AEW’s power couple Britt Baker (D-M-D!) and Adam Cole (Bay! Bay!) are used to performing live in front of cameras and thousands of fans. As Brittany Baker and Austin Jenkins, well, that’s a whole other story. As part of the AEW All Access reality show premiering tonight after AEW Dynamite, Baker and Cole not only give viewers a glimpse into their private lives but also a look into who Brittany Baker and Austin Jenkins really are outside of the ring.
John Powell: Congratulations on the new show. You both must be really excited to be involved in this new project.
Britt Baker: We’re so excited and nervous, but very excited!
Adam Cole: It is going to be the most private we’ve ever gotten, at least with the general public. It’s exciting and nerve-wracking!
John Powell: I was going to say you are both used to be being in front of live cameras and performing. How is being a part of AEW All Access different.. .or is it?
Britt Baker: Yes, because we’re used to being recorded as characters and personas but these cameras followed us everywhere, both in and out of the ring. They filmed us as real people and everything going on in our lives, our families and everything on top of that. So, it’s definitely something that takes a minute to adjust to and then you just adjust and they’re just there and they film everything.
Adam Cole: Performing as Adam Cole was one thing but to be vulnerable enough to let the world kind of see who Austin is, is very, very interesting and different. It’s a little intimidating but I think it’s important specifically for the recovery process I went through, for the public to see it.
John Powell: I have covered Survivor and Big Brother since their inceptions so I’m very familiar with the reality show atmosphere and world. When you were heading into this did you put any limits what you wouldn’t want to talk about or film?
Britt Baker: The only thing I fought for and honestly, for more legal reasons than anything else, was shooting in the dental cubicles as I am working on patients. We can’t really do that unless there’s like a wrestling patient that would sign off on it. (laughs) But other than that, they were pretty much were with us everywhere.
John Powell: As a couple did you talk about what might be off limits, such as things in your personal or private lives?
Britt Baker: If you would have asked me two years ago, I would say yes. I would have been terrified but right now in the age of social media, where everyone thinks they know everything about me, what I’m doing, whether they love me or hate me, then let them decide that based off the real me versus what they think of me.
John Powell: Well, wrestling and reality shows have a lot in common. One of the things is that some viewers don’t understand or appreciate that they aren’t watching characters on a screen. That castaways, houseguests or wrestlers are real people with families, lives and loved ones. What do you hope people learn from watching AEW All Access?
Adam Cole: Well, I hope for wrestling fans that AEW continues to grow through the show. You’re are going to see different sides to all of us that I think fans are really going to appreciate. For non-wrestling fans, it’s giving them a different level of appreciation and respect for what goes to being in a major wrestling organization like AEW… It’s just such a wild job! There’s nothing else in the world like it! So, I think people be fascinated.
John Powell: Adam, on the first episode one of the biggest storylines is your comeback from the two concussions. Of course, physically recovering and healing is one side of things but then there is the mental side. What did it mean to open up and share your experience with people and what many pro wrestlers go through their entire careers?
Adam Cole: It was incredibly challenging but getting to capture this on camera was actually very therapeutic as well. All the real insecurities and fears that I had I just got to talk about them with people who I do I care about the most. So many fans had no idea what was going on with me and so many people were so supportive that I feel like it’s more than fair that the audience gets the chance to kind of see that journey.
John Powell: I was wondering also, Britt, what it was like for you? On one hand you want Adam to get back to doing what he loves most in the world but at the same time he is your partner, you care a hell of a lot about him and you cannot help but to want to protect him, even if it is protecting him from himself such as him rushing back into action before he is ready.
Britt Baker: I’m so protective, that’s true. I love and care about him like a pit bull, actually. Austin is one of the nicest people on the planet almost sometimes to a fault. He’s nice to everybody all-the-time. I’m always kind of leaning over his shoulder saying: You’ve got this! But, with this injury, I REALLY stepped in and said: You know what? Screw wrestling right now!…We need to get Austin ready, cleared to just be a person who can go out and walk the streets again and to do everyday things like go to the movies or drive a car. That is far more important than getting in the ring and having the crowd chant: Bay! Bay! Screw that right now, respectfully. (laughs)
John Powell: You guys share a unique relationship in that you work for the same company and see each other every day. What are the positives and negatives of that?
Adam Cole: Well, the good for sure is all the time we get to spend together. Before this, our relationship was a long distance relationship. For years, we worked for two separate companies and would only meet up like one day a week. So, getting to sit next to her on the plane and share it and see her at work is incredible! I think the only negative would be I do notice that I worry about her more when I’m there. There is a difference when you’re further away than seeing things happen up close and personal. Like, Britt taking some crazy bump or falling from high up. I am flinching watching it happen! It is more nerve-wrecking.
Britt Baker: It is also a lot harder to just kind of decompress and not talk about wrestling. We’re at the same work but we’re in totally different locker rooms. We do things all day, every day. I can be like: Oh my god! This, this, this, and this happened and then he’s like: I don’t want to talk about wrestling anymore. Let’s talk about something else. And I will wait as I didn’t even finish telling you about my day. Things like that.
John Powell: Britt, you’ve been very successful juggling careers as a wrestler an a dentist. Adam, you obviously have an incredibly successful pro wrestling career but if you weren’t wrestling, what would you be doing?
Adam Cole: Oh, I would be streaming on Twitch full-time! It is something that I already do. It’s become something I am so passionate about as pro wrestling and video games are two of my favorite things in the world! The aspect on Twitch is something that’s so special. So, I think if I didn’t have wrestling it would be something involved in video games.
John Powell: Britt, I wanted to talk to you about one scene that is in the premiere. You are backstage chatting with Jamie Hayter and Toni Storm. The discussion turns to Storm being the Interim AEW Women’s World Champion. You spoke about how you didn’t appreciate how Thunder Rosa surrendered the championship because she had injured her back but was traveling around doing personal appearances. Some time has passed since that was filmed. Has your opinion of Thunder Rosa changed?
Britt Baker: I stand by everything I said because I still have the same questions… You are traveling all over the place for other projects but you’re not coming work where you are the champion? I have that question. I want to know why. I am just asking that question because I’m very passionate and protective of AEW. Anyone can call me a bully but I stand by that and that question still hasn’t been answered to this day. People like Adam Cole would have killed to be able to come to work but he cannot travel. It is not like he was going in and doing a signing or convention or a seminar. They’re not coming to work but he wasn’t able to even leave the house.
John Powell: Looking forward to your big match back on Dynamite, Adam. How are you preparing to lock-up with Daniel Garcia?
Adam Cole: Daniel Garcia is one of the best talents that AEW has. I’ve said it before, I’ll say again, I think he really could be the future of AEW. He’s incredibly talented, incredibly skilled. He’s ferocious in the ring! I have not wrestled for nine months. Daniel Garcia is going to be one heck of a test, that’s for sure. I am thrilled! I’m excited about it and I know he’s going to bring the fight!
John Powell: One more question for you both. Having participated in AEW All Access have you two thought about doing your own reality show featuring you as a couple, your lives?
Britt Baker: I mean, at this point, once you’ve already kind of got your feet wet, you might as well, dive right in! If the situation was right and the right people were involved I would definitely do it.
AEW All Access premieres Wednesday, March 29, at 10 p.m. ET on TBS, immediately following Dynamite.
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