Insight with Chris Van Vliet - Renee Young on leaving WWE, Jon Moxley, her pregnancy, the possibility of going to AEW

Episode Date: January 18, 2021

Renee Paquette (Renee Young) chats with Chris Van Vliet from her home in Las Vegas, NV. She talks about why she decided to leave WWE, how she met her husband Jon Moxley, her pregnancy, what kind of dad Jon will be, her thoughts on the possibility of working for AEW, how she hustled to get her first TV job, wanting to be an actor as a teenager, growing up in Canada, almost working for ESPN before getting hired by WWE, what her dream job now is, her new podcast called Oral Sessions and much more!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.For more information about Chris and INSIGHT go to https://chrisvanvliet.com Follow CVV on social media:Instagram: instagram.com/ChrisVanVlietTwitter: twitter.com/ChrisVanVlietFacebook: facebook.com/ChrisVanVliet YouTube: youtube.com/ChrisVanVliet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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All right, welcome to the show. If it's your first time here, I'm Chris Van Fleet, an Emmy Award-winning TV host, and I'm fascinated with finding out what makes successful people so successful. And on each episode, we have in-depth conversations and reverse engineer the habits and techniques of the world's top athletes, celebrities, entrepreneurs, you name it. If they are the best at what they do, I want to get their insight and help you apply it to your own life. And I'm sure you've noticed the show looks a little bit different.

I've been talking about this for a few months, but I wanted a name that did a better job of reflecting what the show was really all about. And that's what we have now. This podcast has never been about me. So calling it the Chris Van Vleet show never really made that much sense. The show has always been about shining a spotlight on our guests and on the incredible insights that they have and the stories that we get from them. So as of today, the podcast is now officially called Insight with Chris Van Fleet.

I love it. But other than the new name and other than that catchy new music at the start of the show, everything else remains the same. We're going to always have in-depth and interesting conversations with fascinating people. And that's exactly what we have here with Renee Piquette. And I'm sure you know her from her eight years in WWE, where she pretty much did it all, from hosting to backstage interviews, to commentary, to appearing on Total Divas. But her story of how she got there is so interesting.

And I actually met her 12 years ago when we were. We were both hosting different TV shows in Toronto. And you can just always tell that she had this fire in her to do more with her career. We get into all of that as well as how she met her husband, John Moxley, her pregnancy, why she left WW. What's next for her? Will we see her in AEW? And also her new podcast called Oral Sessions, which you can find wherever you're listening to this one. We talk about all of that and so much more.

So take a screenshot. Let us know that you're listening. Tag us on social media so we can say hi. I'm at Chris Van Vleet. Renee is at Renee Paquette. And if you haven't subscribed, could I ask you to take a moment today to click subscribe wherever you're listening to this right now?

And thank you to everyone who's taking the time to leave a review on Apple Podcasts. All 1,632 of you. It's amazing. It keeps growing every single week. I love it. This review is from Working Man Blues 716. Shocking how much good advice is packed in this show.

Chris knows his stuff, and it shows. He has a natural engaging style, and I look forward to learning lots more from him this year and beyond. Well, thank you, sir. Thank you. There's going to be a lot more learning going on this year. A lot more insight, if you will. I appreciate the review,

and we're going to keep reading one out on every single episode till we get to that goal of 2,000 reviews. And you know, you want to talk about insight. There is a whole lot of it in this conversation. You're going to learn so much about Renee that you never knew before. So here we go. Please welcome Renee Paquette. Well, congratulations to you.

I have so many things to congratulate you on. But congratulations on your pregnancy. That's amazing. It's crazy. It's really, it's a hell of an experience. I keep sort of just like marveling at like what my body is doing. It's nuts. I'll just like look down and I'm like, holy shit.

I have like a human growing and now I can like feel her move and like my body's changing. It's really such a cool experience. And how many months in are you right now? So I am coming up on five months. So you're a little more than halfway through. Yeah, I'm getting there. It's really, yeah, it's wild. And the time just goes by fast, which you would think during COVID.

Because right as soon as I found out I was pregnant, I was like, ooh, we're in for the long haul here. But no, the time has been going by. really, really fast. I guess every day kind of blends into the same when we're here in COVID world. So before I know it, she'll be here. I feel like this could be the best and the worst time to be pregnant. Like the best because, you know, there's not a lot of stuff that you feel like you're, you know, missing out on or whatever. But also the worst because it's a strange time. Who knows what it's going to be like four months from now? I know. It really is sort of, I keep kind of thinking both things. It's like it's very nice.

So I'm just like, I really have to be at home, working from home. I don't have to dress up. up if I don't feel like it, which most of the time I don't. But then, yeah, there are certain things that like, you know, when I would think about what my pregnancy would be like prior to actually getting pregnant, I'm like, I'm going to have great outfits and I'm going to be like out doing things. And I'm just like sitting at home in my sweats with my hair up. So whatever, that's a very minor issue. But yeah, it's definitely an interesting time. The good thing, though, and I'm, I don't know what this means because I'm not a doctor. But I've already had COVID. And I still have the antibodies. So I'm hoping, I don't know, maybe that's like a good thing.

I think it would be a little scarier if I had not already had it. Yeah. Oh, definitely. They'd be terrifying. Because when you're pregnant, you're so susceptible to getting sick. Sure. So you have to like, even like my doctor's like, you're on lockdown, sister. But she didn't know that I'd already had it.

And I mean, not that makes it much of a difference. Like I'm going out and like, you know, touching anything. That's not happening. You're not living it up there in Vegas. No, no, I'm not like having that moment of like the movie elf. like walking through New York and like eating gum off of like the subway systems or anything. I'm keeping it COVID clean over here. Excellent reference. Wow.

Also, congratulations on your podcast. Thank you. I mean, what a great time. I mean, as you know, too, it's like in this podcast world, we're sitting at home. Might as well be productive. And, you know, in my time of leaving WWE, it's a really great time. Just be like, well, shit, if I wanted to do my own thing, now's the time to really get up and running and just start doing something. And that's really what kind of happened with the podcast was like, I don't like to just sit around and wait for the perfect thing to come up.

I'm like, no, let's just start doing it. And whatever it is, we can grow it and develop it and figure it out. But let's just hit record and start putting some content out there and harness it in as we go. So it's called oral sessions. So wherever you're listening to this, you can find it. If you're watching this on YouTube right now, I'll link to Renee's YouTube channel down below. You've had some pretty awesome guests so far. I know.

It's crazy. I mean, it's nice to have friends in high places. That definitely helps. It's nice to be married to somebody that if I'm like short on a guest, I'm like, hey, I need you to sit down on me. But no, I've been really, really lucky. I mean, you know, in terms of obviously having my husband on, having John Moxley, on having CM Punk on.

And I've, you know, I've got Eddie Kingston coming on this week. I just recorded with him, which is great. I've got Steve A. Miochich this week coming up. So it's really cool to have these like big names and people with really interesting stories. And that was really the whole concept behind the show is sitting down with people that I find interesting getting to pick their brains and just have some fun conversations. Yeah. So these aren't just going to be wrestlers that you're talking to in the show. No. So right now, I mean, it started off very, I mean, I'm only this is what I'm coming up on seven episodes in. So it's still brand spanking new. But sticking with wrestling is definitely going to be the wheelhouse of it. But as the show grows, I would love to branch out. I just don't want to like freak out my listening audience right off the bat and be like, here.

is a singer that you might not have ever heard of. I definitely want to get to that point and branch out outside of that. But, you know, even me dipping my toe now into the MMA world, that's not something I ever really even anticipated doing. And when I first started doing the show, I was like, oh, I really want to have Megan Olivion from UFC, because I think she's

fantastic. I think she's so great at what she does. She is local here in Las Vegas. And her and I are so similar that it would be like interviewing myself. So I had her on, then got to have Michelle Waterson on and now getting to have the UFC heavyweight chance. champion on. So I didn't really anticipate it going that route when I'm like, oh, maybe I'll just stick to wrestling and combat sports. I don't know, but it's really cool. Well, like you said, you're seven episodes in. Who knows what this is going to turn into and who knows? 77 episodes.

Exactly. Who knows? I mean, the cool thing is with like wrestling, as you know, it's like there's so many people to get and everyone has a cool story. And especially now that I'm not beholden to only doing WWE interviews. I can do WWAW, New Japan, Impact. I mean, I can kind of dabble with whatever comes up. So it's nice to not be handcuffed to anything and just, yeah, kind of dip my toe into every little pond. I think the name of the show is so fascinating. So how did you decide on oral sessions? So I really was not having like the sexual innuendo in my head when I came up with it. But I was like, really the concept was like, well, it's just me talking and having conversations with people.

there's no catch to it. There's no like gimmicky thing about it. It's just a conversation. So when I was like thinking about like talking and something, I was like, well, oral obviously comes to mind when you're thinking about talking, but I was just thinking of like, you know, taking an oral test or something like that. And I was like, oh, oral sessions. And I bounced it off a few people. They're like, you cannot call your show. Which of course made me go, well, fuck that. Now I'm definitely calling my show that. But yeah, it's funny. I put it out there. And people were actually. like a lot cooler about it than I thought. I mean, obviously there was like some eggplant jokes being tossed around on Twitter, which is fine. But I was like, well, if it gets people to click on it, it's like a little bit of clickbait. But yeah, I feel like even even in the seven episodes, I feel like that's kind of fall into the waist side a little bit. And I think the more I'm able to talk about, no, it's just about a conversation that people, people understand that. But it's a little cheeky, which I don't mind. Everyone just needs to get their mind out of the guy. Yeah, pervert. That's it. Jeez.

You're freaking perverts. It's really hard to come up with a name for something, though. Yeah. Like even when I was doing my cookbook, it was the hardest part of doing the whole thing. I was like, I don't know what to call it. I have no idea. Like, it is so difficult. I don't know how people like name albums or like, God.

Like, it's just, it's so difficult to come up with a name for something. And you want to be something that's like catchy and people remember. But like, it's a tall order for sure. Just definitely sticks in your head. Good. Not going to forget oral sessions. Good. Perfect.

You know, you and I go way back. And I don't know if you even remember this. We were both on TV at the same time in Toronto. And I remember you were on Bight TV at the time. Oh, my gosh. I mean, yes, we would call that like being on TV. It was pretty small circuit. But yes.

I was on a show called Inside Jam on Sun TV. And we interviewed a lot of musicians as well. So there'd be a lot of times, and you know this when you're doing the interviews with musicians. You would go to the venue before they were doing sound check. And there'd be a handful of other people that were, doing interviews there. And I remember we were at the venue for 10 second epic. Where, what venue was at? I don't. Is it like maybe like Lee's Palace or like, like, might have been Lee's Palace. Mod club or something like that. Oh, I think it was Mod Club. We did so many at Mod. Yeah, we did a ton

at Mod. We would be there a lot. Yeah. How sad that El Macombo shut down. Oh, it is. Don't tell me this. Yeah, they just shut down on the Combo. I think, uh, oh no. The Rona got them, unfortunately and they had to shut down. But, um, yeah, I know, you know what, Now that you say that, completely rings a bell of that first time that I met you. It was like, hello and hello. Okay, great. Well, I'm going to go do my interview over here and you do yours over there. Yeah, so funny.

Ten second epic. What a throwback guy. I love those guys. Yes. It's funny to think of that too because, like, I feel like I'm so synonymous with just like the wrestling world, which you are now as well. Sure. And you had to think like starting out, like just interviewing like different bands and like especially like punk bands, waiting for like Vans Warp Tour to come around and be like,

who can we get like to just like book our own shows and see who we could get for stuff like that. It was such a cool experience. Actually like, not, I don't, I wouldn't say I like miss that so much, but it's a great way to start out to just like learn what you're doing, learn how to communicate with people and learn how to be on camera and be a host without like a ton of people seeing it. That was the same like I started at Czechs TV in Peterborough. Yeah.

And it was like the best start. ground because I'm like, number one, I'm not from here. So like, if I really mess up on TV, skin in the game. Right. At least it's not in front of people I know. And then number two, it's like, it's not in front of millions and millions like, you know, when you get signed to WWE. I always feel for people in that situation. I always say that I'm like, man, I'm so glad that I got to cut my teeth somewhere else, just in the sense of even a level of confidence. Because, you know, I mean, when you're working somewhere else, especially on a huge platform like WWE or, you know, wherever it may be, you're having a million people in your ear and you're second guessing yourself. We're like, once you've kind of been doing this for a little while and you like, know how you sound, you know how you want to present yourself and all that, it makes it a lot easier to kind of help make those decisions and weed out some of those voices. So whenever I see someone like making like a big TV debut on like that grand scale, I'm like, oh my God, I'm so glad that I got to really work out my kinks in front of nobody. Yeah, it's tough because the advice that you always hear in broadcasting is just be yourself.

Yeah. The thing is, you can't just be yourself because a microphone and a camera aren't following you around all the time. Yeah. Yeah, it's really like, I mean, that's, it's such simple advice, but it's like someone says that to you and you're like, well, shit, I don't know what that even means to me yet. So she like, like depending on how old you are when you start too. It's like you're like I was 19, 20 when I first started. I didn't really know. I really did not know what I was doing. Luckily, I had like an idea of how I want to present myself.

But even when I like think back to some of those like interviews and stuff, I'm like, oh my God, what a like, what a train wreck. Because I was trying so hard to like be funny or be clever. And I was like stepping on the people that I was interviewing trying to like get my own shit in. And it's like, oh my God, just shut up. It's like so embarrassing. I actually think about sometimes. This still haunts me as I interviewed Sloan. also at the mod club, I think. And I remember interviewing them. And I was trying so hard to just be like cheeky and funny and like a little bit rude because

I was obsessed with Chelsea Handler and that's how she was on her show. She'd get away with it though. She is Chelsea Handler. I could not. And I remember doing that interview and I remember those guys looking at each other being like, who does this chick think she is? It makes me like, I feel like hot thinking about it now. I'm like, oh my God, how embarrassing.

Because I had no idea. I was just figuring it out. but I can totally remember those guys exchanging glances and me going, this isn't going well. And you don't know how to save yourself. It was so horrible. Sorry, Sloan. Were you kind of like ingratiated into the music world with your dad?

You know, his job. He was a music promoter, right? He was, but no, he, I really, no, he honestly didn't really help me much in that aspect. Because he, at the time, I mean, still is, but like, he's dealing with such big artists that I would never have even asked to be like, oh, can I grab so and so? I was keeping it on like a very small circuit while I was trying to like figure out what I was trying to do. I would say I would run into my brother more often in that world because my brother also works in the music industry. And he was working down at, oh God, what is it called now?

One that was like out on the pier. I can't think of the name of it right now. Oh, it was. Yeah, it was music, wasn't it? They changed it to music. It was something before that. Government. It was like connected to the government.

Yeah, yeah. The docks? Was it just the docks? Maybe it was the docks. I don't know. Anyways, someone watching this in Toronto is going to be like, how dare you guys not now? Well, they're all so close now, too, I think. But yeah, I would run into my brother a lot more because he was working at that venue.

So I'd be getting more of the artists that would come through that way. And I remember, like you said, like when you're not around your family and you don't have to worry about people watching, I remember like getting. I was like doing like my own standups. and my brother was like loading in a show or something. I remember him like stopping to watch me and I was like, get away from me. Stop watching me. Do what I'm doing. I don't know what I'm doing. It would like totally add way more pressure.

But yeah, I feel like I would like run into my brother way more in that world than I really did my dad. Because my dad works at the amphitheater in the Air Canada Center. So I was like very rarely down there doing stuff. So he's dealing with all the big community artists. He could throw me a bone. All of them. Yes. Yeah.

I mean, everyone comes through those two venues. Of course. And I was never, my dad is very prideful in his work as well. So I never wanted to get a handout or even ask him. Because honestly, I think I already knew what the answer was going to be. He'd be like, you can reach out to their managers if you want, good luck. But like I could have maybe like snuck into his email, like found contacts or whatever. But yeah, yeah, I just, I was all about kind of doing my own, my own little thing.

Are you from actual Toronto? No, I'm from Ajax. And I'm from Pickering. Wow. Oh, I didn't know you're from Pinkering. And I didn't know you were from Ajax. So we just tell her when we're from Sorana. I went to Pine Ridge.

You can't say. So you're same as Sean Mendez. Yes, I went to, Sean Mendez went to my high school. So how far, I mean, he's young. He's like a child. Yeah. He's very young. I don't know if he was even born when I was at Pine Ridge.

Probably not. It's funny. I just, so I didn't even realize that he was from. Pickering. And I thought I like, Sean Mendez, go get it, dude. But I didn't really. I wasn't familiar with his music or like really his story. And I was watching his Netflix documentary.

And he'd spend so much time in Pickering. Yeah. Talking about his high school and stuff. And it like gave me all of the fields. I was like, man, we were lucky to grow up where we did. I agree. There was a moment. There's a moment where he's laying in the football field.

And I'm like, that's my school. Yeah. It's so crazy. I remember so many of the girls, like so my girlfriends that I played ring out with, they all went to Pine Ridge. So, yeah, just, and I went to Exeter in Ajax High School. But, yeah, seeing some of those girls that were like out of the other schools out at Pickering High or Pine Ridge or I can't remember what the Catholic school was there.

St. Mary's. St. Mary's. Yeah. And then there was, in Ajax, there was Pickering High, but it's not actually in Pickering. It was always so confusing to me. Yeah. And it's like right next to where Pickering Village Arena is, right? Yes.

I had a dream I was at Pickering Village Arena last night. Isn't that so weird? I did so much hockey there. You too. So much. I can like smell it talking about it. It's not a good smell. I don't know.

That's one of those like weird smells that like takes me back. When I smell like that like old arena smell, it makes me very happy. I know it's a gross smell, but I love it. So do you play hockey and ringette growing up? So I only played ringette because I started playing that when I was like a kid. I started playing that one. It was probably like nine, eight or nine, something like that. And I played all the way up in.

my 20s. I played pretty much until I moved away from from Canada. So I recently just bought more hockey equipment too. I can't play ringette out here. I did buy sticks and stuff. So I had the sticks in the rings. I bought like ringette pants to to play in and everything. So I used to, I did play hockey too, though, but I didn't start playing hockey until I started playing in like some women's leagues. So I did that as I was older too. So I could always like skate really well with my stick handling struggles. So I'm better off to stick with ringette. I had that skill set. So I just kind of stuck with it. This is so exciting to me to know that you're from Ajax because, you know,

we just say that we're from Toronto because most people have no idea what these other cities are. For sure. Yeah. And like I feel like in like the wrestling world, it's like, oh, it's like kind of near Oshawa because they would hit Oshawa in like Houston during, during loops and whatever. So I mean, we're like kind of near Oshawa. We don't want to claim Oshawa. No, you don't want to claim Oshawa. No offense, Oscewa, but we're trying to that to.

Sorry. Dirty schwa for a reason. Totally. Totally. Maybe someone watching this in Oshua being like, how dare you? How dare they? Yeah, I mean, growing up in AJAX, though, it's funny because I always just felt so like, I always wanted to get out of there.

Just nothing even against it. I just like, I was wanting to get into Toronto. I wanted to live in Toronto and like be part of the city. And then after that, I was like, okay, now I just like, I want to move to the U.S. And work. But that was all just always like work oriented more than anything because I knew that there's bigger opportunities outside. But yeah, Ajax was great.

I have such, like, vivid memories of just like, first of all of the arenas there and going to school there or not going to school there. You should probably put it that way, skipping class whenever I could. When you were growing up in Ajax, what did you want to be? So at first, just because I was always so heavy into playing sports, the first thing I really genuinely considered doing was becoming a sports psychologist. That was something that really interested me and psychology interested me, but I hate math. And I'm terrible at math when I was like, oh, should I have to do math to get into like York University or

whatever? So that kind of felt to the wayside. But I also like I got in like it really was always in my mind that I wanted to entertain in some capacity. I never really knew what that was or how I wanted to facilitate those things. But like when I would skip school, this is so weird, but I would like sit and watch like fashion television all the time. I was like obsessed with fashion television with like Jeannie Becker. I would watch that. And I was also like obsessed with different comedy things. My dad had me hooked on like SCTV, kids in the hall, like all that stuff. But that wasn't something I ever really thought that I could actually do until it was like a little bit later. And then yeah, once I finished high school and I was like, well, what am I going to do?

and I knew that I wanted to like be on TV. So I tried to get into broadcasting. I went to like, I tried to get into Ryerson, Seneca, York, all these different places. And I didn't get into any of them, I don't think. Not for the broadcasting anyways. Right. Because I went into like the orientation day and everyone's like, well, why do you want to be in TV? And everyone's like, oh, I want to like create this thing.

And they had all these like really heady answers. And I was like, I just want to be on TV. And I remember the people that I was like in the. orientation with like they all turn around looks at me like bitch you better check yourself at the fucking door and they like literally i remember them like guffying at me um but yeah that was always just what i had in my mind so when i when that wasn't really panning out and it really was like it's like it's like to the radio and television broadcasting things um did you take classes like that i took communication studies at lorriere oh okay yeah and which was great and then when i graduated

like i loved my time at loria and when i graduated i'm like i don't think i'm ready for the real world yet. See, I was the other way where I just wanted to fast track. I just wanted to work. It's not that I didn't want to put in the time of going to school. I've just like, since I was a kid, I've always had this like hustler mentality of, I just want to get to work. I want to hurry up. I want to get a job. As soon as I could get a job, I think I got my first job when it's like 12 or 13 working at like a garden center, like pruning plants and stuff. So as soon as I could start to work, I would do it. And even before that, I would always be like, I'm going to have a garage sale. I got like sell my shit so I can get out of here. I've got places to go. So I've always just wanted to work in school honestly seemed

like a thing that was getting in the way of me just hurrying up and getting to work. And I don't regret that because the experience that I gained was totally invaluable. And it's funny because I feel like anytime I talk to people that are like in these programs at school, I'm like, you don't really any other. Just get you. I ended up after I graduated my undergrad, I was like, I don't think I'm ready for the real world yet. I'm going to I'm going to get another degree. I'm going to go to Ryerson and get the actual like journalism degree. Well, that's a really good place to get it though, too. It's the best place in Canada. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. And then I was, I had my internship that summer at Checks TV had turned into a job. So I went to Ryerson and I was there like four days and I'm like,

I'm learning a lot more in the real world. I'm going to drop out. And I tell everyone, like the best thing ever did was drop out of postgrad. Yeah. It's like, I mean, it's not so easy to be going knocking door to door, but I was so not self-aware at the time that I was like, I'm just going to go see who'll give me a job. And I would like show up to any audition I could get. I mean, I had like talent agents at the time. So I was like doing acting auditions and acting classes and commercials and a bunch of music videos and stuff. And then once I was like, oh, maybe I should like consider hosting. And that was more of a thing because the the auditions that I was getting were like, they're like kind of far and few between and nothing that exciting. I was like, well, this isn't getting me to

be Rachel McAdams fast enough. So I need to fast track this. And I would go on those like casting sites online and that's how I found bite TV. They were looking for like their bite girl VJ. And I was like, perfect. I'll go do that. So I went in and went and audition there and I spent some time there. They were great to me.

They were really, really good to me to just let me like figure out what the hell I was doing. They gave me like a platform to just figure it out, which was amazing. And then after that was being like, hey, now where do I go? It's either much music or the score. Yep. Because the score had like comedy interviews, which is really what I was. wanted to do. It wasn't that I was like, oh, I really want to work in sports. I just like the way that they let their personalities be. Like, TSM was never something that I thought that I would want to do.

It was always at the score. And I did the much music, BJ search auditions. And then at the same time was knocking on the actual studio doors of the score with my demo reel in hand, trying to find out who to like drop it off to. And it's so funny, like the time I spent working there and like that studio looks right out onto King and Blue J. Way. You can see everybody. I'm like, oh, my God, like, Cabby probably just saw my dumbass, like knocking on the window. Being like, how do I get in here? So stupid, but it worked.

But there's a real lesson. Of course, there's a real lesson to be learned here that, like, you have to go out and literally knock on those doors and make those opportunities happen. You've got to hit that pavement. A lot of people think, oh, I have a YouTube channel on a podcast now. I'm going to get discovered. This is just going to turn into something. No, and it's like, it's making those like personal connections.

And like I can be like that like internet sleuth, which I think we all can be. I'm like, hey, like, who's the producer on this? Who, how can I get someone's email? So I can like actually just get in touch with somebody. And I've done that throughout my career trying to get in touch with people that otherwise I would have no way to get in touch with them. But I did that at the score with Greg Sansoni kept hitting them up, kept hitting them up, wasn't really hearing back.

And then they started doing their first season of drafted. So I put together a video. where I was talking about, I'm George St. Pierre. I did a whole UFC thing. And then they ended up bringing me, but they hired me instead of putting me through drafted. So yeah, it was,

it's such a, it really is just like, figure it out. Go hit the pavement and you make that shit work. If that's the job that you want, make them give it to you. But you had some point early on where you moved to L.A.

to try to chase after the acting thing. Yes. How did that go? Not good. It just, so it's not even that it like went, it didn't go well in the terms of like, I had bad auditions or anything like that. I didn't have any auditions. So I moved down. I was,

I think I was 19. It was right after high school. So I'd finished high school. Sorry, then I went to Second City and I did all of their improv classes. I was like the only training I had was like level A through E at Second City. And I was like, I'm ready. I'm ready to go. Let's get out there. I want to work. So I went home, packed my suitcase. I mean, I didn't have money for a flight. My parents definitely bought me my flight down there. My mom flew down with me actually to get me settled. But yeah, I just wanted to go down and get to work.

But it was just jumping all those hurdles of like, even for me to try to get a meeting with an agent, they're like, well, you're here illegally. Like you, we can't get you a green card. We can't even get you like a work visa like nothing. So I just kept hitting a wall in a wall. wall and a wall and just then start to feel again like now I'm just wasting time. I'm not making any money. I was making $50 a night working at a bar there called the Mint. It's on a Elma combo and Pecos or something like that, Las Siena. Making money under the table. Under the table. So the Farley brothers owned that bar and they were shooting a movie up in Toronto and I was waitressing at

at the Moulson amphitheater. And some of their producers came in. So I became, like, friendly with them. And they helped me get that job working at, I just would work the door and, like, I would just, like, count how many people were coming in, take their money. And then, like, give them,

divvy it out to the bands or whatever at the end of the night. Because bands, like, it was mostly a jazz spot, but other, other musicians and stuff would come in there. But I remember one night because it was American money and I was unfamiliar with it. And it was very dark. I like totally didn't count the money, right? And I was short, a ton of money.

And they were like, they were cool with me about it. Thank God. But like, remember I lost a bunch of money because I was so used to our colorful money in Canada. Of course. I was like, oh my God. I was like giving away like 20s instead of times. Oh my God. But yeah, anyways, it was a really cool experience.

And I ended up in so many situations that honestly I shouldn't have been in the sense of like, you know, I was living with this great family. It was like a mom and a daughter that lived in Beverly Hills. Like I lived in 90210.1. I just rented a room from them. Still talked to them to this day to a certain degree. But yeah, just like met some really cool people along the way, went to like some fancy parties and got to like see that side of L.A.

But I had no money to my name. Like I was like this kid that couldn't even rub two nickels together hanging out with somebody like a Paul Allen who like at the time owned like the Seattle Seahawks and stuff. Like so crazy. But anyways, yeah, I ended up getting sick when I was living in L.A. I got like a cold or something, but like a really bad cold. And I didn't have health insurance because I didn't even know how that works. And I was like, fuck this.

I got to go home. I got to go home. I remember calling my mom. And I was just so heartbroken. I felt so defeated. And I felt like I had just like totally given up on myself. But she was, she was great. She was like got me a ticket and flew my ass home.

So I went home. And then that's when I really started. And then I started working for bite shortly after that. And then bite. led to you knocking on the door of the score. And then, I mean, you probably didn't know it at the time that that would lead into this wild world of wrestling for you. Had no clue. No idea.

It's so crazy to think back to that. Like, the more I'm doing these interviews, especially in like a time of reflection of my time at WWB. When you're in it, it's kind of hard to really wrap your head around all the things that you're able to accomplish and the people you're able to reach during that time there. But now that I'm like looking back and I'm like, man, that's so crazy. like how one thing leads to another. One day my boss, Greg Santone, he's like, hey, you're going to do, do you want to do this wrestling show? I was like, okay, sure.

And then I'm, you know, now I'm submerged in this wrestling world and I get picked up by WWE and I marry a wrestler and I'm carrying his child. Yeah, it's crazy. It's really, but I've always been very much like of the opinion of like saying yes to things and trying different opportunities. and figuring it out and just jumping in headfirst to things and making the most of it. And I think that's something like I was able to do to like the highest degree with WWE, which was really cool.

Well, you were in a big spot when you're on the score. So to set this up for people, the score is this national Canadian sports network. That's where Raw was broadcast in Canada. And then you were on like the after show, which was appropriately titled Bright After Wrestling, for a short period of time. Then WW is like, you guys can't call it that. They would change it to aftermath. So you get thrown right into this world.

Were you following wrestling at that point? No, I wasn't. So what actually happened, my first interview with them was with John Cena. So, like, you're going to be interviewing John Cena. I was like, okay, at the time, I did not even understand the gravity of what that meant. I was like, all right, cool. So I'm, like, doing some research. And, like, in my head, I'm like, I'll ask him about, like, Hulk Hogan.

At the time, Brooke Hogan was like, I think she was, like, doing her music career, like, doing a reality show or something like that. I'm like, I'm going to talk to me about that. He'll love that. And I remember standing on our marks. And I had to give them my questions ahead of time. And they're like counting down with our like Zoom jib coming in. And the, the PR guy that was was seen at the time. We were about to do it. And he was like, they're like in three, two, they're like, we're actually not going to do this interview. And I was like, what? What happened? I think they just like thought that I was, I was such a jackass. I was trying too hard to make the segments about myself trying to be funny trying to like put over the talent the way that you're supposed to do that job.

But I remember Sina was very gracious and sweet. I don't know if I've ever told him that. I must have told him that at some point. I must have. When you met him when you were a WWE employee, did he remember you? No. No. God, no.

No, at the time, the only people, so when I first started at WWB, I had already, I knew Dolf. I knew Zach and Evan Bourne, I guess, were like, because they came through Toronto when they were like doing, they were doing live events or TV or whatever in Toronto. And I was, I had brought them into the score and shot a few different things with them. Another show is doing called The Break, which was like a web comedy show. So we did like some, some comedy bits with them and Yoshitatsu too, actually. And so I was, I stayed in touch mostly with Dolph in between those times. So he was somebody like, and even, I said.

still talked to him. He literally just texted me during this interview. How rude. I know. Luckily, my phone's on mute. But he's someone that's like, I've just always stayed in touch with him. I've always been friends with him. Did you realize that this could turn into something bigger? Like, it's a big, you're a big show in Canada. Did you have dreams to go and do something bigger? Always. Always. Yes. Yeah, I never, I've always been pretty lofty in my goals. I know that I had a realization. Like, things were going great for me in Canada, but I had to where I kind of like there's a glass ceiling that you can only go so high in Canada in the broadcasting world. And that's a scary thing. And that's something that I knew that before you even started the score.

Because when I was looking for places that I was like, hey, where can I make the biggest splash and have the biggest impact? Yeah. It was two places. It was either a score or it was much music. And beyond that, what do you really do? Other than TSN, I mean, where else in Canada, Toronto specifically, can you get on a national television show? Yeah, unless you get super lucky in your George Strombolopoulos and they create a show for you. He's somebody. I need to have him on my show because somebody like Strango is like he, he is the bar for anyone in Canada.

He's so good at what he does. And he's been doing it forever. And he has just carved out his own spot in Canada. And that's the really cool thing about Canada. It's like, if you have a spot like that, you've got that spot. But they're so far and few between. That's like it's impossible. But the fact that he never broke out in the U.S. blows my mind.

It totally blows my mind. He was on, was it CNN? I think he had a show on CNN briefly. Because Anthony Bourdain, like, I don't know if he was working for Anthony Bordane's production company. I think he was. But yeah, I mean, he basically had like that Anthony Bourdain endorsement, which is literally the biggest thing you can get. And yeah, I don't, I want to get that whole story from him, though, because I find it fascinating. Well, Ben Mulroney, same thing. Like, he came to the U.S. and just people kind of go, well, we don't.

You are or really care. I know. It's so crazy. But I mean, that's something that I really looked at when I first started working. I was like, well, I need to do whatever I can as quickly as I can so that I can move on to whatever the next thing's going to be and just kind of keep growing. Like, I really, really wanted. I was like, I want that Chelsea Handler gig. I want that Kelly Ripa gig. Like those were the things that I really, really wanted. And the crazy thing is there's still like very much within your reach now. I hope so. I don't know who to talk to for that. I keep like manifesting and everyone's like, yeah, okay.

But seriously, it's like those are those are really like, that's what I would love to do. And that's something that I would feel like very confident in like stepping into that spot and doing that. So what other auditions did you have before you signed with WWA? Before WWE, there was just a few. So when I was working at the score, I would also kind of hustle there and be like, guys, I can't come in on Monday because I'd flown to L.A. I would fly to L.A. on the weekends and go take meeting with agents and whatnot. So I went down and I signed with ICM for about two seconds because I didn't know what the hell I was doing. I was so lucky, so lucky that I went down. And my main thing was trying to find an agent. And I, they wanted to sign me right away. I was like, oh my God, great. So I went to go do that. And then I had another agent really getting my ewe. ear and kind of pull me over to her side, which ultimately is probably a big mistake, but that's for a different podcast. But ICM had booked me. I booked a big 10 network show that was, it was like a tailgating party show. Nice. And then I also was, I booked a cartoon network show

that was about, it was like decorating kids rooms as like superhero things, like the comics and like kid stuff. But I couldn't do them because I couldn't get a green card fast. And I couldn't get a visa fast enough. So neither of those ended up panning out. And then I was brought down to do sports nation. So that was the one that was like really the one that I was like, oh, I'm going to go do sports nation for sure. I really like that was such a big opportunity. And I felt so confident about that audition, especially coming from the score where it was so similar to kind of what I was doing up there anyways, which was like not traditional broadcasting, having opinions on sports, getting to have some fun and be creative and everything. So I went in and audition for sports

nation and was like, I've told this story before. I'm sure they're like, we get it. Shut up. But I thought that I had that job. They were like, everyone's high fiving and we're like, cool, see, you know, we'll get this all sorted out. You're going to take over when Beetle leaves. And I think Michelle Beatle's awesome. So I was like so stoked about that. And then obviously they ended up bringing Krista Thompson, who's also fantastic. But I was so gung ho that I was like, I guess I'm to go work for ESPN. I guess I'll go live in Bristol and figure that life out. which I don't want to live in Bristol. Let's make that very clear.

And then, and then WWE brought me in. Like, they were days apart. I, like, flew to Bristol, flew back to Toronto. WWE flew me in.

And when I went into the WW audition, I was like, I'm just going to go to ESPN because I'm going to go to sports nation. Anyways, that's going to be the gig. And my audition with WWE was the shits. It was not,

not that all of it was bad, but it was like a full day, like boot camp where they, they had me like, you know, hosting a show kind of like, Aftermath. They brought me in and made me do commentary. Who knew where that was going to go? I had to do with Josh or not with Josh Matthews. I did with Matt Stryker. And I remember calling

like a Seamus match or something. I had no idea what I was doing. That never really changed. And so they had me do that. They had me like do like an improv kind of thing. They just put me through the ringer. I was meeting everybody at like the head office. Like they did bring to meet everybody. There's a portion of this audition online. Yes. That's the part when they made me sell the thing. Which blew my mind. Like, they handed you like this. It's like a battery or something. Yeah. And they said, all right, improv about this and sell it to us. We're going to go in 40 seconds. I'd be freaking out of the debate. You so smoothly, you were like, this is a pet groomer. This pet groomer. I'm like, how did you come up with that? University of full of shit. That's where that

came from. Just make it all up. Yeah, it was like, but I walked away from that being like, well, see what happens with that. I don't know. And then, yeah, like not like maybe days, days later, a week later, the contract came through. And I was like, guess I'm. And they had already announced that Carissa Thompson is taking over sports nation. So I was like, shit. The United States Soccer Federation presents the U.S. Soccer podcast. My name is David Goss, and I'm joined by my co-host, Megan Clevenberg. And now we're giving people an inside look at the World Cup. I think you can feel the intensity.

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Let's do this. But like even during that time, I had no idea what I was going to do for WWE. Not a clue because they had me, you know, as I just said, I did so many different things during that. audition that I assumed I'd be doing something similar to what I was doing in Toronto, do like an after show, which ultimately kind of became talking smack and then ultimately became backstage for Fox. So similar things throughout my career to a certain degree. But yeah, I had no idea what I was going to be doing. And then it went into doing the backstage interviews and

working with me and Jean O'Kerland on WWE Vintage. Like those were the things that I really started doing first. Yeah, to all the other things that I got to do there. I had no clue where that career was going to go. is sponsored by BetterHelp. Is there something interfering with your happiness or is preventing you from achieving your goals? BetterHelp will assess your needs and match you with your own licensed professional therapist.

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That's betterhelp-help.com slash insight and join the over one million people who have taken charge of their mental health with the help of an experienced professional. In fact, so many people have been using BetterHelp that they're recruiting additional counselors in all 50 states. So the special offer for anybody listening to Insight right now is 10% off your first month. Just go to betterhelp.com slash insight. That's BetterHelphelp.com slash insight. What was your first day at WWA?

My first, so the very first thing I did for WWE, when I was still in Toronto, they're like, hey, can we fly you to New York and have you interview the Rolling Stones on the red carpet? I was like, yeah, 100%. So it must have been like very early on of them figuring out what they wanted to do with the network because I think that the stones were using the back end of how they served out their paper views to broadcast one of their concerts. So that's how that tie kind of came together. So they had me fly into New York.

And I got to like talk to Mick Jagger on the red carpet. And he was so charming and lovely. So that was the very first thing I did completely un-wrestling related. But they brought me down to do that, which was really cool. But then my very first actual day of like, okay, I'm doing WWB work today was doing vintage with Gene Okerlund. And I was so nervous because we had vintage in Toronto or in Canada. Like they aired it on the score. I would like throw to it all the time.

So I was like, oh my God. I'm like on the show that I used to watch and whatever. But I was so nervous because me and Gene Okerland, who is an absolute icon, like the most lovely man ever. But I was so stressed out. But they actually brought me on my very first time. They hadn't changed my name yet. So I still was Renee Paquette for like one episode. And then you were Renee Sterling?

I was so. Renee Sterling never made it to air. But that was the first name that was thrown my way. So I was like still, I'm like in Toronto packing at my boxes. And I get this email like, your new name is Renee Sterling. And I was like, first of all, I even know I was getting a new name. I thought that was just for wrestlers. I didn't think that that had anything to do with me.

So I was like floored. And I was like, oh, my God, I have to get a new name. Like, and not that they cared. But to me, I was like, well, I've already been on like national television with my real name. It seems so weird to change it for this. But they're like, you're small peanuts, babe. We don't care. We're changing your name.

So they were cool in the sense that I was like, well, that's fine. I feel weird about it. But can we please not do Sterling? So they're like, all right, send us some other name off. options, whatever. So I was going through all my records, trying to find something that was more music inspired. So I had like Rogers for Prince. Ed Rustin, which was Audrey Hepburn's real last name. And they came up with Young from Neil Young. So I had all these like alliterations like double R's, but they wanted young. So shout out to Neil Young. You got to keep your first name

too. Thank God. Thank God. That would have been horrible. To lose your first name would suck. Yeah, that was like when Arda O'Call became Kyle Edwards, raw deal. Yeah. Did he go, did he go to WWE first? No. That's right. You went and then he went. I did.

I went first, then he came and then Morrow. That's right. You started it all. I know. Yeah. The Canadian invasion. Honestly. I know as if as if WW doesn't have enough Canadians running around, right?

Right. So many. I think people were surprised recently when. You basically said you had to take lessons to get rid of your Canadian accent. I know. I keep saying that's a headline. They were like, you have to go do it. It was just like, I don't know.

Yeah, it was weird. But like, did you think that you had an accent or did they go, you have an accent? So here's what I think happened. It was so early on to me signing there. And I don't know if it was like from that early on too. It's like there really wasn't somebody in my position. So I was really like the first person, like especially the first female step in, especially like, you know, doing the backstage things, being like a broadcaster for them.

I think that they really wanted to kind of invest in me a little bit. And without them, I think even really seeing me or talking to me, they're like, oh, she's from Canada. I get rid of the accent. I don't think it was that I had spoken to them and they're like, you got to work on that. I think it was just kind of like, well, we don't want to have that Canadian accent. So let's kind of work on that. So I would go to this like this.

dialect voice coach. And she, I only worked with her for so long because I didn't have that thick of an accent. There's definitely certain things. I can't even do the Canadian accent anymore, because I think it'll like fuck me up. I can't think about it. You can't, it's like, sorry about that. I can't. Like when I talk to my mom, I'm like, oh my God. Because before I get used to hear it and she's like, you sound like you're from Texas now. My mom's like, are you going to call me tomorrow? Yeah. I hear it so much now. It cracks me up. But yeah, so I went to those classes, but it's just like working on like bowels and whatnot. So like by the end of it, she was like, we're good. We would just shoot the shit in her office for a couple hours.

I worked in Vancouver for a year and the accent's a little bit different on the west coast. It is different there. Yeah, absolutely it is. And all my coworkers were like, you have a pretty bad Canadian accent. I'm like, no, the West Coast is worse than where we're from. I agree. I'm like, what do you mean? Like I'm from the place where everyone's from. Like 10 million people live in Ontario. Yeah, we're from Toronto, the center of the universe. Exactly. You guys are on the outskirt. Yeah, like, I've got, I have a lot of family out on the West Coast,

and I feel like their accents are definitely different than the rest of my. But I also have family on the East Coast. It's like, whoof, that's, that's, that's, yeah. But I remember. Like Newfoundland, but. I remember taking a trip to L.A. And Ryan Seacrest hosts the morning show in Kiss FM. Yeah.

And I remember hearing him say his catchphrase, Crest out. And I was like, oh, that's how you're supposed to say. Out. Yes. Crest out. And I'm like, Out. Yeah, I always, like, I think that there was one word that she would always, she always wanted to be to say orange as orange, orange.

Orange. She was wanting me to say it weird. I was like, no one says orange like that. Orange. She was like, I was like, you don't know what you're talking about. It's fucking orange. It's, yeah, I think orange is a fine word, I think. It doesn't need any finessing.

That's just how you say it. I don't think anyone says orange with an accent. Oh, no. I have a friend from Philly who says orange. That's how she wanted me to say it. Orange. No. Yes.

Yes. That's how she wanted me to say it. Yeah. I know. It threw me for a loop. She helped me a lot with other things. I remember like we were just like bullshit in her office and her like kid played like JV football, but I had never heard the term JV before.

Oh. I didn't know what that was. I was like, what is JV? There was like all these like American terms that I had no idea about because no one even really plays football. So she helped you. more with your slang than with your accent. Yeah.

Yeah, I guess so. Yeah, my accent will creep through every now and then, like, my husband will call me out. He's like, you suck me all hell for a second. Learning American slang was really interesting to me. Like, when I first, I saw Cleveland was the first place I lived. Cleveland was? Cleveland, yeah. Okay.

When I first moved there, I went to Walmart to do my grocery shopping as you do as a good American. Yeah. And I put a... Good produce section. Right. I put a two-four. which is not called a two four in America. I put a case of Budweiser in my cart,

and my buddy goes, why are you drinking Bud Heavy? Nobody drinks Bud Heavy. And I'm like, bud heavy. Is that really what you call it? He's like, instead of just like Bud Light?

Yeah, everyone drinks Bud Light. I'm like, oh, weird. But in Canada, in Canada, if you drank light beer, they'd be like, oh, what's wrong with this person? Yeah, I guess that's true.

I mean, I guess depends more. It's like, other than like Coors Light, What, because everyone like, you're having like a Keats or a cream or like. You're not going to drink Labat blue light. Oh, God, no. Or Canadian light. No, nobody drinks Canadian light. Absolutely not.

I never really thought about that. You're right, because I drink light beer here all the time. Of course. Yeah, interesting. Yeah. But not calling it a two-four through me for a loop. Oh, a case of beer. You don't pick up a two-four, but.

And nobody really drinks from pitchers of beer here as much. either, I don't think. It happens, but not as often. I love hitting a patio with a pitcher. Me too. When I learned that a 60 is called a handle here, that was... I know. It's really the alcohol measurements that throw me off.

Like, what are we getting? I still don't understand it. I'll be like, I'll have that size. Oh, you mean a fifth? I've never learned it. I refuse to learn it. How long into your WWE career, do you feel like the fans really started to endear themselves to you?

Gosh, I don't know. I think when I was doing backstage interviews, it didn't take all that long. That was the big part, I think. I mean, first of all, just like being on standard WWB television from like being on raw or Smackdown or whatever. God, I mean, maybe even more at NXT. I don't know. I think it just sort of gradually happened over my time doing the backstage interviews

and whatnot because I think. again, because there wasn't really a me prior to me. It was all a bunch of different dudes that to have like a chicken there that was like kind of allowed to have a little bit of personality every now. And then I think people were like very happy to see that instead of this like robotic response during interviews. Yeah. When you're given a script, are you allowed to kind of put your own spin on the question

that you're setting up? No. Not at all. Well, it depends on what it is. Yes, sometimes there is. there would be times, especially like later on, because the shows are moving so fast, if something would change a big, just ask something about the championship match or whatever. So there would be some looseness to it in that sense.

But other times you would get a script that was like very much like this word needs to be said or like you have to end it this way or you have to call so and so this catchphrase because we're trying to get that over. But yeah, it really kind of depends. But generally it's like just read what's on the page. And you have to start everyone with ladies and gentlemen, my guest at this time. I almost called my podcast that. But yeah, that was something that was always on the scripts.

And then I don't think people do it as much anymore. I just kind of stuck with it. I was like, whatever. It's just in my head now. Anyways, I don't think I could do an interview without saying it at this point. It's like so ingrained in my head. Well, you mentioned me and Gene. And he's like, he's the best.

He's the absolute best at doing backstage interviews. So what did you learn from working with him that you still apply to your career now? I think it's, I would say it's kind of having a case of the fuck it's. Like he was so, just so like cheeky all the time. And you could see that in interviews. And again, the way that me and Gene was able to do his interviews is so different from how we do it. And it's, you know, you could talk to wrestlers or backstage interviews or whatever. and during the 80s and whatnot to what we're doing now.

It's so different script-wise and whatnot. So I think us being so behold into the scripts changes that drastically. But for him, the way that he was able to react to things and he had such a rapport with the wrestlers, you could tell that he had their respect and that they all really enjoyed him. So that was something that really stuck out to me for my time with him. But I mean, when him and I worked together, we never really talked about the backstage stuff. like him doing those interviews and whatnot. That was really never anything we talked about

because a lot of times like when we were doing vintage, we were on a teleprompter. So we would like just, you know, we'd be reading the script and the teleprompter. But the best part about doing that show is like the downtime. Or as much as it could be frustrating because we would. So especially when I, I would come off the road.

And then when I moved out west to Las Vegas, I would have to fly. I take a red eye back to New York and then get in a car and go up to Stanford. And then crank out six episodes of a show, which like by the end, you're like, I can't even see straight. I don't know what I'm reading anymore. So you'd be very tired. But there would be times that like the best parts were like the mistakes when we would like fuck up something on camera. We're like, no. Right at the end, I'm tired and losing my mind. And Gene's like old and over it

as well. So this stuff that would like fly out of his mouth during those like screw ups or like just like in the time when like they're resetting something. in the back or whatever, and we'd just be sitting in this little green room, just like bullshitting. He was just the best, the best guy. And then afterwards, just, like, having a million drinks at the bar together. He would just, like, hold my hand and, like, tell me that he loved me. He was, like, so sweet.

Yeah, he would, like, text me and, like, call me sometimes. Just, he's the best. If you thought you were going to go to ESPN and we're kind of taking this WWE interview, you know, thinking you weren't going to take that job at all, when you signed with WWE, How long did you think you were going to be there? I really didn't think about it. Well, here's the other thing, too. And I don't know if you can relate to this.

But so, WW was very great to me in the sense that, like, they got me a visa right away. So I had a really hard time getting a visa prior to WWB. I tried to get one when I was working at the score. I found this, like, crook of a entertainment lawyer that was like, I'll get you a green era, visa. No problems. I paid him like five grand, which I did not have at the time. And he didn't get it for me. He didn't go through.

I got flagged. So I was like, oh my God. So I still kind of get flagged for stuff when I like update my visa or get my green card. I'm actually doing my citizenship test very soon. So we'll see how that goes. But so that kind of put such a, it was such a damper on everything that I was like, oh my God, how am I going to get this going?

So when I got the job at WWW and they're like, well, we'll take care of all your visa stuff. You don't have to worry about that. We'll do it. I was like, oh, thank God. So they did my visa. They got me my green card. they did all that stuff. So that was always kind of a thing that it was kind of made me nervous to even think about leaving or looking into doing something else because I was like, what if I don't

get like my visa or my green card or I don't get a job fast enough? I'm just going to go back to Canada. And then what do I do? So that was something that always kind of hung over my head. I would think about that all the time. So any, like even with getting my green card as soon as I could get my green card. I'm like, I'm just going to get it. It's more permanent and that I don't have to worry about it. Marrying an American is also highly recommend. did. But he didn't get me my green card. But he would always joke like when I'd be like stressed out about stuff. Because I mean, we were obviously dating during times that like, when I first applied for my green card, it got denied. And I remember being like, oh shit.

And we had not been dating very long. He's like, guess you're going to have to marry me. I'm like, I'm not marrying you for a great card. But I ended up getting it through WW. But yeah, that stuff was something that I think, honestly, probably led to me maybe being there longer than I than I might have. Well, I think the big thing people need to realize is when you get a visa, you can only work for the company that sponsored your visa. Yes. So you were beholden for working for them.

Yeah. I was. And you know, at the same time, it's like, it's not like I was constantly like chomping at the bitchy, like, okay, I got to go. I'm going to move on to the next thing. It's like they gave me so many great opportunities and we're so busy traveling the world. I'm getting all these experiences. I met my boyfriend at the time.

And like we were always there together. So it really wasn't on my mind to get out of there. But that was something that I would think about though. It was like, ugh, I can't just so simply go get another job and figure that out. It just seemed like such a daunting pain in the ass task, too. It would be like, shit, what if I have to go back to Canada? I love you, Canada, but I've worked really hard to try to get down here. At what point did you start thinking about life after WWA?

A few years ago. So I would say it's probably my timeline is always messed up. But I think it was probably like two, three years ago. I'd asked for my release from WW, because I was just sort of spinning my wheels, which is kind of where I ended up again when I left. But I had been spinning my wheels. It felt like there really wasn't much else for me to do there. I've been doing all the backstage interviews, hosting a bunch of different network shows,

been doing commentary and coming off of commentary. Just all these things that I was like, well, I'm not a wrestler here. So I'm never going to get to really do what I want to do. That's not, I work for a wrestling company and I'm not a wrestler. So the things that I want to do career-wise, I might not be able to actually achieve those here. So I'd asked for my release and they would not give me my release, which ended up being a good thing because, yeah, it was like this whole drawn-out process where I was like, I think I'm leaving. And it was like, oh, my God, I remember the day that I was like, I'm going to do it. I'm going to go into the truck and ask for

my release and try to get out of here. And I was like, I grew my fucking big boy balls out. And I'm like, here we go. I'm going to do it. And then like the next week, they're like, yeah, about that. You're actually not leaving. And I was like, oh, I didn't know what could work like that. How much time did you have left on your contract? Maybe like a year. Think about a year. So they had like kind of dangled the carrot of like, well, we have all these big plans for you. We've got all these things that we want you to do. And one of those things was mix match challenge. But then, you know, ultimately it led to me being able to do commentary and getting to put that

feather in my cap. So had I actually have left that first time, I don't think that my time there or my career there would have been what it is now. I mean, obviously, it wouldn't have time. It's been spent and more important things have been done. But I'm glad that the time that I spent there that I was able to really like knock off some like big bucket list things. But you've been able to look at the commentary here and kind of like take the piss out of

yourself in those moments. Like it wasn't, sure, you might have got some, you know, bad feedback on it, but I don't think it was that bad. But so it's funny. I talked to my husband about this all the time. He's like, it was fucking fine. Shut up. But like I, I'm obviously my own worst critic, but I also am like a bit of a perfectionist.

I don't like not being great at something. Yeah. So when you're thrust into this position, and, you know, as I said earlier on, it's like, I'm all about just jumping head first in and let's just figure it out. But when you're doing something that you've never done before on the biggest stage, like that microscope becomes very, very fine. And you're like, oh, shit. So trying to learn that and learn that on the fly.

And everyone else is also super busy. It's not like somebody was like, hey, we're going to put you in the spot and we're going to hold your hand through the whole thing and we're going to get you through it. It was like, we gave you the spot. Go do it. And I was like, I don't know how. I don't know how to do that. So it's like, you know, I would spend so much time like, I try to pick Paul Heyman's brain.

I would sit and talk to Corey Graves. I would like try to talk to Michael Cole, who was always just like so sweet. He's like, you're doing fine. Who cares? But I mean, he would give me tips and stuff along the way to like Tom Phillips would be really great. And he would like text me during the shows like just different updates or like checking in on me and all that.

Even like Jim Ross would sometimes reach out to me and just like check. in to see how I was doing. But as far as like actually being able to get in that experience, because like you're learning your mistakes on the air. I mean, going back to what we were saying before, it's like these people that have to make these big debuts and maybe they're not ready for it. And then they end up eating a bit of shit.

That was, that was, you know, basically what happened to me. I'm glad that they gave me a year to do it, though. Because, I mean, they gave it a good shot. They gave me that good ample opportunity to really kind of do the best that I could. And there was good days and there was bad days. I think I would overthink things a lot. I didn't know my place in between coal and graves. There are two men team.

They didn't need a third. So by the time those two are done talking and they're like these totally smooth pros at doing commentary, I'm like, shit, they said all this stuff now. What am I supposed to say? I'm not a wrestler. I can't like provide any context to like the physicality that's going on the ring. So I would be like, okay, I'm going to be like the journalist on this. Okay, maybe I'll just be like the fan.

So I was always trying to find a different point of view to come from. And then my best shows were always the ones that I would get the case of the fuck gets me. Oh, well, whatever. Let's just call it what it is. And me and Graves and Cole would all have like a good time like, you know, laughing during the commercials and like bullshitting and whatnot. But I also just, it was a bucketless thing to be able to do in terms of like as a woman there in WWE and just as like a broadcaster there. there's just not that many different things to do. It's like you're either going to be a backstage interviewer or you're

a commentator. And I did the backstage interviews for so long. And I loved doing that, but it was like, I need something more than that. I can't have that just be the only thing that I do. But I never wanted to be a commentator. It's not like during my life. I was like, I want to be a sports commentator. Never.

But it just came up and I was like, all right, let's try it. Let's do it. It's such an underappreciated job because everyone just expects you to be good. No. Yeah. It's really hard. And like it's not, I was, again, I don't have experience doing any of these other things. But I feel like when I hear and see commentators call football, basketball, hockey, whatever sport they're calling, you're calling what you see on the screen.

Of course, there's other flare and finesse and whatnot added within that. But when you're doing wrestling, it's not that. You're not just calling what you see. We're helping tell these storylines. And, you know, if somebody is like burying the heel, someone's got to jump in there and like, protect the heel or protect the baby face and not wanting to give away storylines and like trying to be subtle about our approach with things to them worrying about what our on cams we're going to be or like throwing to different packages.

It's like there's so many different things happening on there. It's it's a really hard job. So somebody like Michael Cole who's been doing it for like, you know, coming up on 25 years or something, he has not get the love and respect that he deserves in that spot because he is like so smooth and so smart and so good at what he does. Before they brought me on to fully,

to be a full-time commentator on Raw, they brought me into do the May Young Classic with Beth Phoenix and Michael Cole. And calling that with Michael Cole, we had like, whatever, it was like a weekend or two days or whatever. And seeing the way that he was calling stuff, I don't think we had monitors.

Oh, no, we had monitors. We had monitors, but we had no playback. So he would call the replay. without the replays. Wow. I didn't even understand it. I was like, how are you doing what you're doing? He would call it without being able to see anything.

Like with the impacts and all that, like he is so good at what he does, so underappreciated. Everybody better love Michael Cole. That is such a thankless job. It is. So I will say to you, thank you. Thanks. No problem.

Put that one on the chin for everybody. When you were thinking about leaving a few years ago, did you have something else that you were ready to go into? Nope. You were just done. No, kind of similar to when I left this time where it's just sort of like I didn't have my hand on another branch. I wasn't quite sure what that was going to look like or what was going to happen.

But I was just, I was willing to make that leap. It was just, it came down to like betting on yourself. I believe in myself and I believe in what I want to do and I love what I do. And if I feel like I'm not getting to do that, then what am I doing anymore? Yeah. You know, I don't want to just, you know, be a talk. head on TV and that's what I started to feel like I was just doing. I was like, I think I have so much more to offer than just this. So it's time to like bet on myself and I'll figure out the rest.

So what's the pie in the sky, you know, best case scenario for you to have another, you know, what's the next job that you want? I don't know. I guess mom. Mom's probably the next job. Yeah. I mean, that one's inevitable. That one's for sure. But, you know, I think like, I always come back to like, man, I want that Kelly Rip a gig. I want that. that, which I don't even think the Chelsea Handler gig is the one that I want anymore because it doesn't really exist at this point. And the more I see, not that I don't want to do that, but you see so many of these women that want to like host these late night shows. And then it becomes like, oh, you're the woman doing the late night thing. And then there's this pressure and everyone's waiting for it to fail. And like, God, I hate that. I hate that so much. Like when Chelsea Handler left doing Chelsea lately and then Grace Helbig took over. And that didn't. work out and like Whitney Cummings takes that over and that doesn't work out. You have busy Phillips. Like all these women that are like, cool, like just let us show breathe, let the host breathe, let people figure it out. And it's that knee jerk reaction is always made me a little bit wary of that.

It's like these people could have all been great, but you're not really letting them. And I hate working like that. But then you see like, you know, Kelly Clarkson has her show. I think she does a fantastic job. She's so good. But they like Drew Barrymore's show, don't love it as much. I love Drew Barry more. But again, I think she's getting that time to get her feet under her, which is what people need. And that's, that's so great is when people are given the time to, to let themselves develop and the show develop. Because I think so many times with different networks, people freak out, if the numbers aren't great or people aren't totally gravitating towards it. I hate that so much. I always kind of come back to this, too, as like,

Dan Levy was talking when Schitts Creek won all those awards during all the Emmys and all that. And he's like, if we didn't develop our show in Canada the way that we did, it wouldn't have lived. It wouldn't have survived because no networks have the time to let stuff develop to where they could be. So that has always kind of stuck in my head, especially, you know, it all kind of happened around the time that I was leaving. I was like, I just want to do my own thing and grow and develop that and see what I can do with it and not have to answer to anybody and give myself time to figure out what that's going to be. That's not always the easiest thing to do. it's nice to have the pressure from other people kind of giving you some feedback and whatnot along the way, definitely. But yeah, I think, you know, even just starting doing this podcast, I look at it as like,

man, I would love to like be like a lady Rogan. I've mentioned that like a few different times. I'm like that's something that seems like a really cool spot to be. And he just kind of does whatever he does. Like that Howard Stern model, I think that's fantastic. So the fact that I'm able to at least get the ball rolling on something like that during a pandemic, quitting your job during a pandemic is a weird move. but it was something that I felt the need to do. So I did it. But yeah, I think something like that. Like I just,

I want to be in that driver's seat and I want to surround myself with really great people along the way. I feel like I've like really figured out how I like to work. And I would like to stick to that. I think everyone just assumed, you know, your husband works for AEW. They just kind of assumed that you'll end up in AEW at some point.

Yeah. I mean, I don't know. Maybe, maybe like I'll wrestle brand, and then like our kids will wrestle. Oh, you're going to wrestle now. Who knows? You know, that's the thing too. You look at AEW and I think everything they're doing is fantastic.

I'm not saying I wouldn't do something there. I for sure would if the right thing came up. But it's not the thing that I'm like chasing down. I think my time in WWE was so great and my time in wrestling has been so great. But I don't want to be, have that be the only thing that I do. I don't want to pigeonhole myself as like just being like the wrestling girl. I'll always have that in my wheelhouse and have that be a thing that I lean on.

But I think there's so many other things that I want to do that I think just going right to working another wrestling company would sort of take away from my whole purpose of wanting to walk the way. When John left WWE, did that put a lot of pressure on you and your position there? Shockingly, no, it didn't. It actually made my life easier to be honest. In a sense of like one of the hardest parts was like I had just started. doing commentary when he came back from injury.

And he came back and was coming back as this heel character and like, God, calling my husband's matches while he's this like wacky heel was like a really hard spot to be in. Because some days I would get the feedback of like, just call it like a wrestling match. You don't know them to then being like, so what did you guys have for dinner last night? Or would you guys talk about at home over the weekend? I'm like, fuck. I had no idea how to like really navigate that. So once he left, I was like, well, at least I don't have to deal with that anymore.

more. Thank God. But no, you know, I kind of kept waiting to see if people would maybe treat me a little differently. Like, even just like, I was sitting in production meetings every, every week. I'm like, are they not going to want me in production meetings? I'm so privy, all the information going on in WW. Are they going to like not want me to know this information? So I'm not like leaking information of my husband or something. But no, none of that ever really happened. If it did, it was a slow enough burn that I never noticed it. Take me back to the first time that you met John and then to the first time when you're like, oh, maybe there's something here. God, the first time I met John. So he always says that the first time we like really met and

talked to each other was he was like running down the hallway, getting ready to go up to do their shield entrance. And he's like putting all the like oil in his hair and wetting his hair or whatever. And this was me for like figuring out what like wrestling Twitter was like, I was like, hey, people on the internet, like for some reason think we're dating. And he was like, looks good on you, babe. And I was like, how dare you? I had like no idea. But he always says that was like the first time we like, we like really kind of interacted. God, the first time we like really started talking. Well, I always remember we would kind of like go back and forth and talk in this sense. Like I was always really close with Summer Ray. And she kind of came up the same time as all the shield boys. So she was really close with all those. guys. So I would just kind of like hang out with them and whatever. And I remember John came up to me like by talent viewing, which is backstage. Everyone's sitting there like watching the monitor,

watching the shows, whatever. It's like a big like tank filled with, you know, pop and whatnot. And John doesn't talk to anybody. He's like really keeps to himself. Little did I know. And I'm like standing by like the water cooler thing. He's like, hey, we got TV in Vegas in a couple weeks. You want to hang out? And I was like, I got so red. I was like, did he just like asked me on a date in front of everybody what a psychopath so i remember being like embarrassed i was like yeah okay fine well like okay we'll like okay we'll go hang out so i'm thinking he's asking me on a date and so i'm like okay i'm gonna hang out with him we had been like talking a lot leading up to this like just like on our phones on that's like boxer app like we talk to each other all the time and uh anyways so i went to go

hang out with him and i was i remember like being at my hotel just like changing and unchanging and what do i wear am i just like casual is it's like what am i doing and i go to hang out with him and And it was like, I was like, okay, we're not like a one-on-one date and we'll like see what's up. I walk into this bar. I run into Seth right away. I'm like, oh, my God, what are you doing here? He's like, what are you doing here, Canada? I'm like, I don't know.

I thought it was coming on a date. But it was like him and like five or six of his buddies. So I'm like hanging out and feeling like such a like fifth, six wheel. I'm like, what am I doing here? Oh, my God. I must have misread that situation. So I hung out for a bit. I was like, anyways, I guess this isn't what I thought that it was.

So I was like, I'm going to go meet up. I was going to meet up with Ms. and Dolf. They were out somewhere else in Vegas. So I was like, I'm going to go down there. And John was like, oh, okay, well, I'll just come with you. And I was like, oh, okay. So he ended up coming with me. And we like, anyways, did whatever the hell people do on this trip in Vegas.

And we hung out that whole night. But that was sort of like a feeling each other out, testing the waters. But we had just ended up talking to each other so, so much. I remember like not hearing from him one day. And I was like, huh, I didn't hear from him today. Do I miss him? Oh my God. And being like, oh, here we go.

You like him. Great. And then, yeah, and then the first time we actually like, when it was like, we were definitely on the same page of like, hey, we're like hanging out. And like, we're probably going to get a little romantic. And just literally from that point on, we've just been together. He came and met me in Orlando. I was going to do a taping of NXT.

We were on like neutral territory. and we just, we hung out in his hotel room all night. He, uh, he, he, like, bought all, like my favorite candy, like the wine I drank. And like, when I say we hung out in his hotel room, like, let me make this very clear that we, like, sat on separate couches. And we like, because we were both so awkward. We were so awkward and didn't really know, like, what was going. We were both like too cool to, like, make a move.

And we stayed up to like four in the morning, just like, like, hanging out. And then, like, eventually someone makes a move thing. God, otherwise he'd just be my best friend. But she is, but there's more to it than that. And now you are with child. Yeah, exactly. One thing leads to another. Did you plan to make the pregnancy announcement the way it was?

Like it was, you know, John Moxley promo. Yeah, no, I, so I did not intend on it going that way. I'm glad that it went that way because it took all the pressure off of me. Because as, you know, as we're getting closer to being like, oh, I guess like, it's almost time to tell people that I'm pregnant. Like, we're in the safe zone. Everything's cool. Everything looks good. Um, so we were getting down to the nitty gritty anyways. So I'm like, trying to think I'm like, do I just make like an Instagram announcement? Like, what do I do? And he was out in Jacksonville and he called me. He's like, I can like just say it, right? I was like, oh, sure. I had like just come back from having an

ultrasound and everything looked great. Like that's, you know, that's the main concern. Obviously, just making sure that everything's okay and healthy. So the fact that I like went there, I like heard the heartbeat. I see the little baby. I'm like, yeah, the baby's in there. The baby's doing good. I guess you can tell people. So he just like blurted it out in the promo.

But he ever, he like called me. He's like, because he had like pre-taped it. And he was like, the world's going to know in like moments. It's going to be out there. So I had like just gotten out of the shower.

My phone just starts like blowing up. Everyone's like, did I just hear him say that right? So it took the pressure off of me of like having to like figure out like some like cute little way to do it. I actually love that. It was like, hey, came from him.

Easy. It was one of those moments in the promo where you had to be like, hold, hold on. Did he just, did he just say as a pregnant wife at home? I know. Hey, Renee is his wife. Yeah, so crazy. I know it was so funny. Like all these people making that connection of like, wait, skirt, what?

I was like, yeah, man, I'm over here. Just hanging with a kid. Making it happen. And now you're, you know, four months from now, you'll be hanging with a kid on the outside of your body. I know. Oh, my God. What's that going to be like? Yeah.

I don't know. You tell me. I don't know. I have no idea. Oh, my God. I don't even like know any kids. I don't know what I'm getting into. I don't know. Like John, I went for a walk the other day and this like little kid rode up on his bike behind us and he was like, hello, hello. And I like turn around. I was like, hey, man. And then like this like dog walk past me. I'm like, hey, buddy, how are you? I was like, oh my God. I can talk to a dog so easily. But I don't know how to talk to kids. I got to like figure it out. What is John Mox's to the dad going to be like? I don't know. I have no idea. Honestly, your guy's guess is as good as mine. But I think. think, I mean, not to like blow his cover anything, but he's like a pretty sweet dude. So I think, I think once this little girl enters his world, she's going to like rock him. Yeah, I think like, I think she's going to have him wrapped around her little finger. He's very protective too. So I think like, I think that'll be the first thing is like making sure everything's okay and like make sure every like corner is padded and no one's getting hurt or anything like that. But I feel like this kid's going to be like very rough and tumble. I was like such a tomboy as a kid, like always scraped up and, you know, doing whatever.

Obviously, John was the same. So I'm like, this kid's going to grow up on a wrestling mat. I'm sure. He's like, she's going to be choking bitches out before you know it. He's going to take her down to like his like MMA, Jimmy works out at and everything. Like, first of all, she's going to be playing hockey. Yeah. But yeah, it's really cool.

It's so exciting to like be doing this experience with like my favorite. person that like dawned me the other day. I was like, whoa, I'm like making a person with my favorite person. It's crazy. It's really cool. That's so sweet. I know. But it's true. It's like it blows my mind. I'm like, dude, we like made a person. Oh my God. Like she can look like you. Is she going like me? Like, whose personality is she going to have? I hope she looks more like you. Just saying. Do honestly, me too. You don't have to tell us what it is. But do you have a name picked out or have you narrowed it down to a handful? We do. We've got the name. Mostly hammered down. We have our first name, hammered down, middle name. We're still

tossing around some ideas. Well, I'm so excited for you guys. Thank you. Thanks. So excited for everything that you have going on. It's just been great catching up with a fellow Canadian. Yeah, it was a lot of fun. Hell yeah. Go Pine Ridge. Oh, yeah. And go Exeter. Damn right. Let's go Eagles. Actually, that high school is closed. They closed it down. I end every interview by asking, what are three things in your life that you're grateful for right now? Ooh, my husband, for sure. My health, absolutely. And a full fridge. I'm very happy to have a full fridge right now. That's a great thing to be. Thank you. Well, you're eating for two. I'm eating for two. And I will say, I mean, sometimes I know this is like really like cheesy or whatever, but it's never lost on me that we can just like go buy groceries whenever we want or like fill up our gas tank.

Just those like very simple things. And I'm like, I'm so happy that we can just like do that and not have to worry about it. I'm thankful for those things. Well, again, wherever people are listening to this, they can find oral sessions. I'm going to link below if you're watching this on YouTube so you can find Renee's channel. Your channel is exploding, by the way. Thanks. Thanks. We're trying to grow it and trying to make it do a little something.

I don't know anything about the YouTube world. So I might be shooting you some messages. I don't know what I'm doing. I'm happy to help. But you're going to have one of these very soon. I better. I swear to God. You will.

I bet you got Emmys, too. I have no accolades. Well, that'll just, you know, whatever your next job is, you're going to win all the Emmys. I better. If I don't get an Emmy at some point during my career, I don't know, man. I'm going to write a strongly worded letter to the Emmys. Yep. Yeah, absolutely.

Your Emmys. What the... Television Arts and Sciences will be received. It's a science, damn it. Yeah. You're awesome. Thank you so much. Yeah, thanks for having me on today.

I appreciate it. Well, there we go. Renee Paquette. So excited for her and John Moxley. Four months from now, they're going to be parents. And there's a lot of takeaways from this conversation. A lot. But I think the biggest one here is from Renee's career and her persistence.

The fact that she literally knocked on the door of the place that she wanted to work in Toronto and handed them her resume tape, I think shows the kind of determination that she has and how much she believes in her abilities. I can't wait to see what's next for her. So subscribe to her podcast, oral sessions, and while you're in a subscribing mood, subscribe to mine as well. Insight with Chris Van Vleet. Baby, I love it. This is awesome.

Thank you for being on this ride with me. And I'm going to leave you with this little nugget. This little nugget from author Tom Hopkins who said, I am not judged by the number of times I fail, but by the number of times I succeed. And the number of times I succeed is in direct proportion to the number of times I fail, and keep trying. There we go. Be great. Be grateful, my friends, and we will see you on the next one for some more insight.

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