WWE: Pat McAfee on His Commentary Job, New Hiring for RAW Talk & Talking Smack, Trademarks

Pat McAfee: “WWE commentary is not that profitable for me, I do it because I love it”

A recent episode of The Ariel Heelwani Show podcast had Pat McAfee as the guest. One of the topics discussed included McAfee revealing that his current SmackDown commentary job is not that profitable for him but he does it because he loves the wrestling business.

“And now, getting a chance to sit next to the greatest of all-time in Michael Cole, I mean I just go out there and have a blast. It’s not a profitable thing for me, the SmackDown. I mean aside from being in front of three million people every Friday night which is incredibly huge, that’s a massive commercial. When you’re talking about just strictly cash in pocket, like that is not that profitable of a thing for me. For me, I’m doing it because I love it so much. I have so much fun, I enjoy it. There’s been a couple things obviously that have been told to me like, ‘Hey, do this, do this, try to do this’ and I try to curtail it and keep it in there but anybody that says you get a chance to hear a billionaire speak into your brain whenever you’re talking about his show and acts as if that’s a bad thing, I think that’s incredibly short-sighted. Getting a chance to chat with Vince McMahon, even if you think he’s whatever; a lunatic or whatever. This is one of the biggest self-made dudes in the history of the world so, I take it as an incredible opportunity and I’ve been in football and soccer where coaches have said terrible things to me. So I almost have a callus build-up so, if Vince McMahon was to come into my ear and say some of the things that people have said have happened in the past, I think my natural reaction would be to almost laugh. Like this sounds bad but it will be like, ‘Okay, all right. I get it. I get it.’ But I look at that as an incredible opportunity at something that’s really cool and very thankful that they’ve let me kind of do my own thing in there.”

Transcript h/t: PostWrestling.com

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WWE Hires New Co-Host for RAW Talk & Talking SmackDown Shows

WWE recently announced that they have hired Jackie Redmond to be the new co-host of their weekly RAW Talk and Talking SmackDown shows on the WWE Network and NBC’s Peacock.

Official press release:

Jackie Redmond joins WWE

Jackie Redmond is set to join WWE as the new co-host of Raw Talk and Talking Smack alongside WWE Analyst and co-host of The Bump Matt Camp.

“As someone who grew up on Stone Cold Stunners and Rock Bottoms, I cannot even begin to explain how excited I am to join WWE,” said Redmond. “There is nothing quite like the WWE Universe and I am so grateful for the opportunity to engage with the most passionate and dedicated fans in sports entertainment every week on Raw Talk and Talking Smack.”

A sportscaster with more than 10 years of experience, Redmond currently serves as a host and reporter covering hockey for both the NHL Network and Turner Sports. She previously spent six years as an anchor for Rogers Sportsnet in Canada, covering all sports as a reporter and hosting a variety of studio programs, including Sportsnet Central and WWE Aftermath.

Redmond began her professional career by winning “Gillette DRAFTED 3: The Search for Canada’s Next Sportscaster” on theScore Television Network in 2011, becoming the only female winner in the show’s five-year history.

Join Redmond Saturday as she makes her Talking Smack debut following Friday Night SmackDown exclusively on Peacock in the US and WWE Network everywhere else.

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WWE Files Two New Trademarks

WWE recently filed several new trademarks to the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

A trademark for “Samoan Ghost” was filed on September 25th for wrestling and entertainment-related purposes. This is the current nickname of NXT talent Xyon Quinn.

A trademark for “Bearcat” was filed on September 28th for wrestling and entertainment-related purposes. This is the current nickname of Keith Lee.