 Giovanni in April 2005 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1978-01-20)January 20, 1978 (age 47) |
Spouse | Joseph Giovanni |
| Children | 2 |
| Website | joyfulmedium |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name | Joy Giovanni |
| Billed height | 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m) |
| Billed from | Boston,Massachusetts |
| Trained by | Daniel Puder,Fit Finlay,The Undertaker |
| Debut | November 2004 |
| Retired | July 2005 |
Joy Giovanni, born January 20, 1978,[1] is a retiredItalian-Americanactress,model and retiredprofessional wrestler, she is best known for her time withWorld Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), where she worked on theSmackdown! brand. She was the first and only winner of theWWE's Rookie Diva of the Year award.[2]
In 2001, Giovanni won the L.A Model Expo[3] she posed as alingerie andswimsuit model, posing in multiple magazines. She posed for Bench Warmer trading cards in the 2004 and 2005 trading sets.[4] Giovanni also competed in the 2004 and 2005Lingerie Bowl events a part of theLos Angeles Temptations team.[5]
In 2005, she was a guest judge for theG4 show,Video Game Vixens.[3]
She featured in the 2005 direct to DVDWWE special,Viva Las Divas photoshoot.[6] She was also in theWWE 2005 SummerSlam diva promotional car wash photoshoot.[7]
In 2006, Giovanni appeared inAvenged Sevenfold's music video,Beast and the Harlot.
Giovanni made cameo appearances as an extra in various television shows, including;CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,Monk,NCIS andEntourage. In 2004, she appeared in the independent filmInstinct vs. Reason.[8] In 2005, she played an air stewardess in the independent filmWhen All Else Fails.[3]
In 2007, Giovanni had a leading role in theRolfe Kanesky film;Pretty Cool Too, as June.[9]
Giovanni first appeared for theWWE participating in theWWE 2004 Diva Search, where she ultimately placed third. Despite being eliminated, WWE would sign her to an official contract just a few days after her elimination,[10][11] which aired live on the September 13 episode ofRAW.[12] During the WWE Diva Search, she participated in the WWE Diva Dodgeball game at theWWE 2004 SummerSlam event a part of the winning team, Team Diva Search.[13][14] She also participated in the controversial, infamous Diss The Diva challenge hosted byStacy Keibler,[15][16][17] during an episode ofRAW Giovanni alongside remaining diva search contestants;Amy Weber,Carmella DeCesare andChristy Hemme competed in a liveshoot promo challenge, the segment has gained notoriety for being one of WWE's most explicit segments in history.[18][19][20] Giovanni called out contestant Carmella DeCesare stating; "Carmella, you talk a lot of shit, but look at you, you've got a gap so wide you could drive a truck right through there baby!". DeCesare responded by outing Giovanni as a mother, something she had not told WWE higher-ups, as during this time there was a stigma against women having children in the industry. In a 2023 interview Giovanni revealed that she was confronted byStephanie McMahon backstage about having a child.[21][22]
Despite being eliminated from The Diva Search, WWE hired Giovanni and she officially debuted on theSmackdown! brand in November 2004 as amassage therapist and also acted as a special guest timekeeper.[3] On the November 11 episode ofSmackdown!, Giovanni andBig Show hosted aThanksgiving party, only to be confronted byLuther Reigns, who would hit Giovanni in the face with a pie, prompting a food fight in the ring. The following week onSmackdown! she was confronted by Luther Reigns again, who tried to force Giovanni to go on a date with him, causing Big Show to save Giovanni, this prompted Giovanni to become Big Show'svalet and on-screen girlfriend accompanying him to the ring, cementing her in the main storyline ofSmackdown!. Giovanni began feuding withAmy Weber, they would get in to a catfight on the December 16 episode ofSmackdown! after Giovanni gaveJohn "Bradshaw" Layfield a candy cane at ringside.[12] AtArmageddon, Giovanni kissed Big Show wishing him good luck before his handicap match againstKurt Angle, Luther Reigns andMark Jindrak, which Show won.[23] On the January 6 episode ofSmackdown! Giovanni refused to signCarlito's petition, resulting in him spitting an apple in her face. On the same episode ofSmackdown! Kurt Angle was tricked in to walking in to Giovanni's locker room by Amy Weber, to scare her while she showered which caused Giovanni to run backstage in a towel, in to Big Show's arms. This resulted in Show chasing Angle to the ring in defense of Giovanni and attack him. It was then revealed as a trick byThe Cabinet to get Show and Angle angry with each other.[24] At theRoyal Rumble, she was shown arriving to the arena with the Big Show.[25] On the January 13 episode ofSmackdown! Giovanni and Weber would get in to another catfight,Smackdown! general managerTheodore Long would schedule a singles match between Giovanni and Weber, banning Big Show and John "Bradshaw" Layfield from ringside, Giovanni did not show up to the ring for her match therefore losing by forfeit to Weber.[26] It was then revealed Giovanni was kidnapped by Kurt Angle, after she was discovered bound and gagged in John "Bradshaw" Layfield's limousine trunk to prevent the match from happening.[27] On the January 20 episode ofSmackdown! Angle was forced to issue an open apology to Giovanni, but when Big Show came down to the ring, Angle tried to leave the arena only to be ushered back by The Cabinet, this turned out to be another ploy as Angle and The Cabinet all attacked Big Show. On the January 27 episode ofSmackdown! Giovanni threw a strawberry yoghurt in Weber's face after overhearing her badmouthing Giovanni to the otherSmackdown! divas. The following week Giovanni hit Weber over the head with a fish bowl and attacked her, resulting in her being removed from theSmackdown! arena.[28] After Weber's abrupt departure from WWE in February 2005 due to an alleged harassment incident during an overseas tour involving WWE superstarsEdge andRandy Orton, their feud was suddenly dropped.[29][30] Giovanni stated in a 2023 interview withRing The Belle, that she and Weber were working towards a singles match at the2005 No Way Out pay-per-view.[31]
Giovanni went on to win the first and only WWE Rookie Diva of the Year contest, hosted byDawn Marie andTorrie Wilson, atNo Way Out, defeating rookie divas;Lauren Jones,Michelle McCool andRochelle Loewen. The contest included; an evening gown contest, a talent contest, in which she massaged host Torrie Wilson, and a swimsuit contest. Giovanni won with 65% of the votes.[2] After winning the contest Giovanni and the fellowSmackdown! divas became involved in brief feuds with the villainousSmackdown! divas;Dawn Marie andMelina. AtWrestleMania 21 Giovanni appeared in multiple promo videos; including aTaxi Driver parody,[32] she also accompanied theWWE 2005 Hall of Fame inductees to the WrestleMania stage.
She continued appearing onSmackdown! in backstage segments, bikini contests and lingerie contests, including one on the April 7 episode ofSmackdown! where she was the runner-up in the Viva Las Vegas Divas bikini contest to Torrie Wilson. She also began training to wrestle withFit Finlay andThe Undertaker.[33][34] In May 2005, she featured in a number of backstage segments as the friend ofSharmell comforting her during her feud with Kurt Angle.[35] Giovanni then became aring girl, featuring in weekly segments that involved coming out to greet theSmackdown! fans, shooting t-shirts to fans in the audience or venturing in to the crowd to meet fans alongside Torrie Wilson.[36][37] She then began sporadically appearing atSmackdown!house shows in bikini contests.[38] She was featured in the direct to DVDWWEViva Las Divas special and was featured in theWWE 2005 SummerSlam Diva promotional car wash photoshoot.[6][7] She made her video game debut as a playable wrestler inWWE Smackdown! vs. RAW 2006.[39]
Giovanni was released from her contract due to budget cuts on July 6 2005, despite just signing a 3 year contract with the company.[40][41][42]
After her WWE stint Giovanni made multiple appearances at wrestling conventions. Giovanni and Weber released a DVD withBig Vision Entertainment in 2009 labelledAmy vs. Joy. The DVD focused on their WWE feud and featured bonus interviews and clips, including clips of Giovanni training for an in-ring debut with former WWE superstar and MMA fighter;Daniel Puder.[43][44]
Giovanni returned at WWE'sWrestleMania 25 event, making her official in-ring debut in a 25 Diva battle royal, to determine the firstWWE Miss WrestleMania and to celebrate 25 years of women at WrestleMania.[45] Giovanni was one of the six legend divas to return for one night only alongside;Miss Jackie,Molly Holly,Sunny,Torrie Wilson andVictoria.[46] Giovanni was eliminated second byThe Bella Twins.[47] She was also in attendance at theWWE 2009 Hall of Fame ceremony.
In 2015, duringWrestleMania 31, WWE announced multiple newreality shows set to air on theWWE Network, including a returningDiva Search. The official advertisement video package for the returning Diva Search featured clips of the most successful former Diva Search contestants, including Giovanni. The show was ultimately canceled in late 2015 due to WWE phasing out the term "Diva" that same year.[48]
In 2018, Giovanni was referenced on theSmackdown! 1000 episode special in a rap celebrating 80 of the most memorableSmackdown! stars by American rapper, Bodie.[49][50]
Giovanni is of Italian descent.[51] In 2010, she began working an internship for achiropractor inLos Angeles, California, she also became recertified inmassage therapy for a new business venture.[12] She opened a massage therapy business inSan Diego, California in 2014.[52]
Giovanni has a son who was born October 20, 1998 and a daughter who was born November 19, 2000.[53] Giovanni and her long time husband Joseph Giovanni filed for divorce in 2021.[54]
As of 2025 Giovanni works as apsychic medium andtarot reader. She is currently living inCalifornia. She hosts a podcast titledSpirit Speakeasy[55] and regularly guest features on different podcasts. Since leaving the professional wrestling industry she remains close friends withAmy Weber andRené Duprée.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | My Big Break | Self; guest | 1 episode |
| Amy Weber Unleashed | Self; guest | 1 episode | |
| 2023 | The A2theK Wrestling Show | Self; guest | 1 episode |
| Rise to the Challenge Podcast | Self; guest | 1 episode | |
| Ring The Belle | Self; guest | 1 episode | |
| Cafe de René with René Duprée | Self; guest | 1 episode | |
| The Geena The Latina Show | Self; guest | 1 episode | |
| 2023- | Spirit Speakeasy | Self; host | All episodes |
| 2024 | Conversations with Rich Bennett | Self; guest | 1 episode |
| Financial Freedom Podcast with Dr. Christopher Loo | Self; guest | 1 episode | |
| 2025 | The Going North Podcast | Self; guest | 1 episode |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Lingerie Bowl | Self; Los Angeles Temptation | |
| CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Extra | 1 episode | |
| Monk | Extra | 1 episode | |
| NCIS | Extra | 1 episode | |
| Instinct vs. Reason | Extra | ||
| WWE RAW Diva Search Casting Special | Self; contestant | TV special | |
| WWE 2004 RAW Diva Search | Self; contestant | 3rd place, 9 episodes | |
| Entourage | Extra | 1 episode | |
| 2005 | Lingerie Bowl | Self; Los Angeles Temptation | |
| When All Else Fails | Air Stewardess | ||
| WWE Hall of Fame 2005 | Self; guest | TV special | |
| WWE Viva Las Divas | Self | Direct to DVD | |
| Video Game Vixens | Self; judge | 4 episodes | |
| 2007 | Pretty Cool Too | June | |
| 2009 | Amy vs. Joy | Self | Direct to DVD |
| WWE Hall of Fame 2009 | Self; guest | TV special | |
| WWE: The Best of Smackdown! - 10th Anniversary 1999-2009 | Self | Documentary | |
| 2011 | E:60 | Self; guest | 1 episode |
| 2012 | Undertaker: The Streak 20-0 | Self | Documentary, archive footage |
| 2018 | NCIS: Los Angeles | Extra | 1 episode |
| Year | Title | Artist | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Beast and the Harlot | Avenged Sevenfold | Stripper |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | WWE Smackdown! vs. RAW 2006 | Joy Giovanni | Video game debut |
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Media related toJoy Giovanni at Wikimedia Commons
,Internet Wrestling Database