Since AEW’s launch in 2019, Executive Vice Presidents Kenny Omega, the Young Bucks, and Cody Rhodes have all opened up at various points about how those behind-the-scenes responsibilities have impacted them. Cody, now back in WWE, has been especially candid, admitting in past interviews that he felt he wasn’t mature enough for the role at the time.
Now, in a recent conversation with Adi Shankar, Kenny Omega reflected on one of his own frustrations with the EVP position—specifically, how it changed the way he could express himself creatively.
“One of the biggest regrets I have about becoming an EVP was losing the freedom to be funny in that old Being The Elite way,” Omega explained. “As soon as we stepped into those roles, we became accountable for everything we said or did. If we said something that didn’t align with the network’s expectations or offended someone who chose to file a formal complaint, we could be taken off the air immediately.”
He said the pressure of that responsibility, not just to fans but also to the many employees working under the AEW banner, weighed on him.
“I really started to miss those days when it was just a small crew of us—me, the Bucks, Hangman, Cody—just throwing ideas around, trying to make people laugh and connect with fans,” Omega continued. “We were always respectful, never out to hurt anyone. Even if we played the villain in a segment, it was part of a story. That was the point.”
Looking back, Omega said he recently revisited some old BTE clips with the Bucks and was hit with a wave of nostalgia.
“We were just goofing off, doing ridiculous stuff. Everyone watching knew it was a joke, and they were laughing with us, or at us—and that was great,” he said. “Now it’s sad that we can’t really do that anymore. Not because it would actually harm anyone, but because someone might choose to be offended and then feel empowered to go out of their way to hurt us for it.”
He concluded, “So I just stay in my shell now and do what I’m paid to do. That part’s a bit of a downer.”
There has not been a new episode of Being The Elite since October of 2023.
(H/T to Fightful.com for transcribing the above quotes.)
