Keith Mitchell is one of the true behind-the-scenes pioneers in wrestling! Keith is a longtime TV producer who helped launch video packages and ring music entrances for wrestlers. Keith got his start in World Class Wrestling with the Von Erichs in the 80s before moving on to WCW followed by TNA and ultimately landing at AEW in 2019. And after 40 years in the biz, Keith retired last week after AEW Dynamite’s New Year’s Smash. Keith tells his wrestling story from his early days in TV sports produc...
Jan 05, 2022•1 hr 19 min•Transcript available on Metacast Stryper killed it onstage at the Chris Jericho Rock & Wrestling Rager At Sea Triple Whammy last October, and again during their live Talk Is Jericho podcast appearance on the ship! Brothers Robert and Michael Sweet tell stories from their early days including hanging out on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood, changing the band’s name from Rock’s Regime to Stryper, what inspired the Stryper name, who influenced their song lyrics, and how they were able to tour with mainstream metal and rock bands duri...
Dec 31, 2021•1 hr 18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Chris Jericho wrestled Kenny Omega in an epic match at the Tokyo Dome in January 2018, and unknowingly created what was soon to become The Painmaker! Chris tells the story about how that trip to Japan gave rise to The Painmaker’s signature spiked jacket, and black makeup look. He explains what inspired the clothes, the wrestling style, and the backstory of this titular character that’s now become an animated, multiple-chapter, collectible NFT! He breaks down The Painmaker’s wrestling style, favo...
Dec 29, 2021•59 min•Transcript available on Metacast There’s a great new movie available on Amazon Prime called “Electric Jesus.” It’s the story about a bunch of teenagers trying to make it big with their Christian metal band! It’s set in the summer of 1986 and has a very cool cast including Judd Nelson who plays the Pastor trying to help the band, and Brian Baumgartner (of “The Office” fame) as the band’s manager. The music is incredible too! Writer/director Chris White was inspired by his own teenage years and his love of the band Stryper, and s...
Dec 24, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Transcript available on Metacast Cary Silkin was a Ring of Honor fan from day one, and became a silent investor when the promotion was struggling to get off the ground, long before he became its owner and operator! And then when he sold ROH in 2011 to Sinclair, he transitioned into ROH’s Brand Ambassador. Cary tells the ROH story, including behind-the-scenes details of the circumstances that led to ROH’s recent shuttering. He talks about their last show, “Final Battle,” what 2022 may hold for ROH, and whether he’ll still be inv...
Dec 22, 2021•1 hr 11 min•Transcript available on Metacast James Michael Guffey’s (or Jimmy Rave as the wrestling world knew him) passion for pro wrestling was undeniable, and in one of the last long-form interviews he did before his untimely passing on December 12th at the age of 39, that love for the business is palpable. Jimmy spoke at length about his battle with MRSA, his struggles with addiction, adjusting to life as a triple amputee, his work as a mental health advocate and peer support drug counselor, and keeping a positive attitude through life...
Dec 17, 2021•57 min•Transcript available on Metacast “The History of Horror and Metal” is a new documentary from director Mike Shiff, who also coincidentally worked on Fozzy’s video for “Sandpaper.” Mike is a horror and heavy metal music fan, and was inspired to do this documentary to explore the deep connection between metal and horror movies! He did over 60 interviews for the doc and spoke to a who’s who from the metal and horror scenes including Gunnar Hansen (“The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”), Kane Hodder (“Friday The 13th”), director John Carpen...
Dec 15, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Transcript available on Metacast Jay Lethal recounts the single zoom call at Ring of Honor that effectively changed his life, and led directly to him signing with AEW. He explains why Ring Of Honor temporarily closing its doors was such a shock to the roster, his first reaction after hearing the news, and what originally kept him there when the Young Bucks, Hangman Adam Page, and Cody Rhodes all left to start AEW. He also shares stories from his time at Impact Wrestling including his angle with Ric Flair, the origins of Black M...
Dec 10, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Fab 3 (Jericho, drummer Mike Portnoy, and Anthrax’s Charlie Benante) return to celebrate the release of Peter Jackson’s 8-hour documentary series, “Get Back,” on their favorite band, The Beatles! Peter Jackson sifted through, and restored, the original footage captured for Michael Lindsay Hogg’s 1970 documentary about the making of the “Let It Be” album, and The Fab 3 share their thoughts about what’s included. They marvel at the camaraderie and comedy between John Lennon, Sir Paul McCartney...
Dec 08, 2021•1 hr 27 min•Transcript available on Metacast Criminologist Laura Brand is the executive producer of “The Toolbox Killer” documentary currently streaming on Peacock. It’s the horrific, true crime story of two sadistic serial killers, Lawrence Bittaker and Roy Norris, who terrorized and killed teenage girls in Southern California over a 5-month period in 1979. The pair often used tools found in a typical toolbox to torture and maim their victims before murdering them. Laura Brand built up a relationship with Lawrence Bittaker before he died ...
Dec 03, 2021•1 hr•Transcript available on Metacast In 1994, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York brought a criminal case against Vince McMahon accusing the then-chairman of the World Wrestling Federation of supplying illegal anabolic steroids to his professional wrestlers. After deliberating for 16 hours, the jury eventually found Vince McMahon not guilty. Dave Meltzer from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter and Wade Keller, editor of the ProWrestling Torch newsletter, both covered the trial in-person at the time,...
Dec 01, 2021•1 hr 13 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Beatles made the Cavern Club in Liverpool a household name, and wait till you hear some of the other artists and bands that didn’t play there because it was The Beatles house! Clark Gilmour who works at the Cavern Club and Neil Brannon, Manager of the Magical Mystery Tour in Liverpool, share a wealth of trivia and stories from the Fab Four’s early days in Liverpool playing the famous basement club! You’ll hear how their lunchtime shows inspired songs like “Lovely Rita” and “Polythene Pam,” t...
Nov 26, 2021•1 hr 10 min•Transcript available on Metacast Kurt Angle celebrates the fans on the Chris Jericho Rock & Wrestling Rager At Sea Triple Whammy with great stories from his entire career. He explains how winning the Gold Medal at the 1996 Olympics turned into a job with WWE, which led to incredible matches and moments with Stone Cold Steve Austin, Chris Jericho, Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero, and Shane McMahon. He tells the Brock Lesnar takedown story in full detail, and reveals why John Cena was not Kurt’s retirement match as he’d hoped. He re...
Nov 24, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Beast of Gevaudan a real-life, cryptid being described as a giant dog-like wolf, terrorized the former province of Gevaudan in the Margeride Mountains of south-central France between 1764 and 1767. It attacked and killed hundreds of mostly women and children for sport, and was nearly impossible to kill! Scott and Forrest from the “Astonishing Legends” podcast (https://www.astonishinglegends.com/ ) share the story of the beast from its first known attack to the King Of Fance’s involvement in ...
Nov 19, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Transcript available on Metacast So what happened on the Chris Jericho Rock & Wrestling Rager at Sea Triple Whammy?? A LOT! Chris shares some of his favorite cruise stories and activities including getting onstage with Fozzy, Stryper, Kuarantine, and Rubix Cube, tag teaming with Orange Cassidy, and hanging in the Will Ospreay conga line! You’ll hear about the one-of-a-kind matches on the ship featuring everything from tequila shots with Danhausen to Sonny Kiss’ in-ring dance contest! Discover who played Family Feud, who kicks a...
Nov 17, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Transcript available on Metacast Lio Rush is one of the newest additions to the AEW roster! You’ll hear the story of how he came to sign with AEW, his first meeting with Tony Khan, and the injury he suffered during his debut as The Joker in the Casino Battle Royale at Double or Nothing. The 26-year old talks about his already incredible wrestling career which included stops at Ring of Honor, New Japan Pro Wrestling, and signing with WWE at the age of 22. He reveals why he was released from WWE earlier this year, what his relati...
Nov 12, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Transcript available on Metacast Luis Navia spent 25 years working as a cocaine trafficker for the deadliest Columbian and Mexican cartels, including Pablo Escobar’s Medellin Cartel, before his arrest in Venezuela in 2000. And now Luis Navia, with some help from journalist Jesse Fink, has written a book, “Pure Narco,” about his incredible story. Luis and Jesse recount some of the tales from Luis’ 25 years in the drug business from how this rich kid, Georgetown University graduate ever got involved in the drug trade to being wit...
Nov 10, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Transcript available on Metacast What is going on at the massive Denver Airport and its multi-story underground tunnel system? Illuminati? Lizard people? Free Masons? Brady Roberts and Mike Howorun did a deep dive into the many conspiracy theories revolving around the infamous airport and share some of what they discovered along the way, including stories about the apocalyptical artwork and statues on the grounds, the gargoyles, the strange occurrences, the sightings, its close proximity to NORAD, and the ties to Area 51. They ...
Nov 05, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Transcript available on Metacast Jon Moxley returns to TIJ with tales from his new book, simply title “MOX.” He explains why it’s more a journey through his mind than the linear telling of his life, but it’s filled with great stories from his time in WWE including the formation of The Shield, The Shield gear that Vince McMahon hated, Jon’s championship win, and meeting and marrying his wife, Renee Paquette He also talks about joining AEW and what it was like being champion during the pandemic and why he feels he was the perfect...
Nov 03, 2021•1 hr 13 min•Transcript available on Metacast Darcy, The Mail Girl from “The Last Drive-in with Joe Bob Briggs” (which streams on Shudder) returns for the annual TIJ Halloween Spooktacular episode! And this time it’s all about gruesome horror movie deaths! Lists have been compiled, and only the goriest deaths will be discussed! That means you’ll hear some stories about franchises like “Halloween,” “Friday The 13th,” “Scream,” “Terrifier,” “Hatchet,” “Hostel,” “House of 1000 Corpses,” “Saw,” “Prom Night,” and even the original Frankenstein! ...
Oct 29, 2021•1 hr 17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Scott Norton is a highly decorated arm-wrestling champion, a New Japan Pro Wrestling champion, and the only wrestler to be a member of the NWO in both Japan and the States. He was also part of the crew (that also included Ric Flair, Antonio Inoki, and Eric Bischoff) that traveled to North Korea in 1995 to wrestle in the “Collision in Korea” PPV, a joint production of New Japan and WCW. Scott shares his personal stories from North Korea from traveling with Muhammad Ali to being taken and question...
Oct 27, 2021•1 hr 12 min•Transcript available on Metacast Documentary filmmaker and director, Joshua Zeman, returns with a brand-new doc, “The Loneliest Whale: The Search For 52,” available now in theaters and on demand (https://bleeckerstreetmedia.com/the-loneliest-whale). It’s a departure from his typical true crime stories (aka “Cropsey,” “Murder Mountain,” “Sons of Sam”), and instead embarks on an expedition to find the one rare whale in the ocean that sings at its own frequency (52 hertz), and why scientists believe this whale has lived its whole ...
Oct 22, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Transcript available on Metacast Colt Cabana has a brand-new podcast, “Wrestling Anonymous,” and fans are invited to participate by sharing their own wrestling stories via hotline (call 87 Cabana 34) or email (87cabana34@gmail.com). Colt explains what inspired his new show, and why he decided to put his pioneering “The Art Of Wrestling” pod on official hiatus! He talks about being early to the podcast space and what that was like 10 years ago, hustling for guests, his favorite interviews (Roddy Piper and Steve Regal), and the o...
Oct 20, 2021•1 hr 10 min•Transcript available on Metacast Juventud Guerrera brings that Juvi Juice to TIJ! He and Chris share the story of Juvi’s AEW debut and return to TNT! They explain how Juvi came to be the third Labor of Jericho, what it took to make that happen, and why Juvi almost missed the show! They speak to their first-ever meeting at ECW, Juvi’s 6-year run at WCW, and his short-lived stint at WWE. Juvi talks Filthy Animals, the Mexicools, and the “Juvi Juice” catchphrase, and he reveals the greatest compliment Vince McMahon ever gave him. ...
Oct 15, 2021•1 hr 20 min•Transcript available on Metacast Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, Nancy Wilson of Heart fame, is playing with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra on October 30th (tickets at www.seattlesymphony.org). They’re doing a mix of songs from her first-ever solo album, “You And Me,” and the Heart catalogue! Nancy’s talking about this killer live event, why she chose to cover songs by The Beatles, Pearl Jam, and Bruce Springsteen on her new solo album, and what it was like recording at the height of the pandemic lockdown. She’s got some great rock ...
Oct 13, 2021•52 min•Transcript available on Metacast Nick Gage is the “The King” of death match wrestling, and he’s challenging to reclaim the GCW World Championship from Jon Moxley this Saturday 10/9/21 at GCW Fight Club (you can stream it on Fite TV). Nick run downs his preparations for the match, what GCW and the MDK Gang mean to him, and what inspired his love of death match wrestling in the first place. He also recounts his nearly 7-years in jail, the lessons learned and friends he made there, how the farm work he did impacted his wrestling c...
Oct 08, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Transcript available on Metacast Robert Hansen (or “Butcher Baker” as he was known in the media) is a serial killer who’s fascinated Hollywood for years! He and his gruesome crimes have inspired movies (“The Frozen Ground”) and TV shows (“Mind Hunters,” “Criminal Minds”). Robert kidnapped his victims, tortured and sexually assaulted them, and then turned them loose in the Alaskan wildnerness in order to HUNT THEM DOWN like animals! It’s believed that he raped 30 women, and abducted and murdered another 17 between 1971 and 1983 ...
Oct 06, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Pro Wrestling Illustrated Top 500 has been released (get yours at pwi-online.com), and Editor Kevin McElvaney and Senior Writer Al Castle defend the mag’s pick for this year’s #1, Kenny Omega. They reveal the heated debate that went on amongst their own staff when it came down to Kenny Omega vs Roman Reigns for the top spot, and what ultimately tipped the scales in Omega’s favor. They share the process, timeline, and sheer man power required to put this special issue together, and talk about...
Oct 01, 2021•1 hr 12 min•Transcript available on Metacast Original Woodstock co-founder Michael Lang and veteran concert promoter John Scher staged Woodstock ’99 at the Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome, New York to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the original festival. Some 400,000 fans turned out that August for the three-day event that quickly devolved into complete chaos and destruction. Now notorious for the riots, violence, fires, sexual assaults, inhumane conditions, and lack of water, the new HBOMax documentary “Woodstock ’99: Peace, Love and R...
Sep 29, 2021•1 hr 13 min•Transcript available on Metacast It’s Adam Cole Bay Bay, and his AEW debut at the All Out PPV came together just a few days before the big event! Adam recounts the story of his AEW signing, why it was so close to the wire for All Out, the near-disaster with his new gear day-of show, and the surprise reaction of fans to his appearance. He explains what tipped the scales for him to pick AEW over WWE, and what both Triple H and Vince McMahon said to him when he announced he was leaving. He also shares stories from his 4-year run a...
Sep 24, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
