10 WWE Innovations That Nobody Wanted
9. Celebrity Guest Hosts
The idea of Celebrity Guest Hosts on Raw seemed promising/ WWE has done a great job of blending sports entertainment with popular culture - but this time it didn't work.
Most celebrities lacked wrestling knowledge, leading to awkward segments where they appeared out of place and, in the case of Jeremy Piven, got the name of WWE's second biggest pay-per-view wrong. Besides, most of them were there more for promotion than a genuine love for wrestling. This alienated viewers and failed to engage casual viewers. Was a fan of Black Sabbath about to watch two hours of wrestling because Ozzy Osbourne was hosting? Unlikely.
The focus on celebrity hosts often overshadowed the wrestling itself too. Shifting the spotlight to non-wrestling personalities detracted from the in-ring action and storylines. Fans tune in to see their favourite wrestlers perform and advance their feuds, not to watch a celebrity fumble through a poorly scripted segment.
The quality of hosts varied greatly. While some celebrities, like Hugh Jackman and Bob Barker, embraced their roles and delivered entertaining segments, others were forgettable or cringeworthy. This inconsistency made the guest host gimmick feel like a gamble rather than a reliable source of entertainment.
While the idea had potential, and worked on occasions when wrestlers were in charge, Celebrity Guest Hosts ultimately did more harm than good.