Jericho's Book Gives Me Strange Thoughts On His Return.

[Johnny Scumm]

I started reading "Undisputed - How To Become World Champion In 1,372 Easy Steps" by Jericho for the second time today. The first chapter "Petulating Pansy" highlighted something about Jericho's debut in 1999 that gave off no significance to me until today. I'm about to type up a section of the Chapter and then talk about why I find it a bit strange. Here we go. I'll just say, before this, he was talking about his Debut and how after he made his speech, the Rock gave him an "Oral Beatdown".

As a heel, my job was to sell his oral beatdown, and that I did. The problem was, I sold it like a scalded dog (Jim Ross TM) and got this look on my face like I was about to cry. It was a trick I picked up in WCW, but I was soon to discover that the type of heel I was used to playing didn't fly in the brave new world of the WWE.

As a results, in the course of a couple of minutes within my first promo, I went from a confident, cocky Y2Jack The Lad to a whining, huffy crybaby. I was trying to go all out to be the bad guy, but in doing so I turned myself into a comedy figure - the type of heel that can't be taken too seriously. Even though it was a great entrance and a classic WWE moment, watching it now makes me cringe I would never act that way anymore. But in 1999 I didn't know better. Instead of keeping any badass credibility, I became a cowardly cartoon. It should have taken a lot more than one insult to turn me into a sniveling baby.

The worst part came at the end of the promo then The Rock unleashed his patented "If you smel-l-l-l-l-l-l what The Rock is cooking!". For some reasons, I contorted my face into a sulky Popey-like grimace, as if I'd found Bluto snorting spinach off of Olive Oyl's naked ass. It was the wrong card to play on my first night in the WWE.

First, what I've highlighted.

"A Great Entrance" - His "Crucifix" pose, before turning round & throwing up his arm to the crowd and going crazy. It's the way he debuted back in '99 and it's what Jericho's doing now. It was great then and it still is.

"Got this look..." - Last Monday night, we saw Jericho have a look on his face just like he was ready to burst out crying. Note that he never let a tear out. Jericho then said he would "Never act that way anymore". But he did. HE acted JUST like this last week. Even up to the Popeye face that he pulled at the end of the Promo.

"The wrong card to play..." - Yeah, it was the wrong card to play in 1999, is it still the wrong card to play today? It may be, but if Vince said he hated it in '99, why would he get Jericho to use it now? Is he doing it because of nostalgia, or wanting to play back on Jericho's career? Is Jericho going to start talking in a promo where he reflects back on his WWE life? Now, questions.

Has Jericho referred back to his Book/Debut Promo for his recent silent outbursts?
Do you think that Vince is playing the "WCW Crying" card now purposely, or is it a Jericho improv?
Are you a fan of the current actions of Jericho? If yes/no, why?

 

[MaxSteel]

Ah, haven't posted on those forums for a long time, but for a Jericho thread I'll make an exception.

Anyway, the situation he was describing was different from what happened recently.
To put it short, back in 1999 "A man insulted him once and he nearly burst into tears". That, as he said, turned him into a comedy act, or in other words made him look like a total pussy.

Last week, he didn't get insulted by anyone. I dunno how to explain it in exact words, but it is quite easy to see the difference between when he looked like he's gonna cry from one insult, and the "emotional I-can't-do-this" nearly crying face. It's completely different. Some may say it makes you look a little soft, but it doesn't nearly make you look like a total bitch crying and whining after one insult.

 

[Jaystrong322]

I feel like Jericho's recent re-debut more or less plays off of the fact that he knew he was going to get a great reaction. The goal of his fake crying and over celebratory baby-face return is to play the crowd. Basically he is attempting to make WWE fans feel stupid and small and it's working. His debut in '99 is more of a traditional kayfabe heel return where he was playing a goofy, over-confident character. This is something diffferent and new. It's a fresh idea that I feel needs time to discover the pay-off.

 

[Rcole83]

The difference is that now, he's not some cocky young face in a new world. He's a legend, and isn't trying to get over, he's already over.

The type of heel (presumably) he's trying to portray now is one that takes pride in fooling (trolling?) the fans. Those exaggerated looks are perfect for what he's trying to be now.

 

[Y2J1245]

He did the Crucifix pose in his second return also, so to tie the two together as though he is recreating something is a bit of a stretch. As you know from the book, he stole that move from Michael Jackson, and he thinks it makes him look cool so it became his own trademark.

Secondly, although he is doing the same types of things, he is not doing the same thing at all. At that time, he thought that was how you played a heel. He knows how to work a crowd much better now and the fact that he is doing that now is part of a means to an end that will be much different from what we saw in the past.

Finally, Jericho has stated that what he learned from his first comeback, was that his original character no longer worked. That's why he came out in the glitter vest, but then evolved into the darker character. He has also state that if he were to comeback(which obviously he has) he would want to do something new, and completely different.

I think you are on point picking up on the things you have listed, but more because he's setting us up than his character is devolving.

 

[thats the bottom lineee]

wow, never thought of it that way. i think this signals that Jericho is probably coming straight after punk for stealing his catch-phrase and his title, then he will maybe become the WHC and once again become the undisputed wwe champion?!

 

[Tyler44]

Interesting find, I complement you for that.

It's interesting you point that out, but yes, I think it's now obvious what he is doing is playing the crowd to fool them eventually.

But tonight, if he does it for the 3rd straight week I'll just lose interest. Heel Jericho was awesome years ago, but his last heel run was miserably stale. Jericho is an online "God", but I'm telling you, I'll lose all my interest in his return if he does it again. It's already old. Hopefully it won't be like his last heel run where he does the same thing for 8 straight months.

 

[ThinkinSmart]

I posted this critique I'm about to type in the comments to one of the editorials on the main page but it seems fit to say here as well. Jericho is not doing what hes doing now for nostalgia, he's doing it to get him self in to a spot with Punk and it all has to do with the fans reactions. Think about Punks character, he is a caricature of us, the knowledgeable fans who know what we want from this industry and believe our ideas can make wrestling entertaining again instead of the same boring crap we have been fed for years now. The title of best in the world for Punk came from right here on the internet as people sat at their computers and sang his blessings and ranted an how hes misused and deserves a better spot. Now look at Jericho, some one just as respected by the knowledgeable fan base as Punk is not more and some one who the fans of prowrestling really respect. He came out the first week, didn't say a word, was called a genius. Came out the second week and cried a little(maybe mocking most other returning stars), still didn't say anything, he was called innovative. He may break his silence tonight, he may carry it out another week or two, but in the end he will have something to say about how we love him. How he's the most talked about man in this industry, how hes garnishing so much praise and is putting innovative performances and doesn't even need to speak. He will use our praise as proof that he is the best in the world and that that rightful title belongs to him, and not CM Punk.

 

[TM Punk]

I started reading "Undisputed - How To Become World Champion In 1,372 Easy Steps" by Jericho for the second time today. The first chapter "Petulating Pansy" highlighted something about Jericho's debut in 1999 that gave off no significance to me until today. I'm about to type up a section of the Chapter and then talk about why I find it a bit strange. Here we go. I'll just say, before this, he was talking about his Debut and how after he made his speech, the Rock gave him an "Oral Beatdown".



First, what I've highlighted.

"A Great Entrance" - His "Crucifix" pose, before turning round & throwing up his arm to the crowd and going crazy. It's the way he debuted back in '99 and it's what Jericho's doing now. It was great then and it still is.

"Got this look..." - Last Monday night, we saw Jericho have a look on his face just like he was ready to burst out crying. Note that he never let a tear out. Jericho then said he would "Never act that way anymore". But he did. HE acted JUST like this last week. Even up to the Popeye face that he pulled at the end of the Promo.

"The wrong card to play..." - Yeah, it was the wrong card to play in 1999, is it still the wrong card to play today? It may be, but if Vince said he hated it in '99, why would he get Jericho to use it now? Is he doing it because of nostalgia, or wanting to play back on Jericho's career? Is Jericho going to start talking in a promo where he reflects back on his WWE life? Now, questions.

Has Jericho referred back to his Book/Debut Promo for his recent silent outbursts?
Do you think that Vince is playing the "WCW Crying" card now purposely, or is it a Jericho improv?
Are you a fan of the current actions of Jericho? If yes/no, why?

I think he's moreso playong off of a story he told in his first book. I forget the wrestlers name, but jericho said that when he was in germany, the top draw for the promotion he was working for would stand in the ring for ten minutes after every match, and let the crowd cheer for as long as they wanted to. Jericho said he would do this every night, and the crowd ate it up. And the guy said that that was his secret... or something like that. And I believe that is what he's been doing, along with poking fun at certain wrestlers who've returned and shed a tear or two.

But what he said of his initial debut is that he was too cartoonish. He wanted to react to the rock, and put the rocks words over like they were getting to him, but when he did it he was probably soo nervous, and wanted to make it look so good that his expressions were multiplied x154, resulting in a not so serious cartoonish look on his face.

Speaking of his second book. I always feel sorry when I see the original wrestlemania 2000 poster with jericho's face on it instead of mick foley's (who subsequently has never defeated chris jericho in a wrestling match).

 

[Cats Pajamas]

This is going to sound like bitter, IWC Smark banter but when Jericho came back I was pretty disappointed by it. I remember him saying he didn't want to just "return to WWE" he wanted to completely reinvent what his character was in WWE. When he came back and did his little "running around thing" I didn't get it. And still don't.

I get that he was playing the audience, but that wasn't interesting the first time he did it and it isn't now. Get to the freaking point Jericho.

This was a pretty interesting find, but I don't think this angle is coming anywhere from his book, but I do hope he goes somewhere with this character soon.