going to lie.

Like, that's not really a thing that we do anymore, but, like, I want them in my face. I want them to be mean to me. Like, I actually really want that. Like, please, be a dick. I really, like, be a jerk to me. But it's a different time. Maybe one day. No, I don't want to be in the ring, but I wouldn't be opposed to, like, slapping someone.

Okay. Or taking a bump. Have you ever taken a bump? No. No. I would love to, though. I would even love just to learn how to take... Well, you know, this Monday, you could just get in the ring,

grab that middle rope, force the issue. Fall back. See how it feels. I mean, maybe one day there'll be an opportunity for that, but... You could ask CM Punk to show you how to take a bump. You know, one time, I don't know if you'll, if you'll... I'm sure he won't care if I'd tell this story. But one time I was doing a backstage with Seamus.

And he just was like, he was a little sleeping. be he like wasn't feeling like he didn't have a lot of juice. And so we had done a couple and he wasn't happy with them. He's like, Jackie slapped me. I was like, ha ha. He's like, no, actually. I was like, what? Pardon? He's like, yeah, slap me. It's just slap me. I'm like, really? I actually got really like nervous. I was like, no, I can't actually slap. Shamis. Like, I can't do this. I was like, yeah, just slap me. I slapped him. It was a bitch ass slap. It wasn't a good slap. I got scared. Thank you so much for making this happen. I feel like I sucked.

What are you talking about? This was great. I don't know. I'll end this with the question. I ask everybody at the end. Sure. I have a halls in my mouth now, so just. Gratitude is such a huge thing for me.

What are three things in your life you're grateful for? Oh my gosh. First and foremost, my family, I think all the time about how lucky I am that not only that my family is, my parents are still here, they're around, but that they all always encouraged me to do whatever it is that I want to do in life. Like there was never, ever a time, even when I wanted to be like an Oscar award-winning actress that my parents were like, that's not very realistic. Like, they were willing to support anything that I wanted to do ever.

And so I feel very fortunate that I have them in my life and that they are, I was made by two dreamers, you know? And so I love that. So I'm very grateful for my parents and my sister and my husband. Two other things that I'm really grateful for right now. I'm grateful that I get to do this job in a time where the possibilities are endless. And we live in like the greatest digital age ever. And so everything is everywhere all the time.

And so even the smallest moments or victories or even failures, can become these like infamous moments. You know what I mean? Like 20 years ago without the internet and social media and all of that stuff, something could happen on a Monday Night Raw that just like falls under the radar and doesn't become a moment.

But now anything can become a moment. Something that wasn't even supposed to be a big deal can just take on a life of its own. And there's something very special about that. And I think the reason for that is because it's the fans. The fans have so much access to the content that they can take something that maybe we're not even trying to make a thing. And the WWE universe makes it a thing. Do you know what I mean?

Yes. I'm trying to think of a good example right now. And I'm not even talking about like a we want Cody moment. I'm talking about like dumb stuff, like a nickname for a wrestler or like an outfit. that just for some reason, you know, triggers the audience and all of a sudden we're getting all these memes about it. I think that that's a really fun part of what we do now. I can't imagine covering WWE

and not being able to go on the internet afterwards and watch Brock Lesnar trip, like a million times. Do you know what I mean? Just even the discourse, seeing the jokes that people are making or the TikToks that they're making because of that one moment. Like, I'm so, it's so fun that we get to do that, that we get to have that immediate, like, this thing happened and it was really cool. But let's go relive it and make it even bigger for a week. Yeah.

And talk about it and talk about it in podcasts and do all this stuff with it, right? Like, it's very cool. Yeah. Third thing. Like, I'm trying not to say like the cliche things, like my health. But I am really grateful for my health. My dad is sick right now. So, yeah, I just think that it kind of puts things in perspective.

And we're all so lucky to be doing what we do, but even just not having to be, there's just so many people out there fighting these immense battles. And I'm a very, I'm in my head all the time. Like, I am someone that's in their mind a lot. And a lot of the things that we get anxious about and that we think are a big deal like me right now thinking that I sucked on this show. Like, it's nothing, right? Like, it's, it doesn't matter. Yeah. Like, everything's meaningless. Nothing matters. And that could be very depressing or it could be very liberating. Yeah. And I think for most of us that are very lucky to be

healthy and doing what we like and, you know, be in a good position in life, um, don't always realize the battles that some people are fighting, right? Going to the hospital every day or every week and trying to like deal with this stuff not to be like a total downer on this show but um my dad's been a good reminder of like just like be where your feet are be in the moment you know um and i'm grateful that i kind of am getting that reminder to kind of like enjoy the whole thing like while you're actually doing it yeah because i think i am somebody that in the past was so focused on like what's next what's next like what's my next gig what's my next promotion, what's my next show, what's my next thing, that there's like a, there's like a

period of my career that I don't even really like remember. And I think that that's kind of sad. And so right now I'm really trying to actually be in it while I'm in it. Yeah. So that when these are the good old days that I actually have tangible memories and I can say like, man, I like squeezed every ounce of juice out of that orange. And it was so fun. I love that. Thank you again. No, thank you. I'm so glad you had me. You're awesome.

Even though I feel like I was like, I feel like I was like a seven out of 10. No. Jim Rome takes on sports. Why? Because I have a job to do with rapid fire takes. So I don't want to hear from you lava pigs on this notion today. No idea what you're talking about. You're complaining more than you like to breathe air.

It's like you get up in the morning only to complain and cry and moan on social media about things that you don't even understand. He's the spitfire of sports smack. Take advantage of it, but get up in here. The Jim Rome show podcast. What's your beef? Follow and listen on your favorite platform. You've been warned.