10 Wrestling Facts We Didn't Know Last Week (March 18)
8. Jim Ross Feels He Didn't Do Himself Justice With 1999 Heel Turn
Way back in 1996, Jim Ross was turned into a heel announcer by the WWF when he introduced the ill-fated 'Fake' Razor Ramon and Diesel characters to the company. The villainous run didn't last too long, and the exact same thing could be said about his second bite at the heel cherry in 1999.
Aligned with 'Dr. Death' Steve Williams, Ross mainly used his Bell's Palsy illness to explain his sour attitude on screen. The story was that JR was upset with the WWF apparently trying to replace him with Michael Cole, and Ross would later set up his own commentary position in front of the regular crew on episodes of Monday Night Raw.
Fans didn't want to boo Jim Ross, which led to a situation whereby Cole was the one hearing jeers and Ross was actually cheered for his outspoken nature. The WWF audience sided with one of the most beloved announcers in company history, but Ross himself doesn't feel he did enough to make the character work.
Answering one fan's question during a Reddit AMA, JR said that his heart was never really in the turn, which is probably why it didn't end up working out in the long run.