Rich Eisen

4:52Steph McMahon:Oh, that was odd. But I got through it. Yeah. I'm living the tell-to-tale on what's your story. Yes, that's right. So I watched our brief interaction on your show back. I had called in.

5:06Rich Eisen:Yeah, yeah, a long time ago. Yeah.

5:08Steph McMahon:It's like five minutes. Yeah. On the call, you invite me to come back, and it seems like we're going to have a thing. And then.

5:15Rich Eisen:No, I mean, well. Nothing. This is it. I didn't. I didn't, when you, when I got the invitation here, I didn't say let's do a home and home because I don't, I don't presume, I don't want to presume. Sure. Sure. You know, but for sure.

5:27Steph McMahon:Yeah, no, but it was, it's just funny. Cause it was like, it seemed like, you know, you should come back. We should do this. We're working together now. And I was like, yeah, absolutely. And then we, you know, here we are. It's a very Southern California thing to do. It is. You know, which is like, Hey, let's all hang out.

5:43Rich Eisen:I have no intention of hanging out, but I'll say let's hang out. Check. Understood. And then you call me or text me and I don't respond. And then when I see you the next time, you're supposed to act as if I don't recall getting your text. And you're supposed to act like, oh, that's like, I don't even think about it. Yeah, no worries. No, I hadn't even thought about it until I looked it up. But that's not what I was doing.

6:03Steph McMahon:No, act like you're not coming. I promise you, that's not what I was doing. Meanwhile,

6:07Rich Eisen:New Englanders over here. But I think that might have been like, what? That was a peacock situation, right? And then I left peacock. Yeah, it just happened. Now you since left peacock. Yes, that's true. Now we're all one big happy Disney family. There we go. There we go.

6:19Steph McMahon:Well, we do still have some programming on Peacock. Sure. Yes. Yes. Still partners.

6:24Rich Eisen:Everybody wants a piece of what you're selling. That is for sure. Well, let's hope. Let's hope. I don't think you have to hope. I think you're good.

6:32Steph McMahon:It's good right now.

6:33Rich Eisen:That's my top-down looking business sense. But you have to earn it, right? You have to earn it every day. Yeah. You have to earn it. That's true. Yeah.

6:42Steph McMahon:With everything. Mm-hmm. so how so i'm gonna jump right into something i can relate to okay what is it like um i mean you're not exactly working with your wife like on the same show necessarily but you're both in the business i've seen some of the cute segments with you guys yeah um what do you find are the benefits and maybe some of the you know rough patches in terms of there's no rough patch no i

7:11Rich Eisen:No, there's not. Of course there's not. Is this thing on?

7:16Steph McMahon:Link twice. What? Roof patches. Challenges, I should have said. This is not a challenge either. It's the greatest thing ever. I didn't couch it.

7:22Rich Eisen:Spoken like the wife. My wife and I, we met in the ESPN newsroom in 1997. So how did you meet? Seven. Oh, I was working at SportsCenter. I'd just gotten there in 1996. She showed up in 1997. I immediately fell in love. She gave me the Heisman for about three years. Three years. Oh, yeah.

7:41Steph McMahon:Okay.

7:42Rich Eisen:And what were your approaches? Our children are testament to my fortitude and patience. Yes. But, yeah, so she knows television. She's been on air in various, I mean, probably more outlets than I've been on. and so I kind of when my show started in 2014 uh DirecTV was the the spot where my show uh came into being and the guy was running uh the programming and the production a guy named Chris Long used to work with Susie my wife when they worked together at Fox and he said you know what I think every now and then you know if you if you want if you're up for it it would be kind of like a nice sort of Regis and, you know, Regis Philbin had his life on a lot quite a bit too, Joy, I believe.

8:36Rich Eisen:And he's like, it would be pretty cool if you did something like that. And I'm like, I think that's awesome. And I know Susie would definitely be up for it. And so every now and then, you know, she'll fill in for me, she'll guest host and which I love. And, and then every now and then one of my colleagues will be on vacation or out like this past week and she'll sit in there too and I dig it and I I love it it's a lot of fun um you know she obviously knows what I'm thinking and I know what she's thinking so that and then there's fun moments where um like this past week that you might be referring to when we had Blair Underwood of Sex and the City as a guest and I asked because she my wife is like that's her her anthem Sex and the City it's like her but that's that that like honestly Carrie Bradshaw in every way she'd become one of the four women on sex in the city in one way shape or form is a spirit animal of oh okay got it got it you know she's not one particular one no yeah every one of the ladies is she is a piece of that in her and so um i would think so one of the um but anyway so blair underwood was on and i just i don't know we were just my show is on tv and radio so that we have like a three minute segment where we're just on TV, not on radio.

9:54Rich Eisen:And so I like to do something that's either a little visual when we have a celebrity guest in, that's when we'll show a clip of a movie or a TV show, or we'll do something that's a little bit off the wall, waiting for the radio audience to return to get to the meat and potatoes of our show. So I've got the biggest possible audience. So I don't know why I did. I just said, off the top of my head, I said, you know, where does Blair Underwood rank on, you know, if we had a power rank.

10:21Steph McMahon:Right, right.

10:21Rich Eisen:The boyfriends from Sex and the City, where would Blair Underwood rank? And she answered the question that he's at the top. And I'm, you know, one of my other colleagues, T.J. Jefferson, who does the contest wrestling. He goes, hey, what about Mr. Big? And my wife goes, that's not the same. And I'm like, sure it is. It's all boyfriends. And then he looked up the list of which boyfriends. He says, I'm actually looking at a list. Somebody ranked them on the Internet. and it was, I guess, Harry Greenblatt was number one on the list.

10:54Steph McMahon:Oh, wow. I could see that.

10:54Rich Eisen:And I'm like, which one is that? And she goes, the bald guy. And I'm like.

10:59Steph McMahon:Charlotte's husband.

11:00Rich Eisen:I'm like, what's up? Charlotte's husband. She could have said. No, it was Charlotte's husband. Right. Right. So you know that. And so she could have said, it's Charlotte's husband. I probably would have gotten it. Right. But she says, the bald guy. And I'm like, wait a minute. What's up with that? And she's like, she couldn't believe the bald guy was number one on the list of hotness. And I'm like, that's when I called our children miracles.

11:28Steph McMahon:My husband's bald, and he's very sexy, and he's number one. Thank you very much. Look at us. Thanks for having me on your show. Absolutely. Thanks for having me on your show. My husband's got a head full of hair. Okay.

11:39Rich Eisen:It's all good. You know, it just matters if you found your person. That's right. So at any rate, I just bring that up because that's a by-play I'm not going to have with any other human being that appears on the show. Right, exactly. And I do love that. I love that. I think fans love it. They dig it. It's just like if I'm doing a show with my name on it, if I'm doing a show like this where I'm interacting with fans, call in, you're getting to know me. And I don't mind putting that all out there.

12:08Steph McMahon:And one of the things that I've seen and read about you is that you love the spur of the moment. You don't like to necessarily know everything that's coming. At all. You're kind of game for being the butt of the joke, too. Yeah. Don't worry, we don't have any surprises here. No, I have no idea what you guys are going to ask me.

12:25Rich Eisen:I have no idea, but it's great, though. Yeah. Whenever I'll do a show like this, I'll sometimes hear from producers, do you want to see a list of questions or pre-interview me? I find the pre-interview superfluous anyway.

12:41Steph McMahon:And then, I mean, I guess it depends on how scripted the show really is. Right. Right? It depends on each show. But this one's not very scripted.

12:51Rich Eisen:I have to let you know, I've already picked up on that.

12:56Steph McMahon:He's like, what did I want? My inference skills are sharp. They are razor sharp.

13:00Rich Eisen:I picked up on that already. Yeah, I'm picking it up.

13:03Steph McMahon:As long as you don't leave.

13:04Rich Eisen:I'm picking it up. But I do love that. Yeah, I do love. And the show that I do every day, three hours live, it's on a tightrope. And, you know, and I dig it. I really love it. I don't know what the callers are going to ask. And part of that also comes from, I guess, I did stand-up comedy in college. So I love the interaction.

13:28Steph McMahon:Yeah.

13:29Rich Eisen:You know, like if your crew wasn't laughing at what we're doing right now, I'd be like, uh-oh, what's wrong? We're bombing. So I don't mind hearing that. I actually dig that.

13:39Steph McMahon:I know, me too. And yesterday we did one where they were not in the room. And they were like behind in a studio and I did not like it as much. That's not great, right? Yeah.

13:47Rich Eisen:They're like, are we funny? No, I know. I like that interaction. Yeah. I really do. Me too. But it's not the job, what I do for a living, for whoever's working on the floor to laugh at my shit. No, no, there's no sign. No.

14:02Steph McMahon:So when you do make them laugh, you know it's good.

14:05Rich Eisen:Yes. Yeah. I'm a needy man.

14:07Steph McMahon:I hear you.

14:08Rich Eisen:It's essentially what I'm saying. You're looking for the reaction. Yes. At the very bottom of it all, I'm needy.

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16:15Steph McMahon:What is the worst live event experience that you've had? Oh, gosh.

16:22Rich Eisen:I think it has to be when I first started out in TV. I got my first job on TV in Redding, California, beautiful part of the country about 12 hours north of here. Incredible. I'm a Jewish kid from New York, so going up to Redding where it's about fishing and hunting and panning for gold and all of that it was just like that tv show northern exposure right you know like so I'm I'm I'm completely out of my element I'm used to being from Staten Island where the mountains are made of trash not like actual mountains I'm serious and um it's a beautiful part of the country incredible and um but it it's a small market right so um one well i got two stories here okay good one of them is on the first day of work like the very first day i was a television so you've moved i've moved yeah yeah i had moved i went to a graduate school at northwestern got got this job i don't need to go through that story but i'm happy to fill you in on whatever you want me to fill you in on As Andy Reid says, the time is yours.

17:30Rich Eisen:So at any rate, that's for the Philly guys who are here. There you got it. They got it. You can laugh out loud, man. You know what I'm saying?

17:37Steph McMahon:Your reactions are important. You know how much this means to him. I think we've established that.

17:41Rich Eisen:Okay. So very sharp, Steph. Yes, they are. They are.

17:46Steph McMahon:Actually, I'm very lucky to have this team.

17:48Rich Eisen:So I got this job. You are. So I got this job, and my first day on the job is I need to go. to a high school doubleheader football playoff game. There's two games, okay? One, two teams are playing here in the early afternoon, and then two teams are playing at night. And in between the games, I have to shoot the video of the first game. And then in between the two games, I have to interview live the two head coaches of the second game, and then shoot the video of the second game for just the first half because I've got to get back and I've got to edit it all together. It's a one-man band operation.

18:28Rich Eisen:And it's just like you've got a camera and you've got this big, huge coaxial cable that's attached to this deck that you put on a strap over your shoulder.

18:36Steph McMahon:Yeah, and this is not the days of current technology. No, this is 1994. Yeah, you need lots of machines. Everything's big and oversized.

18:42Rich Eisen:And they're this thick. Yeah. Like that big and this thick. And it's huge machinery and everything. And it's 100 frigging degrees out. And I've got my sport coat on and my tie. And I'm using this equipment. that was leftover, that was, that my predecessor had used, but he didn't, he didn't charge the batteries. Oh, no. And it had been sitting there for six weeks. And so I am, I am now shooting this. And as soon as I hit the record button, the red light starts flashing. Oh, my God. I'm like, oh, shit. So I go back to the car. The car is a fleet of, the station had a fleet of white Ford escorts with the logo of the station blazoned on the side so everybody knew who was on the scene.

19:32Rich Eisen:Right, right. So I go back to the station-issued car to look for the station-issued batteries. Charger. No, just like some extra batteries. Big backup battery. Yeah, there were no chargers back in 1994 either. Yeah, I guess, I guess, yeah. Except back in the shop.

19:46Steph McMahon:I'm thinking you're plugging into the lighter. I know, right?

19:49Rich Eisen:The lighter. Exactly, right? No, but they wasn't even there. No, yeah. So I opened the trunk, put my deck down, and get the batteries. Close the trunk, and I go, I probably should get another tape, too. And I go to open the trunk, and I'm like, where were the keys? Oh, my God. And I am now in the middle of nowhere with no video, first aim of my job, sweating bullets. Now I'm sweating more. Oh, my God. This is awful. And I am, like, freaking out. First day. I have locked my frigging self out of this car. And the car's locked, so I couldn't even use the pop trunk button that was in there. I was locked out.

20:36Rich Eisen:And these sweet people, it was in Cottonwood, California, near Redding, saw the new Channel 7 guy losing his mind.

20:44Steph McMahon:He was panicking. Trying all the doors.

20:47Rich Eisen:Absolutely losing my mind.

20:48Steph McMahon:Oh.

20:48Rich Eisen:Okay. and we were trying to open it up and I asked for a Slim Jim, which if you're from the East Coast, you know it's this piece of metal that you can pop a door. That's an East Coast thing? No, they literally thought I was asking for beef jerky.

21:04Steph McMahon:For a meat stick.

21:07Rich Eisen:And they're looking at me like, and they were so sweet, like trying to open, like, you sure you didn't, like this door's not open? And they were trying to like use their hands, like rocking the car, opening it up. and I just turned to the first guy who helped me. I'm like, listen, I have, at least I have these batteries. Right, I have to go shoot this game. Yes, would you mind if I come right back? Like, please keep working on it. He goes, not a problem. Couldn't have been sweeter. I pick up the deck, look down, the keys are underneath it.

21:34Steph McMahon:You're kidding.

21:34Rich Eisen:What a moron. It was like the needle ripping off the record and they all looked at me like, really, new guy?

21:44Steph McMahon:Sorry.

21:44Rich Eisen:Really, new guy?

21:47Steph McMahon:That was my first day on TV. You could only go up from there.

21:51Rich Eisen:No, there was another one. There was another moment that back, you know, about a year later, I'd been on the air for a bit. And the teleprompter back in that shop was worked by not another human being rolling it. It was with a foot pedal that you would operate yourself to give it gas to let it go or not. Wow. The problem, and we would pass it underneath the desk from news anchor to sports anchor to weather anchor. Was there a break side also? You have to give it. By the way, it took me a while to figure out how to give it gas.

22:23Steph McMahon:Because then it can go too fast.

22:25Rich Eisen:Now, the problem with that is you get married to your prompter like you're Ron Burgundy. You're not flipping scripts in case the prompter goes to what we called Greek because it would automatically, there was a glitch in the system. You'd give it gas and then the letters would just turn into an asterisk, an at sign, an exclamation point. You were screwed. Yeah. You were screwed. So I'm on the air and it happened to me again. And as I'm trying to get through to my sense, I'm like, just roll tape. The person in the back was a new tape operator. They rolled the wrong tape. Then they took it out and then they went to what's called black.

23:03Rich Eisen:It was just black on the screen. and then they put the wrong graphics up and then they're like, get in my ear, we got the tape. I'm like, okay, roll the tape. It was the wrong tape. And so I just did what I've always done in my career whenever something goes wrong or something is so obvious that somebody's sitting at home and they can clearly see I'm in dire straits, right? So I looked right in the camera and I said, I am broiling in my own sweat. is what I said because I was yeah and what was the feedback the feedback was just you know I had no idea who saw it I have no idea it could be on recorded on YouTube somewhere it could be this is in Reading oh

23:46Steph McMahon:both of them they play it every year how yeah how close were these episodes oh

23:53Rich Eisen:it was first day of the job and then one of my last you know months on the job I didn't know at the time It was one of my last months on the job.

24:03Steph McMahon:But from your decision-making, you didn't get fired from the job.

24:08Rich Eisen:No. ESPN found me there and hired me. It was like winning the lottery at age 26.

24:12Steph McMahon:That's awesome. Yeah.

24:14Rich Eisen:And so I'm on my last days there, you know, like the local newspaper. Right, right. And then I rated to some of those people for my first day on the job. They were like, really? We remember you. Don't get too big for your britches, Mr. Car Keys on the ground. That's cute. Locking yourself out, but not really locking yourself out. Don't make us shake the car. They were all like, yeah, gosh. I can only imagine the sheer panic.

24:43Steph McMahon:Panic? Panic. I didn't know what I was doing.

24:47Rich Eisen:And then, you know, the live truck that was there couldn't get a signal, and the guy didn't even tell me he was taking off. So the two coaches were like, we're ready for the interview. I had to tell these two coaches we're not doing it. Like, I'm sorry. total disaster.

25:02Steph McMahon:This is my first and last day. Does that answer your question?

25:07Rich Eisen:I don't know if we're out of time now because I'm such a long storyteller.

25:11Steph McMahon:That was worth it. That's the answer to your question.

25:15Rich Eisen:Hell yeah.

25:16Steph McMahon:That's pretty bad. I had to recut a whole promo in front of a live audience in Boston. This was before social media and everything else, thank God.

25:28Rich Eisen:What happened?

25:28Steph McMahon:But so it was my brother and I were characters in the show and it was some big storyline and we were out there and we did everything we thought we were supposed to do. And we came back up. And of course, it's my dad who's running the show. And it was not what he wanted. So he sent us right back out.

25:46Rich Eisen:And you had to do it in front of all these people.

25:48Steph McMahon:And we had to do it all over again in front of 10 ,000 people or so.

25:51Rich Eisen:I mean, that's, it's all good.

25:53Steph McMahon:But it was a great lesson because when I came back, I still had a ton of stuff to do in the show. And I was pretty rattled at this point.

26:01Rich Eisen:Right.

26:01Steph McMahon:And he told me I had to be a professional. And I had to go and learn my lesson. Yeah. And that's great. It's behind you now. Now you need to be a professional and go finish this show. Right. And it taught me a lot.

26:15Rich Eisen:Yeah. Yeah. You know what? At the end of the day, though, you know, it is everything's a lesson. Everything's learning. and at the end of the day, those people went home. Yeah, it's not a big deal. And you go about your life. You put your head on the pillow. Totally not a big deal. And on we all go.

26:33Steph McMahon:But it felt like it.

26:35Rich Eisen:I know. I bet it did, and it felt like those things for me too. The most nervous I've ever been was when I was on ESPN doing SportsCenter from Pac Bell Park for the 2002 World Series doing SportsCenter. We had to sit in left center field. It was after one of the games, the Giants and Angels, and they told me that we were live at 10 o 'clock at night or 11 o 'clock at night. That's what it was. And that if I didn't get the highlight right, that they didn't have the ability to immediately re-record it for the next episode of SportsCenter. Because those used to re-air over and over and over again.

27:14Rich Eisen:Like today, ESPN would never air a seven-hour-old show in the morning. But back in the day, that's what we did. Sure, yeah. So they told me that I needed to get it right. And if I didn't, then the entire crew would have to stay another hour until it was live again. And I just looked at everybody behind the camera. Oh, my God. I've been there since probably like 7 in the morning. Everybody wanted to go home. No pressure. And I wanted to go home. Yeah. No, I did. Like, that put pressure. No, I'm being sarcastic. No, I know that. No, I know that. No pressure. No, no. Yeah. And it felt like stand-up.

27:46Rich Eisen:Like, my heart was thumping. Ooh, the whole thing. Yeah, like I felt alive. And then you crushed it. That's great, though. You know. Isn't that a great feeling? It's a good thing, though, that the names were Bonds, you know, Salmon. It was easy. You know, I didn't have to screw it up, you know. Nice, easy words. But, yeah, those were some of my experiences.

28:04Steph McMahon:So what was it like, you know, how did you get notified from ESPN? Like, what was the method?

28:11Rich Eisen:I got a call at work at my desk in Reading, at KRCR-TV. and the phone at the desk.

28:20Steph McMahon:And the phone with a cord and it's a hard line and you're sitting at your desk.

28:24Rich Eisen:I'm sitting there and it would ring twice for any phone call outside the area code, any long distance call. So it would go ring, ring if it was outside the area code. And it was really only when my parents are calling from New Jersey or my brother. Sure, sure. You know what I mean? Like no one was calling me from outside the area code, a local sports reporter. And it was ring, ring. And it was an agent from William Morris calling and saying, he's heard I'm one of the hottest up-and-coming sportscasters in America. Can I send him a tape? And I'm like, uh... Absolutely. I looked around. Like, his...

28:58Rich Eisen:So this is 94. It wasn't punked yet, so it was candid camera. Right, right. You know, so I'm like, what's happening? And I'm like, sure. Took down his address because I didn't feel hot upcoming. I literally had a... I was going to take another hour drive to a local high school event with my equipment.

29:16Steph McMahon:Sure, with your big equipment. Right, and so I'm like, okay.

29:21Rich Eisen:So I called my brother. I'm like, you'll never guess what just happened. I told him. And next thing is ring, ring. Five minutes later, I swear to God, I said to myself, I am such hot shit. That's ESPN calling me. No. And it was. I swear to God. A guy named Al Jaffe, who was the talent recruiter for ESPN for many years, who I'd sent unlimited number of unsolicited resumes and tapes to for years, years. And it's this guy. Before you went to Reading. Before. Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. Unsolicited. And it was him.

29:57Steph McMahon:Hey, that's pretty cool.

29:58Rich Eisen:It was him. And I almost MF'd him thinking my brother's like, Right. Like, do my friends call him? He's totally gullible. He's totally ready to be had. We've got him.

30:07Steph McMahon:Yeah.

30:07Rich Eisen:And he told me, like, they saw my tape. because they sent a tape to a headhunter because it was just first class postage. What's the big deal? You know what I mean? Like don't get in your own head, like sort of what we talked about a few minutes ago. Just do it. What's the big deal? Yeah. And they saw it. ESPN saw it. And about six weeks later, I was auditioning. And six weeks after that, I was on SportsCenter.

30:33Steph McMahon:That's amazing. Yeah.

30:35Rich Eisen:Like winning. It was like hitting the Powerball, professional Powerball. Changed my life. Age 26, went from small market in Reading to SportsCenter, which is my dream come true.

30:49Steph McMahon:Absolutely.

30:50Rich Eisen:And that happened. So that's how I found out. And that's a big jump, too.

30:52Steph McMahon:It's not like you dipped your toe in the water at ESPN. I mean, you went right to SportsCenter.

30:56Rich Eisen:I went right to SportsCenter. That's amazing. Just before ESPN News was created. So I was one of the last anchors. I think Chris McKendry, who's doing a lot of tennis now, and she's still there. And I were the last ones who were hired and went straight to SportsCenter. Mike Greenberg had to go right to ESPN News. But, yeah, that was amazing. And I'll never forget it. Like my audition, I remember I was across the street at ESPN. I'm sure you've been to Bristol many times.

31:31Steph McMahon:Yes, I have.

31:31Rich Eisen:It's that hotel right across the street. Okay. It wasn't nearly as nice as it is now. I'm assuming it's nicer because that night I couldn't sleep for various reasons. One, I was just so nervous. Two, the person above me, I could hear him urinating in his toilet through the floor. That's fun.

31:50Steph McMahon:That's fun.

31:50Rich Eisen:So I just said, you know what I'm going to do?

31:51Steph McMahon:Did he urinate in the usual amount? Very loud. It was like a fire hose.

31:54Rich Eisen:I'm like, what the hell's going on up there?

31:56Steph McMahon:I mean, repetitively? No, it was just, once was enough, Stephanie. It disturbed you. It disturbed you enough. It was enough for me to not be able to go to sleep.

32:04Rich Eisen:So I just decided.

32:05Steph McMahon:Did you start comparing your own abilities to this man?

32:09Rich Eisen:I didn't get that deep in it. I immediately turned on SportsCenter because it was like 1130. It was a Sunday night. And I'm like, Dan Patrick and Keith Olbermann, the men, the guys, the big show, they were doing their thing. And I'm like, you know what? I'm going to watch this show and think about how I would do it. you know, I'm watching it not to be informed or entertained by them as I usually would. But this time I'm going to say, oh, I would have done it this way. I would have done it that way. I would have come up with this line. I would have come up with that line and to get myself ready for the next morning, not knowing that when I arrived the next morning, they put me through the paces of a mock sports center by using those tapes from the night before.

33:01Rich Eisen:So I'm like, I've got this thing. I've got it because I don't know. Yeah, I studied it. I've studied it. I've seen it. Like, I don't need to look. It's not a surprise. You want to look at the tapes? I literally said I'm probably going to get a little extra points here by saying, no, I've got this. I'm cool for school. You know? I was listening to a man urinate above me last night. I was going to say. I'm set.

33:25Steph McMahon:You could just turn on like a faucet. I'm ready.

33:29Rich Eisen:Turn on the faucet just to get myself more comfortable. You know?

33:34Steph McMahon:Yeah.

33:35Rich Eisen:Right? So, yeah. And I nailed it. And then Al Jaffe, the guy who, you know, who probably, you know, I bet he had to have put some of his own capital, you know, political or inter-office capital on the line to say, I'm getting a kid from the middle of nowhere who's never done it before, except for these 15 months that he was on the air there. And I'm going to bring him in. Yeah, it's a big risk. And when I nailed it, he came out. He was just like my dad would have given. He's hugging me, like, great job, you know? Because I bet you he was maybe a little relieved. I never asked him about that.

34:14Steph McMahon:That's interesting.

34:14Rich Eisen:But I bet he was a little bit relieved that I stuck it. I stuck the landing and, you know, I got a job offer from them within the week. And then a month after that, I was there and then I was on the air. March Madness. That was my first. Wow. My first. Yeah. My first show was middle of March of 1996. It was the round of 32 Saturday. And I'll remember I had like 12 highlights in the show. and unlike my audition, blind on all but one because all the games were finishing. And so I remember I got to go down. It's my first sports center. I'm in my suit that I've had for like the last 15 years. I'm ready to go.

34:59Steph McMahon:You're one and only.

35:01Rich Eisen:I might have hit a warehouse or two on the way to Bristol. And so I remember thinking to myself, I've got two choices. I could pee down my leg or I could suck it up and just go for it. And I probably did both. But it all worked out. And now, you know, I'm just 20, it's 20, wow, it's 30 years later. 30, yeah. It's 30 years now. Coming up, wow, hold on a minute. That might be next week. Really? Yeah, I need to look at the date.

35:31Steph McMahon:March Madness. Yeah. Wow. It might be next week,

35:35Rich Eisen:30 year anniversary of my first show. Well, hey. Wow, I'm flipping out.

35:40Steph McMahon:That's pretty cool.

35:41Rich Eisen:Thank you, yeah. That's coming out.

35:43Steph McMahon:And here you are on our podcast.

35:44Rich Eisen:Here I am.

35:45Steph McMahon:You finally made it. I made it.

35:48Rich Eisen:Look at me now. Talking about the man urinating upstairs. That's it. I'm full of those stories. Never forget where you came from.

35:57Steph McMahon:Yeah. Those are the real stories. Those are the things that happen.

36:01Rich Eisen:That's what happened.

36:03Steph McMahon:We talk a lot about iconic stories on this show. And when it comes to sports entertainment or professional wrestling, no stories are bigger than the ones written by WWE legends. Superstars like Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock. Trailblazers like Trish Stratus and factions like the NWO and DX. Their legacies are unforgettable. And if you want to wear that history, you need the real deal. That's why you've got to check out WWE Shop and Fanatics. They have the ultimate lineup of official WWE Legends merchandise. We're talking classic graphic tees, premium vintage hoodies, and retro gear. Whether you're hitting a live show or just repping your favorite era on the street, Fanatics has you covered.

36:50Steph McMahon:Don't wait. Head over to wweshop.com and fanatics.com right now and grab your favorite Legends gear. but you first started in journalism writing right yeah i mean and i would tell that to anybody that

37:07Rich Eisen:i mean even though in this day and age you know newspapers are are unfortunately going um away more than they should or they're necessary in so many different ways holding people to account and being uh focusing on local um issues that uh national obviously um um outfits wouldn't but But at any rate, I wrote for my hometown newspaper, the student newspaper, the University of Michigan, Staten Island Advance and Michigan Daily, both. And it really set me up for everything. Everything comes from the written word as far as I'm concerned. I still for NFL game day morning, the Sunday morning studio show I host for NFL Network.

37:46Rich Eisen:I still write my own stuff just like a sports center. I love it. It's a craft. It's something that keeps me a little bit sharp. And it's also unique. You know, like I need to be myself. I'm not going to let someone else write for me. Sure.

37:59Steph McMahon:I have a hard time with that too.

38:00Rich Eisen:No, I just won't. I won't do it. I kind of like it. So I do like the written word quite a bit. And that was the great thing about SportsCenter. Certainly back in that day is the written word. You know, I just did a SportsCenter in August of last year in support of returning to ESPN with my show.

38:20Steph McMahon:And congratulations, by the way. Thank you. Yeah. Appreciate that. It's a big deal. Thank you.

38:23Rich Eisen:I appreciate it. Owned and operated. now for like six years, which is awesome. And the fact that that was the vehicle to bring me back together with the SPN is really awesome. And it's something I'm very proud of. You should be. Thank you. But I was back in the SportsCenter chair for the first time in 23 years. But just writing it and going through the endeavor of writing the Open and writing my own cameras and looking at the highlights, it was awesome. It was just great memory lane stuff that I'm very lucky to do. And to be honest with you, the way things ended with ESPN, it was a nice sort of cauterizing moment for me after 23 years.

39:06Steph McMahon:Interesting terminology.

39:07Rich Eisen:You know, yeah, I mean,

39:09Steph McMahon:when you get handed a cardboard box,

39:12Rich Eisen:it's 10 days before your wedding and there's a table full of executives who aren't showing to your wedding and you met your wife there. Right. It sucked. It really sucked. And then it was such a part of my identity going from the way that I told you that a way I was born into, you know, national sports casting, that it was part of my identity. My God, I never thought I would ever be anywhere but there. It's a dream job and I love being there. And I'm trying to be a good team player. And you thought you were killing it. You know, there may be an eye in Rich and Eisen, but I'm a good team player, you know.

39:49Rich Eisen:And I thought I would never, ever leave or be forced to leave or stand my ground in a negotiation that would run the risk that came to being.

40:01Steph McMahon:So it was a contract negotiation issue? Yeah, yeah.

40:04Rich Eisen:Like I wanted to do stuff other than SportsCenter and management at the time didn't want that to happen. And I stood my ground and yada, yada, yada. I got handed a cardboard box and it was tough. It was really, really tough. Certainly when, you know, I went to NFL Network and we were out in 11 million homes to start, you know, ESPN was on at the time, about 110 million house homes. This is when cable was at its peak. There's nothing else, right? And so I had basically gone from what I was on to, you know, cutting my, my audience was cut by like nine tenths.

40:44Steph McMahon:Yeah.

40:44Rich Eisen:And I remember my wife Susie was working out here for Fox Sports Net, and she left the job because she was coming home. We were going to live together in New York, and now we're back here in Los Angeles. So she's starting from scratch in a way. I'm starting from scratch, but she got a job on TNT, and we went to the NBA All-Star Game because she goes way back with Adam Silver, and we were invited. Oh, that's great. He was the deputy commissioner at the time. Anyway, so we're there. I'll remember this moment. I'm Susie's plus one at some NBA all-star event here in Los Angeles because the all-star game was in the old Staples Center and um and so we're we're there and some guy comes up to me and goes man I love what you do for a living I watch you every day I'm thinking to myself oh my god this guy sees NFL Network honestly we were on on DirecTV and like a five local cable operators throughout the country.

41:42Rich Eisen:So I wanted immediately crowdsourced. How does he see me every day? This is amazing. NFL Network was like 13 weeks old. I'm like, really? You see me every day? He goes, yeah. I'm like, how? He goes, well, I watch SportsCenter every day. And I'm like, well, sir, I have not been on SportsCenter since May. And he's like, get out of here. And I'm like, no, yeah, I haven't been on since May. And he goes, what happened? And I'm like, I left him on NFL Network now. And he goes, are you all right? and I'm like you're like it wasn't my choice I'm like well no I said like if you have a mirror I can fog it for you you know I'm standing right here in front like I'm alright like I'm but that was the way people would view what's going on so how could you not feel like it was well I already did to begin with to be very honest with you I already did obviously very fortunate to land on my feet with NFL Network right where I'm still working 23 years later and the crazy thing is, again, is the show that I started in 2014, back in September, moved to ESPN Radio and Disney Plus and the ESPN streaming app.

42:54Rich Eisen:So that show brought me back to ESPN. And now I think in about 20 days from where we're recording this, ESPN is going to take control of NFL Network. So I'm fully back. Fully, fully. Fully, fully, like full circle that I left ESPN. And how many shows will you be doing? Great question. Have me on in the fall. I'll let you know. I'll let you know. Right? But, I mean, I left ESPN in 2003 for NFL Network. Been working there for 23 years. In 2011, I'm like, you know what? I'd want to do more than just play an on-air hosting traffic cop. Started a podcast that was filled with pop culture talk. Three years after that, DirecTV comes to me and says, do you want to do your show every day, three hours a day after Dan Patrick's show on radio and TV?

43:48Rich Eisen:I'm like, absolutely. Wound up nearly having to give up my firstborn child to get the carve out with the NFL, but got that done. 2014, started that show.

44:00Steph McMahon:And you had a little more savvy with negotiation.

44:02Rich Eisen:A little bit, but I didn't have much leverage, to be straight up honest with you. But I got it done.

44:07Steph McMahon:Almost gave up.

44:07Rich Eisen:And then in 2019, things changed with DirecTV. They discontinued the show. I took ownership of it. I can go on and on about how I went from one to the other to the other. And then in September of this past year, that show is what got me back with ESPN. As ESPN is buying NFL Network, and now I left ESPN to start NFL Network. and in the 23 years of work that I have been putting my blood, sweat, and tears with so many hardworking, outstanding, football-loving, professional, the men and women in the NFL Network all together have created something that is worth 10 % of ESPN. And that is what now brings me back to ESPN entirely is shit you cannot make up.

44:59Rich Eisen:You can't write it.

45:00Steph McMahon:You can't. Yeah.

45:00Rich Eisen:You can't, but it's also testament to never burn a bridge. It makes no sense no matter how deeply personal you take the business. Right. And, um, and, uh, I'm, I'm, I'm thrilled. I couldn't be happier with the way everything worked out.

45:17Steph McMahon:I mean, really good for you. And you really bet on yourself.

45:20Rich Eisen:Yeah.

45:21Steph McMahon:You must be pretty talented because you're like a bad penny. You should follow me.

45:27Rich Eisen:Follow my notes. Listen, it's just, again, hard work, working with the right people. You know, I put together, you know, DirecTV helped put together a staff for my show. I took over ownership. Then COVID hits. It was a total dark time. Yeah. But I had a bunch of folks who were sticking with the show who were like, we believe in it. I told them, stick with me. I'm not going to give this thing up. Right. Let's figure out what we can do. you know, and I'm not just saying this because of Disney, but I say this all the time in any business that I do where, as you know, stuff, you've got to grind it out until a deal is actually papered.

46:10Rich Eisen:You know, you can lose it at the last second and whatever. Anything can happen. Anything, like even buying a home. Sure. Anything you've ever bought.

46:17Steph McMahon:No matter how close you get. Right. If it's still something that can happen.

46:21Rich Eisen:Two or three times where you're purchasing something where you feel like it's just not going to happen. So you've just got to keep persevering. But the analogy I use a lot because I remember the show when my kids were younger. It's the old Mickey Mouse clubhouse train that used to belch out the train tracks and put it one in front of the other to keep the trains going on the tracks. And that's the way I've been doing my show for about six years. Wow. And just keeping things on the tracks to keep it going with the right people, you know, just de-astrolling any place that you work. and you gotta have people who respect one another.

47:00Rich Eisen:Yes. Respect the work rules, respect women who work in the place if you're a man and vice versa. And clearly, clearly have the right staff. And that's why I'm very lucky. You're talking about the people that you have working here and that you work with. I feel the same way about everybody on my show as well.

47:22Steph McMahon:Well, and you're clearly an excellent leader. I appreciate you saying that. Well, you put this team together that you invest in every day. And because you're asking them to invest back in you. Correct. You know, and it is time is the greatest gift you can really give.

47:37Rich Eisen:For sure. Right. And also listening. Listening is another gift that I think you can give to somebody that is working in your environment or working for something that certainly has your name on it or is a family business, clearly. you know like listening um and hearing what is of interest to them and how you can affect it and make it happen as well if you can right you know and and don't bullshit like just basically say you know if they come up with an idea if you don't like it just like right off the don't say i'll think about it and then take a week and a half and forget about it right yeah like just basically come out just say i don't think that's going to work but let's figure out something else or i I don't like that or just come out with it, right?

48:21Rich Eisen:Just be honest and straightforward. It's better. I mean, again, and I couldn't be more thrilled about this and the support that WWE is giving No Contest Wrestling, the pod that's - It's a great pod. Well, I appreciate you saying that. It's true. It's two guys who love - Really love it.

48:39Steph McMahon:Oh, yeah. Yeah.

48:40Rich Eisen:And are passionate about it. Anything that somebody is passionate about and it comes across in their hosting or their conversation, to me is content. And the thing that I do for my show that I think is, you know, something that I'm constantly trying to brand is the mixture of sports and entertainment.

48:59Steph McMahon:Yep.

48:59Rich Eisen:Sports and... That's what ESPN stands for. Pop culture, right. That's what the E in ESPN stands for, Entertainment Sports Programming Network. And so, not like I've reinvented the wheel, but also, you know, having covered the Super Bowl for 23 seasons, the biggest thing that our country, sports-wise, team sports-wise, for sure, exports. Second to WrestleMania. I understand. Did you notice?

49:22Steph McMahon:I did notice how you said it. Did you notice what I said? Yes, team sports. Sports, team sports. I know my audience. I know, I know. He was like, I see her eyes.

49:32Rich Eisen:Team sports. All right. Although there is some tag team. I can argue. I didn't say tag team sports. No, but I basically witness every year the Super Bowl being stopped in the middle for a concert.

49:47Steph McMahon:Right.

49:47Rich Eisen:And sometimes that is what people talk about more. And so sports and pop culture blend. They're spokes on the same wheel. People do not bat an eye over it. So when T.J. Jefferson, who's been with my show for a very long time, he's talking wrestling. He's talking wrestling. He's talking wrestling. And at one point, you know, when I told him, I said, if we can get our podcast network up and going, I will do my best to get you a wrestling podcast. O'Shea Jackson Jr., who I've gotten to know in his appearances on my show, I'm like, let me call him up and say, do you want to do a podcast? I know my guy here on the show, the two of you guys would be great together.

50:27Rich Eisen:They met, they hit it off, and they are not only really passionate about it, but they're great professionals about it. because they know you've got to keep going. You've got to put a fresh coat of paint on every week and keep the content coming and keep going. But WWE's support of it and providing the guests in many, many ways over and over and over again in support of what we're trying to build has been remarkable. But again, I heard what TJ wants to do and he's doing a lot of stuff for my show week in, week out, day in, day out. I want to see if we can build something together while building or while continuing to grow what we're doing every day.

51:12Rich Eisen:And I think they're on episode 80 now. They showed up to your spot in Stanford a couple weeks ago just after John Cena showed up. Yeah. I love that guy.

51:23Steph McMahon:He's a great guy.

51:24Rich Eisen:I mean, like. He's a great guy. 100 % for real.

51:27Steph McMahon:Yeah.

51:27Rich Eisen:And you're always wondering if the people that you see are really the people that they are. Oh, he's better. yeah like i could like he showed up in his three-piece suit and his bag and his shoes he's always very very oh my god and we we wanted to give him makeup he's like no i'm good i'm like you sure like yeah i'm good and then um so i always back off right so obviously i'd want john cena on the rich eyes and show as well right but o'shea and tj booked him and the last thing i'm gonna do is the phrase that we use well the phrase we use at espn back in the day is car wash him yeah you know which is like and then make him go through all the different shows would you come an hour earlier you know and so now he's thinking anytime he does anything for my production company oh like how much more is going to come you know like just back off and let him come in and and he did it and so i always not only just back off i leave i don't want to sit in a control room and be a control freak or whatever like i there's people who are producing it and hosting it and They're going to do their thing and I'm out.

52:32Rich Eisen:I'm gone. And I do that with Susie too. Even when, you know, obviously I'm professionally invested, but personally invested. I'm like, I'm out. I'm out.

52:41Steph McMahon:Do you find if you stayed, you couldn't keep your mouth shut? It's not that.

52:45Rich Eisen:I'm a pacer. I pace a lot. I pace when I'm on the phone. I'm not a nervous guy, but I just, I pace. Yeah. I'm kind of like that. And I also don't want to, you know, in truth, like there are people who's doing their jobs and they're in those positions because I think they're awesome. and let them do it.

53:01Steph McMahon:You don't want to make them nervous. Let them do it. You know what I mean?

53:03Rich Eisen:Let them do it. But the reason why I bring this up is I leave, but I'll always check in. So I'd like text them. I'm like, you know, how's it going? And they write back, like Don Bui is a producer of the show because I'm not texting O'Shea and TJ. Right. Because they don't have their phones on them. I text Don and I'm like, how's it going? He's like, great, amazing. You know, I'm like, oh, that's great. So I just go about my business. Don't think about it. Get another text an hour later. and it's from Don saying, he's still here.

53:31Steph McMahon:Wow. Yeah.

53:33Rich Eisen:And I'm like, all right.

53:34Steph McMahon:If John invests, he's all in. Yeah. But two hours?

53:38Rich Eisen:Yeah. And I'm like, okay, at this point in time. He must have really enjoyed it. I'm now getting, now I'm nervous. All right.

53:44Steph McMahon:They're keeping him. Yeah. They're going too long. You get it, right? Yeah. Right.

53:48Rich Eisen:And I basically said, I'm like, should we let, like, are we good? Should we wrap it? Should we let him go? Should we wrap it? And he's like, no, he's loving this. He's just like saying, you know, what else you got?

53:57Steph McMahon:Yeah. And he stayed for almost two and a half hours. And they're so knowledgeable. Like, TJ blows me away.

54:04Rich Eisen:I mean, he knows everything about everything. I know. It's almost like, you know, you and Stanford need a restraining order.

54:13Rich Eisen:He's all about it, which is great. You need to have passionate, knowledgeable, but humble, right? Like, not I'm the smartest wrestling person there is. Like, I know more than any other wrestling host.

54:24Steph McMahon:Right, then what do you have to learn?

54:25Rich Eisen:Yeah. Not at all. He's curious. curious, humble, passionate. Like that's, that's what's great about him. And, and O'Shea is as pros pro as they come.

54:35Steph McMahon:Yeah.

54:35Rich Eisen:He's great. Although he was kind of wiped out after you had him. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. After his day at Stanford, you know, they were in a car back to New York and I FaceTime to see how it was going. And I, I like TJ's on it and I'm like, where's, where's O'Shea? And he showed him he was out like a light.

54:55Steph McMahon:He had a busy day.

54:56Rich Eisen:I've nicknamed him O'snooze Jackson Jr.

55:00Steph McMahon:We'll have to use that. O'snooze Jackson Jr.

55:03Rich Eisen:How great is he, right? Oh, he's awesome.

55:05Steph McMahon:He's amazing.

55:06Rich Eisen:He really is. He's funny. I mean, obviously an entertainer, and he's also a chip off the old block. He really is. It's a real business sense and sense of professionalism, too. I couldn't be happier. And I'm so thrilled about this part. He is an incredible storyteller.

55:19Steph McMahon:Oh, yeah.

55:20Rich Eisen:He is. He is. He's full of them, right?

55:23Steph McMahon:And he went to school originally for script writing.

55:26Rich Eisen:There you go.

55:27Steph McMahon:Yeah. He really understands character and story and business. Yeah, he sure does. And he's very humble and respectful of the opportunities that he's been given. Heck yeah. And worked so hard for.

55:42Rich Eisen:I think that does come from his family. Yeah, for sure. He's a true chip off the old block. He really is. Loves his parents. Yeah. I have him on every Wednesday before they record. He's going to come in tomorrow and it's going to be great.

55:55Steph McMahon:Yeah.

55:55Rich Eisen:and um i have my fun with them but anyway i just brought that up because various reasons obviously it's connective tissue between what we're talking about here and uh who you are and what i'm doing and what i'm trying to do and and but it's also what we're talking about here is you i want to have people who are in my show's orbit have their own success like it doesn't have to be

56:18Steph McMahon:modeled for you did somebody invest in you that way no i don't thank you for asking that um no

56:25Rich Eisen:I think it's just the way I wish to be treated.

56:28Steph McMahon:Right.

56:29Rich Eisen:You know what I mean? Yeah.

56:30Steph McMahon:So what did you.

56:31Rich Eisen:I had to create my podcast by myself. Like NFL Network wasn't like, what else can we do for you? You know, like it wasn't that.

56:37Steph McMahon:That's what I wanted to dig into a little bit because, you know, especially because you've come into this perspective on your own and wanting to really help other people and to take the time to listen and to hear and then create with them. Yes. I mean, it's an investment business-wise, but it's really an investment in them personally and their growth.

56:57Rich Eisen:Yes.

56:57Steph McMahon:And not every leader looks at it that way. And you didn't have it modeled for you. So it was the opposite, which probably stems back to when you left ESPN and you felt so lost. Like, how did you get over that? How did you find your own identity?

57:15Rich Eisen:Yeah. First of all, are you trying to make me cry? No. Okay. Secondly. It could happen sometimes. can happen. Yeah. No, I don't know. Feel free to. Obviously, listen, my wife keeps me grounded. That's number one. She's an incredible confidant, too. She gets the business. And so we went through it together.

57:35Steph McMahon:Yeah.

57:36Rich Eisen:Really. With that, you know, departure from ESPN. But I just, you know, I'll never forget. There's a producer named Jeff Mason who just recently passed away.

57:47Steph McMahon:He passed? He did. I know Jeff. Right?

57:50Rich Eisen:Knew Jeff. I mean, that movie that just came out last year about Munich, that behind the scenes of the television shows that were the ABC coverage.

58:03Steph McMahon:Yeah.

58:03Rich Eisen:I forget the name of it called. I forget the name of it right now. Why is it blanking? It just flew out of my head. It's okay. It was about Jeff. Yeah. Jeff Mason was a major character because he was the one who was keeping Jim McKay on the air and things like that back in that day. but Jeff is an old war horse producer from many, many years.

58:26Steph McMahon:I met Jeff much later in life.

58:27Rich Eisen:So did I. Yeah. So he was part of the, you know, all-star cast of producers that Steve Bornstein put together to help launch NFL Network. And he, it was September 12th, is that what it's called? September 5th. September 5th, right, that was the name of the movie. um so he he he saw i was um struggling a little bit with the fact that here i am out of body starting something new and you know and he you know he came from the abc sports and he he was doing stuff with espn also i mean yeah he he got it totally but he could see here i am at age 33, trying to figure out like what had just happened. Right.

59:11And he said to me that you will

59:15Rich Eisen:never have the rest of your career, anything more rewarding than starting something from scratch that has the chance to never go away. Wow. Is what he said to me that this is something you're starting from the ground floor and as a chance to live forever um and and i sat there and he's like nothing's more rewarding than that and i'm like okay i i mean it was food for thought like it wasn't like i'm now suddenly skipping down like it's a yellow brick road but you know what i mean like it was it was food for thought that i'll never forget and he couldn't be more right um And I'll be thinking of him on, you know, March 31st when NFL Network gets transferred to ESPN.

1:00:05Rich Eisen:And, you know, again, it's not going away. It's just a different version of it that's coming. The analogy I use is like being born by a sports league. Again, it's different from Stephanie, what you and your family have built and everyone around have built because you're more of an entertainment company than a sports league. Sure. So a sports league decided back in the late 90s, early aughts that we're creating our own content and everything else. Like the games are content. Right. And the storylines around the games are content. the players are technically by their own lives potential content creators sure so everything that we're doing can be content some like a light bulb went over the sports leagues and created their own networks nlb network nhl network nba tv well it happened right around the time too that streaming right was really well i mean 2003 is when nfl network was born and we were not the stream we were it's the cable it was the end of the cable wars pretty much but then streaming came into being and provided the opportunity changed absolutely everything um and my show is a perfect testament to that having appeared on uh br live and youtube and peacock and roku channel and now disney plus right so um and i do not look down my nose at streaming by any stretch to the imagination like some other you know old school people in our our business do like that it's streaming did yeah it better be did because if it's not they'll be did you know yeah that's true so it's true no doubt you know like this thing is left the station you better get on But at any rate, you know, at the end of the day, you know, the NFL, I think, realized that for this thing to continue, you've got to be content creators and content generators.

1:02:24Rich Eisen:But at the end of the day, content producers.

1:02:27Steph McMahon:Yeah.

1:02:28Rich Eisen:Which, as you know, costs money.

1:02:30Steph McMahon:Yes.

1:02:30Rich Eisen:And the NFL, I think, after having the NFL network get fully distributed and then having the business contract and then realizing we launched Thursday Night Football, that got sold off to partners. Right. We created these international series games that I think are going to stay on NFL Network, but one day that could be another new package. The NFL Network, the advent of the network had now grown to the point where everything that we did create that could be further revenues for the NFL had now reached a certain point where the NFL would sit there and go, do we want to be content producers? And I think the answer to that was emphatically no.

1:03:22Rich Eisen:And so they're now made a business deal with true content producers. Right. And so the way I view NFL Network now is like we're being dropped off at college. You know what I mean? Yeah. Like we're, you know, 23, a little old for college. But we're in the neighborhood. We're in the general gist of it, right? Right. And now it's time to have a different learn, different vocation with the same base of your sense of self. And and I think that's what's about to happen.

1:03:58Steph McMahon:You know, do you feel the same butterflies that you felt?

1:04:01Rich Eisen:Not at all. No, no.

1:04:03Steph McMahon:Totally different place. Yeah.

1:04:05Rich Eisen:I mean, butterflies, I should say differently. There is a little bit of anxious, this trepidation. like what is it going to mean? I think if this happened a few years ago if it happened a few years ago it would be a lot more nerves jangling but I have gotten to meet the people who are running ESPN through my show and the connection and the business deal that we've made. I mean basically they license my show so I'm you know I'm in that role which is so great. I couldn't be happier.

1:04:36Steph McMahon:Yeah.

1:04:37Rich Eisen:You know that they license my program and now they're going to have me as an on air you know, employee as well. And I've gotten to know them and they get it. You know, like my show is my show. They, they license it and they're like, you do you.

1:04:56Steph McMahon:Yeah.

1:04:56Rich Eisen:Basically that since I've gotten from them, you've made this successful. Call us for what you need, but don't have my phone ring for something you did.

1:05:07Steph McMahon:Right. Which is a totally, you know what I mean?

1:05:09Rich Eisen:Like that to me is the relationship that I'm happy to have. That's great.

1:05:15Steph McMahon:And a lot of trust in you, obviously. Well, you know what?

1:05:18Rich Eisen:I accept it and it's a responsibility. That's for sure. I mean, it's not just any brand.

1:05:24Steph McMahon:Right.

1:05:26Rich Eisen:And I remember the first day walking into my show studio and I saw Disney Plus and the Rich Eisen Show logo next to each other. And I took a picture. I sent it to my wife, my agent, my, you know, everybody. it. I'm like, this is, I don't take this for granted. Like this is a show that was, you know, on life support in December of 2019. And here we are. Um, and, and it, we built it together. We've done it together and, um, it's just beginning. It's really exciting. Was there anything your wife said to you or did, you know, when you were going through that rough

1:06:01Steph McMahon:time that, that, that pulled you through like anything specific that you can remember?

1:06:06Rich Eisen:No, just it really wasn't that. It was just obviously having a great relationship.

1:06:14Steph McMahon:Right.

1:06:15Rich Eisen:You know, did you have to make me wait three years? But no, in all seriousness, like it was it was jarring. But at the end of the day, we're living in Southern California. Right. I'm doing my thing. She was doing her thing. But yeah, but it does help that she knows the business and she is. she does the same gig right right and that we talk the same language yeah that does help yeah

1:06:42Steph McMahon:you know and the reason I ask is because you know this show is about your story um but not only your successes but how did you get to that place right because if you live long enough life's gonna knock you around right in unexpected ways and we all fail and we all go through these different periods and it's interesting because losing your identity has been a a bit of a theme yeah you know

1:07:08Rich Eisen:well it's another theme too um suzy again she's a she's been teaching she taught a class last fall at usc and she's going to do it again called uh power player uh it's about uh power players and oh god she's going to get so just flew out i've been talking for an hour i wish i knew it um but But it's a class that is associated with the Annenberg School of Communication and the Marshall School of Business. It's the only class at USC that cross both of those esteemed school streams. And it's an elective class. And so she goes deep in her Rolodex. I think she would love to have you, by the way. I'd rather have you do that.

1:07:53Rich Eisen:If you do anything, you should do that because you're talking to a bunch of students who are so eager for knowledge of something that you've done and what you do. And the general gist that we hear from every single guest that she's put up there, no matter if they're an agent, no matter if they're on air, no matter if they're in business part of sports in some way, shape or form, is that the most powerful teaching tool is failure. Yes. That what you are most fearful of in the long run turns out to be the strongest boost and confidence builder that there is out there. And 100%, I believe it. It happened to me.

1:08:41Rich Eisen:You're saying it. We're all thinking it. It really is. And she makes that a core part of when she has a guest in, like, let's talk about when things didn't work. Right. And how you've been able to overcome it. And my God, is that the most powerful message you can give to an 18, 19, 20, 21-year-old that is freaking out about AI, the future, the business, the diploma? What are they going to do? how can they get to this point in their life as they're 18 putting this pressure on themselves to basically say, even if it doesn't work out at certain parts of your life, it's okay. And you just hope that,

1:09:27Steph McMahon:because they don't understand it yet, right? They haven't even dipped their toe in the water yet. Right. And you know that it's going to happen at some point. So hopefully it comes back around. Yes. And then the entrepreneurial mindset is you can't be afraid to fail. You have to actually fail constantly in order to get to the best possible product.

1:09:48Rich Eisen:Some people don't think that way. Or they don't believe it or they don't understand it. Or they put too much pressure on themselves. The kids are flipping out sometimes in these classes. And when you meet college kids, they're worried about the future and how do I get there? And the answer is just chill out. I know it's so difficult to do. But just chill out, learn. At some point, you're going to want to be back on campus here. You're going to wish you were back on campus here. So don't miss it because you're too worried to focus on it and enjoy it. I know that's a simple thing to say when I'm at this part of my career and life, but it's the truth.

1:10:28Steph McMahon:And how would 18-year-old you have taken that?

1:10:33Rich Eisen:Not at all. I'd be like, give me something tangible. Give me something that I can actually use. Give me something like that. Or an 18-year-old me, I wouldn't even have been thinking about it at that point. That's what I mean. You know what I mean? I don't know.

1:10:48Steph McMahon:You couldn't even find the keys. I couldn't even. Sorry. Had to bring it back. I couldn't find the keys.

1:10:56Rich Eisen:See, I told you she was funny. Is that the name of my, should that be the name of my memoir one day? Oh, yes. For sure. I couldn't find the keys. Or dumbass. That's the name of my memoir. Dumb asses. I'm like, that's my photograph on the cover. You know.

1:11:15Steph McMahon:God bless you. That must have been the worst.

1:11:18Rich Eisen:It was.

1:11:19Steph McMahon:Oh, I can't imagine. And the time is ticking down and you've got to go get this footage and these interviews.

1:11:27Rich Eisen:I had to get back up high five and edit this shit together and get on the air.

1:11:32Steph McMahon:And then you had to drive to the other game, right? Or were they being played in the same location? No, they were being played in the same location. Oh, at least there. Oh, no, yeah. That was good. They're those positives. But look at you now.

1:11:41Rich Eisen:I didn't run out of gas. Nope.

1:11:44Steph McMahon:Nope. You know, not at all. Have you told that story to the students?

1:11:50Rich Eisen:No, I didn't. But I've told it to you. Yeah. You pulled it out of me.

1:11:53Steph McMahon:I bet they would love that.

1:11:54Rich Eisen:Maybe I will. Because that's a real. I was her first guest last fall. Oh, very cool. Yeah. Very cool. But I'll tell her, you know, that you're up for it. Sure. She'd love that thing. Of course. It'd be great.

1:12:06Steph McMahon:I had the privilege of speaking at my alma mater, BU, and I taught a class on branding. It was right before I became the chief brand officer at that time. Right. And it was amazing. I love talking to the students. It's great.

1:12:21Rich Eisen:It really is. Certainly this day and age, they could use. They ask great questions. They could use. They're curious. They're nervous. They're anxious. And anything you could do to help is a blessing.

1:12:31Steph McMahon:Yeah. and I remember I got my honorary doctorate from Robert Morris University and I gave the commencement speech and I just remember how scared the kids were yep they were just scared sitting there and I talked way too long and I gave way too many things for them to remember and I knew it I made 10 points it should have been 3 I knew it was too long brevity yeah I know

1:12:53Rich Eisen:I know

1:12:54Steph McMahon:it's like 3 you could really the magic rule of 3 but I went too long but

1:12:57Rich Eisen:did they at least sign your diploma oh yeah Because I got an honorary degree in sports law. And my friend who gave it to me forgot to sign it.

1:13:09Steph McMahon:No, mine was signed and framed. I have it framed. So you got that going for it. Yes, my daughter is studying to get her doctorate in PT. And she says she's going to be the only doctor. I said, honey, I am already a doctor. Oh, yeah? Yes. I am a doctor. Dr. McMahon. Doctor. Pager. Sounds like a show. I know, right? That may be not a good one. That's the name of your name. I'd watch it. Thank you. Thank you. Yes. That's our next spinoff. Big news, WWE and sports fans. The world's number one sports fan festival, Fanatics Fest, is making its return to New York City. Fanatics is bringing you closer to the leagues, teams, superstars, and athletes you love across four action-packed days in July.

1:14:01Steph McMahon:Meet your favorite WWE superstars, get your hands on exclusive merch, and interact with the biggest names in sports. Then fans of the show can get a 10 % discount by using Steph10 at checkout. That's S-T-E-P-H, the number one, the number zero, at checkout.

1:14:23Steph McMahon:So, did you just always love sports growing up?

1:14:26Rich Eisen:I realized I couldn't play it, so I had to talk about it if I want to get to a certain level. So I tried it. It didn't really work out. I just started talking, and I loved broadcasting. Always wanted to do one of three things. I wanted to be a sportscaster, a late-night show host, or a game show host. Hmm. Yeah. So you've always been an entertainer? I guess as a kid, but I didn't know how to put it all together.

1:14:51Steph McMahon:But, I mean, one of those kids that were people that other people just gravitated towards.

1:14:57Rich Eisen:I wouldn't say that. I mean, I had a group of kids in Staten Island, going to Staten Island, that we were tight. We're still on a text chain even today. That's cool. You know, and then, you know, got to Michigan, found my people there, loved that school, will always talk about it, will always be about it, loved the University of Michigan, changed my life. You know, got out of school.

1:15:23Steph McMahon:And how so?

1:15:24Rich Eisen:Oh, it just did. It just cracked open my world.

1:15:27Steph McMahon:Like if you were, if someone were interested in that school.

1:15:30Rich Eisen:Oh, God, they should go. It just changed my life. Just changed everything about the way I, you know, viewed academics, the way that I approached academics. The Michigan football program was amazing. Going to the games there, 100 ,000 people was just amazing. Somebody from Staten Island, you know, never went to a college football game my entire life. Big campus, 60 ,000 people. You could find your people. You could find whatever you wanted to do. um uh i i remember looking at it with my parents a foot of snow fell i'm like this this is my place even even even though you couldn't get around loved it loved everything about it you know it changed changed my existence and i got to meet people from the midwest you know even when i you know i'm from the east coast like i would say soda they say pop you know like yeah i didn't know that existed um so it just showed me a different way of life different people different everything and I loved it.

1:16:26Rich Eisen:I joined the student newspaper there, did stand-up comedy, set myself up for a skill set that I use every day, every day.

1:16:34Steph McMahon:And writing, you must have had a tendency towards, right? Were you always a talented writer? No, I didn't.

1:16:40Rich Eisen:My God, if my dad, you know, my dad was alive. My dad passed away six years ago. I'm sorry. But my dad, he lived a great life. He couldn't believe it. I couldn't put words together. I mean, I couldn't do anything. I couldn't write papers. I couldn't, you know, conjugate verbs. I couldn't do it at all. But the coin finally dropped. The light went on, and I love it. He couldn't believe that I would write for a living at all. My parents are both New York City public school educators. So, you know, my mom is still alive. I thank God for the teachers union that gives her her pension, that keeps her afloat in many ways.

1:17:24Rich Eisen:And, you know, my dad, I remember we would always go around town or around the country, even on vacation. He'd run into former students, you know, so.

1:17:33Steph McMahon:What's the greatest lesson he ever taught you?

1:17:35Rich Eisen:Oh, God. Patience, I think. Patience. Just watching him go about his business. Just patience and.

1:17:45Steph McMahon:More from watching him, less from him teaching you.

1:17:48Rich Eisen:Yeah, I mean, he didn't really ever.

1:17:50Steph McMahon:He led by example.

1:17:51Rich Eisen:He led by example, yeah.

1:17:54Steph McMahon:Maybe that's where you got it.

1:17:55Rich Eisen:Maybe. I don't know. But, yeah. And what about your mom? My mom is, again, she's a kindergarten teacher, second grade teacher, first grade teacher for all those years. God bless her. Yeah, no. I mean, yeah, she's still alive. She's 88. She lives here in Los Angeles.

1:18:15Steph McMahon:So that's great. Yeah.

1:18:17Rich Eisen:Local.

1:18:17Steph McMahon:When did she move? During COVID.

1:18:20Rich Eisen:Oh, no, when she moved West, my parents moved West when I moved out here. Oh, my brother's already back in the Reading days.

1:18:26Steph McMahon:No, no, no.

1:18:27Rich Eisen:When I moved to Northern California and then my mom's been here since, since 2020, she moved during COVID. My God, but everything. Yeah, she's good. Three kids. My oldest son, Xander 17. My youngest son, Cooper's 15 and my daughter's 12.

1:18:45Steph McMahon:ah congratulations yeah yeah mine are gonna be 20 18 and 16 look at the summer minor two and six

1:18:52Rich Eisen:yep so my wife my wife said you need to be a girl dad i'd like a girl let's go for the girl if we get the girl you can name the girl we try for the girl we get the girl my naming rights immediately got demoted to the middle name on the spot so what is what is her middle name her Middle name is Mattingly after my favorite baseball player.

1:19:13Steph McMahon:Wow, that's super cool. There's your guys.

1:19:18Rich Eisen:Yeah, and I have told Don Mattingly that and didn't creep him out at all.

1:19:23Steph McMahon:I'm sure. I'm sure that didn't.

1:19:24Rich Eisen:Didn't creep him out, especially since her name is Taylor and his son's name is Taylor. So he has a Taylor Mattingly in his actual house, and now I have one too. Honestly, didn't creep him out a slight bit. Not weird at all.

1:19:37Steph McMahon:The weirdest thing is when someone has a tattoo of you, I think.

1:19:41Rich Eisen:Um, yeah. Does someone have a tattoo of you? Definitely. Who's this? I don't know. Many. What's the. I mean, I've met this. I've met one person. Again, there's fans worldwide. As you pointed out. It's bigger than the Super Bowl. Okay. As you pointed out. What do you think the grand total number of people who have a tattoo of you is on planet Earth? Oh, like five.

1:20:02Steph McMahon:Maybe. Come on. No.

1:20:03Rich Eisen:On planet Earth?

1:20:04Steph McMahon:I mean, I've seen one and then I've seen like a few online.

1:20:09Rich Eisen:Oh my God. That's me.

1:20:10Steph McMahon:That's a whole back tattoo. someone's back. Well, actually, I've been wanting to tell you.

1:20:16Rich Eisen:Me too.

1:20:20Steph McMahon:Guys? Wait for it.

1:20:23Rich Eisen:That's not weird at all. Don't stop me.

1:20:25Steph McMahon:No. You're the only one with that one. Did you just pull that up online?

1:20:28Rich Eisen:Yeah.

1:20:29Steph McMahon:See, that's the one where it's like, wow. Yeah. You're really a fan.

1:20:34Rich Eisen:I bet you Worldwide has got to be triple digits.

1:20:36Steph McMahon:Yeah, no, that's what I'm thinking. I don't think so. And right now, I think it's like a handful. It's increasing. No.

1:21:10Steph McMahon:card is made for the moment. And for some lucky collectors, that moment could become the pull of a lifetime. Along with serial numbered parallels, some Tops Now releases offer a chance at rare short prints, superstar autographs, and even pieces of the mat, gear, or other items used during the featured match. So which moments will you collect? With each card only available for a limited time, you won't want to wait to begin your Tops Now journey. Be sure to subscribe to the WWE Tops Now mailing list on tops.com and follow Tops on all social media platforms so you never miss a single moment. How does it feel being a girl, Dad?

1:21:58Rich Eisen:Amazing.

1:21:59Steph McMahon:And what is the difference? Oh, my God.

1:22:02Rich Eisen:Please. Are you serious?

1:22:04Steph McMahon:I want to hear it from you. All right.

1:22:08Rich Eisen:boys my boys i love my boys i love them i love them as much as my daughter and i love my daughter as much as my boys but my boys on occasion can be poop throwing monkeys okay they're boys my daughter you know it's a different story like my boys sometimes they still have to get on their ass on the floor to put on a sock my daughter is like great like you

1:22:34Steph McMahon:Well, you with the written word didn't happen until college.

1:22:37Rich Eisen:But it's a different story when a girl calls you daddy and when a boy says the same thing. It just is. I mean, you just don't know it until you know it. And that's why Susie was just like, you've got to have that feeling. You've got to get it. You've got to be that guy.

1:22:53Steph McMahon:And you're a bit of a softie. I am.

1:22:55Rich Eisen:End of story. Like, they all know, oh, my God. The guys at work always accuse her, me, of her being my favorite. I refuse to, I refuse to, that's not true. Right. That's bullshit. Yeah, I don't believe in favorites of kids. Not at all, but they always have fun with that, you know.

1:23:12Steph McMahon:Because Ann, she's the baby.

1:23:13Rich Eisen:She is the baby, and she is my girl, you know, and she's awesome. She plays basketball. She's a badass. Love it. She is crushing it. Like, I've got a couple of all-star games. Oh, fun. She was part of two winning teams for her All-Star. She made her All-Star team in her league. They won it twice. And her name's on a banner in a gym here in Los Angeles, which is my greatest athletic achievement of my life. That's amazing. To see my name on a banner. And my daughter is the one who did it. Again, my boys are awesome and my daughter is awesome, but it's just different having a girl and a relationship to a girl dad.

1:23:56Rich Eisen:but now she's 12 and she can say things just directly Is she a lot like you? She's got a little bit of my goofiness and she's a lot like her mother more but I don't know. And the directness. I think I've got a little bit of like I've got her eyes and the rest of it is my, thank goodness, my wife you know but yeah It's just she she is now of a certain age where, you know, she'll even say, dad, you know, I can't you know, I would used to get in bed, you know, and snuggle going to sleep. Those days are over. And she basically said, yeah, we can't do this anymore. Oh, like heartbreaking. But it's I get it.

1:24:45Rich Eisen:Like we're all she's growing older and. Yeah, she's that she's that girl. And I think at this point in time, she would want me to stop talking. Yes, yes.

1:24:55Steph McMahon:You know, like she's just like, whenever I talk about her on the show,

1:24:58Rich Eisen:something like - She gets nervous. She doesn't like that. Oh, God. Like we had the, she's a, and I watched Star Wars movies with her. Like we just watched Return of the Jedi for the 19th time last night after we watched Empire Strikes Back for the 19th time over the weekend. So the right Star Wars movie. So I had the actor Adam Driver on the show. I'll use my daughter to name drop. There we go. And he's Kylo Ren. And she was Kylo Ren for Halloween. and I showed her picture to Adam Driver, Kylo Ren. How cool. And she was fucking pissed at me.

1:25:29Steph McMahon:Oh, really? Yeah.

1:25:31Rich Eisen:Yeah. I didn't tell you you could show a picture on your show and I didn't tell like... Oh. So again, I'm learning... Because everybody's not just Kylo Ren. Yeah, right. Not just Adam. Like you didn't even see her face, which is why I showed it on the air. Right. But you didn't get her permission. Like even now telling the story, I'm afraid of her. No, I'm just... You should be. No, I'm just... but I do love being a girl dad.

1:25:51Steph McMahon:How are you going to be when she brings her first boyfriend home? Or girlfriend or whatever.

1:25:56Rich Eisen:I don't even know. I wouldn't even know. I don't, I mean, let me get past, you know, her bat mitzvah. My God, before we get to the prom, let's keep, let's just walk before we run here, man.

1:26:10Steph McMahon:One of my daughters, there was a boy that came calling. It sounds so old school. They text now. No, no, he literally showed up and he was a bit older, a couple of years older. And it was funny because we had verbally told my husband about this guy and that he was interested and they had met, you know, New Year's Eve and whatever. And he was fine with it. And we had all told him many times, like how old he was and all this stuff and where he was from. He was in college and she was in high school. And, you know, he wanted to come visit and was willing to drive, you know. And then it came time for this actual boy to show up.

1:26:57Steph McMahon:And it was like a few days before. And I have never seen my husband lose it like that. I mean, he went like nuclear angry. And no, you didn't tell me how old he was. And no, I didn't know he was in college. and maybe he wasn't listening. Maybe it just didn't hit him. Like, I don't know, but he went nuclear. And I was so worried that this wasn't going to happen for my daughter because now he was so upset. Maybe this guy was never going to be able to come by. And long story short, everything worked out, and this kid was a real sweet, sweet, sweet kid. That's good. And it didn't work out between them.

1:27:39Steph McMahon:It was, you know, maybe like a month. Under why? Yeah, but it was intense. Well, here's what my suggestion would be.

1:27:46Rich Eisen:Okay. Do you mind me making a suggestion we've kind of just met? I know, I appreciate this. You have the ability to take your husband out of this, okay? Remove him from the, like, just have the undertaker answer the door.

1:28:01Steph McMahon:Oh, but I could just have my husband answer.

1:28:03Rich Eisen:I'm just saying, you know, just have, like, Stone Cold handle this shit for yourself. You know what I mean? Like, this is the sort of stuff you can mix and match. You could brand. You have two English Mastiffs, too. Okay, I'm just saying, you could have your pick of whoever to scare the shit out of anybody from your workplace. It's true. You know what I mean? It's true. Have them work in there and get it done. Yeah. You know?

1:28:29Steph McMahon:Luckily, we didn't need it.

1:28:30Rich Eisen:Okay, good.

1:28:32Steph McMahon:There's always a show. It all worked out for me. And she's going to college in the fall. Oh, great. Yeah, but I still have one who may have.

1:28:42Rich Eisen:Yeah, that's the thing is dropping my kids off at college at some point. Like my oldest is going in a year and a half.

1:28:49Steph McMahon:It's the worst. As a parent, I'm telling you, it's terrible.

1:28:52Rich Eisen:I've got to get ready. No, it's awful. I've got to medicate.

1:28:55Steph McMahon:We prepare them, right, for their lives. We do the best that we possibly can. We know they need to fly out of the nest. We want them to fly out of the nest. But nobody ever prepares us for what that feels like. And it is terrible.

1:29:09Rich Eisen:Yeah, I saw like on online a graphic, but you know, where it was the, I guess, axis on the bottom was age. And the axis on the side was hours, days of the year spent at home. And it was 100%, 100%. And then it started lowering, lowering, lowering in the teenage years. and then essentially disappeared from like age 25 on of days of the year where you're spending at home. And I saw that and I'm like, holy shit. Yeah. I need to drink.

1:29:52Steph McMahon:Yes, you need something.

1:29:54Rich Eisen:Yeah, I know.

1:29:55Steph McMahon:But 80%, another stat similar is 80 % of the time that you're going to spend with your kids, you spend by the time they're 18. Oh my God. It's the worst. Well, I gotta go. I'm sorry, yeah, it's not, I know, it's a bummer. I don't want to end on a bummer. I do want to ask, though, what do you think is the most important life advice that you would give to your sons, and is that the same for your daughter?

1:30:19Rich Eisen:Of course it is. Of course it is. Life advice would be respecting one another, respecting people. We've lost the ability to respect in this country, I feel, not to get too deep here. No, I... But we've gotten too coarse, and people feel whether it's who we're modeling in the real world or the fact that most of the communication that happens is this way, not this way. And we grew up where it was this way, and now it's much easier to do it this way and be disrespectful and then not have an ability to respect when you're talking to somebody. and that's something that my wife and I have been really hammering away at our children is respect for one another, looking someone in the eye, shaking a hand with a firm handshake, asking how are you, things like that.

1:31:15Rich Eisen:Like that is the differentiator in this world, I think, is being a person, being a human, being respectful and interested in what someone else is doing, what their problems are, being part of the world and the community. And it feels in this day and age that is becoming lost. So that's what we're instilling in our kids. And then the failure message that we talked about before. It's okay.

1:31:44Steph McMahon:Yeah.

1:31:45Rich Eisen:It's okay.

1:31:46Steph McMahon:And it's going to happen. Name me somebody who hasn't.

1:31:50Rich Eisen:Right. Right? Like, you know, even some of the best politicians, you know, have lost elections. Even some of the best business CEOs have lost jobs. Like, I could go on and on and on. Yeah, my parents went bankrupt. These things happen. Yep. And failure is only a foundation. It's not the end. You know what I mean? Like, that is something that we're trying to instill in them, too.

1:32:15Steph McMahon:Awesome lessons. Thank you. And also, I think it probably just, in your mind, goes along with respect, but you said it before, is listening.

1:32:23Rich Eisen:Yes, listening. Right. Right. And that's the toughest part of what I've had to learn about my job. You know, not just being someone who's running something, but most importantly, because I'm doing this more hours in the day, you know, interviewing. Yeah. Listening is the toughest part of interviewing. It really is. But I've learned that over the years. And, you know, I guess one last lesson is know where your damn car keys are.

1:32:51Steph McMahon:Amen. See, know where you left your car keys. Do you know where your car keys are? Air tag or no air tag on the car keys?

1:32:57Rich Eisen:Well, no. I still don't.

1:33:00Steph McMahon:Oh.

1:33:00Rich Eisen:You know, it's like without a net. You've learned. Yeah. It's without a net. I know. Now we know it's the issue. Maybe that's the first thing I'm going to do.

1:33:09Steph McMahon:This branding on an air tag. That's right. That's right.

1:33:12Rich Eisen:Sounds good. Thank you. Thanks for having me.

1:33:13Steph McMahon:Congratulations, Rich, really, truly on your success. I mean, it's unbelievable. Thank you. I appreciate that. I look forward to seeing how you grow this business that you've created.

1:33:25Rich Eisen:Well, you're helping. So thank you. Well, awesome. Happy to help and continue to help. So here's what we're doing. You're going to, I need an appearance on my show. Okay. Because I clearly owe it. Well, you teased it many years ago. You know, I'm slow to the uptake sometimes. No contest wrestling wants to have you. I've already said yes. And I think, you know, you would be a great, great guest for my wife's class at USC.

1:33:57Steph McMahon:I'd be honored, honestly.

1:33:58Rich Eisen:Thank you. Yeah, that would be awesome. And then I'll come back on. I've barely scratched the surface of my story. I know it.

1:34:03Steph McMahon:I know it. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

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