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Jim Ross Responds to ‘Young Kids’ Criticizing His AEW Work Online, Tells Them Not To Listen If They Don’t Like Him

November 17, 2019 | Posted by Ashish
Jim Ross Goldenboy AEW Fyter Fest Image Credit: AEW

On the latest edition of Grilling JR, Jim Ross spoke about criticism he has received online since becoming an AEW announcer and how it does bother him, but that he has no plans to retire anytime soon. Highlights are below.

On the criticism he is getting from younger fans on Twitter: “There’s a young audience that’s criticizing my work, and I don’t have a problem of them criticizing my work, everybody’s opinion is as good as the next guy, that’s one thing. I don’t want the people who follow me on Twitter to jump on, and beat up on some people, because you look at their Twitter information, they have a picture, they are young kids, younger kids, teenagers, early 20s, and they have anywhere from zero to 20 followers. So it’s not as if these people are learned, experienced, long term fans to the level that they can critique somebody, but you gotta, you try to be nice to them, or make fun, not make fun, but have some fun with it. I had a little girl that said I should retire, and I said, ‘Well, would you buy me a nice retirement gift?’ What are you gonna do, but it’s how it is.”

Why the criticism bothers him: “When you work your ass off for 40 F-ing years in the business that you love, and you’re still trying to do it, it’s a little disheartening when people that don’t know your work, or know how hard it is to do this work, are gutting and quartering you, it’s not a fun thing. But I’ve got to get past that, I’m too damn old to worry about it. I can only do my best. If you don’t like my work, folks, don’t listen to it, that’s all I can tell you. Move to goddamn television, hell, I don’t know what you’re going to say. Because I ain’t quitting, I ain’t retiring, and I ain’t going to leave my spot.”

“So when I get criticized about being too old, or you should retire, or you should have another stroke, it pisses me off. It shows a rampant disrespect for older people, and I never thought I’d get so old that I would be a victim of that, but it’s bullshit. We should respect everybody. Everybody. And the age thing is played out, it’s really played out.”

If using any of the above quotes, please credit Grilling JR with an h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.

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Jim Ross, Ashish