Alice “Big Al” Crowley says working with Vince Russo has played a major role in helping her grow as a performer in Juggalo Championship Wrestling.
Crowley, who appears regularly on JCW Lunacy, spoke about her experience working with Russo during an interview with Wrestling Epicenter. According to the 23-year-old wrestler, Russo helped her discover a side of her character that she didn’t even realize she could bring out on camera.
Crowley explained that before working with Russo, she knew how to be herself in normal conversations but struggled to translate that natural personality into wrestling promos. Once Russo began working with her directly, the approach changed dramatically.
“I, personally, love working with Vince. I am able to talk to him one on one. He’s able to give me pointers on my promos. And, honestly, there is a side of me that I didn’t even realize whas a character that I could open up until he came.”
Crowley said Russo’s style is more conversational than scripted, which helped her become more comfortable delivering promos in front of the camera.
“It is like, yeah, I know who I am. And, I can talk to people like I am now with you. And, things just fly off the tongue. But, I didn’t understand how to do that in promos.”
According to Crowley, Russo’s process is simple — talk through the idea first, then turn the conversation into the promo itself.
“With Vince, he’s like, ‘You and I are going to have a conversation. And, this is what we’re going to talk about. Then, they stick cameras in front of us, we do it, and it is perfect I am like, “Hell yeah!”’”
She admitted it took some time to adjust after arriving in JCW, but the experience ultimately helped her better understand how to express her character on screen.
“I wasn’t able to do that when I first got there (JCW). It took time. ANd, I really believe working with him helped me grow and understand my character.”
Crowley continues to build her reputation in JCW as she pushes toward another run with the promotion’s women’s championship while gaining experience on the company’s weekly Lunacy series. If her confidence on the microphone continues to grow, Crowley could become one of the more recognizable personalities coming out of the JCW roster.
Do you think Vince Russo’s style of working with talent still helps younger wrestlers develop their characters today? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.