Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/RKwprllNp7s

 

 

On how he started doing wrestling interviews:

"Well, it started from somewhat of a dark palce. I had just broken up with my girlfriend of 2 years and I didn't know what I was going to devote the time I had spent on her to. I was going to Mesa Community College and running a hard rock and heavy metal site called Metal Trinity, don't google it, it no longer exists. I also was writing on a wrestling site called Chairshots. Well, I turned on TNA Wrestling back when they were doing the Wednesday night pay-per-views and out walked Trinity. I thought, "Metal Trinity, a wrestler named Trinity. I can do a cross over interview into wrestling!" I emailed her, almost immediately she emailed back and was interested. That was the start of it all.!"

 

On getting big name guests very early on:

"Well, Daniel Edler became my co-host. He went on to run IPW UK in England. He also worked on the Chairshots site along with "The Z Man" TWom Zenk. I posted the Trinity interview on there and from that, he contacted me and we talked about doing something together. From that, The Interactive Interview was born!"

 

On the moment he knew wrestling interviews were his calling:

"It was when we interviewed "Macho Man' Randy Savage. Daniel (Edler) was a wizard when it came to coming up with phone numbers. And, you have to remember, this was before Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and all other forms of social media. If you were going to get an interview, you had to cold-call the guest which was dangerous because they could see you as someone trying to talk to them about their car's extended warrantee! But, we called "Macho" up and he said he would do it, "Call me back in 20 minutes!" I was like, "All right!" and jumped up and down like an 8 year old on Christmas morning. We did the interview and during it, I asked a question about when he piledrove Ricky Morton of the Rock & Roll Express through a table in Memphis and if that brought about the overly abundant use of tables in wrestling today. He paused for a second and said, "Ooh! You really know the business!" That was it. That was the ultimate. One of my heroes, Hulk Hogan was always number 1 but "Macho" was always in slot 1A, just said I really know the business. I knew I was going to do this forever and a day right then and there!"

 

On getting on AM radio in 2005:

"I'm not easy to get along with. Sometimes I say the most inappropriate thing at the most inappropriate time. And, I think Daniel (Edler) and I were getting on each other's nerves. I think he'd agree with that. So, our partnership was over and I knew I had to move on to something else to keep going. I'll never forget, Arizona State University, where I was going and later graduated from, had a radio station called "The Blaze" 1260 AM. On their site, they had a little form to fill out for students that wanted to apply to do a radio show. On that form, it let you post an idea of what your show would be. Then, it asked you to post your 3 favorite bands and I was sure the people in charge would think I was 500 years old. I put down Dokken, Warrant, and KISS. By the way, those are still 3 of my favorite bands today. I put down that I wanted to do a wrestling talk show and that I had, at that point, already done about 100 interviews so it would be possible to continue to get guests. I figured the worst that could happen is they read it, think I'm a joke, and never respond. Well, they did respond. They asked if I had any actual on air experience. I said, "Actual on air experience? No." (laughs) So, they lumped me with a co-host who also had an interest in wrestling. His name was Chuck Helstein, he went by Chuck D. He went on to be pretty successful in radio. But, he and I were polar opposites. I was a rock and roll band or wrestling T shirt and jeans and he was Abercrombie and Fitch preppy. I was conservative, he was liberal. I like sleazy rock & roll, he liked gangsta rap. As people, we couldn't have been more different. But, opposites attract and together, for about a year, we were rockin' and rollin' and did some pretty big things."

 

On the weekly Wednesday night AM radio shows:

"We didn't lie - The Brady Bunch would call it "guilding the lilly a little." (laughs) What I mean by that is when we would call people like Hulk Hogan's representatives, we would say we were from "The Blaze" 1260 AM in Arizona. We would not say that we were calling from the Arizona State University college radio station because the call letters sounded more impressive than a school name. So, we used that to our advantage and scored interviews with guys like Hulk Hogan, Batista, Shawn Michaels, and some othe names the station pushed back on because they were the "old names" like Dusty Rhodes and Lee Marshall. But, classic wrestling is what I love. And, those are the guys I wanted on. To some extent, I got away with it."

 

On launching the www.WrestlingEpicenter.com website:

"That happened after the partnership with Daniel Edler went away. He owned The Interactive Interview dot com site, don't google that either. It doesn't exist! So, I would do the interviews with him, record the interviews, and send him the audio but he ran the site. Well, the site went away pretty quickly when things went south with us. Little did he know I kept a copy of everything we did. I'm glad I did because I brought all of that over to the Wrestling Epicenter site with me and it is still there today. In fact, Daniel contacted me a few months ago and asked if I still had our old content because he wanted to listen to it. So, it all woked out. Anyway, I needed a name and was watching Sportscenter while thinking about what to call our show. Over the phone, my friend Erik Clancy and Patrick Kellyey. buffed out the name and we came to the name Wrestling Epicenter at almost the same time. I wish I chose a different name, though. To this day, some people have no idea what an Epicenter is!"

 

On how running a website has changed since starting it over 20 years ago:

"The one way it has changed is there was no social media back then. So, you had to have a forum or a message board stored on your site that you had to moderate. So, we had one. It was pretty popular. "The Queen of Extreme" Francine was on there. Marty Jannetty was on there too. In fact, that is how I met my wife. She joined and was a part of the forum and saw that the Marty section was out of hand. He had brought with him a lot of his fans and some of them were wild. So, I made her the moderator of the section. From talking to her every night about that section, we found we hit it off and even with an ocean between us, we found each other. We've been married for 18 years now!"

 

On how his interview style has changed over the years:

"Back when I started, I was doing more of the straight forward shoot interview style. I still do chronological format for the interviews but instead of it being more of a dry question and answer session, I try to sprinkle in more anecdotes with the guest. Maybe do a goofy impression if the mood calls for it. Basically, I've loosened up a bit and tried to let more of my personality show. That came about during the AM radio show days because we had Francine as our call in guest-host for over a year including during the ECW One Night Stand, Extreme Reunion time. I couldn't just interview her every week about her career highlights. So, it kind of forced me to be more personab."

 

On what other podcasts he listens to:

"I do listen to Jim Cornette. I don't agree with him on much outside of wrestling and not everything within it. But, his old school stories are gold and that really is what I want to listen to - the classic stories he tells so well. I do check out Stevie Richards' podcast sometimes too. Of the podcast hosts, I think he's got the most level head view on critiquing a lot of the technical aspects of wrestling. Oh, and of course, WrestleZona!"

 

On who was his "white whale" interview he couldn't get:

"Roddy Piper. Roddy had done an interview with Chairshots right when I was getting started and I just couldn't get him. It wasn't for lack of trying! A friend of mine did get him and asked me to write the questions for his interview. I did. And, he said I could use the interview as my own. I did. But, that wasn't really my interview. So, Roddy Piper is the one that got away. Another was Miss Elizabeth who I had met before. But, she died about six months into me doing interviews. I would have loved to have had her. The other, for a long time, was Tony Schiavone. I had him booked in 2004 to promote the Legends of Wrestling III video game that Acclaim was putting out. Then, Acclaim imploded in grand fashion and nobody got paid. I didn't even get my free copy of the game! Anyway, because it al imploded, no press for the game came to be and Tony was done with wrestling for a long time. It took about 15 years to get him but when he was doing stuff with MLW, I got him on. I wanted him from the start. I knew he would be a great interview. And, he was! He really was!"

 

On if it was easier or harder to secure interviews before or now:

"Definitely harder now than before. Back when I started, back in my day, there was no social media so you didn't have a direct pipeline to your public. I'm not bashing social media. And, not to take it to politics because people hate when I do but right now you could turn on the TV and see news reports about what political figures are doing and the same story is repeated over and over again. But now, due to social media, a political figure can post a message direct to the public and cut through the noise and set the record straight. In that sense, social media has been great. But, for people like us, it also makes our medium a little less attractive to the guest because why should they do an interview with someone they don't know who could ask something they don't want to talk about when, in their pocket, they have access to post exactly what they want to promote to a large number of their fans, a direct pipeline. So, it is harder to convince guests now to come on because of social media. And, because there are so many podcasts out there now, if one makes the mistake of paying for interviews, why should the guy who got paid to do one interview not expect to get paid to do another? In 905 interviews, I have never ever paid a penny for one. But, I do wish I had. Sabu wanted to be paid and I balked at it. I should have paid. It wasn't a large amount and now, well, you can't get that interview anymore."

 

On what he thinks of modern wrestling:

"You have two extremes right now. With WWE, you get a very long, very boring show full of ads. But, you do get that one magical moment that everyone talks about nearly every week. The question is, do you spend 3 hours watching a very boring show full of commercials to see that special moment live or just catch the highlights after the fact? With WWE, I just watch the highlights now. Then there's AEW which is almost schizophrenic! You've got guys diving through fire, girls bleeding, and angles that don't always make sense or even lead anywhere. I do watch AEW. I feel I have to watch some wrestling to stay into it. But, I wish there were a logicla medle ground."

 

On if tribalism is worse now than ever in wrestling:

"It is. But, it isn't new. I remember being at Survivor Series 1996. I was not a WWF fame at the time but I got free tickets from Todd Pettengill's WPLJ show in New York. So, I was a good soldier. I went in my Bret Hart T shirt - I also have interviewed Bret. Anyway, I got there and behind me were two guys in flannel shirts open shirts and ECW shirts under it. They crapped all over everything they did at Survivor Series and chanted "ECW" whenever the crowd died down. They assumed, wrongly, that I wasn't an ECW fan and said a few sndie things my way until I surprised them by knowing what they were talking about. Anyway, also at the Survivor Series were a lot of nWo shirts and a roaming gaggle of fans that would show up at the entrance way of each section carrying massive nWo signs and chanting "nWo, nWo, nWo." It made it to TV. You can see it in a number of places. This was in Madison Square Garden! This was the WWF, WWE mecca! and, a Philadelphia based promotio had loud chants and the rival's biggest faction had loud chants and signs. That was early tribalism. And, some of it was as arrogant as today. But, today, if you say something nice about WWE? Well, you support the evil empire! If you say something nice about AEW? Well, you're an indy loving neckbeard with no life. Everyone jumps to extremes to defend their favorite brands... I was a Hulk hogan fan who loved the nWo and also was an ECW fanatic. So, I was far from a tribalist . Kind of an anamale!"

 

On how he stays interested in wrestling when the current product isn't doing it for him:

"I watch the old stuff! I love Hulk Hogan. I love the "Macho Man". I also go back and I watch the Global Wrestling Federation. Think of this. 5 days a week, every day at 4 p.m. after school on ESPN, there was wrestling! New episodes of episodic wrestling for 1 hour 5 days a week! I love that stuff. I've interviewed most of those guys. Jerry Lynn, Sean Waltman, The Patriot, Rod Price who was one of my all time favorite interviews. Chaz, John Tatum... Man, when I'm down on wrestling, a little Global goodness goes a long way!"

 

On the local independent scene in Arizona:

"First, the Navajo Warrior just retired last weekend. So, I want to say that I grew up in northern New Jersey where there was an independent event in short driving distance nearly every weekend. And, if you were willing to drive a little further, every single weekend. When I moved to Arizona in 2000, there was exactly nothing going on. Nothing. It was the wild west, man. But, navajo Warrior had IZW running and I found out about it not long later. I am so grateful for having any local wrestling back then. And, IZW is going strong today once again! So, congratulations to Navajo on his retirement. I think there are two really good promotions in Arizona and others that are coming along. IZW and PCW, PCWAZ!"

 

On interviewing a lot of PCW talent recently:

"When I first met Dom Vitalli, I was convinced he didn't like me. I just had that feeling. So, I slinked back a little bit. But, I actually saw that you interviewed him and I thought, "Let me ask if he would want to do one with me" and did. I'm glad I did! In talking to him, I've learned that we have very much the same views on pro wrestling and that his training facility is training the next generation of stars in a way that I would consider to be the absolute right way. Dom and I are both from the Northeast, botha round the same age, I think I might have him beat by a few months. But, he's a very smart guy. Jon Wolfgang is a great guy who I really think is a genuine person. And, Gabriel Gallo? He might be the toughest man I've ever met. They have a great crew at PCW."

 

On Dom Vitalli also loving Shane Douglas:

"Yes! We certainly bonded over that. If you ever want a master class on pro wrestling, watch "The Franchise" Shane Douglas from 1996 to 1998 especially. It is almost impossible tow atch Shane Douglas, when he's on, and not learn from him as a fan. In a lot of ways, and I'm dating myself by saying this, he's the same as one of his trainers. It is also impossible to watch "Hot Stuff' Eddie Gilbert stuff and not learn from him just by watching him. But, Shane Douglas, all throughout his career but especially from 1996 to 1998, he was the best around!"

 

On some of the local Arizona talent:

"One of the things that makes Arizona wrestling a little punk rock, even though I'm more of a glam metal guy I think punk rock fits here too, is that we have some of the best in the world and they don't get recognized the way they should. For example, PWI 500 just came out for 2025. I've not bought the magazine. But, from what I can glean online, it doesn't look like guys like Devin Reno or CLAS are on the list. Can you honestly say there are 500 active pro wrestlers right now better than those two? Throw in Enrique Calderon as well. I'm not saying they should be listed in the top 10. Those spots belong to the internationally known talent on American television. But, 500 guys listed and Arizona gets none on the list?

 

On the PCW experience being family like:

"One of the things I'm trying to get better at is meeting people in person. I'm very shy in person and totally not shy over the phone. Like, Sting! I have interviewed Sting two, three times. He liked our first one so much, he sent me a box of free Sting stuff. I still have it. I met him in May here in Mesa. And, I was so shy. I barely spoke. I should have told him who I was! But, I go up to a guy from PCW and say, "Hey, I'm James Walsh from..." and they say, "James! I know who you are!" That's different for me. I'm not used to being known! But, I think that is what Jon Wolfgang and the guys do. They bring it to a very family like environment and I love that."

 

On his favorite interviews:

"I hate to go back to it and say "Macho Man" Randy Savage again but that was so special to me. He was my 8th interview and really boosted my confidence. "The Walking Riot" Missy Hyatt ended up co-hosting one of our web shows for weekly updates and she was always a surprise and a blast. "Major Guns" Tylene Buck was fun because she got very flirty and that challenged my ability to maintain control of an interview - Plus, Major Guns was flirting with me!  Rod Price, as I said. Eddy Mansfield has challenged me by making me work without a script and roll with him. I get along great with Eddy. Hulk Hogan was a really good interview and he is and always will be my hero. So, that meant the world to me. There are a lot I'm very proud of. I've been blessed."

 

On what he hopes to be his legacy:

"I'm not sure there is a legacy for what we do. I don't think that there is. But, if there is anything I want people to say about me when I'm gone or stop doing this, it is that I never compromised. If the program director at Arizona State University said that Dusty Rhodes, Stevie Ray, or Lee Marshall were not big enough names, in their view, to have on, I had them on anyway and proved their value by doing a good interview with them. If I don't believe in a product or a project, I don't promote it. I only promote the things I like, believe in, or want my name to be associated with. That would be what I would want people to think."

 

On advice for young podcasters starting out:

"Keep your nose clean. But, be yourself. I'm opinionated on things. Just recently, I was shot down for an interview because the would-be guest read my Facebook and decided I was a "bad person." That is never nice to hear. I guess you have to realize everyone can see what you post. I'm not ashamed of any of it, though. I say most of what I say because it makes me laugh. If others are offended by it, that is their issue. But, keep in mind that everything you put out there live and in living color, if you will, can and will be used against you in the court of public