The following is from St. Petersburg Time:
Tampa’s Chris Jericho is the renaissance man of the wrestling world. In addition to holding all the titles the World Wrestling Entertainment offers, the dishy inventor of the “Walls of Jericho” hold is a bestselling author of a favorably reviewed memoir (A Lion’s Tale), the frontman for the heavy metal band Fozzy, host of a weekly XM Satellite Radio show, a frequent talking head on VH1 pop culture shows such as I Love the ’80s, and he has acting and improv credits. Now he can add reality show host to his resume.
Redemption Song is an Idol-meets-Project Runway competition. The show challenges 11 down-on-their-luck singers to endure tests such as ambush music performances and choreography challenges to win a Geffen record contract. (Side note: Another of the Tampa Bay connections to the show is Kendra Morris, who attended Gibbs High and is the daughter of a Times art director.)
We talked to Jericho about his new gig and what it’s like to have a fan base of 9-year-olds whose parents, he thinks, should be editing those wrestling shows for little eyes and ears.
You seem to be the hardest-working man in show biz: author, musician, actor, wrestler. Are you ever home?
Yeah, I am. I live here in Tampa actually.
Does this new show stem from your own music background?
It’s a combination of music, being on camera and knowing how to hold together a show. The WWE is like a show biz boot camp, you learn about all aspects of it. … The crux of the show is it has a really big heart to help (the contestants) turn their life around.
I have to ask you about wrestling since Monday Night Raw is coming to Tampa on Monday. Is it nice to be able to perform close to home?
It’s usually a little bit more of a hassle because everyone wants tickets, but it’s fun to perform in front of your family.
You have young kids, are they are wrestling fans?
I have a 5-year-old son and 2-year-old twin daughters. He’s more interested in sharks, and the girls are too young. His cousins are 10 and 8, and they are huge fans. That seems to be the age group.
There’s been criticism that wrestling is a bad thing to let kids watch, that it’s too violent and now in recent years it’s gotten much more sexualized with the female wrestlers. Doesn’t that conflict with your personal beliefs or bother you as a parent?
It’s one of those things you are in charge of what kids watch and don’t watch. There’s certain elements that I won’t let them watch. Plus, nowadays it’s very PG-13, especially with John Cena and other guys who are kind of heroes to kids. The WWE always mutates with what evolves in society, and now it’s more of a kid-friendly product. If you’ll notice in the last year you won’t hear swear words, won’t see any blood.
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