Talk Is Jericho

Pat Laprade, author of the new book, “The Eighth Wonder Of The World: The True Story of Andre The Giant,” shares some of the childhood stories he discovered about the wrestling legend. Pat and Dave Meltzer from the Wrestling Observer also talk about acromegaly, the disease that caused Andre’s giantism and why he never got it treated, Andre’s relationships with both Vince McMahon Senior and Junior, his historic feud with Hulk Hogan and how that provided the foundation for the WWF pay-per-view business model, his dislike of Macho Man Randy Savage, and some of their favorite Andre matches. Plus, they finally set the record straight on exactly how many beers Andre could drink in one sitting!

Nickelback have sold over 50 million albums, they’ve sold out Madison Square Garden, and they’ve been nominated for 6 Grammy Awards! They also rank as the second best-selling foreign act of the 2000s in the US behind only The Beatles! So why the hell do they get so much hate? Guitarist Ryan Peake and bassist Mike Kroger talk about that, and lots of other things, including signing with extreme metal label Road Runner Records, working with famed producer Mutt Lange, and the job that Mike had that inspired their name! Plus, singer Chad Kroeger was great friends with “the brothers” – Darrell “Dimebag” and Vinnie Paul Abbott, and he shares when he first met them, how they became fast friends, and the hilarious gift he got from Vinnie Paul!

Dasha Gonzalez is funny, fierce, and full of personality! There’s nothing robotic about her AEW commentary, ring announcing or the stories she shares about her WWE tryout, her first-time ring announcing, and dealing with overzealous fans! Dasha also explains how one online application landed her a spot on The Rock’s “Titan Games” fitness competition show, what The Rock said about her performance, and how a freak Achilles injury nearly derailed the whole thing! Plus, Dasha details her journey to AEW and a seat in the Spanish announce booth!

Billy Jensen is a true crime investigative journalist and author, and host of "The Murder Squad” podcast. He’s helped to solve numerous crimes, and shares some of those stories. He also details the case of the little-known serial killer, the Golden State Killer, who is the subject of the new HBO Documentary “I’ll Be Gone In The Dark.” Billy helped finish the book that the documentary is based on, and explains how he got involved in the project. Plus, he’s an avid wrestling fan and not only attended the first-ever Wrestlemania, but was also in attendance the night that Hulk Hogan win his first WWF championship. 

It’s Canada D’eh! And that means Chris Jericho’s childhood friends from the Great White North (Winnipeg to be exact), Dave Spivak and Rybo, return to celebrate all things Canada! They talk about their favorite Canadian TV shows, rock bands, food, and landmarks. They also remember the things they had to cross the border to get, what happened when the Jets left Winnipeg, and the time that Lars Ulrich of Metallica rear-ended Rybo’s girlfriend!

Dr. Luther (aka Len Olson) is one of Chris Jericho’s oldest and closest friends in wrestling, and he returns to TIJ to talk about his journey to AEW! Hear about his lengthy audition process, and his memorable signing day. He’s also talking about his early days wrestling in Japan, the origins of the Luther character and what “The Warriors” and “Silence Of The Lamb” movies had to do with it, the Japanese fans’ reaction to the gimmick, wrestling Leon Spinks, and how things ended for him with FMW in Japan. 

The Classic Album Clash returns and this time it’s a battle between Metallica’s “Load” and “Reload” albums! OG CAC debater Frankie Kazarian, and former MLB player, Cody Decker (who also happens to be married to AEW’s Jenn Sterger) are both diehard Metallica fans and join the debate about which songs, performances, riffs, artwork, and ultimately album, reigns supreme! They also share a load (pun intended) of Metallica trivia, concert stories, and personal anecdotes. Join the fun and cast your own vote on twitter @TalkIsJericho.

Mike Chioda spent 35 years reffing at WWE and has some pretty incredible stories about paying his dues working for Gorilla Monsoon, traveling with the likes of Rey Mysterio, R Truth, Jack Swagger, and the late Joey Marella, making wine runs for Andre The Giant, being ribbed by Owen Hart and Dynamite Kid, and learning the ropes as a young ref in the business. Mike also shares some of his favorite matches and talent like The Rock, Hulk Hogan, and Eddie Guerrero, and how he basically ended up as Chris Jericho’s personal referee for a while. He’s also talking about his recent release from WWE, the circumstances surrounding it, and what he hopes to do in the not-so-distant future.

AEW Ref Aubrey Edwards is one of the most popular refs in wrestling (and the bane of Chris Jericho’s existence)! She gave up a ten-year career in the video game industry to join the carnival that is professional wrestling! Hear her journey from the indies to AEW and what happened during the 3-years in between! She talks ref training (hers and helping others), writing the AEW rulebook, and dishes on some of her favorite talent to work with and favorite matches to date. She also shares her WWE reffing experience!

Andy Copping is “Mr. Download,” the face and booker of Download Fest, one of the most popular rock festivals on the planet. And like the rest of the concert industry, Download had to cancel their festival this year, which was slated to take place this weekend at Castle Donington, due to the COVID19 pandemic. So today, Andy’s sharing some of his favorite stories, moments, performances, and happy accidents from the Festival’s history. He’s telling tales about Metallica, AC/DC, Korn, Linkin Park, Iron Maiden, Muse, Slipknot, Ozzy Osbourne, Limp Bizkit, and more! He’s also sharing the history of Download, its connection to the Monsters of Rock festival, and what they have planned for 2021! And be sure to check out Download TV on YouTube Music THIS WEEKEND ONLY featuring live concerts and interviews with your favorite bands!