Pro-wrestling superstar and current free agent Mickie James was the latest guest on Renee Paquette’s Oral Sessions podcast to discuss her release from WWE, where the former multi-time women’s champion addresses the infamous trash bag scandal that occurred shortly after she was let go. Highlights are below.
Says it’s been a whirlwind since she posted that photo of the trash bags:
It’s been a whirlwind. If you know me, I’m very sarcastic in a loving way. I don’t feel, at least I hope I’m not, hateful I guess would be the word. I had two boxes because I apparently had a lot of stuff there. I kind of, in that moment, was like, ‘Oh s**t, they still do this? That’s kind of funny.’ It was in a space of you know how when you feel you first leave, and you’re just like, ‘Oh, that kind of kind of sucks,’ but there’s always so many things. We are always working on, hopefully, other things and other projects. So you do have more freedom and space to be able to explore those opportunities, but at the same time, I was just kind of like, ‘Ah, I just wish for so many things,’ and I get my stuff and it’s in a trash bag. And I’m just like, ‘Oh, whatever,’ because I don’t even feel like it was something that was malicious or anything like that. It’s just kind of thoughtless and tone-deaf. That’s all.
Says she was surprised by some of the other talents who were released:
I was pretty shocked about Billie Kay. I was like, ‘Oh, that’s kind of weird.’ I just didn’t see that one coming. I think they’re both gonna thrive. They’re going to do amazing, and Chelsea’s already. She’s so funny. She’s great. It was really impactful people that were let go in this round and no disrespect to other situations that have happened like this before,” Paquette added. “But to see you be released, and Samoa Joe The IIconics, it just seemed a little mind-boggling. ‘Wait, what?’ How is there not space for these people? How is there not creative for these people? I don’t understand. I think it’s because I’ve been there before and I was in a much different space then, and that was really in the space when I thought, ‘Oh, I’m just gonna take a picture of it because it’s funny’ because myself and Chelsea’s, or Billie Kay’s case or Peyton’s shoes, I would never post that picture then because you’re always thinking, ‘Oh well, there’s a chance for me to come back, and there’s all this other stuff,’” James explained. “You don’t want to ruffle any feathers. You don’t also want to make it seem negative because we are so grateful for what we do and the opportunities and the platforms. It’s just more about like, ‘Oh, you kind of feel that going out the door. Okay, here’s your s**t kind of way.’
How Vince McMahon was super apologetic when speaking with her after:
I talked to Vince [McMahon] personally, and I spoke to Johnny (John Laurinaitis) after. And I got messages and just texts from people. Everyone was super apologetic, and we got the flowers. That was nice. It was just nicer to have a conversation with Vince. He was like, ‘This is not what I think of you, and I respect you as a talent.’ For me, that was the conversation, I guess, I needed to have to say, ‘Okay, that’s cool.’ It’s cool. It’s not like I’m out here going like, ‘Oh, F those guys or anything’ because it’s just not who I am. I would just rather be like, ”Okay,’ but it’s nice to bring awareness to it. It’s just more nice to say, ‘Hey, we can’t treat people like this. You can’t do that. That’s bulls**t, just have a little respect in that sense,’ and I don’t feel like it was an intentional disrespect, but it just more goes in line with how it goes sometimes.
(H/T and transcribed by Wrestling Inc.
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