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Interview Recap - Chris Cruise

Posted in Interview Recaps by Jack at 14:18, Jul 23 2007

by Norrin Radd

July 18th, 2007 IYH Chris Cruise Interview Recap
by Norrin Radd

Chris Cruise, former WCW announcer, was the guest on the July 18th, 2007 edition of the In Your Head radio show hosted by Jack, OneInchBiceps and Barbie Richards at http://www.inyourheadonline.com.

Chris was there to promote the NWA Legends Fanfest August 10th-12th in Charlotte, North Carolina. For more information visit http://www.nwalegends.com.

Chris announced that he would also be hosting a Q&A session at the NWA Legends Fanfest with original 4 Horsemen members Tully Blanchard, Ole Anderson, and JJ Dillon.

Caller, ElTNAfan, asked Chris Cruise what his thoughts were on TNA announcer Don West. Chris said his thoughts on Don were probably the same as many other peoples, which was puzzlement about how he got the position. He said Don West was definitely passionate.

Host Jack asked Chris if he thought there was anyone in WWE who will be capable of replacing Jim Ross when he retires from announcing. Chris said he didn?t think so. Jim Ross is irreplacable, Chris said.

Chris said he felt that the role of announcer is a very underrated role in professional wrestling.

Jack asked if looks are too much of a factor in choosing announcers in today?s business. Chris said he thought so. He said the Belles Palsy that Jim Ross suffers from isn?t a distraction for him, but he has friends who say it is a distraction for them when they see Ross on television.

ElTNAfan asked what Chris Cruise?s thoughts were on the Chris Benoit tragedy. Cruise said he thought it was pretty clear about an hour after the news broke that Benoit was probably the perpetrator and that WWE probably shouldn?t have had a show at all that night.

The converstation then turned back the NWA Legends Fanfest and the many wrestlers interacting directly with the fans in attendance. Jim Cornette was mentioned among many other names. Jack asked if Chris thought the reason that Jim Cornette was so successful in the wrestling business was because he was so passionate about it. Chris said yes, that many people have a passion for something like pro wrestling but don?t have the mind for it, but Jim studied and respected the business and had the mind for it.

Jack mentioned that Chris and Jim were both going to be the hosts of the Hall of Heroes dinner banquet at Fanfest on Friday night.

Chris was asked if he thought was an honor to have Jim Cornette verbally abuse him. Chris said absolutely. He said he met Cornette in the late 80s when he was doing his first audition in Columbia, SC. Cornette whacked him on the back with his tennis racket.

Jack mentioned some of the other names at the Fanfest such as Ted DiBiase, Dustin Rhodes, and Tully Blanchard. He also mentioned that some have said that the match between Dustin Rhodes and Tully Blanchard will be Blanchard?s last match.

Chris mentioned the great booking of the Fanfest by Greg Price, having stars from the past and also stars from today at the show for the fans.

Jack said that he?s really looking forward to the Q&As and that he was actually on one of them last year, and spoke about Jim Cornette poking fun at him for traveling all the way from Cape Cod to see him.

A fan asked if Chris still goes by the name Crispy Cruiser. Chris said Terry Funk gave him that name and said that you have to be an old time fan to remember. He said he got call from Sal Corinthian eariler in the day he called him that.

They then spoke about the state of wrestling and syndication and how cable has seemed to have ended shows being syndicated.

Jack asked if he was ever confronted by a wrestler who didn?t like something that he had said during commentary. Chris said most of the wrestlers were so busy that they never got the chance to really watch the shows. He also said most of the wrestlers treated the commentators like they ?one of the suits? or in the office and would never confront you directly because you never knew who you were working with next and it could the person you?re talking about.

Chris spoke of the example of Eric Bischoff and Diamond Dallas Page. Bischoff was just an announcer and Page was very nice to him at the time and Eric never forgot that and it paid off later for DDP.

Chris said he only worked for Eric Bischoff for a short period of time. He spoke of how Terry Taylor said no one speaks to Eric unless they want something, and how Eric was always racing in and out to avoid people.

They spoke about the WCW All Nighter and how he was just thrown out there.

Chris was asked if his opinion of Joey Styles has changed. Chris said he thought that Joey was really a creation of Paul Heyman and that you wouldn?t want anyone else calling the old ECW shows, but that Joey is just miscast in WWE and that he has almost a radio style of announcing on television and that it doesn?t really work or help today.

Bill Apter was mentioned as also being at the Fanfest. Chris spoke of how everyone use to get their news from the Apter magazines and that?s how everyone learned about the other territories. Chris also spoke about how the magazines are rather markish and don?t really seem to work anymore.

Chris said that he felt that the internet was good and bad for wrestling, that organizations give too much power to the internet.
They spoke about Lex Luger being at the Fanfest and how he wasn?t fun to deal with back in the day, and that it should be interesting to have him there.

Chris then told a story from a previous wrestling Fanfest. He spoke about the members of Demolition, Bill Edie and Barry Darsow getting back together and how he had had a conversation with Bill Edie shortly beforehand that made it a surprise that they reconciled.

Chris let the fans know before leaving that he was very approachable and loves to sign things and talk wrestling with the fans simply as fans together of the business.

Chris and Mike Tenay have been to Abby's House of Ribs. Abdullah was there.

NWA Legends Fanfest August 10th-12th in Charlotte, North Carolina. For more information visit http://www.nwalegends.com.

Check out the actual interview in it's entirety at In Your Head radio and join the show live this Wednesday at 8e/9c pm for an interview with Dustin ?Goldust? Rhodes at http://www.inyourheadonline.com.

If you use this please credit: Norrin Radd and www.inyourheadonline.com

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