``Thank you. I'm awesome.''

That's The Miz.

The Miz is a WWE talent who took a different route to reach the lofty status of superstarring on WWE TV.

He is from the reality TV world -- MTV's The Real World and WWE's own reality show Tough Enough. Don't blame him for that. He took advantage just like others would.

``Coming through Tough Enough has been really, really hard,'' Miz said. ``Most people in the wrestling business don't respect a person who comes from the reality world into WWE.''

In October 2004, Miz was a contestant on the fourth season of Tough Enough, a televised WWE competition. He reached the finals. At the WWE Armageddon PPV, Miz fought Daniel Puder in a three-round Dixie Dogfight (boxing match). Puder won based on crowd reaction.

``I actually won it, but the fans liked Puder more,'' Miz said. ``If it was scored by a boxing judge, I would have won, but if it's scored by the WWE audience who absolutely hates me, I will lose every time.''

It's no secret WWE wants to make itself more Hollywood to become more mainstream with the audience. Celebrity guest hosts on Monday Night Raw is the latest example.

``Floyd Money Mayweather is going to host Monday Night Raw [on Aug. 17 from Las Vegas],'' Miz said. ``It's going to be exciting to see what he has in store for us and for me.

``I saw what he did with Big Show [in a boxing match at WrestleMania XXIV at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando], and I don't want any part of it. I'll stick to wrestling.''

Sports entertainment differs from pro wrestling as it brings the company and personas to other levels of opportunity and popularity.

Out with the old. In with the new.

Like him or not, we have a new President, change. Like it or not, we have new technology, change. Like it or not, we have a new genre of wrestling/sports entertainment, change.

Change hopefully resonates growth. If things remain status quo, it is difficult to grow. Whether WWE's sports entertainment format works will take time to answer, but you never know unless you try.

What is known, thus far, more WWE stars are appearing in movies (granted WWE has its own movie making company). More WWE stars are appearing on other TV shows. More WWE stars are learning mainstream.

Miz made appearances on other television shows including Battle of the Network Reality Stars, Fear Factor, Identity and Ghost Hunters.

Following Tough Enough, WWE offered Miz a developmental deal, and he relocated to Georgia, home of Deep South Wrestling. With the UPW experience and Tough Enough training under Al Snow behind him, Miz now learned from Bill DeMott (Hugh Morris) at Deep South. In January 2006, Miz worked for Ohio Valley Wrestling, WWE's other feeder group in Louisville.

The Miz got the call, arriving in WWE in April 2006, and he has never digressed, despite the political challenges from the roster and fans.

``WWE fans and the WWE locker room like people with wrestling backgrounds and people who they know,'' Miz said. ``They don't like outsiders coming in. Me with a reality background, I just literally got no respect from anybody.

``A football player who is 6-5, 270 pounds; an MMA fighter; a 7-0 giant who can barely walk; they all get respect, but a reality person coming into WWE, `Oh boy,' everyone is going to hate this guy.''

Former WWE star and SmackDown color commentary JBL was vocally critical of The Miz and Morrison, the two Tough Enough competitors. Miz had his own way of dealing with it.

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