This week’s episode of Grilling JR explored the controversial events of WWE Armageddon 1999, focusing on the infamous segment where Miss Kitty (Stacy Carter) exposed herself during the pay-per-view. Hosted by WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross and Conrad Thompson, the podcast also touched on other backstage stories from the era, including the firing of a WWE star for recording conversations.
Ross reflected on the Miss Kitty segment, explaining the rationale behind such content. “It was a way to try to entertain men 18 to 34,” Ross stated. “And if you’re a marketer, or you’re a business person, or you’re someone that has average intellect, you know that men 18 to 34, as a rule, like that kind of thing. So consequently, we’re trying to cater to our biggest and most viable demographic. Pro wrestling is a male show.”
While Ross acknowledged the evolving role of women in professional wrestling, he emphasized the need to appeal to the core male audience. “You can say, ‘Well, it’s this or that.’ If you lose your males, you’re out of business. So let’s not bullsh*t each other. Does it have a place for women? Absolutely, hell yeah, of course, women broadcasters and all kinds of things. We’ve got great women, you know, Rene Paquette at AEW is one of the most intelligent and informed people on TV as far as pro wrestling is concerned. She does a great job. It’s a key role that can be filled and has been filled by others, but you know, you’re looking at, how do you please men 18 to 34? Show them a couple of boobs, and Miss Kitty, AKA The Kat, was happy to provide that opportunity with her luscious little breasts.”
When asked if Miss Kitty received additional compensation for her participation in the segment, Ross confirmed she was “properly rewarded.” He elaborated, “It probably enhanced them going from a good payday to the best payday they ever had. So hell yeah, they got compensated for it.”
Ross acknowledged that some performers might feel they deserved more but defended the decision-making process for pay. “Now, you go back and interview some of these people, and they may tell you that, ‘I thought I should have gotten more’, but that’s the same story everybody tells when you’re talking about discretionary income. It’s an opinion. It was my opinion of what the pay should be. That was the only payroll that Vince looked at that he either approved or disapproved, and he didn’t change too many things. He only looked at the top four or five guys to make sure they were being taken care of, and we moved on, but she got (inaudible) extra, and deservedly so.”
You can check out the complete podcast below:
(h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription)
