August 7, 2025 • 50 mins
FLASHBACK EPISODE: Vince Russo returns to Eyes Up Here in this unforgettable iHeartRadio installment — reairing for the first time in over three years! The former WWE Head Writer holds nothing back as he shares behind-the-scenes stories from his time working side-by-side with Vince McMahon and reveals how his ideas helped shape the iconic Attitude Era. Russo also weighs in on what’s gone wrong with today’s wrestling and what he believes could turn it all around.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
H h, the one and only, the great Vince Russo.
(00:34):
But I had to urband to get him.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Bro, I don't know what happened.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
I fell there.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
I did not get the email. I looked in my spam.
I don't know what happened. But it doesn't matter whether
you're anything. Vince, thanks for coming back box.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Yeah Thence, it's been a while. How First of all,
you look great?
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Thank you?
Speaker 3 (00:53):
So do you? You look refreshed and rejuvenated.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Just got out of a shower, ready to go. I'm
starting my day with you, Francine.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
I can smell you. You look clean, smell clean.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
I like that to be aqua aquavelba, aqua velva?
Speaker 3 (01:07):
Is that? Is that what men were these days?
Speaker 2 (01:08):
I don't think. I don't think you can get that anymore, Bro,
aquavelba was like back in the seventies.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
Man, Is that like old spice?
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Yeah? Pretty much?
Speaker 3 (01:15):
Yeah, pretty much. Well, you know the classics never.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Dies, oh never, never, ever, ever, ever.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Good for you. Vince is associated with the brand. For
those of you who don't know, Uh, tell us how
that's going. I want to start off with that.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Well, I want to tell you this real quick, man.
We're doing a special right now. If you have never
tried out our Patreon, you can go over there right
now and get a free week of the brand. It
will cost you absolutely nothing. It will let you sample
all our content right there on the screen. Man, just
go to patreon dot com forward slash russo TWC awesome.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
And what talent do you have with you right now?
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Because it's been yeah right now. I always forget somebody.
Of course, I've got Stevie Richards, Stevie Richards the Great
BENJA mean, I've got Stevie Ray from Hall of Heat.
I've got e C three, I've got Al Snow. God,
I know, I always forget somebody. But she's she's not
(02:17):
on no more. Yeah, we switched some shows around, that's okay,
going into the Yeah, going into the new year, I
wanted to switch some shows around, so we added some,
we took some away. But uh, yeah, there there's so
much content on there.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
So much content. Yeah, I love it. So I I
want to ask you a question. Yeah, and I you know,
if you don't want to answer, you don't have to.
But I have a feeling you'll want to go ahead.
What's with all the feuds you're feuding? I saw, I
saw you just tweeted triple H. I think you're trying
(02:52):
to fight him. I think you're trying to fight Sean
Ross Sap.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
No, for first of all, I don't, I don't know.
I don't. I don't know him as Sean Ross Sap.
Unless you're a celebrity, you don't. You don't get three
name treatments. The fact of the matter is the dude's
name is Sean Sap, and you know they made fun
of him all throughout grade school in high school. Yeah,
(03:16):
he doesn't. He doesn't. He's not worthy of the middle name.
So if you're gonna, if you want to discussing with me,
that's fine. But I don't know any Seawn Ross STAPs.
I just know a Sewan Sap.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Okay, well whoever you know? I met him once. I
have to say he was lovely to me.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Yeah, very very nice.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
Man.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
Okay, let me tell you how lovely he is, fran Scene.
He's so lovely and how this whole thing started. This
guy is so lovely, bro that I am sitting on
my couch one night a couple of months ago, man,
eleven thirty at night, and I get a I get
a text out of the Clear Blue Sky from Seawn
(03:56):
Ross Slap saying, Vince, I just want you to know
what a big piece of shit you are. That's how lovely,
that's how wonderful seean Ross sap is. So the bottom
line is, you talk about these feuds, Bro, you want
to poke the bear, You want to go at it
with me? Fine, bro, like, let's go. Let's see how
(04:18):
that's gonna turn out for you. The problem with Triple
h Is and Francine you will agree to this, and
you don't have to even agree to this. I know
you're gonna agree with this. Don't give me the bullshit
with It's a different time. Wrestling is evolving, bro. Wrestling
today is the same as wrestling was one hundred years ago.
(04:40):
You have a match. The idea of the match is
to pin and beat your opponent. You could beat them
three ways. You could pin them, you can get counted out,
or he can get decued. That has been the same
for a hundred years. Wrestling has not evolved. So stop
with the bullshit. And the bottom line is the WWE
(05:01):
sold out. They sold out, bro. Bottom line, they got
to the point we're gonna be politically correct. We're not
gonna insult anybody. We're not gonna have an edge anymore.
We're not gonna be dangerous anymore. We're gonna put on
Mamby Pamby programming and Francine. That's fine. A lot of
people sell out. People will say, Snoop Dogg sold out
(05:24):
because he's in a million commercials. I got no problem
with selling out, because that's part of business. What I
got a problem with is, don't bullshit us. Don't give
me this evolution, this evolving. Don't you guys sold out? Period?
End of story, Say you sold out and let's move on.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
Is it selling out though, or is it just trying
to extend the brand, adapt to the times.
Speaker 4 (05:50):
Uh, they adapted to the times by selling out, by
not doing anything that's gonna possibly offend anybody.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Listen, Freendzine, this is professional wrestling. You're gonna be in
the professional wrestling business, and you know and and not
you know, get somebody's panties in a wad. You always
are no matter what, bro, there are going to be
people that are upset. If people want to find a
problem with your product, they'll find a problem with your product.
(06:24):
You're not going to please everybody, so when you know,
they made a decision to become politically correct, so they
could be in business with Saudi Arabia and they could
be in business whoever they want to. But we are
talking about professional wrestling here. We're not talking about a
puppet show. Professional wrestling was never meant to not, you know,
(06:49):
get somebody upset. It was never meant to be that.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Okay, tell me about you and Bubba. What do you
mean the miss?
Speaker 2 (07:01):
Oh god, this is good.
Speaker 3 (07:03):
I'm pulling up things that have closed a star one X.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
Well, you know, according to Sean's sap uh, here's a
funny thing. According to Sean sap franc scene. I'm doing
all of this to stay relevant. Okay, now you're trying
to get a job with Yeah, well not not only that.
Here's what cracks me up. Here's what cracks me up.
Raw drew a million and a half people on on
(07:27):
Monday Night. If I was trying to stay relevant, the
absolute last genre I would try to stay relevant would
be wrestling. Wrestling is not relevant. Wrestling hasn't been relevant
four years. So if I was actually trying to stay relevant,
(07:48):
I promise you I would not be doing it through
a through a company and through a business that is
the most irrelevant and entertainment and sports across the board. Now,
according to Bubba Is, you know, I watch these shows, Francine,
only because I get paid to watch these shows. The
(08:10):
minute they stop paying me, I stop watching. It's that simple.
But I am watching. I'm watching this. Okay. First of all,
I gotta check my watch to make sure it's twenty
twenty three. So I'm watching Cody Rhodes come out and
explain how Knackamora spewed a poison misted a poison mist
(08:38):
into his face. But yet here we are seven days later,
and they're both perfectly fine. I just didn't understand that
if Knackamora is holding a poison in his mouth, I'm
thinking it's blistering. I'm thinking he's got canka saws. I'm
thinking he can't breathe. I'm thinking his his his his,
(09:01):
uh Larnix is closing up. And then Cody gets the
poison in the eyes, and I'm thinking of, oh my god.
You know, bro, it's like, can you imagine getting clorox
in your eyes or you know, even uh, even pepper spray.
But here we are a week later, and we're both
perfectly fine to me. That's what casual fans laugh at
(09:26):
and the reason why you still get crap today. Francine,
I'm not telling you anything. You don't know. You've got
the wrestling bubble, and they all live in the wrestling bubble.
They don't have a clue of what's going on on
the outside world. You got people in there, bro that
through politics have been holding their spots forever. When when
(09:49):
when the world passed them by a long time ago?
So when I when I hear of a poison missed,
people are laughing at that. And and you know what,
Bubba can say whatever Bubba wants to say. Back in
the day of Mooda, nobody ever said it was poison nobody.
(10:12):
Poison is a whole different category, fran Scene.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
Yeah, I'm trying to think because I I've taken that
from to Jerry to Jerry used to you?
Speaker 2 (10:19):
Was it poison?
Speaker 3 (10:20):
You know what was the green mist?
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Was it poison? Poison?
Speaker 3 (10:24):
Poison? I've taken it a couple times, and I know
it went into every orifice of my body. Is poison though,
you know, I can't remember if it was poisoned.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
Just skin boiled. Did you all boys boil.
Speaker 3 (10:38):
I did come to work the next week. What would
you call it if you had to rename this mist?
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Well, miss miss, we don't know what's in the mist, something.
Speaker 5 (10:47):
Temporary, blinding, minding, it's binding, miss, yes, blinding, Miss, Thank you, Jaz.
Poison like poison, Bro, I'm actually gonna put poison in
my mouth.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
Bro, I'm sorry. These are the things you have to
look at because it's twoenty twenty three, it's not nineteen
seventy three. These are the things you have to look at.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
I'm reading because I love to read comments anyone that
I follow I read comments. I like to see what
fans are saying about things. People are still blaming you.
And we've talked about this before. Now we're on iHeart,
so we have a new audience that's listening, So I'm
gonna say it again. People are still blaming you for
(11:35):
like downfalls of companies coming up with ridiculous angles, things
that you said you weren't even a part of. And
fans just seem to love to pick at you and
argue with you constantly. Like the thing that I want
to know is how are you not losing your mind?
Speaker 2 (11:54):
Well? Because well, for first of all, a couple of reasons.
First of all, I never read comments, and second or.
Speaker 3 (12:01):
Four, so you do read comments, because no.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
I don't.
Speaker 3 (12:05):
I don't.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
I don't read the comments. I'll only respond to comments
if you don't. If you don't, I don't respond to comments.
Speaker 3 (12:10):
I've seen you respond I don't.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
Taransceine, I don't unless it's a bubba Farancine, I don't.
I mean, I'm telling you, I don't. I do you
know on my YouTube? I did a video yesterday on
YouTube that's at five thousand views. I don't look at
those comments. I will I will see comments on Twitter.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
Yes, that's what I'm referring to.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
Oh yeah, No, I only unless it's a bubba or
unless it's somebody in the industry or the business. I
my comments are very few and far between, very and
because here's the reason. It's real simple. My My brand
of television was entertainment. All of these people commenting want
(12:53):
believe wrestling is real. They think it's real. They've convinced
themselves it's real. They want twenty thirty minute wrestling matches.
They want to put stars to those wrestling matches. And
that's not how I wrote TV. And oh my god, surprise, surprise, surprise,
the television I wrote had the highest ratings in the
(13:15):
history of wrestling. Why not because I was a genius
friend scene, because I opened it up to everybody through entertainment.
If in wrestling today, if you're not a fan of
the wrestling, you're not watching. It's that simple. So you know,
(13:36):
I opened it up to everybody. You didn't have to
be a fan of the actual wrestling. And that's that's
what the marks didn't like. So it's it's real, it's
real simple, And that's why I don't look at comments
and I don't answer comments because I know they they're ridiculous. Mindset.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
Storylines to me are very important, very important. If a
story doesn't draw me in, I can't waste thirty minutes
of my time, even if the guys are great workers.
I need something to invest in, yes, and to bring
me back every week. So I one hundred percent agree
with what you're saying, and I feel like you excelled
(14:17):
at that story telling aspect of the.
Speaker 2 (14:21):
Business because that's what your casual fan, your casual television
television audience wants, That's what they want. That's why you
are drawing a one point five million people. They're not
interested in twenty minute wrestling matches.
Speaker 3 (14:40):
Right, What would you do, either with WWE or AEW
to change if they hired you and I know you're
not interested.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
I'm not interested. It's never happen.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
You're not interested. But with you all of your expertise,
because you have been in the business for a very
long time, what would you do to poperating these words?
Speaker 2 (15:01):
Francine, it's real simple, and it's the same thing I
told Vince McMahon in nineteen ninety six when they were
doing Mantar and TL Hopper and the Goon and all
this ridiculous crap. I told Vince McMahon in nineteen ninety six, Vince,
this product needs to mirror society. What that means is
(15:26):
it's real simple, Franccene. Realism, realism, make it real and work,
work the shoot, work the shoot, not not poison mist
in the eyes. I'm talking about reality. Francine. Here's a
perfect example. Okay, cmpunk comes back after ten years. Everybody
(15:52):
in that locker room has a different opinion. Why aren't
you putting the microphone in their faith and saying, what
do you think as a shoot of cmpunk coming back?
To the w w E and let the people tell
the truth. Why wouldn't you do that? That is such
(16:15):
a missed opportunity. Then, Franccene, based on the comments, now
you roll with who said? What do you what? To
totally ignore that is ridiculous.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
But I feel like, if I'm in that locker room
and I have heat with Punk, I'm afraid to say
the truth because am I gonna get heat for it?
Is that gonna cause me heat with the boy?
Speaker 2 (16:43):
Not if that's what management is telling you to do,
if the if management is going to the boys, No,
it's not. No, it's not no, because because the smart boys,
fran scene and you know all this, the smart boys
will know that they can make money with that. They
(17:03):
they know that, Bro, And that's especially Punk Punk you
use use Bro his his his promo was horrific. The
fact that you're telling me I'm home after you got
fired on your wedding day. Give me a break, Bro,
give me a break. They fired your ass on your
wedding day and I'm home, I'm home.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
What does he do different?
Speaker 2 (17:25):
I read a little exactly what he said at the
end of the promo, which was off cat, which was
off Mike. The last thing he said was I'm not
here to defense, I'm here to make money. That's the
freaking promo. That's the pro. So people do have a
problem with seeing Punk, see him. Punk is gonna make
(17:46):
money with that problem. See him. Punk is a pro.
But to totally ignore all of that, that's what when
pumps on the show two weeks ago, they did one
point nine. The following week we lost four hundred thousand viewers,
and you don't know why. Okay, that's That's what I'm
(18:11):
talking about, selling out, playing it safe, Mamby, Pamby, That's
what I'm talking about.
Speaker 3 (18:20):
Yeah, I feel like if I was in that locker room,
I would tell Punk I'm just gonna say I hate you,
but I really love you, so I wouldn't get any
eat I don't won't heat with anyone.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
I think. Man, if I am head writer and I
know Vince would have done it back in the day, Listen, Francine.
You know it's back in the day when the Montreal
screwjob went down, and you know, Vince goes into Brett's
locker room. The next day, we're in the production meeting
and Vince has a black eye. So here here's who's
(18:54):
in the meeting. It's me, It's Pritchard, It's Jr. It's Pat,
it's Brisco, like Kevin Dunn, maybe like six people. So Fansane,
I'm watching this, and every single person in that room,
you know, Vince, Vince is not talking, vinceus is listening.
(19:15):
Every single person in that room wants to sweep it
under the rug like it never happened. So I'm sitting
there and I'm listening to all this and then after
you hear it what everybody had to say, I said,
are you effing nuts? This is a once in a
(19:36):
lifetime opportunity. Brett Hard punched Vince McMahon in the face,
and you're gonna sweep that under the rug like it
never happened. Nothing like this will probably ever happening in
the history of this business. And you are not going
to take advantage of that. And as I'm saying this, Vince,
(20:01):
and I know Vince's thinking, he's one hundred percent right.
We get back to Stanford that week and that's when
Vince went in the studio and cut the Vince McMahon
didn't screw Brett Hart. Brettheartscrewed Brett Hart. And that was
the start of the mister McMahon character. That would have
(20:24):
never happened if Vince Russo was not in the room.
If Vince Russo was not in the room, they would
have swept that all right under the rug, and you
might not ever even had a mister McMahon. And they're
doing the same thing today. We're bringing back a guy
like seeing Punk. You's got controversy out the wazoo everywhere
(20:45):
he goes, everybody he meets, and you're not gonna allow
your roster to give their real feelings about Punk and
then work that into programming content. You're fools, man, are
absolutely fools.
Speaker 3 (21:02):
That's an interesting take, very interesting take. If I can
switch gears, do you have anything to add, Chad, because
I'm gonna switch gears for that.
Speaker 1 (21:12):
I mean, it's what else can I say?
Speaker 6 (21:14):
I mean, it's just I can't recognize any bit of
what I watched. I watched that whole raw, and I
haven't watched the raw in years, from start to finish,
just because wanted to see what Punk had to say.
And I got suckered into three hours, and I said
the show should be two. If you had to, if
you had to write three hours of a raw in
the heyday of ninety eight. I mean, wouldn't you have
exhausted some of your best ideas if you had to
(21:37):
stretch it?
Speaker 2 (21:38):
Chad. I'll be honest with you, man. When Ed and
I went over to Nitro, the first nine nitros were
three hours.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
Right, Bro.
Speaker 2 (21:46):
With the roster we had, we had absolutely no problem,
absolutely no problem riding a three hours show. Bro. Here's
the problem. They don't have writers. They don't have riders.
They've got Paul haym they got the Haman's, and they
got the Richards, and they got to Michael Hayeses, and
they got all these people. These people are not writers.
They've never been writers. They've never been trained as a writer.
(22:08):
They don't have a degree in writing. Just because Triple
H won thirty five world titles doesn't make Triple H
a freaking writer, Chad. They did the same thing Friencine,
same thing the day after Owen Hart dies. They want
to go on and shoot a raw with no mention
(22:30):
of what happened the night before, no mention. We're gonna
put on a regular show. I went into a closed
door meeting with me, Vince McMahon and Kevin Dunn and
I started emotionally breaking down, and I basically not basically
(22:50):
I told them, if this show is not a tribute
to owen Hart, I am going home right now. I'm
going home right now because if you're gonna have a
raw like nothing happened last night, I'm not going to
be a part of that. And then what did they
(23:10):
what did they? What did they turn the show into?
It was a memorial to owen Hart. But bro, that's
because I was there and and and and and like,
I was the guy who was never in the bubble.
I was just a wrestling fan. I was a father,
I was a husband, I was a regular guy. So
I did not see things through their ridiculous bubble. And
(23:34):
I was the only one that said, I'm literally leaving
right now if that's what this show is going to
be tonight.
Speaker 3 (23:42):
So you're you're trying to say they wouldn't have even
acknowledged him down the line, you know, you don't think
owen Hart.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
They would They would have, they would have. They would
have mentioned what happened last night and had about a
three minute package and that would have been the end
of it. That would have been the end of it. Yes, Wow, Yes,
that happened. That happened.
Speaker 3 (24:05):
I believe you believe that's.
Speaker 2 (24:08):
What I'm talking about. That that's that's what I mean
about the wrestling bubble. That's that's what I'm talking about.
That one I never heard because I've never really said
that before. That's exactly it was. It was just the
three of us in a room, just the three of.
Speaker 6 (24:25):
Us, instead of it being this iconic show now that
we all remember and you know, just close your eyes
and see Austin, you know, saluting the tron and everybody's
emotional speeches. That's incredible that they would just bypass that
for the sake of matches on a show where people
were wrestling with bloodstains in the middle of a canvas.
Speaker 2 (24:45):
Yeah. Like I said, Chad, the same exact thing. When
Brett punch Vince and we're not going to talk about this,
they're still in the we're not going to talk about
this mode.
Speaker 3 (24:57):
Unbelievable. Let me switch because I've always said I'm not
a big fan of Dark Side of the Ring only
because it's such a negative light shined upon pro wrestling,
and all of us that are in it are really
proud of what we've done. And what we've accomplished. If
we weren't, we wouldn't be in this business. Honestly, I
(25:19):
watched an episode and forgive me, I can't remember what
the theme was, but it was centered around you, and
I never really saw you talk about it after it aired.
What was your opinion of that dark side of the ring?
Do you know what I'm talking Was its at the
Beach or something?
Speaker 2 (25:38):
I will tell you exactly. I'll tell you Flash the
Beach two thousand, I'll tell you exactly what happened. Okay.
The first a dark side I did was about the
Brawl for Roll Okay, And when I made the decision
to do that, I'm like, bro, like this is this
is no big deal. This isn't the plane ride from Hell? Like,
(26:02):
this is the Brawl for All tournament? How did this
come about? There was nothing scandalous about this, nothing. So
I'm like, Okay, I'll talk about the Brawl for All.
I'll take responsibility for me pitching the idea of Vince
and everything else. So I thought it was no big deal.
So I agree to do the Brawl for All episode.
(26:24):
And during that episode, the producers of the episode, they
decide that they're gonna turn it into Vince Russo versus
Jim Cornett. Okay, So now I see that air and
I'm like, you freaking guys, like sir, I understand TV's
(26:47):
all about freaking ratings, but don't don't blindside me like that. Okay.
So Francine, fast forward two to three years later, they
call me again to do Bash at the Beach. So
first thing I said is, are you guys freaking kidding me?
I did the brawl for all with you guys, and
(27:10):
you guys turned it into a Vince Russo Jim Cornett angle,
which there is no angle. I could give two shits
about Jim Cornette. I am so over and so past
Jim Cornette. I could give two shits. So I said,
and you have the goal to come back to me
and ask me to do this Bash of the Beach. So, Francine,
(27:31):
right hand to god. You know, I am a you
know I've been podcasting now for ten years. This is
how I make my living. I don't want to go
back to any wrestling company. That will never happen. So
they basically said to me, Vince, what will it take
you to do the Bash at the beach. Francine I
threw a ridiculous number at them, ridiculous and they said, okay,
(27:58):
we'll tell you that. And I said, okay, said I
want that up front, okay, and and and they paid
me that ridiculous amount. So I did Bash at the Beach.
But again for insie, you gotta understand something for me. Anyway,
when I go into the when I go into like
these dogs, you know, these dok side shows. My whole
(28:22):
thing is I am not going into I'm not burying anybody.
I'm not burying. You're gonna ask me what happened, and
I'm going to tell you what happened. I'm not gonna
sit here and bash anybody. And if you watch the
Bash at the Beach, you see Bischoff just, I mean
(28:42):
just absolutely burying. I did not say one negative word
about Eric Bischoff. I did not say one negative word
about Hulk Hogan. That's not what I do. If you,
if you want to ask me what happened, I'm going
to tell you what happened. Whether you want to believe
that or not is up to you. But you can
watch me on those shows. I do not talk negatively
(29:06):
about anybody.
Speaker 3 (29:07):
Well, you said that on the first one. They made
it you against Jim Cornett. On this one, it was
you against Eric Bischoff. And did you know that going
in that that was going to be the absolute absolutely?
Speaker 2 (29:20):
But the money they paid me was ridiculous.
Speaker 3 (29:22):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (29:23):
So I was like, guys, like I said, I am
gonna come here, I am. You're gonna ask me a question.
I'm gonna tell you the truth. I'm not interested in
burying Hulk or Eric, and I'm not gonna do that
from that point on. Yes, Francine, I knew they were
gonna do whatever they wanted with it. But like I said, man,
the money they paid me for it was ridiculous.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
Yeah, I'm sure. I just saw it. And I was
just I was interested in the concept, not really knowing
you that well. And never I met Eric Bischhoff like
one time, shook his hand and walked away. I've never
met Hawk Coogan. But you hear certain things, and you
never know what's true what's not true.
Speaker 2 (30:02):
Well, you know, you know when I'm saying something, it's.
Speaker 3 (30:05):
True, it's true. It's always true. Okay.
Speaker 2 (30:07):
One thousand, I at almost sixty three years old, a
grandfather of two. I there is nothing in this world
I would ever. I have you really think I'm gonna
lie about wrestling shit from thirty years ago? Like like seriously,
I'm gonna lie about it. And and I'll tell you, Francine,
(30:29):
I would never if it was you know, they they
have shows that are character assassinations on people. I would
never do one of those shows. If if if they're
gonna pay me money to bury somebody, I'm not gonna
take that money. I'm not gonna take that money. Like
you know, they did a show on Tammy, I'm not.
(30:51):
I'm not gonna go on I mean that that that
that poor woman's had enough problems. I'm not gonna go
on that show and bury Tammy, no matter how much
you pay me. But if it's something like Vince, what
happened at Bash of the Beach, This is what happened
at Bash of the Beach. Whether you want to believe
me or don't believe me, I don't give a crap.
Speaker 3 (31:09):
So I know you don't do conventions and stuff, But
if you did, are you the type of person that
would go and shake their hand or would you just
ignore them?
Speaker 2 (31:18):
Shake Who's hand?
Speaker 3 (31:19):
Shake like a Bischoff's hand?
Speaker 2 (31:22):
Lancy, I don't have a problem with anybody, with anybody.
You know how many times I've come on here and said,
I will do a face to face with Eric Bischoff,
I will do a face to face with Jim Cornett,
I will do a face to face with Dave Meltzer.
I don't have a problem with any of these people,
but for some reason, they don't want to do a
(31:44):
face to face with me. So you tell me why.
If I had anything to hide, I certainly would not
publicly put that out there. So when I publicly put
it out there and nobody accepts it, I gotta ask
myself why.
Speaker 3 (32:03):
I think you're a good debater. Maybe they're scared, I
don't know.
Speaker 2 (32:07):
It has nothing to do with with debating its debater.
It has to do with who's telling the truth and
who's lying, That's what. And it also has to do
with this friend scene. They're still playing their characters. Okay,
Eric Bischoff is playing Eric Bischoff on his podcast. Jim
Cornett is playing Jim Cornette on his podcast. So they're
(32:29):
saying a lot of things in character because their audience
can't tell what's fact and what's fiction. I don't play
my freaking character. I left my character in the ring
when I walked away from wrestling. I don't play character.
What what I play is you ask me something, I'm
gonna tell you the freaking truth.
Speaker 6 (32:52):
That goes back to what you said before about everybody
that believes it's real. The comments that we get about
this show is everybody sees how real fran scene is.
There's no characters to be found on these airwaves. Being
a part of the brand for the years that I was,
that's what I can say about listening to what you said.
There was no Vince Russo character. What you saw was
(33:13):
what you got every time you hear Bischoff. And I
was around Bischoff a lot, and I worked with Bischoff
on conventions and shows. He could turn on the character
and you got the nWo Eric Bischoff.
Speaker 1 (33:26):
You know, bad guy, I'm cool, too cool for the room.
You got that.
Speaker 6 (33:30):
And that's what these podcasts have spawned is another group
of characters. And now the fans that also watch the
shows and listen to the podcasts have become a part
of these worlds. So whereas the brand is like kind
of a family, these podcasts are just like the wrestling
crowds and they buy into these characters that now the
wrestlers have made on podcasts.
Speaker 2 (33:51):
Are you know you know absolutely, Chad, because you know
Francine you had the list of these beefs, right, and
why I mean all these things. Here's a case scenario,
Chad of what we're talking about. I'm sitting here minding
my own business the other day and I come across
a story where it was a podcast and somebody asked
(34:16):
Jake Roberts about Vince Russo being in the Hall of Fame.
So my first question is, Guys, I worked with Jake
on maybe one, two or three occasions. Every time I
work with him, he was gone the next week because
either you know what Jake was dealing with at the time.
(34:38):
So every time I work with him, I turn around
and he would be gone because of something that he did.
So I worked with him very, very very rarely. So
now the question comes on a podcast to Jake Robins,
what would you think about Vince Russo being in the
Hall of Fame? So my first question is, why are
(34:59):
you bringing Vince Russo's name into an interview with Jake
Roberts when I had nothing to do with the dude's career. Okay,
So Jake Roberts turns around, laughs and says, f No,
my dead dog had better ideas than Vince Russo, okay, bro,
So why why is Jake saying that? When Bro I
(35:23):
can go down the list? Obviously I never had any
kind of a relationship with him. He has no idea
who I am as a human being. And oh, by
the way, under my thumb, two wrestling companies had the
best ratings they ever had in their history. And I'm
talking about WWE and TNA. That was drawing over two
(35:45):
million people. So it's real simple. Why is Jake saying that?
Jake is saying that because he knows that's what the
interviewer wants to here. Jake wants to get over with
the cool kids. Oh man, look at Jake. Look at
what Jake said about ventures. That's why he's doing it.
You think you think Jake Roberts has any idea of
(36:09):
what I booked and what I didn't book What was
my idea and what wasn't my He has no freaking idea.
What is he trying to do. He's trying to get
over with the cool kids, that internet crowd, the wrestling marks.
So I understand that, and I get it, but I'll
be honest with you, Bro. The dude is older than me,
(36:31):
and it's like, you know, bro, if you if you really,
you're gonna bury me who you don't even know. You
don't have any idea of what I booked and what
I didn't book to get over with the Mark crowd, Like, Bro,
you're gonna be doing this when you're seventy seventy five.
That's why for Instine, I don't rip people because if
you look at my response to Jake Roberts on Twitter,
(36:54):
what did I say? I said Jake Roberts was probably
the most creative when it came to character and story
in the history of the business. So I'm not gonna
sit there and rip you because I know exactly what
you're trying to do. I think it's sad and pathetic,
(37:15):
but at the end of the day, I am going
to put you over because I don't have a problem
with you, Jake. So you could say whatever you want
about me, because I understand why you're saying it.
Speaker 3 (37:27):
I feel like you're such a likable guy. I don't
understand like all of this negativity that comes towards you.
Speaker 2 (37:35):
Because they're feeding into it. This is what This is
what today's wrestling marks, the dirt sheet writers, this is
what they want. And what does Jake want to do
at the end of the day. Come on, Francine, let's
be honest. He wants to get over with aew because
maybe I even think he's working there now I know
(37:56):
he was, I don't know if he's on hiatus. He
wants to get in good favor with them, So how
do we do that. I'll just throw rocks and stones
at Vince Russo because that's what they like. And you know,
my thing is, bro man, if you want to get
back into the business that badly, Bro, say whatever you
want about me, Like, if it's that important to you
(38:20):
to get back into wrestling, throw me under the bus
all day long.
Speaker 3 (38:26):
I don't get it.
Speaker 6 (38:27):
I wouldn't ask Jake anything past nineteen eighty nine.
Speaker 2 (38:30):
Yeah, well, I think what's the point. Yeah? Uh?
Speaker 3 (38:34):
I have one one final question for you, biggest misconception
about Vince Verus.
Speaker 1 (38:39):
Deep, very deep question.
Speaker 2 (38:44):
God, that's it's so that's hard to say because like
I put it like, I put it all out there,
I don't I don't hold any punches like I feel
like you're not understood.
Speaker 3 (39:01):
We're very complex.
Speaker 2 (39:05):
Franstein. I think I'm very very simple. Okay, Vince McMahon
put me in a position. This is where this all started.
Vince McMahon put me in a position. Vince, you have
to get as many people to watch our show as possible.
You have two hours to do it. Okay, that's it, period. Francine.
(39:29):
I swear, here's what people don't understand. And Francine, I
don't know about your background. Here's people I don't understand.
And if I hear this story one more time, I
swear to God under the puke in my own mouth.
I had a dream. Oh, when I was five years old,
I dreamed of being in the main event of WrestleMania.
(39:52):
I had a dream, Francine. When I was writing in
the wrestling business for WWE, w CW, it was not
a dream. It was a job. It was a job.
It's no different than what I'm doing now. It's no
different than when I own video stores. It's no different
than when I worked for CBS Publishing. I had a job.
(40:15):
And no matter what job I'm in, you're gonna get
one hundred and ten percent from me, and I'm gonna
do the absolute best I can. So it wasn't a dream.
I wasn't a mark for the business. I wasn't so
thankful to be there. I had a job to support
my family. And that's what's so hard for people to
(40:40):
freaking understand that, Like, I wouldn't have killed for a
job in the WWE fretzine. I got hired first as
a freelance writer, and then from there the editor got fired.
I got the editor's job. Television writing wasn't even on
my radar. It's not something I wanted to do. They
(41:02):
were paying me sixty grand as the editor of the
magazine Francine. I thought that was all the money in
the world. They moved me to Connecticut. I was able,
you know we're talking about now, Back in ninety five,
I was able to support my family on sixty grand.
I was made. I had no inspirations of writing TV
(41:26):
and being the head writer of Raw and writing in
limousines with Vinceth, with Vince McMahon. You think any of
that crap ever crossed my mind. That shit happened because
it was supposed to happen. Everything happens for a reason.
All that stuff was supposed to happen. But people can't
fathom this wasn't my dream, This isn't what I lived for,
(41:50):
paying dues and all that bullshit. It's a freaking job, man.
Speaker 3 (41:56):
Ninety nine percent of the boys in the business had
this dream they were two years old. Like I'm like you,
I kind of fell into it. I never I didn't
even like wrestling until I was nineteen years old. Like,
I didn't watch it my whole life. I want to
be a mother. I was playing with dolls, yes, when
I was, you know, ten years old, saying one of
(42:18):
these days, I'm going to be a momie. That was
my dream.
Speaker 2 (42:22):
That was my fat because you because you were normal.
You were normal.
Speaker 3 (42:25):
I'm still say I'm one of the most normal people
that this business tried to corrupt but did it because
there was so much temptation and it just wasn't my path,
you know, Thank God. I thank God every day for
where I'm at and what I have, and I am
probably one of the more normal people. You know, we're
(42:48):
all a little little tiny bit.
Speaker 2 (42:49):
Wacky, right of course, but there's.
Speaker 3 (42:52):
Way more wackier than I am, right, you know what
I mean? And like for the years I want like
I've thought I was going to be married at twenty
I wanted five kids, right, you know, I wanted this
nice house, and I didn't get that. I didn't meet
my husband until thirty four. Now I have two beautiful children,
I have a great husband, I have a great home. Like,
(43:12):
this is what I dreamed of wrestling. I get where
you're coming from.
Speaker 2 (43:16):
Yeah, I mean, I I gotta. I got a degree
in journalism and I wanted to write. I got the
job as the editor of the WWF magazine. Oh great,
this is this is all that I wanted. But it's
like when this isn't when this isn't your life like
(43:38):
twenty four seven, Like they've got a problem with that,
And I'm like, my god, this this will always be
a job to me. Man.
Speaker 3 (43:49):
Yeah, yeah, well I'm not kissing your ass because you
know I like you. My favorite time was in the nine.
These lots of the things that you wrote, I was
very entertained with. I've said it how many times I
don't watch the current product. I watch it when I
(44:09):
need to. I watch clips of my friends, and I
watch things that we have to report on. But I
was a diehard fan. What drew me in was most
of the shows that you worked on. So to me,
that was when wrestling was at its peak and it
was very entertaining, and that's when I would sit there
for the three hours and enjoy the whole ride. You know, now,
(44:31):
I don't have the willpower to sit for three hours.
Speaker 2 (44:35):
You know what it is. I swear to God. It
really dawned on me, I'd say about a couple of
weeks ago, and Francine, I swear to God, Chad, if
you start looking at it this way, it really becomes
much more understandable. Okay, And I've come to the conclusion. Listen.
(44:57):
I watched the shows, and I the shows every week,
and and here's why I ripped the shows because I
say to myself, bro, when that show is over, there
is no way in hell you can look in the
mirror and say I I did the absolute best that
I can. It's lazy booking. Everything is drawn out. They're
(45:20):
just trying to fill three hours. But then I finally
came to the conclusion because I noticed, like Francine, TRIPLEH
was making like just so there were so many mistakes
that was like wrestling one oh one, like so many
just simple stupid mistakes. And as a guy that worked
(45:44):
with Triple H. And respect to Triple H. I'm sitting
here and I'm saying, Bro, this guy came from Killikowalski.
He can't he Bro. I can't sit here and say
Triple H is an idiot and doesn't know what he's doing.
But there's no other explanation because the things I'm talking
about are elementary. Then you know, as I'm pondering this
(46:06):
frien scene, I come up with the answer. I think
in twenty twenty three. Right now, it's this simple. I
think the WWE are looking at themselves as strictly content creators,
(46:26):
and it doesn't matter if the content is good, if
the content is bad, if the content doesn't draw ratings,
none of that matters. Because now you know, with streaming
services and you know SmackDown was just picked up by
USA and now they're shopping raw. They are content creators.
(46:48):
I don't think they care about that content because come on, Francine,
at ECW, you are around some of the greatest talents
in the business that are still talked about today. When
you turn on their show, I swear to you fifty
percent of that roster has no business being on television.
Speaker 3 (47:13):
Zero.
Speaker 2 (47:14):
But you know, they're never gonna get over. Nobody's ever
gonna remember who they are, So why are they there.
They're there to create content. That's all they care about.
So when if you can start looking at it through
that as through that aspect, it really explains why you're
(47:36):
just not getting good television shows anymore.
Speaker 3 (47:39):
I love your honesty. That's that's the one thing I
admire about you, Vincere. You're just honest to a fault.
And I appreciate you coming on and giving us your
two cents about the business these days because I appreciate.
Speaker 2 (47:53):
It, and you know, for instance, like I can talk
for all three of us. Here's the one thing that
bothers me about that kind except Francine, this is your show.
Chad's producing your show, he's your co host. This is
my show, this is my podcast. Listen, man, When my
name is attached to anything, I want it to be
(48:15):
the best it possibly can. I don't care if people
love it or hate it. I got to be able
to look at myself and say, Bro, you gave it
your ale, you did everything. So here's what I'm talking about, Francine.
One word pride. What's your freaking pride? I don't care
that your content creators, your name is on this? What
(48:35):
happened to your pride? Because I'm sure Chad and Francine
you don't want to put anything out there that shit.
And I'm sure that if you thought it was shit,
you do it over. I've done that. I've recorded shows
on my own that I thought were shit that I've
done over. So like that, that's the one thing is like, bro,
(48:59):
whether you're content ten creators or not, your name is
on this. Where's your pride? That's all you.
Speaker 3 (49:07):
Have to end with that because we can't say no more.
They tell people where they can find you on social
media and what to sign up for.
Speaker 2 (49:16):
Yeah, guys, I'm just I'm just going to tell you
one thing, man, because again, it's the holidays, Black Fridays,
every weekend, so we have a deal right now. If
you've never been a member of our Patreon, you could
see it right on the screen. Just go to patreon
dot com, forward slash russo TWC and sign up for
your free week.
Speaker 3 (49:36):
I appreciate you so much, thank you for coming on.
I think you're a three timer now.
Speaker 2 (49:41):
Yeah, I think so.
Speaker 6 (49:43):
Yeah, he came on once then he co hosted when
you were sitting around and then this would be number three.
Speaker 2 (49:49):
Yeah, you've done a lot of good business today.
Speaker 3 (49:51):
It's always a pleasure speaking to you, Sarah. I have
the utmost respect for you and everybody. Go over to
the brand and sign up because this man what he's.
Speaker 1 (50:00):
Talking and I will have the man give you my best.
Speaker 3 (50:04):
Thank you so much for coming on. Merry Christmas, Happy
New Year, and.
Speaker 2 (50:08):
Thank you guys. Have a graduate of that man. Take care.
Speaker 7 (50:14):
Yeah. Oh Francine Francis France, Queen Extreme Extreme pizes up here.
Hen head, the Queen Extreme podcast pis up here.
Speaker 2 (50:31):
It's the Queen Extreme Podcast.
Speaker 7 (50:34):
It's the Queen of Extreme Bruy and the legendship is
the woman of your dreams. Legend on the scene. Francine podcast,
What you mean? What your tramplads to show you what
you need? Just the stand of Queens
H h, the one and only, the great Vince Russo.
(00:34):
But I had to urband to get him.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Bro, I don't know what happened.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
I fell there.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
I did not get the email. I looked in my spam.
I don't know what happened. But it doesn't matter whether
you're anything. Vince, thanks for coming back box.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Yeah Thence, it's been a while. How First of all,
you look great?
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Thank you?
Speaker 3 (00:53):
So do you? You look refreshed and rejuvenated.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Just got out of a shower, ready to go. I'm
starting my day with you, Francine.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
I can smell you. You look clean, smell clean.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
I like that to be aqua aquavelba, aqua velva?
Speaker 3 (01:07):
Is that? Is that what men were these days?
Speaker 2 (01:08):
I don't think. I don't think you can get that anymore, Bro,
aquavelba was like back in the seventies.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
Man, Is that like old spice?
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Yeah? Pretty much?
Speaker 3 (01:15):
Yeah, pretty much. Well, you know the classics never.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Dies, oh never, never, ever, ever, ever.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Good for you. Vince is associated with the brand. For
those of you who don't know, Uh, tell us how
that's going. I want to start off with that.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Well, I want to tell you this real quick, man.
We're doing a special right now. If you have never
tried out our Patreon, you can go over there right
now and get a free week of the brand. It
will cost you absolutely nothing. It will let you sample
all our content right there on the screen. Man, just
go to patreon dot com forward slash russo TWC awesome.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
And what talent do you have with you right now?
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Because it's been yeah right now. I always forget somebody.
Of course, I've got Stevie Richards, Stevie Richards the Great
BENJA mean, I've got Stevie Ray from Hall of Heat.
I've got e C three, I've got Al Snow. God,
I know, I always forget somebody. But she's she's not
(02:17):
on no more. Yeah, we switched some shows around, that's okay,
going into the Yeah, going into the new year, I
wanted to switch some shows around, so we added some,
we took some away. But uh, yeah, there there's so
much content on there.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
So much content. Yeah, I love it. So I I
want to ask you a question. Yeah, and I you know,
if you don't want to answer, you don't have to.
But I have a feeling you'll want to go ahead.
What's with all the feuds you're feuding? I saw, I
saw you just tweeted triple H. I think you're trying
(02:52):
to fight him. I think you're trying to fight Sean
Ross Sap.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
No, for first of all, I don't, I don't know.
I don't. I don't know him as Sean Ross Sap.
Unless you're a celebrity, you don't. You don't get three
name treatments. The fact of the matter is the dude's
name is Sean Sap, and you know they made fun
of him all throughout grade school in high school. Yeah,
(03:16):
he doesn't. He doesn't. He's not worthy of the middle name.
So if you're gonna, if you want to discussing with me,
that's fine. But I don't know any Seawn Ross STAPs.
I just know a Sewan Sap.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Okay, well whoever you know? I met him once. I
have to say he was lovely to me.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Yeah, very very nice.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
Man.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
Okay, let me tell you how lovely he is, fran Scene.
He's so lovely and how this whole thing started. This
guy is so lovely, bro that I am sitting on
my couch one night a couple of months ago, man,
eleven thirty at night, and I get a I get
a text out of the Clear Blue Sky from Seawn
(03:56):
Ross Slap saying, Vince, I just want you to know
what a big piece of shit you are. That's how lovely,
that's how wonderful seean Ross sap is. So the bottom
line is, you talk about these feuds, Bro, you want
to poke the bear, You want to go at it
with me? Fine, bro, like, let's go. Let's see how
(04:18):
that's gonna turn out for you. The problem with Triple
h Is and Francine you will agree to this, and
you don't have to even agree to this. I know
you're gonna agree with this. Don't give me the bullshit
with It's a different time. Wrestling is evolving, bro. Wrestling
today is the same as wrestling was one hundred years ago.
(04:40):
You have a match. The idea of the match is
to pin and beat your opponent. You could beat them
three ways. You could pin them, you can get counted out,
or he can get decued. That has been the same
for a hundred years. Wrestling has not evolved. So stop
with the bullshit. And the bottom line is the WWE
(05:01):
sold out. They sold out, bro. Bottom line, they got
to the point we're gonna be politically correct. We're not
gonna insult anybody. We're not gonna have an edge anymore.
We're not gonna be dangerous anymore. We're gonna put on
Mamby Pamby programming and Francine. That's fine. A lot of
people sell out. People will say, Snoop Dogg sold out
(05:24):
because he's in a million commercials. I got no problem
with selling out, because that's part of business. What I
got a problem with is, don't bullshit us. Don't give
me this evolution, this evolving. Don't you guys sold out? Period?
End of story, Say you sold out and let's move on.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
Is it selling out though, or is it just trying
to extend the brand, adapt to the times.
Speaker 4 (05:50):
Uh, they adapted to the times by selling out, by
not doing anything that's gonna possibly offend anybody.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Listen, Freendzine, this is professional wrestling. You're gonna be in
the professional wrestling business, and you know and and not
you know, get somebody's panties in a wad. You always
are no matter what, bro, there are going to be
people that are upset. If people want to find a
problem with your product, they'll find a problem with your product.
(06:24):
You're not going to please everybody, so when you know,
they made a decision to become politically correct, so they
could be in business with Saudi Arabia and they could
be in business whoever they want to. But we are
talking about professional wrestling here. We're not talking about a
puppet show. Professional wrestling was never meant to not, you know,
(06:49):
get somebody upset. It was never meant to be that.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Okay, tell me about you and Bubba. What do you
mean the miss?
Speaker 2 (07:01):
Oh god, this is good.
Speaker 3 (07:03):
I'm pulling up things that have closed a star one X.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
Well, you know, according to Sean's sap uh, here's a
funny thing. According to Sean sap franc scene. I'm doing
all of this to stay relevant. Okay, now you're trying
to get a job with Yeah, well not not only that.
Here's what cracks me up. Here's what cracks me up.
Raw drew a million and a half people on on
(07:27):
Monday Night. If I was trying to stay relevant, the
absolute last genre I would try to stay relevant would
be wrestling. Wrestling is not relevant. Wrestling hasn't been relevant
four years. So if I was actually trying to stay relevant,
(07:48):
I promise you I would not be doing it through
a through a company and through a business that is
the most irrelevant and entertainment and sports across the board. Now,
according to Bubba Is, you know, I watch these shows, Francine,
only because I get paid to watch these shows. The
(08:10):
minute they stop paying me, I stop watching. It's that simple.
But I am watching. I'm watching this. Okay. First of all,
I gotta check my watch to make sure it's twenty
twenty three. So I'm watching Cody Rhodes come out and
explain how Knackamora spewed a poison misted a poison mist
(08:38):
into his face. But yet here we are seven days later,
and they're both perfectly fine. I just didn't understand that
if Knackamora is holding a poison in his mouth, I'm
thinking it's blistering. I'm thinking he's got canka saws. I'm
thinking he can't breathe. I'm thinking his his his his,
(09:01):
uh Larnix is closing up. And then Cody gets the
poison in the eyes, and I'm thinking of, oh my god.
You know, bro, it's like, can you imagine getting clorox
in your eyes or you know, even uh, even pepper spray.
But here we are a week later, and we're both
perfectly fine to me. That's what casual fans laugh at
(09:26):
and the reason why you still get crap today. Francine,
I'm not telling you anything. You don't know. You've got
the wrestling bubble, and they all live in the wrestling bubble.
They don't have a clue of what's going on on
the outside world. You got people in there, bro that
through politics have been holding their spots forever. When when
(09:49):
when the world passed them by a long time ago?
So when I when I hear of a poison missed,
people are laughing at that. And and you know what,
Bubba can say whatever Bubba wants to say. Back in
the day of Mooda, nobody ever said it was poison nobody.
(10:12):
Poison is a whole different category, fran Scene.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
Yeah, I'm trying to think because I I've taken that
from to Jerry to Jerry used to you?
Speaker 2 (10:19):
Was it poison?
Speaker 3 (10:20):
You know what was the green mist?
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Was it poison? Poison?
Speaker 3 (10:24):
Poison? I've taken it a couple times, and I know
it went into every orifice of my body. Is poison though,
you know, I can't remember if it was poisoned.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
Just skin boiled. Did you all boys boil.
Speaker 3 (10:38):
I did come to work the next week. What would
you call it if you had to rename this mist?
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Well, miss miss, we don't know what's in the mist, something.
Speaker 5 (10:47):
Temporary, blinding, minding, it's binding, miss, yes, blinding, Miss, Thank you, Jaz.
Poison like poison, Bro, I'm actually gonna put poison in
my mouth.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
Bro, I'm sorry. These are the things you have to
look at because it's twoenty twenty three, it's not nineteen
seventy three. These are the things you have to look at.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
I'm reading because I love to read comments anyone that
I follow I read comments. I like to see what
fans are saying about things. People are still blaming you.
And we've talked about this before. Now we're on iHeart,
so we have a new audience that's listening, So I'm
gonna say it again. People are still blaming you for
(11:35):
like downfalls of companies coming up with ridiculous angles, things
that you said you weren't even a part of. And
fans just seem to love to pick at you and
argue with you constantly. Like the thing that I want
to know is how are you not losing your mind?
Speaker 2 (11:54):
Well? Because well, for first of all, a couple of reasons.
First of all, I never read comments, and second or.
Speaker 3 (12:01):
Four, so you do read comments, because no.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
I don't.
Speaker 3 (12:05):
I don't.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
I don't read the comments. I'll only respond to comments
if you don't. If you don't, I don't respond to comments.
Speaker 3 (12:10):
I've seen you respond I don't.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
Taransceine, I don't unless it's a bubba Farancine, I don't.
I mean, I'm telling you, I don't. I do you
know on my YouTube? I did a video yesterday on
YouTube that's at five thousand views. I don't look at
those comments. I will I will see comments on Twitter.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
Yes, that's what I'm referring to.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
Oh yeah, No, I only unless it's a bubba or
unless it's somebody in the industry or the business. I
my comments are very few and far between, very and
because here's the reason. It's real simple. My My brand
of television was entertainment. All of these people commenting want
(12:53):
believe wrestling is real. They think it's real. They've convinced
themselves it's real. They want twenty thirty minute wrestling matches.
They want to put stars to those wrestling matches. And
that's not how I wrote TV. And oh my god, surprise, surprise, surprise,
the television I wrote had the highest ratings in the
(13:15):
history of wrestling. Why not because I was a genius
friend scene, because I opened it up to everybody through entertainment.
If in wrestling today, if you're not a fan of
the wrestling, you're not watching. It's that simple. So you know,
(13:36):
I opened it up to everybody. You didn't have to
be a fan of the actual wrestling. And that's that's
what the marks didn't like. So it's it's real, it's
real simple, And that's why I don't look at comments
and I don't answer comments because I know they they're ridiculous. Mindset.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
Storylines to me are very important, very important. If a
story doesn't draw me in, I can't waste thirty minutes
of my time, even if the guys are great workers.
I need something to invest in, yes, and to bring
me back every week. So I one hundred percent agree
with what you're saying, and I feel like you excelled
(14:17):
at that story telling aspect of the.
Speaker 2 (14:21):
Business because that's what your casual fan, your casual television
television audience wants, That's what they want. That's why you
are drawing a one point five million people. They're not
interested in twenty minute wrestling matches.
Speaker 3 (14:40):
Right, What would you do, either with WWE or AEW
to change if they hired you and I know you're
not interested.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
I'm not interested. It's never happen.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
You're not interested. But with you all of your expertise,
because you have been in the business for a very
long time, what would you do to poperating these words?
Speaker 2 (15:01):
Francine, it's real simple, and it's the same thing I
told Vince McMahon in nineteen ninety six when they were
doing Mantar and TL Hopper and the Goon and all
this ridiculous crap. I told Vince McMahon in nineteen ninety six, Vince,
this product needs to mirror society. What that means is
(15:26):
it's real simple, Franccene. Realism, realism, make it real and work,
work the shoot, work the shoot, not not poison mist
in the eyes. I'm talking about reality. Francine. Here's a
perfect example. Okay, cmpunk comes back after ten years. Everybody
(15:52):
in that locker room has a different opinion. Why aren't
you putting the microphone in their faith and saying, what
do you think as a shoot of cmpunk coming back?
To the w w E and let the people tell
the truth. Why wouldn't you do that? That is such
(16:15):
a missed opportunity. Then, Franccene, based on the comments, now
you roll with who said? What do you what? To
totally ignore that is ridiculous.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
But I feel like, if I'm in that locker room
and I have heat with Punk, I'm afraid to say
the truth because am I gonna get heat for it?
Is that gonna cause me heat with the boy?
Speaker 2 (16:43):
Not if that's what management is telling you to do,
if the if management is going to the boys, No,
it's not. No, it's not no, because because the smart boys,
fran scene and you know all this, the smart boys
will know that they can make money with that. They
(17:03):
they know that, Bro, And that's especially Punk Punk you
use use Bro his his his promo was horrific. The
fact that you're telling me I'm home after you got
fired on your wedding day. Give me a break, Bro,
give me a break. They fired your ass on your
wedding day and I'm home, I'm home.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
What does he do different?
Speaker 2 (17:25):
I read a little exactly what he said at the
end of the promo, which was off cat, which was
off Mike. The last thing he said was I'm not
here to defense, I'm here to make money. That's the
freaking promo. That's the pro. So people do have a
problem with seeing Punk, see him. Punk is gonna make
(17:46):
money with that problem. See him. Punk is a pro.
But to totally ignore all of that, that's what when
pumps on the show two weeks ago, they did one
point nine. The following week we lost four hundred thousand viewers,
and you don't know why. Okay, that's That's what I'm
(18:11):
talking about, selling out, playing it safe, Mamby, Pamby, That's
what I'm talking about.
Speaker 3 (18:20):
Yeah, I feel like if I was in that locker room,
I would tell Punk I'm just gonna say I hate you,
but I really love you, so I wouldn't get any
eat I don't won't heat with anyone.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
I think. Man, if I am head writer and I
know Vince would have done it back in the day, Listen, Francine.
You know it's back in the day when the Montreal
screwjob went down, and you know, Vince goes into Brett's
locker room. The next day, we're in the production meeting
and Vince has a black eye. So here here's who's
(18:54):
in the meeting. It's me, It's Pritchard, It's Jr. It's Pat,
it's Brisco, like Kevin Dunn, maybe like six people. So Fansane,
I'm watching this, and every single person in that room,
you know, Vince, Vince is not talking, vinceus is listening.
(19:15):
Every single person in that room wants to sweep it
under the rug like it never happened. So I'm sitting
there and I'm listening to all this and then after
you hear it what everybody had to say, I said,
are you effing nuts? This is a once in a
(19:36):
lifetime opportunity. Brett Hard punched Vince McMahon in the face,
and you're gonna sweep that under the rug like it
never happened. Nothing like this will probably ever happening in
the history of this business. And you are not going
to take advantage of that. And as I'm saying this, Vince,
(20:01):
and I know Vince's thinking, he's one hundred percent right.
We get back to Stanford that week and that's when
Vince went in the studio and cut the Vince McMahon
didn't screw Brett Hart. Brettheartscrewed Brett Hart. And that was
the start of the mister McMahon character. That would have
(20:24):
never happened if Vince Russo was not in the room.
If Vince Russo was not in the room, they would
have swept that all right under the rug, and you
might not ever even had a mister McMahon. And they're
doing the same thing today. We're bringing back a guy
like seeing Punk. You's got controversy out the wazoo everywhere
(20:45):
he goes, everybody he meets, and you're not gonna allow
your roster to give their real feelings about Punk and
then work that into programming content. You're fools, man, are
absolutely fools.
Speaker 3 (21:02):
That's an interesting take, very interesting take. If I can
switch gears, do you have anything to add, Chad, because
I'm gonna switch gears for that.
Speaker 1 (21:12):
I mean, it's what else can I say?
Speaker 6 (21:14):
I mean, it's just I can't recognize any bit of
what I watched. I watched that whole raw, and I
haven't watched the raw in years, from start to finish,
just because wanted to see what Punk had to say.
And I got suckered into three hours, and I said
the show should be two. If you had to, if
you had to write three hours of a raw in
the heyday of ninety eight. I mean, wouldn't you have
exhausted some of your best ideas if you had to
(21:37):
stretch it?
Speaker 2 (21:38):
Chad. I'll be honest with you, man. When Ed and
I went over to Nitro, the first nine nitros were
three hours.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
Right, Bro.
Speaker 2 (21:46):
With the roster we had, we had absolutely no problem,
absolutely no problem riding a three hours show. Bro. Here's
the problem. They don't have writers. They don't have riders.
They've got Paul haym they got the Haman's, and they
got the Richards, and they got to Michael Hayeses, and
they got all these people. These people are not writers.
They've never been writers. They've never been trained as a writer.
(22:08):
They don't have a degree in writing. Just because Triple
H won thirty five world titles doesn't make Triple H
a freaking writer, Chad. They did the same thing Friencine,
same thing the day after Owen Hart dies. They want
to go on and shoot a raw with no mention
(22:30):
of what happened the night before, no mention. We're gonna
put on a regular show. I went into a closed
door meeting with me, Vince McMahon and Kevin Dunn and
I started emotionally breaking down, and I basically not basically
(22:50):
I told them, if this show is not a tribute
to owen Hart, I am going home right now. I'm
going home right now because if you're gonna have a
raw like nothing happened last night, I'm not going to
be a part of that. And then what did they
(23:10):
what did they? What did they turn the show into?
It was a memorial to owen Hart. But bro, that's
because I was there and and and and and like,
I was the guy who was never in the bubble.
I was just a wrestling fan. I was a father,
I was a husband, I was a regular guy. So
I did not see things through their ridiculous bubble. And
(23:34):
I was the only one that said, I'm literally leaving
right now if that's what this show is going to
be tonight.
Speaker 3 (23:42):
So you're you're trying to say they wouldn't have even
acknowledged him down the line, you know, you don't think
owen Hart.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
They would They would have, they would have. They would
have mentioned what happened last night and had about a
three minute package and that would have been the end
of it. That would have been the end of it. Yes, Wow, Yes,
that happened. That happened.
Speaker 3 (24:05):
I believe you believe that's.
Speaker 2 (24:08):
What I'm talking about. That that's that's what I mean
about the wrestling bubble. That's that's what I'm talking about.
That one I never heard because I've never really said
that before. That's exactly it was. It was just the
three of us in a room, just the three of.
Speaker 6 (24:25):
Us, instead of it being this iconic show now that
we all remember and you know, just close your eyes
and see Austin, you know, saluting the tron and everybody's
emotional speeches. That's incredible that they would just bypass that
for the sake of matches on a show where people
were wrestling with bloodstains in the middle of a canvas.
Speaker 2 (24:45):
Yeah. Like I said, Chad, the same exact thing. When
Brett punch Vince and we're not going to talk about this,
they're still in the we're not going to talk about
this mode.
Speaker 3 (24:57):
Unbelievable. Let me switch because I've always said I'm not
a big fan of Dark Side of the Ring only
because it's such a negative light shined upon pro wrestling,
and all of us that are in it are really
proud of what we've done. And what we've accomplished. If
we weren't, we wouldn't be in this business. Honestly, I
(25:19):
watched an episode and forgive me, I can't remember what
the theme was, but it was centered around you, and
I never really saw you talk about it after it aired.
What was your opinion of that dark side of the ring?
Do you know what I'm talking Was its at the
Beach or something?
Speaker 2 (25:38):
I will tell you exactly. I'll tell you Flash the
Beach two thousand, I'll tell you exactly what happened. Okay.
The first a dark side I did was about the
Brawl for Roll Okay, And when I made the decision
to do that, I'm like, bro, like this is this
is no big deal. This isn't the plane ride from Hell? Like,
(26:02):
this is the Brawl for All tournament? How did this
come about? There was nothing scandalous about this, nothing. So
I'm like, Okay, I'll talk about the Brawl for All.
I'll take responsibility for me pitching the idea of Vince
and everything else. So I thought it was no big deal.
So I agree to do the Brawl for All episode.
(26:24):
And during that episode, the producers of the episode, they
decide that they're gonna turn it into Vince Russo versus
Jim Cornett. Okay, So now I see that air and
I'm like, you freaking guys, like sir, I understand TV's
(26:47):
all about freaking ratings, but don't don't blindside me like that. Okay.
So Francine, fast forward two to three years later, they
call me again to do Bash at the Beach. So
first thing I said is, are you guys freaking kidding me?
I did the brawl for all with you guys, and
(27:10):
you guys turned it into a Vince Russo Jim Cornett angle,
which there is no angle. I could give two shits
about Jim Cornette. I am so over and so past
Jim Cornette. I could give two shits. So I said,
and you have the goal to come back to me
and ask me to do this Bash of the Beach. So, Francine,
(27:31):
right hand to god. You know, I am a you
know I've been podcasting now for ten years. This is
how I make my living. I don't want to go
back to any wrestling company. That will never happen. So
they basically said to me, Vince, what will it take
you to do the Bash at the beach. Francine I
threw a ridiculous number at them, ridiculous and they said, okay,
(27:58):
we'll tell you that. And I said, okay, said I
want that up front, okay, and and and they paid
me that ridiculous amount. So I did Bash at the Beach.
But again for insie, you gotta understand something for me. Anyway,
when I go into the when I go into like
these dogs, you know, these dok side shows. My whole
(28:22):
thing is I am not going into I'm not burying anybody.
I'm not burying. You're gonna ask me what happened, and
I'm going to tell you what happened. I'm not gonna
sit here and bash anybody. And if you watch the
Bash at the Beach, you see Bischoff just, I mean
(28:42):
just absolutely burying. I did not say one negative word
about Eric Bischoff. I did not say one negative word
about Hulk Hogan. That's not what I do. If you,
if you want to ask me what happened, I'm going
to tell you what happened. Whether you want to believe
that or not is up to you. But you can
watch me on those shows. I do not talk negatively
(29:06):
about anybody.
Speaker 3 (29:07):
Well, you said that on the first one. They made
it you against Jim Cornett. On this one, it was
you against Eric Bischoff. And did you know that going
in that that was going to be the absolute absolutely?
Speaker 2 (29:20):
But the money they paid me was ridiculous.
Speaker 3 (29:22):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (29:23):
So I was like, guys, like I said, I am
gonna come here, I am. You're gonna ask me a question.
I'm gonna tell you the truth. I'm not interested in
burying Hulk or Eric, and I'm not gonna do that
from that point on. Yes, Francine, I knew they were
gonna do whatever they wanted with it. But like I said, man,
the money they paid me for it was ridiculous.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
Yeah, I'm sure. I just saw it. And I was
just I was interested in the concept, not really knowing
you that well. And never I met Eric Bischhoff like
one time, shook his hand and walked away. I've never
met Hawk Coogan. But you hear certain things, and you
never know what's true what's not true.
Speaker 2 (30:02):
Well, you know, you know when I'm saying something, it's.
Speaker 3 (30:05):
True, it's true. It's always true. Okay.
Speaker 2 (30:07):
One thousand, I at almost sixty three years old, a
grandfather of two. I there is nothing in this world
I would ever. I have you really think I'm gonna
lie about wrestling shit from thirty years ago? Like like seriously,
I'm gonna lie about it. And and I'll tell you, Francine,
(30:29):
I would never if it was you know, they they
have shows that are character assassinations on people. I would
never do one of those shows. If if if they're
gonna pay me money to bury somebody, I'm not gonna
take that money. I'm not gonna take that money. Like
you know, they did a show on Tammy, I'm not.
(30:51):
I'm not gonna go on I mean that that that
that poor woman's had enough problems. I'm not gonna go
on that show and bury Tammy, no matter how much
you pay me. But if it's something like Vince, what
happened at Bash of the Beach, This is what happened
at Bash of the Beach. Whether you want to believe
me or don't believe me, I don't give a crap.
Speaker 3 (31:09):
So I know you don't do conventions and stuff, But
if you did, are you the type of person that
would go and shake their hand or would you just
ignore them?
Speaker 2 (31:18):
Shake Who's hand?
Speaker 3 (31:19):
Shake like a Bischoff's hand?
Speaker 2 (31:22):
Lancy, I don't have a problem with anybody, with anybody.
You know how many times I've come on here and said,
I will do a face to face with Eric Bischoff,
I will do a face to face with Jim Cornett,
I will do a face to face with Dave Meltzer.
I don't have a problem with any of these people,
but for some reason, they don't want to do a
(31:44):
face to face with me. So you tell me why.
If I had anything to hide, I certainly would not
publicly put that out there. So when I publicly put
it out there and nobody accepts it, I gotta ask
myself why.
Speaker 3 (32:03):
I think you're a good debater. Maybe they're scared, I
don't know.
Speaker 2 (32:07):
It has nothing to do with with debating its debater.
It has to do with who's telling the truth and
who's lying, That's what. And it also has to do
with this friend scene. They're still playing their characters. Okay,
Eric Bischoff is playing Eric Bischoff on his podcast. Jim
Cornett is playing Jim Cornette on his podcast. So they're
(32:29):
saying a lot of things in character because their audience
can't tell what's fact and what's fiction. I don't play
my freaking character. I left my character in the ring
when I walked away from wrestling. I don't play character.
What what I play is you ask me something, I'm
gonna tell you the freaking truth.
Speaker 6 (32:52):
That goes back to what you said before about everybody
that believes it's real. The comments that we get about
this show is everybody sees how real fran scene is.
There's no characters to be found on these airwaves. Being
a part of the brand for the years that I was,
that's what I can say about listening to what you said.
There was no Vince Russo character. What you saw was
(33:13):
what you got every time you hear Bischoff. And I
was around Bischoff a lot, and I worked with Bischoff
on conventions and shows. He could turn on the character
and you got the nWo Eric Bischoff.
Speaker 1 (33:26):
You know, bad guy, I'm cool, too cool for the room.
You got that.
Speaker 6 (33:30):
And that's what these podcasts have spawned is another group
of characters. And now the fans that also watch the
shows and listen to the podcasts have become a part
of these worlds. So whereas the brand is like kind
of a family, these podcasts are just like the wrestling
crowds and they buy into these characters that now the
wrestlers have made on podcasts.
Speaker 2 (33:51):
Are you know you know absolutely, Chad, because you know
Francine you had the list of these beefs, right, and
why I mean all these things. Here's a case scenario,
Chad of what we're talking about. I'm sitting here minding
my own business the other day and I come across
a story where it was a podcast and somebody asked
(34:16):
Jake Roberts about Vince Russo being in the Hall of Fame.
So my first question is, Guys, I worked with Jake
on maybe one, two or three occasions. Every time I
work with him, he was gone the next week because
either you know what Jake was dealing with at the time.
(34:38):
So every time I work with him, I turn around
and he would be gone because of something that he did.
So I worked with him very, very very rarely. So
now the question comes on a podcast to Jake Robins,
what would you think about Vince Russo being in the
Hall of Fame? So my first question is, why are
(34:59):
you bringing Vince Russo's name into an interview with Jake
Roberts when I had nothing to do with the dude's career. Okay,
So Jake Roberts turns around, laughs and says, f No,
my dead dog had better ideas than Vince Russo, okay, bro,
So why why is Jake saying that? When Bro I
(35:23):
can go down the list? Obviously I never had any
kind of a relationship with him. He has no idea
who I am as a human being. And oh, by
the way, under my thumb, two wrestling companies had the
best ratings they ever had in their history. And I'm
talking about WWE and TNA. That was drawing over two
(35:45):
million people. So it's real simple. Why is Jake saying that?
Jake is saying that because he knows that's what the
interviewer wants to here. Jake wants to get over with
the cool kids. Oh man, look at Jake. Look at
what Jake said about ventures. That's why he's doing it.
You think you think Jake Roberts has any idea of
(36:09):
what I booked and what I didn't book What was
my idea and what wasn't my He has no freaking idea.
What is he trying to do. He's trying to get
over with the cool kids, that internet crowd, the wrestling marks.
So I understand that, and I get it, but I'll
be honest with you, Bro. The dude is older than me,
(36:31):
and it's like, you know, bro, if you if you really,
you're gonna bury me who you don't even know. You
don't have any idea of what I booked and what
I didn't book to get over with the Mark crowd, Like, Bro,
you're gonna be doing this when you're seventy seventy five.
That's why for Instine, I don't rip people because if
you look at my response to Jake Roberts on Twitter,
(36:54):
what did I say? I said Jake Roberts was probably
the most creative when it came to character and story
in the history of the business. So I'm not gonna
sit there and rip you because I know exactly what
you're trying to do. I think it's sad and pathetic,
(37:15):
but at the end of the day, I am going
to put you over because I don't have a problem
with you, Jake. So you could say whatever you want
about me, because I understand why you're saying it.
Speaker 3 (37:27):
I feel like you're such a likable guy. I don't
understand like all of this negativity that comes towards you.
Speaker 2 (37:35):
Because they're feeding into it. This is what This is
what today's wrestling marks, the dirt sheet writers, this is
what they want. And what does Jake want to do
at the end of the day. Come on, Francine, let's
be honest. He wants to get over with aew because
maybe I even think he's working there now I know
(37:56):
he was, I don't know if he's on hiatus. He
wants to get in good favor with them, So how
do we do that. I'll just throw rocks and stones
at Vince Russo because that's what they like. And you know,
my thing is, bro man, if you want to get
back into the business that badly, Bro, say whatever you
want about me, Like, if it's that important to you
(38:20):
to get back into wrestling, throw me under the bus
all day long.
Speaker 3 (38:26):
I don't get it.
Speaker 6 (38:27):
I wouldn't ask Jake anything past nineteen eighty nine.
Speaker 2 (38:30):
Yeah, well, I think what's the point. Yeah? Uh?
Speaker 3 (38:34):
I have one one final question for you, biggest misconception
about Vince Verus.
Speaker 1 (38:39):
Deep, very deep question.
Speaker 2 (38:44):
God, that's it's so that's hard to say because like
I put it like, I put it all out there,
I don't I don't hold any punches like I feel
like you're not understood.
Speaker 3 (39:01):
We're very complex.
Speaker 2 (39:05):
Franstein. I think I'm very very simple. Okay, Vince McMahon
put me in a position. This is where this all started.
Vince McMahon put me in a position. Vince, you have
to get as many people to watch our show as possible.
You have two hours to do it. Okay, that's it, period. Francine.
(39:29):
I swear, here's what people don't understand. And Francine, I
don't know about your background. Here's people I don't understand.
And if I hear this story one more time, I
swear to God under the puke in my own mouth.
I had a dream. Oh, when I was five years old,
I dreamed of being in the main event of WrestleMania.
(39:52):
I had a dream, Francine. When I was writing in
the wrestling business for WWE, w CW, it was not
a dream. It was a job. It was a job.
It's no different than what I'm doing now. It's no
different than when I own video stores. It's no different
than when I worked for CBS Publishing. I had a job.
(40:15):
And no matter what job I'm in, you're gonna get
one hundred and ten percent from me, and I'm gonna
do the absolute best I can. So it wasn't a dream.
I wasn't a mark for the business. I wasn't so
thankful to be there. I had a job to support
my family. And that's what's so hard for people to
(40:40):
freaking understand that, Like, I wouldn't have killed for a
job in the WWE fretzine. I got hired first as
a freelance writer, and then from there the editor got fired.
I got the editor's job. Television writing wasn't even on
my radar. It's not something I wanted to do. They
(41:02):
were paying me sixty grand as the editor of the
magazine Francine. I thought that was all the money in
the world. They moved me to Connecticut. I was able,
you know we're talking about now, Back in ninety five,
I was able to support my family on sixty grand.
I was made. I had no inspirations of writing TV
(41:26):
and being the head writer of Raw and writing in
limousines with Vinceth, with Vince McMahon. You think any of
that crap ever crossed my mind. That shit happened because
it was supposed to happen. Everything happens for a reason.
All that stuff was supposed to happen. But people can't
fathom this wasn't my dream, This isn't what I lived for,
(41:50):
paying dues and all that bullshit. It's a freaking job, man.
Speaker 3 (41:56):
Ninety nine percent of the boys in the business had
this dream they were two years old. Like I'm like you,
I kind of fell into it. I never I didn't
even like wrestling until I was nineteen years old. Like,
I didn't watch it my whole life. I want to
be a mother. I was playing with dolls, yes, when
I was, you know, ten years old, saying one of
(42:18):
these days, I'm going to be a momie. That was
my dream.
Speaker 2 (42:22):
That was my fat because you because you were normal.
You were normal.
Speaker 3 (42:25):
I'm still say I'm one of the most normal people
that this business tried to corrupt but did it because
there was so much temptation and it just wasn't my path,
you know, Thank God. I thank God every day for
where I'm at and what I have, and I am
probably one of the more normal people. You know, we're
(42:48):
all a little little tiny bit.
Speaker 2 (42:49):
Wacky, right of course, but there's.
Speaker 3 (42:52):
Way more wackier than I am, right, you know what
I mean? And like for the years I want like
I've thought I was going to be married at twenty
I wanted five kids, right, you know, I wanted this
nice house, and I didn't get that. I didn't meet
my husband until thirty four. Now I have two beautiful children,
I have a great husband, I have a great home. Like,
(43:12):
this is what I dreamed of wrestling. I get where
you're coming from.
Speaker 2 (43:16):
Yeah, I mean, I I gotta. I got a degree
in journalism and I wanted to write. I got the
job as the editor of the WWF magazine. Oh great,
this is this is all that I wanted. But it's
like when this isn't when this isn't your life like
(43:38):
twenty four seven, Like they've got a problem with that,
And I'm like, my god, this this will always be
a job to me. Man.
Speaker 3 (43:49):
Yeah, yeah, well I'm not kissing your ass because you
know I like you. My favorite time was in the nine.
These lots of the things that you wrote, I was
very entertained with. I've said it how many times I
don't watch the current product. I watch it when I
(44:09):
need to. I watch clips of my friends, and I
watch things that we have to report on. But I
was a diehard fan. What drew me in was most
of the shows that you worked on. So to me,
that was when wrestling was at its peak and it
was very entertaining, and that's when I would sit there
for the three hours and enjoy the whole ride. You know, now,
(44:31):
I don't have the willpower to sit for three hours.
Speaker 2 (44:35):
You know what it is. I swear to God. It
really dawned on me, I'd say about a couple of
weeks ago, and Francine, I swear to God, Chad, if
you start looking at it this way, it really becomes
much more understandable. Okay, And I've come to the conclusion. Listen.
(44:57):
I watched the shows, and I the shows every week,
and and here's why I ripped the shows because I
say to myself, bro, when that show is over, there
is no way in hell you can look in the
mirror and say I I did the absolute best that
I can. It's lazy booking. Everything is drawn out. They're
(45:20):
just trying to fill three hours. But then I finally
came to the conclusion because I noticed, like Francine, TRIPLEH
was making like just so there were so many mistakes
that was like wrestling one oh one, like so many
just simple stupid mistakes. And as a guy that worked
(45:44):
with Triple H. And respect to Triple H. I'm sitting
here and I'm saying, Bro, this guy came from Killikowalski.
He can't he Bro. I can't sit here and say
Triple H is an idiot and doesn't know what he's doing.
But there's no other explanation because the things I'm talking
about are elementary. Then you know, as I'm pondering this
(46:06):
frien scene, I come up with the answer. I think
in twenty twenty three. Right now, it's this simple. I
think the WWE are looking at themselves as strictly content creators,
(46:26):
and it doesn't matter if the content is good, if
the content is bad, if the content doesn't draw ratings,
none of that matters. Because now you know, with streaming
services and you know SmackDown was just picked up by
USA and now they're shopping raw. They are content creators.
(46:48):
I don't think they care about that content because come on, Francine,
at ECW, you are around some of the greatest talents
in the business that are still talked about today. When
you turn on their show, I swear to you fifty
percent of that roster has no business being on television.
Speaker 3 (47:13):
Zero.
Speaker 2 (47:14):
But you know, they're never gonna get over. Nobody's ever
gonna remember who they are, So why are they there.
They're there to create content. That's all they care about.
So when if you can start looking at it through
that as through that aspect, it really explains why you're
(47:36):
just not getting good television shows anymore.
Speaker 3 (47:39):
I love your honesty. That's that's the one thing I
admire about you, Vincere. You're just honest to a fault.
And I appreciate you coming on and giving us your
two cents about the business these days because I appreciate.
Speaker 2 (47:53):
It, and you know, for instance, like I can talk
for all three of us. Here's the one thing that
bothers me about that kind except Francine, this is your show.
Chad's producing your show, he's your co host. This is
my show, this is my podcast. Listen, man, When my
name is attached to anything, I want it to be
(48:15):
the best it possibly can. I don't care if people
love it or hate it. I got to be able
to look at myself and say, Bro, you gave it
your ale, you did everything. So here's what I'm talking about, Francine.
One word pride. What's your freaking pride? I don't care
that your content creators, your name is on this? What
(48:35):
happened to your pride? Because I'm sure Chad and Francine
you don't want to put anything out there that shit.
And I'm sure that if you thought it was shit,
you do it over. I've done that. I've recorded shows
on my own that I thought were shit that I've
done over. So like that, that's the one thing is like, bro,
(48:59):
whether you're content ten creators or not, your name is
on this. Where's your pride? That's all you.
Speaker 3 (49:07):
Have to end with that because we can't say no more.
They tell people where they can find you on social
media and what to sign up for.
Speaker 2 (49:16):
Yeah, guys, I'm just I'm just going to tell you
one thing, man, because again, it's the holidays, Black Fridays,
every weekend, so we have a deal right now. If
you've never been a member of our Patreon, you could
see it right on the screen. Just go to patreon
dot com, forward slash russo TWC and sign up for
your free week.
Speaker 3 (49:36):
I appreciate you so much, thank you for coming on.
I think you're a three timer now.
Speaker 2 (49:41):
Yeah, I think so.
Speaker 6 (49:43):
Yeah, he came on once then he co hosted when
you were sitting around and then this would be number three.
Speaker 2 (49:49):
Yeah, you've done a lot of good business today.
Speaker 3 (49:51):
It's always a pleasure speaking to you, Sarah. I have
the utmost respect for you and everybody. Go over to
the brand and sign up because this man what he's.
Speaker 1 (50:00):
Talking and I will have the man give you my best.
Speaker 3 (50:04):
Thank you so much for coming on. Merry Christmas, Happy
New Year, and.
Speaker 2 (50:08):
Thank you guys. Have a graduate of that man. Take care.
Speaker 7 (50:14):
Yeah. Oh Francine Francis France, Queen Extreme Extreme pizes up here.
Hen head, the Queen Extreme podcast pis up here.
Speaker 2 (50:31):
It's the Queen Extreme Podcast.
Speaker 7 (50:34):
It's the Queen of Extreme Bruy and the legendship is
the woman of your dreams. Legend on the scene. Francine podcast,
What you mean? What your tramplads to show you what
you need? Just the stand of Queens
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