During the latest edition of his “Grilling JR” podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross commented on working with Jim Cornette in 1990 and Cornette’s controversial nature. You can check out some highlights from the interview below:
On working with Cornette on commentary: “He’s excellent. He’s just absolutely excellent. He was — again, natural instincts. His intellect and his natural instincts always pulled us through. I really enjoyed working with him. He was on the committee, he knew the stories. He knew the backstories, he knew where we were going. He and I had good chemistry, I felt like. We’d known each other for years and years since the days in the Mid-South when he came in for Cowboy [Bill Watts] and Cowboy put Robert [Eaton] and Dennis [Condrey, together [as the Midnight Express] and created that whole group with Cornette as their manager. Very visionary booking. But Jimmy was very talented, Conrad.”
On Cornette’s controversy as of late: “Look, I know he had a run here lately with NWA, and there was some issues about that, whatever. He’s very outspoken. He speaks from the hip, and when he doesn’t have somebody to vet him a little bit — [there’s] no filter, baby. So, and I got used to working with that. But he could work with anybody right now and be a great commentator, no doubt about it. Because he understands wrestling. And you may not agree with his philosophy of wrestling; that’s your prerogative. But he’s a very, very, very talented guy. And like [Terry] Funk was just a perfect fit as a color guy.”
On doing commentary with Cornette vs. commentary with Paul Heyman: “Can’t determine it, because they’re both so much alike. You’ve got a Southern crazy person and a Northeastern crazy person … Cornette has a propensity for polyester and Heyman has a propensity for cheap wool. They both buy their suits on sale. I suggest they both may have a coupon or two in their past. But look, they’re both highly intelligent, funny, naturally witty, great product knowledge. And so that was something I thought was — there’s no difference. I mean, there’s not a lot of difference in them. People can say ‘Well, I like Paul better than Cornette.’ ‘I like Cornette [better than Heyman].’ And Cornette gets some downvotes now because he’s so controversial on his own podcast. And he’s raising hell on that all the time, or getting on the social media.”
(h/t – 411 Wrestling)
