Will AEW tell Jim Ross to tone it down on his podcast?
As Jim Ross continues to deliver controversial and, at times, bizarre hot takes on his podcast, how will the folks over at AEW respond? If they respond at all.
Jim Ross, even during his days with the WWE, was never a stranger to controversy. Although, back then, Ross was more so affected by controversy (i.e. when he was fired two weeks after suffering bell’s palsy) opposed to stirring it up. But now, as an AEW commentator, his controversy meter has amped up to 11 as an agitator of controversy.
Most recently, on his Grilling J.R. podcast during the “Armageddon 2004” episode, he told Conrad Thompson that he sincerely believed that steroids should not be banned from professional wrestling. In fact, he thinks wrestlers should be encouraged to performance enhancing drugs. “Look, it’s a performance art. It’s not the NFL,” Ross elaborated in quotes transcribed by POST Wrestling.
Oh, and that’s just the kicker. JR spoke further on the matter later in the episode. “It has the same negative baggage that marijuana has. It has not been accepted widely, mass appeal … it has not been accepted widely enough to get that, ‘Ok, it’s alright.’”
This is not the first time this year that Jim Ross’ words got him in trouble. Let’s not forget that last month, fans were outraged during an episode of AEW Dynamite a couple weeks back when he referred to Emi Sakura as “oriental.”
He also stirred the pot in an October episode of his podcast, he said that Seth Rollins isn’t “as over as his girlfriend” in comments transcribed by TalkSport.
One has to wonder if AEW is going to ask Jim Ross to tone it down at some point. If not in regards to his on air commentary, then at least in regards to his podcast.
Even when he isn’t working as an AEW employee during his podcast and what he does on his pod is done on his own time, he is still representing AEW when away from the arena and many of the comments he’s made as of late do not offer a positive reflection of AEW as a brand.
NWA needs to take action, responsibility for Jim Cornette’s remarks airing. dark. Next
It may be in their best interests to have a word with J.R. before he says something far more damning on a microphone, regardless of whether he says it on his podcast or on television.