Full Transcript for Simone Johnson

is on brand. 00:02:13 Speaker 1: Can you tell me what's in it? 00:02:16 Speaker 3: Let me see if I can remember. 00:02:17 Speaker 1: Don't worry. 00:02:17 Speaker 2: We're going to put it on the screen. 00:02:18 Speaker 3: Beautiful. 00:02:19 Speaker 1: Yeah. So what's on the screen? Is what's in it, and we know Wheatley American Vodka. 00:02:24 Speaker 3: Something with Wheatley Vodka and pineapple juice. 00:02:26 Speaker 1: Yeah. 00:02:26 Speaker 3: I remember that. 00:02:27 Speaker 1: Ooh, pineapple juice. Here's a crazy thing about pineapple juice. 00:02:30 Speaker 3: Let's hear it. 00:02:31 Speaker 2: Old wrestlers, when they'd, and I say old wrestlers, I probably want to rephrase, but when they'd have you come out, it's always whiskey or maybe something you didn't want or maybe something you would, out of respect, I'm going to have this, but ooh, I wish I could get anything else. randomly, if Dave Bautista ever invited you out. 00:02:53 Speaker 1: Okay. 00:02:55 Speaker 3: Right. 00:02:55 Speaker 1: Randomly, if Dave ever invited you out, which Dave was a really good locker room leader and a top star when I was coming into WWE and phenomenal human, but it was so nice because you'd think we're going to get a lot of that. It's going to be old school wrestlers kind of razzing the new guys. No, when you would go out with Dave, he would get a a whole private room or he'd block a side of a club off, whatever it may be. 00:03:22 Speaker 2: And it was just pineapple and Malibu. 00:03:26 Speaker 3: That's very like teenager at the house party. 00:03:29 Speaker 1: Yeah. 00:03:30 Speaker 3: That's never would have thought that. 00:03:32 Speaker 1: But you wouldn't be mad at it. 00:03:35 Speaker 3: Right. It'd be like a great surprise. 00:03:37 Speaker 1: Yeah. Sure. Normal, you know, or at least sugar filled. At that age, I don't think I was ready for the real hard stuff. 00:03:44 Speaker 3: No. Yeah. 00:03:45 Speaker 1: You know how old I am now? 41. You can guess. 00:03:48 Speaker 3: I was going. 00:03:48 Speaker 1: To say 40. 41. 00:03:49 Speaker 2: And you know how I really know I'm 41? 00:03:51 Speaker 1: A couple things. 00:03:53 Speaker 3: No more Malibu? 00:03:54 Speaker 1: No more Malibu. 00:03:55 Speaker 2: The thought of it. 00:03:57 Speaker 1: Oh, yeah. 00:03:58 Speaker 3: It's jarring. 00:03:59 Speaker 1: Oh, God. Sugar. 00:04:00 Speaker 2: Two big indicators. I've started having interest in coin collecting. 00:04:05 Speaker 1: Yep. And so that's one that says, hey. The other is Bitcoin. 00:04:11 Speaker 2: Alcohol, it's prime example. I've stripped it way down. 00:04:15 Speaker 3: I thought you were going to say like bird watching because that would be another big one. 00:04:21 Speaker 2: Let me open it up then. 00:04:24 Speaker 1: I have a bird buddy, which is a bird watcher. 00:04:27 Speaker 3: Buddy is the bird or the person? 00:04:29 Speaker 2: It is a bird house, which I put in my yard. 00:04:31 Speaker 1: Okay. 00:04:32 Speaker 2:

And it has a camera on it. 00:04:34 Speaker 1: Okay. And just now I got a notification that its battery is low. Oh, darn. All day long. It makes what's called our postcards. That's when a new bird visits. I've had northern cardinals. I've had finches. I've had squirrels. It'll let you know when a squirrel's there. I can't get myself a blue jay, but I have had... There's something... I don't want to say this inappropriate. 00:05:00 Speaker 2: Something with a... I think it's hitty mouse. 00:05:04 Speaker 3: Hitmouse. 00:05:05 Speaker 1: There we go. There it is. That's come to the bird feeder. Okay. Yeah, so. 00:05:10 Speaker 2: I'm not bird watching. 00:05:12 Speaker 3: But we're getting there. 00:05:14 Speaker 2: It looks like we're getting there. 00:05:15 Speaker 1: That's great. 00:05:15 Speaker 2: I'm keeping track, though. 00:05:17 Speaker 3: No, this is good. This sounds fun. 00:05:18 Speaker 1: Well, you're an outdoorsy type. 00:05:20 Speaker 3: Kind of, yeah. 00:05:21 Speaker 2: We've talked about this. 00:05:22 Speaker 1: Outdoorsy, yeah. 00:05:24 Speaker 2: Well, an avid... Would we say an avid equestrian? 00:05:27 Speaker 3: Yes, that's correct. 00:05:28 Speaker 2: Tell me about that. Tell me about your love for horses. 00:05:30 Speaker 3: It definitely started when I was young. My mom rode all throughout her childhood, and then she introduced me to horses, and I rode when I was a kid. 00:05:37 Speaker 1: Yeah. 00:05:38 Speaker 3: And then I stopped, and then I got back into it about six-ish years ago, and I feel like it grounds me so much. It is such a good stress reliever, and I just... Something that I also love is being able to ride horses and then also take care of horses. I think that being able to do something for an animal and take care of them is just always very humbling to me, where if I'm ever in my head or in a bad mood, I'm like, okay, I need to go do something for someone else. I need to go realize that my problems are really not that big in the grand scheme of things. It's just a good way to clear my mind, I feel. 00:06:20 Speaker 2: You have multiple horses of your own? 00:06:21 Speaker 3: I do. I'm very lucky, yeah. 00:06:22 Speaker 2: What are the names? 00:06:24 Speaker 1: Phineas. Phineas? Phineas. Oh, Phineas sounds like a ride- Bucky. Bucky? Okay. 00:06:30 Speaker 3: Queso. 00:06:31 Speaker 1: Queso? And Kitty. 00:06:32 Speaker 2: And Kitty. 00:06:32 Speaker 3: I know, a horse named Kitty. Kind of weird. 00:06:34 Speaker 2: You can't, I mean, I don't want to put you on the spot, but. 00:06:36 Speaker 1: Do you have a favorite? 00:06:37 Speaker 3: I can't have a favorite. That's like I have a favorite kid. 00:06:39 Speaker 2: Well, what, are they all the same type of horse, or? 00:06:42 Speaker 3: No, different breeds. 00:06:43 Speaker 2: Okay, so you have all different breeds. 00:06:45 Speaker 3: Mm-hmm. 00:06:46 Speaker 2: All right, what was the first horse you got? 00:06:48 Speaker 3: Oh, my God, I left him out. The first horse I ever had was Scooby, and I still have him. His name is Scooby-Doo. 00:06:52 Speaker 2: Okay, so Scooby-Doo is still hanging? 00:06:54 Speaker 3: Still there. 00:06:55 Speaker 1: He's 25. Old man. 00:06:56 Speaker 2: What does a 25-year-old horse do? 00:06:58 Speaker 3: Hang out, eat grass, just live their life. Just live, yeah, just live out their retirement days. 00:07:03 Speaker 1: We were talking about, and this is Scooby, 25 years old. We were talking about, as I was getting ready, my dog, Pharaoh, who is 16 years old. 00:07:14 Speaker 2: And Brandy's always like, no, he's 15. 00:07:17 Speaker 1: Well, at this age. 00:07:18 Speaker 3: At this age. 00:07:19 Speaker 1: Yeah, right. 00:07:21 Speaker 2: But this morning, old dogs, you just let them live, let them have their moment. 00:07:25 Speaker 1: But he had an accident, and he's an old dog, so it was a big mess, whatever it may be, in the house. And for whatever reason, Liberty decided the word she was going to use was emergency. So I'm in the bathroom behind two doors. Mm-hmm. 00:07:40 Speaker 2: And I just hear bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, emergency. 00:07:43 Speaker 3: How old is Linda? 00:07:43 Speaker 1: Emergency. 00:07:44 Speaker 2: She's five. 00:07:45 Speaker 1: Okay. 00:07:45 Speaker 2: So I don't know where she heard. 00:07:47 Speaker 3: Maybe it was an emergency to her, though. 00:07:48 Speaker 1: I mean, it was an accident. 00:07:49 Speaker 3: Yeah, it was right. Maybe she was like, oh, my gosh. 00:07:52 Speaker 1: She was screaming emergency. So my heart, of all the things that could have been. And it was Pharaoh, who is fine. He was hosed off. He didn't love it. 00:08:02 Speaker 2: He was out. But again, Eden grass, even though he's not supposed to. 00:08:05 Speaker 3: That's okay. Yeah. 00:08:06 Speaker 1: Yeah. Living his life. 00:08:08 Speaker 3: Same thing with horses. You just, when they get to that age, just let them hang out. 00:08:12 Speaker 2: Scooby's out there. 00:08:13 Speaker 3: He's out there. He's chilling. 00:08:14 Speaker 2: You sent me a picture. 00:08:15 Speaker 3: Of the bull. 00:08:17 Speaker 1: Of Soul Bully. 00:08:19 Speaker 3: Soul Bully. I didn't know that was his full name. 00:08:21 Speaker 2: That is his full name, right? 00:08:22 Speaker 1: I'm not wrong? 00:08:23 Speaker 3: I think so. Yeah. I thought his full name was just Bully. 00:08:26 Speaker 1: Okay. 00:08:27 Speaker 3: But Bully is more of a- But we can call him Soul Bully. 00:08:29 Speaker 2: Soul Bully. 00:08:29 Speaker 3: Yeah. 00:08:29 Speaker 2: And that is, what kind of bull? I mean, just a bull? 00:08:33 Speaker 3: I believe he's a Bromable. Oh. I believe he is properly. 00:08:37 Speaker 1: A true Bromable. So he's a true Bromable based off dad's Bromable tattoo? Yeah. Okay. 00:08:42 Speaker 3: He's like a big dog, though. 00:08:44 Speaker 1: And you said it. Our problems are, maybe they're big, but they're ours. Exactly. And you get out there and an animal or

a horse, you mentioned the thing you like to do is ride horses when things aren't going well or when you're in your head. 00:08:58 Speaker 3: I love to do it all the time, but I think especially if I'm having a bad day or just in my head a lot. 00:09:02 Speaker 1: Yeah. 00:09:03 Speaker 3: It's just so, I find it to be so grounding. 00:09:05 Speaker 1: Okay. I don't know. 00:09:07 Speaker 3: I think it's such a privilege to be able to care for animals and help them as well. Yeah. 00:09:11 Speaker 2: No, it certainly is. 00:09:14 Speaker 1: As I've tried to become, I guess, more emotionally aware as I've gotten older on when I'm up here, when it's ego thing, when it's real anger. 00:09:21 Speaker 3: Right. 00:09:23 Speaker 1: My big one to make me feel better is fan interactions. 00:09:26 Speaker 3: Yeah. 00:09:30 Speaker 2: That became my big one, is fan interactions. 00:09:32 Speaker 1: Because I typically would find that no matter how mad I was about said finish, booking, whatever it may be, when you have that moment with a fan, it does the humbling thing. 00:09:44 Speaker 2: It does the grounding thing of, huh, they seem. 00:09:47 Speaker 1: To not care about any of this. Why do I care so much? It doesn't mean like shouldn't care a little, but. 00:09:53 Speaker 2: Why do I care so much? 00:09:54 Speaker 3: Put it into perspective. 00:09:55 Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah. Perspective. You and I ran into each other at the Moana premiere. 00:09:59 Speaker 3: Yes. 00:10:00 Speaker 1: And do you know what the highlight of the Moana premiere at the Hollywood Bowl was for me? 00:10:04 Speaker 3: Is it what you told me? 00:10:05 Speaker 1: Yeah. 00:10:06 Speaker 3: Meeting my mom? 00:10:06 Speaker 1: Meeting your mom. Yeah. 00:10:08 Speaker 2: Your mom was so cool. 00:10:11 Speaker 3: Yeah. She's the best. 00:10:12 Speaker 2: And I thought, how have I not met her before? Your mom, Dani, who is just making moves. 00:10:18 Speaker 3: Mm-hmm. 00:10:20 Speaker 2: I mean, just a powerful, powerful presence. 00:10:23 Speaker 3: Yeah. 00:10:25 Speaker 1: But she said the sweetest thing to me, and I felt so lost on the carpet. Really? Because, yeah. 00:10:30 Speaker 3: You look like a pro. 00:10:32 Speaker 2: Well, you know. 00:10:32 Speaker 3: Chatting to everyone. 00:10:33 Speaker 1: Yeah, a lot of, you know, a lot of this. Yep. You know, like I was. 00:10:38 Speaker 3: Presidential here. 00:10:38 Speaker 1: Yeah, I was just trying to do yay, guys, but also. Yeah. Also, I thought, this seems real family and real culturally intact. 00:10:48 Speaker 2: And you got white bread. 00:10:49 Speaker 1: Old me over here. Like, you know, all right. And I love Moana and my daughters as well. But meeting your mom was the most exciting part of that for me because I thought I'd met her and we hadn't met yet. 00:11:04 Speaker 2: Tell me a little bit about your mom. 00:11:06 Speaker 3: I feel like I'm... the luckiest person in the world to be her daughter. She is one of my biggest

inspirations. I am now that I'm not at WWE, I'm actually working much more closely with her. And one of my favorite things about having this new job is that it's definitely brought me and my mom so much closer together and I'm spending so much more time with her. And I just, I love it. I, my favorite thing about my mom is her point of view on anything, whether it's trying to solve a problem, just perspectives on life, et cetera, is it's so unique. And I'm always so grateful to gain her perspective on anything because it's something that makes perfect sense, but never in a million years would I have thought of it. And I love how innovative she is. 00:11:55 Speaker 1: My gosh. Yeah, she brought just such an energy. And I was so excited meeting her. You said you're working for her now? Yes. 00:12:05 Speaker 3: Or with both my parents now. 00:12:06 Speaker 1: Ooh. Yeah. 00:12:07 Speaker 3: So I work under Seven Bucks Productions now. And I think my official title is junior executive, I believe. 00:12:14 Speaker 1: Junior executive? 00:12:14 Speaker 3: Which is just a fancy way to say that I get to read scripts and take notes and sit in on so many meetings with incredible writers and producers and directors. And I feel so lucky. And there's so much that I thought I knew about the entertainment industry. And then getting to learn so much more has been so eye-opening. 00:12:34 Speaker 1: Yeah. 00:12:34 Speaker 3: And they're not lying when they say making a movie is the hardest thing in the world. 00:12:38 Speaker 1: My gosh. 00:12:38 Speaker 3: Truly, yeah. 00:12:39 Speaker 2: So you're a junior executive, but you're actually doing executive stuff. You're reading these scripts. You're sitting in, which is invaluable. 00:12:48 Speaker 3: Truly, yeah. Every time that I get to sit in on a meeting, whether it's an internal meeting at Seven Bucks or we're taking meetings with other directors or producers, I always feel like I learn so much. I leave those meetings and I'm like, okay. where do we go from this, or what does this look like, or now what does this look like? Like you said, it's invaluable. I think that's a perfect word. 00:13:11 Speaker 1: How many people are at $ 7 in terms of how big of a company is it? 00:13:15 Speaker 3: I think overall, including digital, 15-ish. 00:13:21 Speaker 1: Yeah. 00:13:23 Speaker 3: I think that's right. 00:13:23 Speaker 1: 15, and it seems like no misses in terms of what $ 7 does. Yeah. 00:13:29 Speaker 2: It executes, it delivers. 00:13:31 Speaker 1: From a wrestling perspective, from a WWE perspective- I feel like when we think seven bucks, we just think your dad and Brian. Yeah. 00:13:38 Speaker 2: And I know there are other people. 00:13:40 Speaker 3: There's so much more. 00:13:40 Speaker 1: Yeah, there's a lot more. 00:13:41 Speaker 2: There's a real business. 00:13:43 Speaker 1: Yeah. 00:13:43 Speaker 3: But I mean, both Brian and my dad are invaluable, especially Brian. And I hope he watches this and I know

he's going to be like shy away. 00:13:50 Speaker 2: I want you to give Brian his flowers. 00:13:52 Speaker 1: I will. 00:13:53 Speaker 3: Absolutely. 00:13:53 Speaker 1: You love Brian Gortz. Okay. Well, I'm going to drop the needle. Is that a thing people say? 00:14:00 Speaker 3: No. 00:14:01 Speaker 1: No. Oh, it is? 00:14:02 Speaker 3: In what context? 00:14:03 Speaker 2: I'm about to give you my take on Brian. 00:14:05 Speaker 3: Okay. 00:14:06 Speaker 2: My dad loved Brian. He used to call him a rabbit. I have no clue why. 00:14:12 Speaker 3: I'm going to bring this up in our next meeting. 00:14:14 Speaker 1: He used to call him rabbit, but I learned very quickly that Brian, I knew I wasn't my dad. I got that. But Brian did not like me like he liked my dad. And I think I made the mistake of calling him that one time. And he didn't get sharp with me, but Brian, I would say, is not a fan of mine, yet I am a fan of Brian's. 00:14:37 Speaker 3: I'm going to bring this up. 00:14:39 Speaker 2: Well, this happens to me all the time. 00:14:40 Speaker 1: And I don't know if this happens to you because sins of our parents in terms of how somebody feels about your mom or how somebody feels about your dad. 00:14:46 Speaker 3: Yes. 00:14:47 Speaker 2: Okay. 00:14:48 Speaker 3: Okay. 00:14:48 Speaker 1: So I think Brian respected my dad, loved him, but also knew he's not right in the format. Right. He's an idea guy. He's actually going to ruin this format I wrote by dropping an idea. Yeah. 00:15:01 Speaker 2: And then I think he loved my. 00:15:03 Speaker 1: Brother because my brother was, yeah, I'll go into a gas station and be Darth Vader. I can see that. 00:15:08 Speaker 3: Yeah, I can see this. 00:15:09 Speaker 1: And then I think he met me and thought, this guy is such a dick. 00:15:13 Speaker 3: He was like, why is he not going to the gas station? 00:15:15 Speaker 1: Yeah, like he's so vanilla. And, you know, you want to give him vanilla is a very popular flavor of rice, you know, but obviously that ain't going to land when he's the head writer. 00:15:24 Speaker 2: But I definitely struggled under him. 00:15:27 Speaker 1: I was always in a good position, so I look at the struggle and go, was I really? 00:15:32 Speaker 2: But yeah, I just never found a rat-a-tat. 00:15:36 Speaker 1: Yeah, right? 00:15:37 Speaker 2: We weren't groovy. 00:15:39 Speaker 3: You were not groovy. Maybe you can be after this episode. 00:15:41 Speaker 1: No, but now it's really great because he's, you know, everything he's done is your body of work you put up in front of people. Oh, yeah. 00:15:51 Speaker 3: It's unmatched, yeah. Right. 00:15:52 Speaker 2: Look at what he did with Seven Bucks. 00:15:54 Speaker 1: Look at what he did with just Monday Night Raw, you know? Yeah. Okay, so I won't call him Rabbit. But I will. 00:16:01 Speaker 3: I'm going to put on, if he emails me, I'm going to say thank you, Rabbit. 00:16:04 Speaker 1: He's a, yeah. Throw it out there. I'll never know why the old man called them that. This segment is brought to you by Morgan & Morgan, America's largest injury law firm. 00:16:15 Speaker 2: They've been fighting for the people for over 35 years. 00:16:19 Speaker 1: Is there a moment that you are especially proud of where you fought for your people, whether it was a. 00:16:24 Speaker 2: Friend, family member, or fan? 00:16:26 Speaker 3: Yes, actually. I feel like every time that I spoke on something, and I'm going to air quote this, Yes. Or that had somewhat of an unpopular opinion. And I felt like every time that that happened and I got my ass handed to me for it online, but there would be fans that would comment or message me and they would say, thank you. Thank you for speaking up on this. It means so much to us. Anytime like that. That's... Not to be profound. 00:16:55 Speaker 2: And that's not an easy thing to do. 00:16:57 Speaker 3: Yeah. 00:16:57 Speaker 1: Right? When you have a platform and people want you to speak or... the responsibility to speak. Morgan & Morgan has been fighting for the people for over 35 years. For more information, you can check them out at forthepeople.com slash Cody or dial pound law. You wouldn't hire an electrician to perform a root canal, would you? Just like I wouldn't hire my tailor to set up the pyrotechnics for my WWE entrance. Hiring the wrong people for the job can be disastrous. That's where Morgan & Morgan comes in. If you're ever injured by the negligence of another, Morgan & Morgan is America's largest injury law firm for a reason. Whenever I witness an injury or an accident, I automatically think Morgan & Morgan. They have over 100 offices nationwide and more than 1,000 lawyers with over $ 30 billion recovered for over 500,000 clients. Morgan & Morgan has a proven track record of fighting to get you full and fair compensation. If you are ever injured, you can check out Morgan & Morgan. Their fee is free unless they win. Yes, that's right, free. For more information, go to ForThePeople.com slash Cody or dial pound law. That's ForThePeople.com slash Cody or dial pound law and let them know I sent you. This is a paid advertisement. 00:18:21 Speaker 2: When you read these scripts, are you yourself saying, hey, we've got something? 00:18:26 Speaker 3: So that has been an interesting thing that I am still learning is like, okay, oh, sorry. When I am reading something and I'm trying to learn how to filter things from my perspective, but then also through the Seven Bucks perspective to be like, okay, I like this. Does the wider team like this? What are we looking for in this script? Does it have X, Y, and Z? And I feel like when I read something and the rest of the team reads something and they give their notes on it, I like looking at their notes and then going back and reading it again to be like, oh, okay, I see why they wanted to change X, Y, and Z or add this and that, because then it helps me get a clearer vision of, okay, this is actually

what we're looking for. 00:19:08 Speaker 1: So the funnel you've put on this and the analytics that you're giving, just a descriptory, that's such a business savvy. Thank you. 00:19:19 Speaker 2: And you having that business savvy is what will continue to lead you to great heights, but. 00:19:25 Speaker 1: Is it from, which side of the family is the business savvy from? Where does that come from? Because most people... aren't looking at it with all the factors? 00:19:35 Speaker 3: I would say both, mom and dad, yeah. Both of my parents are very type A, I realize this today. 00:19:40 Speaker 1: Yeah? 00:19:40 Speaker 3: Yeah. Which has then made me super duper type A. It didn't cancel out. 00:19:45 Speaker 2: Well, type A is the analytical. 00:19:47 Speaker 1: Yes. Okay. So my mom is type A. And I try to steal as much of that as I can. 00:19:55 Speaker 3: Are you type B? 00:19:57 Speaker 1: Maybe C. What's C? Tell me C. 00:20:00 Speaker 3: C is like a combination of both. And I could be totally wrong. I feel like C was kind of made up. But all of this is kind of made up. 00:20:07 Speaker 2: Well, psychoanalyze me. 00:20:09 Speaker 1: What do you think I am, type A or B? 00:20:10 Speaker 3: You've got to finish your story. 00:20:12 Speaker 2: Okay, well, I think I'm type A that wishes he was type B. 00:20:19 Speaker 3: I see that. 00:20:19 Speaker 1: So my dad was so just, if I like it, I like it. Right. Simple. I was entertained. And simple by choice. Like when everyone else was... Talking about all this thing. Well, did you like it? Did you enjoy it? Right. You know? And I crave if I had a shred of that in me where I could just leave something. 00:20:44 Speaker 2: Oh, I enjoyed this. 00:20:45 Speaker 1: Oh, yeah. Yeah, you know? It's always about I've got to find eight different lanes with this prime example, this promo I'm doing on TV. 00:20:52 Speaker 2: I've got to find eight different lanes. 00:20:55 Speaker 1: Do I? Or do I really just need to entertain this live audience? 00:21:00 Speaker 3: Mm-hmm. 00:21:00 Speaker 1: And do I really just need to sell this one piece? Which, yeah, I crave for type B, but I'm type A. Yeah. 00:21:08 Speaker 2: You're type A, too. 00:21:09 Speaker 1: Very. 00:21:09 Speaker 2: We're in there. Yeah. 00:21:10 Speaker 1: All right. 00:21:11 Speaker 3: It's a curse. 00:21:12 Speaker 1: Blessing and a curse. 00:21:13 Speaker 2: Yeah, but I mean, type B is, I think, more of a curse when you're not analyzing anything. 00:21:17 Speaker 3: It's not something you're asking, though. Some people are type B, and they're chilling. They love it. 00:21:21 Speaker 2: Who's in here type B? Any type B-ers? 00:21:25 Speaker 3: Probably Zach. 00:21:26 Speaker 1: No, it's easy. Really? You think Zach's type A? 00:21:28 Speaker 3: Yeah. 00:21:28 Speaker 2: Yeah, you're doing something right out of your head, some sort of math right now. 00:21:32 Speaker 3: Zach's stressing out. Yeah. 00:21:34 Speaker 1: Yeah, maybe not. 00:21:35 Speaker 2: It's hard to work here, I think. 00:21:38 Speaker 3: Works for some people. 00:21:39 Speaker 1: You know who it works for, and it's annoying, is younger talent. Oh, yeah. But it works for them in a way where you're thinking, hey, you just got a note from Mr. Heyman, or you just got a note from Michael Hayes. 00:21:55 Speaker 2: Isn't that cool? 00:21:56 Speaker 1: Oh, yeah. Oh, man, it's. 00:21:59 Speaker 2: It didn't land like it landed. 00:22:00 Speaker 3: Yeah. 00:22:01 Speaker 1: I love that you're reading the scripts and doing that. Now I know a lot more about type A, type B. So let me ask you, I'm type A wishing you was type B. You're type A. 00:22:12 Speaker 2: I don't know if anyone's ever heard this. 00:22:15 Speaker 1: And you and I are the only people to discuss it. I did bring it up to one other person, two. Two of my friends who work in WWE creative. 00:22:24 Speaker 2: But when. 00:22:26 Speaker 1: The final boss asked me for my soul. I don't know. 00:22:29 Speaker 2: Did you ever tell him this? I never shared it with him. 00:22:32 Speaker 3: I don't think so. 00:22:32 Speaker 2: We kept it between us. 00:22:33 Speaker 1: We did. 00:22:33 Speaker 2: We kept it low. 00:22:34 Speaker 3: Yeah. 00:22:36 Speaker 2: Yeah, we kept it kayfabe. That might be the first proper use of kayfabe on the show, by the way. Points. 00:22:41 Speaker 3: Points. 00:22:44 Speaker 1: Anyways, back to when he asked me for my soul, I thought, you know what would have been funny is to relent and give my soul, but not to him. and this is at the time when you were the NXT general manager, to you. 00:23:01 Speaker 2: And I thought, that's got legs. 00:23:03 Speaker 1: Yeah. 00:23:04 Speaker 2: I'll never say a word again. 00:23:05 Speaker 1: She'll speak. 00:23:06 Speaker 3: I think we would have crushed that. 00:23:08 Speaker 1: We would have crushed that. You know how often people are, oh, he doesn't want to be a bad guy. I'm open to all things, whatever is the best. 00:23:17 Speaker 2: Whatever works, yeah. But I thought that would have been. 00:23:19 Speaker 1: A real good spin. 00:23:20 Speaker 3: I would have loved to have done that. 00:23:21 Speaker 1: How would he have felt? 00:23:23 Speaker 3: I think he would have been all for it. 00:23:24 Speaker 1: Yeah? 00:23:24 Speaker 3: Yeah, absolutely. 00:23:25 Speaker 2: I can't believe you never told him. 00:23:27 Speaker 3: I don't think it ever came up, because I think he was beating you up, asking you for your soul, and then. 00:23:34 Speaker 2: Soul was a lot. 00:23:35 Speaker 3: The soul was. Yeah, that was a lot. I don't think I knew he was coming back that day. I had no context of what the promo would be, and then I just saw it, and I was like, soul is crazy. 00:23:47 Speaker 2: Soul, as for soul, but I think we. 00:23:51 Speaker 2: We might have had something. 00:23:52 Speaker 1: Who knows? 00:23:53 Speaker 2: We might still have something. 00:23:54 Speaker 3: You never know. 00:23:54

Speaker 2: You never know. 00:23:55 Speaker 1: But I thought such a fun spin. 00:23:57 Speaker 3: Absolutely. 00:23:58 Speaker 1: On, yeah, sure. I already have given up my soul and it would be to you. Surprise. 00:24:03 Speaker 2: And then we would have gone from there and. 00:24:05 Speaker 1: We would have just wreaked havoc. 00:24:07 Speaker 3: Absolutely. 00:24:08 Speaker 1: Would you? 00:24:09 Speaker 3: Torn the place up. 00:24:09 Speaker 2: Torn it up. 00:24:10 Speaker 3: Torn it up. 00:24:11 Speaker 2: Sold out every night. 00:24:12 Speaker 3: Sold out. Unintended. 00:24:13 Speaker 1: Sold out. 00:24:13 Speaker 2: It would have been very groovy. 00:24:15 Speaker 1: That was our idea. It never happened. 00:24:17 Speaker 3: I know. 00:24:17 Speaker 1: But. You know what? Here's to the ideas. 00:24:21 Speaker 3: The idea that did not happen. 00:24:22 Speaker 1: Cheers. Cheers. Bam. 00:24:25 Speaker 3: That would have been a great idea. 00:24:28 Speaker 1: It was. Who knows? 00:24:29 Speaker 3: Maybe it could still happen. 00:24:30 Speaker 2: I've got a theory. 00:24:31 Speaker 3: Never say never. 00:24:31 Speaker 2: Definitely never say never. I've got a theory about my drink right now. 00:24:34 Speaker 1: Okay. I'm going to put it to this room. 00:24:36 Speaker 3: Let's hear it. 00:24:36 Speaker 1: Maybe your drink, too. I've been accused of drinking too much on this show. There have been accusations. 00:24:42 Speaker 3: It's a show sponsored by Wheatly Vodka. 00:24:44 Speaker 1: Thank you. Wheatly American Vodka. 00:24:45 Speaker 2: We love them. 00:24:47 Speaker 1: A couple haven't made it. A couple haven't seen the light of day. This episode will see the light of day. But they've made it so far. See, guys? See my hand? I can't get it. And I don't know if that's what we're going for here. So if I ask you a question and you see me awkwardly lean forward. 00:25:06 Speaker 3: No, it's okay. I'll know that you're in a relationship with that. All right. 00:25:09 Speaker 1: So now I mentioned you at the time you were general manager, which I enjoyed greatly. who was your favorite person at NXT to work with? 00:25:19 Speaker 3: Ethan Page. 00:25:20 Speaker 2: I knew you were going to say it. 00:25:22 Speaker 1: Really? 00:25:23 Speaker 2: Tell me why. Ethan Page, why? 00:25:25 Speaker 3: I felt like Ethan came to NXT at a time where we needed someone like that. We needed someone who was so unapologetic, incredibly sure of themselves, and incredibly entertaining. A little bit of an asshole, but in the best way possible on TV. And I always felt like I felt like when I worked with Ethan, I was able to bring out a different side of Ava, and I loved going back and forth with Ethan. Off camera, incredible person, sweetest, adored working with him. But yeah, I would say Ethan was my favorite. 00:26:00 Speaker 2: Ethan Page, yeah? 00:26:01 Speaker 3: Ethan Page. Your buddy, your pal. 00:26:03 Speaker 2: We just talked. 00:26:03 Speaker 1: About him because I was talking to AJ Styles. Ethan's someone I had really great chemistry with. 00:26:09 Speaker 3: Yeah, I agree. 00:26:10 Speaker 1: But I think he has great chemistry with everybody. 00:26:13 Speaker 3: Yes, 100%. Yeah. 00:26:13 Speaker 1: Yeah. So I think you and I feel special. 00:26:16 Speaker 3: Yeah. 00:26:17 Speaker 2: But everyone he. 00:26:17 Speaker 1: I know. 00:26:18 Speaker 3: That's why. And in my head, I was like, oh, I have great chemistry with him. And I thought about it. And I was like, he really does with everyone. 00:26:22 Speaker 1: With everyone, huh? 00:26:22 Speaker 3: Whether it's the ring and promo. 00:26:24 Speaker 2: Check out this segue. 00:26:25 Speaker 1: Ready? Ready. 00:26:27 Speaker 2: You ever played Red Dead Redemption 2? 00:26:28 Speaker 3: Sure have. 00:26:31 Speaker 1: Okay. 00:26:32 Speaker 3: Haven't finished it. 00:26:32 Speaker 1: Okay. 00:26:33 Speaker 2: But you got to love how much they love horses in that game. 00:26:36 Speaker 3: That's why I haven't finished the game. 00:26:38 Speaker 1: It's all horses. 00:26:38 Speaker 3: I just keep running around on the horse. 00:26:40 Speaker 1: All horses all the time. 00:26:41 Speaker 3: It's the best. 00:26:42 Speaker 2: And then you get to the new stable. And I... So my dad gave me a book when I was younger of all the horses. 00:26:48 Speaker 3: In the world, ever. 00:26:49 Speaker 2: Like all the different breeds. 00:26:50 Speaker 3: Yes. 00:26:51 Speaker 1: And I didn't remember it. Dustin remembered it. Like, was Dappleback a color? 00:26:56 Speaker 3: Dapplebay. 00:26:57 Speaker 2: That's a color, right? 00:26:57 Speaker 3: Dapplebay, yeah. 00:26:58 Speaker 2: Dapplebay. 00:27:00 Speaker 1: And he gave me Palomino. 00:27:02 Speaker 3: Mm-hmm. 00:27:03 Speaker 1: Really good. 00:27:03 Speaker 3: Right. 00:27:03 Speaker 1: He gave me all this. You're a horse guy. He'd always ask me, because I told you this. I like to think, and I'll tell you where my cowboy run ended, but... That game has reminded me, I know, I'm like, oh, it's a war horse. 00:27:15 Speaker 2: It's a turcoman, you know, right? 00:27:19 Speaker 1: Yeah, sure. Right? That's one of the, either way. 00:27:21 Speaker 2: But that game has reminded me so much of the horses. 00:27:24 Speaker 1: And I figured if anyone appreciates horses, you need to get in on that Red Dead game. 00:27:28 Speaker 3: That was a crazy segue. 00:27:29 Speaker 1: Yeah, it was. It was just out of nowhere, right? It's the question we ask horse people on this show. 00:27:33 Speaker 3: How many horse people have you had? 00:27:34 Speaker 2: We only had one. 00:27:35 Speaker 1: We had Fallon. 00:27:36 Speaker 3: Did she say yes? Fallon's a gamer girl. 00:27:39 Speaker 1: She knew about it. 00:27:39 Speaker 3: I don't think she knew how deep redhead horse love was, though. 00:27:44 Speaker 2: You consider yourself a cowgirl? I mean, you're riding horses. 00:27:48 Speaker 3: I feel like there's a difference between

equestrian and cowgirl, though. I feel like I haven't earned my stripes to be a cowgirl yet. 00:27:55 Speaker 2: How so? You're out there on a horse taking. 00:27:57 Speaker 1: Care of horses. 00:27:58 Speaker 3: I know, but I feel like cowgirls, they ride western and they wrangle horses. I feel like it can be very elitist, but not in a bad way, so I don't want to be like, I'm a cowgirl and then get smoked on the internet for it. 00:28:10 Speaker 1: Oh, well, welcome to this show. 00:28:13 Speaker 3: More than I already will. 00:28:14 Speaker 1: Yeah, everything. Right. 00:28:16 Speaker 2: We're getting smoked all the time. 00:28:17 Speaker 3: I know, but. 00:28:18 Speaker 2: They're going to smoke you right now. 00:28:19 Speaker 3: At least I know the audience that's going to do it. 00:28:22 Speaker 1: Oh, yeah. 00:28:22 Speaker 3: I haven't opened myself up to the... Smoke away. cowgirl, cowboy audience yet, so I don't want to get smoked by them. Getting smoked by wrestling fans is standard. 00:28:29 Speaker 2: Do you want to know where I found out. 00:28:31 Speaker 1: Okay, because I hate when people. 00:28:34 Speaker 2: A lot of people. 00:28:35 Speaker 1: Try and make you feel better sometimes when you're getting canceled or smoked or whatever's going on that day. And they'll say, hey, you know, they're not a real person. Or, hey, they don't know you personally. And there's always good bones in that. Right. But one of the things that I try to do, I had fond memories of X. And I hang on to things I did business-wise on X. So I'd never want to just go, hey, this is clearly not a functional app anymore. 00:29:01 Speaker 3: Mm-hmm. 00:29:04 Speaker 1: Evidence is proven that X percent is not really there anymore. Right. 00:29:09 Speaker 2: Maybe time to go. I can't bring myself to do it. 00:29:12 Speaker 1: Okay. I should. But here's where I knew it was nonsense. And this is, again, that Red Dead segue. Here we go. It was the most recent film. 00:29:20 Speaker 2: The Odyssey. 00:29:22 Speaker 1: Incredible. Incredible. 00:29:23 Speaker 3: Incredible. 00:29:24 Speaker 2: Thank you. You liked The Odyssey? 00:29:25 Speaker 1: Loved it. 00:29:26 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think Christopher Nolan is amazing. 00:29:28 Speaker 1: Yes. 00:29:28 Speaker 2: Okay, so we liked Nolan directing. 00:29:30 Speaker 1: Yes. 00:29:30 Speaker 2: Amazing. Everything he touches, awesome. 00:29:33 Speaker 1: Who did you. 00:29:34 Speaker 3: Like in this movie? The most? 00:29:35 Speaker 1: Yeah. 00:29:36 Speaker 3: I really like Susie. 00:29:37 Speaker 1: Yeah? 00:29:37 Speaker 3: I thought she was very cool. 00:29:39 Speaker 1: Yeah? Mm-hmm. 00:29:40 Speaker 2: John Leguizamo, whatever old man dude was. 00:29:42 Speaker 3: Oh, he was great. The whole cast was stellar. 00:29:44 Speaker 1: What a cast, huh? 00:29:46 Speaker 2: Tom Holland, Matt Damon also jacked. 00:29:48 Speaker 3: Yeah. 00:29:49 Speaker 1: Real jacked. 00:29:49 Speaker 3: And did you know his stunt devil was

a girl? 00:29:51 Speaker 1: No. 00:29:52 Speaker 3: Yeah. 00:29:52 Speaker 2: Shout out to her. 00:29:53 Speaker 3: I know. 00:29:54 Speaker 2: How much was she used in there? 00:29:55 Speaker 1: A lot probably. Yeah. 00:29:56 Speaker 3: Yeah. 00:29:57 Speaker 2: Because you can only stay jacked for a day or two. TV jack. 00:30:00 Speaker 3: That's true. 00:30:00 Speaker 1: Yeah. You get that one day. 00:30:02 Speaker 3: And then it's. 00:30:02 Speaker 2: And then you got to fall apart a little bit. 00:30:04 Speaker 1: Throw this ash on. 00:30:05 Speaker 2: You know what I mean? 00:30:06 Speaker 1: That's wrestlers love a segment where they're wearing a t-shirt. 00:30:09 Speaker 3: Love it. Love it. 00:30:11 Speaker 2: Love a t-shirt. 00:30:12 Speaker 1: Oh, no, no. Oh, suit. Full suit. Yeah. I'll have those Sour Patch Kids and Gorilla. You know, people always ask me how I keep track of money on the road. Flights, hotels, food, buying my kids stuff from different gift shops we walk past. Honestly, a lot of that comes down to trusting what's in my pocket. Cash App does more than you think when it comes to having your back and making sure your money stays your money. Cash App just released a new status program for the way people actually spend called Cash App Green. Now, when you spend at least $ 500 a month with the Cash App card, you earn green status, which unlocks benefits. 00:30:49 Speaker 2: Like up to $ 200 of free overdraft coverage. 00:30:53 Speaker 1: If you overdraft unexpectedly, there are no hidden fees. You also unlock higher borrow limits and custom personalized cash back offers every Friday at places you love to shop. Turn every day into status with Cash App Green. New Cash App customers can earn $ 10 if they use code CASHAPP10 in their profile at signup and send $ 5 to a friend within 14 days. Terms apply. Download Cash App or visit cash.app to learn more about this and other financial benefits. Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App's bank partners, prepaid debit card issued by SuddenBank, Member FDIC. Cash App Visa Debit Flex Cards issued by Sudden Bank. Member FDIC and the Bancorp Bank N.A. Pursuant to license from Visa USA, Inc. See terms and conditions for the Sudden prepaid card. Sudden Debit Flex Card and Bancorp Debit Flex Card. Cash App Green features savings, direct deposit, roundups, overdraft coverage, and discounts provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit CashApp.com backslash legal Backslash podcast for full disclosures. Okay. But this is back to X. Yes. 00:32:10 Speaker 2: This is where I knew. 00:32:11 Speaker 1: This is a nonsense app. They were trying, before the movie came out, to flat out cancel this movie for casting choices. And then they were saying things like, oh, it's not period accurate. 00:32:24 Speaker 2: It's not accurate to begin with. 00:32:26 Speaker 3: It's a made up. It's a made up. Look, that reminds me of when I believe it was. Halle

Bailey, I'm not sure if it was her or her sister who was the Little Mermaid, and people were up in arms because she was Little Mermaid and she was black. It's a mermaid, it's a fish. Ursula's purple. 00:32:46 Speaker 1: What? These are made up stories. 00:32:48 Speaker 3: They're not real stories. 00:32:49 Speaker 2: They're made up stories. Oh, it's not period, they should be wearing the right period armor. 00:32:53 Speaker 1: Then, watch this too, they juxtaposed that versus Troy. 00:32:59 Speaker 3: Which is also not. 00:33:00 Speaker 1: They're making it, I'm like, no, no, Troy was, we love Troy. 00:33:03 Speaker 3: Right. That's apples to oranges. 00:33:06 Speaker 1: Yeah, don't bring Troy into this. 00:33:07 Speaker 3: That's absolutely apples to oranges. 00:33:08 Speaker 1: Peter O'Toole, you know, you're my enemy tonight, but even enemies can have respect. 00:33:13 Speaker 2: My gosh, it's a phenomenal piece of business. That's its own thing. Don't judge. But they're trying to cancel this movie. Have you seen Troy? 00:33:19 Speaker 3: Yeah. 00:33:20 Speaker 1: You have to see it. 00:33:21 Speaker 3: I actually think maybe I watched it when I was younger, but I don't remember. 00:33:24 Speaker 1: Just watch it for just Peter O'Toole. Okay. Also, if having your whole life experience with wrestling and trained as a wrestler and having had wrestling matches, you will see they are building a wrestling match. 00:33:37 Speaker 3: All right. 00:33:37 Speaker 1: I'm set. I'll watch it. Hector versus Achilles is a less is more wrestling match. And oof. 00:33:44 Speaker 3: Love a less is more. 00:33:45 Speaker 1: Yeah. Love a less is more. 00:33:47 Speaker 2: Getting the most out of doing the least. 00:33:49 Speaker 3: Headlock story? 00:33:50 Speaker 1: It gets its finish established in the first scene. 00:33:53 Speaker 2: You guys know what I'm talking. 00:33:54 Speaker 1: About, right? Okay. All right. Thank you, guys. But they're trying to cancel this movie over the strangest things. 00:34:01 Speaker 2: And I think I saw someone. 00:34:02 Speaker 1: We're going to have a period accurate AI version of this come out in a few years. What are we doing? What are we doing? And then anyways, right? The movie comes out. 00:34:10 Speaker 2: And as you said. 00:34:11 Speaker 3: Does crazy numbers. 00:34:12 Speaker 1: Incredible. 00:34:13 Speaker 2: And does crazy numbers. That was my official going, you know what? 00:34:19 Speaker 1: It ain't it. 00:34:20 Speaker 3: Nope. 00:34:20 Speaker 1: It ain't it. It ain't it. I am not going to get up in arms, which I might still a little, but over this because what was. 00:34:27 Speaker 3: It's just nonsense. It's truly just nonsense. 00:34:30 Speaker 1: Yeah. Yes. 00:34:30 Speaker 2: But you need to watch Troy, by the way. 00:34:32 Speaker 1: I will. Yeah. There's a lot of wrestling. 00:34:35 Speaker 3: I enjoyed the wrestling. 00:34:35 Speaker 1: Plus also Peter O'Toole. 00:34:37 Speaker 2: That's a great... I got you. 00:34:39 Speaker 1: I'll do it. There's a whole beautiful moment there. I'm not going to go too deep into Troy. Okay. Okay. 00:34:45 Speaker 3: I'll let you know when I watch it. 00:34:45 Speaker 1: Yes. 00:34:46 Speaker 3: And then you can give me your deeper. 00:34:47 Speaker 1: Please. Gosh, now that we got off this tangent. Where were we? 00:34:50 Speaker 3: Red Dead? 00:34:51 Speaker 1: You, well, we talked about Red Dead. We talked about your buddy, Ethan Page, who we've discovered has the same chemistry with everyone. 00:34:57 Speaker 3: Everyone. So maybe we're not special. 00:34:58 Speaker 1: I don't think we are. Darn. 00:34:59 Speaker 3: Okay. 00:35:01 Speaker 1: He's, Ethan to this day asked me, have I brought this up on the pod before about Ethan asking why I'm so nice to him? 00:35:08 Speaker 3: I think he's brought this up to me and been like, I don't know why he's so nice to me. 00:35:12 Speaker 1: He always asks, like, why are you so nice? Why are you so helpful? And I am a big believer in when even the smallest thing is done for you. I mean, wrestling is so performative. It's so, I don't want to use the F word, but it's fictional. 00:35:31 Speaker 2: And the way people help. 00:35:33 Speaker 3: It is a performance. Yeah. 00:35:34 Speaker 2: And the way they need to be seen helping. 00:35:38 Speaker 1: And what they say to your face versus what they'll say, what they won't say when someone's speaking ill of you. It's a tricky world. 00:35:47 Speaker 3: Yeah. 00:35:48 Speaker 2: But when I met Julian, shoot name. 00:35:52 Speaker 3: Julian. 00:35:52 Speaker 1: Shoot name. 00:35:53 Speaker 3: Like the lemur. 00:35:54 Speaker 2: Yeah, yes, like the lemur. 00:35:56 Speaker 3: Like the lemur. 00:35:57 Speaker 1: Julian, I had just come off of doing, I was doing an Evolve show. 00:36:04 Speaker 2: And I could tell. 00:36:04 Speaker 3: Oh, Evolve back in the day Evolve. 00:36:06 Speaker 1: Back in the day. 00:36:07 Speaker 3: It was Gabe's Evolve. 00:36:08 Speaker 1: And I'll tell you about Gabe's Evolve. Me and Gabe get along great. He's come in here and done seminars. But one of the funniest things about Gabe and my relationship is he wrote me this really nice email about coming to the Indies. 00:36:21 Speaker 2: And on the top, I still got it. It said, welcome to the Indies. 00:36:25 Speaker 1: And then he talked about how I'd be riding in a car with six people, how I'd be sharing hotel rooms. 00:36:30 Speaker 3: Mm-hmm. 00:36:31 Speaker 2: All these things that would come of the ride that was going to be the end. 00:36:34 Speaker 1: Yeah. 00:36:35 Speaker 2: None of that happened. 00:36:36 Speaker 3: I bet. 00:36:38 Speaker 1: None of it. 00:36:39 Speaker 2: The crowds were full. 00:36:40 Speaker 3: Right. 00:36:41 Speaker 1: There was always a car service. The promoters made money. But that mindset was different than mine. 00:36:47 Speaker 3: 100%. 00:36:48 Speaker 1: Yeah. I met Ethan at an Evolve show. So credit to Gabe

for linking us up. 00:36:55 Speaker 3: Yeah. 00:36:55 Speaker 1: And he wrestled like someone who'd been trained in WWE. Yeah. And he just, there was a flow and the way we put that together and how he didn't relent and just bend over for me, how he still made it to kind of keep climbing for himself. I just left, it was Laboom in Queens, New York. And I left there thinking, I want to do everything I can for that guy for the rest of my life. He's amazing. Yeah, he didn't even do anything that great. I don't know why it's so deep. 00:37:25 Speaker 2: Another mutual friend we have, I like to call him Crybaby Rick. 00:37:29 Speaker 1: Crybaby Rick. 00:37:31 Speaker 2: You got a nice little bond with Ricky. 00:37:34 Speaker 3: Yeah, Ricky is great. Another person I loved working with as well. 00:37:37 Speaker 2: But he cried in front of you. 00:37:38 Speaker 1: He did, yeah. 00:37:40 Speaker 3: He's going to hate that we're bringing this up. But I can't shame him for it because I've also cried in front of Ricky. 00:37:45 Speaker 2: Oh, I mean, I've cried in front of. 00:37:46 Speaker 3: PC makes you cry a lot. 00:37:47 Speaker 1: Okay, yeah, no. 00:37:49 Speaker 2: And I've cried in front of the whole world. 00:37:50 Speaker 1: I mean, the fans are called. 00:37:52 Speaker 3: That's true. 00:37:52 Speaker 2: Your dad dubbed him. 00:37:53 Speaker 1: Oh, yes. Crybabies. Yes. 00:37:55 Speaker 2: So I'm allowed to call out another crybaby. 00:37:56 Speaker 1: That's true. 00:37:57 Speaker 3: I forgot about that, yeah. 00:37:58 Speaker 2: I mean, Ricky's the biggest. 00:38:00 Speaker 1: Your words. He cried in front of you? Dead. Yeah. 00:38:02 Speaker 2: Well, here's why I'm asking, because they're asking me if I want to do an episode with all my friends. 00:38:08 Speaker 3: Friends. 00:38:09 Speaker 1: Friends. 00:38:11 Speaker 2: And I guess I can't totally do that, because these are kind of some of the real ones. 00:38:14 Speaker 3: Yeah. 00:38:14 Speaker 1: My fear is that it will. 00:38:15 Speaker 2: Just turn into a roast. 00:38:18 Speaker 1: But we can all roast each other. 00:38:21 Speaker 2: But when they're together, you know what I mean? 00:38:23 Speaker 1: Who would be there? Ethan? 00:38:25 Speaker 3: Ricky? 00:38:25 Speaker 1: Ricky? I would put Ethan in. 00:38:27 Speaker 3: Yeah, Ethan, Ricky. 00:38:28 Speaker 2: Ricky, he is making. 00:38:30 Speaker 1: The cut, but just barely. Yeah, Kevin's in there. 00:38:35 Speaker 3: Okay. 00:38:36 Speaker 2: Kevin's pretty rough. 00:38:39 Speaker 3: Yeah, he might roast you. 00:38:41 Speaker 1: Yeah, I would put, I'm looking up at this, but Kevin. 00:38:44 Speaker 3: Looking up at your friends. 00:38:45 Speaker 2: You know who would be a really good one in there? 00:38:47 Speaker 1: Because his perspective is great. And even if we're not friends, but I think we might be, but his perspective is great, Seth. Yeah. What about Ash? 00:38:55 Speaker 3: Charlotte, would you have her on here? 00:38:56 Speaker

2: Yeah, she'd be wonderful. 00:38:57 Speaker 1: Yeah. Again, we have gone off the rails here. We're talking about Ethan. We're talking about our real friends. 00:39:02 Speaker 3: We're talking about Evolve, yeah. 00:39:03 Speaker 1: Who would be there? 00:39:04 Speaker 2: Evolve. I didn't know. 00:39:06 Speaker 1: I did, I guess, a bit of research, and I was very excited to find out your grandma got you into wrestling? 00:39:13 Speaker 3: She did, yeah. 00:39:14 Speaker 1: Yeah? 00:39:15 Speaker 3: I started watching wrestling when I was nine. It was when my dad fought. first came back in like 2011. And then I didn't know this, but my grandma had just been waiting for me to start watching wrestling for like years. And her house is just like a museum of memorabilia. 00:39:33 Speaker 1: Yeah. 00:39:33 Speaker 3: So then finally when I was like, oh, I kind of watch wrestling. She was like, perfect. Whipped out all the DVDs, every tape ever. And I would just go to my grandma's house every weekend. 00:39:43 Speaker 1: Oh, I love that. 00:39:43 Speaker 3: And just watch wrestling. Yeah. It was great. 00:39:46 Speaker 1: So you were watching wrestling that preceded the time period. Yes. 00:39:49 Speaker 2: Same here. 00:39:50 Speaker 3: Yeah. I would watch like older stuff and then I would tune in every– I think SmackDown was on Thursdays at that point. Thursday and Monday. 00:39:57 Speaker 1: I believe it was. I believe it was on UPN. Yeah. Because Pops did a crossover on Star Trek Voyager. Yes. Yeah. I do recall the network that was. Your grandmother and you said you had– when you were watching this stuff in your nine, here's. 00:40:14 Speaker 2: What I love. She didn't push it on you. 00:40:17 Speaker 1: No. 00:40:17 Speaker 2: She waited for you to come to it. 00:40:18 Speaker 1: Yes. And at nine, were you a fan of old wrestling basically at that point? Or were you catching up to it? What were you watching? Yeah. 00:40:28 Speaker 3: I was watching a lot of like 2006 to like 2009. So like pretty close. 00:40:37 Speaker 1: Oh, yeah. 00:40:37 Speaker 3: Close into what had happened. 00:40:39 Speaker 1: I'm in there. Yeah. Yeah. 00:40:40 Speaker 3: You, your brother, Christian, Edge, Hardee's, Kofi. Yeah. 00:40:45 Speaker 1: Okay. 00:40:45 Speaker 3: All of them. 00:40:46 Speaker 2: You mentioned Edge. 00:40:47 Speaker 3: Edge is my favorite wrestler of all time. Fun fact. 00:40:50 Speaker 1: Edge is your favorite wrestler? 00:40:51 Speaker 3: Of all time. Yep. Okay. I don't know if I've ever said that publicly. 00:40:53 Speaker 1: Well, it's out. 00:40:54 Speaker 3: It's out. 00:40:55 Speaker 2: Are we cutting it? 00:40:56 Speaker 1: No. He's in. 00:40:57 Speaker 3: Yeah. 00:40:57 Speaker 1: Okay. Edge, this is a real thing and it's amazing that you said this because it's generational and I've had, you and I, we have mutual friend QT Marshall. Great guy. He's The closest thing I have to a best friend. He is your best friend. 00:41:14 Speaker 3: Right.

And then there's that weird like jealousy thing going on where he's best friends with Damien, but then he's your best friend. 00:41:18 Speaker 1: He is, but then Gino took over for QT. Okay. 00:41:21 Speaker 2: So then it was like. 00:41:23 Speaker 3: So it's like best friend jealousy. 00:41:25 Speaker 2: She pushed him out. 00:41:25 Speaker 3: Yeah. 00:41:26 Speaker 2: The same way Priest was trying to push me out. 00:41:28 Speaker 1: Okay. But QT, what was I talking about? Okay, so we would do camps together, Nightmare Factory camps. We'd do them, and the first thing, the lesson is. 00:41:40 Speaker 2: Hey, who's your favorite wrestler? 00:41:42 Speaker 1: So we'll start with Kellen. Who's your favorite wrestler? You. Okay, thank you. 00:41:48 Speaker 3: Aw, good answer. 00:41:50 Speaker 1: So the rule, when you say that, the rule is treat everyone you meet ever. The guy who is in the parking lot, the guy, everyone you meet like me. 00:42:01 Speaker 3: Like your favorite wrestler. 00:42:01 Speaker 1: Like your favorite wrestler. I like that. 00:42:02 Speaker 2: That's the lesson. But also we find out what are they watching. 00:42:05 Speaker 1: Right. There's always some nerd in there. 00:42:07 Speaker 2: God bless him. 00:42:07 Speaker 1: I love a nerd because wrestling needs its nerds and I'm a nerd. Who says something like, you know, Mara Fuji. Like, oh, great. 00:42:16 Speaker 2: You know, like, yeah, he is awesome. 00:42:18 Speaker 3: He is. 00:42:19 Speaker 2: You know, he is awesome and I love that man. But anyways, we found that so many. 00:42:25 Speaker 1: Kids said their favorite wrestlers were either Rey Mysterio, Edge, or the Hardys. Yep. 00:42:32 Speaker 2: And Q couldn't fathom it. 00:42:33 Speaker 3: Yeah. 00:42:34 Speaker 2: He kept being like, what do you mean? 00:42:35 Speaker 3: But it's like that time period. Yeah. 00:42:36 Speaker 2: He's like, it's not Hulk Hogan. 00:42:38 Speaker 3: I don't think it's like kids today or people a little bit older. 00:42:41 Speaker 2: Well, who do they like now? 00:42:43 Speaker 1: You. 00:42:43 Speaker 3: Yeah. 00:42:44 Speaker 1: Well, good. Thank you. 00:42:46 Speaker 3: Yeah. 00:42:47 Speaker 1: Thank you. 00:42:47 Speaker 3: That made me feel good. Let's look at the wall. Let's see. 00:42:49 Speaker 1: Yeah. You. Bianca. Yeah. 00:42:52 Speaker 3: Bianca. 00:42:53 Speaker 1: Yeah. 00:42:53 Speaker 3: Big one. 00:42:54 Speaker 1: Yeah. 00:42:55 Speaker 3: Mercedes slash Sasha. Big one. Rhea. 00:42:58 Speaker 1: Rhea. Yeah, they really do. But that whole, he couldn't get it. And I started thinking, this is just generational. Especially Jeff, when Jeff was doing his thing was uber hot. 00:43:08 Speaker 3: I feel like Jeff transcended so much past wrestling that people don't even realize. 00:43:14 Speaker 1: Would you, I mean, Jeff is also, I'd say, one of wrestling's biggest heartthrobs. 100%. Yeah. 00:43:21 Speaker 2: The people coming for Jeff at those shows, they're screaming. 00:43:24 Speaker 3: They were. 00:43:24 Speaker 1: They ride or die. Mm-hmm. 00:43:28 Speaker 2: If you were to start a business right now, what would you create? 00:43:31 Speaker 1: Would it be that idea that you had been working towards since you were a kid? Something that came to mind when you were in college? Or perhaps a passion project that you've always wanted to put out into the world but never quite gotten around to? Whatever your situation is, Shopify can help. Shopify powers millions of businesses worldwide from household names to small businesses just getting started. Shopify's templates and AI tools get you a stunning site up and running fast. 00:43:57 Speaker 2: No coding needed. 00:43:59 Speaker 1: If questions come up, Shopify's built-in AI assistant, Sidekick, is ready to help you build, troubleshoot, and keep moving. And the best part is, all of Shopify's tools are conveniently located in one easy-to-use platform. Just sign in and start managing all aspects of your business right away. If you are ready to hear the of your first sale today, head over to shopify.com backslash Cody to start your free trial today. 00:44:24 Speaker 3: That's right. 00:44:25 Speaker 1: Start your free trial at Shopify.com slash Cody. That's Shopify.com slash Cody. And your grandma got you into this. She was excited when you got into it. She couldn't wait. 00:44:38 Speaker 3: She's been waiting. 00:44:39 Speaker 2: Well, the tree, the. 00:44:40 Speaker 1: Family tree in all this and why your drink is called Fourth Generation. Thank you to Wheatley Vodka, by the way. The family tree, I once looked at it and I nearly stroked out. Oh, it's crazy. Because I... it was such a I didn't. 00:44:55 Speaker 3: Even realize how vast it was till I literally saw the photo when I was like zooming in of that. 00:45:00 Speaker 1: Tree yes they were trying they were basically about to do a powerpoint presentation they could on that and on that tree and I I had a really rough day that day which we gotta I gotta ask you about eventually and I I walked around and I was doing retail. 00:45:13 Speaker 3: Therapy okay yeah let's talk about. 00:45:15 Speaker 1: That buying things left and right all my life was over watches hadn't come yet okay I. 00:45:21 Speaker 3: Can't wait to find out why you thought your life was over Well, my. 00:45:24 Speaker 2: Career was over, basically. 00:45:25 Speaker 3: Okay, yeah. 00:45:26 Speaker 1: But this tree, how do you consider this tree? 00:45:28 Speaker 2: Grandma? Grandpa? 00:45:31 Speaker 3: Above Grandma, because my great-grandfather. 00:45:34 Speaker 2: So High Chief. 00:45:35 Speaker 1: Yes. 00:45:35 Speaker 3: High Chief Peter Mavia. 00:45:36 Speaker 1: High Chief Peter. 00:45:37 Speaker 3: I have, I wonder, well, my phone's over there. I was going to say I could just pull. 00:45:40 Speaker 1: Up a photo. 00:45:40 Speaker 2: But to you, it's High Chief Peter. Yes. 00:45:42 Speaker 1: Grandma. 00:45:42 Speaker 3: Mm-hmm. 00:45:43 Speaker 2:

Rocky Johnson. 00:45:44 Speaker 3: Yes, my grandpa. 00:45:44 Speaker 1: Soul man. Mm-hmm. 00:45:46 Speaker 2: And then the final boss. 00:45:47 Speaker 1: Yes. That alone. 00:45:50 Speaker 3: Then the mayor. 00:45:50 Speaker 1: Mm-hmm. Right? 00:45:52 Speaker 3: Than the mayor, yep. 00:45:52 Speaker 1: Yeah, that alone is... It's crazy, yeah. It's crazy. And special. Very. And special. 00:46:00 Speaker 3: Very humbling in the best way. 00:46:01 Speaker 1: Yeah. I love that she waited, because with my daughters, I have things I like. Particularly, I'll tell you one, I love Star Wars. 00:46:08 Speaker 3: Okay. 00:46:09 Speaker 1: And she started kind of. 00:46:11 Speaker 3: She's into it. 00:46:12 Speaker 1: Getting into it a little bit. 00:46:13 Speaker 2: Like, Grogu, you know? Like, all right, all right. 00:46:16 Speaker 1: Yep. 00:46:17 Speaker 2: But I'm not going to push. 00:46:18 Speaker 3: Yeah, you can't. 00:46:19 Speaker 2: Because I don't want to ruin it. 00:46:21 Speaker 3: Right, exactly. 00:46:22 Speaker 1: My hope is that she's nine years old one day and says, hey, let's watch it. Let's watch Star Wars. Yeah. 00:46:28 Speaker 2: And then I'd be fulfilled. 00:46:31 Speaker 3: You'll be fulfilled. 00:46:31 Speaker 2: I'd have all the information I could possibly. 00:46:33 Speaker 1: You'd have it all. I'd have news for her. You said Edge is your favorite wrestler, which is, you're not. Now, this space, this is the nightmare factory. It's been said a lot in here. Well, what is your favorite match? 00:46:45 Speaker 3: Oh, here we go. Ever. Yeah. All the time. An Edge match is not the answer. 00:46:49 Speaker 1: Okay, good. 00:46:50 Speaker 3: It is actually Charlotte versus Rhea from this WrestleMania in 2023. 00:46:55 Speaker 2: Okay, so for those who can't see what we're looking at. 00:46:57 Speaker 3: Oh, yeah, sorry. 00:46:58 Speaker 1: That was rude of me. 00:46:59 Speaker 2: We've been referencing it the whole time. 00:47:01 Speaker 1: It's a giant WrestleMania goes Hollywood, WrestleMania 39 poster, and you were saying Rhea and Charlotte? 00:47:07 Speaker 3: Yep, that's my favorite match of all time. 00:47:08 Speaker 2: They did it, huh? 00:47:10 Speaker 3: When I remember seeing it in person and as it was happening, I was just like, this is the best wrestling match I've ever watched in my life. 00:47:18 Speaker 1: You have two of the absolute best. Yeah. You have crafts. 00:47:21 Speaker 3: Forever in awe of them in that match. 00:47:23 Speaker 1: Artists. And I don't think, and maybe this is a secret to the success, I don't think either of them know. 00:47:32 Speaker 2: How much they've done already. 00:47:34 Speaker 3: I think so. Right? And I don't think they grasp it. And I wonder if that's because they're still very much in it, but definitely. 00:47:42 Speaker 1: Yeah, they are certainly... Mm-hmm. 00:47:45 Speaker 2: Certainly, and that's a great one. You're asking me about the time the world's ending. 00:47:48 Speaker 1: Oh, yes. 00:47:49 Speaker 2: I brought this up in the beginning, and I thought, I got to tell her. 00:47:52 Speaker 1: Or ask her, more ask you about it. WrestleMania 40 is coming along, and I got— This is Philly, correct? Philly, yeah. I got taken out of the match for five days. 00:48:04 Speaker 3: Let me think. What was the buildup to that? 00:48:06 Speaker 1: That is— Yes. 00:48:07 Speaker 2: That is me and your father in Birmingham have. 00:48:11 Speaker 3: The— Just beating the shit out of you. 00:48:14 Speaker 2: Well, this is pre that. 00:48:15 Speaker 1: Okay. 00:48:15 Speaker 2: This is us shaking hands, but he turned his hand like this. 00:48:19 Speaker 1: Okay. So I was going like this. So we still got to Arnold, Carl, like weathers. 00:48:25 Speaker 2: We got to it. But then they stuck the camera on my face and my face wasn't great. 00:48:30 Speaker 1: Okay. But anyways, he takes the match. And then five days later, we decide everything turns back around and it was all heading that way anyways. And it's this magical gift that was given. But for a brief moment, I thought, hey- that's it. Like, like that, that was a, we were going to wait a full year and I'm not going to get to, you know, finish that story. I'm not going to get to, what do I do? And every alternative, you know, everyone's in the alternative mode. 00:48:56 Speaker 3: Okay. Yeah. 00:48:57 Speaker 1: Great. 00:48:58 Speaker 2: Oh, this was still going to be great for you. Like none, none of it. 00:49:01 Speaker 1: It just sounded what you wanted. Yeah. Just sounded one way, but you got a lot of flack online. 00:49:09 Speaker 3: Yeah, that was, okay. 00:49:10 Speaker 2: And we didn't know each other very well. 00:49:12 Speaker 3: So I do, I remember, I don't think I've, talked about this very much internally. I don't think I've ever publicly talked about this. So dad came back. You guys shook your hands. He took your spot. That was Friday, correct? Yes. That Sunday was an NXT pay-per-view. 00:49:30 Speaker 1: Yeah. 00:49:30 Speaker 3: It was Vengeance Day. And I remember it was going to be the first time that there was WWE programming since that. Friday night SmackDown. And I will never forget this. I was sitting in makeup. I want to say Kristen was actually there that day. Kristen did. Kristen did my makeup that day. 00:49:49 Speaker 1: I remember. There she is. 00:49:51 Speaker 3: I'd finished my makeup and I was, our head writer, Johnny Russo, came up to me and he was like, hey, can I just talk to you for a minute? I said, sure. So we had, I don't think I had filmed the promo that I was doing yet that day or we were about to film it. And he was like, hey, just so you know, like when we play your promo, please don't be surprised if they boo you. And I was like, okay. Like, yeah, I can understand that. And then that did happen. All of the hate online happened. And that day, it changed the way that I looked at, I think, fans overall. And it just changed the way that I

looked at the wrestling business. And for a while... I thought about it in a very negative way. 00:50:39 Speaker 1: Sure. 00:50:39 Speaker 3: Because it was quite negative at the time. But then I think in a way I'm incredibly grateful that that happened because it gave me– it kind of just made me double down on like, okay, I am– it made me much more confident in what I was doing and why I was doing it. 00:51:00 Speaker 1: Yeah. 00:51:00 Speaker 3: And it made me just be like all these external factors can happen and everyone can have an opinion because of like who I am or something that my dad has done. 00:51:08 Speaker 1: Or blah, blah, blah. 00:51:09 Speaker 3: But I was like, I need to, it made me be a little bit selfish in my journey and what I was doing, but I think it was necessary. That was a bit of a tangent and you didn't ask that. I'm sorry. 00:51:19 Speaker 2: No, that's exactly what, no. 00:51:21 Speaker 3: Cause I realized I've never actually talked about that publicly. That venue and state pay-per-view, like it changed so much of how I thought about wrestling and my journey and my place in wrestling. And we did not know each other yet. 00:51:32 Speaker 1: We didn't. The fallout from that, Was heavy. Yeah. 00:51:38 Speaker 3: And you reached out to me that day, and I'll never forget that. I did, right? Thank you. 00:51:41 Speaker 1: Yeah. 00:51:41 Speaker 3: It was really kind. 00:51:42 Speaker 2: Was I nice? 00:51:44 Speaker 1: You did. Mm-hmm. All right. Well, I don't know why I would. 00:51:46 Speaker 2: Have been mean. 00:51:47 Speaker 3: No, you were very kind. You asked me if I was okay, and then you asked if there was anything you could do. 00:51:51 Speaker 1: Because I thought at the time when it was all happening, I'll tell you the truth from my perspective. When you see the We Want Cody thing trending, and then it goes, it permeates beyond just a normal, it's big. Yeah. 00:52:05 Speaker 2: That was a nice feeling. 00:52:08 Speaker 1: But it wasn't, it was, it had hit so hard a few days before that I wasn't there to receive it in any way. I didn't want to signal boost it. And I didn't want, I just didn't want to touch it. 00:52:21 Speaker 3: I just, I think I remember it becoming so big because I want to say that that vengeance day, I think it was maybe one of Obafemi's like first big matches, or it was the first time he went for the title. And there had been a lot of great buildup to that. And I remember NXT posting about it was like, I think a shot of him walking to the ring and like every single comment was just. 00:52:45 Speaker 1: Overtook. 00:52:46 Speaker 3: We want Cody. Yeah. And it was for the whole duration of the show. Every match that was on that show that night. Well. All of it was just. 00:52:53 Speaker 2: Well, to give over his life. 00:52:55 Speaker 3: So fascinating. 00:52:56 Speaker 1: Yeah. 00:52:56 Speaker 2: He certainly will be able to make me pay for it later. 00:53:01 Speaker 3: That is true. I'm not

positive. Yeah, it was weird. That pay-per-view was a weird time. 00:53:09 Speaker 2: It certainly was. 00:53:10 Speaker 1: And I'm talking about a time with you as general manager. You were? 00:53:15 Speaker 3: Yes, I had just started. 00:53:17 Speaker 1: So you're general manager. You've moved on from the schism stuff. General manager. And with all the things that you did, and we talked about Ethan Page. Uh, what do you, what do you think was the highlight of your time as general manager? 00:53:31 Speaker 3: I think there's a couple things. I think one of the biggest ones was when I got to unveil the second women's title, the women's North American title. And I felt like that whole stretch of when, and the NXT women's division is still incredible, but I felt like when that like 2024, 2025 time period, when Every single week, the women were just showing out consistently, whether it was fatal influence, Lola and Kalani or Stephanie was there at the time and Julia and Jordan and Roxanne. I loved that I got to be a part of that in the sense that I was youngest general manager in WWE history, the first female general manager in NXT and I loved being a part of a women's division that I felt like we all found different ways to just continue to raise the bar and just put on the best show possible. So I don't know if it's one particular thing, but I think I feel very blessed and lucky to have been the GM during that time period. 00:54:39 Speaker 1: Well, what I love about it is it's back to this thing that you've taught me, type A. 00:54:44 Speaker 3: Yeah. 00:54:45 Speaker 1: Executive division. 00:54:47 Speaker 2: Type A, which I don't know how that eluded me so long, but very much. 00:54:50 Speaker 1: And not only... an executive thing, a real thing. Yeah. 00:54:54 Speaker 2: You're doing something real in the world of our performance, but this is real. 00:54:58 Speaker 1: You're unveiling something that is new and to be cherished and respected and it's a piece of history. You're connected to a piece of history. 00:55:06 Speaker 2: When I was. 00:55:07 Speaker 1: It's actually this podcast. We were going to talk sooner than we talked today, which thank you for coming on because I know you don't do a lot of these. 00:55:14 Speaker 3: No, thank you. I'm glad to be here. 00:55:17 Speaker 2: I am happy to find out. 00:55:19 Speaker 1: I wouldn't have guessed what a big wrestling fan you were. I knew you'd be naturally a wrestling fan, but I wouldn't have guessed, and this edge knowledge has grown me. But we were going to talk sooner, and I was going to come to NXT with the pod, and you gave me some people that you thought I would be good to talk to. You, obviously, but who else did you say? 00:55:40 Speaker 3: I said JC. I said Tatum. Ethan was on there. 00:55:44 Speaker 1: Yeah. 00:55:46 Speaker 2: Yeah, you mentioned Tatum. 00:55:47 Speaker 3: Tatum, yeah. And I realized that I just left her out when I was talking about women. Her feud with Lyra and that whole thing is one of my favorite NXT feuds ever. 00:55:56 Speaker 2: Yeah, you mentioned Tatum and you mentioned Kalani. 00:55:59 Speaker 1: Yes. Super talented. 00:56:01 Speaker 2: Tatum doing really great right now. 00:56:02 Speaker 3: Yeah, I'm so happy for her. 00:56:03 Speaker 1: Yeah. 00:56:03 Speaker 3: I think she's amazing. And I remember she started very close to when I did. And I have always rooted for her. And I am so grateful. Beyond thrilled for her. 00:56:13 Speaker 1: Yeah. That period of time I was going to come down, we were going to talk at NXT. And then to my shock, you were gone. Yes. 00:56:21 Speaker 2: And I've shocked people with my departure before. 00:56:23 Speaker 1: I understand. I was like, no, they're gone. That person is gone. That decision to leave, hard decision? 00:56:30 Speaker 2: Incredibly. 00:56:31 Speaker 1: Yeah? Yeah. 00:56:32 Speaker 3: It was something that I had been thinking about for I think about a year prior. 00:56:38 Speaker 1: Yeah. 00:56:38 Speaker 3: And I knew that my contract was up in February. And... A couple of things had been happening. There's a lot of different reasons why I chose to leave. And it was incredibly hard. But I felt like it was time. I really, really wanted to grow. And I didn't feel like I was in a position at WWE to where I could grow. And I'm incredibly grateful for my time there. I would not change it for the world. But I think I just, I knew. I was like, okay, I need to do something else. I need to to learn and grow and see what's on the other side. 00:57:14 Speaker 2: Well, only you know. 00:57:16 Speaker 1: Yeah. Right? And so many of our mentors, when we have family, it makes it worse. Yeah. Because family is going to tell you their experience. This is your experience. Yeah. 00:57:24 Speaker 2: I'm going to tell you something funny based on the word grow that is directly tied to your father. 00:57:30 Speaker 1: Of course. 00:57:30 Speaker 2: Do you know this story? 00:57:31 Speaker 1: Did I tell you this? I blew a meeting, I'm pretty sure, based on some advice he gave me over the word grow. I don't know. Have I shared this with you? 00:57:41 Speaker 3: I don't think I know this one. Oh, I have? 00:57:42 Speaker 2: This has been on the pod before? Okay, yes, basically. 00:57:45 Speaker 3: We can cut this. 00:57:46 Speaker 1: No, I let it ride. I went to a pretty high-level meeting, general meeting, meaning there is no reason you're meeting other than to get to know each other and see if you can work on each other. 00:57:55 Speaker 2: Hey, what are you interested in? Typically, those meetings go well for me today because of WWE. 00:58:01 Speaker 3: Right. 00:58:01 Speaker 2: Oh, man, tell us about that. That's not normally what they get in there often. 00:58:05 Speaker 1: Right. So I typically feel like I thrive in those settings. I didn't because he told me, your father told me. 00:58:14 Speaker 3: Was he in the general or no? 00:58:16 Speaker 1: No. I said, I'm

meeting this guy. Okay. And he said, you should, you know. 00:58:20 Speaker 3: He sent you a voice note and he said. 00:58:21 Speaker 1: He might have. Say this. He said, never tell people that you don't want to be in TV film. Don't be one of these wrestlers that's like. 00:58:30 Speaker 3: Oh, yeah. 00:58:30 Speaker 1: Hey, I love my job. 00:58:32 Speaker 3: Right. 00:58:33 Speaker 1: No, you love your job. 00:58:34 Speaker 2: You're not hurting a wrestling fan's feeling by telling them, yeah, I'd love to be. 00:58:38 Speaker 3: You'd be surprised. I feel like a lot of wrestling fans do get hurt over that, but that's another topic for another time. 00:58:43 Speaker 1: If you ask a wrestler who wants to be in the Odyssey, we were talking about that earlier. Right. 00:58:49 Speaker 2: If you find one that says no, you've found a liar. You really have. 00:58:54 Speaker 1: So wrestling fans, we like telling stories without falling down sometimes. 00:58:58 Speaker 3: Yeah. 00:58:59 Speaker 1: It's a similar process in a way, very similar process. But he told me that I should just always say when that question comes up, do you want to leave? Do you want, is that, well, I'm looking to grow. 00:59:09 Speaker 3: Yes. 00:59:10 Speaker 2: And man i must have said. 00:59:12 Speaker 1: Grow 12 times in the first form did it work no the guy oh no you know who do you know here well um things are going great rest in wise but i am looking to grow okay Do. 00:59:27 Speaker 2: You want anything to drink? 00:59:28 Speaker 1: Coke? 00:59:28 Speaker 2: Diet Coke? 00:59:29 Speaker 3: Oh, this was in person. 00:59:30 Speaker 1: Yes. Oh, my God. 00:59:33 Speaker 2: I think I told him after. 00:59:34 Speaker 1: I was like, hey. 00:59:34 Speaker 3: I blew this meeting. 00:59:36 Speaker 1: I'm going to blew this because of your advice. 00:59:37 Speaker 3: Insert guy. 00:59:38 Speaker 1: After leaving, have you stayed close with some of your friends down there? I have. 00:59:42 Speaker 3: Yeah. 00:59:42 Speaker 2: That's good. 00:59:43 Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah. 00:59:44 Speaker 2: Do you think your time in the ring is done? 00:59:46 Speaker 3: I hope not. I was actually just thinking about this today. Right. I don't think so. I have a couple injuries that I need to sort out. And then when that is done. 00:59:55 Speaker 1: Sure. 00:59:56 Speaker 2: Do you want to know the Nightmare Factory lesson on injuries? 00:59:59 Speaker 3: Sure, yeah. 01:00:01 Speaker 2: You'll always work hurt, never work injured. 01:00:05 Speaker 1: I say that, and then there is a giant photo of me working an event with my completely torn back, completely injured. 01:00:12 Speaker 2: So it's very hypocritical, but I do mean it. 01:00:14 Speaker 3: But very on brand for wrestling. 01:00:16 Speaker 2: Yeah, in my case, it's what I did, but you shouldn't. 01:00:20 Speaker 3: Right. I do actually, and even just looking at the ring right now, I do genuinely miss actually wrestling. Because for my last, I think, two months there, I wasn't. So even when I was general manager, I was still actually training. I was still wrestling. But then for my last two months there, I was in so much pain that I wasn't actually wrestling. So I do miss that. 01:00:42 Speaker 1: For sure. For sure. And again, young, the world ahead of you, executive work ahead of you. Type A may be executive work. Type A may be wrestling work. The cool thing is most people would never do what you did. And I don't know if enough people tell you that. And it's maybe the one thing I can speak to you from experience on. Because I think a lot of people BS. And the decision to leave is sometimes impossible. 01:01:19 Speaker 3: It felt that way for a really long time. 01:01:21 Speaker 1: Yeah. 01:01:22 Speaker 2: But when you do it, you do it. And then you go and you find who you are and who knows where it will lead you. 01:01:28 Speaker 1: Most people don't find the thing and you've already found one thing. One thing. One thing. The journey's never really been just mine. A lot of you have carried it with me, and some of you are passing it down to your kids now. That's why there's an entire Cody Rhodes section on Fanatics and WWE Shop. From the easy-to-find, hard-to-beat collection to the American Nightmare and Captain Rhodes capsules, tees, windbreakers, jackets, weight belts, and collectibles, there's something for longtime fans and the next generation just getting started. You want to check out this segue? You ready for this? 01:02:03 Speaker 3: Let's do it. Three, two, one. 01:02:04 Speaker 2: You remember when I was talking about cowboys earlier? 01:02:07 Speaker 1: Yes. 01:02:08 Speaker 2: Okay. 01:02:10 Speaker 1: I didn't tell you my story, but give me your type A executive and because you have Booker brain too. Okay. Because you've been around putting the industry together. How would you feel about my character with a cowboy hat? 01:02:27 Speaker 3: I would think of your dad instantly. 01:02:29 Speaker 1: Yes, right? Yep. 01:02:31 Speaker 2: Okay, well, we were really close. 01:02:33 Speaker 3: I'm trying to imagine you on that poster. 01:02:35 Speaker 1: Black hat. 01:02:36 Speaker 3: With a cowboy hat. 01:02:37 Speaker 2: So I was coming back. 01:02:39 Speaker 3: It could work. 01:02:40 Speaker 1: Okay. Yeah. So I was coming back at a show. I believe it was Logan Paul and John Cena in the ring, and I was jumping them after I'd been away. I thought about wearing all black with a black cowboy hat. 01:02:51 Speaker 3: The hat would have gone flying. 01:02:53 Speaker 1: Yeah, it definitely would have just. 01:02:54 Speaker 2: Been a quick look. 01:02:55 Speaker 1: Right. 01:02:56 Speaker 2: But my logic in it was my dad quarter-horsed. They're from Austin. I read this dumb horse book as a kid. 01:03:05 Speaker 1: I'm from Georgia. I have some ownership of it. You'd be surprised. Three out of the four guys that I speak to about everything gave me a thumbs up. 01:03:21 Speaker 2: It

was just one who said, you know, I don't think that's going to work. 01:03:27 Speaker 1: I got to be honest. I think that's, he said, I think that's going to be distracting. 01:03:30 Speaker 3: Who said this? 01:03:31 Speaker 1: Huh? 01:03:32 Speaker 3: Who said this? 01:03:32 Speaker 2: The one who told me it was going to. 01:03:33 Speaker 1: Be distracting and made the decision ultimately was Bruce Prichard. He said, I think this is going to distract from. 01:03:39 Speaker 3: What we do. I think he's right. I think in the In that instance, I think. Like, you're already coming back, you're jumping people, and you got a cowboy hat on? 01:03:48 Speaker 1: Yeah. 01:03:48 Speaker 3: That's a lot. 01:03:49 Speaker 1: Just the way you said it is jarring. Yeah, exactly. Oh, man. 01:03:52 Speaker 3: But maybe, like, you can introduce it casually now. Maybe. Like, you can do an appearance with the hat on. You can do a podcast segment with the hat on. 01:03:58 Speaker 2: Well, cowboy time. 01:04:02 Speaker 3: Yes, this is part of the show. 01:04:03 Speaker 1: Cowboy time. 01:04:04 Speaker 2: We just discovered a new segment. 01:04:06 Speaker 1: Well, here's what I, like, you've heard this before. Everybody needs to be produced. And that I'm so grateful to have the, the people I have in my life and then in management to produce me. 01:04:22 Speaker 2: Cause I, nine out of 10 of my ideas are bad. 01:04:26 Speaker 1: You know, I'm good for a banger idea, but nine out of 10 are like the cowboy hat would have been distracting. Who knows? 01:04:33 Speaker 2: Um, but I'm, I'm good for, I'm good for an idea. You're a, we haven't talked about your girlfriend at all. 01:04:38 Speaker 1: Yeah. 01:04:38 Speaker 3: Is that okay? Absolutely. 01:04:40 Speaker 1: Inbounds? Inbounds. She is training. For sure. She is. 01:04:43 Speaker 3: Yes. 01:04:43 Speaker 2: Tell me about it. You lock it up with her? 01:04:45 Speaker 3: Sometimes. She loves to practice all. I will say this. Her strikes are very good because she practices them on me all the time. 01:04:52 Speaker 1: Nice. 01:04:52 Speaker 3: But she has never actually hit me. It is really, really impressive. I've actually never seen someone who did not come from wrestling with such good strike precision. 01:05:01 Speaker 2: So she's talented. 01:05:02 Speaker 3: Yes. 01:05:03 Speaker 1: Very. She's talented. 01:05:03 Speaker 2: She's talented. 01:05:04 Speaker 3: I think another thing that I love is it's, so she was a wrestling fan her whole life, obviously did not come from wrestling, came from a TV background. I feel like I've gained a different perspective of the business as opposed to like, I think mine is similar to yours. We've grown up in this. It's very like secular, but I think it's been very eyeopening to see her perspective coming in and how she is learning the business and like she sees different things and she struggles with different things. And I'm like, oh yes, this would, make sense for someone who is

coming into this world that is like so incredibly foreign and weird and there's all these weird nuances and rules and performativeness. 01:05:46 Speaker 1: Yeah, there's a whole subculture, a whole language, nomenclature, but yes. 01:05:51 Speaker 2: You said her strikes were really good, right? 01:05:53 Speaker 3: Yeah. 01:05:54 Speaker 2: So I don't know if you've ever heard. 01:05:55 Speaker 3: Impressively good. 01:05:56 Speaker 1: See that? 01:05:56 Speaker 2: You know you're talented. 01:05:58 Speaker 3: Yeah. 01:05:58 Speaker 1: I don't know if you've ever heard this story. Cardona is one of the stiffest wrestlers of all time. And it's from his Deep South training where that was a thing, lay it in. 01:06:09 Speaker 2: But not just lay it in, just stiff people. 01:06:11 Speaker 1: Just hit them, yeah. And I think Chelsea didn't know until deep into their, maybe into their marriage. 01:06:17 Speaker 3: Because Chelsea's not stiff at all. 01:06:18 Speaker 1: No, and she worked him maybe to get ready for something, but she was shocked. That's it. 01:06:24 Speaker 2: What are we doing? 01:06:26 Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah, he is a real potato factory. 01:06:31 Speaker 3: Potato factory. 01:06:32 Speaker 1: He is a total potato factory. But then he's sensitive, too. You know how stiff people are? 01:06:36 Speaker 3: Yeah. 01:06:37 Speaker 1: Yeah, well, it's good. Her strikes are good. 01:06:38 Speaker 3: Strikes are good, yeah. 01:06:40 Speaker 1: She's cruising through. She is, yeah. 01:06:41 Speaker 2: Is she still working with QT at all? 01:06:42 Speaker 1: Yes. All right. I didn't lead you astray there, right? 01:06:46 Speaker 3: No, you didn't, QT. 01:06:47 Speaker 1: I know you found him. 01:06:47 Speaker 3: He's been amazing, yeah. He's been super helpful. 01:06:49 Speaker 1: He doesn't get enough shout-outs on this pod. 01:06:51 Speaker 3: I agree. 01:06:51 Speaker 1: Yeah, he doesn't. 01:06:52 Speaker 3: Yeah. 01:06:52 Speaker 2: And now as a growing executive of seven bucks, what are you looking to do next? Don't say grow. Although that's what we're both looking to do, you know. 01:07:05 Speaker 3: I don't know if I can pinpoint anything in particular. I'll give you another. 01:07:08 Speaker 1: Yeah. 01:07:09 Speaker 3: This is not the right use of juxtaposition, but another word similar to grow, learn. 01:07:14 Speaker 1: I'm about to. Yeah. There you go. 01:07:16 Speaker 2: Were you at NYU at one point? 01:07:18 Speaker 3: So I was going to go to NYU. 01:07:20 Speaker 1: Okay. 01:07:20 Speaker 3: And then I did not because I wanted to stay in Orlando and learn how to wrestle. 01:07:25 Speaker 1: As a classic wrestler. Classic wrestling. 01:07:28 Speaker 2: In your blood wrestling. But what were you going to pursue there? 01:07:32 Speaker 3: I was going to study political science. 01:07:34 Speaker 1: Political science? Shocker. 01:07:36 Speaker 3: Yeah. 01:07:38 Speaker 1: I said that like I know what political science is. 01:07:40 Speaker

3: I believed you. 01:07:40 Speaker 2: Tell me what political science is. 01:07:42 Speaker 1: I don't know. 01:07:42 Speaker 3: I didn't study it. 01:07:43 Speaker 1: Okay. Yeah. It's fair. It's fair. So you were going to study political science. 01:07:48 Speaker 2: Do you at all, do you think about going back and getting? 01:07:53 Speaker 1: I do. 01:07:53 Speaker 3: It does cross my mind. 01:07:55 Speaker 1: I mean, that higher education you're getting now is different from a school higher education. This is such a random thing, but I always wish my dad had a degree because he was. 01:08:08 Speaker 2: Our junior football coach, like middle school, right? Junior high, whatever. And everyone loved him. 01:08:14 Speaker 1: And in this part of where we are now, where the Nightmare Factory is, most people knew him as Coach. 01:08:21 Speaker 2: They didn't really know him as Dusty. 01:08:23 Speaker 3: Coach Dusty. 01:08:23 Speaker 2: Yeah, it was like they didn't know his wrestling career. 01:08:25 Speaker 1: Yeah. He was their coach. 01:08:26 Speaker 3: He was their coach, yeah. 01:08:28 Speaker 1: And when we went to high school, the program was awful. 01:08:31 Speaker 2: It was awful. 01:08:32 Speaker 1: And all these parents were rallying to try and get a fake degree. Some online degree for my dad, because that was the rules of Georgia public school. Oh, yeah. 01:08:40 Speaker 2: He had to have a degree to be a coach. A head coach, too. He wasn't coming in. 01:08:44 Speaker 1: Ah, yeah. But it was an old thing, and I wish he had. Political science. 01:08:49 Speaker 3: Political science. Yeah. 01:08:50 Speaker 2: Well, you didn't study it, so. 01:08:52 Speaker 3: I didn't. 01:08:52 Speaker 1: No. 01:08:53 Speaker 2: Sounds good, though. 01:08:56 Speaker 1: Wheelie American Vodka and myself, we like to call ourselves. the American Dream Team. That's who I'm taking with me. I like to ask all our guests, on what do you want to talk about, who their American Dream Team is. And sometimes we have to make this clear. It can be whoever you want. It can be how many you want, but it might be easier just to say War Games team. 01:09:18 Speaker 3: Okay, like my Avengers. 01:09:19 Speaker 1: Oh, your Avengers, even better. Yes, yes. 01:09:22 Speaker 2: Who's coming with you? 01:09:24 Speaker 3: People in wrestling. 01:09:26 Speaker 1: No, anybody. We've had everybody. We had animals. 01:09:29 Speaker 3: Oh, my. 01:09:30 Speaker 1: Yeah, mine changes a lot, too, so don't feel. This is broad. 01:09:33 Speaker 3: The first person, because I'm looking at him right now, that I'm putting on my team is Snoop Dogg for the sole reason that. Shane got hurt, and he carried on with that match. He did his thing. 01:09:42 Speaker 1: What a G, huh? 01:09:43 Speaker 3: Yeah. Good pun. I'm putting Snoop Dogg on my team. 01:09:48 Speaker 1: Aside on Snoop Dogg really quick, I was on a TV show with him, a game show, and I went to his trailer one night just to spend some time with. 01:09:55 Speaker 2: Him, and I've probably never gotten better wrestling advice. 01:10:00 Speaker 3: That's what I mean. 01:10:01 Speaker 1: I'm putting him on my team. He was talking about being consistent. 01:10:06 Speaker 2: He was not changing. 01:10:08 Speaker 1: Throughout times that the world was changing and then that brand was solidified. He was teaching me about marketing and brand without saying the words marketing and brand. 01:10:17 Speaker 2: But we love the dog father on our show. He's on your team. 01:10:21 Speaker 3: He's on my team. I'm going to stick to people in wrestling before it gets too broad. 01:10:24 Speaker 1: You do whoever you want. 01:10:26 Speaker 3: Who else am I thinking of? I'm going to put Rhea on my team. 01:10:31 Speaker 1: Rhea Ripley? Yeah. Okay. 01:10:32 Speaker 3: I'm going to put Rhea on my team. 01:10:33 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean... She's a G. 01:10:35 Speaker 3: I'm going to put my girlfriend Tatiana on my team. 01:10:37 Speaker 1: Tatiana's on the team. 01:10:38 Speaker 3: Her striking precision. 01:10:38 Speaker 1: Probably should have put her on before Snoop and Rhea. I know. 01:10:42 Speaker 3: I know. Who else am I putting on my team? 2009 Randy Orton. 01:10:48 Speaker 2: Voldemort Randy. 01:10:49 Speaker 1: Yep. That's what I call him. 01:10:50 Speaker 3: Voldemort Randy. 01:10:51 Speaker 1: Voldemort Randy. 01:10:51 Speaker 3: Voldemort Randy's going on my team. 01:10:53 Speaker 1: It's amazing that people are so– that have such a knowledge of 2009. 2009 Randy. Shaved head. 01:10:59 Speaker 3: Yep. 01:11:02 Speaker 1: All that weight he lost. 01:11:03 Speaker 3: 2009 Randy is going on my team. 01:11:06 Speaker 1: Okay. 2009 Randy. 01:11:08 Speaker 3: And you know who I'm putting on my team? Shayna Baszler. 01:11:11 Speaker 1: Shayna Baszler? 01:11:12 Speaker 3: I'm putting Shayna on my team. She's a pretty great team. I'm putting Shayna on my team. 01:11:14 Speaker 1: All right. So we've got Tatiana in the first spot. 01:11:16 Speaker 3: First spot. 01:11:17 Speaker 1: Okay. 01:11:17 Speaker 2: Tatiana's in the first spot. 01:11:19 Speaker 1: We've got- Snoop Dogg. Snoop Dogg. Shayna Baszler in 2009. That's why I'm working. I'm not at that team at all. I think Randy's in a unique setting. Yeah. 01:11:31 Speaker 3: They'll figure it out. 01:11:32 Speaker 1: Especially 2009. 01:11:32 Speaker 2: Mine, Randy. 01:11:34 Speaker 1: But yeah, that may be the best team ever listed on the show. This is a jingle for Wheatley Vodka. 01:11:43 Speaker 3: Okay, let's hear it. 01:11:44 Speaker 2: I'm going to ask you to replace a word. 01:11:46 Speaker 1: Very patriotic. 01:11:51 Speaker 3: Okay. 01:11:52 Speaker 1: Okay. Really patriotic, huh? 01:12:01 Speaker 3: Very cowboy. 01:12:03 Speaker 1: How do you feel about that patriotism? In this? 01:12:05 Speaker 2: In that, yeah. 01:12:07 Speaker 3: It's on brand. 01:12:08 Speaker 2: You're okay with it, right? 01:12:09 Speaker 3: All right. Checks out. 01:12:10 Speaker 2: So, Wheatley, so good I drink it neatly is what they're saying. 01:12:15 Speaker 3: Yeah. 01:12:16 Speaker 2: If you had to take the word. 01:12:17 Speaker 1: Neatly out and put something in there, what would you do? Wheatley, so good I drink it. 01:12:21 Speaker 3: Does it have to rhyme? 01:12:22 Speaker 2: No, it doesn't. 01:12:23 Speaker 1: I think sometimes people search for the rhyme. 01:12:27 Speaker 3: Belligerently. 01:12:28 Speaker 1: Wow. Wow. Belligerently. 01:12:30 Speaker 3: I'm trying to think of a word that was completely opposite of neatly. 01:12:33 Speaker 1: I'm going to be honest. Drinking Wheatley vodka, belligerently. 01:12:36 Speaker 3: Completely opposite of neatly. 01:12:39 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's popping me, though. Belligerently. 01:12:41 Speaker 2: Yeah, so we know when you're drinking Wheatley, you're going to be belligerently. 01:12:44 Speaker 1: Belligerently, there you go. 01:12:45 Speaker 3: I'm sure they're going to love that. 01:12:47 Speaker 1: Tagline on there. Honestly, they're going to pop for it. Let them know. All right? If you see her with Wheatley in her hand, approach with caution. 01:12:54 Speaker 2: It's belligerently. 01:12:55 Speaker 1: Yeah. I like that one a lot. 01:12:57 Speaker 3: Yeah, total opposite of neatly. 01:12:59 Speaker 1: That was a good one. 01:12:59 Speaker 3: Thank you. 01:13:00 Speaker 1: Simone, we did a little bit of matching today with your brown shoes. 01:13:04 Speaker 3: We did. 01:13:04 Speaker 1: Brown tie. 01:13:05 Speaker 2: Hey, thank you for coming. 01:13:06 Speaker 3: Thank you so much. 01:13:06 Speaker 1: Made the trip to the Nightmare Factory. 01:13:09 Speaker 3: Yeah, thank you for having me. 01:13:10 Speaker 2: And I hope we have another conversation on this pod. 01:13:13 Speaker 3: I'd love to. 01:13:14 Speaker 2: I'm excited about your type A. 01:13:16 Speaker 1: Thank you for teaching me that. 01:13:17 Speaker 3: Thank you. 01:13:18 Speaker 1: I'm excited about your next steps in this world and, you know, Maybe. 01:13:24 Speaker 2: We do our angle one day. 01:13:26 Speaker 1: One day. 01:13:26 Speaker 3: Fingers crossed. 01:13:27 Speaker 1: Maybe. Fingers crossed. Yes. 01:13:28 Speaker 2: Ladies and gentlemen, what do you want to talk about? Simone Johnson. 01:13:32 Speaker 3: Thank you, guys.