In 1989 Tony Chimel began working for Vince McMahon, initially as part of the ring crew before becoming Howard Finkel’s backup ring announcer. A decade later, he’d get his big break and become known to wrestling fans worldwide when he became the announcer for SmackDown. However, his presence on television would decline over time, and in later years, he mainly worked in the production office and oversaw the ring crew. Sadly though, once WWE began cost-cutting, he was deemed surplus to requirements and let go in November 2020.
Now, in an interview with Chris Van Vliet, he has discussed how his layoff came following a canceled show but happily confirmed he has managed to find another job, working for grocery store Trader Joe’s. He would go on to liken them to WWE, saying both want to put smiles on faces.
I took off, and I flew from Florida to Charlotte. When I got to Charlotte, I was told that the show was canceled. So I turned around and went home. I never worked another show after that,
Tony ChimelI found a job at Trader Joe’s, which I never really knew about. I had heard of Trader Joe’s, but I didn’t really know what it was.
Tony ChimelThere’s a lot of similarities because, at WWE, they always wanted to put smiles on people’s faces, and at Trader Joe’s, all they want to do is wow the customer and make the customer feel happy.
Tony ChimelIt’s great to hear that Chimel is gainfully employed, as getting a job at 60 years of age is often a challenge. It is even more impressive when you consider his unique WWE resume isn’t likely to help in non-entertainment industries. Sadly though, it does look like he is done with the business. Still, perhaps over time, he will look to work the convention circuit and other signings opportunities. As to a generation, his voice will forever be linked to SmackDown, and many fans would love to meet him.
