Jim Ross is adamant that he is not a racist.
Accusations against the AEW broadcaster by D-Von Dudley were repeated this week when D-Von did a follow-up chat with Maven Huffman.
D-Von has outlined two instances where he was the recipient of racist remarks allegedly uttered by Ross. One was at an appearance at WWF New York, where D-Von accused the then-executive of being “very drunk” and taking issue with D-Von because he is Black.
The other example cited by D-Von occurred in catering at a show in Indianapolis, where Ross approached a table occupied by D-Von, Bubba Ray Dudley, Paul Heyman, Spike Dudley, and Tommy Dreamer. D-Von recollects that Ross said hello to everyone except D-Von, and Heyman pointed it out, asking, “What, because he’s Black?” and Ross allegedly responded, “You’re damn right because he’s Black.”
Ross refuted those claims last month on a mailbag edition of his podcast and denied that those remarks were made.
After the latest video from D-Von and Huffman, Ross responded on Thursday on Grilling JR:
How many times do I have to address it to satisfy everybody? I’m not a racist. I‘ve never been a racist. Ask some of the African American athletes that I’ve been around and worked with in my fifty-year career, and they’ll say the same thing. I don’t remember the first cross word I had with D-Von.
I’ve never gotten mad at him. I was bewildered at how this could happen because, like I said, I don’t remember any negative exchanges with him, and what I had allegedly said would damn sure be (considered) negative.
I am interested in reconnecting with D-Von because I like D-Von.
Huffman had contacted co-host Conrad Thompson about doing something on camera with Ross and D-Von. Ross stated is not interested in “making a TV show out of it,” but said he would be willing to communicate and meet with D-Von over this issue.
Ross made his return to AEW programming this past Wednesday in Tulsa, following a period of numerous health issues, and called the entire show alongside Excalibur and Tony Schiavone.
