The following are highlights of a new Chris Jericho interview:
Getting fans to hate him: “It is a lost art, it’s a lot easier to get people to hate you than to like you but it’s hard to get them to stay hating you, that’s where the secret is. Look at some of the greatest heels of all time in movies for example, Darth Vader, Freddie Kruger and Hannibal Lecter, they all became the good guys in the later movies because they’re too entertaining, so the secret to being a good heel is staying a heel. It’s very easy to get drawn into putting out merchandise, saying a catchphrase or doing an interview, I did none of those things when I turned heel in 2008 and it was a conscious decision. When I started saying ‘hypocrite’, people started bringing in signs then I would decide not to say that anymore, then people thought ‘parasite’ was funny then again I stopped saying that.”
Vince McMahon supporting his extra effort to stay in character outside of the ring: “I remember in Madison Square Garden there was a dad with his son in the elevator who asked for an autograph and as much as it pained me as I have a son, I just stared ahead, it’s all part of it and nowadays no one wants to do it. Vince loves it because it’s old school, he gets it, it’s heat, Vince had my back with anything I did, for example when I caused the crowd to pelt me with glow sticks in London, DX were furious, Stephanie was furious, they wanted me fined and suspended but Vince goes ‘no you’re a heel’. “ I learnt in WCW that that NWO were cool heels, just by being up there they were so likable and cool, there was nothing I could do to get a reaction, and I might as well have been a heel. That’s why they don’t turn John Cena heel, all the people that booed him will end up loving him, it would be a waste of time.”
Guys like The Shield, The Wyatt Family and Cesaro getting over: “I kind of am like the Nostradamus of WWE, I predicted that all of those guys will get over, with Cesaro we had a tour of Japan last year and I specifically asked to work with him and with Bray Wyatt when I went to work with NXT I said to put me with that guy.”
Check out the complete interview at Independent.co.uk.
