Michael Cole: "Welcome everyone to WWFG Interviews where we delve deep into the minds of our guest to learn and understand what makes them tick! With me today is one of the most controversial figures in wrestling history....Salem Croft! Let's cut right to it, do you enjoy your notoriety?! Do you like having such a reputation with everyone?!"
Salem: "I mean, I wouldn't say I enjoy it. There's times it's entertaining, seeing someone - usually Chrono - randomly cursing me in some venue, because I haven't really been involved in a long time, I don't have the same attitude towards people I used to. Kinda funny that someone still has a hate boner for that long, so yeah. It can be amusing. Then there's other times like when I came back to FG recently, and Phoenixfire showed up because she was shoot mad at a worked angle I was doing. On one hand, it's cool to see people get passionate like that, even if it's at my expense. But on the other, it's like... people's biggest complaint about me is not being consistent, or active. But I try to do something I think is fun, and I get all these people getting in my way and changing what I was trying to do, wanting to make themselves the center of my attention. I don't like that. Being controversial is one thing in a story, but people's real, personal feelings affecting my ability to tell that story, it's a big turn off. I won't deny I've let a lot of people down after pitching them big ideas I've had, but I've always marched to the beat of my own drum, whether I'm collaborating or not. I do my best work, really my only work, when I'm passionate about what I do. Sometimes other people take that passion out of me with that animosity, but I guess turnabout is fair play. Usually means I'm not short on someone wanting to kick my a**, though, so I've learned to lean into it. Find ways to make it work."
Michael Cole: "So it's everyone else's fault for your inconsistency because they ruin your passion for an idea?!"
Salem: "Oh, no. It happens sometimes, but it's my own fault. I have a problem with focusing on just one thing, I'll get sidetracked and detoured and go off on tangents routinely, and often times I just distract myself unintentionally or get stuck in my own head and neglect to contribute like I should. There's also times I'm just dealing with life stuff and don't feel creative or motivated, but that's never been other people's fault. But there are times when it gets too personal around here and I prefer to not be around it. I still keep tabs on big things going on though because, believe it or not, I do have friends in the business."
Michael Cole: "Let's talk about your WWFG Career. Your big win appears to be your 2013 Money In The Bank victory....that you were unsuccessful in cashing-in. What happened during this period as it looks like it would have been your break-out moment?!"
Salem: "Man, I really couldn't tell you. That's a period when I was really in my own head, I was all over the place, but I never had a real nucleus of self. I've probably forgotten more things I've done than I remember, honestly. I remember the MITB match and that it miffed some people seeing me win, but that's something I've learned to accept, one of the things Cyrus can actually claim to have taught me, heh. But I'm not disappointed I didn't win the big one, Carty was a great champ and it probably caused less waves in the end. Who knows how things would've turned out if I'd really put work into that run. But I wouldn't call that my 'break out moment'. Maybe in FG, but in truth most of my best moments happened elsewhere despite my fondness for FG and the way I consider it home."
Michael Cole: "It was your first taste of real heat from the community?! Did others think that somebody else deserved the opportunity more?!"
Salem: "I don't know, most of it was from some people in the match, I think, and I'm sure they had different opinions on who should've won. But it felt more like typical competitive frustration to me. I didn't take it personally, at least, but I was also really full of myself, so I didn't pay the criticism much mind. I do remember Chrono defending me winning the case though, so there's hope for the Middle East, I guess."
Michael Cole: "You spent a majority of your time in WWFG as the General Manager. Can you remember this time period and what you had to deal with?! You must have some interesting backstage stories!"
Salem: "Oh boy, don't I. Yeah, I remember. Not everything but more than I want to. What exactly do you want to know?"
Michael Cole: "Was it the 2014-2015 period when you took the helm?!"
Salem: "Sure, sounds good. I'm horrible with dates, and no matter how you take that statement you're right. I just remember taking over from Boxer after he was given control by Jed."
Michael Cole: "That would put you in an interesting title period, when it was known as the WWFG Legacy Championship. What was the meaning behind the Legacy name?! You had shows named Legacy at the time too right?!"
Salem: "I named it that because it reflects what I wrote on the company's home page. I figure the best representations of a company's legacy are the champions that carry it along the way. As an owner it's really not that hard, just book the matches, stupid. It's a lot less glamorous than one might think. So what really matters are the talents that bring their A-game and make things competitive. So, among those, the champs are who really write not just their legacies, but the company's. I wanted the title to reflect that, and also be a reminder of FG's long-standing heritage as the oldest running company."
Michael Cole: "You mention that what really matters in a promotion is the talents that bring their A Game. Do you remember who those talents were for you at that time?!"
Salem: "There were a lot of people chipping in at the time, so I don't want to short change anyone. But that was a good time for Bad Boy, who got a big win at the Rumble that year, and Cartwright, who was the perennial main eventer by this point, also Miranda, thanks to the women's title I created to give them more of an opportunity."
Michael Cole: "You mentioned that you created the WWFG Women's Championship that Miranda won. Were you happy to deal with someone so infamous for backstage politics?!"
Salem: "Bringing a women's title was a big thing for me because no one was doing it at the time. EWA, FG, BBW, we didn't have a division across the board where women could capitalize and win a title of their own. When I took over management, one of my biggest goals was to identify ways FG could stand out and offer something different for people, and that division was definitely a big part of that, so I was really happy to provide it. As for Miranda, personally, I admired the enthusiasm towards wanting to headline that division but she had a penchant for being overly aggressive or bitter about getting those opportunities. There were times that fire helped and hurt, but for the most part, I didn't let it bother me because it was a title for the women so I felt like having women of all kinds and attitudes was good to really flesh it out and make the division feel organic. I can say that period was what got her name on the map, definitely."
Michael Cole: "Why did you decide to take over WWFG and what made you pass it on to Miranda?!"
Salem: "I took over FG because, at the time, Boxer Anarchy had been given control by Jed, the previous owner. I hear Chrono was trying to get it instead, and this caused a problem between him and Jed, but that's just rumor and innuendo. But Boxer was in charge while also being Intercontinental Champion, and a lot of people felt like that was a conflict of interest and that he should step down from one or the other. He was also not doing anything booking-wise, and ultimately Matt Shanahan told me I should step up to Boxer when I talked to him - being a fellow member of the crew and friend of mine at the time - about the matter. It wasn't something I was expecting or wishing for so much as it was a matter of trying to do something good for the company. I wasn't doing much there at the time so I didn't feel biased or conflicted about trying to run the show.
As for giving the guild to Miranda, I never did that. I explicitly refused to do that despite many times she asked me to, because I felt like her egotism and narcissism was going to lead to problems. I hear she put the world title on herself after she eventually did take over so answer the phone because I called it. But no, when I decided to step down, it was a decision I made with the crew. I let the members of the crew vote on who they thought should take over and Claire won the vote. I was worried about her being active but she assured me that she'd be consistent and that if she couldn't she'd give control back to me so I could steward until a replacement was found. But she let the authority go to her head, as well, banned me twice from the guild and acted a complete 180° from her humble and demure demeanor back when she was on the crew. TL;DR: I took over from Boxer, then put Claire in charge, who promoted Miranda to VC, who then took over after Claire went inactive."
Michael Cole: "So Claire suddenly betrayed you for seemingly no reason?! Nothing happened between you two until that moment?! That would be a bizarre thing to do!"
Salem: "Politics, man. One time involved me, Claire, and Miranda during a time I'd taken a month off for my grandmother's passing. It was a really hurtful experience which I discussed on an episode of Salem Says at length when it happened, I was so upset by how disrespectfully they regarded me and my family's loss. Miranda said she wanted me to delete the episode after I came out about it, said she'd sue me for slander, but it's not slander if it's the truth and she knows what she said, told me 'when I lost loved ones I didn't take time off' among other things. Take me to court, I'm not saying anything she didn't say. Claire banned me during the incident and you can find the episode I talk about it on to know more. It's not hard to find because I start the episode getting it off my chest and I was pretty upset. I'd rather not get more into it, just find the episode if you're curious, but the other time involved me trying to challenge for the Hardcore Title when Chrono held it. It was supposed to be an open challenge title, but I went to Claire before I came out for the match because I figured Chrono would make an issue of defending against me. Claire said he'd been refusing challenges for a couple shows already because he didn't like the opponents, and told me if he wasn't willing to defend this time, she'd strip him.
So I come out to face him, he no sells it, I tell him Claire had given me permission but apparently he cried to her because next thing I know, she's on Skype telling me I can't be in the match. I call her out on her bullshit, show her the words she said to me, saying it was okay. I tell her she's a liar and a hypocrite, and I guess it hurt because she banned me, which I vehemently protested for weeks after. Eventually I stopped being righteously angry and tried the making peace approach, and told her I just wanted to come back and participate, that I let it go. She starts warming up a little, says she's gonna bring me back, but weeks, months go by and she doesn't. I bring it up to her periodically, she says she's been busy or that she wants me to return at a big event. But when I finally get brought back after a lot of frustration, she tells me the real reason she held off was because I kept asking her about rejoining. She said it annoyed her. Well, it annoyed me too, being banned for no reason and kept away purposefully because I was motivated to do something. By the person I put in charge who I thought of as a friend and crowned champion. But, that's life."
Michael Cole: "It's annoying that somebody shows enthusiasm for the promotion that you're running! Maybe you should have just got the message from the start and left Claire alone because she clearly didn't want or like you?! Why not just offer your services to a promotion that would have appreciated you at the time?!"
Salem: "Oh, I did. Just about everywhere else I went I had success of one kind or another. First BBW World Champion, Seasons Champion, two-time Asylum Champion in WWE:E, King of the Canvas winner, and probably the best match of my life with Freakshow in LWL. I've never had a problem with being talented, just being active. But what it boiled down to was the fact that the WWFG was and is always home for me. I debuted here at WrestleMania, met my first friends in the business here. It's always going to feel like where I belonged."
Michael Cole: "Needless to say, you did find your way back in eventually. Was that when Brad took over?! How did it feel to be allowed back into your home?!"
Salem: "No, I was already back when Brad was running things. But I did feel better about Brad taking charge than Miranda or Claire. I was a big supporter of him getting the captain's chair. As for how it felt, by this point I'd invested myself more in BBW, I'd been pretty turned off on FG but I never planned to quit if only to keep the option there if motivation struck me. But up until then I really hadn't felt the drive to work there, and I don't remember that changing too entirely much once Brad took over. Not a knock on him, pretty sure I tried to do something or another, but it'd probably be the last real thing I did there since my more recent return."
Michael Cole: "It's pretty sad that you haven't been able to find the drive to work for 'your home' for a number of years, even though you spoke so passionately about wanting to get back in when Claire gave you the boot. What was the point?! It sounds like you just enjoyed the drama."
Salem: "Same reason I agreed to take over when I did. It wasn't something I wanted to do at the time, but I needed to. In the same way, I don't always want to perform here, but I needed to be around and give it a try sometimes because this place means something to me. We all have family members we don't like, maybe even ones we don't speak to, or vice-versa, but you still love them. That's me and the WWFG. We don't always like each other, but I love it, even if it isn't mutual.
As for it being sad I haven't done much here, that's subjective. To me, it's a little sad, sure. But I don't define myself by one company or even just as a wrestler. I'm a person too, I have hobbies and interests, struggles, a life of my own outside of here. Could I have done more? Could I do more now? Of course. But I don't define myself by past glories and failures like some people do. I've done things I enjoyed, had some of the best matches and most fun experiences without ever needing a title or an award for it, and met some interesting people and pretty cool friends. Less now than when I started, but more than before I got here. So I don't look at it or myself and feel sad. I just ask myself, 'What's next?'"
Michael Cole: "Speaking of what's next, what will be next for Salem Croft?! Is there anything left that you want to accomplish?!"
Salem: "Haha. I'm sure there's a whole lot I haven't done, a whole lot I could do. Ideas were never a thing I was short on, but I haven't put much thought into it. WrestleMania always gets me feeling antsy, though. It's tempting to get out there one more time for it but I'm pretty sure the dance floor's full. Still, who knows. I don't, half the time."
Salem: "I mean, I wouldn't say I enjoy it. There's times it's entertaining, seeing someone - usually Chrono - randomly cursing me in some venue, because I haven't really been involved in a long time, I don't have the same attitude towards people I used to. Kinda funny that someone still has a hate boner for that long, so yeah. It can be amusing. Then there's other times like when I came back to FG recently, and Phoenixfire showed up because she was shoot mad at a worked angle I was doing. On one hand, it's cool to see people get passionate like that, even if it's at my expense. But on the other, it's like... people's biggest complaint about me is not being consistent, or active. But I try to do something I think is fun, and I get all these people getting in my way and changing what I was trying to do, wanting to make themselves the center of my attention. I don't like that. Being controversial is one thing in a story, but people's real, personal feelings affecting my ability to tell that story, it's a big turn off. I won't deny I've let a lot of people down after pitching them big ideas I've had, but I've always marched to the beat of my own drum, whether I'm collaborating or not. I do my best work, really my only work, when I'm passionate about what I do. Sometimes other people take that passion out of me with that animosity, but I guess turnabout is fair play. Usually means I'm not short on someone wanting to kick my a**, though, so I've learned to lean into it. Find ways to make it work."
Michael Cole: "So it's everyone else's fault for your inconsistency because they ruin your passion for an idea?!"
Salem: "Oh, no. It happens sometimes, but it's my own fault. I have a problem with focusing on just one thing, I'll get sidetracked and detoured and go off on tangents routinely, and often times I just distract myself unintentionally or get stuck in my own head and neglect to contribute like I should. There's also times I'm just dealing with life stuff and don't feel creative or motivated, but that's never been other people's fault. But there are times when it gets too personal around here and I prefer to not be around it. I still keep tabs on big things going on though because, believe it or not, I do have friends in the business."
Michael Cole: "Let's talk about your WWFG Career. Your big win appears to be your 2013 Money In The Bank victory....that you were unsuccessful in cashing-in. What happened during this period as it looks like it would have been your break-out moment?!"
Salem: "Man, I really couldn't tell you. That's a period when I was really in my own head, I was all over the place, but I never had a real nucleus of self. I've probably forgotten more things I've done than I remember, honestly. I remember the MITB match and that it miffed some people seeing me win, but that's something I've learned to accept, one of the things Cyrus can actually claim to have taught me, heh. But I'm not disappointed I didn't win the big one, Carty was a great champ and it probably caused less waves in the end. Who knows how things would've turned out if I'd really put work into that run. But I wouldn't call that my 'break out moment'. Maybe in FG, but in truth most of my best moments happened elsewhere despite my fondness for FG and the way I consider it home."
Michael Cole: "It was your first taste of real heat from the community?! Did others think that somebody else deserved the opportunity more?!"
Salem: "I don't know, most of it was from some people in the match, I think, and I'm sure they had different opinions on who should've won. But it felt more like typical competitive frustration to me. I didn't take it personally, at least, but I was also really full of myself, so I didn't pay the criticism much mind. I do remember Chrono defending me winning the case though, so there's hope for the Middle East, I guess."
Michael Cole: "You spent a majority of your time in WWFG as the General Manager. Can you remember this time period and what you had to deal with?! You must have some interesting backstage stories!"
Salem: "Oh boy, don't I. Yeah, I remember. Not everything but more than I want to. What exactly do you want to know?"
Michael Cole: "Was it the 2014-2015 period when you took the helm?!"
Salem: "Sure, sounds good. I'm horrible with dates, and no matter how you take that statement you're right. I just remember taking over from Boxer after he was given control by Jed."
Michael Cole: "That would put you in an interesting title period, when it was known as the WWFG Legacy Championship. What was the meaning behind the Legacy name?! You had shows named Legacy at the time too right?!"
Salem: "I named it that because it reflects what I wrote on the company's home page. I figure the best representations of a company's legacy are the champions that carry it along the way. As an owner it's really not that hard, just book the matches, stupid. It's a lot less glamorous than one might think. So what really matters are the talents that bring their A-game and make things competitive. So, among those, the champs are who really write not just their legacies, but the company's. I wanted the title to reflect that, and also be a reminder of FG's long-standing heritage as the oldest running company."
Michael Cole: "You mention that what really matters in a promotion is the talents that bring their A Game. Do you remember who those talents were for you at that time?!"
Salem: "There were a lot of people chipping in at the time, so I don't want to short change anyone. But that was a good time for Bad Boy, who got a big win at the Rumble that year, and Cartwright, who was the perennial main eventer by this point, also Miranda, thanks to the women's title I created to give them more of an opportunity."
Michael Cole: "You mentioned that you created the WWFG Women's Championship that Miranda won. Were you happy to deal with someone so infamous for backstage politics?!"
Salem: "Bringing a women's title was a big thing for me because no one was doing it at the time. EWA, FG, BBW, we didn't have a division across the board where women could capitalize and win a title of their own. When I took over management, one of my biggest goals was to identify ways FG could stand out and offer something different for people, and that division was definitely a big part of that, so I was really happy to provide it. As for Miranda, personally, I admired the enthusiasm towards wanting to headline that division but she had a penchant for being overly aggressive or bitter about getting those opportunities. There were times that fire helped and hurt, but for the most part, I didn't let it bother me because it was a title for the women so I felt like having women of all kinds and attitudes was good to really flesh it out and make the division feel organic. I can say that period was what got her name on the map, definitely."
Michael Cole: "Why did you decide to take over WWFG and what made you pass it on to Miranda?!"
Salem: "I took over FG because, at the time, Boxer Anarchy had been given control by Jed, the previous owner. I hear Chrono was trying to get it instead, and this caused a problem between him and Jed, but that's just rumor and innuendo. But Boxer was in charge while also being Intercontinental Champion, and a lot of people felt like that was a conflict of interest and that he should step down from one or the other. He was also not doing anything booking-wise, and ultimately Matt Shanahan told me I should step up to Boxer when I talked to him - being a fellow member of the crew and friend of mine at the time - about the matter. It wasn't something I was expecting or wishing for so much as it was a matter of trying to do something good for the company. I wasn't doing much there at the time so I didn't feel biased or conflicted about trying to run the show.
As for giving the guild to Miranda, I never did that. I explicitly refused to do that despite many times she asked me to, because I felt like her egotism and narcissism was going to lead to problems. I hear she put the world title on herself after she eventually did take over so answer the phone because I called it. But no, when I decided to step down, it was a decision I made with the crew. I let the members of the crew vote on who they thought should take over and Claire won the vote. I was worried about her being active but she assured me that she'd be consistent and that if she couldn't she'd give control back to me so I could steward until a replacement was found. But she let the authority go to her head, as well, banned me twice from the guild and acted a complete 180° from her humble and demure demeanor back when she was on the crew. TL;DR: I took over from Boxer, then put Claire in charge, who promoted Miranda to VC, who then took over after Claire went inactive."
Michael Cole: "So Claire suddenly betrayed you for seemingly no reason?! Nothing happened between you two until that moment?! That would be a bizarre thing to do!"
Salem: "Politics, man. One time involved me, Claire, and Miranda during a time I'd taken a month off for my grandmother's passing. It was a really hurtful experience which I discussed on an episode of Salem Says at length when it happened, I was so upset by how disrespectfully they regarded me and my family's loss. Miranda said she wanted me to delete the episode after I came out about it, said she'd sue me for slander, but it's not slander if it's the truth and she knows what she said, told me 'when I lost loved ones I didn't take time off' among other things. Take me to court, I'm not saying anything she didn't say. Claire banned me during the incident and you can find the episode I talk about it on to know more. It's not hard to find because I start the episode getting it off my chest and I was pretty upset. I'd rather not get more into it, just find the episode if you're curious, but the other time involved me trying to challenge for the Hardcore Title when Chrono held it. It was supposed to be an open challenge title, but I went to Claire before I came out for the match because I figured Chrono would make an issue of defending against me. Claire said he'd been refusing challenges for a couple shows already because he didn't like the opponents, and told me if he wasn't willing to defend this time, she'd strip him.
So I come out to face him, he no sells it, I tell him Claire had given me permission but apparently he cried to her because next thing I know, she's on Skype telling me I can't be in the match. I call her out on her bullshit, show her the words she said to me, saying it was okay. I tell her she's a liar and a hypocrite, and I guess it hurt because she banned me, which I vehemently protested for weeks after. Eventually I stopped being righteously angry and tried the making peace approach, and told her I just wanted to come back and participate, that I let it go. She starts warming up a little, says she's gonna bring me back, but weeks, months go by and she doesn't. I bring it up to her periodically, she says she's been busy or that she wants me to return at a big event. But when I finally get brought back after a lot of frustration, she tells me the real reason she held off was because I kept asking her about rejoining. She said it annoyed her. Well, it annoyed me too, being banned for no reason and kept away purposefully because I was motivated to do something. By the person I put in charge who I thought of as a friend and crowned champion. But, that's life."
Michael Cole: "It's annoying that somebody shows enthusiasm for the promotion that you're running! Maybe you should have just got the message from the start and left Claire alone because she clearly didn't want or like you?! Why not just offer your services to a promotion that would have appreciated you at the time?!"
Salem: "Oh, I did. Just about everywhere else I went I had success of one kind or another. First BBW World Champion, Seasons Champion, two-time Asylum Champion in WWE:E, King of the Canvas winner, and probably the best match of my life with Freakshow in LWL. I've never had a problem with being talented, just being active. But what it boiled down to was the fact that the WWFG was and is always home for me. I debuted here at WrestleMania, met my first friends in the business here. It's always going to feel like where I belonged."
Michael Cole: "Needless to say, you did find your way back in eventually. Was that when Brad took over?! How did it feel to be allowed back into your home?!"
Salem: "No, I was already back when Brad was running things. But I did feel better about Brad taking charge than Miranda or Claire. I was a big supporter of him getting the captain's chair. As for how it felt, by this point I'd invested myself more in BBW, I'd been pretty turned off on FG but I never planned to quit if only to keep the option there if motivation struck me. But up until then I really hadn't felt the drive to work there, and I don't remember that changing too entirely much once Brad took over. Not a knock on him, pretty sure I tried to do something or another, but it'd probably be the last real thing I did there since my more recent return."
Michael Cole: "It's pretty sad that you haven't been able to find the drive to work for 'your home' for a number of years, even though you spoke so passionately about wanting to get back in when Claire gave you the boot. What was the point?! It sounds like you just enjoyed the drama."
Salem: "Same reason I agreed to take over when I did. It wasn't something I wanted to do at the time, but I needed to. In the same way, I don't always want to perform here, but I needed to be around and give it a try sometimes because this place means something to me. We all have family members we don't like, maybe even ones we don't speak to, or vice-versa, but you still love them. That's me and the WWFG. We don't always like each other, but I love it, even if it isn't mutual.
As for it being sad I haven't done much here, that's subjective. To me, it's a little sad, sure. But I don't define myself by one company or even just as a wrestler. I'm a person too, I have hobbies and interests, struggles, a life of my own outside of here. Could I have done more? Could I do more now? Of course. But I don't define myself by past glories and failures like some people do. I've done things I enjoyed, had some of the best matches and most fun experiences without ever needing a title or an award for it, and met some interesting people and pretty cool friends. Less now than when I started, but more than before I got here. So I don't look at it or myself and feel sad. I just ask myself, 'What's next?'"
Michael Cole: "Speaking of what's next, what will be next for Salem Croft?! Is there anything left that you want to accomplish?!"
Salem: "Haha. I'm sure there's a whole lot I haven't done, a whole lot I could do. Ideas were never a thing I was short on, but I haven't put much thought into it. WrestleMania always gets me feeling antsy, though. It's tempting to get out there one more time for it but I'm pretty sure the dance floor's full. Still, who knows. I don't, half the time."