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PWINSIDER Q&A: BEST ANNOUNCER, RIC FLAIR IN POLITICS, SAVAGE-LETHAL AND MORE

Answered on 10/17

Someone recently asked either Dave Scherer or Buck Woodward who they considered the best wrestling commentator ever: Gordon Solie or Jim Ross. The response was Jim Ross. If Jim Ross is the best, then why does he have a partner by the name of Jerry "The King" Lawler? Gordon Solie never had one. Neither did Bob Caudle. Although legendary announcer Lance Russell worked with partner Dave Brown, he had done many live Memphis shows by himself. Why does Jim Ross have a partner if he's that good? Who's idea was it for him to be paired with Lawler? Did he ever object to the idea when it was first suggested? In your opinion, would he do a great job by himself?

I don't see how someone having a partner in the announce booth automatically makes them an inferior announcer.  In fact, in some ways you have to be a better announcer to work with someone else and get points across without stepping all over each other.  Jim Ross never protested being paired up with Jerry Lawler, or anyone, because for the last 20+  years, the major promotions (WCW and WWF) have always used a two-man (or three-man) announce team. I'm sure if the need arises, Jim Ross could easily handle calling a show by himself. 

I read one time where Triple H attends meetings with the WWE creative team. What position does he have with them? How often does he attend? Does he earn a salary as part of the creative team? If so, does this mean that Triple H earns two paychecks, one for wrestling, the other as a member of the creative team?

Triple H sits in on the meetings, more often than not, but he does not have an official title and does not earn a salary as a member of the creative team.  

There was a discussion one time of Ric Flair possibly running for Governor of North Carolina. With him possibly nearing the end of his great and legendary career in wrestling, any chance he might do so considering how well respected and popular he is?  What would be his chances of winning?

Honestly, I think Flair has a lot of skeletons in his closet that would probably prevent him from seriously entering politics.  At the same time, he does have a lot of popularity and is a well-known figure in North Carolina.  He would probably do a lot better than most people would think. 

Has Randy "Macho Man" Savage ever commented on TNA's Jay Lethal's impersonation of him? His manner of dress, his use of the elbow smash off the top turnbuckle, things like that. Could Savage sue Lethal for doing so without his permission claiming copyright infringement?

I don't believe Savage has ever made any public comment about the impersonation, but I have been told that Lethal has spoken with Savage, and that not only was Randy okay with the impersonation, but he also saw it as a tribute and was pleased with it. 

I can understand why TNA's limited taping schedule /lack of house shows is appealing to a few of their more established stars, who've already spent years driving from one town to the next, at expense of their health, their marriages, etc. That being said, how much to you think TNA's product suffers from NOT having house shows? Do you think that the indy schedule of so many of their younger stars helps compensate for lack of house shows? I'm not 100% clear on the economics of pro wrestling, but what kind of revenue stream is TNA not realizing, by keeping their product off the road on a regular basis?

Obviously for the younger stars (and some of the older ones), working the indy scene helps to make up for the fact that TNA doesn't run a lot of dates (and thus allows the wrestlers to make more income).  As for TNA, making money on house shows, it is a two sided coin.  On the one hand, if they are running a "sold" show (where a promoter pays TNA a flat fee for the show, then it is on him to draw a crowd) or a show where they know they will draw a solid number of fans, then the house shows can bring revenue into the company.  On the flip side, if you run a house show and it doesn't draw, the company can lose money on the venture very easily.  I think TNA has made the right move in slowly working their way into house show business. 

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