Insight with Chris Van Vliet - Karen Jarrett On When Things Got REAL in Impact Wrestling, Why Jeff Jarrett Is Still The Best Heel

Episode Date: August 30, 2022

Karen Jarrett (@karenjarrett) is a wrestling personality and the wife of WWE Hall of Famer Jeff Jarrett. She joins Chris Van Vliet to talk about how she got started in the wrestling industry, working as a heel, how Vince Russo convinced her and Jeff Jarrett to use their real life situation with Kurt Angle as a storyline in TNA Wrestling, working a match against Chyna, her thoughts on being involved in Ric Flair's last match and much more! For more information about Chris Van Vliet and INSIGHT go to: https://podcast.chrisvanvliet.com If you enjoyed this episode, could I ask you to please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcast/iTunes? 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 CVV CLIPS: youtube.com/CVVCLIPS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

All systems are gathered. Ladies and gentlemen, Chris Van! Oh, man, welcome back to another audio adventure on Insight. I am CVV, Chris Van Fleet, and thank you so much for bringing us along with you, wherever you are, whatever you happen to be doing right now. Maybe you're driving to work, walking the dog, working out. Maybe you are even working right now. Thank you.

And, man, a huge thank you. for getting us over 900 ratings on Spotify. We were at like 879 on Thursday, and then before the end of the weekend, bam, you guys dropped a bunch of ratings, and now we're at 907. Amazing. So, I mean, the next stop now is a thousand.

So if you're listening on Spotify, please take a second, because that's really all it takes. Take a second to leave a rating on there. I'd be so grateful if you could do that. It has been a really long time since Karen Jarrett did an interview. So first of all, big thank you to her for agreeing to do with this. And because it's been so long, there's a lot to talk about with her.

And while she played such an unlikable character on TV, she's one of the sweetest, kindest people that I've ever had on the show. I should also point out that we recorded this two weeks ago before the news of Jeff Jarrett leaving his job at WWE happen. So we talk about that like it's in the present, and it was in the present two weeks ago. Give her a follow on Instagram, on Twitter. She's at Karen Jarrett. I'm at Chris Fanfleet and snap a screenshot.

Let us know that you're listening to this and tag us on social media so we can share this out as well. Here we go. Please welcome. Karen, Jared. What a way to start this. Who is this? This is Opie. Opie.

Opie. A, boy. buddy. Wow. Look how fluffy he is. He's a good boy. Oh, what a good boy. The golden doodle? Yep. Come here, AJ. Oh, it's like your dog is named AJ? Yes. Well, it started, we named, we had another one and this is Andy Jr. But Jeff and Cody and I all love the Andy Griffith show. So when Cody was younger, every night, we would watch an episode. before going to bed of Andy Griffith. So we named Opie Opie. And we had an Andy, but there was an accident and he got run over.

Oh. So we got another one that the same dad, different moms, but Andy Jr., AJ. What is AJ Stiles thinking that I, you were thinking that I named him after my second husband, AJ Stiles, right? Yeah, what does AJ Stiles think of this? Well, he knows. Well, he knows now. Oh, he knows now. And then we have a third dog, Ty. He's little, and he rules the house. So Ty doesn't want to be on camera, is what you're saying?

Something or somebody outside. And so he ran down, but he'll be back up here. He will. This is the same setup I talk to Jeff in. Is this now officially the My World podcast studio? It is. And do you know, he's downstairs probably so stressed out that I'm here at his desk. And I talked about it last week with Polly. Jeff is extremely OCD. Like extremely OCD. Let's say he was out of town and I would come up here to get like paper for the printer downstairs or something. And if I would walk past the desk or like the shelf and like air would move a paper, like just he would know somebody was in his office.

So the fact that I am like here and I'm touching stuff, he's. probably so stressed out. Is he stressed out that you're at his desk or is he stressed out about all the things you might say about him during those? Nope. He's not worried about what I'll say. He will come up and sit here and look to make sure like his, have you, have you ever seen the Harry Potter movies? I wish I could like move the camera around where like the one lady has like her. We can't be moving anything. I know. Nothing. Like they're all lined up perfect. I should like send you pictures so you can see it. He will come up and sit down. He'll adjust his chair. He'll fix the height of his chair and then he'll like sit and he'll adjust everything that I've touched.

I'm just worried you're going to hit me over the head with this guitar behind you. You better be careful. This is a good thing. I just might. We were talking about doing this in person. I'm glad we did. Hey, we could do a second one. Actually, I would have much rather have done this in person.

It's so fun. You had a really busy weekend. So, you know, we were going to do this in Nashville, Rick Flair's last match weekend, SummerSlam weekend, Starcast weekend. Crazy was all of that. Well, you tell me. Insane. I'm sad.

It's over. I don't feel like you had five free minutes that weekend. We really didn't. I mean, Jeff especially. It was a crazy weekend. I think Friday, we were kind of free, but we were stressed out because obviously we couldn't go to the roast with every, you know. Wow. You guys, you know.

It was so fun. It was so fun. And just the way everybody bought into it and was on the ride with us. And it reminded me of when I was younger and I watched wrestling and like those storylines where you really hated somebody, people really hated us. Oh, well, I mean, the buildup was so authentic. And it was so. not, I mean, we just did it.

I know that sounds crazy and everybody, people think like, oh, they were writing this stuff for months, Conrad, and, you know, uh-uh. No. No. And Rick's the type of guy that you just do it. Like, you just do it. You feel it and you do it.

Who came up with the stiletto bit. Yeah. Wow, he's a twisted man. Yeah. And he had himself, like, we knew it was one take. And, like, Jeff, even, I don't remember his exact words, but he's like, this is, like, final deal. Like, you got to make it good. Well, he had himself so amped up.

Like, obviously, Rick's Rick and Rick, he wanted blood, you know, and of course, Karen wore white, you know, okay, we're doing something with Rick. There's going to be blood. It'll look good on Mike. Jeff took it to a whole other level. Rick didn't have to do a damn thing to himself. Yeah. I showed that to my fiance who doesn't watch a lot of wrestling and she's like, is that a shoe?

Yeah. Is he attacking him with a shoe? I'm like, oh, oh, yeah. Yeah. If you take a snapshot and, like, zoom in, you can see exactly where, like, I can't watch it. Cody and Jeff think it's hilarious that I can't. And Cody will have his phone and like try and put it in front of my face. I just,

I can watch us walking away. I love that shot. I think we look badass, but I can't watch the beat down of it. I love her. Where's that shoe now? Back in the closet, ready. I hope you clean this.

Oh, yeah. Oh, yes. Back in the, I mean, was that a lubiton? I wish. Wow. Yeah, it's an anniversary. I'm going to be 50 in October. You can drop Jeff some hints.

He's not the best giver. I'll send him a message. Yes, he needs some help. We'll send him this exact clip. You want some of the red bottoms. Yes, I want red bottoms. He'll be like, the hell are those? Oh, hell, come on.

I don't know. I don't know. You don't look anywhere close to that. And I don't feel it. I'm like giant child trapped in it. adult body. Do you think 50's going to hit hard? No. I feel better now. Just another birthday? I'm excited. I am. Like, I'm embracing it. And I feel better now than I did in my 30s, my 40s. I wouldn't go back to any of that. Is that mentally and physically? Yes, for sure. I've never worked out

in my life until, and that's why, like, this was, I don't want to get all spiritual on everybody, been a God thing too. About three months before this whole angle started, for whatever reason, I started working out with personal trainer that was working out with Jeff and working out with Cody and I've never worked out and I'm like, I'm going to do it. I just, I want to feel better. I'm going to do it. Good thing I did.

Oh, it's the founder of youth. It really is. Yes, because I'm a big, Jeff's like a health nut and I'm a sugar. I'll have like my bag of gummy bears or something. I don't know. Cookies, Sour Patch Kids and chips on the other side. Like I've got to have my sugar and my salt. Or if I go to the movies, I'm getting my M&Ms and I'm dumping the M&Ms and the popcorn.

That's the move. Yes. You know? So I've tried to clean up my diet and just take care of myself. But I still have my sugar. Yeah. I was actually talking to Ethan Page about this recently that I had like a really bad candy addiction. Like that, you know, really, like, I would take like the, I would go across the street when I was

working at the TV station at Miami. I would walk across the streets at the gas station. I would get like because you're really in shape. Like you're, I mean, you're. That's, that's very kind of you to say. I'm no wrestler, though. I know, but you're, you can feel your muscle. You're in shape. Oh, wow. So, you know, I'm just, years ago or recent? Three, like three years ago, I kicked this. I kicked it by eating the or by starting to chew the Sour Patch Kids flavored gum. Oh. Have you tried it? No.

Oh, yeah. I mean, it's amazing. And it's sugar-free. I've seen it. Yeah, it's worth a try. So next time. Yeah, Sour Patch Kids' gum. It comes in all kinds of different flavors.

It's all kinds of candy-flavored gum. And that was how I was like, I'm going to. And stopped eating the candy. I stopped eating the candy. And now it stopped eating, chewing the gums. So I don't know. I think I fall maybe more on like the Jeff. You know, I'm all about health now.

Really? I truly want to live to be like well into my hundreds. You do. Yeah. You live that long. Yeah. So what's the plan for the 50th birthday? I don't know.

I'm trying to figure that out. You got some time. You got a little bit of time. Well, I'm a huge Stevie-Nix fan. And so one of my things, I'm doing as if Jeff can go or not. I'm coming out to L.A. to see Stevie next with Jacob O'N. Well, let me know.

Let me know when you're here. I will. It's in October. I will. I'll let you know. Oh, hold on. Has the third dog made an appearance? This is Ty.

Look at this little paparoni. I'm going to sleep on my lap. Oh. Yeah. So if Jeff was in here, the doors would be shut. Nobody would be able to get in and out. And God forbid, anybody make any noise. Like, the house becomes very stressful when, like, if I had, like, a penny for every time I tell the kids or the dog,

shh, shh, dad's working. Dad's doing his podcast. Dad's on the phone. Me, I don't care. He's like, do you want me to shut the doors? What do you want me to do? This is our home. And people know it's our home.

It's okay. Right? Yeah. Yeah. Is this where he's doing WWE work? Yeah. Well, he goes to the office every other way. week. So he's in Connecticut together, but he still has to here. So we do. We try to keep the house

quiet. What exactly is his job these days? He is senior vice president of live events. That is quite the title. I know. I know. I'm excited for him. So all live events? Yep. Oh, wow. Because I think a lot of people, when they think of WWB live events, they think of like house shows like live events. Yeah, I think it's mainly, mainly that. But, um, You know, he's involved in all that goes into the life event, I guess. Do you think we'll see you on camera there maybe? I don't know. For about four years, I had zero desire to do anything wrestling related.

Like, I was very happy being the wife, being the mom, just out of the drama. This whole thing, because of the storyline. and it wasn't just a match that was like thrown out there or you go somewhere and you, I am sucked so far back in. I hope something comes a bit. I want something to come of it no matter where it is. But my husband went and took this damn senior vice president job and like really put up. I feel like that would actually help you.

What are you talking about? I don't know. I don't know. Or are you saying that you are you saying you only work if you're, next to Jeff? No, no. And he's even, he tells people, hey, it's like, hey, I don't need to be there, you know, like he wants me to pursue my dreams, whatever they are. So these are still. I didn't realize this was going to be my dream again. Oh, wow. I love when it's, when you feel it. You know, I grew up, I was a huge Sherry Martel fan, like huge.

And I, I've missed, Cody watches it. Jeff obviously watches it. And I'll catch, whether it's AW, WW, impact, whatever it is. I'll see little bits here or there. But I feel like there's no, like, who do we like really hate? Like hate? Like, where you turn off the TV and you're so upset.

That doesn't happen anymore. It doesn't happen for me. I think it's just MJF right now. He's not even on TV right now. I was just going to say that. I don't even on TV right now. Yeah. Or is missing it.

What does it mean now that the term Karen, the word Karen, means something so different now. Jeff just posted, I have my own shirt. What does it say? The Karen. Like I'm the Karen. You're the Karen.

The Karen. One's my picture of me walking away bloody, but nobody's going to buy a shirt with my picture on it. And so the other one is like a shoe, like a heel. And then the Karen. But I mean, think about this. Like when you were away from wrestling for those handful of years, being Karen, being a Karen, took on a completely new meaning. Yeah. It doesn't.

It doesn't. I'd be so annoyed, be like, I'm not one of them. Come on. It's better than being Alexa. I guess or Siri? Yeah. No, it doesn't. It doesn't annoy me. That's so interesting. Well, I guess you're the, I mean, in real life, you're the polar opposite of that. And I think that's why it's so fun for me, though. Like, I love going out there and being a heel.

people really love to boo you they do and they do it you know how did it i mean you grew up watching wrestling but how did you first get involved into like being part of a storyline it was 2007 right yep and it was with tna and it just kind of just happened i thought it was going to be a short stint um jeff and vince rousseau had an idea um and then once we got through the that storyline, it just things kept coming, kept coming. And, um, and then my stay there was ended, um, or how cut short, whatever we want to say. Um, but I came back and I came and then I came back with blonde hair. Yep, blonde hair, fake hair, all kinds of stuff. Um, I don't know. I don't, I mean, Jeff always says you're a natural or like you just, but you're there doing a job.

Like somebody's, it's, I feel like I always get slack when I speak about it because I'm not a wrestler or I haven't been in the business for years and years. But it's a job. But I think a lot of the talent or people take it too serious. And it's just like I'm, I watch the. damn episode with you and Bradley. That is the name? Yeah, yeah. Don't you know wrestling's fake?

Okay, how can this guy be so successful and be such an asshole? I was rowed up for days after that, but it is like a movie or you go to Broadway and there's a villain and there's a good guy. Somebody's got to be the villain. You're getting a paycheck. You're doing a job. And whether you like the storyline you're in or not, it's your job to become it. And sell it the best you can to the people that are watching.

But you were around it for so many years. What made you finally go, okay, sure. I don't know. I don't know. It was an idea that they came up with at the time. And they probably all thought it was a great idea. Yeah. And I just thought it was going to be like a couple weeks of something.

And then that would be it. Yeah. And that's not what happened. I got sucked right in. Wrestling has a way of doing that, doesn't it? Oh, my gosh, it does. And that's, I didn't even realize I missed it until all of this. Like, Jeff would go and he'd do his thing.

And I love seeing people, you know, taking Cody to the shows. But I had no idea. I missed it. Well, everyone talks about like that being the drug that, like, you can't replicate with anything else. No, the adrenaline rush. Yeah. I've just, yeah, yeah. What were you doing?

I need a fix. I need a fix. I need a fix. Like one of these. Yeah. Yeah. What were you doing for work before this? Like before your first T&A stem.

I was a stay-at-home mom. I was married. I had Kira. Before that, I was in sales. I did some modeling. But I was a stay-at-home mom. Wow, that's like a 180 from stay-at-home mom to weekly appearances on TNA. And everybody used to joke about then.

Jeff and I would show up to shows and I'd have all the kids and I'd be holding Cody and I'd have the stroller and getting hair and makeup done, walking around in heels, holding a baby, you know, now I'm holding dogs because my kids are too big. And it was so interesting seeing how you made the shift from like, you stepped into your character, right? And people like really, really wanted to dislike you. I can, the one thing that sticks out to me is I can remember when Jeff and I came back to impact.

And I had like an in ring with, I don't know if it was J.B. or Josh Matthew's, but I was supposed to be a baby face. And Jeff, I was like, how in the hell am I supposed to walk out there and like be nice? Like, I had never done that. And he's like, just go out there and be you. I'm like, how am I going to walk out there and be me? Like, it was uncomfortable for me to do whatever I would normally do walking backstage, saying hi to people to walk out there.

And, but if I had to be nasty, I didn't even have to think about it. I didn't like saying mean things to people. And it used to, I, in the beginning, I would physically get sick from it because it would make me feel bad. Like, even though someone's writing it, I didn't like going there on some of the, the things that I had to say. But it's uncomfortable to be happy and be nice. Early on, who was some... I've got some issues.

A lot. How much time do we have today? Oh, all day, all day. Early on, who, like, really helped you to be able to be comfortable? Because I think there's a lot of people who think they're turning it on for the camera. And then you watch it back and you go, oh, I looked bored. Yeah. Vince Russo, Jeff, and one of the, I think the people, I don't even know if he knows this,

that probably helped me the most, and he's a great heel, is Bubba Ray. Like, I would come back from doing In Rings or whatever segments I had, and he would always pull me to the side. Even if I wore like a color that wasn't good for me, I can remember I wore a lime green skirt. I came back in Bubba, he goes, don't ever wear that color again. I was like, okay. Or I had a photo shoot and like my mouth was like open like trying to be hot. Look good.

You know, he's like, yeah, you don't want to do that. That's not attractive. It's so funny. Okay. But just reminding me where cameras are or telling me what I did was good or bad or what works or what doesn't. But those were the three people. And Bruce Pritchard, when Bruce came back and he was there. He was, he's amazing.

I feel like Baba says things in a way that only Baba can say them. Yeah. And you're too scared to even say. Yeah. You're like, okay. Okay. Thank you. Thank you.

Sure. I don't like. I never wore lime green ever again. You threw it all out. Yeah. But like there was definitely a point in time where people were disliking you for what you were saying on camera and then disliking you for everything. They also knew.

that was going on behind the scenes. Yep. That must have been difficult. I think because they didn't, but they thought they knew what was really going on, but they didn't. You know, nobody knew I had left my previous husband. We had separated twice before.

Like, I always kept things under wraps. And I don't think that it's right to put anybody's dirty laundry. you out there when you have kids, you know? So even today, 20 years from now, 40 years from now, I wouldn't, I wouldn't try to defend myself or throw the other side. I don't think that's right to do. But it did. And I would get, I mean, I would get upset, but I'm always, the truth will come out eventually. I remember being like so surprised when that got written. into like the storylines. So what would?

Vince Russo came up with this idea, right? Yes. Okay. Only Vince Russo would, right? Hey, highest rated shows in TNA history, impact history, whatever. What was the show then? I don't even know. You know what?

There's so many damn names. What was it? I interviewed Jeff for the very first time right around that time. Did you? Yeah. And I asked him that. Back and watched those. Oh, don't.

It was not a good interview. Oh, it wasn't? Not a bad interview. It's just like, you know, we were at the news station where I worked in Cleveland and Impact was in town or, sorry, TNA or whatever it was called. I think it was TNA Impact Wrestling is what it was called, right? Yeah. And I mean, I asked him about.

That's a mouthful. I asked him about the storyline at the time. Yeah. Because it was just so shocking to me as a fan. So Vince Russo pitches this, I'm guessing, to Jeff first. What's his initial reaction? See, and it's, I don't really even know what everyone's initial reactions was. And even now today, if anything's pitched or I'm always like, whatever Jeff wants,

like whatever he wants us to do, whatever. I don't really know what went better. Like, what his first, I'm sure it was shocked, uncomfortable the way I was. you know, didn't. But at the same time, we did this storyline. Our kids are backstage. Everyone's happy. Everything's good.

So, like, our kids knew, like, hey, this is not real. This is not what our life is really like. This is not. But I'm glad all that's over. Next question. I just think it's so interesting because this is totally Vince Russo style of booking. And he was telling me a lot of times, like, they were, especially during that era of like 2010, 11, 12 of TNA, you wouldn't tell people

what was going on and then the things would change at the last minute. Yeah. And then you look at. It's stressful. But you look at the roster at that time and like absolutely. Look where everybody is now. Yeah. Yeah.

Like the roster totally stacked at that time. between like of course you know the TNA originals if you will like Daniels and AJ styles but then you like that was also when Sting was there and Hogan was there and Jeff Hardy yep yep Kevin Nash Rick Rick was there then wow yeah yeah that was definitely that was like a very interesting time for TNA it was it was it was fun crazy What are your, oh, yeah. What are your best memories of that time?

Being able to be on the road with our family. Because we got to go to Universal every month. Like our kids got really spoiled. Like now if they go to Universal, they got to wait in lines. They didn't have to wait in lines. Being on the road with the kids. And I think the most fun that I had, and a storyline was working with Jeremy Borash and AJ Styles.

Vince Russo probably has like, still has nightmares from having to deal with me. And how many takes it would take because I couldn't stop laughing. I had so much fun. That's one of my favorite memories from it. I was always wondering how long it would take for you to get into the ring and actually have a match. And you did.

You had one match, right? One, yep. And I didn't have to do a lot. But I said last week on an interview, like, what is like, what is, what are you most proud of? He asked. And it's the match with China because people found out that I was going to have to do it. There was a lot of shit talked and how horrible it was going to be. And how I didn't have to do a lot.

I ran around. I was scared. Like I took one, she did one thing to me and then I had to tap. But we sold, like it was, I thought it turned out well. But I think I was most proud of that because then when I walked in the back, not, you do this for wrestlers, but I never had it happen for me. People were clapping. AJ Styles came up to me.

He's like, you did so good, you know. And I wanted to walk around like, you know, everybody. Because I knew they were all talking. it. But I didn't. I said, thank you. What were your memories of working with China? I remember, I mean, she was really nervous when she showed up that day. And I remember her being in her trailer like all day. And Terry Taylor was working for the company then and kept checking on her. She's one of the sweetest people that I think I've met, have met in the business. It's sad.

Yeah. It's very sad. Yeah. But I have a great memory that I got to work with her. And I had met her years before. I knew her, but, no. When you talk about that being like this high and something you're so proud of. Yeah.

Was that after that match, were you like, kind of want to do another one now? No. No, but I would now. Really? Yeah. Maybe that's your 50th birthday present. Maybe. Throw on some tights, cute little outfits, some boots.

You didn't even have wrestling gear in that match. No. I had Jolene threw it together in like a couple days because it was very, we didn't know if she was going to do it. If it was going to happen, it was kind of stressful. But it was just she put some velvet. pants or something, like a silver outfit thing together. Yeah. I mean, when's this match going to happen then?

I don't know. It needs to, though. I don't want to beat 73 having my next match, you know? Well, I mean, Rick was 73 for his last. By the way, do you think that was actually his last match? Yes. I do. I know.

I mean, he's told everyone that. He told me that. I just, I don't know. And I know everyone gives him a hard time because while he retired before had his last match, but it wasn't the way he wanted to. And I know he went through financial things in previous years, but he's not now. Yeah. I mean, like he didn't have to do it, but he wanted to go out the way he wanted to. Yeah.

And it's not, he's not done. He'll still, I'm sure, do stuff with Andrade or. Charlotte, who knows. But I just thinking, like, his heart, he, he wanted it. And I don't think that there was, I mean, I know there was a lot of talk online and people thought it was a bad idea, but the support that he had from Conrad, Megan, Charlotte, like, his family, like, I hope our kids. when we're grown or still have dreams, like that they're supportive the way his family was and

with him. Does it make you think about Jeff's last match? Well, that's what I said. Okay, so I'm going to talk. Not normally, but about this, I will. That day, it was, I said to him, I'm like, this could be your last match. Like, he's, he's executive, you know, he's. He doesn't need to wrestle.

No. It could be his last match. I said, I don't want to walk out with you. Like, you go out, you'd be on stage. You look. Can I cuss on here? Sure, of course. It's the internet.

Like, you look fucking amazing. Like, this is the best he's looked since I've met him. He looks amazing. And Tony Chivani kept saying that on commentary, too. My husband is a badass. He is hot. Like, he cannot walk around this house without a shirt on. Buster.

Wow. Yeah. So I wanted him to have his moment. And then I'll walk out. He's like, no, this is what we're going to do. And so he's like, he wants me to go out first and call him out. And then I'm there with him. And Jeff's got this over 30 year career.

I'm like a little blip in his history of wrestling. So I go to Road Dog. And I'm like, all right, Jeff wants me to come out, call him out. He thinks it's going to be more heat, blah, blah, blah. And he's like, I can see his side of things. And I'm like, I want him to have his moment, you know? I wasn't happy with what Road Dog told me, so I went to Sanjay. I was like, okay, this is what Jeff's saying.

Well, I kind of agree with Jeff. You're all assholes. We're all assholes. So we ended up doing it his way and it worked out. but I remember like consciously trying to stay away from him and even getting in the ring with Jay, like letting him do his thing, which normally I would be there taunting people with him, acting like a crazy lady. Because I just like for me, I want those shots of him in that outfit to put in our house,

to put in his office for him to have that. I mean, I know it like people are like, you're crazy. It could be his last match. It's not going to be I think it is No I don't think There's a better heel out there right now

Than my husband How did he become Flair's opponent Hmm I don't really know You know that he didn't tell me So like weeks after they had all Decided this Oh wow

Yeah I had heard who some of the original names were And I won't say it here But I had heard who some of them were and then one we're going to talk offline we will maybe i should maybe i could text you right now yeah actually i can say one i think i mean i think originally i want me to say it i'm i wonder for saying the same person ricky yes yeah yeah which makes sense he had his moment i think he he likes the way he went out yeah yeah

Yeah. Which makes sense. Yeah. So then how does Jeff get thrown into the mix? I don't know. To be honest, I don't. Like, I guess probably him and Conrad or Rick and Conrad talked and then Conrad probably approached Jeff. I don't.

To be honest, that's a great question. And I look like a real idiot right now because I don't know. And I didn't even ask. I was like, hell yeah, let's go. I'm there. Yeah. When and where sounds good. Yes.

I saw you the day before at the signing at Starcast. And I saw Jeff there too and I'm like, I hope you lose tomorrow. Like, fuck you, buddy. Okay. Just because they put everything out there. So there's like nothing that's been left that people haven't heard now. Rick wanted to lose. Yeah.

Like. And that's kind of the traditional wrestling. Yeah. But you can't go out on your last month. match losing. Like, yeah. That's how it usually goes, though.

You lose your last match, you put someone else over. Yeah. Although nobody in that match needed to be put over. That's, yeah. That's the thing. Everybody's already over. I agree with what you're saying 100%. Yeah, like if this was.

Like, I feel like this was like a thank you. Like for the fans to be able to say thank you for. Yeah, yeah. This wasn't like a passing of the torch or anything like that. No. If it was, I would agree with that. Yeah, like if the veteran is wrestling a young guy in their final match, I understand it. It's the reason that Rock beat Hogan in their match.

And that's what's supposed to happen. Yeah. When people come up to you at those signings, what's the number one thing they want to ask you about? What's it like being married to Jeff? that's the one question that people always not like anything what's it like being we're complete opposites he's like type a oCD very regimen i mean like from the moment he opens his eyes at 5 a.m or 530 which is insane to even want to wake up at that time what a beast just ridiculous um so he goes to bed at night. Like he has his routine and things that have to be done. Yet Karen's not like that.

Not at all. What's Karen like? Karen's like, she gets up. She has her coffee. Now kids go to school. I am. I do work out. Like that is my that is I make sure. But like whatever the day throws at me. I'm not going to stress. Like I'm not going to panic if. or be miserable if I don't accomplish or get something done. Like, it'll be okay. You can do it tomorrow. And Jeff, not so much. Do you think you have a future pro wrestler in your house right now?

Oh, for sure. Which one? Or both. Yeah. Me? Are you talking about me? No. We already know you're going to get in the right.

Come on. Cody, for sure. He lives and breeds it. Hmm. Yeah. Like, he's obsessed. So how long until we see him in a ring? Well, he's 15 and I've told him.

Is his last name Angle? Yes. Yep, Cody Angle. Well, that's a pretty good wrestling name. Not that Jared wouldn't be, but. Spell it with a K, but Cody wanted to legally have his name changed and spell it with a C because of another Cody. Really?

Yes, but we're not doing that. We don't do that here. We had to bleach his hair. We've done that. Oh, wow. He's a huge Cody Rhodes fan. Oh, God. The amount of money that I spent on Cody Rhodes action figures and merch

when he came back to WW. Like, are you kidding? Because, hey, like, we can't wait for Dad to get it. Like, we need it now, right now. Yeah, huge fan. But then we started doing this storyline with Rick. Jay, Jay Lethal. Can we talk about Jay Leithful today? The best. Wow. Amazing. One of the best human beings on this planet. Yeah. Good, good guy. Cody and I spent the day with him one of the days that

he was here in Nashville and Jeff was out of town. Went to Albury Mills, took Jay to build a bear for the first time ever. But Cody shaved his head, went into his bathroom. And he's got like a trimmer thing, shaver thing that was my grandfather's shaped his head to be like Jay Lethal. So when he grasps on to something, he's all in, all in. So you said he's 15. So just, I mean, three-ish, four-ish years? I'm calling me as to be 18. Okay. Like even think about going to train. Is Jeff going to train him?

Probably not. Pretty good person to learn from. I'm kidding. I think he's learned so much from Jeff already. Like I'm sure Jeff will be a part of it and he'll be there. And now there's a ring five minutes from our house. Thomas Latimer trained. Oh, yeah.

Yeah. Well, there. That's who Cody wants to train him. He wants to go there. And then he wants to go stay in Florida. And he wants to have Jay train him. He's got everything planned out. Well, we look forward to seeing in the ring. We're mom and dad. So we're like nothing. Yeah. House. Like those guys, like that's where Cody, like, it's fun to get out of the house and have someone else. You know? Yeah. The thing is it's a hard. world. It's a tough world. That's it. Like, and you've seen it all, too. It must be, I don't have children, but it must be so difficult knowing what you know about wrestling and still being able to push them forward towards it and go, yeah, yeah, yeah, it's great. And it's, I think, no matter what our kids want to do, like, we'll support it, but it's a hard life. Yeah. Yeah. I don't think people realize what goes into it or how hard. the men and women train.

And I know it's different now, gosh, the way YouTube and social media and musicians are found or models are found or the wrestling world was different 20 years ago, obviously. People don't have to pay their dues the way they did. But it's still hard. Yeah. Right now, I think all the changes that have happened over the last few weeks and all. the new talent that's being brought back and signed. It reminds me, I feel like it's going to be the way, you know how everybody was afraid, like if they got injured or they didn't want to be written out of a storyline or be,

or scared to be taken off TV. I feel like that is going to come back. I said it last week after, I think I saw Hunter was posting things where people were auditioning or he was signing. a new talent and then all like carrying cross yeah harlot yeah huge huge fans of theirs like so happy to see i mean he's a star they're they are heaven's always been so nice yeah Kevin's the best I started carrying killer whatever you want to call whatever is the case whatever um so happy to see them back there but I feel like it's going to be come that way again

Are you saying that's a good thing or a bad thing? Oh, I think it's a great thing. Oh, yeah. I think it's a great thing because it's going to make talent step up. 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 Klinemberg. And now we're giving people an inside look at the World Cup. Time's ticking.

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There's been a lot of arguments over the last handful of years where it's like they're not making any new stars. We might get to a point, you know, if we have the same conversation five or seven years from now, where there's so many new stars that exactly what you're talking about might be the case. Yes. I just, I feel like it's, we're going to be in fear of like, Oh shit. Oh shit. Yeah. They're bringing these guys in or this guy's back.

And you may not like the storyline you're in. I need to make this fucking work. Yeah. You're not going to be there. Well, Triple H was on Logan Paul's podcast and he was talking about how Austin getting injured meant that the rock then had to step in. And then the rock needed someone to work with, which is where Triple H came in. And it's like this domino effect, which is exactly what you're talking about. Yeah. I need to watch that.

Oh, it's a fantastic interview. That it is. Yeah, really good. They did that, they did that Summer Slin weekend. How about Logan Paul? I was impressed. We're all impressed. Crazy impressed.

We're all impressed. Amazing. And everybody needs to keep in mind. He's only had two matches ever. And both of them were on, you know, massive stages, WrestleMania and SummerSlam. But Logan Paul's only ever had two matches. And he looks that good.

So for all the haters out there, we're saying, oh, yeah, he'll never be a main event or never be a star. Give him another hundred matches or so, and then we can talk. He's a star. He did, I mean, amazing. Oh, so good. Very impressive. Yeah.

Maybe you could be his heel manager. That's what I'm talking about. Yeah. We go downstairs and pitch that in a minute. I know a guy. Yeah. Speaking of heels, what do you think? makes Jeff such a great heel? I don't, gosh, that's a tough question. I mean, you're,

you're right there. You see it. He grew up in the, yeah, he grew up in the business and just, it's not, I don't think it's really even about him or about being, he walks out there and he, he wants to entertain the fans, whatever it is. He's there to give them what they're there, what they're, they want to see. he just has a way of turning it on and just like I can remember walking and I got in the ring with Jay and Jay. He was, he's a maniac. I said, you ain't kidding. And he jumped up on the table and Kid Rock was there and he was talking.

He is a maniac. But he just, I don't know. I don't know. But he just, he told me one time when we were working, he's like, when you're out, the crowd if they're not buying into it or they're not. He's like him and Conan would always just tell me like, just do your shit. Do your shit. Like if it's quiet, just do your shit.

Like create the heat, make something happen. Like he is brilliant at doing that. Like walking out for Rick's match, grabbing the guy's beer. And I was like, oh, you God. This is how it's going to be. tonight. All right, let's go. He just has a way of like feeling me. I don't know if I want to call it the atmosphere, the just he's good at pressing those buttons and turning it on. That's a tough. I don't, I don't have like, I don't know how to describe it, but he can. He can just literally

flip the switch and turn it on. And maybe because it just feels so natural to him. I think, yeah, I think, I think he had some good teachers when he was young, too. I definitely don't believe that's his, I definitely don't believe that's his last match. So, so who's his last opponent then? Who should it be? I don't. Oh, it's like turning into ASMR. I know. I don't know. I don't want it to be. Because I think he still has so much to offer. and I got emotional listening to Conrad talk about him a couple of times because I feel like Jeff

ate a lot of shit sandwiches over the years because of, you know, he worked for his dad. And he was the boss. Then Dixie Carter. Just he's always been caught in like these situations of whatever the, whatever's going on with whatever company. I don't. And I know him his wife, but I don't feel he has got the credit that he deserves for the talent that he has. There's a lot of people that, like, legitimately feel like they dislike him. And I don't know if that's like he's too good of a heel or they just don't like him.

And I think that shows, like, how good he is and doing a job. Because in real life, like, he can't volunteer enough. He can't do enough for charities. Like he's a good dad. He's a good husband. He's just a good guy. But he's playing a part. Yeah.

What is your favorite Jeff? What is your favorite Jeff Jarrett match? Oh, God. I don't know. My favorite Jeff, I don't know. I don't know that I have one. I mean, I know of a guitar shot I won't talk about. That's my favorite guitar shot ever.

You can talk about it. It's just us. I like the old school, Jeff. I do. Like, I mean, like... Like 90s, Jeff? Yeah. Oh.

Even, like, his whole deal. J.E. Double F? Like, you know, and then he did stuff with state, like that, just that whole asshole, badass. Like, I like that. Yeah. I like watching all the old stuff.

His stuff in like, right as he was leaving WWE and like, wouldn't that be 99, 98, that stuff was so good. Yeah. Yeah. It's like he really came into. Yeah. Really? Yes. And that's where I think with him, it's all been like bad timing.

Or, you know, people are always, even at TNA, oh, well, he's the boss. right in the shows. But at that time, if you look at the roster or you look at the talent that was there, like, he needed to be in those matches to build the talent. I think there's a lot left for Jeff, too. I hope people get to see. And I hope I get to see. I hope my kids get to see it. I mean, you said he's in amazing shape, best shape of his life. What's he doing? What's the secret? I need to know, how can I look like that when I'm 55? He's a maniac. His diet is unbelievable. He doesn't eat carbs, doesn't eat fried food, does not eat sugar. Again, the exact opposite of you.

Exact opposite of me. That's why we're so good together. We balance each other out. He gets up at 5.30 a.m. does his DDP yoga, then goes on with his day, goes to the gym, has a workout at the gym. And now for the first time ever in his life, he's been working out with a personal trainer, Corey, Adams for about maybe six months. I could be off on that. So he works out at the gym and then goes back to work, does the rest of his day and then does cardio at night. So he's working out three times a day. And his diet's just unbelievable. unbelievable.

All right. I need to start doing all of these things, is what you're saying. It's a lot. Yeah. Like I'd love for him to just stay in bed like to eight or not. Like just one day. Like one day of like just being like, yeah. He doesn't have cheat days.

Like nothing. Really? Bad. No. Oh. Come on, Jeff. You know how good potato chips takes? taste?

Yes. Geez. He went to Waffle House the other day and he's eating his steak and his egg whites or whatever. And I'm eating, I have cheat days. I'm eating my chocolate chip waffle. I would be right there with you. I hear you. So, but he's very, he's worked hard for how he looks.

So he doesn't want to, I guess he thinks he'll lose it in a day or something. If you thought the question about Jeff Jarrett's best match or your favorite match was difficult. I think this one's going to be even more hard. Okay. Because I like so, like. Yeah. Who, who is on your TNA Mount Rushmore? Oh. You were there for so long. You've seen it all. Obviously, Jeff. I would assume. AJ Stiles. Okay. I think. I think Jay Lethal's a star. I think he's so underrated and I think he should like,

He has the greatest TNA promo of all time. The, yes, the one with Rick. Yeah. And he's been played in this house so many times, Cody. Ah, gosh. For TNAs mojo. Yeah.

That's four. There's your Mount Rushmore. But I feel like, I hope something big happens for Jay. He deserves it. He's so good. So talented. Yes.

Yeah. And I mean, I know he's so happy and he loves where he is, but like he deserves. Yeah. So much more. I agree. Hey, AJ Styles did something the other day. What was it? He said he misses all of his friends and they should come to WW. Hey, Jay. That's what I'm talking about. The fear in AJ styled eyes as he was answering that question was amazing. Yep. Because it was like a fan that asked him and he's like, I miss a lot of people. Like, oh, shit. Yeah, well, I think the fan asked him, do you miss the young bucks?

Yeah. I miss a lot of people. People. Yeah. Yeah. But hey, who knows? There's a lot of people are popping in there. You never know.

It's funny. The door is going both ways now. Yep. Very interesting. Yep. So maybe, who knows? Maybe Jeff will have another match. Maybe he's not done.

I hope he's not. When you did that ad-free shows thing recently, asked Karen, what was the most difficult question that somebody asked? I don't think, I don't know. I don't think any of them were, I think they probably went through him and, like, oh, shit, we can't ask her this.

This is her first time doing this. probably get slammed next time I do it. They were all pretty nice. Like they weren't, there weren't any that were, I don't think difficult or inappropriate. I do try to stay away from things that have to do with my previous marriage. Sure. Like those are the ones I navigate through and just, because we're just not going to, we just aren't going to talk about those things. Yeah.

Difficult, it would be that. People do want to know things about that or want to. and it's just not something I want to talk about. Yeah. You give such a mean wrestling snap, a slap. What is the technique behind that? Nothing. They lay in the face?

Yes. Like they tell you, just lay it in. Like, because you have to hear that slap. Yeah. And I think Stephanie probably gives the greatest slaps of all time. Stephanie does give. Hands down. Like, it's one A and one and one A, I think.

Well, but there's no way that you can't. I had a hard time hitting Rick. I did have a hard time hitting it. That was, but that's what I've always been told, like, lay it in. That's it. That's your secret. Slap them for real. Maybe next time I see you, that's what we can do.

You hit me or I hit you. Oh, I could. Karen, I could never hit you. Did you see my? husband defend me though. That's a secret to be in a heel. Push a lady down. She's a partner's wife down. This has been so much fun. I really wish we could have done this in person. I know. We'll work it out. We'll make it happen. But I'm glad I got to be in the My World podcast studio here. There's so much more we can talk about. We'll have to plan something in

few months. I mean, who knows where things will be in a few months. Oh, yeah. Who knows? I mean, is there anything that you want to talk about that we didn't talk about? No, I think we talked about so many things. This is so much fun. Fun. Camio from three dogs. Yeah. We're vibing. Sugar. Sugar. Oh my gosh. I can't wait to tell Jeff that. He'll be telling me to go to the store and get my sour patched gum is that it? Also the ice breakers they come in like fruit punch and the raspberry flavor is really good,

grape, that stuff basically tastes like you're eating candy. Okay. It's sugar-free. I'm sure there's all kinds of other terrible ingredients, but it's sugar-free. You don't eat candy at all anymore. Not like every once in a while,

but I used to crave it. So the craving is now gone. Okay. I was trying. But I was just home with Rachel's family in New Jersey and like her mom had some Twizzlers and I wasn't going to be like, no thank you. Like they're right there.

Of course I'll eat these things. But I used to go to like the movies and would grab the big bag and then maybe something else. And then, you know, especially when it's Sour Patch kids, your tongue gets all destroyed from it. Yes.

No more of that. No good though. All right, look. So I end every conversation with the same question. I ask this of Jeff. I will ask it of you. I love gratitude and I practice it every day. I say out loud, three things I'm grateful for when I wake up and right before I go to bed. So what are three things in your life that you're grateful for? I am grateful for Jeff's sobriety for Jeff. That was his number one thing,

I think. And I actually, I've been sober as long as he has. I quit several weeks before him. And that's something I'd love to talk about at another time. I'm a huge, I feel if there's someone in your home that's an alcoholic, I don't feel that you should, my personal opinion, have alcohol in front of them, have alcohol in your home. Jeff has not fallen off the wagon. He's stayed strong. And most of the people that we know that are recovering alcoholics,

it's not around them. So I always say if you were married to somebody that had lung cancer, would you sit in front of them and smoke a cigarette? Or if your spouse had skin cancer, would you book a vacation and go sit on the beach with them? Absolutely not. It's pretty selfish when you put it that way. Yeah. So I joke about him being so regiment, but I think that's what help keeps him. keeps him same.

Yeah. I'm grateful for my kids, my parents, my family, roof over our head. Yeah. I love it. This has been so great. So fun. So thank you for always being so kind to me. And same goes for Jeff.

Hey, can we, before we get off of here, we need to mention that when Jeff went to introduce me to you, like, I wouldn't know who the hell you were. I don't know But then we were like You're like yeah we follow each other on Instagram Yes I know everything about you just got engaged Yeah Yeah thank you

We got engaged and bought a house in the same weekend Amazing Amazing Yeah it is Way to do it Why not, right? Even though we follow each other on Instagram We had never met before we met that

Like Baltimore area there. Yeah. Well, thank you. Having me on. Oh, my gosh. This is my pleasure. Sweet. You're so positive. There we go, my friends. Thank you so much for being with us on this one. Thank you to Karen for such a great conversation and to Jeff Jarrett for letting us borrow his podcast studio that he uses for the amazing podcast, My World, with Jeff Jarrett.

Now that this episode's done, go check out an episode of My World with Jeff Jarrett. Also, snap a screenshot. Tag us on social media so we can share it out. Karen is at Karen Jarrett. I'm at Chris Van Vleet, and I'll leave you with this. If you fell down yesterday, stand up today. That's from H.G. Wells. Be great.

Be grateful. We will see you on the next one for some more insight. The Hammer Alley podcast, an 80s flashback mockumentary. Back in the 80s, there were a thousand bands trying to make it in the world of rock, But there was one band that had it all. Hammer Alley. Whatever happened to Hammer Alley? How did they go from top of the rock?

I'm looking for a music video. They're a band from 1987. Hammer Alley. Ever heard of then? To Rock Bottom. Dude, I was born in 1987. I can't believe he's doing this. Hammer Alley.

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