New Monday Night RAW co-host Renee Young was recently on The Ross Report with WWE Hall of Fame broadcaster Jim Ross. They discussed everything from commentary on RAW compared to NXT, working with Vince and much more.
On JR’s career advice to Renee (he thought she should get out of WWE when she could):
“Yeah, I do remember that! ‘I think some of my skills and assets can be used in other roles…’ it’s such a finicky thing… it can be used in other roles and that has happened to me throughout my career with WWE let alone what I’ve done outside of WWE.” Young explained, “but, yeah, I’m just trying to roll with the punches, and sort of land in the right spot, and sort of navigate my career in the best way that I can. And when stuff falls in your lap, and when ideas come up, and things kind of change, I just sort of roll with things the best way I can, and keep my head above water and keep looking out for what the next best move is for me.”
Her role on RAW:
“I always felt for what I bring to the table is as opposed to the real heavy bulk about the intensity of matches and that’s something I’m trying to figure out now and trying to find out how to do a better job with that because, yeah, I’m just so used to having, like, this outlook and having the scoop from talking to the [WWE] Superstars throughout the day, and I’ve interviewed here and there. Adding that bit of flavor, that’s my strong suit.” Young acknowledged, “when it actually comes to calling the terrifying action like in a Hell In A Cell match, that’s where I’m trying to sit back, and listen a little more, and figure out how my voice fits into that equation.”
Adjusting to commentary after the preview shows:
“It’s not something that I thought about wanting to do before, but doing, like, the panels, and the kickoff shows, and everything that I had been doing before, that’s more of a strong suit for me, is being sort of the first [point of contact], sort of leading the show, being the nuts and bolts, that’s what I had been doing for so long, so I’m sort of in this pivot [or] transition of doing more of the color [commentary] and being more of the personality. But I mean, yeah, play-by-play is something maybe in the next six months or something. I don’t know how long. Maybe it’ll be six years, starting to pick up some of that role from [Michael] Cole if that’s something that we can kind of divide during the match sometimes or even if it’s calling the graphics, to getting us into b-roll, to doing that kind of heavy lifting. That’s definitely something that I would be interested in doing.” Young claimed, “I would be interested in eventually getting to [that], but I’m just in that learning, ‘my brain is a sponge’ mode, so anything I can do to improve and learn from, I’m all ears.”
Who she asks for feedback:
“I don’t think that I’m ready to do that at this time, but if it’s something of talking, picking [Ross’s] brain, picking Cole’s brain, talking to Vince to see what he wants. It’s something that I would be into eventually thinking about tackling, but, right now, I’m just trying to get comfortable in the role that I’m in now… Again, it’s so new. It’s new waters for everybody and I think that’s kind of what’s happening now. It’s figuring out how to best produce me, how to get me in a good spot. For me to use Vince McMahon and having built that relationship, and get on the same page, and do the stuff that I can possibly do to make him happy for how I’m treating his product, yeah. Between him and Kevin Dunn, I want to be able to be produced by them more because in the past I haven’t really had that experience of working with them.” Young explained, “now to be able to have more firsthand interaction with them, it’s invaluable. It’s invaluable to be able to get that kind of perspective from the man that is behind everything that we know and love about WWE.”
Developing a thick skin in the booth:
“It’s a thick skin you get over time too and I’ve been here for a little while now that I understand how it goes much better now.” Young said, “I was definitely a bit more sensitive about stuff then. Now, I get the business of it. I understand that aspect and I can’t have my feelings all caught up in that or it would be too personal for me as well. But I know, in the end, we’re all trying to do the same thing and that’s make the best show possible.”
