During Renee Paquette’s Oral Sessions podcast, former WWE star Mickie James talked about ageism in the wrestling business:
“I think people say, ‘Oh, ageism isn’t a thing.’ I don’t think it’s as much a thing for guys as it is for women. For women, it is different. I was 38 when I had diapers and a walker delivered to me (in WWE storyline), which is funny, and it’s television. I did it because that is my employer. We’re doing a job. It’s like, ok. This is the storyline we have, so you try to make everything you have gold if that’s what you’re given. If it was going to pay off in the end, but the thing is, it never really paid off. That was the unfortunate thing. Or being asked to, feel like, almost not asked to retire, but to move into a different role. I’m only 38 or 39. Some of the girls are my same age. I know I’ve been on television for 20 years, or whatever it is, but I feel like that should be a good thing. I know they called me a legend and put me in an area in the sense of that, or six time women’s champ. They always promoted that.
I wished there would have been a real moment of either going after the championship or this one moment that is really a defining thing in that run for me. That’s it. It was cool, and I had such an amazing time being able to work with Alexa and do all that stuff. Even with Foxy and stuff like that, but I just feel that I was always that just kind of middle player, which is fun, and you’re in the locker room and you’re part of the whole thing, but, you’re not, the thing.”
