Jim Cornette completely clarifies TNA dismissal - on "Who's Slamming Who" Radio
- Martin Hotts
September 21, 2009
The following aired on September 21, 2009 and the link can be seen here:
http://whosslammingwho.podomatic.com/enclosure/2009-09-21T13_49_30-07_00.mp3
The audio file lasts 35 minutes. Jim Cornette is essentially saying he was let go from TNA because Terry Taylor, Dixie Carter and everyone at TNA felt that he wasn't 100% with creative which is why it would hamper him doing his job.
Cornette said that it wasn't news about him not being 100% behind Russo writing. He did say that they'll probably never agree completely creatively.
He said Vince Russo did call him up to discuss some creative/booking and they do have conversations with each other on the phone about this type of stuff. In his opinion, he has been with TNA. Cornette said he has driven to Orlando twice a month for over 3 years.
Dixie told him if Cornette is not 100% on the creative nor the team, then he can't do his job as best as he could. Dixie said Jim was brilliant, appreciated his contributions, and that the door is always open for him to return if he's 100% with the creative direction, they'd love to have him back in the future. Cornette said he can't be 100% behind Russo's direction and everyone knows that. He says that was the end of the conversation and it was kind of ended on a happy note.
Dixie said they're trying to win and if everybody is on the same page, they want to move in the same direction. It was a professional ending and nobody screamed. Cornette said he's always on TNA's team but will never be on Russo's team and there was no animosity between the two parties on the phone conversation.
Jim said he got tons of phone calls and that although he has someone else check his email inbox, he was told that it was full as a result of this situation. Jim said "they picked Russo over me - basically". Jim says it's not that big of a deal.
He said he never yelled at Russo although all reports state so. He then said that Jeff Jarrett and Dutch Mantel said when hiring him that he should tolerate Russo for the good of the company and that is what happened. He said he can't accept a job if he has to be behind Russo 100%.
After the stories were leaked, he wanted TNA/Terry Taylor to find a way to change how the story is presented online. Terry Taylor assured Jim that they were on it. "The Sun" (the paper that leaked the story about him being let go due to not being pleased with Eric Young's push presented by Vince Russo) retracted the story shortly afterwards.
He said an "industry insider" (a higher-up TNA source) gave them the story but was laughing at the fact that there was no name attached to the story. Cornette wants to let everyone know that nobody yelled or screamed and that TNA had the right to make this decision, as if you don't follow the creative direction completely, you dont have to be on the team.
Jim Cornette then says he later found out that Ed Ferrara was at the TNA Pay Per View "No Surrender" this past Sunday. He chuckles and says his feelings are a little hurt but then he says that it makes it clear what happened (due to the previous history between him and Ed). He once again says he's not yelling or screaming. He said he was yelling and screaming back in 2002 when he spat in Ed Ferrara's face due to the mockery of Jim Ross when Ed played the on-screen character "Oklahoma". He said he doesn't feel the need to yell about it to Ed now because he already did it back then and that it is 2009 now.
Cornette says that he's also not yelling at Vince Russo because "I'm not". He says it becomes more clear what happened. He says TNA has the right to make the decision to make their creative direction and has the right to employ or not employ anyone who's behind or not behind the product. He says he has watched the damage Ed and Vince has done together in the business. He said if TNA called him and said Ed would be there Sunday, he would say "Okay, I won't be" - he said there was no chance Jim would be in the same room with Vince and Ed especially if Jeff Jarrett and Dutch Mantel are not there to take his advice. He said there's no heat.
Host Tommy Fiero steps into the conversation and says tons of emails came in about this situation. He asked Cornette if he's willing to come back if TNA opened the door. Cornette said "absolutely". Jim said it's not like WWE lied to him for 2 years and screwed with his business. That was personal. What TNA did wasn't personal. He says he knows people that have been in the business for the past 30 years working at TNA; he changed "working" to "worked" specifically saying Jeff Jarrett and Dutch Mantell. He says he works frequently with the production crew noting Keith Mitchell, David Sahadi and others. Jim said he has nothing against TNA, wishes them continued success because Vince McMahon can't own wrestling and there needs to be an alternative.
He says he always tells the truth on his show. Jim said if he said he was behind Russo/Ferrara 100%, he'd be lying and that he would be a two faced individual, etc. He said he tried to fix Russo's creative but he hasn't been behind it. Said he knows Russo is a born-again Christian but he and Vince have never had conversations about this. He does mention that Russo is much easier to get along with now compared to the time when they were together in the WWF.
He said he never heard Ed apologize about his parody of Jim Ross.
Tommy asked if there was a possibility for him returning to Ohio Valley Wrestling. Jim talked about it saying there was. Host asked if McMahon asked him to go back on WWE, would he? Cornette said he wouldn't and there is no possibility of it happening.
Jim Cornette ended the show promoting the other work he is doing (and will be doing) such as Midnight Express shows, DVDs, attending dealer shows to sell merchandise/meet fans/have fun, a landscaping project. He says he has a lot of things to do and "it's not big a deal". He then asked fans to go to jimcornette.com. He once again said he's not yelling or screaming. The end result is same - whether released or told the news and had the opportunity to resign - he wouldn't be there. He wishes TNA the absolute best in the world but he cannot support Vince Russo and Ed Ferrara. If their situation changes, his situation changes. He can go back to TNA and love everyone in it EXCEPT Vince Russo and Ed Ferrara.
