Going Ringside Ep. 205: Debra McMichael

[upbeat music] Influencing popular culture, politics, and everything in between, The Local Station takes you ringside as we discuss the crazy world that is professional wrestling.

This is Going Ringside with The Local Station.

Hello there.

Welcome to the show.

I'm Scott Johnson.

So glad you could join us here on Going Ringside today.

Got a great guest today.

We're talking about Miss Deborah, Deborah McMichael she used to be called, and then eventually she married Stone Cold Steve Austin.

Of course, Deborah was an iconic figure from her WCW days, and eventually, kind of almost becoming the first lady of WWE for a long time.

So Deborah McMichael was great.

She's out, she's out of the business.

She's in a totally different world, in the criminal justice world now, got a whole new career, but still keeps her foot in the door with the wrestling world, of course, which made her famous.

Um, so we talked about her.

She's actually the do- the subject of a new up-and-coming HBO documentary.

We talk a little about that.

But I wanted to ask her about, there's been a lot of topical things.

First off, her ex-husband, Steve "Mongo" McMichael, as you probably know, passed away from Lou Gehrig's disease, ALS, uh, not too long ago.

It was in the news.

He was able, at the very end of his life, make the NFL Football Hall of Fame, which is great for Mongo.

A lot of people were pulling for him.

Then, of course, uh, she goes to WWE after WCW folds an- and, and she separates from Mongo.

Uh, she goes into WWE, and she's, she's taken on as she's Stone Cold Steve Austin's wife.

That immediately places her at the absolute peak of the industry.

It was fascinating to watch, and to her, it just felt like a job, because, uh, for me, I would be like, "I'm sitting on screen with Stone Cold Steve Austin.

I'm at the top of Raw, SmackDown, all the pay-per-views, all that." But for her, it was just a job.

She was a lovely lady.

Very excited to sit down and talk with her.

Um, so let's get to it without further ado.

Uh, and a little later in the show, friend of the show, Deserie Joseph with the Chutes and Ladders podcast, will join us to talk about Miss Deborah.

But let's get to it.

Here is Deborah McMichael.