The New Day on How Cathartic Their First Heel Turn Was, Getting Over as Heels Through Kids

– On the latest Feel the Power, the New Day recalled their first heel turn and how cathartic it was to be able to do so. The stable was not getting over as babyfaces due to the nature of their gimmick, and it wasn’t until they turned heel in April of 2015 that they really hit their groove.

Discussing that turn, the group talked about how they used kids in the audience as a way to get the crowd to turn against them. You can see the highlights and full podcast below:

Woods on the group’s first heel turn: “Once we finally turned heel, that was really — it was a very cathartic moment. Because then it went from heels on the show yelling at kids, saying ‘Oh, I’m gonna beat up your favorite guy!’ to us at live events looking at kids, telling them they should be in summer school. Taking extra classes, because we know they’re not smart enough.”

Kingston on getting kids to boo them: “It was my favorite thing in the business! Yelling at kids, berating kids, threatening to ground kids. Telling them to sit down, telling them to respect my adulthood, you know? ‘Respect my age! How many years older than you I am. Respect me, young child who I don’t know. Sit your ass down, little boy!’ Threatening to fight kids on TV, come on, man.”

Woods on getting over as heels with adults through kids: “Going back to the kinds of heels that we are, or were. The quirky, not super-like, badass guys. By being able to do things like that — people understand what wrestling is. If you’re listening to this podcast, you understand what wrestling is. It is a fantastic, entertaining show done for your enjoyment. And so when people are able to release reality, let go and just have a good time, that’s when wrestling is at its finest, I feel. And so, us being able to go to these kids and yell at them, and the adults in the crowd — their parents, other adults watching this. They’re fully getting into this, because they see how much we’re riling up this seven year-old, who’s now standing on his chair, screaming in our faces, hoping that we lose. Cheering for the good guys like crazy. Everyone behind them that’s 18 and up goes, ‘This kid is amazing. Let me do what this kid is doing to support.’ Now there’s more energy in the crowd. For us, that’s what we’re looking for.”