The Steve Austin Show – Legendary Broadcaster Jim Ross (Part Two)

Original Air Date: March 27, 2025
Podcast Host: Steve Austin
Guest: Jim Ross (“Good Ol’ JR”), Legendary Wrestling Broadcaster

Episode Overview

In this lively “Steve Austin Show – Classics” episode, Steve Austin welcomes iconic wrestling commentator Jim Ross back for a deep dive into the golden era of wrestling, focusing primarily on the booking genius of Bill Watts, the psychology and realities of old-school wrestling, the unique approaches of major promoters like Vince McMahon and Eddie Graham, and the art of promos. With candid anecdotes and honest insights, JR and Austin break down the blue-collar toughness, business smarts, and evolving philosophies that created legends and drew money in pro wrestling. The conversation also unpacks how the industry transitioned from intimate, gritty territory shows to global entertainment, all told with their signature authenticity and wit.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Bill Watts: Realism, Booking, and Territory Life

[01:30 – 16:10]

• Watts’ Legacy & Psychology:
  • JR credits Bill Watts’ “realness,” stating, “He was real. He didn’t play the role. He was a bully at heart… overbearing by nature. He was extremely intelligent, high IQ. He was smarter than you, he was bigger than you, he was tougher than you.” (03:28)
  • Watts demanded legitimacy both in and outside the ring—toughness and believability were paramount.
• Mid-South Booking Style:
  • Watts handpicked large, tough opponents, starring as the superhero in his territory, writing, producing, and starring in his own “movie.” (03:39)
• Locker Room & Rules:
  • No intermingling between heels and babyfaces, even at hotels: “There was no intermingling, period. 0.” (05:14)
  • Consequences for breaking “kayfabe” were harsh—a serious professionalism was expected.

Notable Quote:

“If you as a wrestler were stupid enough to get into a bar fight and you lost the bar fight, you were fired. End of story.”
— Jim Ross, [09:37]

2. The Toughness & Dynamics of the Old-School Locker Room

[08:51 – 16:10]

• Physicality:
  • “If you didn’t lay stuff in, you know, it was horrible. It was absolutely. He just didn’t last long. So he demanded physicality.” (10:49)
• Law of the Jungle:
  • Stories of Dr. Death Steve Williams wrestling the night after requiring 108 stitches highlight how little sympathy there was for injuries:
    • “I expect you get your ass in a car and go to Biloxi tomorrow and keep your booking. You’re going to work, you’re advertised.” (10:49)
• Making Money & Building Stars:
  • Watts’ system protected the mystique of heroes and villains, keeping heels hot and babyfaces resilient:
    • “The baby faces didn’t always win, but they never quit.”

3. Comparing Legends: Watts, Vince, Eddie Graham & Vern Gagne

[17:35 – 32:43]

Bill Watts’ One-Hour Wrestling Show

[19:00]

• “[Watts] told every segment. There were six segments to a wrestling hour… every segment had a beginning, a middle and an end… every person in that segment had a role.”
• Obsessive perfectionism: “He fired everybody” after an unsatisfactory TV taping, only to rehire them after a cooling-off period. (20:16)

Eddie Graham (Florida)

[26:05]

• Graham was the “preeminent finish guy,” with matches and angles that always made sense to all demographics.
• “He would make you believe it was real, reality based. It wasn’t a scripted reality show… the finishes were the same.” (26:18)
• Many booking greats, including Dusty Rhodes and Bill Watts, learned from Graham.

Vern Gagne (AWA)

[29:39]

• Stagnation and refusal to adapt were Gagne’s undoing:
  • “Byrne didn’t really get into the… he didn’t modernize his business, he didn’t keep up with current times. And I think that’s what really essentially killed him.”
• Talent would leave for WWF, where the money and opportunity were greater.

Vince McMahon’s Vision & Adaptability

[34:03 – 40:56]

• “That’s fine, Ted, because I’m in the entertainment business.” (Vince to Ted Turner; 34:41)
• Vince’s innovations: bigger venues, TV production value, crowd lighting, music, sets, mingling with mainstream celebrities.
• Embraced calculated risks and adapted to change—what separated him from promoters stuck in traditional ways.
• Promoters “killed their own business” by not innovating: “McMahon was just smart enough to see what was going on and take advantage…” (25:21)
• “He just stays ahead of the curve… nobody compares to him as far as vision is concerned.” (37:04)

Notable Exchange:

Steve Austin: “I want the focus on that product in the ring.”
Jim Ross: “Yeah… along the way, you can lose your way and take your eye off what happens bell to bell. I get that. But as far as the presentation and the vision, nobody’s ever come close to McMahon as far as having a vision for building a brand.”
[36:53–37:04]

4. Humor in Wrestling: Where’s the Line?

[41:40 – 44:49]

• Comedy is a “hard” art form in wrestling.
• “Only if the talent has the chops to pull it off.”
• Watts would not tolerate humor unless it fit the organic moment or specific character—seriousness always trumped forced comedy:
  • “If heels tried to be too funny on their promos and weren’t menacing… he’d shut them down and cut and lecture and cuss everybody out would start over.” (41:41)
• Dick Murdoch, a talented worker with comedic flair, was only allowed humor selectively.

5. The Art of the Promo

[44:49 – 51:50]

• JR on Structure:
  • “Every promo’s got to have structure… hot start, meaty middle… and a hell of a go home line.”
  • “The best promos are the ones where a talent can be himself or herself… I have to believe that you’re telling me you’re sincere.”
• Austin on Promos:
  • “Most of my stuff was all off the cuff… But when it comes down to nut cutting time, I didn’t have to worry that I knew that Stone Cold was telling me what he believed in his heart.”
  • Spontaneity, sincerity, and responding in the moment were keys to Austin’s legendary promos.

Memorable Quotes:

“If I think that you’re bullshitting me, then I am tuning you out. I might hear you, but I’m not listening to you. And when the audience stops listening to a promo, they hear it… but they’re not listening. You lost them.”
— Jim Ross, [45:26]

“As Stone Cold Steve Austin, 100% of the time out there, I believed 120% everything I was doing was real deal.”
— Steve Austin, [51:50]

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• On Bill Watts Era:
  • “He wrote the movie, he produced the movie, he starred in the movie. And he was a superhero in his own territory.”
    — Jim Ross, [03:39]
• On Locker Room Survival:
  • “It was the law of the jungle, man.”
    — Jim Ross, [10:49]
• On Vince’s Evolution:
  • “He ingratiated himself with mainstream entertainment… it made his promotion cool.”
    — Jim Ross, [37:00]
• On What Makes a Promo Work:
  • “You gotta have structure. You gotta be real in the moment… If I think you’re bullshitting me, I’m tuning you out.”
    — Jim Ross, [45:26]
• On Being True:
  • “I always believed in me… being a chubby, Southern accent guy, I was going to be challenged to make it on a national level… But that wasn’t my calling. And I wouldn’t change the damn thing…”
    — Jim Ross, [49:08]

Important Timestamps

• Bill Watts’ Psychology & Early Booking: 02:12 – 05:14
• Mid-South Rules & Locker Room Stories: 05:14 – 10:46
• Toughness & Physicality in Territories: 10:49 – 16:10
• Promoters & Booking Styles: 17:35 – 32:43
• Vince McMahon’s Innovations: 34:03 – 40:56
• The Limits of Humor in Wrestling: 41:40 – 44:49
• Promo Structure and Sincerity: 44:49 – 51:50

Conclusion

This episode is a masterclass in wrestling history and psychology, wrestling’s evolution from blood-and-guts Southern territories to international “sports entertainment.” Jim Ross and Steve Austin dissect what made great promoters, great babyface and heel psychology, and why authenticity—whether in the ring, as a promoter, or when behind the mic—is the one timeless draw in the business. Their exchanges are packed with vivid stories, humor, and hard-won wisdom for fans and aspiring wrestlers alike.

Next Episode Preview:
Steve promises that JR will return, with a deeper dive into the art of the promo, “drawing money,” getting “hired, fired, rehired, and fired again,” and more stories from the road.