8. Standards And Practices
WWE.comHeres another beautiful misconception about myself. Many people say that I blame the strict standards and policy practices that TBS/TNT had at the time on my so called failure. That is the farthest thing from the truth that anyone can say. Why? Because S & P were so easy to get around at times that it was almost comical. Now, heres what you have to understand. Going to WCW, I KNEW that we were going to have to work within Standards and Practices, and I had no issue with that. The problem came when there was no rhyme, or reason for their stances on certain things. Heres just an example of my top 3 WTF moments with Standards and Practices at WCW -
1. RODDY PIPER COULDN'T CALL OVERWEIGHT WOMEN "FAT" IN A SKIT. Thats right, I wanted Roddy to call some woman fat, no big deal---she was about 3 bills. S & P but the kibosh on this stating that if Roddy called this particular woman FAT, then other FAT women who may be watching our show would be offended. WHAT?
2. KIMBERLY WAS ALLOWED TO SLIP RIC FLAIR A MICKEY---WE JUST COULDNT SEE HER DO IT. There was a scene that called for Kimberly to slip a mickey into Ric Flairs drink in order to drug him. Now, while S & P had no issue with the general drugging, they just didnt want the act to be seen on TV because kids might be watching. WHAT? Are kids going to slip their parents a mickey so they could stay up an hour later? And, where in fact were they going to find this mickey? At the A & P Supermarketdown the mickey aisle? Do you see how ridiculous this thing started to get?
3. HALL AND NASH COULDNT SHOW UP TO WORK DRUNK, BUT THEY WERE ALLOWED TO GET HIGH ON COUGH SYRUP WHILE THEY WERE ON THE CLOCK. This one was my all-time favorite. I wanted Kevin and Scott to show up to work drunk one night, just so we could have some fun with it. Again, keep in mind that Nitro aired from 9-11pm. S & P went ballistic! Are you kidding me---there are children watching, they said. So, thinking on my feet I said, OK, how about if they show up at work with colds. And as the show progresses, they become high on the cough syrup they are drinking. Does that work? I swear---this was their answer, Yeah---we dont have a problem with that. Do you see my point? They were afraid of kids getting drunk, on alcohol that was illegal for them to buy, but they were cool with them getting high from the cough syrup they could find in their medicine chest. These are the things I was constantly dealing with concerning S & P. But, perhaps the thing that bothered me the most was the fact that every week I would ask for an S & P handbook so I knew the rules in advance---but, of course I was never provided with one, basically because it didnt exist. The rules were made as they went along.