Mickie James on Ageism in Wrestling, Frustrations with her Recent WWE Run, more

Former WWE Superstar Mickie James joined the Insight With Chris Van Vliet podcast, where she discussed the upcoming NWA Empowerrr show that she’s producing, which will be an all-women’s wrestling pay-per-view event, her WWE release and latest run there, and more. Below are some highlights provided to us by Van Vliet:

On her new role with the NWA: “It’s a really cool space. Obviously it means I am in charge and a co-promoter or whatever you want to call it with Billy [Corgan]. The fact that Billy believes in me enough to give me the NWA umbrella to kind of build this thing, which was something I kind of wanted to do for a long time. I think we have the potential to do some really cool stuff there and I’m just grateful to be able to shine a light on women’s wrestling. I we do a lot of that but we have so many shows out there that it’s really cool. I know I am not a pioneer there has been a ton of women’s wrestling shows. But for television women’s wrestling it’s a different space. I’m very excited.”

On not wrestling at the upcoming NWA event: “I’m not a mark, I’m not going to sit there and book myself on top of my own show. Who does that? Everybody does that don’t they? That’s how wrestling works. I don’t have any intention of working on the show. I’ll probably come out and say hello, but I really want to focus on the show. I want this show to be a success, and I’m going to be in Gorilla on the headset running and talking. I can’t perform that job to the best of my abilities and be out there wrestling at the same time. I just feel like it blurs the lines. I’m not saying I won’t wrestle. And I am an independent contractor, I can show up anywhere and do all kinds of things. I can still wrestle and I’m pretty good at it.”

Mickie James on her reaction to her latest WWE release: “I think that surprised is a word that is thrown around. I don’t think I am ever surprised at anything. It’s hard to have expectations, because nothing ever goes according to your plan. But I thought I would wrap my career there [WWE]. I was so grateful to be able to go back and wrap up my story and bow out in a good graces kind of way. I felt like the first time I left was on such weird terms. And I did some amazing stuff when I came back. But it wasn’t shocking, because I was kind of in this space where I felt it kind of coming. I can’t explain why but I just did, and it felt disheartening. It was disappointing more than anything.”

On how it was compared to her first WWE release from 2010: “I have been through a lot more since that time. Also, I think that the Mickie James from 2010 was in a very weird space. It’s crazy to think that after the amount of success I had there, but I also had a lot of personal stuff going on and it really started to affect me. I was burning the candle at both ends and all of my eggs were in the wrestling basket. I only valued myself according to how the company valued me. I was young, hungry and I loved it, I would do anything for it. There was that crazy, wrestling obsessed mindset where I was just happy to be there. So when that was taken from me, I was devastated. When IMPACT called me, I said to Dixie Carter I have no desire to do anything right now. But she kept calling me and Kurt Angle called me. Kurt was the one who convinced me. No disrespect to Dixie, I love her she is awesome. But I knew Kurt from WWE, it was an honest reality check for me. To get his perspective was really cool. It opened up my eyes. This time I was more disappointed. Now we know how the business works and wrestling is not my absolute everything.”

On getting her belongings in a trash bag in 2010: “It did. This is the crazy thing, I posted that picture to kind of go yeah this still a thing. We have put up with so much crap in wrestling that we had become desensitized. We live in our own world and I forgot that the trash bag was offensive. There was more to that too. I rewound back to the 2010 Mickie James, where I was mentally then when it happened the first time. It was like a stab in the heart to an open wound. I took it then as they think I am trash. I was with the company for 4 years, and they think I am trash. All these thoughts were running though my head. If you are already broken, they can be devastating. I am thinking about all of that and all the people who also got released beside me. I see my name on the bag and it defines which bag is in which box. I’m thinking about the girls and they wouldn’t say anything, because you don’t want to mess up an opportunity for the future. But this Mickie James don’t give a sh*t. I am super grateful for my career and my ability; I couldn’t do it without WWE.”

James on if she thought about not posting the photo: “I did think about not doing it. I was getting ready for the photoshoot for my new song. The box then arrived, I got 2 boxes. One arrived after the photoshoot. But I am getting ready and the box arrives, I open it and really? I’m not trying to come off as being bitter. I don’t want to be the trash bag lady. But I am grateful that no one else will get that. This recent set of releases are getting theirs in Gucci [laughs].”

James on her frustrations with WWE: “Yeah I don’t think me getting my stuff in a trash bag was the point. I would say it was on par with everything I have tried in the last 2 years of my career. I tried everything in my space to pitch, I felt like I was cut off at every turn. There was a lot of thing that happened in the last 2 years that really made me feel that I was being humbled along the way. No you don’t deserve a retirement match. I wasn’t upset at being a producer, I love to help younger talent. I don’t want to wrestle forever either. This run was going to be my last run. All I wanted was this one moment, I didn’t want to win the championship. I just wanted to bow out gracefully, but I felt like there was zero interest. But then trying different thing like commentary or trainer in NXT. It’s not that people don’t like women’s wrestling, it’s that it is too much for the company. There was an opportunity to capitalize on the movement, but instead it was ehh.”

Mickie James on being called “too old” despite men her age being in a similar spot: “It isn’t fair, but I think it has always been a culture when I first came on. It was when you are 35, women are done. Maybe it has something to do with the fact I have been relevant on TV for the last 15 years. I am all about building towards the future, but you can’t sh*t on your former champions and the history that was made. Maybe it’s because I am a wrestler and I look at it like a fan. I am up on what is relevant in 2021. J’LO is one of the sexiest women and she is 50. We don’t look at age like that anymore, but wrestling has been late to the party. I couldn’t wrap my head around and find it funny that I’m given a walker. It’s bullsh*t and it’s not funny. I was offended and I said I was. But I am a professional and as a pro you go fine and let’s see what the people say. 9 times out of 10 I was right, but it’s already happened. I had to do it just to prove a point. I feel like you should trust me to know I am not an idiot. I am looking at it through the lens of our audience.”