From the small town of New Ulm, Minn., to the bright lights of WWE NXT, Christy St. Cloud is the newest addition to NXT’s announce team. St. Cloud can be seen grabbing the latest scoops from your favorite NXT Superstars. This week, we flip the script and get the scoop on Christy as she speaks to WWE.com about her road to NXT and why being a part of WWE is a true dream come true.
WWE.COM: You’ve been with NXT for six months now. What has the experience been like for you?
CHRISTY ST. CLOUD: Being part of NXT has been absolutely incredible. Every time I go to a Live Event, a television taping at Full Sail University or an NXT TakeOver, it’s still hard for me to believe that I’m part of all this. I’m so proud to be part of NXT because I feel like this is where it’s at. Everyone here is welcoming, and everyone is hungry to get better.
WWE.COM: You’ve had some neat experiences in the entertainment industry prior to joining NXT.
ST. CLOUD: I started as an intern at “E! True Hollywood Story” and then became an executive producer’s assistant. I was there for two-and-a-half years. I also worked for AfterBuzz TV, where I got to report on what was happening in the sports-entertainment world and interacted with various legends in the industry. I also had the opportunity to work with former WWE Superstar X-Pac and former WWE ring announcer Lilian Garcia, helping to produce and co-host their podcasts.
WWE.COM: One of your biggest accomplishments has been your YouTube channel that you created.
ST. CLOUD: I’ve always been a bit of a computer nerd. I taught myself HTML and created my first web site when I was 12 years old, about the novel series, “Sweet Valley High.” I started with a blog, and when YouTube was getting popular, I figured the next step would be video content. I used a flip cam to talk about various TV shows and movies, calling it “Christy Reports,” and eventually it developed into low-profile red-carpet interviews. Eventually I got onto bigger red carpets, where I interviewed reality TV stars from shows like “Dance Moms” or the kids from “Girl Meets World.” I ended up having over a quarter-million hits.
I started watching Raw and SmackDown every week and it eventually became a full-blown obsession.
WWE.COM: I understand you even made an appearance on “The Maury Povich Show”?
ST. CLOUD: Yes. I did an episode last December helping Maury cover holiday-related viral videos. It was a cool experience sitting next to Maury on the couch without having to take a paternity test. [Laughs]
WWE.COM: Let’s talk about your love of sports-entertainment. You’ve been a fan for quite some time, haven’t you?
ST. CLOUD: I originally used to watch every week with my dad. My mom would work late on Mondays, so my dad and I would watch WCW Monday Nitro and Monday Night Raw. I loved Jake “The Snake” Roberts, Miss Elizabeth, “Macho Man” Randy Savage, to name a few. I dropped off for a bit when things got a little risqué with the women, but five years ago, I noticed things like Total Divas, and I saw the women getting more attention, and I’m like, “The women are doing this? What’s going on?” At the time, I was doing a lot of those red-carpet interviews in Los Angeles, and every now and then I’d run into a WWE Superstar. I always found each superstar to be so humble and fun compared to a lot of other celebrities. I started watching Raw and SmackDown every week, and it eventually became a full-blown obsession.
WWE.COM: How has your family reacted to your new role with NXT?
ST. CLOUD: They are so proud of me. My dad no longer has to pretend that he’s excited about me interviewing someone from “Real Housewives.” He can now brag to his friends that his daughter works for WWE, the same company as Brock Lesnar, who, not surprisingly, is extremely well-known in our home state of Minnesota. For a lot of years, my family saw me struggle. Whether I was working as a waitress or bartender to make ends meet, or living in my kitchen-less studio apartment with no furniture for so many years. They feel like I’ve made it in some capacity and see that I’m doing what I want to do in my life.
WWE.COM: What is your average week like?
ST. CLOUD: I get to partake in promo class at the WWE Performance Center to start the week. In addition to that, Monday through Wednesday I spend time watching and learning from other hosts and working on my own stuff. I get to work on my craft during shows at the Performance Center as well, which feature some of the newer NXT stars. Thursday, Friday and Saturday are usually the NXT Live shows, which are so much fun. I get to interact with the live crowd, see Superstars have their first match, try new things, meet the fans, etc. On Sundays, I usually work out, grab groceries, do laundry and prepare for the following week.
WWE.COM: Any embarrassing moments in front of the live crowd?
ST. CLOUD: I had an embarrassing moment during an NXT Live Event Pre-Show. I was talking about what’s to come, and all of a sudden, the heel on my shoe totally breaks off. I freaked out, asking myself how I was going to hobble my way through the night. The crowd laughed along with me and made it easier to handle. Every time we go back to that city, fans will still ask me if I brought an extra pair of shoes. [Laughs]
WWE.COM: Why is this opportunity so important to you?
ST. CLOUD: It’s truly a humbling honor. I know how many people would give anything to do this. My first week here was during WrestleMania, and it nearly brought tears to my eyes. Considering that the year before I was buying a general admission ticket to WrestleMania in Dallas as a fan, being part of the festivities in Orlando made the experience that much more overwhelming. The fact that WWE means so much to so many people and that I have a chance to affect and bring joy to people’s lives drives me to work harder every day. I’ve always imagined myself here, and now that I am here, I feel like I belong.
Follow Christy St. Cloud on Twitter @ChristyStCloud.