“Under The Black Hat” Author Jim Ross On His New Book, Podcasting, AEW’s Success & More

If you were a fan of professional wrestling anytime within the last 40+ years, then you undoubtedly know who Jim Ross is. Not only has Ross been on-camera on a weekly basis for almost all of the world’s top wrestling companies for decades – many millions of people believe that Ross is indeed the greatest wrestling announcer of all time – but he was also responsible for signing some of the all-time top money-earners within the business. To name a few of the legends who Ross signed and/or helped develop, that list includes Chris Jericho, “The Rock” Dwayne Johnson, Brock Lesnar, John Cena, Batista, Mick Foley, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Randy Orton, Edge, Matt and Jeff Hardy, and Kurt Angle.

But there is plenty more to Jim Ross’ life and accomplishments than his current work with AEW as lead announcer and a senior adviser. Notably, the Norman, Oklahoma resident has the acclaimed J.R.’s Family Bar-B-Q brand of products, which include barbecue sauces, jerkys and seasonings. Each week he hosts the Grilling JR podcast alongside Conrad Thompson, and as of this week, Ross becomes a published author yet again via the new Simon & Schuster titled Under The Black Hat: My Life In the WWE & Beyond; Under The Black Hat was co-written with Paul O’Brien and has already hit #1 on a variety of sales lists although only available on pre-order prior to its March 31, 2020 street date.

On March 25, 2020, I had the pleasure of interviewing Jim Ross for the third time. He kindly took the time to speak with me for more than a half-hour despite the on-going coronavirus pandemic. Not only does JR never hide from answering a question, but his responses are always honest, interesting and thought-provoking. They also, more often than not, include your name, which makes you feel important and valued as an interviewer. In turn, he provides one of the best interview experiences one could ever experience as an interviewer, no matter where you may stand as a fan of wrestling.

The full interview with Jim Ross is embedded below for your listening pleasure and is set to appear on a future edition of the Paltrocast With Darren Paltrowitz podcast, while a few minutes of the conversation has been transcribed for Sportskeeda. More on Jim Ross, All Elite Wrestling and Under The Black Hat can be found online by visiting JR’s official website at www.jrsbbq.com.

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Tags: AEW, All Elite Wrestling, Barbecue, Jim Ross, Oklahoma, Simon & Schuster, Wrestling, WWE

About the Author

Darren Paltrowitz Darren Paltrowitz is a New York resident with over 20 years of entertainment industry experience. He began working around the music business as a teenager, interning for the manager of his then-favorite band Superdrag. Since then, he has worked with a wide array of artists including OK Go, They Might Be Giants, Mike Viola, Tracy Bonham, Loudness, Rachael Yamagata, and Amanda Palmer. Darren's writing has appeared in dozens of outlets including the New York Daily News, Inquisitr, The Daily Meal, The Hype Magazine, All Music Guide, Guitar World, TheStreet.com, Businessweek, Chicago Tribune, L.A. Times, and the Jewish Journal. Beyond being "Editor At Large" for The Hype Magazine, Darren is also the host of weekly "Paltrocast With Darren Paltrowitz" series, which airs on dozens on television and digital networks. He has also co-authored 2 published books, 2018's "Pocket Change: Your Happy Money" (Book Web Publishing) and 2019's "Good Advice From Professional Wrestling" (6623 Press), and co-hosts the world's only known podcast about David Lee Roth, "The DLR Cast."