Michael Cole Reveals Significant Hearing Loss

WWE SmackDown lead commentator and Vice President of Announcing Michael Cole is dealing with 65% hearing loss.

Cole appeared on The Pat McAfee Show earlier today and revealed the hearing loss. After a commercial break, McAfee's co-host AJ Hawk asked about the banter between McAfee and Cole during the breaks.

"Mike Cole's deaf, so he can't hear a fucking thing we say," McAfee said.

Cole responded, "Yeah, I've said three words to him in the three commercial breaks..."

McAfee added, "Well, he's deaf. He's actually deaf!"

"That is true, I'm actually, like, at 65% hearing loss," Cole confirmed.

McAfee applauded Cole for continuing to do his job as the lead play-by-play announcer for WWE's blue brand, and Cole talked about how he is able to perform.

"You've seen them, they make these special in-ear pieces that go underneath my headsets on-air so I can actually hear," Cole added.

McAfee gave Cole props for his work, and blamed the hearing loss on the job.

"Literally on Friday nights when I have to ask him a question, you know, like quick, he literally has to go, 'Huh?' He does the whole thing, and I'm like, man I appreciate your commitment to the entertainment because that's 100% because of you having a headset on for 25 years of your life."

Cole appeared on The Pat McAfee Show for the full three hours today. You can see the appearance below: