Post by Controversial Maverick PUNK on Dec 27, 2010 13:17:48 GMT -5
Chicagonow.com spoke with CM Punk this weekend to promote his return at the SmackDown live events.
G2M: So, first question: how are you feeling? How's the comeback been?
CMP: I feel lovely. The comeback is going well. Obviously I've picked probably the biggest superstar to smack with a steel chair, so it should be interesting.
G2M: [Laughs] Yeah, you're going into this program with John Cena. He just dealt with the Nexus, that was a nice, long-involved feud. Now he's picking up with you. Who's idea was that? [laughs]
CMP: Well, obviously it was mine. I was the one who belted him with the steel chair right?
G2M:[Laughs] True. So you thought now was a good time to get back into the ring with him? You're going to be in town on Sunday, and I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to look at the card. Will you be facing off against Cena or somebody else?
CMP: No, they're actually Smackdown shows; I'm going to be in the main event going for the Heavyweight Title in a cage match. It's a four-way, me, Kane, Edge and Big Show.
G2M: Sweet. I'm missing Kane but I've talked to Big Show and Edge, great guys to talk to as well. Let me bounce back to what you've been doing on RAW, because for the last few weeks you've been doing the commentary on the side with Michael Cole and Jerry "The King" Lawler. What's that been like?
CMP: It's been awesome, actually its been a lot of fun. I'm gonna miss it. [laughs]
G2M: You're not going to do it anymore?
CMP: I would love to do both but I think I believe there's a thing as overexposure and I think people will get sick of me real quick.
G2M: I disagree. I have to say that at first when you came on the first thing I thought was "oh no, three-man announcing team, that never works." You had the chemistry between J.R. (Jim Ross) and Jerry "The King" Lawler, and "The King" and Michael Cole, and it's easier to establish with two people, but thee people tends to muddy it up. But you guys seemed to slip into it really well, and the interaction that was going on between the three of you was really entertaining.
CMP: I kind of basically looked at it as my retirement plan now. That's definitely something I can do when I'm not wrestling anymore. And believe it or not -- this sounds horrible -- but it was really easy for me. [laughs] I would really love to do both. I'd love to wrestle and do commentary, I think that would be awesome.
G2M: Taz was doing that for a while before he left.
CMP: Yeah, but let's be honest, I'm way better than Taz right?
G2M: [laughs] I've gotta say this, you have a very good chemistry. I like the way you played off Michael Cole and "The King." My question here is, Cole and Jerry Lawler have their distinct personalities; the roles that they're playing when they're doing their commentary, Jerry Lawler has flipped to being the "face" of the crew and Cole's a smarmy "heel" but you kind of dance in between them. Do you ever have any problems figuring out how you're going to make your voice distinct from the other two?
CMP: No, not at all. I think you just see my opinions. I don't wear a black hat. I don't wear a white hat. You just see more of my natural personality come out when I'm doing commentary.
G2M: And then, of course, when you first showed up you had a Colt Cabana shirt on. [laughs]
CMP: [laughs]
G2M: Which I loved! You didn't get any flack for that did you?
CMP: Nah. A lot of people in the WWE try to paint themselves as outlaws and rebels and I really honestly believe I'm the only one left [laughs] . I always do what I want and I never get any flack for it. I don't know if it's because they know they're not gonna win, or it's not worth fighting me over. Plus I don't see what the big deal is about me wearing a Cabana shirt. The guy should be working there, first of all, and it's promoting my friend. I don't see what the big deal is.
G2M: Are you and Scotty getting together here in town?
CMP: Absolutely, I'm sure he's still sleeping right now (at 11:00 am) -
G2M: [laughs]
CMP: -but we had all day yesterday.
G2M: Any places you wanna hit in town? Any places we should be looking for you?
CMP: Uh, no, don't look for me. [laughs]
G2M: [laughs]
CMP: Honestly, when I'm home now I kinda lock myself inside my house and I try not to leave. I go to the gym, obviously, but I've really become a hermit in my old age. I've worked my entire life to get my house, and now that I have it I legit don't ever really want to leave once I'm here. I get out and about. I need various things throughout the day, coffee, bacon, toys.-
G2M: [laughs]
CMP: So I'm out and about.
G2M: My friends at Challengers asked me to ask you about comics-
CMP: I haven't stopped by there in quite sometime, so if I was to write a list of things to do today, "comic shop" would be one of them.
G2M: Anything you reading right now?
CMP: I'm a real weirdo. I don't read individual comics anymore because I don't have the patience for it. I need to read story arcs, so the only thing I do is read trade paperbacks. I have to wait 4-6 months for the six-issue trade paperbacks to come out. Or if I'm lucky there's something I completely missed and it's already collected in an omnibus and I can just buy that and read it all in one shot. Right now I'm re-reading all my "Scalped" books, because "Scalped" is probably my favorite book that's continually being released right now. Scalped is awesome. I think Jason Aaron is probably the best writer in comics right now.
G2M: Have you been reading his Wolverine stuff, or his Ghost Rider stuff?
CMP: I'm not a big mutant fan and Ghost Rider has always been hit-or-miss ever since they released the Danny Ketch Ghost Rider back in the day. But I'll read anything he writes.
G2M: So you're more of a Marvel Comics guy, since Jason is a Marvel writer?
CMP: Uh, I just go where the writers are man [laughs]. Doesn't matter who it is. It's funny, I used to collect based on characters. I would weather the storm whenever there was a bad writer or a bad artist, I would just keep reading. And now -- once again in "my old age" -- I specifically read based on who the writer is. I'm not just a Marvel guy, I read a lot of stuff.
G2M: Last question: what's on your Wikipedia page that's absolutely wrong that you wish someone would take off of there?
CMP: Oh god, I'd have to read it -
G2M: [laughs]
CMP: Um, believe it or not, "googling" myself or "wikipedia-ing" myself is not my best time, normally. [laughs] I'd have to check it out. I'm sure it's full of errors. Those things are hilarious.
G2M: [laughs] Well thanks for taking the time to talk to me. I'd say go out and "break a leg" but you don't say that to a wrestler. What's the opposite of that?
CMP: Well, normally when someone says "break a leg" tome I just assume they're talking about somebody else, so I have to go break somebody's leg, so that's fine.
G2M: [laughs] Alright, then go out and break a leg but keep yourself in once piece.
CMP: I will do that. Thank you very much.
G2M: So, first question: how are you feeling? How's the comeback been?
CMP: I feel lovely. The comeback is going well. Obviously I've picked probably the biggest superstar to smack with a steel chair, so it should be interesting.
G2M: [Laughs] Yeah, you're going into this program with John Cena. He just dealt with the Nexus, that was a nice, long-involved feud. Now he's picking up with you. Who's idea was that? [laughs]
CMP: Well, obviously it was mine. I was the one who belted him with the steel chair right?
G2M:[Laughs] True. So you thought now was a good time to get back into the ring with him? You're going to be in town on Sunday, and I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to look at the card. Will you be facing off against Cena or somebody else?
CMP: No, they're actually Smackdown shows; I'm going to be in the main event going for the Heavyweight Title in a cage match. It's a four-way, me, Kane, Edge and Big Show.
G2M: Sweet. I'm missing Kane but I've talked to Big Show and Edge, great guys to talk to as well. Let me bounce back to what you've been doing on RAW, because for the last few weeks you've been doing the commentary on the side with Michael Cole and Jerry "The King" Lawler. What's that been like?
CMP: It's been awesome, actually its been a lot of fun. I'm gonna miss it. [laughs]
G2M: You're not going to do it anymore?
CMP: I would love to do both but I think I believe there's a thing as overexposure and I think people will get sick of me real quick.
G2M: I disagree. I have to say that at first when you came on the first thing I thought was "oh no, three-man announcing team, that never works." You had the chemistry between J.R. (Jim Ross) and Jerry "The King" Lawler, and "The King" and Michael Cole, and it's easier to establish with two people, but thee people tends to muddy it up. But you guys seemed to slip into it really well, and the interaction that was going on between the three of you was really entertaining.
CMP: I kind of basically looked at it as my retirement plan now. That's definitely something I can do when I'm not wrestling anymore. And believe it or not -- this sounds horrible -- but it was really easy for me. [laughs] I would really love to do both. I'd love to wrestle and do commentary, I think that would be awesome.
G2M: Taz was doing that for a while before he left.
CMP: Yeah, but let's be honest, I'm way better than Taz right?
G2M: [laughs] I've gotta say this, you have a very good chemistry. I like the way you played off Michael Cole and "The King." My question here is, Cole and Jerry Lawler have their distinct personalities; the roles that they're playing when they're doing their commentary, Jerry Lawler has flipped to being the "face" of the crew and Cole's a smarmy "heel" but you kind of dance in between them. Do you ever have any problems figuring out how you're going to make your voice distinct from the other two?
CMP: No, not at all. I think you just see my opinions. I don't wear a black hat. I don't wear a white hat. You just see more of my natural personality come out when I'm doing commentary.
G2M: And then, of course, when you first showed up you had a Colt Cabana shirt on. [laughs]
CMP: [laughs]
G2M: Which I loved! You didn't get any flack for that did you?
CMP: Nah. A lot of people in the WWE try to paint themselves as outlaws and rebels and I really honestly believe I'm the only one left [laughs] . I always do what I want and I never get any flack for it. I don't know if it's because they know they're not gonna win, or it's not worth fighting me over. Plus I don't see what the big deal is about me wearing a Cabana shirt. The guy should be working there, first of all, and it's promoting my friend. I don't see what the big deal is.
G2M: Are you and Scotty getting together here in town?
CMP: Absolutely, I'm sure he's still sleeping right now (at 11:00 am) -
G2M: [laughs]
CMP: -but we had all day yesterday.
G2M: Any places you wanna hit in town? Any places we should be looking for you?
CMP: Uh, no, don't look for me. [laughs]
G2M: [laughs]
CMP: Honestly, when I'm home now I kinda lock myself inside my house and I try not to leave. I go to the gym, obviously, but I've really become a hermit in my old age. I've worked my entire life to get my house, and now that I have it I legit don't ever really want to leave once I'm here. I get out and about. I need various things throughout the day, coffee, bacon, toys.-
G2M: [laughs]
CMP: So I'm out and about.
G2M: My friends at Challengers asked me to ask you about comics-
CMP: I haven't stopped by there in quite sometime, so if I was to write a list of things to do today, "comic shop" would be one of them.
G2M: Anything you reading right now?
CMP: I'm a real weirdo. I don't read individual comics anymore because I don't have the patience for it. I need to read story arcs, so the only thing I do is read trade paperbacks. I have to wait 4-6 months for the six-issue trade paperbacks to come out. Or if I'm lucky there's something I completely missed and it's already collected in an omnibus and I can just buy that and read it all in one shot. Right now I'm re-reading all my "Scalped" books, because "Scalped" is probably my favorite book that's continually being released right now. Scalped is awesome. I think Jason Aaron is probably the best writer in comics right now.
G2M: Have you been reading his Wolverine stuff, or his Ghost Rider stuff?
CMP: I'm not a big mutant fan and Ghost Rider has always been hit-or-miss ever since they released the Danny Ketch Ghost Rider back in the day. But I'll read anything he writes.
G2M: So you're more of a Marvel Comics guy, since Jason is a Marvel writer?
CMP: Uh, I just go where the writers are man [laughs]. Doesn't matter who it is. It's funny, I used to collect based on characters. I would weather the storm whenever there was a bad writer or a bad artist, I would just keep reading. And now -- once again in "my old age" -- I specifically read based on who the writer is. I'm not just a Marvel guy, I read a lot of stuff.
G2M: Last question: what's on your Wikipedia page that's absolutely wrong that you wish someone would take off of there?
CMP: Oh god, I'd have to read it -
G2M: [laughs]
CMP: Um, believe it or not, "googling" myself or "wikipedia-ing" myself is not my best time, normally. [laughs] I'd have to check it out. I'm sure it's full of errors. Those things are hilarious.
G2M: [laughs] Well thanks for taking the time to talk to me. I'd say go out and "break a leg" but you don't say that to a wrestler. What's the opposite of that?
CMP: Well, normally when someone says "break a leg" tome I just assume they're talking about somebody else, so I have to go break somebody's leg, so that's fine.
G2M: [laughs] Alright, then go out and break a leg but keep yourself in once piece.
CMP: I will do that. Thank you very much.
