Chris Jericho Recalls Going ‘Super Method’ During 2008 Heel Run

Chris Jericho says that he went method during his “suit and tie” persona in WWE in 2008 and 2009, something he says affected him as a person. Jericho began donning a suit in mid-2008 and took on one of his most evil personas to date in WWE, during which he won the World Heavyweight Championship at WWE Unforgiven 2008.

Jericho looked back at that era in an interview on Untapped. He was talking about wrestlers who have heat with each other and said that during that era, his character affected him personally because how far he took it. You can see some highlights below:

On Personal Issues Between Wrestlers:

“I mean, when you’re at that level, it’s you’re pretty professional, because it’s a million-dollar business. Well, now it’s a billion dollar business. But there are times when you might get a little bit angry at each other, and I think sometimes that leads to better performances. It’s like if you don’t like your co-star on a movie but, ‘To hell if I’m going to let him out act me. I’m going to put on the best performance of my life to show this guy that he’s not better than me.’ So not to get into specifics, but there was a few times when that happened.”

On His Character Affecting Him As a Outside the Ring:

“And even more from a character standpoint. Like, in 2008 when I was the suit and tie Jericho, I was the most hated guy in the business. And not just for a month or two months, I’m talking for like two years. And that’s hard, because it’s a lot easier to make people hate you than it is to make them like you. But once they start hating you, then they automatically start liking you more… so, it’s hard to have people stay hating you.

“But I also was dropping into this character like a method actor would, to where it was affecting me in real life. Like I was in a real dark place, because that’s what my character was, like just a real diabolical megalomaniac asshole, essentially. And it’s hard to kind of step out of that sometimes. So, it was a real interesting — like I could I could never do that now at this stage of my life. Sut at the time I was super method.

On The Lengths He Went To In Order To Be hated:

“I can remember getting into an elevator with with a dad and his son, and they were fans. And we were close to the arena, and I wouldn’t look at them. And they were like, ‘Hey, can you sign my autograph?’ And I would just ignore them. The guy got increasingly angry as we’re in this [elevator], like, ‘You’re not? What are you, some kind of asshole?’ And now they hate me for real. But that’s what I want, because I don’t want to sign an autograph for them and then they go to the arena and 10,000 people are booing me, but they’re like, ‘Oh, he’s really a nice guy.’ And then tell 10 people in their row, and that’s now 10 people who like me because I’m a nice guy. I want the guy to be even more so like, ‘F you!,’ and blah blah blah.

“And that’s why I never had any merch at the time. I forbade the WWE to make any Chris Jericho merch. Why would I want someone wearing my shirt? I want everyone to hate me. I’ll make my money main eventing PPVs against the good guys. I’m not worried about selling t-shirts. So, I had this kind of real all-encompassing evil attitude. And sometimes that rubs off in in your real life. But like I said, that was years ago and I was really dropped in to be this angry person, because it’s all acting. You’re playing a character, right?”

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit Untapped with a h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.