"Had to walk into that WWF locker room and shake hands with 65 morons" - AEW star defends himself for being 'hateable'

An AEW star who plays a heel in the Jacksonville-based company recently defended himself for being extremely hateable in an interview.

It is not far-fetched to say that professional wrestling is all about emotions. The best performers or best stories in history have always been the ones that were able to induce extreme emotions of love or hatred among the viewers.

Speaking on the recent edition of Busted Open Radio, Don Callis, widely regarded as the most hated man in All Elite Wrestling, talked about the reason for being so disliked. Callis said this is how he has always been and talked about his time in WWF (WWE), where he had to put on a happy face.

"I just am myself, and people say to me, 'Why are you like this?' This is how I've always been. I've had to hide in plain sight if you will in the past. Had to put on a happy face. Had to walk into that WWF locker room and shake hands with 65 morons every time I saw them, not just the first day and the last day of work," Don Callis said. [H/T Wrestling Inc]

The 60-year-old talked about an incident at LaGuardia Airport where fans blocked the entrance, and he had to get the police involved:

"A hundred people got told to vacate the property, and I took the heat because I don't care. And not caring is all about unburdening oneself, and I feel unburdened because for the first time in a long time, Bully [Ray], I am myself and that's very freeing." [H/T Wrestling Inc]

The veteran joined AEW in 2020 and currently heads a heel stable named Don Callis family, which includes Konosuke Takeshita, Sammy Guevara, and Powerhouse Hobbs.

The NJPW star Will Ospreay has also made a few appearances in the Jacksonville-based company as a part of the Don Callis Family.

Don Callis wants AEW Star Chris Jericho to retire

Don Callis Family is currently embroiled in a rivalry with former AEW World champions Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega.

Speaking on Busted Open, Don Callis said it was time for Chris Jericho to retire.

"So I feel bad, but I guess maybe I’m doing for Chris Jericho what Ted Irvine wasn’t able to do. Tell him, 'It’s time, it’s over. Time to stop. You’ve had a great run. You’re maybe the greatest of all time, but end it now, and allow the ending to be the beginning for the Don Callis Family and Will Hobbs," [H/T: Fightful]

At AEW WrestleDream, members of the Don Callis family, Will Ospreay, Konosuke Takeshita, and Sammy Guevara defeated Chris Jericho, Kenny Omega, and Kota Ibushi.