It all began last Thursday night when on Lions, Tigers, Bears and Disco, I told my audience that I had contacted POP TV back in January to see if they might be interested in me doing some consulting work for them. At that time, and still at this time, I didn’t even see that as a story, let alone “news”. The truth is, since my relationship as a consultant ended with TNA well over two years ago, I have been making a living promoting my services as a brand ever since. Currently, I work on a free-lance basis for Wrestling Inc., am about to embark as a blogger/podcaster for an exciting new website in another country and of course I’m the “Talent Development Coach” for Mercury Pro Wrestling Academy/New Revolution Wrestling. Add to that the enormous amount of work that both Jeff Lane and myself have put into The BRAND YouTube channel of late, in order to make that a viable revenue stream for us. When you work for yourself—that’s just how it is. Consulting/Freelance work is not permanent, therefore you always need to be lining up the next gig.

I got the idea to freelance for POPTV from a friend who did the same consulting work for USA Network for years. This individual would watch RAW on a weekly basis, send a report to USA with his thoughts, and USA would use that information any way they saw fit. I always thought this was very valuable to USA. Get a third-party with experience to look at RAW, so they could get another perspective different from that of Vince McMahon’s. That relationship seemed like a win-win for bothUSA and the consultant.

So, it was 18 months prior, that TNA informed me they “no longer wanted to use my consulting services”, because the lie they were perpetrating—and forcing me to tell–about me NOT consulting for them–found its way out of the bag as most lies usually do. At that point—my working relationship with TNA was OFFICIALLY OVER. Meaning, I was free and clear to take my consulting services elsewhere. An entire year and a half had passed before I was in contact with POPTV. And, keep in mind, I only contacted them because I thought my expertise could have been valuable to them—based on the ratings they were pulling in at the time (and still today).

So what happens? In a jokingly manner, upon hearing the news, Disco said–sarcastically, “So let me get this straight—you went BEHIND TNA’s back and went to POPTV in an effort to SABOTAGE TNA.”The entire time Glenn was laughing. Less than a handful of hours later—Glenn’s words of sarcasm were used as a SERIOUS HEADLINE on various IWC websites, who—by the way—hate my guts, much having to do with–“How the hell can Vince Russo still be relevant in the wrestling business for 25 years—while we never spent a day working for a legitimate wrestling company”. Honestly—at first I thought it was a joke. Think of the logic of all this. Think of the idea of me selling my services to bePAID by POPTV, with the “real”intention of “Sabotaging” TNA in order for POPTV to DROP THEM—which would mean that I NO LONGER have a job as a paid consultant. Do you see the total insanity in that? From a business standpoint—that notion is absolutely ludicrous.

Some were even going as far as to say—“Vince, you owe Dixie Carter an apology”. Let’s break that down–shall we. I owe an apology to a woman who asked me to lie, then severed our relationship when that lie was exposed, because ONE YEAR AND A HALF LATER I brought my consulting services to a TV Network that was now in the wrestling business? What am I apologizing for? I should have asked Dixie’s permission, to go and consult with POPTV 18 months after she no longer wanted to use me? That is freakin’ absurd. If I’m a consultant for a sports team, say the Mets, the Mets decide that they no longer want my consulting services, 18 months later I go to the Yankees and offer those same services—I have to let the Mets know first? That is absolutely asinine. Then people wonder why I have issues with the IWC.

Of course, minutes later, Jim Cornette picks up these kindergarten headlines, only to use as yet another rant on his “Bash Vince Russo Comedy Hour Show”. Jim used Glenn’s “sarcastic” remark to babble on about me ruining a father-son relationship, firing three people–who I all consider friends by the way, killing a wrestling company and being a liar, back-stabber and every other slanderous word he could spit out of his mouth. Jim even managed to somehow bring my wife, Amy, into the equation. A woman who I’ve been married to going on 33 years—who has never even been to ONE wrestling show.

So that was my week—how was yours.

You can’t educate immature human beings who just have no concept of what “business” is. To them, business is a sensational headline to generate clicks—the logic and the truth just doesn’t matter. The truth is—Vince Russo is a BRAND. I have a certain level of experience and expertise that I can use to sell that BRAND. That BRAND is available to anyone who thinks that they can benefit from it. I have bills to pay. I’m trying to put my third child through college. My car needs to go to the shop. My TV is currently not working. I have to earn money so I can pay Jeff Lane for all the great work he does for me. In other words—just like you—I need to make a living. And, no, I’m not going to check in with the IWC, TNA, Dixie Carter, or anybody else to get their permission to make that living.

The incompetency of many of those in the wrestling business, and those who “think” they’re in the wrestling business—to this day still amazes me. God, it’s like that 13 year-old teenage girl who gets a piece of gossip, punches it up a bit, then tells the “cool girls” at the school in hope that they will ask her to join their circle. It’s so pathetic it’s beyond even laughable.

Peace.