Jim Cornette is a polarizing figure in today’s world of professional wrestling. He’s known for being a great wrestling historian and traditionalist, but he’s also garnered attention for his controversial opinions. Cornette has been one of the “talking heads” on VICE’s Dark Side Of The Ring since its inception, showing off how much he knows (and has seen) during his 40-plus years in the pro wrestling business.
Dark Side Of The Ring co-creator Evan Husney spoke with WrestleZone about Cornette’s role on the show, praising him for having a commanding on-screen presence. Cornette’s love for pro wrestling is a strong point, so much so that Husney says the creators of another series he’s working on wanted to find their own ‘Cornette.’ As he pointed out, however, there’s only one ‘Louisville Lip.’
“He just has that unbelievable natural ability to be captivating on camera when telling a story. He’s so deeply passionate about wrestling. It means so much to him,” Husney said. “There are a lot of people who watch our show, who aren’t necessarily fans of wrestling. They are just captivated by the stories that are on the show. I’ve never experienced anyone else who can speak like wrestling and make it feel like the most important thing ever.
“We are working on another show right now that’s not even about wrestling and the first thing that my fellow producers who have seen our show, were like, ‘Is there a Jim Cornette like in this world that we can find? You know, that can do the same thing?’ And it’s like, ‘There’s kinda not.’”
Working with Jim Cornette is like having a night off
Husney paraphrased a line about working with Ric Flair, noting that having Cornette on set is like “having a night off.” Husney joked that he’s been to Cornette’s house to film more than any other town he’s visited, praising Cornette’s ability to elevate any story they tell.
“When I show up there, I have my questions. You say one thing and he’s off to the races. It is the easiest imaginable back-and-forth,” Husney explained. “He always continues to deliver and yeah, he’s so good with the soundbite, and elevating the material. And that’s so important. Because I think one of the aspects of the show that makes it endure this long is that it doesn’t only appeal to the most hardened fans. Sometimes even someone like myself. He’s able to speak about wrestling in a way that would get anybody locked into the stakes of what we are talking about. So, I really appreciate that. He is kind of the secret weapon of our show in some ways.”
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