Impact Interviewer Alicia Atout On Her Recent Signing, Doing Kayfabe Interviews, Puzzled Reactions
Newly signed Impact Backstage Interview Alicia Atout spoke with Wrestling Epicenter on signing with Impact, working a different interview style, her favorite interviews, and more. Here are some of the highlights:
Getting used to doing more kayfabe interviews versus her shoot style interviews:
"It is definitely an adjustment for me because it is still me in front of the camera. I don't try to put on a facade or a character. But, with my AMBY interviews, it is sitting down one on one, it is usually 15 to 20 minutes, and I do all of the research. With these interviews, everything is kind of told to you prior and then you get to act off of what they say. There's a lot more instinctual reaction to the way they act on the other side so if I'm getting yelled at by somebody, sometimes I don't know it is coming! [Laughs] So, I'm like, "Oh my Gosh, this is happening!" So, you really have to play off people's reactions versus a simple conversation. I definitely had to learn that. Luckily, I worked with some local promotions prior. Now that I get to work with the Impact people behind the scenes – like Jimmy Jacobs who is one of my absolute favorite to work with because he's just so great at giving advice – now that I get to work with their incredible crew, I feel like I've just learned so much! They're definitely different and they definitely each have their own qualities. But, the backstage stuff is just so fun for me!"
Why Backstage Interviewers always looked puzzled after their guest ends the interview:
[Laughs] "That's actually something that I've not been instructed to do. It is one of those things where if I just got yelled at or they just say something very bizarre... Sometimes they'll be like, 'Hey, can you get out of the frame? Can you just let me do my own thing?' It is like, 'What? You want me to go? You just yelled at me? What was that all about?' I think it is an instinctual thing because us backstage interviews are put in the position where we are getting yelled at or we are in these interesting scenarios. So, we take a step back and are like, 'What just happened? What did they just say to me?' It is almost like a go-to because you feel that way a lot of the time."
Signing with Impact:
"As I mentioned, I was doing a lot of backstage interview work and started attending a lot of BCW shows in Windsor which is the company founded by Impact EVP Scott D'Amore. From there, I started doing a lot of their backstage interviews and working with a lot of Impact talent. From there, Scott and I started having conversations and one thing lead to another. Now, I'm not only going to be on TV every Thursday night on POP TV in America and Fite Network and Game TV in Canada, but I'm also going to be at Slammiversary – The biggest pay per view of the year! It all started with just a conversation and my love for wrestling, really, and now I'm here!"
The drama around the announcement that she had signed and what it meant for Impact's other Backstage Interviewer, McKenzie Mitchell:
"I really don't know what the situation is with her currently. All I know is I was put on ImpactWrestling.com as part of the roster. I shared it because I was excited and fans just make their own assumptions. I honestly don't know what is happening with her contractually or otherwise. I'm just happy that I get to be a part of the show!"
Her favorite interviews as part of her YouTube channel, AMBY:
"For me, my interviews with Chris Jericho. It was crazy that I got to interview him. I also got to interview Rosemary from Impact Wrestling – She is terrifying! I was extremely scared that whole interview. I just interviewed her again. She let me escape with my life once again! [Laughs] That one is always a lot of fun for people to watch. My second round with LAX, the new three time Impact Tag Team Champions! That was a lot of fun because Konnan turned it into his Keeping It 100 podcast and flipped the script and started asking me and the boys questions. There's everything on my website from interviews with Mick Foley to the Young Bucks. It is all over the place! Everyone can check those out for sure!"
Atout also discussed how she got into doing interviews. You can check out the full interview in the video above or the full highlights by clicking here.