Former WWE Commentator Reveals Kevin Dunn Never Wanted To Hire Him

Posted By: Ben Jordan Kerin on Jun 08, 2022

NJPW commentator Kevin Kelly was recently interviewed during the latest episode of Colt Cabana’s Art of Wrestling podcast, during which he reflected on his time in WWE and revealed Executive Vice President of TV, Kevin Dunn never wanted to hire him:

“And that was a big issue for them [WWE] with me. ‘Oh, he’s a wrestling guy.’ Kevin Dunn never wanted to hire me. I don’t know if you know the story. So, I came up for the audition because Vince [McMahon] wanted to step away from doing announcing every week. So they had a big casting call, brought a bunch of people in and we’re gonna find the replacement announcer.

One at a time [the interview process]. I saw an attractive young lady sitting. She had already done her audition. She was waiting for the car to take her back and then I went upstairs to get makeup and…

I have no idea why they picked me, but they did and it was a three person committee that was in charge of the search. So it was Bruce Prichard, a woman named Lisa Wolfe who at the time was a Head of H.R. and Kevin Dunn, and I got picked 2-1 and Kevin Dunn was the lone dissenting vote. [I found that out] way after the fact… Why does he hate me? He never liked me, and then I found out. So, okay. So after the first year, he didn’t want me around anymore. I only had a one-year contract, I had moved my family to Connecticut and all on a one-year contract thinking, they’re gonna love me. It’s not gonna be a problem”