10 Behind-The-Scenes Secrets Revealed By Former WWE Writers
Who thought Triple H wasn't ready? Which special guest made a fool of Vince McMahon? What's sleep?!
For many years, taking part in the creative process was the dream job of millions of wrestling fans beyond actually getting in there and actually taking the bumps.
Long before all of wrestling's secrets were blown wide open by a combination of old pros finally speaking their truths, newsgroups on early-'90s primitive internet and the growth and success of Dave Meltzer's Wrestling Observer Newsletter, it remained a mystery what happened on the other side of the curtain. But it didn't stop fans speculating long after the veneer of reality had slipped.
If anything, discovering that the results weren't quite on the up and up only deepened the intrigue. Knowing nothing was blissful ignorance, while knowing a little only informed a thirst to know more. The feeling of thinking one knows best is as common to wrestling as anything else, as countless fantasy booking scenarios pitched here and everywhere else will attest to. And how better to prove that than to get in Vince McMahon's ear?
Much of that changed when McMahon took the process from the side of his swimming pool to the marble-desked corner of Titan Tower with the invention of a revolving door writing staff. Very few of them had long stays with the organisation, and plenty of them were keen to talk about it after the fact.
Suddenly, the seemingly thankless task wasn't quite as aspirational...
10. A Donald Trump Trick Infuriated Vince McMahon
It goes without saying that Vince McMahon and Donald Trump are a lot alike, but what absolutely deserved airing was this quality anecdote from current MLW chief Court Bauer about the time The Chairman privately raged about the pomposity and arrogance of his fellow oligarch.
Speaking to Chris Jericho about the former president (and the man 'Le Champion' thrice donated thousands of dollars to), Bauer said (h/t to 411Mania.com)
“Donald Trump was there doing the angle with Vince, and one night, we’re doing some sort of in-ring deal with Trump and Vince and it was cold because it was the lead-up to WrestleMania. Donald has that big winter jacket and he’s 6-4 or something like that. He’s kind of a deceptively tall guy…..so, they’re doing a promo, and Vince and him are going face-to-face as the Battle of Billionaires thing goes down. Afterward, we’re in the limo, and Vince is just livid. They get along great, but there’s that kindred spirit thing with them and everything. He felt like Donald had intentionally shown him up and he’s like, ‘Did you see that? He was wearing that jacket, clearly his shoulder pad was stuffed to look bigger than me, it’s ridiculous.’ And he was really hot about Trump trying to look bigger than him. I think the next time out Vince was jacked and everything. He would not have any of it.”
A story of enormous wealth, tiny egos, and Vince McMahon being against the artificial inflation of a physique, this has got the lot.