Chris Jericho isn’t letting just anybody step aboard his wrestling cruise. The former AEW World Champion has revealed that he personally vets every wrestler, musician, and entertainer booked for his Rock ‘N’ Wrestling Rager — and if they don’t fit the atmosphere he’s trying to create, they’re not getting an invitation.
During a recent interview with Skratch N’ Sniff, Jericho opened up about the work that goes into organizing his annual wrestling cruise. With the seventh edition approaching, he explained that the event is much more than a wrestling show on a boat. It’s an entire entertainment experience featuring live wrestling, rock bands, comedians, magicians, and even paranormal attractions. Jericho made it clear that the biggest factor in deciding who gets booked isn’t necessarily how popular someone is. Instead, he wants entertainers who can contribute to the nonstop party atmosphere he’s built around the event.
“Well, when we came up with the idea for the Rock and Wrestling Rager, I mean, it’s wrestling combined with music combined with comedy, there’s paranormal elements to it, there’s magicians, there’s traveling minstrels.”
The AEW star explained that he even turns down certain types of music despite being a fan of them himself. According to Jericho, the entire event needs to have a particular energy, and he isn’t interested in booking acts that could disrupt that atmosphere.
“And the the biggest thing for me is I just want a party. I want party music that people can dance to and have fun to. You know, I love thrash metal, but I’ll I’ll probably never put a thrash metal band on the cruise because it just doesn’t fit the vibe of what we want.”
That’s when Jericho revealed just how much control he maintains over the cruise’s entertainment lineup. Rather than leaving those decisions entirely to promoters or booking agents, he personally screens everyone involved, including the professional wrestlers.
“So every, you know, and I book everybody, like everybody that’s on the cruise, every band, every wrestler, every comedian, I vetted and know kind of what their vibe is.”
Jericho explained that his goal is to make sure guests are constantly surrounded by entertainment, regardless of where they are on the ship. That approach has helped the Rock ‘N’ Wrestling Rager reach its seventh edition, and he revealed that plans for an eighth cruise are already being discussed.
“I just want everywhere that people go, their senses are being bombarded by a party vibe. And that’s why we’ve been able to do seven of them with an eighth one, you know, kind of in the works already.”
The cruise’s entertainment lineup reflects that philosophy, with Fozzy headlining alongside acts such as Guardians of the Jukebox, The Iron Maidens, The Killer Dwarfs, and Downstait. Jericho explained that he deliberately mixes different styles of music to keep the experience entertaining for everyone attending.
For Jericho, the Rock ‘N’ Wrestling Rager isn’t simply another opportunity to put on wrestling matches or perform with Fozzy. He’s treating the entire cruise as his own production, right down to deciding which wrestlers and entertainers belong on the ship. With a potential eighth edition already being considered, it doesn’t sound like Jericho plans to hand over those responsibilities anytime soon.
What do you think about Chris Jericho personally vetting every wrestler booked for his cruise? Should more wrestling events give performers that kind of control over the lineup? Let us know what you think and leave your feedback in the comments below.
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