Michael Cole Has 65% Hearing Loss, Uses Special In-Ear Piece To Hear

Michael Cole has been part of the on-screen WWE universe since 1997 when he debuted as an interviewer. 

Since then, Cole has become the lead announcer on television and currently provides play-by-play commentary for WWE SmackDown alongside Pat McAfee. Before joining WWE, worked for CBS Radio and covered major events such as the 51-day siege at the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, the Yugoslavian civil war, and the aftermath of the Oklahoma City bombing.

Appearing on The Pat McAfee Show, Cole revealed that he is technically deaf. 

“I’m actually 65% hearing loss. They make these special in-ear pieces that go underneath my headset on air, so I can actually hear,” he said.

McAfee noted that he’ll have to scream things at Cole and they pondered whether years of doing commentary or explosions from his pre-WWE days led to the hearing loss. 

Speaking about working in WWE, Cole said, “When the red light goes on, it’s fun. There’s a lot leading up to it and a lot of stuff that happens during the week, but Friday nights at 8 o’clock, when that red light goes on, it’s the best job in the world. You get to be play-by-play guy, color analyst, but you also get to be a storyteller and a narrator. You get to be an actor, you’re part of the show. It’s the best of every world possible.”

In a previous appearance on McAfee’s show, Cole commented how McAfee has revitalized his career on commentary. You can find his full comments by clicking here.

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