"while female wrestler Beth Phoenix lounged a few feet away"

Are they dating?

RESPONSE FROM KE: Yes.

Thanks Kev for the great interview.

That was an incredibly intelligent and insightful interview.
As there are several ongoing areas of discussion around Ring Posts about this whole shebang---let's put this in context.
Punk speaks to the whole point of the situation. WWE and wrestling in general needs change. This is not about hating or loving John Cena. It's not about "casual" vs. hardcore--(please note that GQ writer Breihan, writing for an extremely casual GQ audience, recognized that WWE is stale and has been for some time, and references Cena as a symbol of that---that's not a hardcore opinion---it's a simple matter of obvious creative direction and overall entertainment value---how long are people going to unreasonably going to argue this crap? Hating or loving Cena IS a hardcore argument--recognizing that his act itself is stale and that the whole era centered around him has been a low point for wrestling in terms of cultural interest and for its being generally perceived as valid entertainment is not that hard, unless you are a blindly devoted hardcore mark---which goes for the "love" AND the "hate" crowd--don't love or hate the man--love or hate what he is doing for the sport--in that context, it's pretty hard to support love--but that is NOT ammo for those who hate John Cena himself, as if he is not a hard-working and talented performer).
This is about the fact that you just can't sit back and eat whatever people feed to you. Wrestling is dying. Punk is a symbol of everything that should be going on, and has an very articulate handle on it.
The element that he mentions only in implication that is better said by us as fans is this----We need to be more active. Don't sit in front of the goddamned T.V. and watch something just because it's on, and you don't want to move. Don't act like one company is inherently better than another like we're some kind of online gaming clans---and don't defend and support a company's actions and creative offerings just because you want to feel like you belong to something. You belong as a fan of wrestling, and you should be not only actively putting your support behind that which you feel moves wrestling forward and helps it evolve, but also actively making your voice heard when you know that something is doing the opposite, over and beyond any false allegiance to any one company's banner.
The support should be for any writer, any perfomer, any worker within any company who is presenting a vision that makes the sport better and makes it more valid. Everything's at a crossroads, and the answer is not, "gee, I wonder what 'they'll' do", the answer is what will you do? Will you pump money into a company that is merely mediocre and reinforce their inertia in staying that way? Will you go to whatever indie shows might be in your area to support young guys honing their skills? Will you legally tune in to a show even if you don't regularly watch if they are doing something of quality, whether you have a prejudice or not? Will you look at that quality fairly, and admit when it exists and be critical if it's not, even if it's "your" company? How about buying a PPV because it seems that the wrestling might be interesting, whether it's a company you regularly watch or not? Will you NOT buy the PPV when the company is doing something wrong? This is your voice---your time and your wallet.
In a different environment, CM Punk would not be tired and leaving for hiatus, he would be the marquee performer of the top company right now, surrounded by other developed and developing stars that we have not even gotten the chance to truly see at their best.
If Punk leaves, and WWE goes back to business as usual, then show them your dissatisfaction by NOT WATCHING. Don't buy crappy PPVs, don't support crappy wrestling. The same goes for TNA---after the most recent "Impact", I am personally done with them. They deserve no support right now and are offering sub-standard direction which is stultifying wrestling and the careers of young stars who are the future of the industry. This is a shame because they are the only viable competitor, but it's what it is. They're blowing it---don't pretend they're not. WWE before this angle was blowing it---don't pretend they weren't. These companies will never realize that they're blowing it unless they notice that you're gone--and for that, you have to actually go. Having a voice is one person at a time. Don't say that your one person voice doesn't matter. If a million people say that--then it's a self-fulfilling prophecy and it doesn't. If those same million people individually make the decision to give or pull out their support based on what is best for wrestling, ( why are you watching otherwise, unless to see the best?)--you're a fool if you don't think that makes a difference. Some people already figured that out--that's why WWE's ratings have been ugly for years now. That's how we eventually end up with something like what we're talking about. Your participation or not matters.
Punk's farewell gesture is a wake-up call, delivered by an honest and hard worker. If WWE does better, then I'll be there, and you should be too. If they don't, then don't support them in that. Don't support TNA JUST because you don't like WWE---call for better things there. If they don't deliver, don't support them.
This all seems rather simple--but with the analysis, the marked out debates--what gets lost is this---wrestling is for the audience. That's the whole damned point. The companies forget that too often, and so do we.

Fabulous interview by GQ. Would have never seen it if it wasn't for your blog, Kevin. Thanks.

Thank you very much for bringing this to my attention. That was a very interesting interview.

That was one of the best and most honest interviews I've seen a WWE star give in ages. Very informative too, as the interviewer really seemed to get in there good and ask the right questions.

Thanks for the heads up on it, Kevin.

great interview....where can I sign up to be Punk's bff?

The most valuable reward for one who is truly motivated to do something (whatever that something may be) is the very opportunity to do it. Nothing tangible could ever match the "rush" you get -- like when Punk speaks of walking up behind his colleagues after the promo in Vegas, or of his desie to be working in the ring with Vince.

Punk seems like a very motivated, very confident perfectionist and he sounds "burnt-out."

So, he just happened to have an Austin shirt in his bag -- Hmmm!!

And what was with the Hollywood bashing? I appreciate good improv as much as the next guy, but a wrestling promo/storyline is not the only place I can find it done well.

The writer/interviewer -- it sounds as if it could have been (Not So)DumbSmark under an alias -- is right on point describing Punk's Vegas promo and his promo style in general as patient and without catchphrases.

I come away from this feeling that Punk's going on a sabbatical rather than quitting.

Gracias, Mr. Eck.

I love the fact that there is a heel bus and a face bus!

Absolutely fabulous interview but did anyone else have trouble concentrating on it with that cover photo of Mila Kunis always hovering nearby?!?!?