Jim Ross on Working with Jim Cornette on Commentary, Cornette’s Outspoken Views and Similarity to Paul Heyman

On the latest Grilling JR, Jim Ross recalled working with Jim Cornette at the broadcast booth in 1990 and Cornette’s controversial nature. JR and Cornette worked together in 1989 and 1990 under Jim Crockett Promotions/WCW, with Cornette also being on the booking committee at that time. While their run as a team didn’t last that long at the time as Cornette left the company in 1990, Ross recalled enjoying his work with the man and how good he was as a color guy.

Cornette, of course, is almost more known these days for his very outspoken views and tendency toward controversy, including his exit from the NWA after making a comment that was criticized for being racially insensitive and refusing to apologize for it. Ross discussed how he “got used” to working with Cornette under those conditions and said the man could be a top commentator in any company. Highlights and the full podcast are below:

On working with Cornette on commentary: “He’s excellent. He’s just absolutely excellent. He was — again, natural instincts. His intellect and his natural instincts always pulled us through. I really enjoyed working with him. He was on the committee, he knew the stories. He knew the backstories, he knew where we were going. He and I had good chemistry, I felt like. We’d known each other for years and years since the days in the Mid-South when he came in for Cowboy [Bill Watts] and Cowboy put Robert [Eaton] and Dennis [Condrey, together [as the Midnight Express] and created that whole group with Cornette as their manager. Very visionary booking. But Jimmy was very talented, Conrad.”

On Cornette’s controversy as of late: “Look, I know he had a run here lately with NWA, and there was some issues about that, whatever. He’s very outspoken. He speaks from the hip, and when he doesn’t have somebody to vet him a little bit — [there’s] no filter, baby. So, and I got used to working with that. But he could work with anybody right now and be a great commentator, no doubt about it. Because he understands wrestling. And you may not agree with his philosophy of wrestling; that’s your prerogative. But he’s a very, very, very talented guy. And like [Terry] Funk was just a perfect fit as a color guy.”

On doing commentary with Cornette vs. commentary with Paul Heyman: “Can’t determine it, because they’re both so much alike. You’ve got a Southern crazy person and a Northeastern crazy person … Cornette has a propensity for polyester and Heyman has a propensity for cheap wool. They both buy their suits on sale. I suggest they both may have a coupon or two in their past. But look, they’re both highly intelligent, funny, naturally witty, great product knowledge. And so that was something I thought was — there’s no difference. I mean, there’s not a lot of difference in them. People can say ‘Well, I like Paul better than Cornette.’ ‘I like Cornette [better than Heyman].’ And Cornette gets some downvotes now because he’s so controversial on his own podcast. And he’s raising hell on that all the time, or getting on the social media.”

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