During the latest episode of Insights with Chris Van Vliet, Mickie James spoke on her recent induction into the TNA Wrestling Hall of Fame, the 2009 Piggy James storyline, receiving her personal stuff belongings in a trash bag after she was released by WWE and more.
On her TNA Wrestling Hall of Fame Induction:
“It’s crazy to even say Hall of Famer. I gotta change it in my bio. It feels amazing. I’m super humbled, and I think, you know, you spend your whole career trying to be humble and all that other stuff. And it’s like the one night you can kind of pat yourself on the back, but it’s super uncomfortable to do it. But still, it’s always incredible, I think, when you’re recognized for your contributions to the company or to any business, and for TNA to do that for me, I was incredibly honored.”
On heat from the Piggy James storyline:
“Well, it took all of us, because for them too, they had to be the bad guys in that situation and be okay being the bad guys, which I think a lot of people still struggle with. Because as performers, you’re trying to be loved and trying to be hated, to be a heel, I love it, but you have to be okay being hated. But also for them to be able to go out there, her and Layla, both, and do all of these things, and then have to take on all the hate from the fans for doing these hateful things and really embrace it. It was a lot. I think we all struggled with it, doing it in the moment. And I was like, no, what we’re going to do is we’re going to go out there and we’re going to make it gold, and we’re going to make it better than they ever expected. And it did. And not only did it really land in the hearts of a lot of people, I have people that still come to me about that whole story and how much it helped them. And I’m sure Michelle and Layla have the same but it helped launch Lay Cool. I think they were looking for something to turn them into monster heels, because there wasn’t really a strong, strong heel, especially on SmackDown in the female division. And they would wanted to really get some hot steam behind them, and they chose me to do that. I should be honored that they believed in me enough to be able to help in that story. So there’s a lot of conflicting things on there.”
On receiving her stuff in a trash bag after being released from WWE:
“I wasn’t as offended as the fans were when it happened, because I don’t think you realize how many times we’ve been offended. I’m so numb to getting my feelings hurt, or I’m so used to, Oh, you got to separate your ego from it, and don’t take it personal. It’s just business. So I posted, because I’m a sarcastic person, and if I was to be honest, I got two boxes with two trash bags. I still have the trash bags because I’m keeping them, receipts. But I think it was important for a couple reasons. Well, one, because I’m a smart ass, and it was sarcastic, and I remembered in 2010 when I got my stuff back and I got it the same way, and 2010 me was devastated. 2010 me was like, Oh, my God. They think I’m trash. They hate me, they’re throwing me out with the trash, nothing I did mattered. I took it real personal. This time, I didn’t take it personal. I’m like, of course. It’s more about the lack of thought of how you’re so disposable, and I was on par of sometimes how this game makes you feel. So I kind of posted it like that. I was literally excited to get the box, only because it had all my jackets in there and I’m getting ready to walk out the door to do this photo shoot with Chapel Hart for our single that’s coming out, and do all this other stuff. And so I’m like, Oh, my jackets! I’m so excited. And I open it, of course. Then as I’m driving, I posted it, there! Then Hunter called me, Stephanie text me, Johnny called me. Everybody called me. I still feel bad for Mark Carano, who got fired for it, because Mark was always good to me. Mark took care of me when I was there. He was probably one of my dear, actual friends sometimes there, and so he’s the one who got fired. But it was just a testament to that was like a company thing of like, they just didn’t really think you know of how that would affect [you], especially if you are already in a bad place when you talk about mental health and all these things. Worst day of your life, whatever career, for sure, totally, especially if it’s like the first time you lost, you know, now you’re on the, oh there’s always an opportunity to have a second time or a third time. Then the other people came out. Oh, of course it did, because that was just like how it was done. We have these massive drawers full of all of our stuff for the road. We got lots of just-in-case outfits. I don’t think anybody else will get their stuff that way anymore. So that’s fine. I don’t think they come in Gucci bags, but they certainly don’t come in hefty bags. It was crazy to see. And then as the fans are responding and like, whatever, because I’m halfway through the shoot, and then all sudden, I look at my phone, my phone’s blown up, and I’m doing all this. I’m like, what? I was like, Oh my God. I didn’t even realize I should have been offended. I’m so used to being like, suck it up buttercup, that I didn’t even think about that side of how offensive it actually was. And not compare, I don’t know, would they have done that to someone that they thought highly of? So I was like, Oh, I guess I should be offended, I kind of did it out of sarcasm, but you’re right. This is bullsh*t. But, yeah, Vince called me and I spoke to him on the phone, and so that was what I was getting to as I ramble on. Vince called me and we spoke on the phone. He was the one person I actually did call back in the middle of that shoot. Because I was like, Vince has never called me before, so left me a voicemail or a voice note, actually, where he’s like, because my voicemail box was full. And he was like, ‘Your voicemail box is full, by the way.’ I was like, Oh, no. I can’t win with this man, yeah, but he was genuine. He was like, ‘You know I’ve never thought that of you, and I’ve always thought highly of you, and I’m so sorry that happened and that person is not here anymore.’ And then I was like, Oh no. Felt bad for Mark Carrano. I was like, oh God. I was even honest with him, I was like, I don’t think that you ever felt that way and I don’t think it was you personally, he was always good to me, gave me more opportunities, gave me my dream and all that stuff. But I also didn’t think he was sometimes aware of the other things or how we feel in those moments, because you can’t just go run into Vince and talk about how you feel.”
In addition, James also talks on being on very first TNA show, her WrestleMania 22 match against Trish Stratus, if Nick Aldis has another run in him and more.
You can watch the full interview below:
All quotes are courtesy of Chris Van Vliet’s website.